Page 27 of Most Of All

The genius that I am came up with a whole plan, all on the drive here. I'm going to find an empty shipping container and restrain her in it, while I go pick up the passports and a few supplies, she most likely won’t wake up beforehand, but if she does, I can always knock her out.

When I get to the docks, I find an empty container and drive the car inside. I drag Raine from the back seat and just leave her laying in a pile on the ground while I search for something to restrain her with. Suddenly remembering I have some zip ties in the truck, I secure her wrists and ankles. There were bandages on her wrists, which came in handy, as I used them to cover her mouth. Hopefully, I secured it tight enough, so that it doesn't become loose. I can’t risk her screaming if she wakes up, someone might hear her.

Thankfully, she still hasn’t woken up by the time I’ve finished, so I drag her over into the corner furthest from the doors, and just leave her on the ground, there's nothing to put her on anyway.

Jumping in the car, I drive out, scanning the surroundings for any signs of trouble. I pull the car over, jump back out of the car, and head back to the container. Carefully, I lean in and peer through the doors to check on Raine, her expression looks calm, but I wanted to be absolutely sure. Satisfied, I turn my attention to the locks, ensuring each one clicks into place with a definitive snap.

With everything locked down, I return to the car, my mind racing as I mentally go over a checklist.

Prioritizing my next steps, I remind myself of what must be done to keep us one step ahead. First, I need a new burner phone, then I’ll gather some essentials and, by that time, the passports should be ready, if not, I’ll find myself camping in a shipping container.

***

I’m sitting in the car outside some store getting ready to gather some necessities. To be on the safe side, I picked up two phones from the first shop. Now my mind has gone blank for some reason, shit! That's all I need right now. I haven’t been able to think of what else I’ll need.

With time not being my friend, I pull out my phone, calling my contact for an update on the passports, but no one answers, so I send a message. With luck, they will get back to me soon. Reluctantly, I slip the phone back into my pocket, before getting out of the car to head inside the store.

Just as I reach the checkout, my phone let out a loud beep, but I waited until I was finished and back inside the car before I read the message.

The passports are ready, thank fuck! I have to pick them up in thirty minutes. My contact attached a location for pickup and it’s only a fifteen-minute drive from here, so it works out perfectly.

Everything has happened so fast; I didn’t have things planned properly, not like I usually do. If I had, maybe it wouldn’t have gone the way it did? Who knows? I can’t dwell on that now, so I take a moment to calm the chaos storming inside me before I scan the area and drive off; a sense of purpose now replacing the doubt.

It takes five minutes longer than expected to get to the location, but I’m here, and on time. To be on the safe side, I park down the road and walk up. It’s risky, but I don’t want anyone to see the car. The place is empty when I get to the meeting point but I am still early, so I wait. With each moment stretching out before me, I’m grateful I bought myself a lightweight oversized hoodie in the store. After all, I'm a wanted man, I can’t risk being noticed.

Not that I have read or seen the news since this whole shit show went down, I can only assume I’m a wanted man. I just wonder what they are saying about me.

A movement to the left of me kicks me from my thoughts, and I can see someone walking toward me with an envelope, this must be him. But as he approaches, a sound behind me startles me, nearly giving me a heart attack. I turn around, it’s only an old man walking his dog, but when I turn my attention back, the man with the envelope is gone. Where did he go?

Confused, I search around, looking to see if anyone is there but I can’t see anyone. What the fuck? That’s so weird, it must not have been my contact.

I wait for a while longer, but my patience is wearing thin, thirty long minutes have passed and not a single soul appears. Frustrated, I pull out my phone and call the number, but it doesn’t connect, making it clear their phone has been cut off. What the fuck do I do now?

This has been one disaster after another, seriously!

With gritted teeth, I head back to my car, cursing under my breath, who the fuck arranges a meeting and doesn’t turn up? Dickheads that like to waste people’s time, that’s who.

See, this is what happens when you let feelings get in the way, poor choices and bad decisions.

WhyonearthdidI think it was a good idea to leave them alone? How could I have been so careless? I was trying to give them the space they needed to grieve, to process their emotions.

It’s a wonder I didn’t get pulled over for speeding with how fast I drove to the hospital. By the time I arrive, there are police everywhere, what good are they now? Raine is gone, taken by that son of a bitch.

The weight of my decision hangs heavy. I can’t help but feel frustrated with myself for not being here, she would have been safe with me around. Why didn’t I trust my instincts? Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Howard lies unconscious, his condition unknown while we await the results of his blood work. They’re hoping to identify the substance Jack injected him with.

Meanwhile, the police review the CCTV footage with me.

It’s hard to process what I’m seeing; the audacity of this fucker is staggering. Brazenly, he walks into the hospital, dressed in a police officer's uniform, and once inside, he steals clothing from one of the doctors, further adding to the chaos. But the real horror sets in as he drugs both Raine and Howard with an unknown substance, and as if it’s nothing, he casually rolls Raine out of the hospital in a wheelchair, vanishing from the video feed.

The whole scene plays out like a twisted nightmare, and I struggle to come to terms with it all. If all that’s not bad enough, what were the two idiots I left to watch over Raine doing at the time? Oh yes, they were watching the wrong fucking room!

How can everything go so wrong, all at the same time?

My body is trembling with anger, as terror seeps its way through my bones. This fucker killed Rose, and has attempted to kill Raine once already. What’s next? What has he planned? The uncertainty is unsettling, I can’t shake the feelings gnawing away at me. I have only just found her; I can’t lose her.

It takes me a couple of moments to gain my composure. I need to be stronger than this. I need to find the strength for her.

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