16. Wild Ride

After a wild ride through the city streets with Becka, Chrissy finally meets Jonathon.

Becka steered the car wildly through the city streets at a high rate of speed, running red lights and careening around corners with the tires squealing while Chrissy gave a running commentary on her driving skills - "Gah!!!... Holy Hell! Are you trying to get us killed?!... Watch out for that bus!!... This is a one-way street, you idiot!!... Oh, my God!!!”

Once Becka was satisfied that she had lost whoever it was that was following them she drove to the abandoned furniture store at a normal pace. By that time, Chrissy was so glad that the wild ride was over that she didn't argue with her about going to Hiram Park. Becka parked by the back door and got out of the car. Chrissy followed her. Becka knocked on the door and after a few seconds it was opened by Stefanie. Becka jerked her thumb over her shoulder at Chrissy as she entered and said, “She's with me.”

Chrissy stared at Stefanie with a furrowed brow for several seconds before she finally said, “I saw you at the beach.”

Stefanie shrugged. Chrissy shook her head and followed after Becka. The whole thing was getting too damned convoluted.

She wasn't sure what she would encounter when she entered the office. She half expected to find her husband and daughter bound and gagged and stuffed in a dark closet, or something just as dreadful.  Instead, she saw Emily seated at a table drawing on a piece of paper with a pencil. Stefanie walked over and sat down next to her. The man she assumed to be Jonathon was leaning back in an office chair with his feet up on the desk talking to Ian, who was leaning against the wall in a chair next to him.

“Well, I have to admit,” Jonathon said to Ian, “the movement of the universe from a non-entropic state to an entropic state does describe the nature of time very elegantly, but don't you think it's a bit simplistic?”

“Oh, I agree that time is much more complicated than that,” Ian responded, “But you have to admit it's a very good definition for the fundamental nature of time. After all, if you stop the entropy, you stop time... Oh! Hey, Bittersweet!” He smiled at Chrissy when he saw her.

Emily looked up from her paper. “Hi, Chrissy,” she said with a wave, “Stefanie and I are playing Dots!” She shoved the paper toward Stefanie and said, “It's your turn.”

Chrissy was bit disconcerted. While she was chasing around getting shot at and risking her life riding with Becka and trying to rescue her family, they were playing games and having discussions about the nature of time with their kidnappers.

Jonathon jumped up from his desk. “Great! You guys are here. Geez, Becka! What happened to your face?!” Becka gave Chrissy a dirty look but said nothing. “Go clean yourself up,” he said, jerking a thumb toward the wash room, “You look like hell.” He turned to Chrissy. “So, Chrissy. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. J'ai toujours cru que les femmes de Montréal sont beaucoup plus belles que les femmes de Paris.” ( I always thought women in Montreal are much more beautiful than the women in Paris.)

He gave a little bow and added with a smile, “I did a stint in the French Foreign Legion in my youth.”

Chrissy stared at him for several seconds before she replied, “Peu importe combien de langues tu parles, tu es encore un escroc.” (It doesn't matter how many languages you speak, you're still a crook.)

Jonathon laughed. “Well said,” he replied, “But I prefer the term 'outlaw'. Let's get down to business. The card, please.” He held out his hand. Chrissy placed the card in his hand and he sat down at his desk and inserted it into his computer. While he examined its contents Chrissy glanced around the office. Through the open doorway of an adjoining storage room she saw a motorcycle parked. Her eyes grew wide.

“Whoa!  Sweet ride!” she said as she walked over to get a better look.

“Like it?” said Jonathon over his shoulder, “It's a 1952 Triumph Thunderbird. I restored it myself.”

Chrissy was beginning to realize that Jonathon was one of those incredibly annoying people that excelled at everything they tried.  She quickly decided she didn't like him.

“Okay!” said Jonathon triumphantly, “This is the card alright. I'm a man of my word. Everybody is free to go.”

“Just like that?!” asked Chrissy.

“Just like that,” he answered.

“And just how are we supposed to get home?”

“Hmm... good point. Becka, give them a ride, would you?”

Becka was still drying her face as she exited the washroom. “Why me?! Why can't Stef do it?” she complained.

“Because I need Stefanie to book our flights out of here,” he answered.

She gave an exasperated sigh. “Fine! Come on, then!” She waved them all along as she grabbed the car key.

“Bye, Ian, Emily. Chrissy, it was a pleasure to finally meet you,” waved Jonathon. Chrissy rolled her eyes when Ian shook Jonathon's hand. They all followed Becka out to the car and piled in. She drove them to Ian's studio where his car was still parked. As they were getting out, Becka asked Chrissy, “Can I have my gun back, now?”

“No.”

Becka sped off without another word.

Author's Note

Nope! It's not nearly over yet. There are still several more chapters to come.

Reviews

[C. Rose]

"high rate of speed" could be more simply put as "high speed"
I recommend a comma after "it was that was following them"

When Chrissy sees her family being friendly with the so-called crooks and when Chrissy refuses to give Becka's gun back are my favorite points. Becka is becoming more likable.

[Craig2591]

Thank you for the suggestions and the review.

[SpeedyHobbit Armstrong]

The comments on Becka's driving are amusing and very realistic. The irony is how they'd be killed if the Serbian crazies caught them! Chrissy keeping the gun is amusing as well

[Craig2591]

Thank you. Things are about to get very serious for them.

[SpeedyHobbit Armstrong]

I can tell, the chapter name suggests that as well! Can't wait!

[Tina Kline]

That did seem like a very quick ending. Glad there is still more. Nice she kept the gun. Very enjoyable story.

[Craig2591]

Thank you very much.

[John Lauterbach]

I'd change the intro up a bit. "Becka spent the next several minutes..." removes the reader from an exciting moment of Becka driving like a crazy person and risking Chrissy's life. It immediately told me that they both made it out okay.

The rest felt fine by me. Stockholm syndrome came to mind for what Ian and Emily were doing, but that's not quite right since their kidnappers seem rather accommodating. I'm having a little trouble with the idea that they're going to let everybody go without an issue; but it isn't over yet, there are still Serbians and I might have too harsh of expectations from needlessly ruthless spies out of movies.

[K.]

Excited to keep reading! I like how you added the French in, it gave more insight to Chrissy and Jonathon. Great job and I look forward to reading the rest.

[Craig2591]

Thank you for continuing to read and review.