Deadly Silence (complete) Chapter 157

The exchange was to take place in a park near the city center, and was well known for its large playground and walking trails. When Vivian and Jacques pulled up they had ten minutes to spare.

Glancing around, Vivian took note of the handful of adults watching young children play, a number of people walking with and without dogs, and others sitting around, soaking up the early autumn sun.

“So, what now?” Jacques asked as he removed his helmet and ran a hand through his hair. “Am I just leaving you here? Coming with?”

Vivian glanced up at him before going back to taking in the view. “I… would like you to stay with me, for as long as possible, if that’s alright. I’m not sure what’ll happen though so, if you want to leave, I won’t blame you.”

“I already told you, my playing bodyguard will eat at my old man. The longer I get to do it, the more I can brag.”

It brought Vivian relief to know she wouldn’t be doing this alone. She didn’t think Jacques had the same skill set as Gilbert or Tyrell but, compared to her, he’d at least be able to throw a punch that hurt. “Alright. Guess we should get to the meeting spot.”

As they walked, Jacques continued to speak. “So, what’s the plan? You think they’ll bring your dad and brother here, or will we need to go to a second location?”

Vivian shook her head. “Chances are good they won’t bring them here; they’d be idiots if they did. But… it also gives me some leverage, if they demand we go to secondary location.”

“Makes sense. What if they say I can’t come to the secondary location?”

“They’ll let you come,” she assured him, looking up at Jacques with a grim smile before averting her gaze. “I’m pretty sure I know who’s behind this, and his end goal. It shouldn’t be hard to convince him this won’t work if you’re not there with me.”

She could feel Jacques’ eyes on her as they continued to walk towards the gazebo where they were supposed to meet up. They’d almost reached it when he spoke again. “You know who’s doing this? Why didn’t you tell the old man? He can’t figure it out; none of them can.”

“Laurent once said I work on a quid-pro-quo system,” she replied after a moment. “I don’t know if that’s true or not, but, why would I tell them anything, when they don’t let me have a say in how to respond to a ransom? Especially when I’m wanted as ‘payment’.”

“Would you have told them, if they’d given you a vote?”

She shrugged. “Probably not, but does it matter? I never had the choice to begin with; I’m not sure I ever did. Whether I was in foster care, or here, I’ve never had much say in anything important. I guess my family’s given me the illusion of choice, at least.”

“Is that really how you see it?”

Vivian stopped walking and sighed. “I don’t know. A lot’s happened this last week, and my mind is a mess. I know they care — that much is obvious — but… but, I don’t think…” Another sigh came out of her as she struggled to find the right words. “It’s like they want to keep me in this bubble, so the world won’t hurt me; except I already *know* the world sucks, that people are horrible, and life isn’t fair. I don’t want, or need, to be ‘kept safe’ all the time, but they’re *obsessed* with it.”

“The joys of being young,” Jacques chuckled. “The old man is obsessed with doing whatever your dad asks; that’s his issue. I don’t get it, don’t care to get it, and just deal with it; but dude is inflexible at the best of times. As for your family…”

“They’re going overboard because they feel like they need to make up for the last sixteen years,” she finished for him. “They’ve said about as much. And I get it, sure, but it’s suffocating sometimes.”

“You’re also sixteen,” he offered. “That’s not really the age where you want to get closer to your family, but break out on your own. At least, that’s how it was for me. Teenage rebellion is a hard time for everyone.”

They arrived at the gazebo and stood on the steps for a minute. Few people were in the immediate area, which meant they’d arrived before whoever was holding Samuel and Gabriel hostage.

“Do you carry any kind of weapon?” Vivian suddenly asked as she kept an eye out for anyone coming their way.

“Yeah. I don’t have a death wish; of course I carry.”

*What does a runner do, where not carrying a weapon means you have a death wish?* “I thought you were a runner.”

“I am.”

“… but… never mind. I don’t want to know.”

Jacques let out a laugh and let the conversation drop.

At two minutes before one, a skinny man approached the gazebo. He wore a green baseball cap pulled low, a blue shirt and jeans — this was to say he didn’t stand out in the least. “Glad to see you made it,” he spoked once he was within ear shot. A wide smile showed even, white teeth.

“And you are?” Vivian asked, her palms beginning to sweat. There would be no turning back now.

“I’m not important. You’re Vivian, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Great. Your… friend… can stay here. Come on, let’s get going.”

“Either he comes with me, or you leave here without me,” Vivian replied as she leaned on the handrail that led up to the gazebo.

The man hesitated, his smile dimming just a bit. “What makes you think you have a choice?”

*How far am I willing to take this*, Vivian asked herself as she looked the man up and down. “What makes you think I’m giving you a choice?” She replied with a small tilt of her head. “Either he comes with me, or this isn’t happening.”

Smile now gone, the man clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Anything else?” He demanded, sounding angry.

“Actually, yes,” she nodded. “You’re to release Gabriel, as a sign of good faith. Once I hear he’s safe, we will gladly go wherever you want.” Vivian turned to Jacques and said, “Have a runner ready to get Gabriel once he tells us where they’ll be leaving him. Alive, by the way,” she added, looking back over at the man. “If he isn’t alive, then your boss is going to be angry when you come back empty handed.”

“You drive a hard bargain,” the man practically growled as he pulled out his phone to make a call.

While he was talking on the phone, Vivian glanced over at Jacques, who was busy texting. He glanced up and, when their eyes met, gave her a small nod. She hadn’t been sure if he could do what she’d asked, but had hoped he’d at least have some friends available to help. If not, she’d have told him to contact Gilbert. If he were still at the hospital, it would take twenty minutes before he’d get to the park; plenty of time for her to be long gone.

Vivian was playing this by ear for the most part; there was no real plan, only a general outline of what she figured might happen, and the outcome she hoped to achieve. Taking out her phone, she fiddled with it for a few minutes as they waited.

“Alright,” the man finally told them, sounding less annoyed now. He gave them the location they’d be leaving her brother, and now they waited for Jacques to receive confirmation from the runner he’d sent.

“Got him,” he said after five, long minutes. “They’re on their way to get him looked at. He’ll live.”

Closing her eyes, Vivian allowed herself a silently cheer for this small victory. Now all she had to worry about was getting Samuel out alive. And Jacques. And herself.

I*t’s all going according to plan*, she told herself, knowing there was no plan, and therefore it couldn’t go wrong.