Rescued

Riley glance around nervously, not knowing where to tend to as she held tightly on to her phone. A vibration from the phone drew her attention to it. She glanced at the screen and it was a call from her Uncle. She hastily answered with a shaky voice.

"Uncle?" she cried.

"Where are you now Riley?" came Lian's voice worriedly from the phone.

"I'm...."

Pop...! pop...! pop...! a loud sound of a gunshot interrupted. At that moment, Riley's phone binged low battery and went dead.

"Oh shit.." she mumbled.

*************

Lian was half way through his drive to Natton Street when he decided to give Riley a call to be sure of the location and also her safety. She answered the call after a short ring, making Lian

ease down a bit. The background of the call wasn't quiet clear but he could still hear her. They were talking when he suddenly heard a loud sound of a gunshot then her phone went off.

"Riley..?, Riley..?" he called but there was no answer. "Oh no." he mumbled, dropping the phone on the seat as he sped off.

"Who the hel..."

Pop....! the shot again.

This time, it was fierce. She lowered her head, dodging the bullets as she glided to the corner of one of the buildings. She knelt down, panting heavily as she slowly peeped from where she hid, searching from which direction the shooter is hiding. At that moment, a bullet came flying her way and she quickly drew back into hiding.

"How do I leave here?" she mumbled.

She glanced down on her phone and tried turning it back on but it was totally out. Glaring fiercely in the air.

"Nichole." she muttered. "I promise, you're not going to get away with this. Even if it meant fighting with my last breath. But for now, I need to find a way to get out of here."

She was in deep thought, trying to figure out ways by which to escape when a car pulled up in front of the corner where she was hiding.

"Get in." uttered Lian as he pushed the door opened, bullets still flying around.

She quickly rushed in and he drove off.

"Shit..!" exclaimed Zed, thumping the gun on the floor. "She always escapes." he muttered indignantly.

IN THE CAR

Lian kept glancing at Riley who sat on his right hand side, hiving a sigh of relief.

"What the hell were you thinking Riley? Why do you always have to do things by your own instincts?" he queried indignantly. "Did you ever think of what could have happened to you?"

She stared at her Uncle, feeling guilty.

"But mum and Lionel were in danger." she slowly replied.

"Then you should have called me if it was even so but the deal is, it wasn't. It was just a trap set by Nichole for you. Did you ever think of that?" he questioned, glaring quizzically at her.

"I..."

"Just forget about it Riley..." he mumbled disappointedly, turning his concentration back to the road whiles she sat quietly with her head slightly bowed, flinching with her fingers.

"Ugh..." muttered Lian, stretching out his phone to Riley. "Call your mother, she might be worried sick."

She sheepishly raised her eyes, taking the phone from her Uncle.

"You should be more careful Riley. We all know Nichole need to pay for all her evil deeds but we can't just rush things. You should think of your mother more."

Riley dialled her mother's number and waited patiently for it to connect. After a few seconds, a voice muttered hastily and nervously from the phone.

"Lian..., have you gotten hold of her? Is she safe? I'm so worried Lian.."

"Mum...?" she called.

"Riley? Are you Okay? I was really scared to death. Why did you do that?"

"I'm sorry mum but I thought you were in danger. I called your line and Lionel's as well but it wasn't going through."

"Then why didn't you come home?"

"I know mum.., I'm sorry."

"Okay dear, just come home."

"Okay." she answered and hanged up, giving the phone back to her Uncle.

Lian glanced briefly at her, shaking his head as he turned to the road.

"So stubborn just like your dad."

After some few hours of driving, Lian pulled up in front of the house and they both glided out, strolling to the door.

Rosita was sitting in the sofa with Lionel beside her, his arms wrapped around her shoulders whiles Kate, Nancy and Loretta sat in the other sofa in wait for Lian and Riley's return. The door slowly pushed opened with Riley sauntering in, followed by Lian.

"Riley...." muttered Rosita raising up from her seat on seeing them and rushed towards her, hugging her."You should be more careful next time Riley, I don't want to loose you just like I lost your dad. "

"I know mum.." she said hanging onto her mother more tighter. Kate, Lian, Loretta, Nancy and Lionel looked on and smiled.

The rest of the day went by fast and soon it was evening. Riley trod into her room from the living room after she together with her mother and Uncle had a hearty video call with the rest of the family in the States. She met Lionel looking down at his feet in deep thoughts as his phone rang in his hand. She sighed, slowly closing the door behind her as she leaned on it.

"How are your wounds now?"

Lionel quickly raised his head towards the door on hearing the question.

"Fine, I guess." he winced.

"That's good." she said, moving from the door towards the bed."How long are you going to ignoring him?" she queried, tilting her head towards the phone in his hand."He might be worried about you."

He glanced at the phone quietly for a while and turned his gaze back to Riley.

"You think so?" he queried.

"Yes Lio. You know what?" she said, placing a hand on his thigh."Parents can really be provoking at times but they do all that because they care about us. He might be mad at you but he still cares a lot about you. Trust me."

"You think so?"

"I know so." she replied, smiling.

He sat starring thoughtfully at her face for a while then his phone rang again drawing their attention to it.

"I think you should pick up." she uttered.

Lionel smiled faintly and nodded, picking up the call.

"Hello dad..."

"Lionel...." called his dad happily on the phone. "Where are you son? How have you been? I have been worried sick."

"I'm fine dad, no need to worry about me. I can take care of myself."

"I know I shouldn't have shouted on you, son. I'm so sorry for being a bad Dad. Can you come back home? I miss you."

"I understand Dad, I know you didn't mean to shout on me and I have forgiven you but I can't come home now."

"Why son?"

"I just want to be with my friends for a while."

"Sure?, I received a message from your Uni that you've not been to school for a while now. Are you okay?"

"Yes dad..., there is nothing to worry about."

"Okay son.." her replied and they kept talking for a while whiles Riley looked on with a smile.

"I have to go now Dad.."

"So soon?"

"Yeah, I got some things to do. I will call you later."

"Okay, I'll wait for your call."

"Okay." he replied and hanged up.

He turned his gaze back to Riley and smiled.

"Thank you." he whispered.

Riley smiled back at him and placed her head on his shoulder. He slightly glanced at her face with a smile, ruffling her hair.

"I love you Riley. I was so scared when I heard from your friends about you going to meet up with the goons. You shouldn't do anything about Nichole without informing me okay?"

"Okay." she answered.