THE KIDNAP

Not wasting time, Alixies dragged back her chair, trying her best not to disturb the serene environment in the class as she jerked to her feet– this brought Rubin's attention on her again. He deftly turned his gaze as he lifted his eyes, meeting her creased gaze.

"Where are you going? " He loud whispered to which she spontaneously replied.

"Need to run now – got an urgent issue to attend to. Kindly pass by the house with my bag after class, okay? Please."

"Is it about that message?" He asked on an impulse. "Or still going after Ben?" With this Alixies sauntered off, ignoring his numerous questions.

"Hey!–But" He stuttered with his eyes tailing after her, his hand stretched out in an attempt to stop her but they were already few distance apart which made him pause in his words–letting out a faint groan of frustration. Not ready to get everyone's attention, he gave up with his eyes still fixed on the hourglass shaped fair girl, who was swiftly closing up on their teacher.

"Alixies– need anything? " Mrs Irian asked on noticing her. With a faint smile, she answered.

"No, ma'am– just need to use the washroom."

"Alright,go ahead." She stated and Alixies mumbled her thanks as she hastened out of the class. Rubin on the other hand, kept his gaze on the door even after she had left. For a moment, he felt like chasing after her but her earlier statement just kept him back.

"Aish, this is really driving me crazy" He softly mumbled, looking all worked out and troubled as he returned to the lessons with shared attention.

Just when she stepped out of the class, Alixies hastened out of the campus –on getting to the bus stop, she instinctively waved to a taxi which pulled by. Spontaneously slamming into the backseat, she mumbled to the young chestnut driver, who stared through the front mirror with a smile.

"Ryne hospital, please." With that, he turned back the cab into motion and soon, they had already hit the busy road.

HOSPITAL

It was already midday before Drake got back to the hospital–Ben had dozed off in the sofa seated at the glass window when he got in. With the crack of the door, he slipped out of his sleep with an alert gaze, his eyes directly travelled to the door. On seeing Drake, his brows relaxed in a relieved state as an inaudible sigh escaped his lips– Drake smiled on noticing his sense of security mood as he sat upright in the sofa.

"Hey, how has it being.....any change yet?" He asked as he neared Delia's bed to which Ben just made a frustrated gesture which told her state.

"Oh, well... let's just keep hoping for the best." He answered and with that, there was a sudden silence between them which lasted for a few seconds as Drake's subconscious mind hit back the strange gentleman, hovering around Ben's car when he had drove in. Coming back to reality, he noticed Ben jerked out of the sofa as he made his way to the door.

He spontaneously cleared his throat, tactfully which brought back his gaze on him, making him pause at the door. "Huh?" He stared with an expectant gaze.

"Um, are you expecting someone? " Drake asked. Ben spontaneously arched his brows in surprise, wondering what he was actually talking about.

"No, any problem? " He asked which drew Drake back as he pounded over what he had seen earlier.

"Who was that then?–Or, maybe I was just thinking too much. It might just be someone who came to visit a relative " He mumbled in his thoughts. Breaking the awkward silence, Ben stuttered with a sceptical gaze.

"Is everything alright?..... Can I go now, need to attend to something."

Drawn out of his thoughts, Drake instinctively nodded with a smile. "Yeah, hope we share a family time this weekend.... your siblings " He stuttered but Ben instinctively cut in before he could finish his words.

"Maybe some other time– i'll be busy then" He answered, making an excuse. He wasn't so ready to get casual with his new family and the thought of risking their lives made him shudder as the idea of his father invaded his subconscious mind. With that, he made a bowed with his head, signifying his permission to leave and Drake nodded, wearing a faint smile– Ben staggered out there after.

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

Alixies' cab finally pulled up in front of the hospital after an endless 30minutes drive. Sauntering out in a haste, she paid off her fare and hastened off. Ben staggered out, over to his car which was parked a metre away from the entrance– wearing a pale, devastated gaze as he scanned through his phone, he rounded the car over to the driver's side without the slightest idea of what awaited him. Just when he pulled the door open, he felt a weight behind him and the shadow which flashed on the ground proved his instincts right.

In attempt to turn, the unidentified man warned, pointing a gun at his back as he leaned closer– over his shoulder and whispered.

"Try anything foolish and I'll blow your lungs out." With that, Ben just remained stiffen without the slightest attempt to resist. Alixies entered the compound and instinctively gasped at the scene which met her eyes, her mind instinctively went blank; the minute she saw the edge of the gun in the distance where she stood.

"Oh my God, Ben" She cried, not knowing exactly what to do–any slightest mistake she does, might be the end of Ben thus what her mind whispered to her. Watching as the man in black made Ben scampered into the car with him and drove off– she hurried to a cab parked at the bus stop and jerked in, banging the door.

"Go!–Drive on.....follow that white jeep" She stuttered with a flushed gaze, her forehead wet in an invisible sweat. Without further questions or hesitation, the driver sped after them.