Her Abductor

Freya Aleshinloye

Freya stirs and stretches, then freezes when she realises she couldn't move her feet and wrists the way she should. Her brain is muddled in confusion as her eyes flutter open slowly. It is completely dark. She struggles to sit up and pain radiates along her joints and muscles. How long has she been sleeping? Most importantly, why did she sleep so deeply? She is light sleeper on the norm. As she tries to lean against the wall, in spite of her tied hands, she tries to bring the memory of the day to her mind. She has been feeling sick, and tired and must have passed out in the Car. Where is she? What happens to Saadah? How did she get here? Where is she for God's sake?

Fear produced a metallic taste in her throat, and she felt chilled to her muscles. Though she suspected the chill she felt had nothing to do with the temperature in the room. Her eyes are adjusting gradually to the darkness and she looks around her. She is in an empty room with Crates of some sort in the far corner. She wiggles her ankle and realises it is bound with metal cuffs. Metal Cuffs?? Who is her abductor? What does he want from her?

She angles her head towards the sound of a key turning in the keyhole. The hinges of the door creak softly as it swings inward and the light comes on. Two men walk in but her eyes connect with the taller ,rangy one and hold for several ,still moments. She knows him. She can never forget that face in her entire lifetime as it is perfectly etched in her memory. He looks older and more mature but he is the same person. 

Five years ago, she sneaked back to her father's house to pick up some of her birth documents she forgot at home. A party was going on. The ball room was lit and music was blasting from the room while the other part of the house was in semi darkness. She could only imagine the kind of Orgy and atrocities going on at the party. Everyday deserves a party as far as her father was concerned. Parties, young women and booze were her father's vices. Wrinkling her nose with disgust, she crossed the sitting room threshold to the staircase that led to her room when a drunk man came out of the party and assaulted her, obviously mistaking her for one of the show girls in the party. She didn't want to alert her father to her presence in the house, so she fought him off silently until a shadow detached from darkness and plucked the man off her like a piece of feather. Her breath was coming out in short breaths as the shadow dealt a blow to the drunk man and he crumbled to the floor.

"Apologies, ma'am. He obviously lost his way. He is one of the guests at the party" His deep voice swept over her. Just then the door to the party opened again and the ray of light settled on his face, highlighting the planes and angles. 

"Wow." Her voice was in whisper as she stared at his face and his full head of dreadlocks but before she could properly thank him, he disappeared. Later in the night, she was done with picking her documents and was about to leave when the sound of voices floated into the room through her window. Her window overlooked the poolside. She walked over to see what was going on and there he was!

Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at him. Some of the guests have moved to the poolside and were splashing around in the water. Half of them were in the nude or half-naked. He just stood at a corner of the poolside, nursing a glass of wine while he observed the crowd with cool disinterested eyes.

Who was he?

He stirred something in her just by being. Except that he had rescued her without second thought, he hadn't looked twice at her. Her heartbeat picked up speed and she willed him to look towards her direction . 

Just then her father came out, shamelessly clad in a trunk with two semi-nude young girls hanging on his arms and laughing like a jackal. He was stoned. 

"My boy, Jamal, Come here and enjoy yourself. Don't be such a stick in the ass." He beckoned to Jamal. The rest of the crowd hollered with laughter as if it was funny while he-Jamal just smiled without budging from where he stood.

Freya had recoiled sharply as if cold water was poured over her body, she ducked and left her room in a hurry. Anyone who was remotely connected to her father in any way could never be her friend. She felt ashamed to be called his daughter. 

Jamal! His face had never left her memory , no matter how much she tried and it had led her to the first relationship which almost shattered her life. Now, his dreadlock is longer, weaved and pulled into a ponytail. It added to his bad-boy look and should repulse her. It has the opposite effect on her.

Was he her abductor?

"Hello, Freya." Yes, she is right. That is the deep voice that has haunted her dreams and waking hours for years after that fateful night. There is a flutter in her belly but she shut it down. She needs her wit around her if she wants to come out of this place alive and victorious. She is obviously right to be wary of him.

"Hello Jamal." She cherishes the surprised look on the second man's voice as he glances at his boss. Jamal didn't blink nor did his expression change. He will be a tough nut to crack. 

"I am glad you know my name. I don't know you and can't remember if we have met or not. I do not care to know you. Your father is a cheat and a bastard and I intend to use you to get him to cooperate. It will be in your best interest to cooperate or I will make you. " His cold voice sent shivers of fear down her spine. 

"How are you sure using me as a pawn will work? I have not spoken to him in years. We are not exactly friends or pal. " She shrugs with a nonchalance she is not feeling. Her deadliest fear has come to pass. What has her father done this time around that this man has to go to this extent to abduct her? 

"Please let me be the judge of that. If it doesn't work, then you are not useful to me. I may as well dispose of you or sell you to the highest bidder. Afterall, you are a beautiful woman and your father has cost me a lot already." 

Fear leech the remaining color on her face and render her speechless. She studies his face and realises he is serious. God, please save me. If you do, I will start going to church regularly. I promise you. 

"Faro, bound her mouth. I don't want any distraction." Jamal orders as he brings out his phone. His zombie is so eager to step forward and tape her mouth. Her shoulders sag in defeat. 

Jamal dial her father's number and put it on speaker. 

/\/\/\/\/\

James Aleshinloye 

"Boss, you have a call." Cameron whispers in his ear,holding his phone out to him. 

He is in the middle of an impromptu management business at his oil and gas firm. The meeting has been ongoing for hours and he is impatient to get it over with. He has instructed Cameron to hold all his personal calls until the meeting is over. 

"I have told you to hold my calls until I am done." His voice is impatient as he looks up at Cameron. 

"It is Jamal." 

The last time he saw or heard from the younger man was the last time he visited. He assumes he has sorted out the missing Crates issue with their client. Jamal is a problem solver. It is one of the things he enjoys about their partnership. Why is he calling now? He can ignore the call but when he remembers the way Jamal left his study that night, he changes his mind. Obviously, Cameron remembers too. 

"Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen. I have an emergency to attend to. I will be right back. Apologies." James gets to his feet, pulls his seat back and walks out of the conference room. Cameron follows at a respectable distance. 

At the entrance to his office, he collects the phone from Cameron and walks in, sliding the pulsing call button towards the green icon. 

"Jamal, how may I help you?" His voice is impatient. 

"Good evening to you, James. I have a package for you and will be changing to video call in a second."

Before he can object to it, the audio call changes to video and he picks it in exasperation. The colour on his face drains as he stares at it in horror. His daughter. His precious daughter is in bondage. Her hands and feet are bound with metal cuffs and her mouth is taped. What strikes him the most is the naked fear in her eyes. She doesn't scare easily and that expression of horror mixed with fear in her amber eyes fills him with rage.