Kidnapped

"Have you seen this woman?" Brian held out the photograph.

"Yay high," the man held out his hand, "red dress, tattoo on her left shoulder?" Brian nodded. "She got into a taxi with this weird guy."

"Weird how?"

"He had on a hoody, the hood pulled down over his eyes. But on the bottom he was wearing green tights."

"Was he carrying anything?"

"Sports bag, long one, like for a cricket bat."

"Did you catch the name of the cab company?"

"It was a black cab. I didn't catch his number, sorry."

Brian handed the man his card. "If you remember anything else give me a call."

Walking back to the control vehicle, Brian was fuming with himself. How could he let Rebecca be taken?

-*-

Rebecca had no choice, he had the shotgun; his hand in the bag, ready to pull the trigger. It was hard to run in heels, she tripped several times. Don't stop, don't stop, but the cab stopped. She climbed in and sat on the back seat. The gunman seated himself on the drop-down opposite her.

"Where to, Mate?"

"Just drive." His free hand clenched and unclenched. He had nowhere to go. Rebecca knew that a man without a plan was far more dangerous. Within minutes they were headed out of town.

As they hit a country road, the gunman opened the glass partition. "Pull over there." As the car came to a halt, the gunman pulled out the shotgun, pointed at the driver and blasted. "Stay there." As blood dripped down the screen, the driver was dragged into the bushes. The engine restarted and they headed to God knows what hell.

-*-

"The alarm, can you track it?" DCI Poole demanded.

"I'm not sure. I'll give it a try." Benny wasn't very technically minded.

"Oh, move over." Poole shoved Benny out of the way. Her fingers moved over the keyboard until a map appeared. "The signal's weak, but we can follow it. Is this portable?" She didn't wait for an answer. She grabbed and pulled. The map was still there, but the blip was fast disappearing. "Come on, Lennon. We'll take the rapid response car. We'll soon catch up with a black cab. Are you firearms certified?"

Brian shook his head. He headed for the driver's door. Poole spoke to the firearms team and reappeared with a Glock 17. "Hey, I'm driving." Two armed officers took the rear seats. Brian skulked to the passenger seat.

They shot out of the yard and headed toward the blip. Even at their rapid speed, Poole noticed the churned earth where the taxi had pulled off. "Mark that. Get a car out there. He may have dumped Rebecca."

-*-

Rebecca noticed the cab slowed at every junction. The guy was looking for somewhere. It seems he did have a plan. When they took a sharp left, Rebecca was thrown across the seat. Where were they heading? And what was her future when they got there? Ice ran through her veins. Was this it? Is this how she was going to die?

A buzzing came from the guys pockets. He put in an earphone. "On my way ... you'd better wait ... okay. I'll be there ASAP." Eyes glared from the rear view mirror. "Sit up so I can see you."

Rebecca eased herself up. "Where are we going?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

-*-

"I think I know where they're headed. There's a disused airfield about five miles from their current location." Brian grew up in the area. If the gunman had a plane waiting, what would happen to Rebecca. Would he take her with him? Or would he finish it at the airfield?

"Fastest route, Lennon. Let's give them a welcoming committee."

"Take the next left, half a mile then sharp right."

Looking back at the map, the cab was taking a circuitous route. The guy was lost. They would easily beat him there.

-*-

Rebecca could see the plane sat on the runway, on the other side of the hedge. They bumped their way down the track, then turned in through a gate that was hanging by one hinge. The cab pulled up as near as they could to the plane. The shotgun was in the man's hand as she was dragged from the vehicle.

Headlights came on in the hangar. "We've got you surrounded. Throw down the weapon and release the hostage." The plane began to taxi. The gunman pointed his weapon at the cockpit. The pilot ignored it. Rebecca was thrown to the ground and the man started running alongside the plane. A shot rang out from the hangar but the guy was moving too fast. He grabbed at the open plane door and pulled himself inside. He was airborne before they had a chance to reach him.

"Rebecca ..." Brian ran to her side. She lay motionless for a moment. Then she began to sit up. "Thank God. I thought he'd killed you."

"I'll be sore tomorrow. I wonder if the boss will give me time off."

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