Chapter Text
Kiara begins swimming to leave the crashed plane, but she looks at the unconscious pilot and she can’t just leave him.
“Kie, come on!” JJ yells out.
“One second!” Kiara calls back as she maneuvers her way to the front of the plane and grabs Portis, pulling him out through the side window.
She treads the water with his unconscious body like she has been taught to in lifeguard school. Her friends are headed toward the pier to hide, but it’s all rocks, and she can’t hold Portis very long. She needs to get him to land, so she aims them toward the sandy beach.
Kiara struggles to pull Portis once the water turns shallow, so people run forward to help. He opens his eyes and looks around dazed, before being startled by her looming over him.
“You lied to us,” Kiara seethes, “who are you?”
There is a flash of guilt across his face, but before Portis can respond, the sound of motor vehicles catches their attention. Kiara looks to see multiple four-wheelers coming right for them. She turns to see her friends have made it to the pier, far away. If she swims toward them, she will only draw attention to them. So, she runs the opposite way onto land.
As she searches for a place to hide, she hears the men's boots hit the ground and come after her. Quickly, she jumps into a hiding place underneath an overturned boat. She waits, listening but it’s gone quiet.
Is she in the clear?
A man sticks his head between two of the barrels holding up the boat that she is under, and Kiara reacts, slamming her elbow into his face.
She has to move!
The man falls to the ground, so she takes this opportunity to run again. But, as she crawls out from underneath the boat, there are three men waiting to grab her.
Shit!
Kiara attempts to wiggle free from their grasp, but they have an iron grip on her and drag her to the back of a pickup truck.
“Sit,” one of the men says, and Kiara does as she is told, but makes sure to put as much distance between her and the men by squeezing herself into the corner.
Portis walks over to her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was going to be like this.” He sniffles as if he is going to start crying. “If you do as they say, and don’t fight, they probably won’t hurt you.”
“What did Ward promise you?” Kiara asks, prickling with anger.
“Who?”
Kiara is stunned. There is genuine confusion written across his face and in his tone. Is he simply a good liar?
Before Kiara can ask what Portis means, he is pulled away from her and the truck begins to drive off. There are guns trained on her, so she stays put. She cranes her head to find a glimpse of her friends, but they’re gone.
🥀🥀🥀
Kiara feels like she is in the back of the truck forever before they come down a grassy road and she knows this is the land of those who captured her. It looks like a large estate and the area is heavily protected. Everywhere she looks there are armed guards with dogs keeping an eye out.
She can only hope the pogues don’t attempt to rescue her. They would be shot down immediately.
Eventually, the truck slows as they pull up to an all-white mansion. Of course, it would be some rich person. What did they want?
The cross?
The gold?
Well, she has neither, so this will be a fun interaction.
Kiara is pulled from the truck and brought to the front door. The number of guards seems to have tripled as she watches them walk around, always watching. There is no escape route that she can see.
How the hell is she going to get out of here?
She can only hope that the one who has captured her is nice, but it’s unlikely from what she has experienced.
Maybe they will let her go?
Kiara rolls her eyes at herself as a maid leads her through the house. The owner of the house seems like a collector. Everywhere she looks, there is some sort of historical-looking item in a glass case.
“Your bedroom will be upstairs,” the maid says as she leads her up an old winding staircase.
Kiara follows the maid into a nice room and walks past, taking it all in. It’s spacious with a four-poster bed and what appears to be an adjacent bathroom with a large closet. It smells clean… nice; like lemon. These are pleasant living conditions for a captive.
“Get cleaned up,” the maid says, staying at the door, blocking any escape attempt. “Dinner is at eight.”
Kiara rounds on the woman. “Why am I here?”
But Kiara receives no answer as the maid closes the door. There is the click of a lock, but Kiara has to confirm it herself. She tries to move the door handle, but nothing happens.
She turns back around and goes to the window, but as she looks out, all she sees are armed guards below. There is no way the window can be an escape route. She looks past the guards and the house and out into the horizon.
What were the pogues doing now?
She imagines JJ sneaking through the window along with the others, bringing her to safety, but it’s foolish thoughts that will never come true. She doesn't want them to risk their lives for her. But without them, how will she get free? Figuring out what the captor wants is the first step, so she will have to wait until dinner.
Kiara walks back toward the bed planning to sit and wait when she notices a flash of red in her peripheral vision. She turns to see a row of deep red dresses lined up in a dresser with what appears to be a note. In an instant, she is standing before the dresses and snatching the note to read it. All it says is, ‘pick your size’.
“What the hell is this?” Kiara says, out loud in confusion as she looks over the dresses.
Absently, her hand runs along the fabric and is astonished by how silken it feels. The dresses are nicer than any clothes she has ever owned. And they have laid out five different sizes for her.
Why in the world do they want her to wear this?
Then, it dawns on her. If they gave her a dress, that means they might have given her bathroom items. They wouldn’t dare have a filthy person wear this dress, at least from what Kiara can assume about her captor.
She has gone over a month without being able to clean herself up and get a fresh set of clothes. The dirt under her fingernails has felt permanent. Not caring anymore that she is a hostage, Kiara runs to the bathroom and lets out a laugh of pure joy at seeing they have set her up with everything she could possibly need to get clean.
Immediately, she turns the shower on and delights at seeing the water spray into the large tub. Quickly, she throws off the crusty clothes she has been wearing for a month and steps into the shower. The moment the hot running water hits her face, she lets out a moan of satisfaction.
When she first arrived in the bedroom, she checked the time on the clock on the bedside table. It read five o’clock, which meant she had a bit of time before she was expected to be ready. So, Kiara takes her time cleaning up. She washes herself over and over again until her skin feels squeaky clean. She shaves every part of her body and gets her hair properly conditioned.
For a while, she sits there under the running water and allows herself to cry.
The tears are a mixture of relief at feeling clean for the first time, but also dismay at being captured. How could a situation feel good and bad at the same time? She wants to be with her friends and go home.
After drying herself off with a plush white towel, she finds the correct sizing for the dress and slips it on. It feels amazing against her skin, and when she looks at herself in the mirror she gasps. Kiara can’t remember the last time she felt so … seductive, almost like she could flirt her way out of this place.
Kiara shakes her head, hoping to keep her good sense. Maybe she did begin to lose her mind on that island. Having the comfort of Poguelandia ripped away and being thrown into this situation is definitely messing with her brain. Suddenly, she is overwhelmed with exhaustion.
She looks at the clock to see she has thirty minutes before she faces her captor, so no sleeping for her.
There are shoes in multiple sizes placed at the bottom of the closet. She checks out one of the heels and realizes it would make a good weapon to break the heel off. If only she had long sleeves, then she could hide the broken part away and slip it out to her hand if she needed it.
Did they put her in this tight and skimpy dress so she couldn’t hide anything?
After staring at the shoes some more, she opts to go barefoot. Who knows when she will need to be able to take off running. She can maneuver better without heels, and they only gave her some that are four inches or higher. Kiara concludes that her captor really did dress her up like this to immobilize her.
At least the dress has a high slit so she can swing her leg out to kick their ass.
As she is sitting on the bed, staring at her intertwined hands, there is a knock at her door. It’s the same maid who had led her up the stairs before.
“He is ready for you.”
Kiara is led back down the stairs and into what appears to be some sort of dining room. A man with broad shoulders in a navy suit with his back to her is pouring himself a glass of liquor.
Is this her captor?
“Excuse me?” Kiara asks tentatively.
She wishes she never said anything because who turns to face her is one of her enemies: Rafe Cameron.
She hadn’t recognized him from behind. His head is now shaved. She can’t read his expression as he looks at her, but it leans toward being surprised she is here. It’s bullshit.
“I knew you and Ward had something to do with this!” Kiara steps towards him in anger.
“What are you talking about?” Rafe’s eyebrows shoot up before he grows frustrated and steps toward her. “Are you trying to weasel in on my deal?”
Kiara steps back, not wanting to be near such a vile person.
As she is about to spit venom at him, they are interrupted by someone standing in the room connected to the one they were in.
“I wondered if your little reunion would cause sparks, you know.”
They both turn toward the voice.
“Who are you?” Rafe asks, beating her to the punch.
Wait, so is he actually not a part of this?
“My name is Carlos Singh,” the man says, turning from the window to face him. He doesn't look particularly evil, but Kiara knows appearances can be deceiving. He takes some steps towards them. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Cameron and Miss Carrera.”
When he walks up to her, Kiara backs up and she notes how Rafe gives her a strange look at the action.
I apologize—” Singh leans into her, “—for the rough tactics on getting you here.”
So, this man is her captor.
The urge to shriek at him and rip his hair out overcomes her. How dare he do this to her. Kiara has to bite her lip to keep her cool. She has to figure out what he needs and get out of here as quickly as possible.
“Come now, I don’t bite,” Singh says, gesturing for them to follow him into the room.
Kiara looks to Rafe and walks in first, anything to not be standing within feet of him. As he trails behind her, she hears him mutter in confusion about ‘rough tactics’. If he wasn’t dragged here like she was, then why is he here?
Kiara sits down in one of the chairs, wanting to get down to business. “Why are we here?”
Rafe plops himself down in the chair next to her and she has to refrain from flinching, but he isn’t even looking at her. He’s running his hand over his forehead as if he’s in pain, and when he looks up towards Singh, who is now talking about some sort of “quest” he simply looks very annoyed.
As Singh continues to ramble, he walks over to a table and picks up a knife. Kiara can’t see Rafe’s face but his body stiffens. He shifts so his body is blocking her from Singh’s point of view. As Singh walks back around toward her, now with the knife pointed casually at them, Rafe stares daggers at him.
Is she really going to die here, with Rafe Cameron at her side? She couldn’t have dreamed this up in her worst nightmares.
“This quest has gone on for almost five hundred years… perhaps the greatest quest in the western hemisphere,” Singh drawls, but then he pins his eyes on them. “And you two are going to play a part in that.”
What? Kiara freezes, not knowing what Singh means. Will this not be a simple fix as she hoped for?
Rafe stays silent along with her.
“Mrs. Carrera,” Singh sighs, clearly not liking their lack of reaction. He sits down in the chair next to her. Rafe leans forward in his seat. Having two enemies on either side of her makes her feel light-headed, but she knows it’s important to stay calm. “Are you interested in history?”
“I’m more of a future person,” she responds immediately, looking away from his crazed gaze. It isn’t the best way to respond, with an attitude, but she can’t help it. This guy is being ridiculous.
“Yeah,” Rafe interrupts whatever Singh is about to say to her. “I didn’t listen to a word you said. How much are you going to keep philosophizing?”
Did she and Rafe both just give the person with a hundred hired guns, reasons to be mad at them? Singh still holds the knife.
“You are direct, aren’t you?” Singh says, now sounding annoyed and Kiara feels a spike of fear instead of stubborn humor. What if Rafe makes him mad and ruins it for the both of them?
“What do you need from me?” Kiara asks, trying to draw his attention away from Rafe. If she can get him what he needs, the faster she will be out of this hellhole.
“You are in possession of an old diary, which will help me get what I want.”
Oh, shit. Did he mean the diary that the pogues had? Did the diary hold information for more treasure? All of this is beginning to make her head spin.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t know anything about a diary.”
“I don’t have it,” Rafe says with boredom.
“I don’t believe you,” Singh says, looking at her. “You and your friend here couldn’t have found the cross without it.”
“He’s not my friend,” Kiara replies immediately, she glances at Rafe but his expression stays perfectly unreadable.
Rafe stands and begins to leave. To Kiara’s surprise, he holds out his hand waving her over.
“C’mon, Kie. We are leaving.”
Kiara is too stunned to move, and two armed guards block Rafe’s path, keeping him in the room.
They’re stuck here.
“Once I have the diary,” Singh stands and looks at both of them. “Then, you will be free to leave.”
“But we don’t have it!” Rafe exclaims.
“Oh,” Singh laughs as if he made a new discovery. “So, it’s ‘we’ now?”
Rafe looks pissed. “Look, we don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Well, I think you’re lying about it,” Singh shrugs sarcastically, “if you don’t have it, then she does.” He keeps eye contact with Rafe but points at Kiara. “You’re not leaving until I have it, so you better get your friend to tell you where it is.”
Kiara can’t stop the widening of her eyes. This is not good. Rafe is ruthless, he will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
What does Singh plan to do with them?
Without any sort of signal that Kiara could catch, armed guards flood the room. They grab both her and Rafe by the arms and begin dragging them out of the room. She doesn't fight them, knowing she will gain nothing from it.
“Whoa!” Rafe says. “Don’t touch me.” But he stops speaking when he feels the barrel of a gun pressed to his back.
Kiara can’t believe how ridiculous he is being. Singh told them the terms. So for now, they’re trapped.
And being trapped in this house with Rafe is the last place she wants to be.
They are led back to the room she had been brought to before, and Singh heads in first and looks out the window. Kiara and Rafe have no choice but to follow him. Her adrenaline runs high, wondering if something bad is about to happen.
Will Rafe start torturing her for information now, or after Singh leaves?
She has no escape.
“You must know,” Singh says as he turns to face them, disrupting her spiraling thoughts. “I am not a man of infinite patience. You have two days, and that’s it.”
Singh walks past them and pauses at the door. “Go to the window for a demonstration of what will happen if you do not comply.”
Then the door closes and the click of the lock rings true throughout the room.
“C’mon!” Rafe says in anger, trying to open the door.
And Kiara feels annoyance toward him, which is better than fear.
“It’s locked,” Kiara says simply as she walks to the window.
Below, she sees the pilot of the plane, Portis, being hauled away by some of the guards.
Rafe comes up beside her, the smell of his cologne overwhelms her and she grips the window ledge to get a hold of herself.
“Who the hell is that guy?” Rafe asks as they watch Portis go behind a wall, somewhere they can’t see.
At least Rafe hasn’t tried to hurt her, yet.
“Portis… he was trying to help us,” Kiara says, honestly.
She is confused about what is happening, but then Singh appears, and he’s holding a gun. He makes sure to look up at them and smiles. It makes Kiara want to barf. Now, she understands.
“Whoa,” Rafe says, “What the—”
But, his words are cut off by the sound of a gunshot. They don’t see the body fall, but Kiara notices the blood that travels along the ground from around the corner. There is only silence as they both process what just happened.
Singh gives them a little wave before walking out of sight.
“This diary,” Rafe turns to her. “Do you have it?” When she continues to ignore him, he says her nickname: “Kie.”
It sounds desperate and real, and almost too much like how the nickname sounded coming from his mouth years before, when he was simply Sarah’s older brother.
Before he killed anyone.
It’s what makes her turn to look at him; she doesn’t want him to think she fears him.
As his piercing blue eyes stare down at her, it takes everything in her to not spill everything she knows. She won’t admit anything until the torture begins.
“No,” she lies.
It’s partially true. She doesn’t have it, but she does know where it was last.
As he stays inches from her staring into what feels like her soul, all that runs through her mind is that she has been taken and trapped with a monster.