Chapter 18: A Star Pilot Is Kidnapped
Date: September 24th, 2023
Location: Ellington Central Highschool Parking Lot
Time: 9:35 PM (Local)
Sophomore Year, 1st Semester
“Okay, he’s taking a long time in there.” Kayla huffs while crossing her arms. The Summertons, Aiko, and Amy all wait in the parking lot in a loose circle. They were excitedly sharing their favorite moments of the game, but Kayla’s comment quiets the group.
“Kayla, why don’t you go check on Allen and make sure he’s good.” Laura says to her.
“Sounds good, mom. Be back shortly.” Kayla says over her shoulder as she heads back to the locker room.
“Wait up, I’m coming too!” Aiko shouts as she hurries to join Kayla.
Laura and Brad chuckle as Aiko rushes off.
“That poor girl is in love.” Brad says as he smirks at his wife.
“She honestly reminds me of myself in high school when I was chasing you.” Laura responds.
“Yeah, well if she hurts Allen, she’s going to have to deal with me.” Valerie adds.
While the Summertons talk about Aiko’s crush on Allen, Amy begins to worry her upper lip. If Allen doesn’t show up soon, she’s going to get her boss involved. Something doesn’t feel right, and Colonel Stryker is always preaching to her agents to follow their gut.
“Alright Allen let’s go! Everyone’s waiting on you to….” Kayla trails off as she takes in the scene in the locker room. Allen’s belongings are scattered on the floor and his locker is still open.
“Allen! You in here!” Kayla shouts. Aiko joins Kayla in her search for Allen and they begin to panic when they cannot find him. Aiko catches a glint by Allen’s bag on the floor and squats down to get a better look.
“Umm, what’s this?” Aiko asks as she holds up a small dart in her fingers. Kayla snatches it and brings it closer to her eyes.
“I don’t know, but it doesn’t look good. Let’s get his stuff and go show Amy. This stinks of government shit!”
Location: Unknown
“Allen! Allen, wake up!” Eve sends a command to Allen’s nanobots to purge the sedative from his system. She also sends a command to assess his body to ensure there are no other issues and to get him ready to escape.
“Damn, Eve. Help me with this hangover. I guess I overdid it with the squad last night.” Allen groggily responds to Eve’s request.
“No, Allen. We are not on the ship. We are on an alternate Earth, and you are 16 again. We have also been abducted by unknown forces. You were administered a sedative through a projectile. We also appear to be in motion in some type of ground transport.”
Allen snaps awake at Eve’s comments and opens his eyes. His hands are zip tied behind his back and a dark hood has been placed over his head. He is sitting up against the side of the vehicle and his swaying tells him that the vehicle is in motion. Allen hears a conversation between at least to women but cannot make out the words.
“Eve, what language are they speaking?”
“Hmm, please standby. Analyzing….”
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Allen takes the time to take in as many details as possible while he waits for Eve to analyze the language. He tests his bonds and finds them sturdy. Maybe he can get Eve to bleed some nanites through his skin to weaken them when the time is right.
“Okay, they are speaking Mandarin. I’ll auto translate for you. I’m using this Earth’s translating software through the network so there may be a few…. hiccups, with the translation.”
“Better than nothing.”
Allen focuses on the conversation with his ears since his head is covered still.
“….ll be at the airport in another 45 minutes. Our fixer has a jet lined up in a private hanger. Once we secure the asset on the jet, we are to remain here and misdirect any search efforts.”
“Damn, I was hoping to go back, you cannot find any decent noodles here.”
“I know, I’m going to get fat eating all of this fast food. Go check on the asset, will you?”
“Sure, he should still be asleep, but we can’t take any chances. The reports say he’s a very capable male.”
Allen hears movement and focuses on the sound when it seems to stop in front of him. A feminine voice sounds surprised when she begins to address him in English.
“My, my, the reports are accurate. We hit you with enough sedative to put you down for hours, yet here you are. Awake and alert.”
Allen remains silent.
“No need to be shy. Here, let me remove your hood for now so we can properly speak.”
The voice removes Allen’s hood, and he blinks his eyes a few moments to adjust. He sees the dark interior of a van and he’s sitting in the back on his rear with his legs crossed. The woman across from him offers a smile. Her beautiful Asian features obvious.
“Now, that’s better. We have some time before we arrive at our destination, let’s get acquainted.”
The driver speaks up from the front in mandarin.
“Are you sure it is a good idea to talk to him? He’s supposed to be asleep. Maybe you should hit him again.”
“No, it’s fine. Too much sedative can cause adverse effects. We are to deliver him without injury.”
The woman in front of him turns back to Allen and addresses him in English again. Allen decides to mess with his abductors to throw them off their game.
“It’s very rude, you know?”
“What is?” His abductor asks with a raised eyebrow.
“You know my name, but I haven’t gotten yours yet.” His abductor giggles.
“Well, I am not at liberty to give you my name.”
“Then, what should I call you?”
“Hmm. You can address me as Lotus for now, I suppose.”
“Lotus, huh? A delicate flower, yet you seem like you aren’t very delicate.”
“Hehe. My dear boy, you have no idea. Now behave and I won’t sedate you again.”
Miss Lotus places Allen’s hood back over his head and then she makes her way back up to the front, passenger seat. She addresses the driver in Mandarin again.
“Careful of that one, he’s quite the charmer.”
Location: Ellington Central Highschool Parking Lot
“MOM! DAD! Allen wasn’t in the locker room!” Kayla shouts as she rejoins the group. She then turns to Amy.
“Aiko found this on the ground by Allen’s bag!” Kayla shoves the dart into Amy’s hand and when she sees what it is, icy dread seizes her heart.
“I need to call my boss. You all go back to your home and wait for me. I swear I will find Allen and bring him home safe. GO, NOW!” Amy ignores the outcry from Allen’s family as she dials Colonel Stryker’s number on her cellphone.
“Colonel! We have a situation. Allen’s been abducted.” She listens to the response and then she describes the dart in her hand. When she’s finished, she turns back to the family.
“I’m to go with you and watch over you guys. My boss is spinning up all assets available to her to assist. I have all confidence that she will get Allen back.”
“We want to help!” Laura desperately pleads with Amy.
“I know, I do too! But it’s up to my boss now and you guy’s safety is my priority. It tears me up to do nothing, but I have my orders!”
“You’re not some social worker, are you?” Valerie says while narrowing her eyes.
“Later. Once we get Allen back, we can sit down with my boss and hash this all out.”
Amy gets everyone rounded up into their vehicles and they make for the Summerton’s home. Without anyone noticing, Amy takes out her side arm and ensures there is a round in the chamber before climbing into her own car to follow them.
Location: Enroute to Airfield, Van
“Alright, Eve. Escape and evasion time. Think you can bleed some nanites and weaken these restraints?”
“Yes, they seem to be made of a plastic material.”
“Okay, good. Don’t break them entirely, just weaken them enough so I can easily break them when the time is right.”
“No problem, Allen. Do you want me to run the E and E (escape and evasion) package once you break free?”
“Oh man, that’s gonna suck for a few days after. I’m going to be so sore. But yes, once I break free, run the package.”
“Well, suck it up, buttercup! Better sore than halfway around the world without hope of rescue!”
Allen wonders for a few moments where Eve is getting her snark from. He puts it in the back of his mind as he feels the van come to a stop. He hears a brief conversation between the driver and someone else before the van moves again. Miss Lotus speaks to Allen from the front.
“Okay, Mr. Summerton. We will be arriving at our destination soon. I suggest you cooperate, and things will go very pleasantly for you.”
“These bitches have no idea who they messed with, Eve. Start weakening the restraints.”
Allen feels the van stop moving again and he hears the sliding door open. Hands grab Allen by his shoulders and help him out. He’s moved forward a few steps and is directed to come to a stop. A new and more mature voice heavily accented addresses him.
“It’s nice to finally meet you, Lieutenant Stryker.”
“Well. Shit.”