Page 63 of Into the Gray Zone (Pike Logan #19)
Nadia woke up to see the two security guards from the wedding celebration, still in their red uniforms, placing what she believed
to be explosive charges at selected locations around the large den, four complete, with more still to be emplaced. Jaiden
was in front of them, pacing with a cell phone in his hand. While she’d had little sleep the night before, from Jaiden’s drawn
face she wondered if he’d had any. The strain of the capture was beginning to take a toll, and after experiencing Jaiden’s
anger the night before, she was worried about what would happen if he snapped.
Instead of using one of the many bedrooms in the residence, he’d forced Nadia and Annaka to stay in the den, not allowing
them out of sight of him or his men. He’d managed to quarantine the staff, preventing them from leaving with a preposterous
story of “protecting national security” and allowing no interactions with her or Annaka. The only exception was the in-house
security, and even they were forbidden from speaking with Nadia or Annaka. To ensure the women didn’t try to communicate unilaterally,
whenever the local security was present, so was Jaiden or one of the two red uniformed men.
The staff seemed to buy it completely, believing their cooperation was necessary for Annaka’s safety, not the least because the press was backing up Jaiden’s story by reporting that he himself was a hostage and there were no leads to their location.
She knew Jaiden had confiscated the staff’s cell phones, but last night she hoped one had been missed and someone on the staff
would carelessly contact the outside world with the juicy story that Annaka was “safe.” But then Jaiden had done it for them,
and in Nadia’s mind, that cemented the likelihood that she and Annaka were as good as dead.
Right after midnight, Jaiden had FaceTimed Riva Thakkar’s iPhone, startling both Annaka and Nadia. He showed Riva the interior
of the room they were in, and then put Annaka on the video, making her recite specific events that had occurred to ensure
nobody believed the video was being staged. He ended by making multiple threats and screaming into the camera. By the time
he was done, he’d worked himself into another rage, making Nadia and Annaka cower.
He took out his anger on Nadia, smacking her around until she’d curled into a ball on the floor, Annaka shouting at him to
stop. He did, and then stomped out of the room, leaving them with the two security men from the hotel attack. Annaka collapsed
into a deep sleep on a couch. Nadia slept fitfully, waking at every small noise only to find one of the security men hovering
over her.
The feelings of helplessness and fear angered her, making her want to lash out, but she knew that wouldn’t help their predicament.
Now, seeing the security men turning the room into a death trap and Jaiden pacing with the cell phone, she knew they were
reaching an endgame. Lashing out might be their only option.
Jaiden saw she was awake and came to her, expecting to see fear. She showed him defiance. He raised his hand, but she didn’t
flinch, and, as expected, it angered him.
He balled his fist, but held it back, saying, “You’re lucky someone cares about you.”
Confused, she said, “Everyone has a mother and father. Even you.”
He said, “Who are you, really?”
That raised the hair on her neck. Had he discovered where she worked? She said, “I’ve told you who I am.”
“Then why do they care about proof of life for you? They’re demanding to see both you and the American. I understand the American,
but why you? Riva Thakkar doesn’t even care about his own daughter, but the government representative I spoke to on the phone
has demanded to see you alive. Why?”
She slowly shook her head, knowing it was the RAW trying to protect one of its own. She was genuinely amazed, but realized
the concern was perversely putting her in more danger. She said, “You’re surprised the government is concerned about one of
its citizens?”
“It’s more than that. I told you before I only needed Thakkar’s daughter, but apparently that’s no longer true. I can’t have
you screwing up what I have planned.”
She glanced at the security men still working around the room, now unspooling what looked like thick twine, but she knew from
her training it was detonation cord.
She said, “What do you have planned?”
“You will find out along with everyone else. In the meantime, I’m going to give the government what they want. You show your
face on this camera, tell them where you are and today’s date, and nothing else.”
He dialed the phone and turned the camera toward her, saying again, “ Nothing else.”
The screen connected and she found herself facing a young man in a military uniform, a scrum of other uniforms behind him.
His face was stern, as if he’d prepared the expression before answering the call. He said, “This is Lieutenant Johar. Who
am I speaking with?”
“This is Nadia Gupta. I was at the pre-wedding party with Annaka Thakkar and am now being held in Riva Thakkar’s residence.”
“How do I know that’s who you are?”
Good point. She couldn’t very well say, “Ask the RAW. They have my photos and fingerprints.” She said, “Show this video to Riva Thakkar.
He’ll confirm.”
The lieutenant said, “Let me speak to Jaiden.”
She said, “Please talk sense into him. Get us out of this explosive situation.”
She saw Jaiden’s eyes widen and he jerked the camera away from her, saying into it, “You have your proof of life.”
“What about the American?”
“It’s coming.” He hung up the phone and slapped her hard enough to bring her to her knees. He leaned over her in a fury, saying,
“I told you what to say.” She recoiled from him, scrambling backward to the couch. He stomped away, bringing up the cell phone
again, this time using it for a voice call.
She sat on the couch, finding Annaka awake. Annaka put her arm around her shoulders and said, “What happened? Why did he hit
you again?”
“I had to make a video like you did last night. I tried to warn them about what they’re setting up in here.”
“What do you mean?”
Nadia whispered, “They’re emplacing explosives around this room. They’re setting a trap, and I think we’re the bait.”
Nadia saw Annaka’s eyes widen, and she said, “So that’s why we’re not in the safe room.”
“What?”
“My father built a safe room in this house. It’s basically a bedroom inside a vault, with food, water, and its own power source. Jaiden knows about it, and I thought for sure we’d end up in it, if he wanted to keep us safe.”
Annaka glanced at him talking on the phone and continued, “But he doesn’t.”
“He does for the time being. That’s why he had me make the proof of life video. He’s trying right now to get one of the American.”
“The American? I’d honestly forgotten about him. I hope they’re treating him better than they treat you.”