UBER J/7 - the second of four parts
NC-17 for same gender love with all that it entails. If it is not your thing when it comes to reading, use your best judgement.   Some angst.

Thank you again, to Snowolf and Glynis for betareading and to Jay for a read-through. I am so grateful for the advise and scrutiny the chapter so sorely needed! I'm glad I can continue to write and post thanks to your assistance!

Back to "Lost on the Way to Raven's Island" - part 1

© GB

Part 2.

Julia heard the phone ring as she entered the apartment. Marion was right behind her.

"Oh, God, that better not be Mother," Julia muttered. "She paged me twice at work. I was in meetings for the Brewster account all day and couldn’t call her back. Even if I could have, I wouldn’t choose the office as the best place to deal with her, and to be honest, I’d prefer not to talk to her at all, right now."

"Should I answer?" Marion asked in a protective tone of voice.

"No, no, it’s okay." She picked up the receiver. "Julia speaking."

"Julia, is Marion there … it’s Seven … "

It took her several seconds to recognise Kathryn’s strained voice. The interior designer frowned, cold chills running down her spine.

"Yes, she’s here, Kathryn. What’s wrong?"

The CEO inhaled deeply and then cleared her voice.

"Someone’s taken her. I’m in Brimmerton."

Realising that something horrible had caused the other woman’s incoherence; Julia handed over the phone to her partner.

Marion came over to the phone, a questioning look in her eyes.

"Something’s wrong," Julia explained in a low voice. "It’s Kathryn."

"What’s up?" Marion asked, putting an arm around Julia’s shoulders as they both listened to the distraught woman.

"She’s gone … and he’s seriously hurt …" There was a muted sob. "I don’t know what to … I didn’t know who else to call."

Julia raised a hand to her trembling lips. Kathryn’s tormented voice, so unlike the CEO’s usual commanding persona, brought tears to her eyes. She glanced at Marion; her lover had her lips tightly pressed together. Giving Julia’s shoulder a comforting squeeze she gave her an encouraging nod.

"Kathryn, please, try to calm down. What’s happened? Who’s been hurt?"

They both heard Janeway take another deep breath.

"I’m sorry; I guess I lost it when I heard Julia’s voice. Someone familiar … I’m at the marina in Brimmerton. The police are here because they found Jacob unconscious onboard his boat. If that isn’t bad enough, we … We have every reason to believe that Seven was kidnapped at the marina."

"Oh, God," Marion whispered. "Look, it’s almost five o’clock now. If we drive now, we can be there in less than two hours, probably one and a half."

"Would you? I tried to reach Phoebe … and mother …"

"We’ll be out the door right away, Kathryn," the sales director assured the CEO. "We both will have our cell phones with us. Call if you have news or just want to talk."

There was a brief silence.

"Thank you, Marion. I … I appreciate it."

"We’ll be there soon."

They hung up and Marion gave Julia a quick hug.

"You heard. Seven’s missing and Jacob is injured. Kathryn needs us."

"Of course she does. Let’s change our office clothes and then get going."

They walked towards the bedroom, both lost in thought.

"You okay?" Marion suddenly asked.

"No. I don’t think I will be until I know Seven is safe – and Jacob."

"Me neither."

They exited the apartment after dressing in jeans, sweaters and denim jackets. Getting into Marion’s SUV they drove off in silence.

Julia huddled in the passenger seat, feeling utterly cold and afraid; her thoughts spinning.

What could have happened to Seven?

*****

Groaning out loud, the blonde tried to move only to realise that her arms were securely tied together behind her back. It was dark or maybe she was blindfolded?

Seven tried to move her feet but was unsuccessful; they were restrained in the same manner. She swallowed hard against the nausea, wondering if it had been chloroform on the cloth they had pressed against her mouth. She would never forget the disgusting smell as long as she lived

"She’s coming to," a dark voice said next to her.

"Should I give her some more of the stuff?" another voice asked.

"No, she won’t give us any trouble. Will you, blondie?"

Something, perhaps a shoe, hit her in the ribs. She grunted, unable to speak as she was gagged.

"Hey, don’t do that. Remember the instructions. No visible signs of violence."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I find it rather suspicious …"

"You just don’t get it. She’ll be worth more if she’s not damaged goods."

The man with the darker voice huffed.

"As long as she doesn’t give me any trouble."

Seven had no idea how she had ended up inside the vehicle. The last thing she remembered was seeing Jacob unconscious and hurt onboard his boat …

A strangled sob shook her body.

Had Kathryn found him yet and brought him to hospital? What if he was dead? Who was behind this?

She tried to listen for clues but the car was moving smoothly along some road and at first no clues about the surroundings filtered through to her.

After a while, she realised that the whooshing sound around her were other cars passing them or vice versa. She figured they must be on the highway; they seemed to be moving quite fast. The car smelled new. She was on the floor; she could feel the carpet burning against her cheek. The two men were sitting on the seat above her, which meant that at least one more person was in the vehicle; the driver.

A shiver travelled down her spine. She hoped she would live; she wanted more than anything to get out of this alive and return to Kathryn’s arms. Still, if that gift was granted her, how could she possibly feel safe ever again?

"He won’t be pleased that you misjudged that old geezer," the man who sounded younger stated. "You should have waited for me."

"Screw him; he was taken care of, wasn’t he?"

Oh, God, Jacob. They were talking about Jacob. Seven pulled at the restraints which only caused them to cut into her skin. Damn them, they could have killed the man who had been more of a father to her than Magnus Hansen, her absent minded biological one. Jacob had been the one checking in on her every week when her parents had started leaving her to her own devices at age sixteen.

If he died, if these men had killed him as a way of getting their hands on her, she would never rest until they were punished. Sudden rage filled her and tears soaked the blindfold.

Who was behind this?

*****

"May we have a word with you, Ms Janeway?"

Sergeant Cutter approached with two men in civilian clothes. The older one looked at her with sympathy in his eyes.

"Of course," the CEO replied, pulling her overcoat closer around her. She had been standing at the end of the pier, hoping for good news on Jacob while waiting for Marion and Julia to arrive.

She had already spoken to Cutter twice as he had asked her some routine questions.

"This is Lieutenant Archer and Detective Ramirez," Cutter introduces the two men.

Archer extended his hand towards Janeway.

"Ms Janeway, I know you must be very worried about your friend."

"She’s more than a friend," the auburn haired woman said, her voice huskier than usual. "As I mentioned to Sergeant Cutter earlier; Annika Hansen is my fiancée."

She looked at them; her eyes firm as if daring them to even raise an eyebrow at the revelation. To their credit, she had to concede that they did not look remotely surprised.

"I’m glad you told us, Ms Janeway," Archer said. "That automatically gives you the rights as next of kin. Now, first of all, Jacob Henderson is still unconscious and in serious condition. The doctor says that so far there are no signs of any intracranial haemorrhage."

"Did anyone let his family know?"

"Yes, his wife and son are by his side. This is a small community," Cutter explained. "Someone working on one of the other boats had already informed them. They were waiting at the hospital when he was brought in."

Janeway clenched her hands ask as she asked the question that was burning inside.

"Any news about Annika?"

"One of the other fishermen approached us with vital information," Detective Ramirez said. "We were puzzled by how anyone could have moved your fiancée out of the marina. We’re assuming that she was restrained, or unconscious, or both at the time, without anyone seeing anything unusual or alarming. As Sergeant Cutter stated, this is a small community where everyone knows everyone and at this time of year, tourist season is just beginning. People tend to notice strangers."

"So what happened?"

"The fisherman who owns the boat across the harbour from Jacob Henderson," Ramirez pointed across the harbour, "saw a small, very fast boat leave the marina about half an hour before Mr Henderson was found. He says he noticed it because it sped out passed the pier at a ‘neck breaking speed’."

Janeway closed her eyes briefly and bit her tongue not to moan out loud. Someone had taken Seven and then risked her precious life like this.

"Do you have a recent picture of Ms Hansen with you?" Cutter asked, moving close to her right side as if he were afraid she would faint.

Janeway shot him a glance but saw only genuine concern in his dark eyes.

"Yes, I do," she replied quietly. She opened her purse and took out her wallet, browsing through the five small photos of Seven that she always carried with her. Some were of the two of them but the most recent one was the official company picture of Seven that the blonde had signed for her.

Janeway looked at it for a moment. "To Kathryn with love. Seven." The picture blurred from the tears threatening to spill.

"Here you go. May I have it back when you’ve made copies, Sergeant?"

"Certainly." Cutter looked at the picture. "Seven?"

The CEO bit her lower lip, knowing that she needed to get a firm grip of her emotions or she would begin to cry in front of these men.

"That’s her nickname. Everyone knows her by that name. Hardly anyone calls her Annika."

The men nodded, passing the picture between them.

"We need to ask you a few basic questions, Ms Janeway. Do you know what Ms Hansen was wearing at the point of her disappearance?"

"I’ve already answered this. No, I don’t know, since she went home to change before rendezvousing with me here. I can only guess that since we were heading towards her island, she probably was wearing jeans, a sweatshirt and a wind jacket. I can’t swear to this, of course."

"I hear you, ma’am," Archer assured her. "Can you think of who might be behind this, ma’am? I know who you are and your position might suggest that someone will ultimately demand a ransom, but we have to look at this from all angles."

Janeway looked sharply at him.

"Before we get into that; while we’re standing here chatting, is anyone looking for that boat? It’s already seven o’clock and it’ll be getting dark in an hour or so."

"Yes, we’ve alerted the coast guard as well as the helicopter unit. They are covering the coast line as we speak."

"Do you and Ms Hansen live together?" Ramirez asked.

Giving him a sharp look, Janeway nodded, "Yes, we do. Why?"

"Someone might try to call your house to make demands. Have you checked your answering machine?"

"Yes, twice. There were no calls and I had my assistant refer any calls made to that phone to my cell phone automatically. So far, nothing."

"Kathryn!"

At first the soft, alto female voice sounded like Seven’s. Janeway pivoted, scanning the pier for the beloved tall blonde.

Instead it was Marion and Julia was hurrying towards her. Disappointment together with relief to see her friends flooded her.

"Sorry, it took us longer than we thought to get here," Marion said, putting an arm around her boss. "Traffic was crazy; guess it’s because it’s the weekend."

Julia gave her a warm hug, kissing her cheek.

"We’re here now, Kathryn," she murmured. "We won’t leave you until Seven’s back safe and sound."

Janeway knew that her old self would have been embarrassed by their public display of loyalty and fondness. Now, and she knew she had Seven to thank for it all, it was comforting and a source of strength. Julia and Marion loved Seven as well and she knew they would not move from her side.

She pulled herself together and introduced them to the police officers. True to form, Marion gave Cutter the third degree about how far the investigation had come. He seemed quite impressed with the sales director’s knowledge and power of deduction.

"Ms Janeway is a successful business woman," Marion stated. "Let’s not kid ourselves. She has admirers as well as enemies all over the country, even the world. If this is something personal, it is directed towards her, not Seven. Annika Hansen has no enemies."

"How can you be so sure?" Ramirez asked as he was taking notes.

"If you knew her, you wouldn’t have to ask," Julia offered. "Seven is a very special person. She grew up in the archipelago and until a few years ago she had very little contact with the outside world. She’s what you might call a true innocent."

"She’s a beautiful woman," Archer said. "Has there been anyone interested in her despite your relationship, Ms Janeway?"

The CEO frowned.

"There was a man who caused some trouble a few years ago but we haven’t had to deal with him since then."

"Give us his name and we’ll check him out. It’s important that we cover every angle."

Marion had paled. Janeway knew that the incident that involved Marion, when Seven was new both at the company and in Janeway’s life, was still an open wound.

"His name is Eric Avery," the dark haired woman stated, her voice flat. "He came on to Seven, caused trouble for her and also tried to blackmail me later on. I wouldn’t put it past him to want revenge but I don’t see how he could have pulled this off. Ms Janeway gave him an ultimatum to keep him out of all of our lives."

"Eric Avery, you say? We’ll check him out," Cutter said. "If he’s done anything, his name will pop up. Where can we find you, Ms Janeway?"

Janeway squared her shoulders. Digging deep for the strength to plan ahead, she looked at the tall man.

"I’ll be on my cell phone and I intend to stay in Brimmerton for now. Can you recommend accommodations for us, Sergeant Cutter?"

His eyes softened.

"There is a nice motel just half a mile north of the marina, ma’am. Horace Carter owns it. Tell him that I sent you. He’ll take good care of you."

Marion nodded approvingly.

"Sounds good. Thank you."

Lieutenant Archer reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Handing over a business card to Janeway he asked them to call if they remembered any detail that could be useful in the investigation.

"I will want to ask more questions later today, but I realise that you need to freshen up and gather your thoughts," the tall man said. "Please call us if you think of something before then."

The police officers nodded and said goodbye.

"We should go by the hospital first," Janeway said, rubbing her pounding temple. "We need to check on Jacob."

"No, Kathryn," Julia replied, sounding determined. "You’re exhausted and I’ve never seen you this pale. You need to eat something and a shower to warm you up. You’ve been out here for hours; you’re hands are like ice."

Janeway wanted to object but did not have the energy.

"Come with us in the SUV," Marion suggested. "The police probably have transported Seven’s car somewhere; it wasn’t in the parking lot. We can pick yours up later."

Julia had spotted Janeway’s abandoned suitcase sitting on the pier and grabbed it as they walked towards the parking lot.

Not really caring, Janeway walked with the other two women to Marion’s car. Stepping into the backseat, she was a little surprised that Julia took a seat next to her while Marion got behind the wheel.

Overwhelmed with worry and anger, she turned to Julia as they drove away, digging her fingernails into her palms.

"Who’s behind this? Who dares to take her … Seven … my Seven … Can it be Avery after all this time?" Broken sobs burst through her throat, forced themselves past her lips. "She has to be all right … she … has to …"

Julia pulled her rigid body close.

"We’ll get her back, Kathryn," she said, holding on hard when the older woman tried to pull back. "Listen to me. We’ll get her back. She will come back to you."

The conviction in Julia’s voice seemed to pierce through the panic, making it possible for Janeway to breathe.

"You promise?" she said, hating that her voice sounded so young, so pleading.

"Yes, I do," Julia answered, not missing a beat. "I promise."

*****

He walked into the room, not sure what to expect, but certainly not the defiant woman standing before him.

Still dressed in ruffled and dirty clothes, blindfolded, and with her hands tied behind her back Annika Hansen still seemed regal. Her flawless alabaster skin and curvaceous body together with the stunning blonde hair caused his mouth to water and he had to swallow hard.

"Who is there?" she asked, squaring her shoulders. "I can hear you breathe. Who are you?"

"Annika Hansen, you’re even more beautiful than I remember," he said, smiling. "Tousled and dirty, you still look more desirable than most women."

There was a stunned silence.

"Eric Avery," the blonde managed.

"I’m flattered. I must have had an impact on you since you recognise my voice."

"I would not be so quick to jump to such a conclusion," Seven said disdainfully. "I only remember you because of the trouble you gave me, Kathryn and Marion. The only impact you made was the hurt you caused."

"Oh, the dear Marion," Eric snarled and walked close to the young woman. "How is she doing these days? Still up to her old tricks, I assume."

Tearing off the blindfold and rejoicing in the way she blinked away tears because of the sudden light from the lamps in the room, he stood close to her, hoping to keep her off balance, literally.

"Actually, she’s very happy and Kathryn’s most trusted employee."

Displeased with the fact that she stood her ground and seemed genuinely fond of Marion McDunn, Avery pressed his lips together and took a step closer.

Blue eyes locked on him, scrutinising him in the most irritating way. Avery had pictured this moment so many times the last year – and this was not how he had imagined her reaction at all. The Annika Hansen he remembered, a young, impressionable, eager to please woman who had been shy and bewildered when he began pursuing her, had little to do with this queen-like beauty.

"I see Janeway has moulded you into something more fitting in her social circles," he spat, grabbing her by her chin. "What did she do? Send you to charm school, baby?"

The long, patronising glance she gave him infuriated him.

"You make little sense," Seven said. "Kathryn and I are engaged. We share a very happy life, which I am certain makes you envious. She will not be pleased when she finds out you broke the agreement. You were supposed to stay away from her, Marion, Stellar Ltd and everyone who works there – which would include me."

It was as if she pitied him. She sounded like he was not the one in charge here – and he was! She was his prisoner, his means to an end. She had no way of knowing where she was and neither did anyone else. It was going to be interesting when she realised the full extent of his plan.

"You look like hell," he said. "I’ll send in one of the maids to help you clean up your act. Don’t even try to escape. Cynthia is not only armed; she used to work at a women’s prison. She won’t tolerate anything but obedience."

He walked towards the door and opened it. Outside a tall, muscular woman with jet black hair awaited his departure.

Eric glanced at Seven as Cynthia entered the room after he stepped outside. To his annoyance the blonde gave the older woman a faint smile and thanked her when Cynthia freed her hands.

Cursing under his breath, he closed the door and walked down the long hallway.

Time for the next part of his plan to commence.

*****

Julia watched Janeway emerge from the bathroom.

The auburn haired woman was dressed in a complimentary terrycloth robe, something most motels did not offer, but this one did. The owner, Horace, had been most sympathetic towards them and the interior designer guessed that Sergeant Cutter had called in advance to let him know they were coming.

Janeway had asked for adjoining rooms. It was obvious that the older woman did not want to be alone; that she needed the company of her friends. Julia realised from Marion’s surprised look that this was out of character for their friend.

Marion reached for the phone again. Julia had listen to her attempts to reach Phoebe and Gretchen but so far it had been unsuccessful. The sales director hung up again with a sigh.

"Still not available. I know you’re mother doesn’t own a cell phone but you’d think Phoebe would have her connected at least." Marion sounded tired. "I’ll keep trying. I don’t want them to hear about this from someone else."

She grabbed her notepad and wrote something.

Julia turned to Janeway who was just standing there with her hair dripping, holding a towel in her listless hands.

"How are you feeling? Kathryn?"

Breaking out of her reverie, Janeway turned towards her younger friend.

"Sorry, Julia. It’s just that there is something … I’m not sure what, that’s been eating at me for hours, ever since I realised that Seven was … gone. There’s a piece of the puzzle that’s just out of reach and I can’t for my life remember what triggered the feeling."

Marion looked up from her writing pad.

"I’ve made some notes about Avery," she explained. "What we know of him from before and what he is capable of. I think if he is behind this, it is about revenge, and perhaps something more."

"What do you mean, something more?" Janeway frowned, starting to dry her hair. "Level with me, Marion," she continued when the other woman hesitated, her eyes steely grey.

"Do you remember that when Eric, and I, were setting Seven up for failure almost two years ago, he also had a personal interest in her."

Janeway pressed her lips together.

"I know," she hissed, "he made Seven uncomfortable and she didn’t want to bother me with it, thinking she could handle it. She was so afraid of failing. Sometimes she still is."

Marion paled. Julia knew this still bothered her partner.

"Much of it was my fault," the sales director said. "If this is related to my actions back then, I’ll never forgive myself."

Janeway wrapped the towel around her hair and sat down next to her sales director.

"Marion," she emphasised, "listen to me. You’ve more than atoned for your mistake. You’ve been there for Seven and me so many times. You and Julia are our best friends. We won’t be able to survive this and get her back if you crumble under guilt. Whatever ever Avery is up to – if he is indeed behind this – you have nothing to do with that. Do I make myself clear?"

Julia watched her partner as Janeway tried to get through to her. Sounding both sympathetic and commanding, the CEO did not take her eyes of Marion. Colour returned to the dark haired woman’s cheeks.

"It’s been bothering me all this time," Marion confessed. "I think you know that."

"Yes, I do. There are things that I’ve done to Seven that bother me too," Janeway murmured. "I’ve hurt her more than you ever could, Marion."

"She loves you," Julia interrupted. "Seven forgave both of you a long time ago. We have to focus on finding her and getting her back. This self recrimination is counter productive."

Marion gave her a surprised look.

"You’re right, honey," she agreed. "We’re not helping Seven this way."

Janeway nodded.

"Why don’t I give Lieutenant Archer a call? I know he said he’d stay in touch but …"

Not waiting for a reply, the CEO dialled the number on the business card.

"Lieutenant Archer, please? This is Kathryn and I’m calling regarding the abduction of Annika Hansen a few hours ago."

There was a brief silence. Janeway closed her eyes as she waited.

"You have? Where did you find it? Is Lieutenant Archer there?" Janeway scribbled something on Marion’s pad. "Thank you. Can you give me directions? And just go north? Good. Thank you. We’ll be right there."

Janeway hung up, ripped the page out of the writing pad, and rose from the bed.

"They found a boat abandoned in Granger’s Cove. Archer and Ramirez are there now. I want to talk to them."

Julia watched the transformation take place in front of her. Amazed she witnessed Janeway go from a teary eyed trembling woman to the very essence of what made her the CEO of a multibillion dollar conglomerate.

"Okay, let’s go," Marion agreed.

Janeway dressed quickly, her face emotionless. Julia watched her combing through her damp hair only to toss the brush on the bed and reach for her overcoat. The energy back into her body language Janeway radiated a new vitality. Julia wondered where the older woman found the strength to pull herself together like this.

"I hope it is the right boat and they find something that will lead us to her," Julia said in a low voice to her partner as they walked out to the SUV. "I know Kathryn’s strong, but Seven’s everything to her. I’m worried about how she’s holding up."

"I know," Marion whispered back. "All we can do right now is be here and keep an eye on her. I wouldn’t want to be in the kidnappers shoes when they find them. She won’t show any mercy."

Julia closed her eyes briefly as she climbed into the backseat. Janeway had taken the front passenger seat.

Marion turned the key in the ignition. Glancing at Julia in the rear view mirror she winked. Strangely consoled by the gesture, Julia gave a faint smile as the car rolled out of the parking lot. She resisted an urge to caress the auburn head next to Marion, knowing that it would not be welcome.

Inhaling deeply, Julia held her breath while crossing her fingers in her lap.

This better be one step closer to Seven.

*****

Lieutenant Archer rose after looking underneath the abandoned boat.

It was resting on the sand, precariously tilting to one side, as if the driver has simply driven it straight out of the water. Crime scene investigators had set up large spotlights and they were now doing their job sweeping the boat for prints and other clues that would hopefully move the investigation forward.

It was a 2120 Destiny Regal motor boat and it looked brand new. Archer knew it would be hard to locate the owner. Numerous people owned boats of this type and not all of them bothered to register them with the Coast guard.

"A beauty, isn’t she?" Ramirez said, looking at the expensive vessel. "I wouldn’t mind having one of these myself."

"Focus on the job, Detective," Archer frowned at the younger man. "Ms Janeway will be here shortly demanding answers. I’m not sure you realise who we’re dealing with here. She can buy all of Brimmerton and the surrounding villages and half the archipelago and still that will just be one day’s profit for someone like her. Some idiot has kidnapped her fiancée and when that hits the news, it will become ugly. Only the fact that this has taken place in a small, tightly knit community has delayed the media interest, but that won’t last."

Ramirez nodded, smiling sheepishly.

"Sorry, Lieutenant, I’ll get on with it."

"Good."

Out of the corner of his eyes, Archer saw the headlights of an SUV as it pulled off the small dirt road leading to Granger’s Cove. Three women stepped out and started walking towards them.

"Here they are," Ramirez observed. "I think I’ll leave this to you, Lieutenant."

Kathryn Janeway had changed clothes and freshened up, looking every bit the leader she was.

"Lieutenant Archer, I need an update. Is this the boat?" Janeway’s voice was short and to the point.

"Yes, we think so. We found a cloth which we suspect were soaked with chloroform or something similar. There is also other evidence that we’re sending off to the forensic lab for verification."

"What are those?" Marion asked.

"We’ve been sweeping for prints, hair, and fibres. The technicians also found traces of blood."

Janeway paled and her grey eyes darkened.

"Blood?"

"Not much, a few stains. We have to do an analysis to see if it originates from Annika Hansen or one of her kidnappers. Have you thought of anything else that can shed light on this, ma’am?"

"No, not really, Lieutenant …"

"Sorry to interrupt, sir," a voice said to their left. "I think this just hit the news. Look."

He pointed towards the other end of the cove where media had begun to pull up, the large vans adorned with satellite dishes on their roofs. Just like the police had done around the beached motor boat, they too mounted large spotlights, directing them towards the crime scene below.

"Oh, no," Julia sighed. "How are we going to get passed them?"

Archer groaned inwardly at the sight of the media posse. He had quickly realised that this would become a high profile case and now the circus had began.

"I’ll talk to them to begin with," he said. "Sergeant Cutter will escort you out of here for now. I think we can safely say that it is wise that you’re not at home for the time being. I hope Horace can keep your stay at the motel a secret for a while yet."

"When will you know for sure if this is the boat?" Janeway asked.

"We lifted several fingerprints that we’ll run trough the computer and the technicians are working on the other evidence such as fibres and bloodstains as we speak. We’re also trying to determine who owns the boat, of course, but something tells me that it will turn out to be stolen. Still, knowing where it comes from, stolen or not, might still provide useful information. As soon as we have anything new to report, you’ll hear from us, Ms Janeway."

The CEO did not seem satisfied with the answer and Archer could only imagine the frustration and fear that she was experiencing. Still there was an underlying strength about her petite frame that impressed him. He had seen his fair share of people crumbling at the thought of losing a loved one. Looking at the auburn haired woman standing in front of him, flanked by her friends, he sensed she barely harnessed the panic and channelled it into a desire to do something.

"Ma’am," he said, not sure why the urge to caution her was so strong, "we’re doing everything we can to track down who kidnapped your fiancée and why. When Mr Henderson wakes up, he might be able to shed some more light on this; perhaps give us a description of the perpetrators. I know you’re frustrated and want things to move faster. So do we – and I promise you; we’re doing everything we can."

She did not even blink. Her grey eyes grew stormy but her voice was clear and calm when she spoke.

"I appreciate the efforts of the police department, Lieutenant. I know you’re doing everything you can. I realise that things take time when it comes to evidence. I’ll allow Sergeant Cutter to escort us past the media circus up there. I also want you to understand that I can’t sit idly by while someone is holding the woman I love captive against her will. I will do whatever it takes to get her back."

The throaty voice, so full of confidence and command, surprised him. There was no sign of the distraught woman on the pier just hours ago. He wanted to warn her to not do anything rash or dangerous; to let the police do their job.

One more look into her eyes made him realise that any such directives would be futile.

*****

The cream coloured silk pyjamas, together with the luxurious supper, did not make sense.

Seven looked at the food on the silver tray with trepidation.

"You have to eat," the tall, muscular woman next to the bed said, pointing to the tray. "You haven’t eaten since lunch."

Seven shot Cynthia a look. The other woman was not unfriendly in any way, but the young woman realised that she would meet with firm resistance if she tried to disobey.

Cautiously she picked up a fork and speared a long, tender asparagus. Chewing on it even if she was still nauseous after the chloroform, she tried to lull Cynthia into a false sense of security.

"Mr Avery gave strict orders that you are to eat and sleep so you’ll be in better shape tomorrow."

What would happen tomorrow? Seven almost choked on the food. She had to play along until an opportunity to escape arose. If Kathryn had figured out what was going on, she had to be prepared for any rescue effort.

Cynthia nodded when she watched Seven’s pitiful attempt to eat.

"Good. I expect that tray to be empty tomorrow morning. The light will be on for fifteen minutes more. Get some sleep after that."

The heavily built woman left the room without any further comment.

Seven took another bite but when bile rose in her throat, she put the tray on a chair next to the bed. She simply could not eat anymore. She drank from the glass of water as her mind wandered.

She wondered if the police were involved. She assumed they were because of what had happened to Jacob. Her eyes watered at the thought of the man she adored, who had always been there and now was hurt, maybe dead because of another man’s obsession and evil nature.

She was surprised that she seemed to be able to harbour such hate. She had sometimes admonished Kathryn for not being more forgiving and less ruthless and here she was, wanting to throttle the smug man who was responsible for all this.

She suddenly thought back to Cynthia’s words. "… you haven’t eaten since lunch …"

So they had followed her … for how long? To learn about her schedule, to seize an opportunity like today when she was out on her own, they must have tailed her for quite some time. No doubt, Eric Avery had planned his revenge ever since Kathryn gave him the ultimatum to stay at least a two hundred mile radius away from any of them or she would report him for everything the private investigator had dug up.

Seven had warned Janeway that the CEO had made an enemy. Avery had been humiliated in front of them and the fury in his eyes had stayed with the blonde in her dreams.

Now he had gotten his revenge. She was his prisoner, Jacob was injured and she had no idea how serious it was and Kathryn … Kathryn must be going crazy.

Picturing the auburn haired woman, Seven pushed the tray aside and crawled under the satin sheets. The luxury of the room baffled her; she had no idea why he would keep her in such a gilded cage.

He had seemed quite obsessed with her when she had just started out at Stellar Ltd. He had approached her with one proposition after another, making her feel uncomfortable and uncertain. Eager to show Kathryn that the CEO would not regret hiring her, taking a chance on a person who did not even exist in society – no identity papers or anything, Seven had tried to politely deal with Avery on her own.

In the end, Avery and Marion McDunn had been too shrewd for her. They had set her up by giving her false information, causing Seven to fail at her work. The blonde had been so sure that Kathryn would fire her and dismiss her from their life together that she had left for the only place she had called home at that point.

To her surprise, Raven’s Island had not been the familiar place and source of comfort that she had hoped. Not until Kathryn came after her, took her in her arms and begged her to come home had Seven realised how much she loved the auburn haired woman – and how much Kathryn loved her.

They had dealt with several hurdles in their relationship – some only recently, but Seven had never been as afraid as she was now. She would have to dig deep to find the courage to not surrender to the fear.

She had to make Kathryn proud of her. She had to be ready for any opportunity to escape or when there was a rescue attempt. The blonde hugged herself under the bedcovers. Was Avery going to ask Kathryn for a ransom? She was sure she had read somewhere that you should never give in to blackmail. Avery had tried blackmailing Marion and she had paid at first but when Kathryn and Seven had gotten involved that had stopped. Would Kathryn pay to get her back?

She knew the answer before she even thought the question through. Kathryn would do anything to get her back – even risk her own life. The CEO had a possessive streak in her – and Seven knew that the older woman thought of Seven as hers.

Refusing to give in to tears of longing and fear, the blonde closed her eyes and thought of Kathryn, their friends and family. Had anyone told Phoebe and Gretchen yet? Were Marion and Julia aware that she was missing? Was anyone helping Kathryn; keeping an eye on her?

"Please, Kathryn, don’t do anything dangerous?" she whispered into the room. "He is up to something and somehow I think this revenge has more to do with you than me."

She hid her face under her silk clad arm.

Only hours ago she had pictured herself sitting on the soft rug in front of the fireplace with Kathryn on Raven’s Island. Instead she was left in the hands of a man with his own agenda.

"Kathryn …"

*****

"Seven …"

The auburn haired woman closed the adjoining door after saying goodnight to Marion and Julia went. Suddenly weak at the knees, she sat down on the bed.

She had no idea why Seven suddenly felt so close. She could almost smell the soft sandalwood scent of the blonde’s favourite soap.

"Are you all right, darling? Are you thinking of me right now? Is that why you feel so close?"

Reaching out, Janeway pulled a pillow close and buried her pale face into its softness. She inhaled deeply, desperate for the feeling, the scent of her to remain.

"Why wasn’t I on time?" Janeway moaned out loud. "Why wasn’t I there to take care of you, darling? To protect you? If I’d had been there, they would not have been able to …"

She slowly rose, still clutching at the pillow. Her mind reeled.

She had not been there because the meeting had dragged out in time; it had been almost ridiculous. It was as if the man leading it had … been stalling? Was she going crazy? The man at ReyVa Inc could not possibly have anything to do with Seven’s kidnapping.

Suddenly she dropped the pillow and clasped both hands over her quivering mouth.

ReyVa Inc. It could not be that easy.

Not even thinking of knocking, she flung the door connecting the rooms open. Julia looked up from the bed where she sat writing something on Marion’s pad.

"Kathryn?" Marion said as she stepped out of the bathroom only dressed in a towel. "Are you all right?"

Kathryn held on to the doorknob, her knees almost giving in. She could hardly breathe.

"It’s him!" she managed. "I know it is. It’s Avery!"

Julia got up.

"How do you know, Kathryn?"

"The name of the company – I don’t know why it took me so long to realise it. ReyVa Inc. It’s an anagram for Avery. He must be involved with it."

Marion did not look convinced.

"But I investigated it, Kathryn," she objected. "It’s owned by a group of people and the major owner, Rick Reymers, is … "

"Rick. Eric. Don’t you see?"

"Couldn’t it be that you’re grasping at straws here?" Marion tried.

Janeway made everyone jump by slamming her fist into the doorframe.

"No, it all fits together. ReyVa Inc suggests a last minute meeting when you’re unavailable. They’ve dealt with you exclusively for over two months and now they insist that I attend. I get there and it is supposed to be a quick meeting to iron out some minor but important details. It turns out it is nothing that couldn’t be handled at a much lower level. Not even you had had to be there, Marion. Somehow the guy presenting the whole thing drags on and on and repeats himself until we’re all embarrassed. He walks me to the door and keeps talking to me, interrupting me every time I try to say goodbye. I’m beginning to think he’s insane when Seven calls … or tries to call … only then does he let me off the hook."

Janeway tried to keep her voice steady but rage and frustration at Marion’s objections made it nearly impossible.

"When you put it that way," the sales director murmured. "I’ve met all the owners except Reymers himself. I did question it several times but since he apparently travels a lot … he is the major stockholder."

Relieved that Marion was starting to see this from her point of view, Janeway slumped back against the door.

"He’s got Seven," she whispered. "He’s the bastard behind this."

Julia walked up to the CEO and put a supportive arm around her waist.

"You have to call Cutter or Archer, Kathryn."

Janeway frowned.

"I know that is what I should do but something tells me that it would be a big mistake. Since it is Avery – and he has been biding his time for so long … there is desperation written all over it. I know he had a thing for Seven, but that can’t be what it’s about. There’s more to it …" A muted sound from Marion made her look up. "… Marion? Oh, God, why are you crying?"

Both Janeway and Julia took a quick step forward towards the sales director. Marion was sitting on the bed, clutching the towel around her, her shoulders shaking.

"What’s wrong, sweetie?" Julia asked, putting her arms around her partner. "I know you’re worried too …"

"No, you don’t get it!" Marion hissed through the tears and broke free.

Scrambling away from them, she kept her distance, her eyes ablaze.

"You don’t get it," she repeated, her voice lower. "It’s all my fault. Again! I prayed that it wouldn’t turn out to be Avery. I wanted to turn the clock back, to have Seven safe. I wanted the past two years to reverse so I could undo what I did back then. Even yesterday, when we were all so … happy together … I should have know, it would come back to haunt us. It isn’t fair! It keeps hitting the person among us who is the most innocent of all."

"Stop it, Marion," Janeway tried.

The pain in the other woman’s eyes matched her own. She had not realised what her revelation would mean to Marion.

Julia moved closer towards her partner.

"When we get Seven back we can …"

The dark haired woman shook her head.

"No. When we’ve rescued Seven … that’s when it all stops. That’s when we go our separate ways."

Janeway could not believe her ears. She glanced at Julia who was pale and with tears in her eyes.

"What are you talking about, sweetie?" the younger woman asked.

"Just what I said. When this is over, I’ll resign from Stellar Ltd and move. I’ll do you a big favour and get out of your life, Julia, which should do wonders for your relationship with your family."

"You can’t mean this!" Julia’s voice was like the cry of a wounded animal.

Marion got up, holding the towel close to her body that was still damp from the shower.

"I mean it." She took a step back. "It’s time I took responsibility for what I did back then. Seven was the one who pleaded my case to you, Kathryn, and you listened to her when you should have followed your first instinct. If you had – you would have had her here now. I will help you get her back – I promise you. After that, I’m resigning."

"I won’t accept your resignation," Janeway said with emphasis.

With lifeless eyes Marion returned Janeway's gaze. Her dispassionate tone completed the emotional severance as she murmured, "You won't have a choice."

*****

Continued in "Lost on the Way to Raven's Island" - part 3