UBER J/7 - the first 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.

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 2

© GB

Part 3.

Seven had not slept much during the night. She had tossed and turned in the luxurious bed, her thoughts chasing each other had made it impossible to wind down. Mostly it had been thoughts of Kathryn, how she missed her and how worried her fiancée must be. Then there was the ultimate fear … that she might not see Kathryn ever again.

Several other questions had spun in her head. She had asked herself over and over why Avery had done this, what motivated the man and what did he expect to gain? She guessed most kidnappers wanted money in return for their hostage but something told her that with Avery, it was more complicated than that.

She rose, gazing toward the tall, narrow window. She had already tried it several times; there was no way to open it. She had looked at the view and tried to gauge where she was. It had seemed to be a city area but it had been hard to tell, flickering lights from cars and streetlamps all looked the same in the darkness. Now she noticed a faint light and realised that dawn was breaking which would suggest that it was around five-thirty in the morning. She began to walk towards the window.

Someone turned a key in the door to the hallway and opened it. Cynthia walked in carrying a tray. Seven stopped in her tracks and turned around.

"I see you didn’t finish your supper." The woman was obviously displeased.

"I was not hungry."

The simple statement delivered in such a polite tone of voice seemed to puzzle Cynthia. Putting down the tray on the small table by the wall, she frowned.

"You better finish up the toast and coffee then. The boss won’t like it, if you starve yourself."

"If I choose to eat or not is not of Eric Avery’s concern. He does not worry about my wellbeing or he would not have kidnapped me in this manner. He has his own agenda and I trust it will not be entirely difficult to figure out."

Cynthia smirked.

"You cocky rich kids ...."

Seven blinked.

"I can not see how it concerns you, Cynthia, but I am not a ‘rich kid’. I work for a living and support myself. There will be no ransom to retrieve me. My fiancée will not pay."

"Of course he’ll pay. Who wouldn’t pay to get such a trophy back?"

Circling the bed, Seven shook her head.

"You don’t understand. Kathryn will not play this game the way Eric Avery desires. He may be out for revenge, perhaps he entertains the notion that I will succumb to his disputable charms, but Kathryn will outsmart him, just like she did the last time. You will not see any money or gain anything else from this illegal endeavour, Cynthia."

Looking both surprised and frustrated, the other woman walked closer to Seven. Poking the blonde shoulder painfully, she snarled at her, "So, your fiancée’s a she, huh? I’m sure she’ll pay up to have her little girl back. You have no way of knowing anything about the boss’ plan. There’s a lot at stake but he’ll come through for us. He has so far."

Seven wondered what the last remarks meant. What had Avery planned that depended on holding her here … holding her hostage?

She looked the other woman in the eyes. This was apparently a ruthless woman who stayed in power by different methods of intimidation but Seven was not afraid of her. She experienced apprehension about her situation but for some reason this former prison guard did not frighten her.

Squaring her shoulders she decided to turn the tables on the other woman.

"Do not underestimate me," she hissed, amazed at how menacing she could sound. "You may be assigned to guard me but I will not accept being treated like this."

"You’re nothing but a high society brat …" Cynthia grabbed her upper left arm.

"Take your hands off me. Now. You do not know anything about me."

After all the years working outdoors on Raven’s Island and the hard work of often being one of the crew onboard Jacob’s fishing boat, she knew she was strong. She kept it up by using the company gym almost every day together with Marion.

Seven moved quickly. She yanked her arm free and grabbed Cynthia’s right wrist. Pressing it down against the other woman’s leg, she used all her strength to keep it in place.

"Do not touch me again," she growled

Cynthia blushed furiously and took a step back. Seven let her go, carefully keeping an eye on the other woman as she made her way towards the door.

"Get dressed and eat," Cynthia growled. "The boss wants to see you in ten minutes."

She slammed the door shut after her and then Seven heard the turning of the key again. She walked up to the window. The sun was on its way up. Looking outside, she tried to find a familiar landmark. To her surprise, she knew exactly where she was.

The well known view brought tears to her eyes. She had to find a way to make Kathryn aware of her location.

*****

Julia walked back towards the motel. She had been standing out on the cliffs for the better part of an hour. After a sleepless night where she had been lying frozen in bed, in time, really, next to Marion, she had finally given up and gotten dressed.

She knew that Marion had not slept much either. After the scene last night where her world turned upside down she had withdrawn inside, numb from all the conflicting emotions.

She ached for Marion. Her partner's pain and guilt were tangible. The desperation in the sales director's voice as she had taken all the blame for what had taken place yesterday had broken Julia’s heart.

Janeway had tried to reason with Marion but to no avail. After the fruitless attempts to get the other woman to see reason, the CEO had turned to Julia and given her a comforting hug.

"She’ll come around when we have Seven back," she had whispered, echoing the younger woman’s word only minutes ago. "Give her time, Julia."

Janeway had gone back to her room, closing the adjoining door behind her. After an awkward silence the two remaining women had gotten ready for bed. Julia had tried reaching out for her partner but Marion’s quick gasp and rigid body had left her in tears, pulling as far out on her side of the bed as possible. The rejection hurt too much, more than she ever would have thought possible.

Now she returned and saw both Janeway and Marion in the breakfast room as she passed it.

"Julia, we’re here," Janeway called. "Come and I’ll fill you in on the latest."

The interior designer walked over to them and took a seat, making no attempt to get any breakfast for herself.

"Are you okay?" the CEO asked.

If the question only had come from Marion but the dark haired woman was stirring a sole coffee mug, not even looking at her partner.

"I’m fine," Julia said. "Now tell me the news."

"Last night I called Lt Archer and informed him about ReyVa Inc. He wasn’t as impressed as I would have liked at first but when I told him about the man who held the meeting and how he stalled the entire time, he began to see it my way."

Julia did not debate that. Janeway had a way to make most people look at things from her perspective.

"What is he going to do?"

"He immediately started an investigation of all the people there I could remember the names of. I called him back half an hour ago with more names that Marion gave me from her dealings with ReyVa Inc."

The sales director looked up.

"Something tells me that he won’t come up with much."

Marion’s voice was lifeless. Julia had to brace herself not to throw her arms around her partner … or was that ex-partner? She bit her lip and willed the threatening tears to withdraw.

"What do you mean?" Janeway asked.

"Just that Avery won’t have told anyone at the company what he’s up to, where he’s keeping Seven. I think we better to go through the vast information I collected about them. Perhaps something will turn up that will give us a clue."

"So do we go back to the office to do that?" Julia enquired.

"No need, I have all the information in my laptop. I can do it from the motel room. If I download it into Kathryn’s computer, you … can help me."

Julia bit back a hurt reply.

"Of course." Her voice was soft.

"If you two do that, I’ll deal with some things that will be hard but necessary," Janeway informed them as she rose from the chair. "I have to visit the hospital, I want to check on Jacob, and then I have a press conference to hold."

"Just call us if you need us there," Julia offered. "I have my cell phone and Marion has hers."

"All right. Now, you two, I know yesterday evening ended in heartache. God knows I’m fighting an overwhelming sense of panic every minute of the day right now … but don’t get into a fight or have words. If you can’t reach out to each other – fine, then leave it for later. One step at a time. Okay?"

The throaty voice made it clear that this was not a suggestion. The important thing was that Seven was saved and that Jacob would recover. Everything else would have to wait.

"Okay," Marion murmured.

Janeway nodded and left the breakfast room.

Julia looked down at her tightly laced fingers.

"I know she told us to leave things for later," she managed. "I just want to say something if that’s okay?"

Marion raised her eyes and locked them on Julia.

"Go on." The reply was non-committal.

"Everything you said yesterday, about what you intend to do … and I understand how you have come to the conclusion, I don’t agree, but I understand …" Julia stumbled on the words."

"Don’t …"

"Just hear me out, please. Marion, I won’t bring it up again – not until Seven is safe, but I want you to promise me something."

"I can’t."

Tears rose in Julia’s eyes.

"Yes, you can," she insisted, her voice suddenly stronger. "You can because you love me. I won’t say that you owe me, because you don’t owe me anything, but you can’t deny that you love me."

"What is it you want me to promise, then?" Marion did not acknowledge Julia’s statement but the interior designer was relieved that she did not contest it either.

"This will be hard enough on us but if we’re going to survive the time until we have Seven back, we have to know where we stand. I want you to promise that you won’t just walk away from what we have without talking to me first, really talking to me. If I have to live with the fear that you’ll just be gone one day, no goodbye, nothing, I won’t be able to focus on what matters right now."

Marion seemed to consider the statement.

"I guess that makes sense," she allowed. "I won’t change my mind. I want to be clear on that. However, I won’t leave without giving you … closure; I guess that’s what you mean."

The finality to Marion’s voice hurt Julia more than she could say. The words pierced her heart and it was as if the wound leaked blood into her chest cavity, making it hard to breathe.

"Fair enough," she husked. Taking a deep breath as she clenched her hands, she looked at Marion, greedy for the image of the other woman, etching itself onto her retina forever.

The sales director sipped the last of her coffee and pushed the chair back, and got to her feet.

"Let’s go back and start going through the material," she suggested.

Julia followed her out of the breakfast room, knowing that this might be the hardest thing she had ever done. Once they had Seven safely back in their midst, she would have to use all of her love and persuasion to convince Marion to stay. How could she loose her now?

*****

Jacob was drifting in and out of consciousness and still in the ICU.

Janeway had approached his wife and son who were by his side, with caution.

"Ms Janeway," Dorothy Henderson had exclaimed and simply taken the CEO into her arms and hugged her tight. "I’m so sorry about what’s happened to Seven. When Jacob’s comes too I know he’ll be devastated that he was not there to protect her. She’s always been our little girl, you know."

The auburn haired woman found it strangely natural to return the embrace. She then shook hands with Josh Henderson who looked quite pale.

"They told us at the front desk that you’re being most generous, Ms Janeway," he said.

"It’s Kathryn, and it’s the least I can do. As your mother says, Josh, you’re practically family."

"But to pay for all of Jacob’s medical bills …" Mrs Henderson said. "It’s more than we can ever repay, Kathryn."

"May I call you Dorothy?" Janeway asked.

The older woman nodded, tears running down her round cheeks.

"Then listen to me, Dorothy. Seven is in trouble but if she was here, she’d insist that we do it this way. I know that Jacob and Josh are self-employed and that can put a strain on the family budget. It may be a while before Jacob is back in his good old form and that won’t come cheap either. There is very little I can do other than make it easier for you financially. I want you to have the energy to be there for him when he needs you. If you worry about money, he’ll know it. It is not a loan. Look at it as a gift from me and Seven."

Dorothy nodded and leaned into her son who hugged his mother close.

"Thank you, Kathryn," he said. "Dad is strong, stronger than most people, even the ones younger than him. He’ll get through this, I know he will."

"I think so too," Janeway said.

"We just wish the police will find Seven quickly. She was my first crush when I was thirteen years old and then she became my best friend. I wish there was something I could do."

The CEO stepped closer and put a hand on the tall young man’s shoulder.

"I appreciate that, Josh. If I need you to do something for me, for Seven, I’ll let you know."

"Please, do that."

They stood around the hospital bed, looking down at the tall, burly man looking so misplaced on the crisp white sheets. Jacob Henderson was pale and had a large bandage around his head. Several IVs were hooked up around him and monitors recorded his vital signs.

"I have to go," Janeway said in a low voice and handed Josh her business card. "I’m on my cell phone so call me if there is any news."

"Thank you, we will," Dorothy replied, her voice husky. "Thank you, Kathryn."

Janeway shook hands with both of them, planting a soft kiss on the older woman’s cheek before she left.

It was time to face the press.

*****

Avery regarded the tall blonde with ill concealed triumph.

Annika Hansen had to be the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her blonde hair was longer than he remembered; it tumbled down around her shoulders all the way to her breasts. She was dressed in the clothes he had chosen for her, narrow jeans and a form fitted white tee shirt. Her voluptuous figure was everything a man could wish for, slender and curvaceous in all the right places.

"Dear Seven," Avery began, only to be interrupted by the cool alto voice of the young woman.

"I have not given you permission to call me Seven; do not presume to do so."

He gave her a sharp look.

"Okay, then, Annika," he continued, "I realise that you’ve figured out where we are. I thought you’d enjoy the view."

She only gave him a disdainful look without answering.

"Now, let’s get on with it," Avery continued. "Time to get down to business. I want you to sit in this chair and read this statement out loud. I’ll tape it and send it to Janeway." He motioned towards a narrow chair in front of a blue curtain.

"And if I refuse?"

"You won’t. You’ll read it and do it well, or I can’t guarantee your safety. You remember the nice fellows from yesterday? Don’t think I don’t know that one of them kicked you. This was completely against my orders but it also demonstrates how unhappy that guy will become if this is unsuccessful and he doesn’t get his share."

"You are going to blackmail Kathryn for money?" Seven could not leave the contempt out of her voice.

"Not the way you think, blondie," Avery grinned. "Ultimately the addition of money will be a bonus, but right now, the short term goal is more alluring. Here, read this."

He gave her a text, about half a page about half a page of text. Pressing a button on a small black box that looked like a remote of some sort, he then motioned for her to begin.

*****

Janeway had chosen to briefly touch base with Archer, and now she walked up to a cluster of microphones outside the police station. Digging deep for the routine she had acquired over the years in how to deal with the press, she inhaled discreetly before speaking.

"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen," she managed before they fired away the first questions.

"Can you confirm that your lover is missing?"

"How long have you and Ms Hansen been together?"

"Is it true that the police have no leads?"

"Who was the injured man found while conducting a search for Ms Hansen?"

Janeway held up her hands and when the reporters realised that she was not going to reply as long as they kept firing questions at her, they quieted down one by one.

"Thank you," Janeway said again. "My fiancée, Annika Hansen, was kidnapped yesterday from a boat belonging to a mutual friend, who was seriously injured and is in critical condition in the ICU. There are very few leads but the police are optimistic that they will soon track the perpetrators down."

"How long have you and Ms Hansen been together?" a female reporter in the front asked.

"A little more than two years; we became engaged last Christmas."

"Do you have a picture of Ms Hansen that we can use?"

Janeway had expected this question after discussing it with Archer.

"There is a picture available at the reception behind me. If you publish it, I ask you to also publish the phone number to the police hotline where people can call in and report any information." She paused and swallowed before continuing. "I have decided to offer a reward of 500,000 dollars to any individual who can offer crucial information that leads to Annika’s safe return."

The reporters looked stunned.

"Can you tell us more about her, Ms Janeway?" the female reporter at the front of the crowd asked.

Janeway hesitated. She and Seven had kept as low a profile as possible, neither of them interested in moving with the 'in' crowd of the city. Only when it was necessary to entertain business partners and clients had they showed up as a couple. The CEO, however, knew that they were still the talk of the town since they did not hide the fact that they were a couple. It had not closed any doors socially; Janeway knew she was simply to powerful for anyone to dare approach her with negative remarks about her private life. It was not so much a matter of tolerance but of power.

"Annika is a very kind, warm hearted person. She is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. We don’t know the motives behind this abduction but she doesn’t scare easily; she’s used to taking care of herself."

"Do you have any personal ideas of who might be behind this?" a man in the back enquired.

"I can’t comment on that." The CEO’s voice was calm even if her hands trembled. "I know you all realise that a person in my position constantly has to deal with resentment, envy and greed from other people. I’m a woman in a man’s world being the CEO of a multibillion dollar conglomerate with Stellar Ltd as the foundation."

"So you think this is for money?" the female reporter asked. "If there is a request for a ransom – will you pay?"

"I’m not sure this is about money. It might be part of it. As for paying a ransom … I know one thing … I will get Annika back, safe and sound. That is not negotiable."

Janeway’s voice had a lethal tinge to it that caused the reporters to look quite stunned.

"So you’re saying that you would pay?" the female reporter prodded.

"I’m saying I will go to any length; take any measures to get Annika back." Janeway lifted her gaze and looked directly into the closest TV-camera from a nationwide network. "Do you understand? Anything."

*****

Marion looked up from her laptop when Julia gave an unexpected yelp.

"What’s up?"

"I’ve looked through ReyVa’s latest real estate report and it is really too much of a coincidence, Marion," the interior designer said and leaned in closer to Janeway’s computer screen. "Listen to this …"

Marion waited for half a minute but when Julia kept reading on the screen she impatiently moved over to the other side of the bed, leaning over the younger woman’s shoulder.

"What? Show me," she demanded.

"Sorry," Julia said absentmindedly. "Here, read this."

Marion skimmed through the report, at first not noticing anything unusual. Then a familiar address caught her eyes.

"That’s two blocks from Stellar Ltd," she gasped. "How the hell did I miss that one?"

"You weren’t really interested in their real estate purchases, were you?" Julia suggested. "Stellar Ltd was looking for the technology this company is developing, nothing else, right?"

"Right, but I still think this should have caught my eye. It is strange that such a new company, I mean by comparison it is new, owns not only one building on Adamson’s Road, but two. The prices in that neighbourhood have skyrocketed in the last few months. When did they acquire it?"

"Let me see. It looks like they bought it four months ago. Marion, my mind is screaming that we should check it out."

"I agree but we have to gather more information. We won’t be able to convince Janeway that it is worth investigating merely from this. There must be something else."

"I’ll pop on the Internet and do a web search on Rick Reymers. If this truly is Avery, something should be there, some inconsistency that will give him away."

"Do that, I’ll go over these documents again. Good call, Julia," Marion offered, knowing that her partner … former partner, she corrected herself, was throwing herself into the research as to not think about her broken heart.

While she browsed through the pages on the laptop, Marion’s thoughts were mostly focused on Julia and the situation that had developed during the last few days.

The sales director had had a feeling of doom ever since Mrs Williams visit at the beginning of the week. The venom lacing the older woman words had not affected her daughter as much as it had Marion.

She had not told Julia, nor did she intend to, that Deborah Williams had called her twice at the office. At first Julia’s mother had sounded reasonable, almost amicable, but Marion had not lowered her guard for a second.

True to character, Mrs Williams had eventually begun to hint at the real reason for calling.

"You seem like a woman who knows what you want," the older woman had suggested.

"What are you referring to?" Marion had asked, wanting Deborah to state her intentions out loud.

"You know as well as I do that Julia is not really ready for a relationship. You can’t possibly be happy about that."

Amazed, but not surprised, by this blatant attempt to drive a wedge between her and Julia, Marion had kept her fiery temper in check.

"I find that remark especially interesting since you did everything in your power to convince Julia to marry that guy who stalked her in London a year ago."

There had been a brief silence.

"That is a completely different matter. We wanted Julia to settle down, marry that nice young man and have children like any normal woman."

Marion had smirked joylessly while getting up from her chair and facing the view of the busy city below her office at Stellar Ltd.

"So now you’re getting down to it, Deborah," she had said in a matter of fact voice. "You think Julia is ready for a relationship with any man, but not with me."

"This unnatural affair you’re having with my daughter is destroying her future," the other woman had said. "When they hear about this at Bennett & La Cour …"

"Excuse me, but you’ve never supported her in making a career at any firm. She’s done this all on her own. Why this sudden concern now?"

"They will fire her when they hear that she’s living …"

"In sin, Deborah? Is that what you’re saying?" Marion had hissed. "So you think that as long as Julia gets involved with a man, everything is all right – hopefully she would quit her job and produce two point five grandchildren for you and not be such an embarrassment."

"How dare you …"

"Oh, I dare. When it comes to Julia and her happiness, I dare. Have you ever asked and really listened to your daughter when she talks about her hopes and dreams? Or had she given up on telling you about them long ago? I love her and we’re very happy together. I also have news for you; it is hardly a secret at Stellar Ltd or at Bennett & La Cour that she and I are living together. It has nothing to do with her job – and obviously her boss is more understanding and less prejudiced than her own mother!"

She had slammed down the phone, cursing under her breath, and not even considering ending the call on a polite note.

Debora Williams had called again the next morning just after Marion arrived at work. She had spoken shortly and to the point; making it clear that she had not given up on persuading Julia to return to Michigan.

Knowing it was futile to argue with the older woman, Marion had hung up the phone after an icy goodbye, instructing her assistant to not let any more calls from Mrs Williams through.

She had decided not to tell Julia about it, not wanting to add to the hurt Julia already was experiencing from dealing with her mother. She knew deep inside that she ought to have talked to her partner, and now it was too late. There was no way she could live with causing anyone any more pain.

*****

Janeway’s cell phone rang.

"Kathryn, you better come to the office," her assistant Martha said, not bothering with niceties.

"What’s up?"

"A package came to you by special delivery. The police officer assigned to your office says this could be what you’re all waiting for."

Her heart landed in the pit of her stomach with a muted thud

"All right," she managed. "I assume that the police are reporting everything to Lt Archer but make sure they do, just in case."

"Yes, Kathryn. Anything else?"

"Send the company helicopter to collect me. Direct them to the field behind the motel where I’m staying."

Janeway closed the cell phone and walked over to her car. She had left the press conference only an hour ago and again met up with Lt Archer, but there had been nothing new to report.

Driving off towards the motel, the CEO wondered if it would have been smarter to return to the city the previous evening. She sighed as the emotional scene that had taken place last night played out in her mind. Janeway knew she would have to deal with Marion’s guilt once Seven was safe. She could only hope that the sales director was holding up and able to work together with Julia.

Janeway parked the car outside her room at the motel and entered. The auburn haired woman could hear muted voices through the connecting doors as she got her suitcase out and tossed her toiletries on top of her clothes that were still unpacked.

She inhaled and then knocked on the door between the rooms.

Julia opened, looking pale but oddly excited.

"Kathryn, " she said, "we saw you on TV. The press conference seemed to go well."

"I survived it. I’m on my way back to Stellar Ltd," Janeway said, giving Julia’s shoulder a quick squeeze. "There … there’s a parcel waiting for me. The helicopter is on its way. I wanted to ask if you could drive my car back. Seven’s car is still being examined by crime scene investigators."

Marion rose from the bed and put the laptop down.

"No problem. Julia can take the SUV back and I’ll drive your car. We need to back to check on some details regarding ReyVa Inc."

Janeway stiffened.

"You found something?"

"Nothing conclusive, just something that seems to be a little more than a mere coincidence," Julia replied. "We’ll look into it when we get into town. If it turns out to be something substantial we’ll let you and Lt Archer know."

The CEO sighed and leaned against the door. She was emotionally exhausted.

"You know, I keep hoping that this had nothing to do with Seven to begin with," she said in a low voice. "I was thinking she might have stumbled in on someone trying to break into Jacob’s boat."

"Kathryn, that could have been an even worse scenario. If she had done that, they would not have anything to gain to keep by keeping her alive," Marion said darkly.

Julia shot the dark haired woman a look and took a step closer to Janeway.

"We will get her back, Kathryn. If Avery has her, he wants something and when we find out what that is, we’ll figure out a way."

Janeway closed her eyes briefly.

"I’m afraid what I will find at the office," she confessed. "I don’t know what to expect and it … Well, I think I hear the helicopter. I guess I better go."

Julia gave her a quick hug as if she sensed that Janeway was not receptive to any longer displays of affection.

"We’ll be joining you soon," the interior designer said.

Janeway nodded towards Marion.

"I’m grateful for everything that you do. I’ll see you in a little bit."

She walked out the door and rounded the motel carrying her suitcase. The helicopter was just setting down on the field behind the main building. Cameron, her pilot, jumped out and opened the passenger door.

"Here let me get that for you," he offered and reached for her bag.

The tall, African-American man helped her inside and then took the pilot seat again.

"Thank you, Cameron," Janeway said when she had put her headset on. "I appreciate that you could make it so quickly.

"Not a problem, ma’am," he answered. "I was already in the air, about to pick up … eh, a guest at the airport. Martha is sending a limo for her instead."

"Guest of the company? Who might that be? I don’t remember …"

"I believe it is your mother, ma’am."

Stunned, Janeway leaned forward.

"She is flying in?"

"Apparently Martha managed to get through to her only a couple of hours ago. She wasn’t sure she’d make her flight so that’s why she waited to tell you."

Relief flooded her temporarily when she realised that her mother would be joining her soon. During the last Christmas they had all gotten a new start together, dealing with old issues and misunderstandings, making it possible for them to communicate.

If only they could get a hold of Phoebe as well.

The helicopter ascended and Janeway looked out the window, not able to admire the dramatically beautiful coastline. It was as if parts of her were turned off.

She began to shiver inside her expensive coat.

As much as she prayed for any new development towards Seven’s safe return; she dreaded what might be awaiting her at the office.

*****

Seven had been locked up inside the room several hours without seeing anyone after having made the tape. She had stood by the window, watching the familiar outline of the skyscraper two blocks down the street.

She calculated that she must be on the fifteenth floor or more by aligning her position compared to the surrounding buildings. The Stellar Ltd building was beginning to look like a diamond in the night as the floors lit up when darkness began to fall.

She looked up towards the penthouse. It did not look any different than it had all day; the same lights were on that they usually kept burning. Seven could not make out if Janeway were home or not.

She wondered what her fiancée was going through, how Kathryn was holding up. She closed her eyes and tried to remember how it felt to have the other woman’s arms around her.

Kathryn loved when Seven snuggled up close behind her at night and Seven in turn felt oddly safe, as if she could hide there forever.

Glancing over her shoulder to make sure the door was still closed; she wrapped her arms around herself. Slowly rocking, she found that place inside her that only Kathryn could touch. This was their place, the place their love grew and blossomed, safe from the outside world.

The tall blonde hummed almost inaudibly as she kept her gaze locked on the majestic structure that made out Stellar Ltd offices and her home. It was so close and yet so far away. If only there was something she could do … Her thoughts came to a screeching halt.

Seven gave a muted gasp as a plan began to form. It was a long shot. It might not work at all but when daybreak came, she would try it. Pressing a hand against the cool surface of the glass, her heart ached for Kathryn. The blonde wondered if her fiancée had received the tape yet. Forcing back the threatening tears, Seven’s lips moved as she soundlessly said her beloved’s name over and over.

She would be home soon. She had to have faith in that.

*****

The CEO took her personal elevator down from the helicopter pad on the roof of the Stellar Ltd Building.

The tall, slightly bald police officer who met her at the executive offices level on the seventy-ninth floor introduced himself as Detective Graham. Janeway glanced at him.

"Is it a tape?" she asked, her voice short and to the point.

"Yes, ma’am, it is a VHS tape. We have it set up in one of your conference rooms. Your assistant is present. Is there anyone else you want to include?"

"No. My mother is on her way here but I want to scan the tape before she arrives. Do you have any ideas what … what it contains? Was there a note?"

"We awaited your arrival and no, Ms Janeway, there was no note," the detective replied as he opened the conference room door for her. "The tape was in a padded envelope delivered by a well known delivery service. The envelope has already been taken down to the forensic lab. The young girl from the delivery service is being questioned."

The CEO almost wished they had looked at the tape for her as well. She was afraid what she might see.

She walked into the conference room and found herself wrapped up in Martha’s warm embrace.

"Kathryn," the older woman said, kissing her cheek. "I’m here for you. Did Cameron tell you that your mother’s on her way?"

"Yes, he did," Janeway whispered. "Thank you, Martha, for arranging everything. I … I need her here."

Martha hugged her again and then they turned to the two other police officers present in the room. Detective Graham introduced them but their names passed Janeway by without leaving a trace in her memory. She was focusing on the VCR beneath the TV set in the built in mahogany shelf on the wall.

"Nice to meet you," she greeted them in a low tone of voice. "Can we please get this over and done with?"

"Certainly, ma’am," Graham said and pulled out a chair for her.

Janeway took a seat and Martha sank down on a chair next to her. Graham took the remote and pressed play.

The screen flickered and then Seven came into focus. Martha gasped, putting her hand over her mouth.

The CEO willed her trembling body to remain still. Seven looked unharmed. Her long blonde hair was curling in large waves around her narrow shoulders and she was dressed in unfamiliar clothes. Behind her was a black wall, nothing that would give her location away. Pinned to the wall was an issue of today’s paper.

The young woman looked down and began to talk, apparently reading from something.

"I am being held against my will by persons unknown to me, who have given me this list of demands. If these demands are not met, I will not be released. They have assured me of their intent of holding me hostage as long as it takes for the CEO of Stellar Ltd to complete the following list of demands."

Seven paused and shot the person behind the camera a look of resentment.

"This is futile."

"Go on," an electronically altered voice said.

Seven looked down and continued reading.

"This is the list. I suggest you follow it to the letter as my freedom depends on it. First, you will sell out all the companies in the Stellar Ltd conglomerate that have anything to do with computer software at fifty percent below market value. Secondly, you will donate all personal assets, money or property, to a charity of your choosing. Thirdly, you will give a press conference at 3PM tomorrow at the latest, stating the following; your engagement to Annika Hansen is … terminated …"

Seven hastily looked at her kidnapper, her eyes, narrow.

"Kathryn will never do this," she stated grimly. "She will not go along with any of it. You are wasting your time ..."

"Just keep reading," the electronic sounding voice said. "Don’t bother to ad lib again."

The blonde pressed her full lips together but relented.

"Your engagement to Annika Hansen is terminated and that you have fired Marion McDunn due to irresolvable collaboration difficulties."

Seven seemed to read ahead from her ‘script’ because her eyes widened and she looked up, tears forming in her pale blue eyes.

"You are evil," she said, her cool alto voice quivering.

"That may well be, but go on now."

"Then you will finish the press conference by announcing your resignation as CEO of Stellar Ltd. You will also take the opportunity to let the world know that the rumour of your ex-fiancée being kidnapped are untrue. You will let them know that Annika Hansen has chosen to go on an extended vacation after your break up and will not be available for comments for quite some time. Once you have fulfilled these demands you will get a report once a week assuring you of Ms Hansen’s good health but she will not be released for another six months. This is to make sure you don’t try to pull one over on us. These terms are non-negotiable."

Seven looked into the camera, tears streaming down her face.

"Kathryn," she said and then it was over.

Janeway sat frozen in her chair.

Martha put her arm around the CEO’s shoulders.

"God, who can be so evil?" the older woman murmured.

"Avery," Janeway whispered. "If I ever doubted it was him, I know for certain now. He’s been planning this a long time."

"We will give the tape to the forensic department," Detective Graham said. "I’m sorry you had to witness this, Ms Janeway but …"

Janeway raised her hand.

"I’m glad I did," she said.

The door to the conference room opened and quick steps approached. Before Janeway had a chance to turn around, the newcomer hugged her from behind.

"Mom!" Janeway breathed when the familiar perfume filled her senses.

"I’m here now, darling."

Everyone else left the room as Mrs Janeway pulled her daughter up from the chair and into a warm embrace.

"How are you holding up?" Gretchen asked.

"I just saw a video tape of Seven … she was so brave … oh, Mom …"

Finally giving in to the overwhelming fear, the auburn haired woman held on to her mother and cried. Gretchen held her oldest daughter close and let her rid herself of some of the stress that had been mounting for the last twenty-four hours.

"There, I’ve got you, sweetheart."

After a few minutes, Janeway straightened and quickly wiped her tears.

"I’m so glad you’re here, mom. I have so much to do and so little time to do it in. I have until 3PM tomorrow to find Seven and get her out of Avery’s claws."

Gretchen nodded, not asking for details yet.

"I’ll be right by your side. Just let me know what you need me to do."

The CEO’s expression softened.

"Thank you. I’m so glad you’re here."

She resisted the urge to hide in her mother’s arms any longer. Squaring her shoulders, Janeway walked over to the door and opened it.

"Detective Graham," she said to the man waiting outside with his subordinates, "you better get the tape sent off. We've got work to do."

*****

Continued in "Lost on the Way to Raven's Island" - part 4