Serial Novel: Falling in Public, Ch. 27
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Ch.1|Ch. 2|Ch. 3|Ch. 4|Ch. 5|Ch. 6|Ch. 7|Ch. 8|Ch. 9|Ch. 10|Ch. 11|Ch. 12|Ch.13|Ch. 14|Ch. 15|
Ch. 16| Ch. 17|Ch. 18| Ch. 19 | Ch. 20 | Ch. 21 | Ch. 22 | Ch. 23 | Ch. 24 | Ch. 25 | Ch. 26
Falling in Public
Chapter 27
Two hours later, Holly sat in the back of a long black limo, fighting pain, fatigue and panic. Even with the assistance of the shy girl Ellison had sent to help her, getting dressed and to the car with her leg in such bad shape had taken more of a toll than it should have, and it was starkly evident that getting away under her own steam would be next to impossible.
Across from her, Ellison poured two fingers of an amber liquid from a carafe into an old fashioned glass and held it out to her.
"Drink this," he said, not asking. "It will help calm your nerves, and ease the pain."
She considered it for a moment, then shook her head. "No thanks." He could easily have slipped something into the bottle before she got in the car, and it didn't seem impossible that he might try to drug her before she got on the plane. If he was trying to make her paranoid, mission accomplished.
He shrugged, then tossed the liquid down his own throat. "Suit yourself." Placing the glass back into the cubby he'd taken it from, he took some papers out of a folder on the seat beside him, and handed them to her. "This is a copy of the behavioral guidelines we give to all of Mr. Winston's companions. It includes a list of what you can and cannot do in public, as well as issues to avoid discussion or commenting on. You'll be expected to follow it to the letter, so please familiarize yourself with it on the flight. Mr. Winston is already on the plane, and you'll be able to see him shortly before we touch down at our destination, not before. If you do not cooperate fully, there will be consequences, though you're already aware of that."
Holly took the papers, glancing over them before setting them aside. "I'm well aware of that, Mr. Ellison," she said, adrenaline starting to flow as she took in the green directional signs that indicated they were entering the airport complex. "You won't have to worry about me."
Because I'm not getting on that plane.
He nodded, respect mingled with suspicion in his eyes before he turned his head to look out the window. He knew she'd try to get away, of course. He wasn't stupid. But Holly was banking on the fact that he thought she was too weak to be successful. And that was her greatest strength at the moment.
The limo pulled up in front of the doors, and Ellison helped her out and handed her a pair of crutches to use while the driver turned a few bags from the trunk over to a valet. She had to work hard to keep up as Ellison led the way to security, and then helped her off with her shoes. She held on to the side of the conveyor belt, watching the baskets of personal items slide by as she waited for her turn to go through the metal detector. Spying a flat pocket knife in one that would undoubtedly be confiscated, she made sure Ellison wasn't watching, and palmed the knife, slipping it into the back pocket of her jeans. Then she moved toward the archway, hoping it would be enough.
Ch.1|Ch. 2|Ch. 3|Ch. 4|Ch. 5|Ch. 6|Ch. 7|Ch. 8|Ch. 9|Ch. 10|Ch. 11|Ch. 12|Ch.13|Ch. 14|Ch. 15|
Ch. 16| Ch. 17|Ch. 18| Ch. 19 | Ch. 20 | Ch. 21 | Ch. 22 | Ch. 23 | Ch. 24 | Ch. 25 | Ch. 26
Falling in Public
Chapter 27
Two hours later, Holly sat in the back of a long black limo, fighting pain, fatigue and panic. Even with the assistance of the shy girl Ellison had sent to help her, getting dressed and to the car with her leg in such bad shape had taken more of a toll than it should have, and it was starkly evident that getting away under her own steam would be next to impossible.
Across from her, Ellison poured two fingers of an amber liquid from a carafe into an old fashioned glass and held it out to her.
"Drink this," he said, not asking. "It will help calm your nerves, and ease the pain."
She considered it for a moment, then shook her head. "No thanks." He could easily have slipped something into the bottle before she got in the car, and it didn't seem impossible that he might try to drug her before she got on the plane. If he was trying to make her paranoid, mission accomplished.
He shrugged, then tossed the liquid down his own throat. "Suit yourself." Placing the glass back into the cubby he'd taken it from, he took some papers out of a folder on the seat beside him, and handed them to her. "This is a copy of the behavioral guidelines we give to all of Mr. Winston's companions. It includes a list of what you can and cannot do in public, as well as issues to avoid discussion or commenting on. You'll be expected to follow it to the letter, so please familiarize yourself with it on the flight. Mr. Winston is already on the plane, and you'll be able to see him shortly before we touch down at our destination, not before. If you do not cooperate fully, there will be consequences, though you're already aware of that."
Holly took the papers, glancing over them before setting them aside. "I'm well aware of that, Mr. Ellison," she said, adrenaline starting to flow as she took in the green directional signs that indicated they were entering the airport complex. "You won't have to worry about me."
Because I'm not getting on that plane.
He nodded, respect mingled with suspicion in his eyes before he turned his head to look out the window. He knew she'd try to get away, of course. He wasn't stupid. But Holly was banking on the fact that he thought she was too weak to be successful. And that was her greatest strength at the moment.
The limo pulled up in front of the doors, and Ellison helped her out and handed her a pair of crutches to use while the driver turned a few bags from the trunk over to a valet. She had to work hard to keep up as Ellison led the way to security, and then helped her off with her shoes. She held on to the side of the conveyor belt, watching the baskets of personal items slide by as she waited for her turn to go through the metal detector. Spying a flat pocket knife in one that would undoubtedly be confiscated, she made sure Ellison wasn't watching, and palmed the knife, slipping it into the back pocket of her jeans. Then she moved toward the archway, hoping it would be enough.
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