Chapter 13
1776 Words
POV: Naomi
I sat in the back seat, right next to Sophie who totally had no idea what was going on right now.
Not even a clue.
The perks of being a child.
They were always so oblivious.
She was just sitting there, swinging her legs lightly, humming to herself like everything was normal.
Like we hadn’t just run out of a café because someone was watching her.
Because someone wanted to take her.
My eyes, however, were not relaxed.
Not even for a second.
I turned slightly and looked through the back glass of the car.
The man from earlier stood outside the café.
His phone pressed to his ear.
Talking and moving his hands frantically as he watched us drive off.
Even though he wasn’t following us anymore…
I didn’t relax.
Not yet.
Not even close.
Who the hell was he?
And who was he talking to?
My jaw tightened slightly.
One thing was clear.
Very clear.
Someone was after Sophie.
But why?
She was just a child.
A little girl who still laughed at cartoons and called a grown man “Danny bear.”
So why the hell were they after her?
It didn’t make sense.
And it didn’t sit right with me.
Something about this was deeper than it looked.
Much deeper.
The car slowed down slightly.
I shifted and turned my eyes forward but not before catching a black car behind us.
Two cars away.
I looked at it for a second…
Then turned away.
Maybe it was nothing.
“Thank you, Danny,” I said.
He glanced at me through the rearview mirror.
“It’s my job, ma’am. It’s what I’m paid to do.”
I smiled faintly.
“Don’t you think it’s time you started calling me by my name?”
He raised a brow slightly.
I leaned back a little, folding my arms.
“I mean… we just escaped a near kidnapping together,” I added. “We’re like… brothers in escape.”
I paused.
“Or something like that. If that’s even a word.”
For a second—
He said nothing.
Then—
A small laugh escaped him.
I blinked.
“You laughed,” I said immediately. “So I’ll take that as a yes.”
He nodded once.
“Yes… Naomi.”
I smiled.
Good.
Progress.
The car turned into another lane.
And Instinctively— I looked back again.
And that was when I saw it.
That same black car.
It was still there.
Maintaining its distance, making sure it remains two cars away from us.
But it still stood out.
My smile faded instantly and my brows pulled together.
“Danny…”
He looked at me again through the mirror.
“I don’t think we should go back to the mansion just yet.”
His expression changed slightly.
“Why?”
I leaned forward a little.
“See that black car? Two cars behind us.”
His eyes moved to the mirror.
“Yeah. I see it.”
“It’s been behind us since we left the café.”
He looked again.
Longer this time.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
I didn’t hesitate.
“I’m very sure.”
Silence.
Then—
“Alright,” he said. “I’ll try to lose them.”
From beside me—
“Are we going home now?” Sophie asked innocently.
I looked at her and smiled softly.
“Not yet, Ginger.”
Then I turned back to Danny.
“Take us to the park.”
He frowned slightly.
“The park?”
“Yes.”
“I can lose them first,” he said. “Then we go to the mansion.”
I shook my head.
“No. If they’re following us, leading them to the mansion is the worst thing we can do.”
He didn’t argue.
Good.
“Lets take a detour,” I continued.
“Somewhere public. Somewhere crowded. Then we lose them.”
He nodded slowly.
“I get what you’re saying.”
Then—
“Where?”
I turned to Sophie and gave her a huge smile.
“How about the park where we met, Ginger?”
Her face lit up instantly.
“Really?! Yes! Yes! Please take us there, Danny bear!”
Danny let out a small breath.
“Alright, little miss,” he said. “We’re going to the park.”
The car sped up.
Fast.
I turned again—
The black car sped up too.
“Yeah…” I muttered. “They’re definitely following us.”
Danny suddenly turned and switched lanes.
The car behind almost lost us—
But then they turned quickly and followed.
“They’re good,” Danny muttered.
“Not good enough,” I replied.
He pressed harder on the accelerator.
We moved faster.
Turned again.
And again.
Finally—
There was a little distance between us.
“They’re far behind now,” I said. “But they’ll catch up soon.”
“What’s the plan?” Danny asked.
I leaned back slightly.
“Drop us at the front gate of the park.”
He glanced at me.
“And then?”
“Drive around to the back gate,” I said. “I’ll meet you there.”
He frowned.
“What if something happens?”
Yeah….. that was a good question.
“Give me your phone.” I said quickly.
He handed it over without hesitation.
I quickly typed in my number.
“I put my number in your phone. You can track me through this,” I said.
Then I turned to Sophie.
“Ginger, leave your phone in the car with Danny, okay?”
“Okay!”
She handed it over happily.
Danny collected it and then slowed down.
The park gate was right ahead.
“Remember,” I said, opening the door. “Back gate. Be ready to move.”
“I will.”
We got out.
The car drove off immediately.
I stood still for a second.
Then I saw it.
The black car approaching quickly.
“Alright, Ginger,” I said, grabbing her hand. “Let’s go.”
We walked into the park.
Fast.
My mind was already working.
Planning.
Calculating.
I knew this place.
Every corner.
Every path.
Every exit.
I had worked here.
And I was going to use that to my advantage.
“Let’s get you a toy,” I said casually.
“Yay!” Sophie cheered.
We moved toward the toy shop.
It was crowded and the perfect place to lose them.
I stopped slightly.
Then as discreetly as I could, I looked back.
Two men dressed in all black stood there watching us.
One of them signaled the other.
Pointing at Sophie.
My lips curved slightly.
“Come and get her,” I muttered under my breath.
I pushed through the crowd.
Using people as cover.
Then stepped into the toy shop.
“Sorry, you can’t come in—”
“Hey, John.”
The man paused.
Then blinked.
“Naomi? Is that you?”
I smiled.
“In the flesh.”
A smile spread across his face.
“What are you doing here?”
“No time,” I said quickly. “Can we use your back door?”
He didn’t hesitate.
“Of course. Of course.”
“Come on, Ginger,” I said. “Pick something before we leave.”
She grabbed a huge pink teddy bear immediately.
“I want this one!”
I laughed softly.
“Of course you would pick the biggest one.”
“How much?” I asked.
John shook his head.
“It’s on the house.”
I blinked.
“John—”
“It’s fine,” he said. “Enjoy it, little one.”
“Thank you,” I said sincerely.
Then we moved to the back door.
The moment we stepped out—
“Take off your jacket, Ginger.”
She handed the teddy to me and removed it.
I took it.
Then pulled out a small beanie from my jacket.
“Put this on.”
She struggled with the beanie a bit.
“Did I do it right?” She asked.
I knelt down.
“Let me fix it.”
I tucked in all that red hair inside.
Then I adjusted it properly on her head.
Perfect.
I took the teddy and strapped it to my back using her jacket.
Like a baby carrier.
“Okay,” I said. “We’re going to walk to Danny bear.”
“Like a race?” she asked excitedly.
I smiled.
“Yes. But no running. Just fast walking.”
She nodded seriously.
“Ready?”
“Ready!”
“Go.”
We moved.
Fast.
Controlled.
I looked back once.
The men were running around.
Searching.
Confused.
Good.
Stay confused while we make our escape.
The back gate was ahead—
“See that gate?” I said. “That’s where Danny is.”
She nodded and sped up slightly.
Finally, we reached the gate.
I pushed it open.
The car was right there.
Danny stood there, with the door open.
“Get in!”
She climbed in immediately.
I turned—
At that moment, one of the men saw me.
His eyes widened.
He called his partner and pointed towards us.
They began to run.
But it was too late.
I got into the car quickly.
“Go!”
Danny didn’t wait.
He stepped on the accelerator and the car sped off.
Fast.
We were already far gone before they reached the gate.
I watched through the back glass.
They stood there.
Helpless.
Watching as we drove off.
Good.
I finally let out the breath I had been holding.
“That was fun!” Sophie said happily. “Let’s do it again!”
I laughed softly.
“Maybe another time, baby.”
Danny glanced at me.
“Nice disguise by the way.”
I smirked.
“I always walk around with a beanie.”
“And the teddy?”
I laughed.
“That was a bonus.”
I removed it and placed it between us.
Sophie hugged it immediately.
“Where to now?” Danny asked.
I leaned back.
“To the mansion. We’ve lost them.”
But even as I said it…
Something didn’t feel right.
Because somehow…
I couldn't help but think that all this wasn't normal.
Because why were trained men, dressed in black after a child.
I couldn't shake off that strange feeling.
Like something worse was coming.
Something far worse than we had just gone through.
And this time—
We might not be able to outrun it.
And this was just my first day at work.
- Writer
