Trapping the Gazelle

Chapter 1

"Well?" A young woman with copper colored hair asked looking down at a ginger colored cat. Her green-gray eyes looked curiously at her cat. Her mouth smirked as the cat stared at her, "What do you think, Ginger?"

"Meow," the cat responded looking back up at the woman as he c****d his head.

The woman raised her eyebrows as the cat responded, then glanced up at the living room window of her cottage. She saw light snow drifting down in the early morning. The snow lightly settled on the grass in front of her cottage. She gave a slight shiver in her lilac half zip long sleeved thermal top. Kiera stretched her knee in the black running pants with reflective strips running down the slid of her athletic body. She felt a slight pinch in the knee, but nothing more. She grabbed a thermal vest and headband for extra warmth to combat the chilly Saint Ives morning. She pulled them on feeling warmer.

"It looks like flurries to me." Kiera replied giving her cat a half smile. Ginger placed a front paw on Kiera's calf, "Besides it will just be a short jog." Kiera continued and for some reason it sounded as if she tried to convince herself more than her cat.

She smiled brightly at her cat and noticed the slight pinch in her left knee felt more like a dull ache. The knee had never felt the same since that day. Kiera shuddered involuntary from the assault of memories from that event in the cellar. She closed her eyes tightly, feeling her breathing become rapid and her heart beating faster as she heard that voice again. She could smell the cold damp air of the cellar.

"It is not real." Kiera told herself in a low voice.

Taking a deep breath, she calmed her heart and her breathing as she fought to repress the memory. Opening her eyes, she felt Ginger rubbing her calf again. Glancing down, she noticed her hands clenched into fist and felt nails digging into the palm of her hand. Letting out a slow, deep breath, she relaxed her hands. Kiera flexed the hands slowly, working out the tension in her hands. Something sparkling in the lamp light caught her attention. Smiling, she felt warmth spread through her body as she stared at the antique princess cut ring adoring her left ring finger.

'Could it have only been two weeks since Ryan proposed to me?' Kiera thought and felt a smile stretch across her face at the thought.

She thought back to that last day at the cabin with Ryan.

"Why can't you just leave with me right now?" Kiera pleaded to Ryan as the stood on the doorstep of the cabin. Her lower lip stuck out and she pouted.

"There are certain procedures I have to follow." Kiera remembered Ryan trying to explain, but she saw more in those china blues eyes. He kept certain information from her. The slight twitch of his eye muscle told her as much. She wanted to trust him fully, but she also knew his past.

"Ryan," Kiera said softly putting a hand on his smooth shaven cheek, "What are you not telling me?"

Kiera observed Ryan relax a bit as he let out a deep sigh, "I know you are observing me. Trying to get more information out of me, but I cannot tell you right now Kiera. It will only take two more weeks and then we are free of that world." Ryan explained as he wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled Kiera close.

"I'm sorry Ryan." Kiera responded in a quiet voice, "It is still hard to understand."

"I know, but we will get through it together." Ryan said with a smile.

Kiera smelled his aftershave and smiled as Ryan kissed her. Kiera kissed him back, feeling his lips press again hers hungrily. She laced her fingers through his slightly long chestnut colored hair. She moaned low in her throat as his tongue found hers and they kissed each other passionately. After a while, Ryan broke the kiss. Kiera breathed heavily feeling her body tingle from the kiss and the closeness of his lean hard body.

"Two weeks, Ryan." Kiera breathed out.

"Two weeks." Ryan promised.

Ryan led Kiera out to her car where they kissed again against the car. Kiera sensed that he wanted to take her back into the cabin. By the way, he pressed himself against her. She felt his hardness pressing against her. They stopped kissing and stared into each other's eyes.

"I don't have to leave yet." Kiera breathed out hopefully.

"I don't want you to leave, but it is not safe for you're to be here right now." Ryan replied pulling away from her and opening the car door.

"Why is not safe for me right now?" Kiera inquired with a pleading look.

"Right now the LNF knows an agency was involved in their leader's death, but they don't know which agency was involved. The Surge is listening to the chatter to see if they know. We know that the explosion destroyed any video footage and they wiped offsite servers. So now the Surge is trying to figure out their next move." Ryan sighed and then continued, "You are in the clear, but the Fox is unclear."

"The Surge does think of everything." Kiera replied, but knew Ryan held back something. The same small muscle twitch in his eye told her as much.

"If everything works out, I will be free of this life in two weeks." Ryan said holding her.

"Please don't tell me to leave. I lost you for seven months, Ryan." Kiera cried softly, "Seven months." She repeated and felt a tear run down her cheek. "I can't lose you again."

"I wish I did not have to do this, Kiera." Ryan sighed.

"Two weeks then." Kiera sighed and held up two fingers trying to smile, but the tears running down her cheeks told a different story.

"Two weeks," Ryan nodded, "Then we can start a new life together." He wiped away a tear from her cheek and placed a hand on her cheek. Kiera placed her own hand over his, tilted her head, and pressed her cheek into his hand. She enjoyed the feeling of his rough warm hand against her soft skin.

"I can't wait, Ryan." Kiera smiled warmly. "I want us to have a normal life together."

"All I ever wanted was a normal life." Ryan replied.

Ryan let his hand slide from her cheek. She noticed that tears were forming in his eyes. She gave him a quick kiss on the lips, thinking that any more than a quick kiss would lead to something more. She climbed into her car and Ryan closed the door. The closing of the door felt ominous, as if she would never see him again, but she refused to believe it. Starting her car, she blew him a kiss and held up two fingers. Ryan winked at her and nodded with a smile.

"Meow," the sound of Ginger brought Kiera back to reality.

She felt something on her cheek as she blinked. Touching her cheek, she discovered her cheek was damp. She realized that she had been crying. Wiping away the tears on her cheek, Kiera gave her cat a quick smile as she walked up to her front door. Inserting ear buds and scrolling through her playlist, Kiera found her favorite station on her smartphone.

'I need to get out and run.' Kiera thought as Image Dragons started to play. 'I'm going crazy waiting for Ryan.'

Stepping out into the chilly morning, Kiera closed the front door and walked out onto the sidewalk. Reaching up with interlaced hands, she stretched upwards. It felt great to stretch her muscles. She walked to the street and broke into a light jog. Jogging down Porthmeor Road, she felt free as the snowflakes caught in her copper colored hair and brushed against her cheek.

Feeling good, she turned down Back Road and waved to Mrs. Jamison as the elderly woman hobbled down her own walkway to pick up a newspaper. Mrs. Jamison owned a painting gallery along the beachfront, which Kiera loved to visit. Mrs. Jamison waved back as she picked up her newspaper and walked back into her house.

With only a slight ache in her knee, Kiera continued jogging down the street towards the beach, turning towards Wharf Road, so she could jog parallel to the beach. The roads were empty at this early hour in the morning as most people were just waking up for work.

Suddenly the hairs on the back of her neck stood up on end. It felt as if something was wrong, as if someone was watching her. She stopped jogging and scanned the area. She observed parked cars and land rovers on the street, but nothing out of the ordinary. Her gut told her something was wrong, but she did not see anything.

'Must be my nerves,' Kiera thought as she started jogging again up to Wharf street. 'Ryan had me spooked with his talk about the LNF.'

Kiera continued jogging and past the homes. She noticed lights coming on in the houses. People were waking up and getting ready for the day ahead. Once pass the homes, Kiera turned onto Wharf Road and jogged parallel along the beach. She smelled the salty air and wet sand of the beach. The strange feeling of wrongness still followed her, but the cool crisp air of the beach helped push it aside.

Abruptly Mozart requiem broke in through her ear buds, replacing Green Day. Jogging in place on the corner of West Pier, Kiera saw some early morning townspeople fishing from the pier. They waved to her, as most of the townspeople knew Kiera. She waved back and glanced down at her caller ID on her phone. The screen showed a picture of a fox. The picture surprised her and Kiera almost drop her phone. She quickly fumbled with cold fingers to connect the call.

"Ryan?" Kiera asked breathlessly.

"Who else would it be, my love?" Kiera heard Ryan's voice respond with a light chuckle.

"Well I see waiting three days to call a woman after the first date does not apply to you." Kiera replied breathing heavily.

"I'm a special case love," Ryan returned, "Why are you breathing so heavy."

"I'm out jogging." Kiera replied.

"What about your knee?" Ryan asked and Kiera heard concern in his voice.

"My knee is okay," retorted Kiera feeling a slight pinch in the knee as she stopped jogging and walked along Wharf Road. She waved to the men fishing on the pier.

"Is that what the Doctor said?" Ryan asked.

"Ryan," Kiera sighed with exasperation, "My knee is fine, and I wanted to get out for a jog."

"Sorry, I really miss you and I worry about your safety." Ryan said quietly.

"I miss you too Ryan and I am a big girl." Kiera chuckled.

"Let's go out tonight and celebrate then, my big girl." Ryan said.

"Out...celebrate...what?" Kiera said with confusion as she heard Ryan laughing on the other end of the line.

"I'm a free man and we need to celebrate our engagement properly. Beans, rice, and chicken is not a proper way to celebrate." Ryan replied.

Kiera stood in the stunned silent by his comment. She did not hear him correctly, as she stood at the corner of Wharf Road and Fish Street. If anyone saw her right now, people would give her an odd look. She looked comical with her mouth hanging open and the dumbfounded look on her face.

"Hello Kiera." Ryan called out her name over the phone.

"I...just...I." Kiera stuttered still confused.

"Kiera take a deep breath." Ryan instructed and Kiera heard humor in his voice.

"You mean it is all over?" Kiera asked and then held her breath.

"Yes, love it is all over." Ryan answered.

"Yes!" Kiera yelled out in excitement then looked around to make sure no one noticed. Her cheeks felt flush and red with embarrassment.

"Someone is excited." Ryan chuckled.

"When can I see you?" Kiera asked with excitement in her voice. Her whole body tingled with anticipation.

"I have some last minute things to take care of. I can meet you at the Den tonight around 6 o'clock." Ryan suggested, "I will call in the reservation."

"Why can't you meet me now?" Kiera asked feeling her excitement turn into disappointment.

Glancing up at the traffic light, she noticed it was red and the walk sign lit up. Kiera looked both ways along the intersection. Satisfied that the roads were clear, Kiera stepped off the sidewalk and started to cross the empty street.

"I have one more thing to take care of." Ryan repeated and Kiera knew she was not going to get anything out of him.

"I will not ask you..." Kiera abruptly stopped in mid-sentence as she noticed bright flashing lights out of the corner of her left. Glancing over, she saw an oncoming vehicle speeding right at her through the intersection, flashing its lights. Kiera confused by the oncoming vehicle, squinted her eyes against the flashing lights as she stopped partway in the intersection.

'Why is that car not stopping?' Kiera thought in confusion.

Something engaged in her brain, her eyes when wide in shock, noticing that the vehicle was coming right at her.

'That person is going to hit me.' Kiera thought.

Instincts kicked in and Kiera stepped backwards out of the way of the oncoming vehicle. Kiera felt the breeze brush pass her face as the vehicle passing inches from her body. She noticed that the vehicle was a dark grey land rover. Her heels made contact with curb and she fell backwards onto the sidewalk.

As she fell backwards, Kiera heard the sound of breaking glass. Trying to turn her body to the left as she fell, her left foot caught in grates on the storm drain, causing the upper half of her knee to twist and the lower half to stay straight. She felt a small pop in her left knee and a sharp pain rocket up her leg. She fell onto the left side of her body gritting her teeth against the pain. Pulling herself into a sitting position, she grabbed her knee grimacing in pain.

"Damn, damn, damn." Kiera hissed throught clenched teeth.

"Kiera, what happened?" Kiera heard Ryan yelling through her ear buds.

"Damn i***t ran the red light the intersection and almost hit me." Kiera replied as she pulled her foot out of the storm drain and gritted her teeth against the white hot pain that burned in her knee.

"Are you alright?" Ryan asked, "I heard you cry out in pain."

"My foot got caught in the storm drain and I twisted my knee as I fell over." Kiera answered.

"Did you get a look at the vehicle?"

"You bet I did." Kiera said and she looked up to see the men running over from the pier.

"I can be there within an hour, Kiera." Ryan said and she heard him opening a car door.

"No Ryan." Kiera said, "Handle your business in London. I want you to be finished with them."

"Are you sure?" Kiera heard uncertain in Ryan voice as he responded, "I can take care of this another time."

"No Ryan, I will be fine." Kiera replied sternly.

Kiera grabbed onto the street lamp pole and pulled herself up. She kept her left knee slightly bend and rested against the pole. Gingerly she tried to put some weight on her left leg. Pain shot through her knee and Kiera had to grip the light pole to keep from falling.

"Hey Kiera, are you alright?" She heard a rough voice ask her from the right. "We saw what happened."

"I'm fine Steve," Kiera replied pulling a one of the ear buds out.

"Do you need us to call an ambulance?" Another man asked, "You look like you're in a lot of pain."

"No Todd," Kiera waved them off lightly putting weight on her left leg and felt it could take the weight. She breathed a sigh of relief that she did not injury it too badly.

"You have quite a lot of gentlemen willing to help you." Ryan said.

"Yes I do," Kiera replied exasperated, rolling her eyes and waving the two men away. "Yes Todd I will call the police when I get home and my knee is feeling better. Thank you."

"Are you sure you okay?" Ryan asked again.

Ryan I am fine." Kiera said with a sigh. She knew he was concerned, but she wanted to take her mind off what happened right now, "Can we talk about something else?"

'What the hell was that driver's problem?' Kiera thought of putting a bit more weight on her left leg and found it to be tolerable.

"Thank you Steve and Todd," Kiera said to the two concerned men, "I will be okay. Go back to your fishing and I will have the police give you a call if they need a statement."

"Be careful Kiera." Todd suggested, "Seems like odd things are happening."

"It is nothing more than a coincidence." Kiera replied with a light chuckle, but deep down she felt there was more to this incident.

"I don't know why he did not hit me.' Kiera thought, 'I was an easy target.' She watched as both men walked off.

"I can't wait to see your place." Ryan's voice shook her from her thoughts.

"You can't wait to see my place?" Kiera laughed, as she made sure the streets were empty of the dark grey land rover. Satisfied, she limped across the street and off towards her cottage. It felt better to laugh and it helped take her mind off the incident.

"What is so funny?" Ryan asked.

"It is interesting that you can't wait to see my place, but not me." Kiera smirked.

"Always the psychologist Kiera," She heard Ryan chuckling over the phone.

"Well you know who you are marrying." Kiera replied and took a rest against a wall. Her left hip and elbow felt bruised from the fall. Looking at her elbow, Kiera noticed a tear in the fabric. Lifting her elbow, she saw a scrape on her elbow.

"That I do." Ryan chuckled, "So to rephrase my sentence, I can't wait to see you lying naked in your bed."

"Mm," Kiera smiled feeling herself warm at the thought, "Now that sounds better." She continued to limp towards her cottage.

"How is your knee feeling?"

"Feeling a bit stiff, but I can put weight on it." Kiera replied, "I think a hot bath might help."

"A hot bath hmm?"

"Well you could have joined me, but you have to be in London." Kiera said laughing lightly.

"Now that is not fair." Ryan protested.

"It is your loss." Kiera replied limping along Burrow road towards her home, "I'm home now. Thank you for helping me."

"It was my pleasure." Ryan acknowledged, "Make sure you call the police and report the attempted hit and run."

"I think it was an accident." Kiera answered.

"That may be so, but you should report it." Ryan said firmly.

"I will love and I will see you at 6 o'clock." Kiera said unlocking the door to her cottage and limping in.

"6 o'clock." Ryan repeated, "And don't be late. I love you."

Kiera paused for a moment at his last comment.

'That sounded odd?' Kiera thought and then shook her head.

"I love you, Ryan." Kiera replied, blew him a kiss, and hung up. Looking down she saw her cat looking up at her with an all-knowing look. "What? It is not what you think. I just feel down." She knew that she looked bruised and battered.

"Meow," Ginger replied c*****g his head and then padded off towards the kitchen.