Let's Elope

Captive With A Plan

Ada had stopped counting the hours.

Time had become strange inside the warehouse.

There was no clock on the wall.

No window she could see through.

No sunlight to tell her whether it was morning or evening.

Only the occasional sound of vehicles passing somewhere beyond the walls, the distant rumble of thunder, and the footsteps of the men who guarded them.

She sat beside Tobi, her shoulder touching his.

Her wedding bouquet rested on the floor between them.

The flowers were still beautiful.

Just slightly bent now.

Like everything else about their wedding day, it had not turned out the way it was supposed to.

Tobi glanced at her.

"You haven't eaten."

Ada looked down at the untouched food in front of her.

"Neither have you."

"I'm not hungry."

"Neither am I."

They looked at each other.

Then the driver, who was sitting a few feet away with his hands tied again, spoke quietly.

"That's a lie."

Ada and Tobi turned toward him.

The driver nodded toward their food.

"Both of you have been staring at that rice for twenty minutes."

Tobi frowned.

"How do you know?"

"Because I've been staring at mine for thirty."

Ada almost laughed.

Almost.

Then a guard glanced toward them.

The driver immediately looked away.

"Anyway," he whispered, "I was just making an observation."

Tobi shook his head.

For a few seconds, the three of them sat in silence.

Then Ada leaned closer to Tobi.

"Do you think anyone knows?"

Tobi didn't answer immediately.

"About us?"

She nodded.

He looked toward the warehouse entrance.

"I think they'll know we're missing."

"But will they know where to look?"

"No."

Ada's fingers tightened around his.

That was the frightening part.

Everyone would know they were gone.

But nobody would know where they had gone.

Across the warehouse, the kidnappers were arguing again.

Not loudly this time.

Their voices were low, but the tension was obvious.

Ada had learned something during the hours they had been held there.

These men were not as united as they wanted to appear.

Some were angry.

Some were frightened.

Some wanted the mistake corrected.

And at least one seemed to regret the entire thing.

That was something.

Tobi noticed it too.

He leaned toward Ada.

"See the man near the door?"

She followed his gaze without moving her head.

The man stood with his arms crossed.

He hadn't said much since they arrived.

"Yes."

"He's been watching us."

"All of them are watching us."

"Not like him."

Ada looked again.

Tobi was right.

The man wasn't watching them like a guard.

He was watching them like someone who was trying to understand what to do next.

Ada lowered her voice.

"Maybe he's the one we can trust."

Tobi's expression immediately changed.

"Don't."

She looked at him.

"I'm not saying we trust him."

"Good."

"We watch him."

Tobi considered that.

"That I can agree with."

The driver leaned closer.

"Are you two whispering?"

Ada looked at him.

"Yes."

"Good."

"Why?"

"Because I have a plan."

Tobi stared.

The driver looked offended.

"What?"

"You have a plan?"

"Yes."

"What's the plan?"

The driver glanced around dramatically.

"First..."

He lowered his voice.

"We need to escape."

Tobi blinked.

Ada stared at him.

The driver nodded proudly.

"That's it."

Ada pressed her lips together.

Tobi looked away.

The driver frowned.

"Why are you both looking at me like that?"

"Because that's not a plan," Tobi whispered.

"That's the objective."

"Exactly."

"So we're all agreed."

Ada finally laughed.

It was quiet.

Small.

But it was the first genuine laugh she'd had since the k********g.

The driver smiled.

"There. I knew I was useful."

A guard turned sharply.

"What are you laughing about?"

The three immediately became serious.

The driver lowered his head.

"Nothing."

The guard stared at them suspiciously before walking away.

Tobi waited until he was gone.

"Your plan almost got us killed."

The driver shrugged.

"At least we would have died laughing."

Ada shook her head.

"Please don't say things like that."

Her voice was softer now.

The driver looked at her.

"I'm sorry."

And this time...

He meant it.

That night, something changed.

The warehouse became quieter.

Two of the kidnappers left.

Another fell asleep in a chair near the entrance.

Only one remained awake.

The man Ada had noticed earlier.

Tobi watched him carefully.

The man walked toward them.

Ada's heart began to race.

He stopped several feet away.

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Then he crouched down.

"I'm going to loosen your ropes."

Ada stared at him.

"Why?"

"Because they're too tight."

Tobi's eyes narrowed.

"Don't."

The man looked at him.

"I'm not asking you to trust me."

"Then why are you doing this?"

He glanced toward the sleeping guard.

"Because I don't like this."

Tobi didn't move.

"Then help us."

The man's expression hardened.

"You think it's that simple?"

"No."

Tobi's voice remained calm.

"But you came over here."

The man said nothing.

Ada studied him.

"You're scared."

His eyes immediately shifted toward her.

Tobi looked at her.

The man did too.

Ada continued quietly.

"You're scared of what happens if we stay."

"And you're scared of what happens if we leave."

For several seconds, they stared at each other.

Finally...

The man looked away.

"You're very observant."

"I'm a newlywed."

He almost smiled.

"That doesn't explain anything."

"It explains why I notice when people are acting strangely."

That earned the faintest smile.

Then he reached down and loosened the rope around Tobi's wrists.

Not enough to free him.

Just enough to ease the pressure.

He did the same for Ada.

Then he stood.

Before leaving, he whispered,

"If you get a chance to run..."

He paused.

"Don't hesitate."

Ada's eyes widened.

He walked away before either of them could respond.

Tobi waited until the man was several steps away.

Then he whispered,

"That's our chance."

Ada looked at him.

"You're thinking about escaping?"

"I'm thinking about surviving."

She glanced toward the door.

There were still guards.

The warehouse was surrounded.

They had no idea where they were.

But now...

They had something they didn't have before.

Hope.

And sometimes...

Hope was enough to make people brave.

Ada slowly reached for Tobi's hand.

"We'll do it together."

Tobi squeezed her fingers.

"Always."

Neither of them knew when their chance would come.

Neither knew how dangerous it would be.

But for the first time since they were taken...

They weren't simply waiting to be rescued.

They were going to try to save themselves.

And somewhere beyond the warehouse walls, the search for them was about to begin.