The Kidnapping
[June POV]
The way Daniel acts, you'd think being pregnant is making me impossibly fragile. I'm currently about to explode at having nothing but paperwork to do and everyone always fussing over me. With Day still convinced I'm entirely breakable, the one thing I find solace in is helping Eden and Tess plan their wedding.
-=+=-
I roll out of bed, headed for the bathroom. It's seven AM and I'm exhausted. I thought babies were only supposed to prevent parents from sleeping after they were born. I groan and kneel on the freezing, hard tile in front of the toilet. I lean my face over the toilet. After a moment or two, I hear the bed mattress springs squeal, heavy, uneven footsteps come towards me. I hear Day's voice from above, "Heeey, cousin." He says softly, "What can I do for ya?" I moan and wave a hand towards my hair, which is falling all around me. I hear Daniel rummaging through stuff on the bathroom counter. At last, I feel my hair pulled behind me and (badly) tied back. I murmur my thanks and then puke.
-=+=-
The next morning after Day (reluctantly) leaves for work, I hear a few gentle knocks at the door. When I answer it, Tess stands before me, her auburn hair smooth as silk. Her smile lights up the room, despite the rain falling outside. "Hi June! How are you feeling?"
"Better, thanks. How's wedding planning going?"
Tess' smile widens, "Really good, I'm excited, you know?"
"Yeah! You should be. Want to work on decorations today?"
"Sure. I'm thinking something simple, but I can't decide on the color scheme."...
After war, battles, and being on the run, I cherish moments like this. It's so simple, so joyful. Tess and I talk of decorations and color schemes, not of attacks and deaths. It's better this way, though I do tend to get bored. I'm banned from fieldwork, which basically means I'm banned from work, since I'm an agent. Being on house-arrest has me practically pacing the floor.
When Tess leaves after a few hours, I try and find something to do. I search through some nearby housing options, including both actual houses and large apartments. Our apartment now isn't big enough for Day and I and a baby, so we're trying to find somewhere new.
After barely fifteen minutes, I tire of house searching. I want to go train at the track, but my doctor told me to "go easy." Which Day interprets as "Do not move." Instead, I decide to take Macey for a walk. "Macey!" I call out, and she jolts upward from the floor where she was napping. "Go get your leash." Her toenails click away, and I hear the thump as she leans against the armoire to pull her leash from on top of it. Macey comes trotting back in, her thick black leash clamped between her teeth. "Good girl." I tousle the hair on her head and clip the leash to her blue nylon collar. We ride the elevator together and at last step into the sunlight.
Upon returning from Macey's walk, I find that the mail has arrived. Turning Macey loose, I pick up the pile of paper. There's a letter from the bank for "Mr. and Mrs. Wing" which still sounds odd- in a good way- to me. There's some advertisements and junk, but one letter stands out. It's thin, square, and unmistakably plain. In small, blockish handwriting, "Agent June Iparis-Wing" is written, followed by my address. I brush my bangs out of my face and rip open the envelope. I pull forth a piece of note paper and unfold it. In the same handwriting is written, "Dear Mrs. Iparis-Wing, I'm a huge admirer. I myself am only seventeen years old, and am striving to become an agent. I wondered if you would meet me for lunch at the Gonzolas Restaurant on Tuesday, March 4th at 2:00PM. Sincerely, Agustin (Call me August)." Hmm. A fan. I like the sound of that. With a glance at the clock, I notice it is one fifteen. A grin on my face, I quickly get dressed. As I walk out the door, I leave a note to Daniel, telling him where I went, in case he gets home before I do.
When I arrive at the Gonzo, I'm not sure what to do. Do I wait outside? Go in? How do I know which one is August? Was this a good idea? I'm about to turn around and go home when a young man approaches me. His hair is a hazel color, it's between long and short, and is roguishly mussed. He has friendly green eyes and a charming smile plastered on his face. It's accented by a strong, but not square, jaw and some stubble. He wears casual clothes. I know before he approaches me- it's August. He reminds me of Thomas. August approaches me, unfaltering.
"June!" He greets, then adds, "Can I call you June?"
I analyze his facial expression, he's confident- surprisingly so for meeting a so-called idol- but also nervous. While August seems trustworthy, something about him puts me on edge.
"Yes, um sure, that's fine. Shall we go in?"
August tilts his head towards the sky, "It's so nice out, why don't we go for a short walk instead? Is that okay with you?" I nod my assent, and we head down the street. I wonder where August is headed. After we've walked a while, August glances nervously around and stops.
I stop next to him, "What's wrong?" August looks back towards me, and seems entirely different. His emerald eyes have a wild look in them. His pupils are so constricted that I notice the striations of yellow in his irises. August places his hands on my arms and I tense, suddenly wishing I'd brought my weapon. Before I can make a move, August has pulled both my hands behind me and fastened them together with a zip tie. I immediately start to fight back, kicking out behind me and twisting to face August. His grip is incredibly strong, and after a moment of fighting I remember the baby and go limp. August laughs mirthlessly.
"That's a good girl." He pushes me toward a nearby van and pulls the door open. August shoves a hand into my hair and forces my head down to tuck me into the car. He slams the door behind me, and gets in the front. We drive in silence for several minutes while I assess every aspect of the car.
When I've at last memorized each alloy used in the paneling, I say with fire in my voice, "Who are you?"
August laughs again, "You honestly don't know? You're even more naive than I thought."
"Thomas. Are you related to Thomas?"
August doesn't laugh. "There you go. Thomas was my brother- half brother."
I shake my head, "Thomas didn't have any siblings, he would have told me."
August slams his hand against the steering wheel and suddenly yells, "Well I guess he DIDN'T!"
I respond with equal force, "WHAT do I have to do with this!?" The brakes on the van slam, and August whirls around to face me.
"What do you have to do with this?" His voice is quiet now, calm. It's worse then the yelling. "You are the reason that my brother is dead."
I lean my face towards his, "No. You're wrong. Your brother is dead because he murdered my brother. Now neither of us have a brother. Call it square." August's face twists up, like he doesn't know how to respond to this. While he's stunned, I hook my hands around the car door handle and lean against the whole door. It begins to fall open. August lurches towards me, roughly grabbing my arm. He yanks me back into the car, pulls the door shut, and drives forward at an alarming pace. I have no idea what awaits me.
[Day POV]
I insert my key into the apartment door and push it open. "June!" I call out as I step over the threshold. When no response follows, I'm electrified with worry. I look around fervently, and my eyes settle on the note. In June's handwriting, it tells me that she has gone to meet a fan (what?) at the Gonzolas Restaurant. My fear settles a bit, and I head straight back out the door to find her.
After speed-walking to the restaurant, I peer through the window, looking for June. She's definitely not there. A blinding glimmer lights up in my peripheral view. I approach the source of the glimmer. It's a Republic crest pin on an outdoor table, the setting sun shining off it. The pin- it's June's. The fire of panic courses through my body. June and I have a code, if something has gone wrong, we each have an item we'll leave. June's is her pin, and mine is my pendant. I don't know how, but I know, June's been kidnapped.
-=+=-
Little does her assailant know, I'm way overprotective. Our wedding rings? They're trackable. I can find her, but I need back up. I don't want Republic soldiers as my back up. Sure, I'm patriotic, but when it comes to June, I do things my way. I click my tongue, turning my mic on. I do the certain amount of clicks with my tongue, as June taught me.
"Hey, Cousin!" Pascao's joyful voice breaks through the static.
"Pascao. I need your help. Right now." I tell Pascao where to come, and in just a few moments (though it feels like eternity) he shows up, breathless.
"Day, what's wrong?"
"It's June. She's been taken." I'm almost in tears, running my hands through my hair and twisting my ring.
Pascao's face softens, "You really love her, don't you?"
I nod, "I do. But Pascao, it's not just that. She's pregnant." A fat tear runs down my face, and I feel one hundred percent weak. Without June, I don't know what I'd do. Pascao's face hardens, "Let's go get her, eh?”
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