CHAPTER 129: PRICE TAG

Two days had passed after the incident that took place in All-Star Arena, the supposedly meetup with the criminals, which ended up capturing two of them by an entrapment operation. Although up until now the two said prisoners still didn’t bulge and were still keeping their mouths shut, the police officers in-charge of the interrogation process didn’t cease as well in squeezing any valuable information about the mastermind’s whereabouts and Michelle’s location. 

Since Penelope could already leave the hospital’s premises after a day of careful analysis and check-ups, I took her home the day after and was now fully recovered from her muscle mumps. Good thing there weren't any bruises found in her body and the impact hasn't created any broken structures that caused her to recover quicker. 

Just like any other day since the kidnap case started, the living room was filled with police officers, who were waiting patiently for the mastermind’s call. We all believed that he would call any given day for his ransom money, that is why the cops were still present at the mansion’s threshold. 

After what had occurred during the meetup at Bronx and how Penelope almost got raped by those criminals, I have informed General Lombard that I will be the one who will negotiate with these psychos. He agreed with my decision and told me that it’s best that I do the talking and dealings to secure Penenlope’s safety. Anyway, my fiance came to an agreement with me as well. She knew that I will not cease trying until Michelle comes home safe and sound. I gave her that assurance that I will not stop until we recover Michelle and bring her back home. 

Actually I already have a plot cooking inside my head. A move that I’ve thought about the entire day yesterday. Something that will make these criminals think that they are not in control of the situation and will drive them nuts and frantic. I am simply waiting for their call to know precisely what they will do next, but regardless of what it is, I will solidly stick up to what I had in mind. I haven’t told anyone yet regarding this suicide move, but I will tell them soon enough, especially to Penelope, once these psychos called up. 

As if in a queue, the phone suddenly rang. The lifeless living room suddenly turned into a whirlpool of speed moving bodies, all stationed themselves at their positions. Penelope looked at me worriedly, waiting anxiously for me to pick up the call. 

“Answer it, Lewis,” She demanded of me and hastily ran towards the center table, where General Lombard was in position and was holding the unit.

“Answer it, Mr. White. Buy your time and know exactly what their demands are now.” My head swiftly nodded and accepted the phone that was handed over to me after the General put it in speaker mode. 

“Hello!” 

“Put Miss Hunt on the line!” The man with a baritone voice spoke. This was the very same voice who contacted us previously. He must be the mastermind.

“I’m sorry, but Penelope will no longer do the dealings. She is still currently resting due to the severe damage that occurred to her at the arena.” 

“Is that so? Then who am I speaking to now?” 

“I am her fiance. I am Doctor Lewis White.” 

“Oh! What a distinguished introduction, Doctor White. Alright then! Since you insist that you do the dealings on behalf of Miss Hunt, to which I sincerely apologized that things have gotten out of hand during the meetup, let’s start talking business. Man to man, Doctor White. Listen to me carefully…” 

“No! You listen to me, asshole! Deliver the kid at our doorstep and I will give you the money you crave for. Give us the kid first then you will have your money!” 

“Woah! Hold on, smart-ass! You’re in no position to demand here! We have the child and we could kill her if you persist in being a smart-talker!” 

“Kill her and you won’t have a single penny, you piece of shit!” Then at instinct, my finger immediately pressed the end button that swiftly cut the call and stunned everyone around me. 

“NO! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, LEWIS? CALL THEM BACK! THIS ISN’T WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT! GIVE ME THE PHONE AND I WILL BE THE ONE TO TALK TO THEM!” Penelope rushed to me and hit me with all of her might while she kept on protesting.  

“Listen to me, Penelope! If we don’t outsmart them and simply let them be in control, then they will just repeat what they did at the arena! They will trick you all over again! They will never hand over Michelle, not until they stash away all your money!” I tried explaining to her, but she simply continued to attack me and desperately wanted to get the phone from me. 

“Fuck you! How dare you decide on your own predicament? Who told you to say those things without consulting me? CALL THEM! I WILL TALK TO THEM AND DEAL WITH THEM! FUCKING CALL THEM NOW!” She hysterically cried. I put the phone down at the center table and swiftly carried Penelope away from the living room and towards the staircase.

“LET GO OF ME, LEWIS! HOW DARE YOU DECIDE ON YOUR OWN WITHOUT INFORMING ME? PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANCE!” She tried to free herself, but I held on to her even tighter and headed straight to the second floor. I put her down once we were inside her room, where I leaned behind the locked door. I was about to explain why I did what I’ve done, when her hand automatically slapped me hard and I received loud cursings from her. “FUCK YOU, LEWIS! I FUCKING HATE YOU! YOU LET MY DAUGHTER DIE! YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED MICHELLE! DAMN YOU!” She weakly kneeled on the floor, crying her heart out, and that’s when I promptly approached her and kneeled in front of her. 

“Listen to me, Baby, please listen to me first.” She kept on shaking her head and continued wailing. “We will have Michelle back, whole and alive, because these criminals are greedy enough to get their money! They will never harm her, because they know that she is the only ticket they have to get their ransom!” 

“You ruined everything, Lewis! I hate you so much!” She pounded my chest as hard as she could as her eyes continued to tear up. 

“No, Baby, I didn’t. Listen to me first before you accuse me of ruining everything.” I held her hands firmly.   

“Nothing you will say can change the fact that you fucking screwed up! And I hate you for that!” 

“Please, listen to me first. Will you?” She looked at me with utmost disbelief and sheer hate, but didn’t say a thing. “Remember how we solved your father’s murder case? Do you remember what technique we used in order to locate Nicole’s whereabouts?” She still didn’t answer, but her eyes eyed me curiously. “That’s how we will get Michelle! That’s how we will retrieve her” 

“What? How?” 

“By making the ransom money their head’s price tag.”