Escaping Today - Chapter 7 7.trek Trap

“Officer Moor, did you look into the information I asked for?” Officer Jayson asked as he piled up the case files, “I have an undercover late tonight. Can you gather information on Dickson’s and Co ltd.?” “Of course, but the information you asked about Mr. Scott’s secretary is actually sealed. Is he some kind of venerable person?” Officer Moor enquired. “No, I don’t. I wish you can look into the matter more Moor!” Officer Jayson said and walked out along the parallel placed working desks.

“Sir, Officer Gerald Jayson reporting.” saluted Officer Jayson. “Till where did that Scott-Miles story proceed?”Chief Abel Clark enquired. “No improvement. But I guess we’ll have a lead soon.”Officer Jayson said. “Hope so, and here,” Chief handed few files to Officer Jayson, “These are few of my personal investigation notes. These might help you.” Officer Jayson looked through the papers. He glanced over his chief and continued in what he was doing. “Sir, is your son fine. Did he remember any of his past?” Officer Jayson asked, concerned lacing his voice. “He is fine, he laughs, jokes around, eats well, helps me in doing chores.” Chief Abel sighed. “I’m afraid, after he remembers the accident, he’s gonna hate me.” Chief Abel Clark said in depressing tone. “You did what you can do as a father, he’ll never hate you sir. I promise, when he’ll know the truth about himself, he needs you beside him to face himself first.” Officer Jayson said convincing him. “I will. Thank you Officer. You need to get back yourself on track. This is going to the longest case ever in our lives as FBI officers.”Chief Abel said. “Yes sir.” Officer Jayson saluted and walked towards the door and opened. “Officer,” He called out. “Good luck. I’ll be counting on you from now on.” Chief said. “Rest assured sir.” Officer Jayson promised and closed the door behind him.

Erwin pulled his car to halt in the midst of the old English homes. Alisha stepped out of the car and walked towards walkway to Glenn Dawson’s villa. She creaked open the rusted gate and slowly walked towards the entrance of the home. Erwin followed behind her. Alisha removed a small sack of things that Glenn Dawson gave her at the slaughter house. “Move” Erwin said and opened the door with the key that Glenn gave it to him at the Slaughter house. Erwin opened and stepped in. Alisha followed him closing the door behind. “Where is your Uncle’s bedroom?” Erwin asked. “This way” Alisha said as she led the way to Erwin. Erwin looked at the interior of the old home. It had dim furniture with same dim lit background with pleasing aura. The shelves had old pieces of China and cutlery placed in perfection inside the glass covering. The rooms seemed spacious yet it was built in a small square.

Erwin walked through the bedroom, which had double sized bed to a corner and a old wooden cupboard. The room had a writing table and a chair with various books and bibles placed on it. Erwin picked up a book which read ‘The Last Lear- William Shakespeare’. Erwin flipped through the pages. He found an old paper which read ‘…—…’, “What’s this?”Alisha looked over as Erwin still held the small paper. “This is a Morse code.” Erwin said. “What does this read?” Alisha asked curious. “S.O.S”, Erwin said. “S.O.S?”, Alisha wondered. “Save Our Souls. It means.”Erwin said. “Ah! But how do you know?” Alisha asked. “You don’t need to know, I’ll let you know later. Now let’s get onto our mission.” Erwin said sternly as he placed the book on the table. Erwin closed the bedroom door as gestured Alisha to go to the other side of the bed. Both of them pulled the bed to the opposite side of the room. Erwin and Alisha made their way out of the small gaps and they paced over the other side of the emptied room. “We need to remove the carpet”, said Alisha as she looked keenly to the ground. “But this is the wooden flooring, There is no Carpet!”, Erwin said. “Have you ever heard of false ceiling?”Alisha asked flipping her hair back as she tied with her rubber band. “There is false flooring in this house. I heard from mom who was talking secretly to the architect during my school days.”Alisha recalled. “Let’s Check!” Erwin said as he folded up his sleeves up to his elbows. Erwin knocked on the ground with his knuckles as he checked the distinctness in the noises. “Here we can remove it from here”, Alisha said as she went to the corner of the room and pulled the carpet which seemed to be same as a wooden flooring texture. “So this is what you meant by false flooring?” Erwin asked wondered. “Something like this,” Alisha said as she groped for a opening of the carpet, “And…here it comes” Alisha pulled harder and Erwin looked at her amazed for her little intelligence. “You…now seem to be intelligent.”Erwin chuckled. Alisha looked at him but soon realised that there is a small red button in the ground. “Let’s press this.”Alisha said as she was about to put her hand. “Let’s use the code that your uncle has written.” Erwin said and pressed the SOS code. The Floor rumbled opened as it moved inside to one corner. Erwin and Alisha looked below; they faintly saw a series of stairs in the dim lighted room. Erwin switched on his mobile and tapped on the flash light. “Let’s go” Erwin said, and made the first move. “Alisha followed Erwin behind and the floor automatically closed behind them making the basement pitch black, highlighting only Erwin’s mobile flash. Alisha clutched onto Erwin’s shoulder as she quivered in darkness. Soon they foot their step on the ground, unknowing how much depth they have travelled. “They were 42 steps. We may be we are two floors down” Erwin predicted. Erwin flashed the light to his surroundings. They found a switch, and Alisha followed the flash and switched it on. The bulb in the centre flickered and then lit itself dimly. They heard the rumbling sound above them and saw that the roof above them closed. Erwin looked around as he closed the mobile flash and placed it in his pocket. Alisha walked around and found few papers on an old broken desk. She collected the random papers that were on the desk, holding them carefully as she is concerned about the paper’s age. “Erwin, look” Alisha called out to him. Erwin came to her as she handed few of the pages. “Spanish? I don’t understand the scribbling.” Erwin wondered. “Wait, give me the paper”, Alisha asked and Erwin handed it. Alisha folded the paper in small strips as she flipped to either side of the sheet as she left small space. The words slowly started to appear, which read,

I wish you were here,

Like the hopes that sprung in the midst of a drought,

In my mind, I see you as a ray,

Waiting for a leave, I see you again,

In the combat of our lost times.

-G290

“Another?” Alisha wondered. Erwin placed his hand on her shoulder. “It’s fine, seems like our lives are really entangled into great mess.” “I-I never know th-that, mom and dad really had a complicated life and they hid everything from me?”Alisha broke into sobs which were hardly getting in her control. “Alisha, let’s make everything right. Will you join me?”Erwin held his hand out, giving her an assuring smile. Alisha gladly took it, wiping her tears. “We meet again Mr. Scott.” said the voice from behind. Erwin and Alisha sprung around still holding their hands. “Your girlfriend? How lovely!” the voice screeched, “You’ve grown a lot, from before I knew you. Seeing that you recognized me just my voice, it’s amazing!”Said the voice, solemn lacing the tone. “Then was then, now I’ll never let you have anything that your desires for.” Erwin said monotonously. “Oh, honey. You can never change that though. Is your sister fine?”The voice asked solicitously. “Yes, your help the other day in past was quite heedful.”Erwin recalled. Alisha stood there still holding onto Erwin’s hand, looking dazed over the conversation. “Why don’t you come into the light?”Alisha asked, absentmindedly. Erwin looked at her, “I guess I shouldn’t disturb your romance” Said the voice as she came into view. Erwin and Alisha looked themselves in a brief and looked over their hands. Alisha pulled her hand introverted; Erwin moved back making the distance between him and Alisha wide. Both of them looked at the woman in her 30’s. She wore tight, black outfit that showed her cleaves, and her hair was tied into a pony that stood high depicting her pride, her coloured lips highlighted her simple face which had great adventures. “Why are you here anyway?”Erwin asked hesitant. “Oh, well, I owe this Glenn guy a lot!” Alisha was baffled, why uncle, mom and dad have to keep me in darkness? Didn’t they know that this day would come? Why they just…Alisha couldn’t think anything beyond that. Her mind was filled with questions and her heart was storming with pain, she neither could hear anything nor could see, her breaths became harder and darkness surrounded her, “Erwin” she called out and collapsed to the floor. Erwin turned around, and collapsed along with Alisha holding her. “Poor girl. Seems like she might get heart attack anytime.” Hannah Douglas said, crestfallen. “Hurry up call the ambulance!”Erwin said unable to think straight. “I’m a doctor, no need of an ambulance here.” the voice said. “Who are you?”Erwin burst out in rage. “Chill, I’m Harry Douglas. I’m the second brother of my sister Hannah.” Harry said as he walked into the flickering dimness towards Alisha. “Don’t worry sir. She’ll be alright.” The young man in his late twenties with soothing voice said. “Seems like she’s in a lot of stress lately and her exhaustion is from inanition.”Harry said in his deep voice. “No wonder she looked pale.” The other voice said. “I wish she gets well soon”, the deep profound voice said and made Alisha drink some water from his bottle. “Make sure she gains her health back. Here, take this.” Harry gave a small bottle of vitamins and Erwin took them and examined it. “Make sure she takes them after her meal every day and night.”Harry said and stood on his feet. “I will” Erwin said, sternly still holding Alisha. “I really wish you two get married and by the way, I’m Ryan Douglas.” A tall man with slender body said. “Ryan. It’s not the time to Joke.”Hannah scolded. “My apologies. Sissy!” He raised his hands as if he surrendered. “Man! You suck!” Harry said patting his little brother. “Hannah, Ryan, Harry?” Erwin muttered. “You said something honey?” Hannah questioned. “So, you guys are famous con-artists? A-R-A” Erwin said baffled. “Bingo!”Ryan said. “Then why you guys are revealing yourselves to me?”Erwin questioned. “It’s because of me.” The voice said. “Ian?” Erwin recognized. “Pretty impressive. Erwin.” Ian walked through the dim light. “What are you doing here?”Erwin asked pretending. “You can stop pretending Erwin. I know everything about you but you didn’t care to recognize that I even know that you know who I am actually”, Ian said meticulously. “You’ll never reach France Erwin.” Ian said monotonously. “What are you talking about Ian? It’s right that I know who you are but at least let me protect everyone near me, that includes you too Ian.” Erwin pleaded. “Erwin you got one thing wrong. I’m not what you think nor is she the person you think. Choice is in your hands. You’ll hurt yourself in the end. Be careful my friend. This is the last thing I can do as your secretary. ” Ian said adjusting his black cap and left into the darkness.

“Whoa! What was that just now?” Ryan said bewildered. “Erwin, you need to get out of here. She’ll be probably awake by now. We’ll leave now. Take care.” Harry said and walked into the darkness placing his hand over Ryan’s shoulder. “Take care, honey. I’ll meet you in future again.” Hannah said and followed her brothers.

“What was that now?”Erwin sighed. He saw the papers lying on the floor. He took a piece of folded paper as Alisha was still unconscious in his lap, he read,

‘Erwin, you’ll have to leave here but not to France but to New Zealand. You’ll find who you’re searching for.

– Ian.’

What kind of trap are you planning now Ian? Erwin thought perplexed.