Chapter Twenty-Two

                                    

                                          

                          
Hello! Please don’t yell at me for that cliffhanger – that was your Christmas present :D But now I can make up for it. I hope. Actually, I think it’s another cliffhanger chapter…lol…maybe that was the next one? Gahh…can’t remember. Anyway, enjoy, and please vote and comment :)

                          
Gracias! <3 vb123321 
                          
Chapter Twenty-Two
                          

                          
♥            Astrid         ♥
                          

                          
            Jay?
                          

                          
            I promptly almost fell out of the tree, the iPhone slipping from my grasp. And so the next few seconds of panic saw me scrambling to keep my balance, snatching the iPhone up before it could fall and break into a million pieces. The glasses had slipped down my nose, and I shoved them back up.
                          

                          
            Pierre’s voice sounded in my ear; I had forgotten that he, too, could hear Jay. “Astrid – what the hell…?”
                          

                          
            “Pierre, disable your glasses,” I hissed, hoping that Jay wouldn’t notice.
                          

                          
            “What?” Pierre asked, and I closed my eyes in despair.
                          

                          
            “Both of you keep those glasses on.” Jay’s voice was harsh, and it took me a moment to realize he was talking to Pierre as well. “I want to be able to see what you’re doing. Useful things, these are…”
                          

                          
            My heart was racing again. Why did he always do this to me? All the fear, confusion, and pain that always rose inside of me when he was around were back, causing my hands to sweat and my voice to quiver.
                          

                          
            “What do you want, Jay?” I whispered, as aggressively as I could.
                          

                          
            “Who the hell is this?” Pierre’s voice demanded, and I closed my eyes again briefly. I hadn’t wanted him to known…if only somehow he could stay out of all this.
                          

                          
            Jay laughed softly. “You haven’t told him, Astrid?” He sounded amused, his voice patronizing as he spoke to Pierre. “So many things she hasn’t told you. Maybe you should’ve thought to ask.”
                          

                          
            I clenched my fist, resisting the urge to pull out the device in my mouth. “What have you done to Charlie?” I asked fiercely, looking around me in an attempt at an escape. I couldn’t think of any way to get out of there without Jay knowing – but maybe, just maybe, Josh could get away and get help. He was bright enough not to talk, and I wished that Pierre had done the same.
                          

                          
            Jay’s voice lilted through my ear. “Oh, I nearly forgot.”
                          

                          
The view of the iPhone started to swivel, the white wall replaced by the shot of a scarcely furnished room that was small and brightly lit with an overhead electric light. And in the center of it was a single wooden chair, and tied to it was the slumping figure of Charlie. His head was lolling to one side, dark hair falling across his face; it was obvious he was unconscious.