Captured Hearts Book 1 in the Heart Series - Wattys 2015 Winner

Chapter 45

"Where are we going!?" Rami demanded as he followed John up a flight of stairs, Omar and the other men behind him.

"I told you I can't tell you out here." John said in a slightly annoyed voice.

"Well that's not good enough! For all I know you are going to take us to some room and hang us from the ceiling by our thumbs!"

"Rami!" Omar exclaimed, and Rami turned around to glare at him.

"Well don't tell me you aren't worried!"

"Of course I am! But provoking them isn't going to help anything." Omar hissed, and Rami fell silent for the next few minutes until they approached a lone door that was separated from all of the other apartments.

"I'm warning you! I'm about to go all Karate Kid on your butts if you don't tell me what's going on!" Rami exclaimed, and when no one answered, he crossed his arms over his chest. "I have a triple black belt! I'll do it!"

John's response was to come to a halt in front of the door, take out a key, unlock the door and open it, motioning with a hand.

"Welcome to FBI headquarters."

"What the..." Rami muttered, and as he and Omar stepped through the door, their eyes widened as they took in the hustle and bustle that was going on. There were about thirty people in various rooms all talking and walking and sitting at the many computers that were strewn about.

"Woah." Rami said, and Omar nodded.

"Yeah."

They walked further into the apartment, and Rami paused, looking at one of the screens.

"Hey! Isn't that our apartment lobby!?" he exclaimed, and Omar nodded.

"Yeah it is! And this one is Jamaal's!" he said pointing to another one.

Rami scurried over to a screen across the room.

"Here is the front of HudCo too! And the coffee shop across the street! This is ridiculous!"

Suddenly about ten men ran past them, causing them to stumble back out of the way.

"Woah where's the fire?!" Rami called after them gleefully, and Omar glared at him.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?"

Rami nodded.

"Just a little bit! I mean it's the FBI! I knew they were too awesome to be pay by the hour security guards!"

Just then John came over, pulling his glasses off.

"I know you were a bit blindsided by this, but just know we have everything under control. You will have to stay here until we give you the go ahead to leave, but please make yourselves at home. The kitchen is down the hall, there is a rec room right through that door with a television and other various entertainment, and there are bedrooms up those stairs if things take longer than we anticipated. It will be quite hectic in here for the next few hours, and while you are certainly welcome to hang around and watch, perhaps you will be feeling more comfortable doing something else."

"Meaning we should make ourselves scarce." Rami said, and John gave a slight shrug.

"Whatever you'd like. I shall see you both later." He said before leaving them, and the two of them stood a bit awkwardly in the middle of the hallway, when suddenly they heard a loud laugh, and Rami raised an eyebrow.

"Is that...?" he asked, trailing off as they walked down the hallway, and as they stopped in the doorway of the kitchen, Rami laughed.

"Emma!"