Cape Crossed

Chapter Twenty

"How about this? Does this scream engagement party?" Hannah spun in the short yellow dress, watching Jake's expression over her shoulder.

"Do you really want your clothes to scream?" Jake asked. The fitting room's leather couch squeaked under him as he shifted. He narrowly avoided squishing one of the bags on the floor by his legs. The biggest one teetered on its edge before settling back down. The other heavier bags didn't move at all except for the handles that crinkled as his leg brushed them.

"Jake, come on," Hannah groaned. She jumped down from the little raised platform to walk to him. "You know what I mean."

"I do, but it's more fun if I tease you," he laughed and caught her hands when she tried to wave him off. "I don't get why you need a new dress for someone else's party."

"I guess I don't really..." Hannah muttered.

"But any excuse will do?" Jake finished for her. She nodded and he slumped back against the cushions.

"I'll only be a little longer," Hannah promised. She grabbed his hands again and pulled him forward to kiss his forehead. "You'll be fine."

The saleswoman popped up at Hannah's elbow to check on the fit and show off more options. They all looked vaguely the same to Hannah, but she nodded along in mock understanding. After a few rounds of nonsense, she glanced at Jake for help. He nodded towards the abandoned yellow dress and she gave him a quick thumbs up.

"Thank you for shopping," the woman called out as they left.

Jake pulled the bags up onto his shoulder and steered Hannah towards the Cinnabon cart.

"Do you want me to help with the bags?" Hannah asked. She held her hand out towards him expectantly.

"Look miss-I'm-so-strong, I can carry a few bags." Jake rolled his eyes and held his hand out to her for one of the cinnamon rolls she'd bought. "Ah, how I love you." He laughed when Hannah groaned. "Hey, don't get all cranky with me, I love you too." They both froze, eyes locking as a smile slowly spread across Hannah's face.

"You love me huh?" She moved the sticky sweet treat away from his red face.

"Are you going to say it back or just leave me here looking like an idiot?" Jake grumbled.

"You don't need my help looking like an idiot," she teased. When he turned to go, she grabbed his arm to pull him back. "Oh come on, you know I love you too."

"I do, I just wanted you to say it too," he said in a near whisper. Jake leaned his forehead against hers and looped an arm around her waist. "You wanna go home and order a huge pizza?"

"Only if you tell me you love me again," Hannah said.

"Chinese it is." He laughed, ducking a punch and then pulling her along to the sidewalk outside. She pulled his arm around her shoulder while they walked. Her thumb scrolled through the list of pizza places. The two of them went back and forth about why each place wasn't as good as the one by her old place.

"But the delivery is so over the top, I don't want to pay an arm and a leg for it," Hannah sighed. "Let's just learn to like one of the places around her."

Before Jake could make an argument, a van skidded off the street onto the sidewalk in front of them. They jumped back and straight into the arms of two men in dark glasses. The bags on Jake's shoulder dropped to the ground as they both struggled to get their arms free. The men shoved them forward and headfirst into the van where another set of men cuffed their hands tightly behind their back.

The door slammed shut and blocked out every ounce of light. Jake called out for Hannah, trying to see her through the darkness. He got a smack to the head with something hard for his troubles.

"Shut up and sit still," someone grunted.

"What is going on?" Hannah snapped. She tugged her wrists gently and felt the cuffs clink. It wouldn't take much to get out of them. But there were too many questions she needed answered before she exposed herself. A thought nudged at the back of her mind that sent a shiver down her spine. Was this Hijack trying to force the information out of her again?

"Just keep quiet and do as your told," the same voice ordered and hit her in the middle of the back.

The van bumped and zipped down the street and turned sharply into an underground garage. Hannah and Jake slammed into the sides of the van, unable to stabilize themselves with their hands cuffed behind their backs. The door slid open again and they were dragged out and shoved down a brightly lit hall. Jake managed one last glimpse of Hannah before they were pushed into separate rooms.

The room was blindingly white and empty except for a small square table with two chairs on either side. The chair facing the door was already occupied by a man in a dark suit. He gestured to the empty chair. "Have a seat, Hijack."

Jake narrowed his eyes, hands clenching behind his back. "Excuse me?"

"You're a hard man to find," he nodded to one of the men at the door. They stepped forward and forced Jake into the seat.

"Look, I'm not sure who you think I am, but there's clearly been a misunderstanding," Jake said calmly. He leaned back and crossed his legs at the ankles under the table. "Maybe you'd like to explain what's going on here. I can quote you, can't I?"

"Cut the act. The sooner you admit to what you've done, the sooner your girlfriend gets to see daylight again," he snapped.

Jake straightened up, the chain on his cuffs clinked loudly. "You touch her and I swear you'll regret it. I'll say it again, you've got the wrong person."

The suit sighed and stood, straightening his jacket. "I'll give you some time to think. Any messages you'd like me to deliver to miss Harris?" He chuckled when Jake tried to lunge at him. The door closed and Jake was left in the room with only his thoughts. The white walls seemed to inch further and further away from him, leaving nothing to hold onto. His arms started to ache from the awkward angle they'd been forced into. Mostly he wondered what they were doing to Hannah.

How had they found him? Were they telling her who he was? He forced himself to sit still and ignore the panic creeping up his back. After a while, his hands had gone numb and his pulse had evened out again. It immediately shot back up when the door opened, and suit walked back in.

"So, Hijack, have you had enough time to think?"

"I've been thinking about what pose I'll make for my front-page picture. I was thinking either cowering or righteous anger," Jake answered.

The suit clenched his jaw and shoved forward a stack of folders.

"What exactly are you expecting me to do here?" Jake jingled the cuffs as a reminder. He suppressed a smile as the man reached to open the top folder. He wondered what they had on him. As the manilla cover slid away he could see the edge of a red car and then the door slammed open. Both men jumped and turned to face the breathless woman in the doorway.

"What is it Mary?" suit snapped.

She hurried to his side and whispered in his ear. A moment later they were both hurrying out of the room and he could hear them shouting about something being impossible. Footsteps thundered up and down the hall. Finally, someone came back for him and undid his cuffs.

"What's going on?" Jake asked, rubbing his numb wrists.

"Hijack has been seen downtown, you're free to go." He was led to the hall where he found Hannah waiting with wide eyes. He pulled her to him as soon as he was close enough and she huddled into him.

"You're ok," she sobbed in relief.

He tightened his arms around her and nodded. "Let's get out of here." Jake let them lead them to the front, but he couldn't help glancing back at the folders sitting abandoned on the table.