Hostage (Bodyguard #1)(77)
Colonel Black nodded, although he now seriously wished he’d dedicated more time to it in the Buddyguard syllabus. But he had faith in Connor’s resilience. ‘Connor will be as crucial to your daughter’s survival as your team in finding her,’ he assured them.
Dirk couldn’t help a dismissive snort. ‘Some bodyguard your boy turned out to be,’ he muttered, evidently cracking under the pressure.
Catching his comment, Colonel Black spun on him. ‘Well, if you hadn’t dismissed him so readily, he might have been able to do his job properly,’ he retorted. ‘And, thanks to Connor’s intervention, the last ring of defence hasn’t been broken yet.’
Dirk shot him an incredulous look. ‘He’s a hostage! An additional problem.’
‘Connor’s an asset,’ corrected the colonel, and asked for the video to be replayed. ‘He’s already informed us that they’re being held underground and that there are at least five gunmen.’
He paused the video and indicated the screen. ‘See here, Connor’s pointing a finger down beneath his hand. And here he forms his fingers into the shape of a gun, then opens his hand to indicate five.’
‘Are you sure of this?’ asked George, scrutinizing the video playback.
‘Yes. The movements are very subtle, but he repeats them twice.’
‘Still, that’s not much help,’ remarked Dirk.
‘It’s a start,’ stated Colonel Black. ‘And such information could be crucial for any rescue attempt.’
Connor had no idea whether anyone would spot his discreet hand signs or even recognize them as signals. But the act itself afforded him a small sense of control over their situation. And this helped fend off his feelings of powerlessness.
After the video recording, their captors escorted them back to their cell and locked the door once more. Alicia, who’d fought so hard to hold back the tears, collapsed on the threadbare mattress and sobbed her heart out. Connor sat down beside her, put his arm round her shoulders and let her cry.
During Hostage Survival class, Colonel Black had told them they would need to control their emotions, stay calm and keep a level head.
Easier said than done, thought Connor, glancing at Alicia and then around their tiny prison cell. If he didn’t have Alicia to protect and look after, he’d probably be falling apart himself.
At the time, the colonel’s advice had seemed somewhat hypothetical. Being kidnapped was a situation that would never occur – or so Connor had believed. But now he and Alicia were held hostage he had to deal with it.
He tried to recall the other vital pieces of advice Colonel Black had given them.
Don’t offer resistance … Say as little as possible if questioned … try to stay fit and healthy … keep your mind active … set goals … plan on a long captivity to stave off disappointment and depression … and, most important of all, maintain the will to survive.
Colonel Black had reiterated this last point. Despite all temptation to cave in and succumb to despair, it was essential to believe the situation would come to a positive end eventually. Sustaining hope was the key to survival.
‘Don’t worry, Alicia, we will get home,’ said Connor.
Alicia sniffed and looked up at him with eyes red from crying. ‘How … can you be so sure?’
‘We’re worth more alive than dead to our captors. They’ll need to prove we’re unharmed to get what they want.’
Alicia nodded, seeing the sense in his words. ‘You’re right. It’s just that knife and the filming were all too much for me.’
‘I understand,’ said Connor, shuddering himself at the thought of the leader’s vicious blade. ‘But we need to appear strong to these terrorists. We can’t let them think they’ve beaten us.’
Alicia sat up and composed herself, tying back her hair and wiping her eyes dry.
‘I won’t give them that satisfaction,’ she said, the steel in her voice returning.
‘That’s more like the Alicia I know,’ said Connor, smiling.
She returned his smile but struggled to maintain it. ‘I just can’t help thinking about my parents. They’ll be beside themselves with worry.’
‘True,’ said Connor, his own thoughts going to his mother and gran. If they’d seen the broadcast, they could be utterly devastated too – and they would have the shock of discovering his double life. ‘But just keep in mind your father will be doing everything in his power to negotiate our release.’
‘The United States Government does not negotiate with terrorists,’ declared Jennifer Walker, the US Secretary of State, who sat opposite President Mendez at the conference table. She wore a dark green business suit, her auburn hair cut short and her face, icy hard at the best of times, was fixed in a fiercely determined expression.
‘But we’re talking about my daughter here!’ implored President Mendez.
Jennifer’s gaze softened a little. ‘I’m wholly aware of that, Antonio. And I’m deeply sorry for your predicament. But you know full well our position on such matters.’
The President sank back into his chair and nodded with great reluctance. He realized he was no longer acting like the commander-in-chief. In truth, he was a father out of his mind with worry because his little girl was in some grim basement with a gun at her head. And he would do anything to bring her home.