Chapter 20

Gemma knew what she had to do. She grabbed her keys and wallet and headed out the door. Her heart raced with her thoughts as she rushed to call a cab. She played with a string hanging on the end of her jacket as the cab drew closer to her job. Gemma was playing words to say to Kim in her head as ways to tell her something that she's had on her mind for a long time now.

She was so nervous it was like her mind was playing tricks on her because she thought she saw the airship glide behind some builds. Gemma strained her neck to look in the area she thought she saw the ship. She shook her head and shrugged it off as the cab drew nearer to the studio.

The cab driver glanced at her through the rear view, curious why she looked so nervous. He cleared his throat. "What's on your mind if you don't mind me asking?"

"I'm left with a huge life changing decision," Gemma openly shared with the stranger. "It can ruin my career or ruin the life of the person I care about."

"Have you chosen yet?" the driver asked with a thoughtful expression. "Cause if I had to decide to like that, I would choose that person over myself. Careers can easily be changed, but that one person who is special to you, well, it's hard to find that kind of connection again."

Gemma listened to his wise words closely and thought about it even more. She already knew what she was going to do. She smiled at the man in the rear view mirror.

"I know what I'm supposed to do," she said as the car came to a stop in front of the studio. "Thank you for your advice and keep the change."

She stepped out of the cab and waved as he drove off. Turning on her heels and looking up at the tall building, Gemma took a deep breath and her first steps forward. As she entered the studio, a few people greeted her brightly, and some shook her hand with congratulations. Once she got to the third floor, where her boss was waiting with a huge smile on her face, Gemma could feel those nerves again.

"I'm so happy to see you, Gemma," Kim said, giving her a surprising hug. "I hope the trip went well, and you got the juicy details. Have a seat."

Gemma just stood there. People peering in through the windows made her even more nervous. Ever since she started working the Loop, Kim bullied her and created a lot of unnecessary scenes. She still didn't believe Kim deserved the position she got but there was nothing she could do about it now. Gemma gathered her thoughts, trying to ignore the curious faces outside of Kim's office.

"I trust you have the information you were assigned," Kim said, her patience clearly thinning. "You have it, right?"

Gemma smirked, realizing the suspense was making Kim anxious. "Yes, I have the information… But I'm not turning it over."

Kim clenched her teeth together, and a vein popped out on her left temple as her eyes buried into Gemma's soul. She could hear outside of the office and Kim closed curtains that hung for more privacy.

"What are you talking about? You realize what's at stake here, don't you?" Kim asked, her arms crossed and a stern look on her face.

"Yes, someone's personal life," Gemma argued, her voice raising a bit. "It's wrong to expose someone who doesn't want to be exposed. I cannot give you the information you want. I won't let you ruin someone else's life for your benefit. It's not right."

Kim's brows furrowed, and she got in Gemma's face. "You're ruining your life here, Gamma! Do you want to lose your job?"

"A wise person once told me that careers can be easily replaced," Gemma said, standing her ground. "I would rather lose my job than ruin someone's life. I refuse to stoop down to your level and muck someone's livelihood up just to save a business."

Kim was taken aback, but cleared her head quickly. "You're fired. Gather your things and leave at once. If you won't provide me with what belongs to The Loop, I'll take you to court."

"Honestly, Kim," Gemma said, walking towards the door. "Someone's personal information doesn't belong to you. As of today, I quit and I'm deleting the file."

With that, Gemma walked out. Everyone who was listening applauded loudly as she closed the door behind her. Her two best friends were standing at the front, clapped with proud expressions.

"About time you stood up for yourself," Taylor said, giving her a hug. "Sad you lost your job, but good, you're doing the right thing."

"Honestly, I don't feel like a loser," Gemma said, packing her stuff on her desk into a box. "I feel like I'm about to gain something really important."

"Are you going to call Magnus?" Kirsten asked.

Gemma slowly put something in the box and thought. "I'm not sure…"

"Do what makes you happy," Kirsten said, rubbing her friend's back. "Call us if you need anything."

"You know I will," Gemma smiled, giving her friends a hug.

She took one last look around the studio and the faces she's known for 3 years. Gemma's eyes landed on Kim's as her ex boss glared at her through the window from her office. She was on the phone with someone. This made Gemma feel anxious. Kim was unpredictable. She felt it was best to erase the file. But she had a better idea.

Gemma picked up the box and walked to the elevator. Someone's hand stopped the door from closing and Kim stepped in. A look in her eyes sent chills down Gemma's back, and she cleared her throat.

"I'm not fond of you right now, Penny," Kim said, looking at her fingernails after pushing the button for the first floor. "And I particularly don't like it when I don't get my way. I entrusted you to gather juicy information for not only a promotion for yourself but also to help The Loop grow. You disappointed me, Peggy."

Gemma rolled her eyes and pushed the button again. "Kim, no job is worth ruining someone's life."

Kim faced her, crossing her arms. "Who cares about Magnus and Sportacus's life? What kind of person hides who they are unless they have something about them they don't want anyone to know about? What is Sportacus hiding? Why have a secret identity?"

"Maybe to protect his loved ones," Gemma said. "Your guess is just as good as mine. I've met Sportacus, and he's a really incredible person. He has lives to save."

"What about Magnus?" Kim asked, the elevator dinging.

"He's just a normal guy who owns a business and wants to see it grow," Gemma shrugged. "There's honestly no story for you, Kim. The information I gathered withholds evidence of two separate people living their lives as best they can. They don't need a nosy fashion designer poking around."

Kim huffed as Gemma stepped off the elevator. "I still believe Magnus is Sportacus."

"Believe whatever you want, Kim," Gemma called back as she walked off. "I'm leaving."

Gemma could feel her heart racing as she stepped out of the building and out of sight. She leaned against the wall and let out a tremendous sigh. It felt like a heavy weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. But what will she do now as far as her job goes?

"Time for my plan, I guess," she said, hailing a cab.

As soon as a yellow cab pulled up by the curb, Gemma felt a level of uneasiness as she slid into the vehicle. The cab driver looked at her through the rear view with a smile. Without asking her anything, he put the car in drive.

"Um, excuse me," Gemma said nervously. "I need to go to the airport."

The man said nothing. The sound of the locks clicked and disappeared within the door. Gemma's heart raced. Was she being kidnapped?

"Sit back and enjoy the drive," the driver said, pushing a button that made a hidden glass wall rise between the front and backseat of the car.

"Wait, where are you taking me?" Gemma asked, panicked. "Let me out!"

She quickly pulled out her phone and pulled up Magnus's number and dialed it. She closed her eyes and crossed her fingers in hopes he'd answer.

"Hello?" his voice sang in her ears.

"Magnus, I need help! I'm being kidnapped!" Gemma said, frantically trying the doors. "Can you hear me?"

"Gemma?" he asked, the static getting worse. "I'm having a hard time hearing from you. Call me back."

With that, the phone went dead. Gemma stared at the phone in disbelief. She felt a catch in her throat as tears rolled down her face. Gemma just sat there in fear as she silently cried.

"Please, let me out!" she said, banging on the window that separated the backseat from the front cab. "Let. Me. Out!"

"Stay quiet or I'll come back there and tie you up!" the driver yelled, swerving the car. "Why was I the one she called to take care of you?"

"Who called you?" Gemma asked, pressing her ear against the glass. "Was it Kim? Did Kim make you do this? Look, whatever she's having you do isn't worth going to jail over! Let me go and I'll forget this ever happened."

She heard the man chuckle. "I know you won't talk, girly. When I'm through with you, you won't be able to talk. It's only a crime unless you get caught, right?"

The driver started laughing, making chills run down Gemma's spine. Was he going to kill her? This day just got worse, she thought. Her phone mysteriously died, so she couldn't call for help. Gemma hoped Sportacus' crystal would light up, showing she was in danger. But if he was all the way back in Iceland, could the signal reach that far?

Gemma sat back, her legs shaking and her heart racing. She took the flash drive out of her front jean pocket and stared at it. Her plan was to give it the Magnus for safekeeping, but maybe that wasn't the brightest of ideas. A working flash drive with important information on it was what Kim wanted.

She started digging in her bag for who knows what. She sighed when she found a bottle of water in her bag. Taking the lid off, Gemma glared at the flash drive one last time before dropping it into the water. She hoped that would ruin it.

"Maybe I should do more of it… I'm sure a wet flash drive can be easily repaired," she thought as she struggled to take it out of the bottle.

The car suddenly came to a stop, causing her to drop the flash drive. She heard the driver exit the car, and he was talking to someone.

"Yeah, I got her. She's in the back," the driver was saying. "What? Are you sure? Very well."

Silence fell for a while before the back door swung open. The driver stood there with rope and tape and a smug look on his face.

"Sorry, Missy," he said, inching closer. "Boss's orders."

Gemma screamed and kicked the man in the stomach and moved past him into an open area, water surrounding it. She noticed a bridge above them and started up a hill towards it. She continued to scream for help when she was suddenly knocked over.

"Hold still!" the man yelled as they fought each other.

Gemma felt a sharp pain in her temple, and her arms and legs went limp. The driver tied her hands and feet up and taped her mouth.

"Where have you put that flash drive?" he asked, searching for her. "Aha!"

The man picked her up, firefighter style, and carried her back to the car and put her in the backseat. Gemma was crying hard now. She was about to die over a stupid flash drive.

"It's nothing personal," he said, bent over to look at her tear-stained face. "I'm getting paid a lot of money to do this. I'm sure it will thrill the boss with everything you've got on this little computer. Have a pleasant swim."

With that, he slammed the door, made a lot of noise in the front seat. The car was moving forward slowly. The man stepped behind the vehicle and pushed it, smiling at her through the back window. Gemma stared at him, shaking her head and pleading with her eyes.

"Oh, God! Oh God!" she thought as the sound of water hit the front of the car.

It wasn't too long after the car contacted the water. She started feeling the iciness of the liquid on her feet. Gemma panicked as the water started flowing in faster and faster. It was already up to her neck as she was sitting up. She didn't know what to do now. Everything was hopeless as she tried untying her bonds.

Once the water was above her head, Gemma just stopped struggling and floated there, as she saw her whole life flash before her eyes. She thought about her two friends, Magnus. Oh, how she wanted to tell Magnus how she really felt. Gemma wished she had never went to Iceland and got caught up in all of this. Was Kim really this desperate she will kill for information? Resting on that thought, everything started going dark around her.