Chapter 215: Kidnapped.

[Edward POV]

My hands were tightly bound with a cable tie as they forcefully shoved me into the back seat of the black SUV.

"Who wants to see me? Mr. Gray? Don't be too rough with me. I might fall in love~" I joked, trying to lighten the mood as they handled me roughly. The two Mexican bellboys settled themselves beside me, while the Russian lady occupied the seat in front.

"Tape his mouth. I have a feel… he will be… more annoying if we let him keep talking," the Russian lady instructed with a thick accent, already tired of my antics despite it being only five minutes since they captured me.

"Aww, that's just hurtful. I actually wanted to have a conversation with you guys. How else am I supposed to find out more about Mikael? I know he's the leader of the Cobra mercenaries, but who is he really? What are his likes, dislikes and hobbies?" I said playfully, trying to keep the atmosphere light.

The car fell into silence. Tension filled the air. The bellboys exchanged glances, unsure of how to respond. Eventually, they decided to comply with the order.

Before the man on the right could tape my mouth shut, the Russian lady interrupted, "Stop... How do you know about Mikael?"

I smiled and replied, "Should that really be your primary concern right now? If I were you, I'd be more focused on figuring out how to evade the police blockade rather than worrying about whether your identity has been exposed."

The Russian lady chuckled and said, "Oh, is our identity exposed? Nonetheless, it doesn't matter. We will not be staying in this country any longer. Pat him down," she ordered the others while taking off her brunette wig, revealing her short blonde hair. Her piercing blue eyes seemed to scrutinize every aspect of me.

'So they aren't from the same group.' I thought to myself. Her expression told me all I needed to know before this. It seemed that the two groups had some conflict with each other because they had taken the same mission target. 

(Anna in the 2019 movie, ANNA)

The two Mexican men searched through my pockets, confiscating my phone, an asthma inhaler, and some magnum condoms. The Russian lady expressed surprise and asked, "Rubber? You brought those?"

"Well, you never know when you might need them," I replied playfully. Glancing at the asthma inhaler, I added, "I don't mind if you keep my phone, but it might be wise to let me hold onto the inhaler. After all, a dead hostage isn't very valuable, is it? Alright guys, stop searching my pants, the only other thing you'll find in there is my penis, although it can be categorized as a weapon, you should really get your hand off it."

"Oh, sorry," the bellboy on my left said, realizing what he had mistakenly grabbed.

"You won't die. At most, you'll suffer," the Russian lady responded, rolling her eyes at the bellboy's error. She inspected the inhaler before relenting, "Fine, keep it. And, since I'm feeling generous, you can keep your 'protection' as well."

The car accelerated swiftly after my phone was tossed out of the window. As we journeyed towards our unknown destination, I decided to probe a bit. 

The reason I hadn't retaliated or attempted to escape was due to their strategic positioning. Since we were inside the hotel, they had formed a tight circle around me.

If I were to attack one of them, the other two would swiftly come to their defense, making it futile. For now, my strategy was to go along with their plans until I could gather more information. Robin had been onto something earlier, but the information I had received so far was incomplete.

"Lisa? Jamila? Anastasia? Ania?" I playfully guessed, trying to figure out the Russian lady's name.

"What are you doing?" Sasha asked, her brow furrowing.

"I'm trying to guess your name based on your appearance. You have a slightly country look, so I'm going with... Polina," I confidently replied, provoking a frown from Sasha.

"It's Sasha, and I'm not from the country— Damn it! Why haven't you guys gagged his mouth yet?" she exclaimed in frustration.

"Come on, Sasha, don't be angry. It's a nice name, and it suits such a pretty lady as you. Despite the fact that you're kidnapping me, I can honestly say that you're one of the most beautiful girls I've ever met. And trust me, I've met a lot of gorgeous girls," I flirtatiously remarked.

Before my mouth could be gagged once again, Sasha intervened, stopping the man who held the tape. She smiled and said, "You can't sweet talk your way out of this."

"Why would I sweet talk my way out with the truth? People usually lie to do that," I responded, flashing a charming smile.

"Interesting," Sasha replied, batting her eyes flirtatiously at me.

"I wonder, how much did your client pay for you to willingly become the enemy of the entire country?" I questioned curiously.

"You underestimate your importance, kid," the bellboy chimed in, laughing.

Internally, I noted that the other country's military was likely not their client. I turned to the laughing man and asked innocently, "Really? Wow, I guess wrong. So... how much?"

The man excitedly replied, "One million dollars!"

"Each?" I inquired, feeling confused.

"No, total," the man clarified, also becoming puzzled by my response.

"And... How many of you are there?" I probed further.

"Don't answer him," Sasha warned the man.

"No, Sasha, you misunderstand. I'm not trying to gather information about your group. I'm just genuinely confused right now. You went through all of this... for a measly million dollars?" I expressed my disbelief.

"Yeah?" Sasha responded, her incredulity growing as I mentioned the amount of money.

I looked at her with disbelief and remarked, "You guys... Are you sure you're… SMART?"

Sasha smirked with contempt oozing out of her eyes, "1 Million means nothing to you, rich boy. But, it means everything to us."

"OOOh a backstory. Wait, not now Ed. What I mean it, (Exaggeratedly) Oh no, I get that. (Normal voice) I just think that your boss has been thoroughly underpaying you for this assignment." I replied as the car got near a police barricade.

"Stop– STOP!!" The car didn't slow down and the driver, a Jamaican lady, rammed through the barricade and accelerated the car into traffic. Two police cars followed the SUV with sirens blaring. Sasha opened the window and fired a couple of shots at the police car. 

"Ah, I made a mistake. You guys aren't professional at all." I mumbled to myself.

…

[General POV]

Jake and Amy stood in the parking lot, frustration evident on their faces as they spotted Edward's phone lying on the ground. "Damn it! They got away!" Jake exclaimed, his voice filled with frustration.

Amy tried to calm him down. "Calm down, Jake. Sarge is interrogating the shooters right now," she said, sharing his frustration. She picked up the phone and, to her surprise, heard a voice as she turned it on. "Hello Detective Amy Santiago. I am Robin."

Meanwhile, the shooters were being escorted to the police car, but they were met with a swarm of reporters who overwhelmed both the police and the perpetrators. The reporters bombarded them with questions, eager to uncover the motive behind the attack on Edward Newgate.

"Why did you attack Edward Newgate?"

"What grudge did you have against him?"

"Is this a planned attack?"

The leader of the shooters, the man with the cobra tattoo and an injured left arm, quickly acted and pointed the blame at someone named K. "K! K told us to do it! He's the mastermind behind this!"

Sergeant Jeffords immediately intervened, knowing the leader was lying. "Stop talking!" he commanded. However, the damage had been done. Reporter helicopters flew over the crowd, rushing to cover the story of the police chase.

At the hotel, a reporter approached Sergeant Jeffords. "Where is Edward Newgate right now? Is he safe?"

Sarge was taken aback by the question, but before he could respond, the mercenary leader laughed maniacally. "He's already been kidnapped! You can find his corpse kissing K's feet!"

Sarge attempted to stop the man's lies, but the reporters swarmed them, bombarding them with numerous questions about Edward and K. The news of the kidnapping and the involvement of K spread rapidly, capturing the attention of the entire country and even the international media. K's name was dragged through the mud.

Captain Raymont Holt carefully analyzed the case and concluded, "They purposely sabotaged K's vehicle to exacerbate the scandal between them. The criminals we're searching for have a master strategist among them to come up with such a plan."

The Deputy Commissioner agreed with Holt's assessment. "We have to find that kid no matter what. The fate of the NYPD is hanging by a thread. But luckily for us, K is taking some of the heat. We need to do some PR damage control. Get me the two detectives who were with the kid before. I need all the information we have right now!"

…

[Edward POV]

The Mexican guy named Mateo expressed his disappointment with Dragonball Evolution. "Man, Dragonball Evolution is the worst," he said begrudgingly.

"I know. It's an insult to Akira Toriyama and the anime," I agreed, nodding in agreement.

Christian, the guy on my left, added his own remark. "But, Bulma is kinda hot."

Mateo and I nodded again, acknowledging the sentiment. However, Sasha, who was with us, rolled her eyes and glared at us. She warned Mateo and Christian, "Can you guys not befriend the hostage? At least this one time?!"

We chuckled at her remark, and I playfully teased her. "Don't be mad, Polina."

"SASHA! Ugh, damn it! I can't wait to drop you off!" Sasha snapped back in frustration.

Despite the police chasing us, the mercenaries managed to escape and find refuge in a rundown warehouse near the port. They ushered me into a small room, surrounded by armed men scattered throughout the warehouse.

Internally, I knew this would be a challenging situation. However, I maintained a calm exterior. I observed two men patrolling outside the warehouse, and 3 more were standing by inside the open space.

Sasha approached a burly Latino man with a goatee and asked, "Here. Mission complete. The money?"

The man handed Sasha a silver briefcase. "One million dollars in cash, right here," he confirmed. Sasha then handed me over to them.

"Aww, I got sold off," I commented empathetically. Sasha's eyes lowered with conflict, while Mateo nervously asked, "What are you going to do with him?"

"None of your business. Take your money and go," the burly man replied irritably, pulling me away. Sasha gave me a second look before she sighed and then left the warehouse.

Shortly after, I finally came face to face with the mastermind behind this whole ordeal. He was a Cuban man, dressed in a slimy white suit, with slicked-back hair and a goatee. His fingers were adorned with golden rings, and he had a cross tattooed on his forehead.

"Ah, the famous prodigy. Someone get me a paper! I want to get his autograph!" the mastermind said playfully, laughing together with his subordinates.

"Oh, is that why you brought me here? There are better ways to get my signature, you know," I replied with a touch of irony.

The man menacingly grabbed my neck and sneered, "I want your signature because it'll be worth more when you're dead."

"And what exactly have I done to deserve death?" I asked calmly, despite having my cheek squeezed.

The man was momentarily taken aback before saying, "You... Oh, I suppose it's unfair that you don't know why I sent you to hell to meet Satan. Let me explain. My dear, kind, and beautiful brother, Eliza Manelli. He was the best brother a man could have in the world."

The man's gaze was filled with affection, and also a bit of lust. Raising an eyebrow, I stored his brother's name in my mind.

Lost in his nostalgic memories, the man continued while hugging his own body, "My brother, who wouldn't hesitate to sever the arm of anyone who dared to cross me. My brother, who took me under his wing and made me a man by forcing me to kill innocent people."

"MY BROTHER!" he bellowed in my face, with drops of saliva landing on me. I grimaced and waited for him to continue. "My brother... who meant everything to me... was killed by Rosa Envenená!"

"Poison Rose? Who is that?" I asked, thoroughly confused. The man was once again taken aback and explained, "Your mother."

"But, Mister D-Grade movie villain, my mother DIED 10 years ago." I replied, faking confusion.

"What?" The man was dumbfounded by my words and then took out a piece of photo. It showed a woman in a floral dress, with her head covered halfway by a huge hat. "Are you telling me, this is not your mother?"

"Yeah. She's not. I've never even met that woman in my life. She's kinda hot tho. Who is she?" I replied while shaking my head, faking excitement at the same time. 

The man froze and turned to his subordinate, questioning, "Do we really have the right person?" My behavior perplexed him, as no son would show attraction to their own mother, especially in this situation. But truthfully, yes, that was my mom.

Most of the subordinates shook their heads, unable to answer the man's question. Manelli's brother, from now on referred to as such, grew increasingly confused. He asked his subordinate, "When will the ship arrive?"

"In fifteen minutes," the burly subordinate replied.

"For now, keep him here. I need the real son of Rosa, not a joker. Why would I bring an unknown child to Cuba just to kill him in front of her? That would make me a laughingstock!" Manelli's brother commanded.

The plan was to smuggle me to Cuba, and I knew that when he confirmed the information, I would be in big trouble. 

"Goodbye, Mr. Villain," I said as the burly subordinate locked me away in a small room with a bodyguard, a small Latino man armed with a rifle and a baton.

The bodyguard placed a laptop in front of me and ordered, "Break this encryption."

"Hmm? What's this? An overtime?" I began to question, but before I could finish my sentence, he punched me in the face. Blood trickled from the corner of my mouth as I stared at him in disbelief.

He placed his finger on his lips, signaling for me to remain silent. "No questions, no talking. One more word from you, and I'll shove this baton up your ass."

"That's gay," I responded, provoking the man's anger. 

In a swift motion, I snapped the cable ties that bound my knees, breaking them in half. I reached out, grabbing the man by the mouth to prevent him from making any noise, while simultaneously seizing the baton he had intended to strike me with. His eyes widened with fear as I grinned devilishly. "Oh, you're in deep trouble now."

*crack*

I held his head and cracked his neck, making him fall immediately. "Shit." I was surprised at my impulsiveness and checked the man's nose with my finger. I was relieved, "He's still breathing. I'm still fine. Wait no– He punched me. He deserved it."

Disarming him of his gun, knife, and baton, I equipped them on my body, preparing myself for the challenges ahead. Retrieving a pack of condoms from my pocket, I tore them open, revealing the small devices I had hidden inside. Among them was an earpiece, which I promptly put on.

"Robin, what's the situation?" I inquired.

"Help is coming in 20 minutes," Robin replied.

"That's not enough time," I responded.

"Sir, I've calculated your plan, and I must discourage you from proceeding. It would be better to wait for help instead of taking matters into your own hands," Robin advised.

"Robin, once they confirm my identity, they'll be more inclined to kill me than let me go," I reasoned. Merging the two small devices together, I extracted the antenna from the rectangular box and pressed the button to scramble communications in the area.

"Let's go," I instructed Robin before leaving the room. A guard stood outside the door, and I swiftly put him in a headlock and dragged him inside. Chocked, he lost consciousness within seconds. However as I tied him up, he had an euphoric expression on his face, creeping me out.

"I didn't give him a happy ending or the sort, did I?" I muttered with disgust. 

Then, I slipped out of the room and made my way to the adjacent area.

Inside, seven men were monitoring the surroundings, their panic evident due to the broken monitor. I had already ensured there were no cameras in the hostage room to avoid detection.

Reaching into my pocket once more, I retrieved an asthma inhaler. "Sleepy time," I muttered as I ripped out the gas canister and threw it into the room before closing the door. Some of the men noticed the rolling canister, but after a small explosion, they all succumbed to the drowsiness and fainted.

Satisfied with the outcome, I calmly proceeded towards the main area where the exchange had taken place. There, I spotted the burly man conversing with Manelli's brother from behind a stack of boxes. They appeared anxious, unable to use their phones or contact their informant to verify my identity.

Although I was on the cusp of breaking out of the warehouse, a final hurdle remained. Three fully equipped patrolmen with body armor stood between me and freedom. While my skills were formidable, I recognized the danger posed by a direct confrontation with trained men.

Then, I smiled as I got a plan, "Robin. Can you get the man's number? And call him?"

"I'll see what I can do sir." Robin replied.

2 minutes later, Manelli's bro phone rang. "FINALLY!" he exclaimed before picking up the phone, "Is he really Miranda's son?"

However, Robin, mimicking a garbled, random guy's voice, told him, "The line is *Bzzt* not clear,*bzzt* C–an you go outside?

"FUCK!" Manelli's bro cursed before making his way out of the warehouse, leaving behind only the burly man there.

I snuck behind him, but as he was standing in an open space, he could see me getting near. He automatically turned and pulled his rifle trigger. 

One of the bullets grazed my shoulder before I could manage to close the distance and kicked the rifle away from him. He responded by trying to hammer punch me, but I ducked a bit and punched him, right in the balls!!

"Oof-" He exclaimed as his eyes crossed closer together and he fell down on the ground. 

"AHH!" Suddenly, Manelli's brother who heard the gunshot rushed towards me. He wore a brass knuckle and wanted to punch me in the face. However, his step and swing were quite slow.

I tilted my head a bit, letting his arm pass by, and without even moving from my spot, I grabbed him by the neck and lifted him up. He started choking and I muttered to him, "You know, you really shouldn't be doing impulsive things next time. You should confirm first, who I am, and what I can do."

The police broke through the front at this moment after hearing the gunshot sounds. I stared at the Cuban man and smiled. "If not, you're going to end up in jail with your neck broken."

"What–" The man breathlessly said with veins protruding out of his face. His eyes slowly rolled backwards. But I released him at this time, just before he could lose consciousness. 

"Bastard-" He said groggily and took out a sharp knife. 

 "FREEZE!" Jake Peralta said while pointing his gun at the man.

He lunged at me without thinking. Jake and another officer opened fire. The bullet hit him right on the shoulder and his head, killing him immediately. The blood splatter rolled down my face as I looked at the guy emotionlessly. 

The police swarmed the area, and they were shocked when they found out that all of the perps inside the warehouse had already been taken care of. 

Jake was in disbelief, "Did you even need us here?"

"I thought you were going to take a longer time to get in?" I asked Jake in confusion.

"Yeah. Then we heard the gunshot. So we just stormed in." Jake replied.

I laughed and turned to Jake, "I don't know why, but I feel like I should say a catchy line right now."

Amy, Rosa and Sarge walked towards me with a smile on their face. Jake was excited and said, "Oh- how about-"

I interrupted him and said, "Tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree. Cos this boy's coming home."

Jake gasped and whispered in awe, "Nick Cage. Con Air."