Kidnapped-1

Dave likes silence, that is why he likes to sit in a church, after his shift. After 9:00 pm, not many people come to church to preach, only a handful of people come but they leave soon after lighting a candle.

Considering how much he is a fan of silence, his job on the other hand is completely opposite. He works as a cook in a local deli. The only time one can actually find that place in pin-drop silence is when it closes.

In such a quaint and peaceful environment he likes to think. As a high school failure who had no idea what to do in life, thinking helps a lot. It helps him get his priorities straight. He is not like junky parents who spend most of their life here in this shitty town. He wants to get out of here, live a little, and maybe fall in love.

Like any other man his age, he wants to marry a beautiful girl, father at least two children, and make a house of his own. He can't do that here, everyone in this place knows who he is, know who his parents were. He cannot do anything here, the only way to change his life is by getting out of this place…

The door of the church was opened slightly and an old woman walked in. The sharp sound of the woman's heels echoed throughout the church. When the woman passed by him, he smelled the fragrance of jams and jellies coming from her, he also smelled a distinct smell that only people have.

The old lady is a store owner of a local bakery. He had heard that she makes jam and jellies which are 100% natural and made from fruits that are locally grown. People go nuts about her jams and jellies, he had never tried them before, but he sure had seen long lines in front of her shop just to get a jar of apple jam.

After lighting a candle the old lady prayed for a minute, she then turned around and started going back. It was then a blue color wisp entered the church, no one seemed to have noticed that small wisp as if it was invincible to everyone present there.

The wisp sped towards the old lady and entered her body. Without a sound of doing anything abnormal, it took over her body. Her demeanor changed. She became more confident and started smiling as he came toward Dave.

The old lady snapped her fingers. And magically, Dave's wallet which was safe and secured in his right breast pocket appeared on the floor beside him. He didn't sense it, after all, he was busy with his thoughts.

"Honey, I think you dropped your wallet." The old lady said while pointing toward his wallet.

"Oh… Thank you, mam." Dave said with a smile. He then picked it up and opened it to see whether the wallet belonged to him. He was confused, he remembers it perfectly that he had put the damn thing in his breast pocket. But it seems he might have been wrong.

"No problem dear. By the way, you are John's boy if I am not wrong?" the old lady asked. Hearing his late junky father's name, Dave smiled awkwardly and nodded.

"I am sorry for your loss dear." The old lady said with a sad look and sympathetic look.

"It is okay mam. It is not like my life had changed a lot since that car accident. Both my parents were never there for me for most of my life. So their death didn't make any difference for me." Dave said with an awkward smile.

"Is that so…" the old lady said. She then pretended that she had a brilliant idea. She then started rummaging her side purse. "By the way, you work at a local deli, right? Do you like that job? I mean, I have a job that I have in mind which would a perfect for a young man like you."

"What kind of job?" Dave asked getting slightly interested in what the old lady had to offer.

"Here." The old lady said after she finally found what she was looking for. She handed Dave over a card.

The card in question was a simple plain black color business card. There was no name, email, or company name on the card. There was just a simple golden color phone number inscribed on the black card.

"What is this?" Dave asked.

"It is the phone number of the company. This number works 24/7 and you could get a decent job if you call this number. Try it." The old lady said.

"But what is the name of the company or organization that this card belongs to?"

"This company is related to the church. Just say 'yes' when they will ask you whether you are ready to serve God." The old lady said.

"But mam, does it need some educational qualification or something? I have not even graduated high school, let alone a skill school."

"Don't worry dear. You are qualified enough. Just call the number. This call will change your life forever. Believe me. Just make a call."

"Thank you, mam," Dave said while staring at the card.

"Don't worry about it. But promise me that you will make the call." The old lady said.

"I promise. Thank you, mam." Dave said. Then the old lady said goodbye and started heading out of the church.

Dave looked at the number in his hands weirdly. He didn't know what to think about the number. The old lady did not mention what kind of job was it nor did she reveal any description of the job. But seeing the quality of the card, he figured that this card must belong to some high-end big-shot company.

He didn't know whether such a company would even think about hiring someone like him, but it was still worth a shot. After all, he was just a simple cook at the deli. He was already at the bottom of the food chain. How much lower could he drop?

He then safely pocketed the card and he then got up and started heading home…

***

As Dave got out of the church, he looked around the empty streets of his small town, there was no human nor a car in sight. He was not afraid of walking alone at the night, because his town was relatively safe.

But seeing the empty streets make him wonder how life is in the big cities. He had heard about New York and how it is a city that never sleeps. And here is his town which becomes an abandoned ghost town just a little after 6:00 pm. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of life people in big cities live.

He had a long walk back home. As he started his journey to his house, he remembered the card that the old lady offered him. She said that the phone line works 24/7, looking at the card he couldn't help but wonder whether the card could be his ticket out of this town.

As he had nothing better to do, he took out his phone and the card and dialed the number.

TRING TRING

"Welcome R3T, how may I help you?" came a woman's voice from the other end.

"Hi, my name is Dave. An old lady gave me this card and told me that you guys can offer me a job of some sort." Dave questioned.

"We can offer you a job."

"And I don't have any good educational qualification so to speak of. Will that be a problem?" He asked, praying inwardly with his finger crossed.

"Your education has nothing to do with the job. Any person can be qualified for the job who has a healthy body with no diseases like asthma, diabetes, or any sort of heart condition."

"Is that so? What kind of job are you offering?"

He had become suspicious of the motives of this job. After all which company out there doesn't recruit asthma patients? A normal asthma patient does not have any sort of weakness that could hinder any normal job. If he were to think about it, only people from the army would reject asthmatic patients because they wouldn't be able to go through the harsh training required by the army. But other than which kind of job would reject asthmatic patients?

"The job is that you have to work for GOD. Do you want to work for GOD?" the woman asked.

"But still, what is the job?"

"It is a work for God. Do you want to work for GOD?"

"I will work for GOD. But I still need to know what work I have to do?"

"Our agent will contact you soon. Good Bye." The woman said and then hung up the phone.

Dave looked at the phone screen and started thinking about the weird conversation that he just had. That lady didn't even take his credentials so how the hell will their agent contact him? Maybe they will contact him again on the number from which he called…

He then understood that maybe this was a prank of some sort. So he threw aside the card and continued walking to his home. But it was then, that he saw some light coming from his back, he figured that some car was coming so he didn't mind it.

But the car in question came to a stop just beside him. Seeing that car stop by his side, he unconsciously reached for the gun on his back. This was a safe town, but still, humans are very vicious creatures. He had never used the bad boy on his back before but he always kept it with him. After all, it made him feel safe.

The car in question was a Mercedes sedan. He didn't know the model of the car, but it looked expensive. He then just bend to see the driver of the car. And it was then he saw that woman was driving the car.

The woman in question looked like a 25-26 woman in her prime. She was wearing a two-piece suit with a hat on the top. It was pretty clear that she was a driver of some sort. Looking at her, he wondered whether she had stopped to ask for some directions or something.

"Can I help you with something?" he asked cautiously with still his hands on the gun.

"Are you the one they call Dave?"

"That depends on who is asking?"

"Well, I am asking."

"What do you want with me?" he asked cautiously.

"Hop in, I am here to take you with me. I am with people from R3T."

"R3T? What the fuck? But I just talked to them."

"We are very fast. Hop in."

"Woah Woah… This is way too creepy. I am not hopping in. Get the hell out of here lady, if you don't want to get shot."

"I am afraid, you can't back out now." The lady said.

And it was then something incredible happen. Dave just blinked and the lady sitting in the car a moment ago suddenly appeared right beside him. This freaked him out, even more, he took out his gun and pointed it at the freak of nature standing beside him.

But before he could do anything else, the woman slapped the hands holding the gun. Because of the jerk, the gun went flying away. She took out what look like a small deodorant from her pocket and sprayed it on Dave's face.

The spray worked wonders and before he knew it, he got knocked out…