258 RECONNECTION

"Just call me, Cliff, if ever you need my help." Vanessa shouted to the departing man.

Clifford heard her but he did not bother to look back. He is exhausted. It has been a long day for him. He feels that the enemy is just round the corner ready to pounce him any minute he is unaware.

When he entered their bedroom, he saw his wife peacefully asleep hugging his pillow. He knows that she really misses him. He bent over and then placed a feathery kisses to his wife and when she stirred, he left her and decided to shower and change clothes.

He cuddles her to his embrace whispering,

"I love you and I miss you so much wife… If I need to hasten everything, I will just to turn back things just like before."

When Ingrid felt her husband's presence, she stirred and faced him but her eyes still shut. She squeezed her body to him, crammed her face to his neck and purred. "Hmmm…" Immediately, he felt hard.

"OH wife! What are you doing to me?" he chuckled.

As much as he wanted to make love to her, he just settled kissing her everywhere thinking that his precious wife has been tired taking care of their children.

With that thought, he slowly dozed off.

… ♥…♥…♥…

One fine day, Orlie Richards is planning to have a bonding time with his daughter Karyle since it's his day off from his work in the resort. He misses his daughter so much that he decided to take his daughter out.

"Papa…" she called him, "…I am ready. Where are you taking me?" she beams and the excitement is much evident on her face.

"Hmmm… where do you wanna go, sweetling?" he bends down, levelling his eyes to his dear daughter. Karyle acts as if she is thinking by putting her point finger on her head.

"Ahhmmm… anywhere papa, as long as we're together… by the way, do you have extra money already?" she asked while she showed her a toothy grin. Orlie carried her.

"Oh, Karyle… of course! I will work hard to give you the finest things in life that you deserve, my sweetling.." he said while pinching her nose.

"You are the best papa! I love you so much!"

"Of course, because I am your only father. I love you so much more, my sweet Karyle, promise me that you will always remember that no matter what happen, will you?" the little girl nodded joyfully and then hugs her father's neck, giving him a small peck on his cheeks and he let out a silent chuckle.

"Let's go now, papa! I am so excited…" she squealed.

Orlie takes her daughter to an amusement park letting her to choose the rides she wanted to try and buying her foods that she wanted to eat. The child's eyes are full of joy that he is well pleased looking at her. He did not withhold anything from her and just allowed her to do the things she wanted today. His joy is unmistakable while he looks at her. Though, it pains him to see his only daughter have nothing when he could give him everything.

When Karyle feels exhausted, she asked her father to rest for a while.

"Papa, this is the best day ever! Thank you for today… I will never, ever forget this day… I am sooo right, you are the best papa in the world." She squeals in delight.

"Hmmm… you could say that because I am your only papa…" he lovingly tickles his child.

"Of course! But aside from that, you always place my needs above yours. I saw you once papa, that you did not eat dinner because you gave your share to me. When I'll grow and have lots of money, I will buy you a house and a car, papa and you will no longer work for other people because they will work for you… that's a promise!"

"Silly… having you around, my sweetling, I am richer than any father in the world because I have a loving, obedient and beautiful daughter like you…" he sniffed.

"Oh papa… don't cry…"

"This is tears of joy, Karyle…" the little girl wipes his tears and hugs her father to console him.

Dusk came and they decided to go home, Karyle is sleepy so he carried her in his arms. He was walking in a normal pace to go to the bus stop, to wait for the bus to arrive. He was humming a song when suddenly a van stopped before him, taking his daughter by force. At first, he's taken aback but when he regains his awareness and gangster that he was, he did not give in easily he fights back. but he could not defeat the five tall men hovering over him. The men knock him out and then darkness took over him.

He felt pain all over him when he opened his eyes, he could see white washed walls, a smell of medicine and alcohol, and a bustling surrounding.

"Where am I?" he groans.

"Look, he's awake!" someone called from somewhere. He realized that he is in the hospital.

His head throbs when he tried to remember what happened and he started to panic when reality sinks in.

My daughter. My precious daughter is in danger.

'Oh. My. God!' even though he feels groggy, he stand up, running outside and ignoring the yells from behind.

Orlie is desperate to find help so that he could get his daughter back. He has no one to run to. He does not want to be involved in the dark world again but it left him no choice. His daughter is at stake. He dialled the contact number of the only person who could reconnect him to the person who might help him get out of this mess.

"Hello? I need your help…" he sighed wearily. 'there's no turning back.' He mused and told the person on the other line what happened to him and his daughter.

After their talk, he wasted no time and went to their meeting place. This time, they meet at a local café, settles at the far end where no one would like to occupy.

"They've been looking for you everywhere, don't you know that?" the man said, he was one of his colleagues in the dark world. "Your former boss has searched high and low just to find you and kill you. And now you're turning yourself in?" the man feels incredulous with his plan.

"I've no choice, man… my daughter… I need to get my daughter back, she's been abducted, for the reason that I do not know."

"What made you think that it's not the boss who took her?" that left him stunned and gulped in an instant.

"I will know once you help me turn myself in… he may or may not be behind all this but I just to confirm it, I might get some help from the boss…"

"Are you sure? He may spare you alive if you have something to offer in exchange for the help…" he went silent again, lost in deep thoughts.

"Oh, yes, I am willing to do everything and I think I know what the boss wants…"

Immediately, the man in front of him called someone and for just several minutes, they reached the place. Orlie's hands and forehead start to sweat profusely. Fear creeps in him but he must ready himself for all the tortures he might receive from his former boss. He knows what will happen to him the moment he steps in.

"Orlie, the boss is here, are you ready?" he whispered.

"I have no choice," he said helplessly.

He received beatings, punches and lashes from his colleagues, while the boss is looking at him. Just like a lamb, he silently received it, enduring the pain just to save his daughter.

The boss lifted his hands to stop the beatings, then asked,

"Why did you come back? You look desperate." His blood is dripping all over his body and his strength slowly fails.

"My… d-dau-daughter. S-she's been kidnap. I-I need t-to s-save h-her…" he answered in between his breath.

"Oh, I see… what can you do me for me in return?"

"I'll d-do w-whatever you w-want, j-just h-elp m-me f-find m-my d-daugh-ter…"

"Where did you work after you escape?"

"The Briggs and the Howards…"

"Oh! Perfect timing! I have a special task for you to fulfil…" the boss motioned the men to lift Orlie.

"Turn yourself in to the Briggs, confess to them that you're one of the kidnapers of Clark, pledge your allegiance to them, promise them that you will help them find me, get Ingrid's sympathy, put her to sleep, bring her to me and the rest will be mine to work. By that time, your daughter is already in your embrace. I will not contact you, my men will be the ones to monitor you and they will be the one to report to me so that the Briggs won't have any clue…"