Disillusioned

I walked down the pedestrian mall in the center of Times Square and stared up at the bright lights surrounding me. They advertised Broadway shows, businesses, TV shows, everything and nothing. I spun around until I felt dizzy. Stopping, I looked around to see if anyone was watching, but no one was paying attention to me. It made me smile, and then I started laughing. I could do anything I wanted and no one would think it was strange—I would just be part of the makeup of the city. That was why I loved New York—anything and everything was accepted. Though that was part of the reason I hated it as well. I didn’t want to be nameless. I wanted to be noticed. I wanted . . .

My phone beeped and I grabbed it from my bag. I frowned at the text message from “unknown.” It’s not over yet, Bianca. It’s not over until everyone pays. Enjoy the bright lights. Darkness will soon be yours again, but don’t fear. I’m always here.

I dropped the phone and looked around me slowly. Was Jakob here? Who had sent the text? Was I being watched? I shivered as I bent down to pick up the phone, relieved to see that it hadn’t broken.

Who is this? I texted back, but a failure message bounced back to me right away: Sorry, this phone doesn’t accept text messages.

Frowning, I put the phone back in my bag. I walked over to the McDonald’s and took a seat against a wall. All of a sudden, the random crowds of people didn’t seem so safe anymore.

Pulling out my phone again, I called the only other person I could think of. The one person I knew had to know something.

“Bianca,” David answered on the second ring, and I almost cried out in relief.

“David, is that you?”

“Yes.” He sighed and lowered his voice. “What are you doing?”

“I’m back in New York.”

“What?” His voice dropped even lower and I could hear the shock in his voice.

“Surprised Mattias let me go?”

“Bianca, you’re not safe.” He sounded worried. “I don’t understand what’s going on.”

“What are you talking about? Why didn’t you tell me about Mattias? He kidnapped me, David. I was on a—”

“Bianca, listen to me. You need—”

“How could you do this to me? Why didn’t you tell me?” I was so emotional, I couldn’t even think straight. “I really liked you, David, and you used me. You should have—”

“Bianca, I wasn’t using you.” He sighed. “Listen to me, please. Let me help you.”

“Why? Why should I trust you?” I cried out. I could see several people staring at me as I talked. I jumped up and walked out of the McDonald’s and down the street quickly. The lack of safety in the crowd could not outweigh my need to hold a private conversation.

“Bianca, there are things you don’t know.”

“Yeah, I gathered that.”

“Where are you?” he whispered. “Let me—”

“Hold on,” I whispered into the phone as I stopped at a newsstand and stared at the front page of that day’s Times. The headline read, “FTC Approves $10 billion Bradley Inc. Merger, Deal Signed This Week.”

“I gotta go.” I hung up fast before quickly picking up the newspaper to read the article.

“Hey, lady, this isn’t the library. You buying that paper?”

“How much?”

“What does it say on the paper?” he snapped.

I handed him a twenty. “Keep the change.” I walked away quickly and heard him muttering something about entitled trust-fund kids. As if. I walked to the corner, stepped back against the wall, and opened the paper so I could read the article about Bradley Inc. I read it ferociously, swallowing every detail whole and letting it fill my mind. As I read it a second time to make sure I’d fully understood, my jaw dropped.

Bradley Inc. was being purchased by another corporation and last week had been the week when the information went public. The paperwork was to be signed in the upcoming days and then the merger would be complete. I didn’t understand all the intricacies of the article, but everything in me was telling me that this was why I’d been taken to that island. Mattias wanted to make sure that I wasn’t around to ruin the merger. However, why had he let me come back before the merger was complete? It didn’t make any sense. Unless he knew that it was too late for me to stop the merger. Or if he cared about me more than he cared about the merger. I wanted to slap myself for my last thought. Wishful thinking, Bianca.

I pulled out my phone again and tried to call Larry. Unfortunately the call went to voice mail again. I’d call him again tomorrow, but for now I needed to go home. I needed a good night’s sleep, and I needed to digest everything that had happened the last couple of weeks.

I decided to walk back to my apartment instead of taking a cab. I still hadn’t counted how much cash I’d been given, and I didn’t want to spend it all before I had a chance to figure out whether I still had a job, or what else had changed in my absence. I had just reached my door when my phone rang.

I answered quickly, expecting to hear Larry’s voice. “Hello?”

“Bianca.” It was Jakob, his tone soft and silky. I was immediately transported back to the island and his arms.

“What are you doing?”

“How are you?”

“I’m sure you already know. You’ve been following me.”

“What?” His tone changed.