Frantic (Read 15,999 times)

[djm]

@ Mrs. M. I only seem nice. I can be pretty mean when I have to.

[phloefansince2000]

How come we you didn't post a chapter today!

[DancingDays]

Probably because she's out of town. Today's chapter has been preempted. Please take a visit to Jayland in the meantime.

[fluffysmom]

I'm sure Frantic will resume Monday morning. Jayland is a fantastic option in the meantime.

[Kpatch]

BANGKOK

The men from Salem have landed in Bangkok and made their way to the holding center where Chloe had been. The seven of them are standing in front of a building that looks like a warehouse. There’s a sign on the outside of the building that says “Oriental Trading Company.”
Philip: I'm going in.
Rafe: Hold it. Bo and me are going in first. Try not to attract attention out here.
Bo: We’ll let you know when to come in. Remember our cover.
Daniel: We’re a bunch of guys from the U.S. looking for a good time.
Lucas: How is that different from your real life?
Brady: Enough bickering. Let’s get down to business.
Rafe and Bo go inside while the others wait outside. Philip paces impatiently until Rafe comes back to the door and motions for the others to follow him. They go inside to find the warehouse is empty. There’s no one inside, but there are rows of army cots.
Bo: Let’s split up. Lucas, Daniel, you come with me. Rafe, take Brady with you and check the perimeter. Philip, Joe, you’re both former Marines, right? You can handle yourselves. Why don’t you check and see what’s upstairs. Let’s all meet back here in a half hour or sooner.
The men head in different directions.


A HALF HOUR LATER

Bo: Well, we got nothing. This place is barer than Mrs. Hubbard’s cupboards. They covered their tracks.
Brady: Here’s something. We found these records, but they’re written in a foreign language.
Joe: Let me see that. I can read Thai.
Rafe: Well, what does it say?
Joe: Nothing. It shows some transactions for merchandise. It shows a price, but there are no names. No people’s names. Just a ledger with prices on it. I’m sorry Philip.
Daniel: What a waste of time.
Bo: Well, let’s get out of here.
The men start to file out, all except Philip. He sits on one of the cots, coincidentally the same cot that Chloe had been in the day before. Bo stops at the door and looks back. He sees Philip and goes over and sits next to him.
Bo: Philip? You coming?
Philip: She was here, Bo. I can feel it.
Bo: Sounds like you and Chloe have a connection, just like me and Hope.
Philip: I don’t know about that, but I can smell her perfume. What now? Where do we go from here?
Bo: I wish I knew. She could be anywhere. Anywhere in the world. But we won’t find her sitting here. Come on. Let’s go.
 

THE TRUCK

Chloe has managed to saw through her ropes and her hands are free. She unties her feet and takes the gag off of her mouth. The guard has woken up and he gets up to see what she’s doing. She turns around and sees him hovering over her. He sees she’s untied and he goes to grab her. She takes the knife blade from the Swiss Army Knife and stabs him in the stomach. His eyes go wide and he falls backwards. Through the rear-view mirror, the driver sees the commotion in the back of the truck and stops the vehicle. Now’s her chance. Chloe doesn’t stop to think or feel or hesitate. She jumps out of the truck and runs.


To be continued …

[MrsM]

Run Chloe run!! I hope the guys find her soon!!

[djm]

Love that Philip can smell Chloe's perfume. Means they are not that far behind. Yea for Chloe. Go Girl Go. Hape she is found soon. Thanks for the chapter Kpatch it was a long weekend.

[gapeach]

Hope you had a wonderfully relaxing weekend jkjpatch! What a Monday - can't wait to see if Chloe finds the guys before the driver gets her!

[DancingDays]

Great Monday chapter!!! What a way to start the week. Handy that Joe can read Thai. Seems like he's a good employee to have around. Do we know what Joe looks like (I'm just curious)?

[mae00]

Bwaahahahaha!!! Loved how 'Oriental Trading Company' is a cover for this whole operation.

So glad to know that Joe is there for Phillip too. Bless his heart - stuck with Bo & Chloe's X's.

[fluffysmom]

I was ROTFL at Daniel saying they are pretending to be a bunch of guys from the US looking for a good time. And Lucas saying how is that different from your real life. Loved the Oriental Trading Company too.

Run fast Chloe. If the men in the truck catch her I'm sure she'll be in big trouble. Hopefully the guys will find another lead soon.

[djm]

I am very anxious to read tomorrow's chapter. I keep thinking about Poor Chloe running till tomorrow morning.

[phloefansince2000]

Run girl run! This story is getting better and better! I like the fact that Philip just coincidentally sat on the same cot as Chloe they definitley have a connection they always have anyway can't wait to read MORE!

[André DiMera]

So glad that Chloe got out of there! Hopefully, now, Philip and the others will find her.

Great story, jkjpatch!

[Kpatch]

SOMEWHERE IN THAILAND

Chloe has been running and running, not sure whether someone is following her. She keeps looking over her shoulder every few seconds, for fear of being lulled into complacency. Is she safe? Did she escape her captors? Is she really free? She feels sick about stabbing someone, but it’s maybe a two-inch blade, so she probably didn’t puncture any vital organs or kill him. You can't kill someone with a two-inch blade. At least, that’s what she keeps telling herself. She probably just stunned him and gave herself enough time to run away.

She comes to a clearing and sees she has reached a town. She starts to feel faint. She’s hungry and thirsty and dirty, so she makes her way into a little grocery store. She knows she needs to be careful because she has a feeling that she can’t trust anyone. If she tells anyone her story, chances are good that she will end up back where she started and she’ll be damned if she’ll let that happen.

Inside the market, Chloe begged for food and someone took pity on her and gave her some fruit and vegetables. She knew better than to try to steal anything in a foreign country. She would probably get her hands chopped off. She sits on the sidewalk and eats her food. As the sun starts to set, Chloe realizes she had better find shelter. A woman alone on the streets of Thailand will not be safe. As she watches the sun start to go down, her mind wanders to a peaceful evening on her veranda back home when she and Philip shared a lounge chair to watch the sunset and the boats in the harbor.
~~~~~~~
Chloe: It’s raining harder. We should go in.
Philip nodded as they rose from their lounge chair. Chloe started to walk toward the sliding glass doors leading to their bedroom, when Philip caught her hand and stopped her. She turned around and looked at him questioningly.
Philip: Wait. Let’s not go inside. Not yet. Dance with me.
Chloe: Philip! It’s raining.
Philip: Have you never danced in the rain before?
Chloe: Yes, silly. When I was like 16, I danced in the rain with you.
Philip: Then I’m sure you remember how it’s done.
He took her hands and spun her around and they squealed like teenagers. Then he took her in his arms and held her there as they tried to catch their breath.
Philip: I have a confession.
Chloe: Do I want to hear it?
Philip: I used to think the happiest day of my life was the day you married me.
Chloe: If there’s a “but” coming, you’re in big trouble, soldier.
Philip: Chloe, that was only the start of the happiest days of our lives. Every new day I get to spend with you becomes the happiest day of my life.
Chloe: Oh Philip, that’s so sweet.
He cupped her face with his hand and kissed her lips softly as the raindrops fell on them.
Philip: And I get the feeling we’re not finished yet.
~~~~~~~ 
She could almost smell the rain, hear the raindrops, and feel Philip’s lips on hers as she remembers that night, how safe she felt in his arms. She pushes back the tears, knowing she has to stay strong. She can’t allow herself to give in to self pity or she will never get out of this, never get home. She needs a bed. She needs a phone. She needs to phone home. She sees a hotel across the street that looks friendly, more or less. Maybe they will let her use the phone. Hi, do you mind if I make a long distance call to the United States? Ya right. They won’t mind. But what has she got to lose by asking?


HOTEL LOBBY

The seven Salem men have checked into the hotel.


 
To be continued …