It’s all over in less than ten seconds. Leona manages a brief scream before a dirty rough-skinned hand covers her mouth.
As this takes place, the chauffeur calmly carries on loading the rest of the luggage into the boot acting as if nothing is happening. He walks round and gets into the Mercedes, reverses out of the space and drives off.
The minibus waits for a few seconds before following the Mercedes down the slope towards the exit. It turns onto the lower level as a lady in a wheelchair drives herself across the pathway.
One of her wheels gets stuck in a pothole. The minibus comes to a halt and waits.
No-one notices the man who has been observing the entire proceedings get out of a nearby car and attach a tiny device underneath the rear of the minibus and return to his car.
The minibus speeds off with the two petrified girls cowering together on the back seat.
Chapter Twenty-One
After hearing the twin’s mother on the local radio station giving details of when they were arriving back from their holiday, Daniel makes sure he is at the airport in plenty of time to check all the flights arriving from Ibiza.
As the passengers come through from the second flight of the day, he notices the girls and he stands as close to the arrivals gate barrier as he possibly can. He’s already seen the chauffeur and the placard with their names on it. He hadn’t expected that but now they are famous, he assumes this is normal.
As the chauffeur greets them and leads them to the car park, Daniel follows at a discreet distance. He sees them stop by the Mercedes. Luckily, his car is parked on the level below.
It means as they leave, it should be easy to follow in his rental car. All he has to do is wait for the Mercedes to drive down the ramp and past where he’s parked and follow them.
As Daniel watches from his secluded spot on the lower level he can’t quite believe his eyes. He watches, helpless, as the two men wearing masks step out of the minibus, grab the girls and bundle them into the back. It makes him scared and excited at the same time.
What can he do to save them? The girls are being abducted exactly as he had seen in the movies.
He makes a decision. He cannot confront two large men. It is more important than ever he follows the minibus without losing it. The girls’ lives depend on it. His mind begins to race. This is his chance to show them he’s just like Ethan Hunt. He is the only person who can become their hero and save them.
The chauffeured Mercedes has just driven past Daniel’s parking space. He sits in his car waiting. As the minibus drives past, he is about to pull out when without warning it stops a couple of yards in front.
Seeing the lady in the wheelchair, this is Daniel’s chance. He grabs the GPS tracking device, jumps out of the car and crouches behind the minibus and lets the magnet do its work.
It makes a small clink as it connects with the underside of the vehicle but he doesn’t think with everything going on in front that they would have heard. Now, if he loses the van in traffic, he can track its location.
Chapter Twenty-Two
After being forced into the black minibus, Erica and Leona were blindfolded and their hands tied behind their backs with threats of what will happen to them if they ‘try anything funny’.
They are aware of three men in the vehicle. One is the driver. The other two are in the back with them. One of the men is loud and verbally abusive. As he puts on her blindfold and ties her hands, he keeps brushing against Leona’s breasts. And it doesn’t seem like an accident.
The man handling Erica is more gentle and careful with his hands.
The van drives off down the slope of the car park and stops abruptly.
The girls hear the driver shouting.
“Get out the way, you stupid woman.”
After a few seconds, the van moves off, and soon they feel it speed up. They must be on the motorway.
Both girls feel the rough hands as their mobile phones are taken from the back pockets of their jeans. Then a rush of air as the passenger side window opens and shortly after it is closed again. They realise their mobile phones have been thrown out to avoid them being traced.
They both sit quietly as they had been told, wondering what their fate will be.
It is over an hour before the vehicle makes another stop. They can hear as the driver gets out and open what sounds like a squeaky gate, then he gets back in and the vehicle moves forward a few feet before the engine is turned off.
“Keep your blindfolds on and no funny business.”
The girls are bundled out of the vehicle.
Erica is led along by a man who gently holds her arm to guide her. Leona is not so lucky. This man has bad body odour and pushes her along with his hand rubbing and squeezing her backside as they walk.
They are made to sit on two chairs. Their hands are untied.
“Okay, you can take your blindfolds off now.”
As their eyes adjust, they see they are in a dingy room that had once been used as an office. It has two windows along one wall. Both have strong metal bars across. The floor is made up of green carpet tiles so dirty they stick to the girls’ shoes.
“When your parents pay the ransom you will be released. Be patient.” The voice is foreign but sounds calm and almost friendly.
The two men walk out and the door is locked.
The girls hear the men talking to a third man.
“What did you tell them that for?”
“It’s true, isn’t it?”
“It depends.”
“Depends on what?”
“On what
