Lou stepped in first, Nat slamming the door behind them. ‘Firstly, everyone does as I say or people get hurt!’ She saw a tall dark haired man reached for his phone. ‘Secondly, give me for phones now!’ Nat stepped forward and took a phone off each man, looking at them closely sizing them up. Lou spoke into a radio. ‘OK come up!’ She turned to Nat. ‘Tie them up. Lads we are going for a little ride!’
Nat slowly tied each man up with hands behind his back. Just as she finished the last blonde there was a light knocking.
Nat opened the door to three women.
‘Take ya pick!’ Lou laughed, as they each grabbed a lad. ‘Lads no funny business remember!’ She warned. Nat grabbed the blonde one she tied up last as Lou grabbed the tall dark haired one.
Nat got in the back of the van with their captures and shut the door. Lou was driving as she was the only one who knew where they were going, there would be more armed back up when they arrived but for now they were alone.
Nat started to sweat, already she knew that this was wrong and that nothing good could come of it, she looked up into a pair of terrified blue eyes.
‘What are you trying to achieve by kidnapping us?’ He asked.
‘Who was that?’ Lou hollered from the front.
‘Kian.’ Nat spoke quietly, the lads shocked she knew their names.
‘Well Kian, it’s not about money if that’s your thinking. You’ll find out in time, why I’m doing this.’
Mark kicked Nicky’s foot, to make him look up at him, Nicky had tears rolling down his cheek.
‘Don’t worry Nic, everything will be ok, everything will be back to normal again in a few days.’
‘I wouldn’t be too sure little man!’ Lou laughed. ‘Here we are!’ She reversed into a garage. The doors opened, Nat grabbed Kian’s arm shocked at the size of his muscle, and dragged him out.
‘The lock up room is that way!’ Lou shouted pointing to the left. Nat pushed Kian a head of her, and pushed him down the small dark corridor to the tiny room at the end. It had a security camera and a sofa opposite the door.
‘Sit ‘em on the floor and tie ‘em together!’ Nat heard Lou order from behind her. Nat pushed Kian downwards, but he stood up again.
‘Sit!’ Nat shouted, reaching for her gun.
‘Looking for this!’ Kian laughed pulling his hands out from behind his back.
‘Drop the gun fool!’ Lou shouted coming in, pushing everyone else forwards, she was carrying a semi-automatic. Kian dropped the gun and kicked it across the floor to her.
‘Ann tie him up again! Sarah make sure these lads don’t go anywhere!’ She laughed. ‘Nat!’ She screamed walking away. Nat followed her into Lou’s makeshift headquarters.
‘Look Nat, you know why I wanted you on this case, three reasons. Cus you know a lot about them from your job,’ Nat used to be a security guard in the police force. ‘Cus you are one of the strongest women I know and because you owe me.’ She came forward and stood just in front of Nat. ‘You owe me big time, for stuffing things up for me more than once, stuff up this time and you’ll know about it!’ She smacked Nat across the head with the end of the gun.
Nat blacked out, when she woke there was no more light coming in through the tiny window at the top of the wall.
‘Just in time for your shift!’ Lou laughed. ‘Go and get Sarah, you stay with ‘waste-of-life!’ she crackled. Nat stood up putting her hand to her head, her head was bleeding, and she had a banging headache.
‘Lou wants ya.’ Sarah was lying on the sofa with the lads tied up in a circle in front of her.
She shut the door behind herself as Nat sat on the sofa rubbing her head.
‘Nice bruise!’ Bryan laughed.
‘Shut it, or I’ll shut it for ya!’ Nat warned speaking as loudly as she dared. She reached for her gun, only to realise that Lou still had it. ‘Shit!’ She swore under her breath.
‘Things not going well!’ Bryan laughed again. Nat kicked him in the stomach.
‘I may not have a gun, but that doesn’t mean I have no weapon!’ She crouched beside him and punched him in the face. ‘Shame really, I thought you were quiet good looking really.’ She sat down again, rubbing her head gently. Ann came in.
‘Here Lou said to give you these back.’ Ann handed her a gun, a knife, a wallet and a note from Lou.
‘That was only a warning, don’t stuff up!’ It read. Nat put the gun in her waist and the knife in the holder round her ankle.
‘Oh, and she wants everything, but their clothes. Wallets, keys, jewellery, and stuff.’ Nat stood up and started to search Shane, she chucked everything into the far corner. She moved on to Bryan searching around his ankles, then his legs and pockets.
‘This turn you on then?’ He chuckled. Nat punched him in the stomach and face again. As she moved to Nicky he starting sobbing quietly and shaking.
‘Don’t worry Nix, just do as she says.’ Shane spoke for the first time.
‘Your friend’s smart.’ Nat said pulling his rings off, then his belt. She placed a hand briefly as she moved on to Mark, and finally Kian.
‘How long are you gonna keep us here?’ Kian asked.
‘As long as it takes.’ Nat said taking his necklace off.
‘What takes?’
‘As long as it takes for Lou to get what she wants.’
‘Which is?’
‘Stop asking questions!’ Nat snapped, starting to sweat again. ‘You don’t want to know the answer to that.’ She said quietly sitting down. Sarah came in.
‘Lou wants you for talks, she wants a lad and the stuff.’ Sarah put their things into a cloth bag as Nat untied Kian from the circle.
‘Tie those two back together.’ Nat sat taking the bag and pushing Kian forwards.
‘Sit him down and tie him to the chair!’ Lou ordered. Nat tied him up and looked across at Lou.
‘Head still hurting then?’ Lou laughed as Nat wiped the sweat off her forehead. ‘Right phone Anto and explain things to him.’ She pushed the phone forwards. Nat dialled ‘141’ before the number.
‘Anto, listen up and listen good, we have your lads here, so far no one been hurt, apart from that big mouth Bryan.’ Nat spoke quickly.
‘What do you want? Money?’
‘Oh no, Anto we don’t want money, we want revenge.’ Nat waited for him to start to answer then hung up.
‘Nice one, what was his reaction?’ Lou asked. Nat retold the story to her, Kian’s eyes widened.
‘Why do you want revenge?’ Kian asked, not sure if he really wanted to know the answer. Lou stood up and walked round to him.
‘Well Kian, it is Kian right?’ Nat nodded. ‘Well, ya see I was I was in love, in love with a fantastic and amazing person, and then he went and cheated on me. Guessed who this person is yet? That person was Ronan, oh yes, your boss. I want to hurt him. Hurt him like he hurt me.’
‘What exactly do you want?’ Kian asked nervously.
‘I want Ronan dead and I want 6 million.’ Lou sat down again, studying Kian’s face fall. ‘Take him back, I’m going to bed.’ Lou walked over to the mattress in the corner. ‘You’re watching them through the night, Nat, punishment for earlier.’
Nat untied Kian, pushing him slowly back to the room.
‘Why do you take orders from her?’ Kian asked.
‘Shut it!’ She pushed him back to the floor tie-ing him back with the others. ‘Get me some water will ya Sarah, and a cloth?’
‘Sure.’ She left, returned with them and left again. Nat wiped clean her cut, and then drank some water. Nicky cleared his throat.
‘Can Nicky have some water he has a bad throat?’ Mark spoke quietly.
‘Sure.’ Nat moved round and helped Nicky drink from the bottle.
‘Thanks.’ He smiled as she sat down again.
‘Why do you take orders from her?’ Kian asked.
‘What?’ Nat wasn’t listening to him.
‘Why do you take orders from her?’ He asked again.
‘Off Lou?’ He nodded. ‘Because.’
‘Come on why?’ He looked up at her. Nat gave in.
‘Lou said about Ronan cheating on her, he cheated on her with me, Lou nearly killed me literally, then we met again and she started threatening me, saying this time she’d finish me off unless I did this job with her. I did the job, but I sorta messed up, I shot her in the foot amongst other things, and so she said if I did this last job then she’d leave me alone. I know how things like this work; I was on the police force, never again though.’
‘Nicky always wanted to be on the police.’ Nat nodded. ‘That how come you’re so strong then, for a women?’
‘Yea, and I used to kick box, for years.’ Kian nodded.
‘How come you know who we are?’
‘I used to be one of Ronan’s security people, and toured with him when you guys did. Does anyone want any of this?’ She asked holding up the water, they all nodded. ‘Ok, Nicky you can have some more if there’s any left.’ She helped them all drink a bit and then let Nicky finish it off. Sitting down again Sarah came in.
‘Lou wants you.’ Nat headed to her room.
‘Lou?’ Nat looked in, not seeing her. Lou shut the door behind Nat.
‘You wanted to see me?’ Nat said as she turned to Lou.
‘Yes, I saw you talking to that blonde one, Kian, and then giving them all water.’
‘Yea, no said we were torturing them, geez Lou what’s got into you?’
‘Me? What about you?’ You’re a slut and you know it!’ She spat.
‘Stop bringing up the past Lou.’ Nat turned to leave, but Lou jumped on her pushing her to the floor, Nat banged her head on the concrete floor, Lou stood up and started kicking her in the stomach.
‘This is for what you did to Ronan!’ Then she sat on the floor and started punching her in the face.
‘Get up!’ Nat rolled over almost passing out. ‘Get up bitch!’ Slowly Nat stood up. ‘Hit me! Go on hit me! Fight back slut!’ Nat swung at her and hit her jaw. ‘That feel good? Hit me again.’
Instead of hitting her, Nat kicked her in the face, sending her to the ground. Slowly Nat hobbled out and collapsed in the main warehouse.
As Nat woke it was light again, two passings out in 24 hours, she thought, I can’t do this again. Wearily she walked to the toilet, the only one, there was too cubicles. Ann was in there with Nicky.
‘Nat what happened?’ She asked, forgetting Nicky, who was too shocked to do anything but pee.
‘What does it look like?’ Nat saw Nicky looking at her in the mirror. ‘Someone’s with the others right?’
‘Yea, Sarah is.’ Nat washed her face with a cloth, but dropped it, she tried to bend down, but couldn’t because of the pain.
‘Ann can ya pick that up for me?’ Nat pulled up her shirt to revel a stomach of bruises.
‘Wow, she really laid into to huh?’
‘Yea, she does that once more and I’m walking.’
‘Really?’ Lou walked in hearing the last comment. ‘Get him outta here!’ Ann grabbed Nicky and pulled him away quickly. Lou had a black eye and a split lip, but she wasn’t half as bad as Nat.
‘You’re gonna walk huh?’
‘Yes.’
‘You wouldn’t dare.’
‘Try me.’ Nat turned to walk away.
‘Get Blondie out again, I think it’s time we talked to Anto again,’
Nat silently untied Kian and helped him up.
‘What the hell happened to you?’ He asked quietly as they walked to Lou’s office.
‘Lou saw us talking and me giving you water.’
He turned quickly. ‘So she did this to you?’ Nat nodded and pushed Kian forwards again.
‘Don’t worry, I’m not giving her a chance to do it again.’
‘Kian welcome!’ Lou laughed. ‘Tie him to the chair.’ Nat tied him up but not half as tightly as she done the day before. ‘Now Kian, we are going to do a deal, a swap, 6 million and Ronan, for you five.’
‘It’ll never work.’ Kian said looking her straight in the eye.
‘Shut it! Now Nat phone Anto and explain!’ Nat dialled the number.
‘Anto, here’s the deal: 6 million, in unmarked ten’s and Ronan Keating, and you’ll get ya lads back unharmed.’
‘Where? When?’
‘Don’t worry, I’ll be in touch.’ She hung up. ‘He wants to know when and where.’
‘Ha Kian! It is working!’ Nat shook her head. ‘Say something Nat?’
‘Yea, it’s not gonna work, he’s bluffing.’
‘How the hell would you know?’
‘Cus I used to work on the other side of these things! I know what’s happening, what he’s being told to say!’ Lou punched her in the face.
‘Shut it!’
‘That’s it, I told you once more and I’m leaving!’ Nat stood up and walked out, of the room.
‘Fine we don’t need you!’
‘Yea, you do and you know it!’ Nat walked out of the warehouse. She saw a man walking past.
‘Excuse me, can you tell me the address of that ware house?’
‘It’s on that board, dear.’ He said looking at her wounds.
‘Thank-you, do you have some change for a phone call?’
‘Sure, and you might want to see a doctor.’
‘Thank-you.’ Nat ran across the road, to the phone box. She number Anto’s number off by heart and dialled it.
‘Hello Anto, yea you may recognise my voice, look I know the address of where they are. Its 20 Leicher way, Swords, Dublin. Ok? My name’s Natalie Kenny. I promise this isn’t a trap, get some police down here quickly, they have four pistols and two semi’s, I dunno how many knifes. No one has been hurt yet, only a few punches. Are the police on the way?’
‘Yea, thank-you so much.’
‘You’re welcome.’
‘Will you tick around to help the police?’
‘Yea, tell them I’ll be behind the phone box opposite. I’m about to run out of money.’ Anto was going to say something but she was cut off.
Within ten minutes there was ten police cars and about 35 policemen and a squat team. Nat had drawn them a map of inside the warehouse, only two exits. They were about to storm the warehouse. Two ambulances arrived just in case, one of the paramedics tended to Nat before she was gonna be taken down to the police station.
She didn’t see any of the lads come out as they wanted her away before Lou and everyone came out.
They questioned Nat, she told them everything, and she was charged with GBH on Bryan and assistance to kidnapping.
She was being shown back to her cell, as Kian was brought in for his statement.
‘Nat!’ He shouted across to her, she turned.
‘Hey Kian.’ Nat smiled unhappily.
‘Can I talk to her alone please?’ Kian asked the man who was attached to the other end of Nat’s handcuffs. He led them into a small room, and shut the door behind himself.
‘They told me, you told Anto where we were.’ Nat nodded. ‘You saved our lives!’ He hugged her. ‘Have they arrested you?’
‘Yea, GBH on Bryan and assistance to kidnapping.’
‘What? That’s stupid, the only person who should go down is Lou! She nearly killed you!’ Kian touched her face, she now had six stitches, he leaned forward to kiss her.
‘Kian we can’t.’ Nat turned and opened the door. ‘See you in court.’ Nat smiled. Kian kissed her cheek.
‘Thank-you.’
‘Members of the jury, have you come to a decision?’
‘Yes.’
‘Starting with Louise Cummingham, on the account of kidnapping, Shane Filan, Kian Egan, Nicholas Byrne, Bryan McFadden and Mark Feehilly. Guilty or not guilty?’
Guilty.’
‘On the account of ABH on Natalie Kenny, guilty or not guilty?’
‘Guilty.’
Natalie Kenny on the account of GBH on Bryan McFadden?’
‘Guilty.’
‘On the account of assistance to kidnapping?’
‘Not guilty.’
‘Ann Marie Prescott on the account of GHB to those mentioned above?’
‘Guilty.’
‘On the account of assistance to kidnapping?’
‘Guilty.’
Sarah Clare Prescott on the account of assistance to kidnapping?’
‘Guilty.’
‘Louise Cummingham, I sentence you to thirteen years imprisonment and £5000 fine to Natalie Kenny as compensation. Natalie Kenny I command you to pay Bryan McFadden £1500 compensation. Ann Marie Prescott, I sentence you to four years imprisonment. Sarah Clare Prescott, I sentence you to four years imprisonment. Court is adjured.’
‘Your bitch! I’ll get you!’ Lou shouted across the court to Nat, who turned and walked away, out of the court, thanking her lawyer.
‘Nat!’ She turned to see Bryan, Mark, Shane, Kian and Nicky heading her way.
‘Hello!’ she hugged them all. ‘I’m really sorry, for everything.’
‘Hey shut up! You saved our lives!’ Bryan hugged her again.
Kian pulled her aside, he hugged her.
‘Thanks again.’
‘Thanks for saying all that nice stuff about me in there.’
‘I wasn’t lying, I really like you, a lot.’ Kian leaned forward and kissed her. He pulled back. ‘I’m sorry, it’s not really the-‘
He stopped as Nat pulled him back for another kiss, wrapping her arms around him.
The others looked on laughing and clapping.
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