Sebastian arrived back at Craigowan Lodge to find Jim up and sitting in the dining room.
"He's going to be here tomorrow evening. Short visit. Then he's flying back to the states. I have a plan now. Tell your intel op to meet us at this address the day after tomorrow. 8 pm." Sebastian said, handing him a piece of paper. Jim nodded.
He found Pearl asleep in his bed, with Christian sleeping next to her, a book on her chest. It made him happy to see them there. He took off his suit and laid down next to her, putting his arm around her and looking at Christian. "Daddy has it all figured out. It's just a matter of time now." He whispered. "I will always take care of you and your mum." Pearl stirred and opened her eyes.
"Bash. You're back already." She whispered.
"Yes. Erik will be here tomorrow evening. He isn't planning on staying long. He's going back to the states to find Auggie again." Sebastian said. "And I need you to help with what I have planned. I need you to call Iris and tell her to run the show at your company for a few weeks. If she asks why, tell her Maggie needs some time off. And I want you to tell Erik you are doing this to keep Maggie at bay and away from the company just in case she can't be trusted so he doesn't her suspicious." He said. Pearl nodded.
"I have a plan. It's a good plan but it's going to take some work." He said.
"I trust you." She said.
He kissed her and put his arms around her. "Thank you." He said.
****************
"Father." Erik said as he walked into the meeting room.
"What in the bloody hell is the matter? What is going on with Augustus? How did he find these things out?" Edward asked.
"I don't know what triggered it but he's working with a PI. And it must be a damn good one. I can't find any intel on him." Erik said.
"Well, find some. Head back stateside and do the work. We need him here. And if you can't convince him, then maybe he needs some force to accompany the visit." His father said.
Erik nodded. "Fine. I will bring him back with me this time. And Maggie. Hopefully alive."
"Either way, son. Make it happen." Edward said, looking at Erik with the understanding between them of what he was saying.
"Yes father." Erik said, bowing and taking his leave.
**************
Auggie and Maggie got into the car they hired to drive them to the airport while they were in Sacramento. Maggie was managing Pearl's company remotely and they were exhausted from moving around all the time but it was necessary according to Auggie. They loaded their bags and closed the doors.
"When does this end, Augustus? And when can you tell me what in the hell is really going on?" Maggie asked.
The driver took off into traffic and Auggie began to feel uncomfortable. "Hey. We are going to the airport. That's east. You just merged west." He said. The driver didn't respond.
"Let us out at the next light." Auggie said, pounding on the glass between them and the driver. All of sudden, the car veered off the freeway into the empty lot of a closed down factory of some sort.
"Oh god. Maggie. We are being taken. By my brother and father. I'm so sorry. I tried so hard to protect you. I love you." He said, kissing her.
"What? What in the fuck are you talking about?"
Maggie asked.
Three cars surrounded them and pointed guns at them.
"Just do as they say, Maggie." Auggie said. They took them out of the car and placed bags over their heads and put them in the back of an suv. After a short drive, they were on a plane, kept separate from one another. The fear they felt was insurmountable. They were given something to drink and told to drink it fast. Auggie refused and told them to go to hell.
"Drink it or she gets punished." A man said. He reluctantly complied.
They both woke up several hours later in a small room on some kind of farm, both strapped to chair and groggy.
A large, muscular man in swat gear walked in and sat down in front of them.
"Hello. My name is Blake. I'm a friend of Sebastian's. I'm sorry I had to take you the way I did but it sounds like it was necessary." He said, offering them some candy.
"What the fuck?" Auggie said.
"Yes. I have you here, in Armenia, on a farm in the middle of nowhere for then next three weeks. No one will find you here. There is no WiFi and I've taken your cell phones and laptops. You're safe." Blake said.
Auggie looked at him in complete shock.
"Armenia?" Maggie asked.
"Yes. It's a non-extradition country. Even if you are found here, they have no way of taking you back legally. But believe me, they won't find you." He said as a goat blatted outside the window.
"Think of this as a vacation." Blake said with a smile, untying them.
"Did Sebastian tell you why you needed to bring me here?" Auggie asked.
"Nope." Blake said.
"You just kidnapped us and flew us halfway around the world because Sebastian asked you to?" Auggie asked.
"Yeah. But he asked nicely" he said. "I owed him a favor. Relax and have a nice time. There are two snipers and three agents staying here with you invade things get hairy. Good times." He said as he smiled and left the room. Now a cow mooed by the window.
Maggie looked at Augustus. "You have some serious, serious, SERIOUS explaining to do." She said.
"I'll tell you everything. And it sounds like Sebastian knows now as well." He said. "At least I hope he does."