Chapter 27: Ethan

Isabella didn’t realize anything, just the white vortex of consciousness that suddenly protruded her vision. It was strong and painful. Like a Steele rode being mercilessly thrusted into her head with enough force to jerk something to life, that something would unfortunately be her body.

She moaned pitifully, slowly taking breaths in forced gasps. Her lungs were on fire and her body felt like it was filled with concrete.

Something was pushed into her mouth and squeezed twice, she knew it was an inhaler. It helped almost instantly clear her lungs, making her cough out whatever had settled into them.

“You’re late joining the party, sunshine. Everyone else is already awake.” Ethan chuckled.

Isabella’s eyes felt glued together, it took her a few minutes to open them but what greeted her made her jump forward and if it weren’t for her hands being cuffed to the armrests and few feet of rope evidently tying her to the chair, she was sure that she would have fallen to the floor.

“W-where – what?” Isabella gasped, her voice dry as she looked around and found Niall tied right across the short isle. If her hands weren’t tied she could reach over and grasp his hand.

Unfortunately, unlike Isabella, he had been blindfolded and gagged similar to how Zayn had been.

“We’re heading back to Kansas, sunshine. Don’t you remember?” Ethan asked nonchalantly, making Isabella glance to her left, he had taken a seat beside her. When she looked over she gasped quietly, finding Louis in the partnering seat next to Niall. Zayn and Harry sat next to one another in the next row and Liam seemed to be in the back – she couldn’t quite twist enough to see.

“Why would you take them? They had nothing to do with this, Ethan!” Isabella screamed but winced at her own voice as it caused a sudden headache to puncture through.

“Saudimere’s idea, sunshine. I personally would have left them to die where they were but – he has his reasons.” Ethan replied.

Niall mumbled something, it was barely loud enough to be heard but it caught Ethan’s attention. He got up and pulled the cloth from his mouth before reaching in front of him and popping the cap from the water bottle he had set there before takeoff.

“Here, drink this.” Ethan advised, putting it to Niall’s mouth and tipping it, letting it cascade down his throat. He accepted it grateful, downing it in a few gulps.

Ethan threw the water bottle away into the nearby bin and reached for his gag again, only for Nial to jerk his head away with force.

“What’s going on?” He croaked, his breath coming out sporadically. Even from where she sat, Isabella could swear his heart was pounding loud enough for her to hear.

“You’re on a private jet, making your way toward Kansas. We should be there in the next eight hours or so. We took off fromm England not too long ago, about two hours. So get comfortable, long flight. I’d offer you entertainment but –well, we’re severely lacking that around here.”

“Is Isabella ok?” Niall asked before the gag was slipped back into his mouth again.

“I’m ok.” Isabella promised him, her eyes staring at his blindfold.

Ethan reached over and took the gag from Louis’s mouth, Isabella outwardly flinched.

“You won’t be when I get through with you, you stupid bi-“ Ethan popped the spout of the bottle into his mouth and tipped, making the Doncaster boy choke and sputter, trying to cough up whatever went down the wrong pipe.

“As much of a pain in the ass as she is, you will not – I repeat, NOT call her names. I’ve listened to quite enough of that around here.” Ethan told him blatantly, forcing the gag back into his mouth before he could say anything else. “And while we’re on the subject of name calling, why are they calling you Isabella? Your name is Anastasia Bright – or did you forget that too, darling?”

Isabella lifted her head a little defiantly.

“Why would I keep the last name of a monster? Anastasia died the same day my son did. When I came here to England, I changed my name to Isabella but kept my original last name. Isabella Jade Termlocke. That’s my name now and I wish you to respectfully call me by that.”

“You’re in no position to demand anything, Anastasia. Now, are you thirsty?” Ethan asked, his voice stern.

“No.” Isabella replied back disgruntled, tugging her wrists back, flinching as she hit her elbows on the metal framing that stretched around the seat.

Ethan shrugged and continued down the aisle, giving each of the guys a drink. He may have been sent on this shitty job but he wasn’t cruel enough to not make sure at least the minimal care was taken to assure his deliveries got to their respective party in original condition.

When he got to Zayn, he pulled the gag from his mouth that had been drying his throat since he woke up.

“Hello doctor, you got a heavy dose too, you feeling alright?” Ethan asked kindly, letting him have a drink of the semi cold water bottle.

“Why would you care?” Zayn asked a little taken aback, his eyes staring in the direction of his voice, the tightness of the cloth around his head giving him a headache.

“Believe it or not, I respect you. It’s not every day I get my ass kicked by an Englishman that was worth the challenge. You’re not weak, man, I’ll give you that. My eye is still throbbing.” Ethan chuckled.

“Survival of the fittest, mate. I did what anyone else would do when being attacked, although I will tell you right now, the respect isn’t mutual. I hold nothing but animosity toward you.” Zayn replied to his backhanded compliment.

“I deserve that. I probably deserve a lot more but you’ll have to excuse me, my give a fuck meter is busted and looks to be beyond repair. Now, have you had enough water?” Ethan kept his voice light.

“Yeah, I’ve had plenty.” Zayn muttered, feeling Ethan grip the cloth from around his throat but seemed to pause. He dropped it and continued on toward Harry.

“While I finish with these two, you’ll have to remind me which one is which. I’m terrible with names. You’re Zayn, the blonde is Niall. I remember you saying that. So who is the one here with the long curly brown hair and looks like his face got hit one too many times with an iron rod?” Ethan snorted, finding the fact he looked the worse than any of them.

“His name is Harry and the other is Liam. The one you almost killed with water, his name is Louis.” Zayn replied, hearing Harry take in a lung of fresh air, followed by a press of an inhalant.

“You seem to be having a reaction to the knockout spray, Harry.” Ethan told him, spraying a few more puffs into his mouth before water was given.

Harry gagged on the water, his head dizzy. He did not feel good at all. In fact, he felt like he was going to throw up.

“Leave his gag off for a while, please? He’s definitely going to be sick.” Zayn could hear Harry’s wheezing breath.

“Blindfolded and still sharp as a tack. You’re more than impressive.” Ethan said, smirking, before walking to the front of the plane and grabbing a small garbage bin, bringing it back and setting it on Harry’s lap. “There, in case you yack.”

“I think it was from the shot earlier.” Harry wheezed, gagging, his head dropping toward his lap.

“What shot?” Zayn asked, tensing against his ropes.

“Isabella, she injected –“Harry moaned, the motion sickness hitting him and making his head spin.

“Painkillers, she injected him and Louis with painkillers. They were laughing like two idiots by the time I got to the flat.” Ethan helped, his voice bemused to say the least.

“Is Louis having problems breathing?” Zayn asked with concern, afraid for his friends. Knock out drugs and painkillers – depending on the dosage could potentially deprive the lungs of adequate air.

“He seems fine, he was well enough to yell at Anastasia, so –if that answers anything.” Ethan shrugged.

“Can you take their gags off, please? I just need to ask some questions.” Zayn pleaded, although he hated to sound weak, his friends were his main concern.

“Niall is fine, Louis is currently trying to get out of his restraints so – I believe he’s fine. I’ll leave Harry’s off but the rest stay on. I’m not having this plane turn into a cackling hen party – least when you boys are concerned. You talk way too much on an everyday basis.” Ethan muttered, tugging off the doctor’s blindfold and going to the last row, pulling the gag from Liam’s mouth and giving him a drink of water.

“Can I say something?” Liam asked, figuring now would be a good time to get off his chest what he had been wanting to for a while.

“If you absolutely must.” Ethan muttered, waiting.

“I’d like to say that each and every one of you should be ashamed of yourselves. Bloody hell, I am embarrassed for everyone in this group. This is not – what happened to us? Huh? Did we really forget who we are? I know I’ve just been reminded and the pill is bloody hard to swallow.”

Ethan waited for some sort of continuance but when Liam just went quiet again he re-gagged him and went to Isabella, sitting down next to her again.

“That was fun,” Ethan responded sarcastically, watching Isabella turn away from him and remain silent. “What’s wrong sunshine? Not going to talk to me for the next eight hours?”

“I have nothing to say to you and that nickname is lost on me.” Isabella replied, tugging at her restraints before groaning and hitting her head back against the seat.

“Ella, love? How much painkillers did you give Harry? I only use a small push, did you give him the whole thing?” Zayn asked, keeping his anger in check.

”Yeah, I’m really sorry about that Zayn, I’m sorry to Harry too.” Isabella replied regretfully, feeling bad for almost killing the green eyed beauty.

“You’re lucky you didn’t kill him, love. I – he needs an IV or he’s going to get worse before better. He won’t be able to wait eight hours.” Zayn said, seeing his friend gag again but was dry heaving so far.

“We don’t have those kind of supplies.” Ethan sighed and stood up again, taking out his pocket knife and cutting Zayn’s hands free from the armrest but not before issuing a stern warning. “I’m going to set some water bottles with you, you make sure he drinks and stays coherent. If you try anything cute or think you’re going to be funny, I wouldn’t because I can promise the consequences will be severe.”

“I’m won’t, I just want to make sure my friend is okay. Please?” Zayn begged, bringing one of his hands to Harry’s back and rubbing it softly. “Thank you.”

Ethan nodded and went back to his seat after giving Zayn a few water bottles, not really worried as Zayn was still tied up to the chair and he trusted the doctor far more than the others.

“Thank you.” Isabella told Ethan, though emotionlessly but she was relieved Harry would get proper treatment.

Ethan smirked cockily, reaching over and removing a few strands from Isabella’s face.

“No problem lovely. Seems now a days I’m always cleaning up your messes, wouldn’t you agree?” Ethan smirked, making Isabella turn toward him.

“I ran, you got shot. If you want to hear an apology –“Her lips were seized by his finger, shushing her in midsentence.

“I don’t want to hear it because you could give a fuck about it. I finally get the satisfaction of making you suffer and I can promise you, when Saudimere gets his hands on you, you won’t know rest and you won’t know comfort. All you’ll know is pain –and baby? I’ll be right there to fix you up, right till the last of your dying breath.” Ethan growled, his voice a promise.

Isabella faced away from him but he forced her neck back, forcing her eyes to meet his, enjoying the tears that fell silently.

“What happened to you Ethan? I begged you to come and you wouldn’t. You were married to your job and now it has you shackled –he has something over you, doesn’t he?” Isabella asked softly, knowing the feeling all too well.

“I’m not shackled to my job, I’m loving every moment of it. It’s a bleak satisfaction I have to know that it will all be over soon. He has his recruits, he will have you back – I’ll be free.” Ethan smirked, replacing his frown.

“You’ll never be free, Ethan. Not truly. You will always answer to Glen, you will always be his puppet and beg for his approval –I was the same way and now look at me? I’m running and always looking over my shoulder. Cross him and you’ll never get a full night’s sleep without checking for a monster under your bed.” Isabella said, looking at Ethan and leaning into him, her face close to his. “Trust me, Eth, I know – I know more than anyone. Let these boys go, you want me – you got me. Just, please? I’ve never begged anyone more than I am now for their freedom.”

Isabella was desperate but Ethan wasn’t deterred and he reached into his pocket, bringing out a black and green bandana, knotting them together.

“I think you’re tired of talking now, you look tired, so let me help with assuring you get some rest.” Ethan said emotionlessly, grabbing the girl’s chin and bringing his lips close to her mouth, placing a gentle kiss and smiling at her worn and sad eyes.

“I still love you Ethan but I think you’re a monster. I don’t know what happened during my time away and I know you don’t want to hear it but I am sorry.” Isabella apologized, feeling the material slip easily between her teeth while Ethan secured it to the back of her head and pushed away her bangs.

“It still doesn’t change what has to be done, Ana. You still need to be punished and I need to fulfill my promise to our employer – something you’d know nothing about. Now go on, look away from me. It’s what you’re good at.” Ethan replied in disgust, throwing her head away so she was looking back toward Niall.

Isabella felt a sob escape her throat but it was muffled and she just couldn’t find the strength to care. She had run and she had failed. Whatever happened, it was more than deserving as far as she was concerned – but now innocent people were going to suffer and that was one thing she wasn’t ok with but now the question was, what could she do?

Notes