Chapter 5 - The Hostage
Maddie rushed forward in a panic and ripped the silver tape off the manager's mouth.
The older man gasped greedily for air and coughed violently.
"Manager Henderson, what on earth happened in here?" Maddie asked frantically.
"Your groom did this to me," the manager wheezed in pain.
Elias quickly produced a pocket knife and untied the thick ropes binding the man's wrists.
"Exactly what time was he in this office?" Elias demanded.
"Right before the wedding ceremony was supposed to officially start."
"He stormed in here with a woman with bright red hair."
Maddie felt a fresh, sickening wave of nausea hit her empty stomach.
Chloe had actually been in the building while Maddie was smiling and putting on her veil.
"They held a knife to my throat and forced me to open the venue's master safe," Manager Henderson explained.
Frank leaned heavily against the wooden doorframe looking completely defeated by life.
"Did he take the cash catering deposits too?"
"He took absolutely everything we had in the vault," the manager cried softly.
Elias walked purposefully over to the manager's expensive desktop computer.
He plugged the burner phone directly into the USB port using a cord from the desk drawer.
His fingers flew across the mechanical keyboard with practiced, terrifying speed.
"Tyler is a complete amateur," Elias muttered under his breath.
"He actually left the GPS location tracking enabled on his sister's text messages."
Maddie stepped directly behind Elias to look at the glowing monitor.
A digital map of the county appeared on the screen with a rapidly blinking red dot.
"Where are they hiding?"
"They are currently at the private VIP airfield just outside of town."
"They are actively chartering a private flight to get out of the state."
Maddie looked desperately at the ticking clock hanging on the wall.
It was exactly ten fifteen in the evening.
"How long until their plane actually takes off?"
Elias rapidly hacked into the airfield's public flight departure log.
"The jet is officially scheduled to depart the runway at midnight."
Frank began to hyperventilate, clutching his chest again.
"My entire life savings is sitting on that airplane."
Maddie turned to Elias with a dangerous fire burning brightly in her eyes.
"Can you get us to that airfield before they escape?"
May you like
Elias smiled fiercely and grabbed a set of keys hanging on the wall.
"I believe it is time for the main course."
