The Love Hostage

There I was, sitting in the middle seat in economy. I was visiting Aunt June in Cincinnati. Why she chose to move there from New York I have no idea. I begged her to move to Los Angeles to be closer to me, but she can be as stubborn as a mule when she has her mind set.

A very handsome man wearing a dark hooded jacket sat next to me. This got me excited, maybe I could get a date before meeting with Aunt June so she'd stop asking me why I was single.

Another person sat in the window seat next to mine. I ignored the person and turned to the handsome man to try and make conversation.

"Hi, my names Scarlett," I said and reached my hand out to shake his. He turned, briefly smiled, then looked down. This was a red flag, but today I felt like a bull and this only caused me to charge, and I continued to flirt.

"What's your name?" I asked him.

"Nunya," he replied.

"What kind of name is Nunya?" I asked.

"As in nunya business, lady. I'm not interested. I don't make small talk, sorry," he said and put a pair of headphones on.

"Rude. Jerk," I said. He ignored what I said, which got me even more heated. I poked his arm and he looked over at me.

"Rude jerk," I said loudly and enunciated the words so he could read my lips. He gave me the thumbs up, turned back around and closed his eyes. I gave him the finger despite the fact he wasn't looking at me.

The flight attendants went over the safety protocols, the plane taxied and eventually took off.

An hour went by and somebody bumped into the rude man and startled him awake.

He turned and looked at me. He stared at me intensely as if he was studying me.

"Excuse me, ma'am," He said. I ignored him.

"Ma'am, I just wanted to apologize for earlier. I'm here on business and I wasn't in the best mood," He said.

"Apology accepted, Nunya," I said.

"You can call me Paul," He said.

"Well, Paul, it's nice to meet you," I said.

We spent the next thirty minutes chatting and flirting.

"You know, you're a really handsome man," I said and put my hand on his leg.

"I'm really glad you said that. I think you're a hell of a lady," Paul said. I smiled.

I leaned in and whispered in his ear, "Want to join the mile high club?" He smiled and nodded. He got up, looked around and headed to the restroom.

I eventually followed. He entered the restroom first and closed the door. I knocked.

"It's me, Scarlett," I whispered. He opened the door. I looked around and went into he bathroom.

He put his hand on my neck and passionately kissed me on the lips. We undressed and intensely made love until one of the attendants knocked on the door.

"There's a line forming outside. We have a lot of people waiting and we're going to have to ask you to finish your business in there please," The attendant said. I started to giggle.

"What do we do? We can't go out together," I asked as we got dressed.

"I'm not sure what your plan was, but mine was to have you turn around and walk out in cuffs, Janice," Paul said.

"What? What are you talking about? How do you know that name," I asked and Paul pulled a gun out.

"You're under arrest. I'm going to collect the bounty on your head," Paul said.

"Janice... How do you know my real name?" I asked again.

"Janice Walker, you shouldn't have testified in court. Poor Johnny Gambino, he's in the clink for life because of you. His son's now offering a reward for your head, dead or alive. Now every bounty hunter, hit man and reward seeker from here to Kentucky is looking for you. I'm hoping to bring you in alive, but only because your pretty. Not every man is going to feel the same, so you're better off coming with me," Paul said.

"If you were planning on arresting me, why make love to me?" I asked.

"Isn't it obvious. I get love and money. Johnny, Jr's offering a million dollar reward," Paul said.

"I'll double that amount if you let me go," I begged.

"You don't have the juice. How's a school teacher going to get two million dollars?" Paul asked.

"I have a large inheritance from my uncle," I said.

"I don't believe you. Now turn around, I'm cuffing you," Paul said.

"One question, how did you find me?" I asked.

"It was easy. I searched your relatives, I figured you were going to be hiding with one of them. I visited all your relatives in California, and you weren't there. I was on my way to Cincinnati to pay a visit to your aunt, but lo and behold, you sat next to me on the plane. That was a lucky break for me. I didn't recognize you at first, hence the rudeness. But after I got some rest, I knew who you were and knew what I needed to do. Now turn around," Paul said.

I turned around, then started shouting for help. He put his hand over my mouth. I bit his fingers and kept screaming.

"You bitch," he shouted and slammed my face into the wall. I stopped screaming.

"You're a piece of crap," I said. He put me in handcuffs and walked me out of the restroom. I heard gasps coming from the other passengers.

"It's okay, I'm a licensed bounty hunter and this is a bountified criminal with a reward on her head," Paul said.

"Liar. I'm a witness against his boss. I'm just trying to fly to my aunt's," I said.

"Shut up, Janice. I put drugs in your pocket, I'll make you look like a dealer," Paul whispered in my ear. I was pretty sure this was a lie, as I doubted he could get anything passed the T.S.A. I stomped on his foot and he screamed. I turned around and slammed my head into his face. He fell backwards and his noise started to bleed.

I started to run.

"Somebody stop that drug dealing bitch from escaping," Paul shouted. Somebody stuck their leg out and tripped me.

I looked up and asked, "Why?"

"Air Marshal. Don't move," He said.

"Thank you sir," Paul said.

"You don't move either. You're both being detained while I check your identities," The air marshal said. I smiled, knowing I would come up clean. My only 'crime' was testifying against a powerful criminal figure. My punishment was supposed to be going into witness protection with my aunt, but Paul the jerk blew my cover.

"Where's your ID ma'am?" The air marshal said. I nodded towards my purse. The air marshal dug around my purse, pulled it out and scanned it with a device.

"It says you're in witness protection, otherwise your clean. No crimes. Looks like you arrested the wrong passenger, Paul. I'm going to need your ID next," The air marshal said. He stood up, removed my handcuffs, then started walking to Paul.

I turned to face Paul.

"What's the matter, Paul. You look sweaty and nervous," I taunted.

"Shut up," Paul said. When the Air Marshal got to Paul he held out his hand and asked again for ID.

Paul reached in his pocket, then pulled out his gun and hit the Air Marshal over the head with it. The other passengers gasped and Paul waved his gun wildly around and ran over to me, shouting "Stay away. Back off. She's worth a million dollars, that reward is mine."

He walked behind me and put the gun to my head.

"Everyone just stay where you are until we land. Anyone moves, I kill you," Paul said.

"You psycho. In the bathroom you said you loved me," I said.

"I lied," Paul said.

"No kidding," I said.

The air marshal shouted, "Hey Paul."

Paul moved his head and said, "I thought I told you to shut the hell..." and the air marshal fired his gun, hitting Paul right between the eyes. His body dropped to the floor. The other passengers started applauding. I smiled.

"Thank you, air marshal," I said.

When the other passengers stopped applauding, the air marshal said, "why don't you come sit next to me."

I smiled and said, "sure."

The air marshal sat down and I told the passenger sitting next to him that he could have my old seat. He smiled and obliged, and I sat down in the seat next to the air marshal.

"My name's Janice," I said, figuring everyone knew my real name at this point.

"My name's Johnny, Jr. And I'm not really an air marshal. Thanks for saving me a million dollars and giving me a good excuse to kill the bounty hunter. You'll be coming with me," He said, smiled and put his finger on his lips indicating I needed to stay quiet.

The only thought going through my head now was, "Oh, crap."

Copyright © 4/03/2023 by A.H. Mittelman. All rights reserved.