Day Two
6:17 am
Stephanie hadn�t slept. She hadn�t been able to, despite offers of sleeping pills and such, which she had refused. How could she sleep, when their little boy was out there, all alone and needing her? She didn�t want to sleep, not until Rhys was back safely in her arms.
�Steph?� Hunter called softly from behind her. �Are you awake?�
She had sat on the rocking chair in Rhys�s room all night, just staring at the photograph of her family sitting on a shelf. She stood up without a word, and just wrapped her arms around her husband, feeling his own come around her firmly.
For a long time they stood in silence, Stephanie gaining some comfort in being in his arms, as she hoped that he was feeling the same being with her.
�Your Mom just called,� Hunter said softly, breaking the silence. �Shane�s still in a coma, but the doctors are optimistic he�ll get out of it just fine.� Shane had been the one who was looking after Rhys, and in resisting the kidnappers he had gotten shot for his troubles.
Stephanie was concerned about her brother, but feeling slightly guilty that she hadn�t given him much thought. �I hope so. He�he�� She trailed off, her throat tightening with emotion, which she tried to push back down. �I can�t blame him, can I? He got shot trying to protect Rhys, and now�now��
�Hey, it�s okay,� Hunter whispered, stroking her hair. �Shane�s tough. He�ll make it just fine, okay?�
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She didn�t want to cry. She did enough of that last night, and already she was regretting having ever done it. Crying meant that everything was final, and there was no way she was ever giving up hope on regaining their son back. Nothing was final.
Stephanie laid her head down on his chest, and tried to lose herself in his heartbeat. It was strong and regular, and she concentrated on it for as long as she could. However, her mind kept drifting back to Rhys. To his cheeky, but charming, smile that lit up his face whenever he saw her.
�I miss him so much,� she sobbed softly, tightening her hold on Hunter. �I want him back, Hunter. I want him back right now.�
�I know,� he replied, his own hold tightening around her. �I want him back, too.�
*
2:33 pm
Hunter stared at the ringing phone, his heart hammering painfully against his chest. It had been ringing non-stop all day, but he refused to take it off the hook. The FBI agents were certain that the kidnapper/s would call, and he didn�t want to miss it.
He noticed Stephanie reaching for it, and he quickly stopped her. She looked at him, and he tried to force a smile. �I�ll take it.�
She nodded, but she continued to watch him, tensing visibly. Hunter waited for the signal to pick up, and when he got it, he snatched the receiver off the hook, answering almost breathlessly.
�Mr Helmsley,� a smooth, male voice greeted on the other end. �I�m a big fan.�
It was him. The confident, almost condescending, voice was mocking. And it struck a chord of fear deep in him. This man had his son.
�Yes?� he managed to choke out, his grip tightening almost painfully around the receiver. Hunter heard Stephanie take a sudden sharp intake of breath, and he knew that she knew who was calling.
�Did you get my note?� the man asked, his tone not changing.
�Yes,� Hunter replied. �And my son. I want to know-�
�He�s just fine,� the man interrupted easily. �Sleeping at the moment. Such a sweet little boy, not even crying once at all.�
�I swear to God, that if you as so much harm-�
�Relax, Mr Helsmley,� the man interrupted again. �All I want are some extra�liquid assets, if you will. I have no interest in harming sweet little Rhys.�
Hunter felt himself boil with anger at the man saying his son�s name, but he said nothing. �The money�s yours,� he gritted out. �We just want our son back.�
�Nice talking to you, Mr Helmsley,� the man said, speaking as if he hadn�t heard him. �And I know this call is being traced, so I�ll be off. Say hello to your lovely wife for me. How is she?�
�No!� he screamed into the phone, but it was too late. Hunter hurled the receiver across the room, absolutely enraged. It narrowly missed an FBI agent�s head.
He turned to face the woman in charge of tracing the call, glaring hard at her. �Tell me you got that.�
But she shook her head, her face betraying no emotions. �I�m sorry, sir. He knew our time, and hung up before we could trace him. However-�
Hunter swore loudly, cutting her off. Then, he felt a soft hand against his arm. Stephanie.
Almost as suddenly as it had arrived, his anger disappeared with his wife�s soft touch. He turned to her, and she was looking at him with a haunted expression on her face. �Hunter, please��
�I�m sorry,� he apologised, hanging his head. He felt tears begin to form in the back of his eyes, but he quickly blinked them away. �I�m so sorry, Steph.�
Hunter had all but forgotten the FBI having practically taken over their home, and he dropped his head heavily on Stephanie�s shoulders, wrapping his arm tenaciously around her. He was afraid that if he as so much lost contact with her, then she would be taken from him as well.
*
4:51 pm
�Mrs McMahon-Helmsley?� a hesitant, but polite, voice called softly, intruding upon her thoughts. She had decided to take some time out for herself out in their spacious backyard, wanting to get away from the constant stream of FBI men and women tramping their way in their house. She didn�t even know what half of them were supposed to be doing.
Stephanie turned around to face a well-dressed man who looked to be in his late 20s. She just stared at him, not saying anything.
�There�s a couple out the front who are insisting to see your husband,� the man explained. �However, we can�t seem to find him at the moment, and they are refusing to leave.�
She couldn�t think of anyone who would be visiting at this time of the day. �Who are they?�
�They said their names are Chyna and Shawn Michaels.�
Chyna and�? Stephanie frowned, unable to process what the Agent had just said. What could the two of them be doing together, and why would they be visiting Hunter? The last time Shawn had dropped by the house was six months ago, after the birth of Rhys. And Chyna. She hadn�t realised she was still on speaking terms with Hunter.
She sighed. �I�ll go and see them.�
The man nodded, and stood aside to let her pass before following her back into the house. Stephanie walked deliberately towards the front door, ignoring all the strangers who avoided getting in her way. Two large men in dark suits were standing closely in front of the door, blocking her view.
Stephanie cleared her throat pointedly, and was surprised to find Chyna and Shawn standing almost as closely together as the Agents, despite the early warning. She looked at them warily, noticing the nervous glances they directed at each other, at the men in suits, and then finally at her.
�Hey, Princess,� Shawn greeted, smiling brightly and trying to be friendly.
She gritted her teeth. Stephanie had always hated that nickname, but nobody ever seemed to care what she thought. �What are you doing here?� she asked shortly, not bothering with any politeness. Shawn was a nice enough guy, once you got to know him, but she had more things to worry about than being seen as a good hostess.
�Is Hunter around?� the blonde man asked, his smile dropping slightly.
�He�s busy,� she replied, keeping her eyes on him. Stephanie knew of Chyna�s intense dislike, bordering on hatred, for her, and the feeling was mutual. �Now�s not a really good time, so-�
�You know what, Princess,� Chyna interrupted. �This doesn�t concern you at all. So, if you�d just move your ass out of-�
�Get out,� Stephanie said in a low voice full of rage, her eyes flashing at the other woman. �Get the hell away from my house.�
Chyna actually made a move towards her, as if to grab her, but was very quickly stopped by the two large men who hadn�t left Stephanie�s side.
Without another word, Stephanie pivoted and walked away, trusting the FBI to remove the two wrestlers from her front step. She could hear them arguing loudly, but then the door closed and all she heard were muffled voices.
As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she heard the phone begin to ring. She froze, noticing as the collective activity around the room suddenly increased. A pretty auburn haired woman stopped before her, holding out one of the cordless phones. �Mrs Helmsley?�
Stephanie took it, a feeling of dread forming in the pit of her stomach. She knew. It was him. Somehow, she knew that it was him. She pressed the �call� button, putting the receiver to her ear. �Hello?�
However, there was silence on the other end, the almost inaudible static filling the room with tense anticipation. To her, this was an ominous sign, and her grip tightened. �Hello?� she repeated. �Who�who is this?�
Her answer was the click of the other end hanging up.
*
10:42 pm
Stephanie was gripping his hand tightly, a sign that she was not yet asleep. �I don�t know how much longer I can take this,� she whispered against his chest.
Hunter gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her hair and away from her face, looking down at her. �It�ll be okay, Steph.�
�I don�t understand why we can�t just give him the money and that�s it.�
The two of them were exhausted, only managing to stay awake due to their collective concern over their son. They were in bed, holding each other for comfort. For now, it was enough.
�It�s the bank,� he explained softly. �They refuse to release such a huge amount of money.�
He felt Stephanie tense beside him. �Goddamn assholes! If it was their kid who was taken, they wouldn�t be quite so hesitant to pay the money!�
Hunter hesitated slightly, not wanting to voice out his thoughts. However, as he should have known already, his wife knew him like no other.
Stephanie lifted her head from his chest and looked up at him with a small frown. �What is it?�
He shook his head, forcing a small smile. �It�s nothing.�
She looked at him seriously. �Now isn�t the time to be holding back anything, Hunter,� she said. �We need each other, and it�s not going to work of we start keeping secrets. Especially now.�
Hunter gazed back down at her, wondering how he could have ever made it this far without her. She and Rhys were the most important things in his life, and he would � as that old cliched saying went � move heaven and earth for them. Although their marriage hadn�t started with a fairytale wedding, it had eventually become genuine, solid. Real.
�I know that, baby,� he replied. �I just didn�t want to upset you anymore.�
�Nothing could upset me anymore than not having our son with us,� she shot back. �Just tell me.�
He took a deep breath. �Steph, you know that I would pay ten times the ransom to get Rhys back. You know that, right?�
Stephanie sat up, staring at him, her eyes widening with understanding. �You�ve been listening to them, haven�t you?� she accused, slipping her hand out of his. �I can�t believe you�re even thinking about not paying the money!�
�I didn�t say that,� he said, also sitting up and shaking his head.
�But that�s what the FBI have been telling you, isn�t it? That this is all a hoax, and that Rhys might�Rhys�� Stephanie trailed off, her emotions getting the better of her as she started to cry.
Hunter reached over and framed her face with both his hands, looking into her face and wanting her to believe him. �Hey, of course we�re going to pay the ransom. Anything to get Rhys back,� he said firmly. �I just wanted to look at all our options.�
But he already knew. Despite having had thoughts about it, there was no other option. Anything to get Rhys back.
