Real Love
Copyright© 2025 by DB86
Chapter 5
Landon gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white as the four-by-four lurched over another treacherous bump. Its tires crunched rhythmically on the gravel mountain road. Sunlight dappled through the dense canopy of pines, casting dancing shadows across the rugged terrain.
The air, crisp and cool, carried the scent of pine needles and damp earth. With a determined glint in his eyes, Landon navigated the winding path, each turn revealing a breathtaking vista of snowcapped peaks and verdant valleys unfolding below. The powerful engine hummed contentedly as he tackled steep inclines, the Land Rover’s capable suspension absorbing every bump and jolt with ease.
Landon stole a glance at Agent Anderson, the stoic government agent assigned to protect his sister, but the man’s mirrored sunglasses gave away nothing. They had had a long conversation the previous night, once Callie went to bed, about today’s excursion.
“I do what I have to do to protect your sister, Mr. Petersen.” There was steel in his voice. “Sometimes that doesn’t make me popular.”
Anderson reluctantly allowed Callie to come with them, when Landon explained to him that the only way to reach Black Mountain was using a four-by-four.
“You didn’t need to come with us, Agent Anderson,” Callie said.
“I was assigned to protect you. I can’t do that if I stay at the cabin,” the FBI man stated.
“Yeah, right.” She paused, then snorted. “And no doubt to take the opportunity to ask some more questions.”
“I’m just doing my job, Ms. Petersen.”
Callie turned to Dylan and asked, “He’s impossible, isn’t he?”
Dylan hesitated. He didn’t want to get on Anderson’s bad side. “Well ... Maybe a little.”
“You’re going to hound me until I answer, aren’t you?” Callie asked, with resignation.
“No, of course not,” Anderson replied quickly, then belied his words by adding, “But if you could just answer a few questions...?”
Callie’s snort of disgust wasn’t encouraging, and the FBI agent sensed his chance to get answers slipping away. “I’m not trying to be a pest,” he said, apologetically.
The silence following his words seemed to spin out for a very long time, then he heard a soft curse. “Oh, very well,” Callie finally said. “Ask your questions before I change my mind.”
“Yes, of course. Thank you,” Agent Anderson murmured, then blurted the first question on his mental list.
“Tell me about the kidnapping. Did they just take you off the street?”
“You don’t need to answer that if you’re not ready,” Landon said firmly, giving Anderson a stern look.
Callie didn’t speak right away. Instead, her expression became thoughtful, and Anderson suspected she was mentally taking herself back to the night she’d been abducted.
Callie looked out the car’s window to get her thoughts straight. When she began to speak, much to her relief, her voice was perfectly calm.
“I met Eddie at a campus party. Someone invited us. I’m in military school, and I thought it would be good to let my hair down. Girls said Eddie was always around, thought they didn’t think he was a student. He invited me to another party next weekend and I agreed because he was extremely good looking.”
Callie gulped, and blushed, feeling like an idiot.
“The party was nothing like the other. There was a lot of alcohol, and drugs, too.”
A shadow flickered across Landon’s face, but he remained focused on the road. Callie continued her voice dropping to a whisper.
Landon slammed on the brakes, the car screeching to a halt. He whipped his head around, his expression a mix of anger and concern. “Alcohol? Drugs, Callie? I just ... I don’t understand.”
The harsh words stung a fresh reminder of how she’d prided herself on being responsible, a straight-A student with a spotless record. Tears welled in her eyes.
He stepped on the gas, still looking at Callie’s eyes through the rearview mirror.
The FBI agent’s voice cut through the tension. “Eyes on the road,” he said curtly, and Landon, with a deep breath, turned back towards the windshield.
“I never touched the drugs,” Callie whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “But I’ll be honest and confess that I’d had too many beers that night. When he flirted with me, I was flattered, reckless, and uncharacteristically wild—and having been such a good girl all my life, I wanted to let loose, forget the worries for once. The last thing I remember is feeling ... fuzzy ... drowsy...” Her voice trailed off, and a shudder wracked her body. A choked sob escaped her lips.”
Landon’s hand tightened around the steering wheel, knuckles turning white. “What?” he growled.
Callie squeezed her eyes shut, and Agent Anderson watched her intently. A kaleidoscope of emotions flickered across her face – fear, shame, a flicker of anger, then a cold dread that settled in her eyes.
Landon let out a growl that seemed to rumble from the depths of his chest. “I’m going to make that son of a...” his voice trailed off into a threat, laced with murderous intent.
Callie’s eyes snapped open, a sliver of steely resolve replacing the vulnerability. “I woke up in the dark...” She paused, taking a shuddering breath. “ ... locked in a cage.”
The words hung heavy in the air. Callie’s breath hitched, and she closed her eyes again. For a long moment, there was only silence. Then, she continued, her voice barely a whisper, “I was ... helpless. Weak. Disoriented. I couldn’t see anything, but I could feel the cold metal bars around me. And I could hear...” she stopped again, drew a shaky breath, and continued, her voice barely audible, “ ... girls sobbing. Someone else was there, in the dark with me.”
“Night after night, Boogeyman took one of us out. When they returned, they were ... broken. I heard words like ‘rape’ and ‘forced’ more times than I wished.” Callie’s voice hitched, and she locked eyes with Agent Anderson, her own welling with unshed tears. “There were moments,” she whispered, “when I wished I was dead.”
A shuddering sob escaped her lips, and Dylan reached out a hand, squeezing hers gently.
Landon tensed, afraid that these memories might be too much for his sister. He tried to think of something to say to make her feel better. But before he came up with something.
Callie, taking a fortifying breath, continued, her voice stronger.
“By the time Boogeyman took me upstairs, and forced me to undress, I was sure I was going to die. I was utterly terrified. But fear wasn’t all I felt. There was a spark of defiance, a will to survive. And because of that, because of my military training, I...” She trailed off, her jaw clenched for a moment before she forced a shaky smile. “Let’s just say I managed to surprise the bastard.”
Dylan offered Callie a comforting squeeze.
Landon’s knuckles relaxed slightly on the wheel. His face remained a mask of grim determination.
Callie wiped at her eyes, taking a deep breath. “I feel ashamed of myself. My prince turned out to be a creepy toad. I know I disappointed you, Landon. I’m sorry.”
She swallowed, and did her best effort to push the bad memories away.
Anderson was ready to ask more questions, but Landon interrupted him. His voice low and dangerous, growled, “That’s enough for today, Agent.”
Dylan took the opportunity to change the subject. “What are majoring in, Callie?”
Callie was silent for a while, as her mind shifted gears, then explained, “I am in an ROTC program to become a nurse. The army wasn’t my first choice, but it was my best shot. They are paying for my full nursing-school tuition. Growing up poor, opportunities were scarce, and the scholarship program offered a path out of the cycle. Yet, for me, the draw went beyond financial security. It was the chance to fulfill a deep-seated desire to help others.”
Callie suddenly relaxed and smiled. Dylan’s serene expression had this effect on her.
“Witnessing firsthand the struggles of my brother with PTSD, I developed a profound empathy for those in need. I saw the impact of limited access to healthcare, the toll it took on families, and the quiet heroism of the nurses who served them. Their dedication sparked a fire in my own heart, a yearning to join their ranks and alleviate suffering.”
“You’re a bighearted person, Callie,” Dylan exclaimed, truly impressed.
“My motivations aren’t purely altruistic. The program promised stability, a chance to build a better life for myself and potentially, one day, my family.”
“Military life is a hard road to take. You gain things, but you sacrifice a lot, too. I told you so many times,” Landon said, looking for her sister’s eyes in the rear mirror.
To read the complete story you need to be logged in:
Log In or
Register for a Free account
(Why register?)
* Allows you 3 stories to read in 24 hours.