“We welcomed you as guests,” I said. “You took pictures inside Sasha’s home. That wasn’t very nice of you. I’ve come to ask for those pictures.”
Steven laughed. “Oh, is that all you wanted?” He laughed some more.
“What’s so funny?”
Steven shook his head. “Of all the things Sasha should be worried about. Those pictures are the least of her problems.”
“Well, that’s all I care about,” I said. “Can I have them back?”
Steven didn’t move. But I heard footsteps coming toward me from my left and my right.
“We are reasonable people,” I said. “Maybe we can make a deal.”
“A deal,” he repeated. “Yes, I like making deals.” He stepped into the light, and I saw he was holding a rifle. “To make a deal, you need leverage, a bargaining chip. And you’ve just given me a very valuable one, indeed.”
Before I could respond, I was grabbed. My arms were pulled behind me, my hands were tied, and a bag was thrown over my head.
I kicked and thrashed.
Then I was lifted. Someone grabbed my feet and tied them together.
I was carried inside and thrown into a room.
Steven removed the bag over my head.
“You’re going to pay for this,” I said.
He laughed. “Oh, someone’s going to pay.” He shook his head. “But it’s not going to be me.”
He gagged me, then tied my hands and feet together and attached them to something behind me I could not see.
“Don’t go anywhere,” said Steven. He chuckled and left the room.
I twisted and pulled, but I was bound tight.
I lay on the floor and looked to my left to the wide windows—curtains wide open.
16
Noah
We were brought to Iceland to make a documentary. And that’s exactly what we were determined to do. Bonita would forget about the photos of Sasha’s sex room once the finished product of the documentary started to come into view. That’s what we told ourselves. And we believed it. At least it gave us a common goal to work towards.
After dinner, which Bonita did not attend, we hit the studio. Ben recorded some additional voice-over. Will added some background music. It was starting to come together.
“Anyone seen Bonita?” Trevor asked.
No one had.
“Check the exercise room upstairs,” said Christian.
“I have,” said Trevor. “She’s not there.”
“The kitchen?” suggested Landon.
“Not there, either.”
At the time, we didn’t think much of it. She was upset with the latest turn of events, and she wasn’t entirely pleased with us, either. We just assumed she needed a bit of alone time, and we were happy to respect that. “Maybe she’s gone off for a jog,” I said. “To blow off steam.”
It seemed plausible enough. We weren’t worried. Still, we were excited about the progress we’d made on the film and were anxious to show her.
Ben and I finished editing the opening sequence, then we decided to call it a night—actually morning. It was already past seven am, though still dark as night and would stay that way for another three to four hours.
I didn’t realize how tired I was. But as soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out.
I woke up at half-past five. The sun had already set.
Bonita needed to avoid the sun, but I was really missing it.
“I’m going for a jog,” I said to the group who had assembled in the kitchen. “Anyone want to come with?”
No takers.
That suited me fine. A solitary jog would be a good way to get my thoughts in order.
It was during my jog through the forest that I came to an important realization. I needed to apologize to Bonita. I realized just how many times during our stay I’d made decisions for her. I’d thought that by making decisions for her, it would relieve her of some of the pressure and stress she was under. But, as I reflected on just how often I was doing it, I realized that I was also relieving her of her voice, her say, her will.
I will need to do better. I will do better.
During the rest of the jog, I rehearsed my apology to Bonita. I wasn’t having the easiest time putting my thoughts into words. This apologizing thing was new territory for me and not as easy as I’d expected. But I practiced and was genuinely pleased with what I’d come up with.
I returned from my jog, excited about the revelation I had. Turning over a new leaf is quite stimulating! I couldn’t wait to have this important talk with Bonita. I showered and changed into the best clothes I’d brought.
“Where’s Bonita?” I asked Ken in the Polar Trinity.
He shrugged.
I ran into Trevor on the way to the exercise room. “Where’s Bonita?”
He shrugged.
Will and Ben were in the exercise room. Neither of them knew where Bonita was.
No one had seen Bonita for hours.
A wave of panic came over me. An image flashed in my mind: the image of Bonita’s medicine next to my toothbrush in the medicine cabinet. Did I see it just now when I took my shower? Or is that a memory from a few days ago?