The Fortress by Catherine Holland (english reading book TXT) 📕

and menacing. “If that was my intention it would’ve happened already. No, you are here for a different reason; but that one i will tell in due time.” Dana lay frozen, he’d spoken softly but dangerously; meaning every word.
“I’d love to stay and chat but i have important work to do.” And with that he turned to walk out of the room. “Don’t walk away from me you self-righteous bastard! We’ve done nothing wrong, let us go!” The figure turned around, his eyes flashing. In one quick movement he’d walked up to Dana’s head and hit her across the face.
“Don’t talk back to me you silly girl, especially in that tone. You will learn some respect!” He spat. Dana had refused to wince at the hit, but couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down her face. The girl beside her was still screaming, finally having enough of the noise the figure walked over to her and hit her hard across the face.
The girl’s head rocked dangerously to the side, and before the figure managed to walk from the room the girl shouted; “I know who you are! When i get out of here i’m going to tell everyone what you’ve done! You won’t get away with this.” The figure smiled coldly over his shoulder and replied; “By the time we release you, it won’t matter who you tell. We’ll be above the law; untouchable.”
And with that last word he walked from the room, closing and locking it behind him and slowly going up the stone steps, extinguishing the lamps as he went, throwing the girls into near darkness, their only source of light a single lamp in the hallway beyond the locked door. Dana could sense the other girl’s fear, so she started talking before the inevitable screaming began again.
“Hey, what’s your name?” “Clara Hartsbridge, what’s yours?” “Dana Holding, wait! You’re Clara?” “Isn’t that what i just said?” Dana smiled despite the situation they were in. “Clara you have no idea how good it is to know that you’re alive! Almost everyone gave up hope, your brother Ryan never did though, he was adamant that you were still alive.”
“What do you mean ‘almost everyone gave up hope of finding me alive.’ I’ve only been missing a few days right?” Dana shook her head, “No, it’s been closer to a month.” “A month? They’ve kept me here for a month? Bastards!” Clara screamed the last word, not caring whether their kidnappers heard. “Clara, calm down. Just be thankful you’re still alive, it could be a lot worse.”
“How so? I’ve been kept in near darkness alone for a month. My friends think i’m dead and my brother must be beside himself with worry.” Dana heard Clara start to cry and she could do nothing for her. In a corner of the room Dana saw a blinking light, their kidnappers were watching them. Clara’s tears subsided into sobs, “Dana? How do you know Ryan?”
“My boyfriend Max and i helped look for you when you first disappeared, we would go out every night regardless of the curfew. The police got tired of catching us out after curfew and soon aloowed us to search for you with them.” Clara was silent as she tried to steady her voice, then Dana said “You told that figure you knew who ‘they’ were.
“How do you know who ‘they’ are?” “the one who was here just now is Ahmed, he and his twin brother Bastien have recently transferred in from some out-of-state school, they’re identical twins from Arabia.” Dana thought that over for a moment, then realisation hit like a ton of bricks. “Oh my god! They’re trying to solve the mystery of who the land belongs to!
“The plaque outside the Castle that everyone ignores, they’re going to fulfil it, and i hate to think of how.” “That seems like the plan doesn’t it?” Clara replied grimly. Dana saw Clara turn over and gasped, she couldn’t help it, and it looked as though the twins had been punishing Clara for weeks, judging by the cuts and bruises on her face.
Clara grimaced “My face is only the start or so they say. Punches i can just about handle, but from what they were saying it sounds like much worse is in store for us.” “We’ve got to find some way out of this place.” Dana said, although how they were going to do that bound to a bed seemed impossible, and Clara’s silence only confirmed her inner thoughts.
They weren’t getting out of this prison until the mystery of the Castle and the land had been solved.


Chapter Four


Dealing with the disappearance of the second girl, the police had replaced the curfew and placed officers at the entrance to the Caste where they girls had vanished from. Officers had also been placed outside the College, as they had established that the two girls were from the same College; but still couldn’t determine why they’d been taken.
The search had begun again with a new gusto, flyers put up and another press conference held, but it was all to no avail, as the days turned to weeks the police lost hope of finding either girl alive. Only one person remained convinced that both girls were alive; Ryan Hartsbridge, brother of the first victim.

* * * *

Ryan was pacing the large but comfortable living room of the home he shared with his younger and only sister. He knew the chances of finding Clara and now Dana alive and healthy were incredibly slim; especially given the amount of time they’d been missing for.
Ryan also knew without a doubt that they were still alive, he would know if Clara was dead, but had a difficult time trying to convince other people that she was alive; when they’d looked at him with pity he’d given up on them and retreated within himself and his home, away from prying eyes and the pity evident on their faces.
A knock on his front door stopped Ryan’s pacing. He walked from the room and into the large hallway, he opened the door and wasn’t surprised to see Max there; Ryan knew he had an ally in Max as it was his girlfriend Dana who’d been taken. Ryan sttod aside and llet Max enter his home, leading him into the living room and inviting him to take a seat, while he continued his pacing.
After a few minutes Ryan remembered his manners, “Would you like a drink?” “No thanks, i only needed a few minutes of your time to offer my help in searching for Clara and Dana. I believe you when you say they’re alive; i know that time is against us and a lot of time has passed, but the police are calling off the search for Dana, the same as they did for Clara.
“I know that you have the money and the resources to tear this town apart looking for them, and if i had your funds then i would do just that. As it stands i just want to be a part of the search you’re putting together for tonight. I know the woods better than anyone else in this town as i spend so much time in them. I can be a great ally to help you look for them.
I understand the turmoil you’re in, as i’m there myself. If i leave you my cell number and give you time to think about it, will you give me a call and let me know? After all; two sets of eyes, ears and brains are better than one. That’s all i came to say, i’ll leave you in peace now.” Ryan watched Max stand up and walk out of the room heading for the front door. He heard the front door open and then close.
Once alone Ryan realised that Max was right, Max did know the woods better than himself, as he’d only moved here to be with Clara after the accident that had killed their parents, and he could definitely use an ally in his search for both girls, even though Clara was his only priority. Ryan stopped his pacing and walked quickly to the front door; he opened it and saw Max walking down the road only a few feet from his driveway.
“Max wait a minute; you’re right i do need an ally. Everything you’ve just said is the truth; will you come back inside so we can start to plan for tonight’s search?” He saw Max start walking back, and when he was level with Ryan; he continued “By the way, out of sheer curiosity how did you find out about tonight?”
Max smiled briefly, “I knew because it’s something that i‘d do.” The two teenagers headed back inside the house to plan for the search. Ryan led Max into a room that resembled a study; it contained a state-of-the-art computer, printer and scanner with a large table in the centre of the room surrounded by chairs with a large map covering its surface; part of the wall behind the table was covered in newspaper clippings of the kidnappings.
There was also a birds’ eye view of the Castle with a large red circle covering part of the pictures details, the circle indicated where the girls had been taken from; and several red lines went in different directions as if indicating any number of ways that the kidnappers could take their quarry. Ryan had worked hard on gathering the information he had, which included himself going to the scene of the crime and attempting to re-enact the kidnapping.
The attempt had failed as Ryan had had to act as both the victim and kidnapper, he hoped that Max would be able to help with this as it would make things a little clearer as to the method the kidnappers used for an escape. Ryan let Max look around for a few more minutes then walked over to a corner of the room nearest the table and switched the kettle on.
“Did you want that drink yet Max? What you see in this room is what you would call my base of operations. So far i’ve gathered as much Intel as i can; which is what you’re looking at. I would like an attempt at re-creating the actual kidnappings so i can discern their methods of escape; if you’re serious about helping me search for Clara and Dana then you’ll be spending most of that time with me.
“But before we go any farther; i’m going to have to ask you if this is what you really want to do.” Ryan had looked at Max whilst he’d been speaking, his eyes dropped from Max’s face and concentrated on making coffee; giving Max time to think of whether he really wanted to be a part of this. “I take my coffee with cream and one sugar, and yes i’m deadly serious about helping you. I think re-creating the kidnappings will be of great importance to what we’re doing here. You don’t need to worry about me changing my mind over this; i’m committed one hundred percent. I want Dana found as much as you do Clara.”
Ryan nodded and handed Max his coffee, then taking his own mug he bent over the table and said, “Where do you think would be a good place to start the search? As you’ve said you know the woods better than me and