Chapter 92 - I Made A Bad Call

Benjamin

I clutched my hands to the table. It felt like I was going to break it in half. 

"I am hurt." She cried. I could no longer look at the screen. This physically hurt me to see her this way. "Our country is powerful, rich beyond comprehension and our people are thriving." She said like she was reading a script. 

"That is because we have the Sharia in place." She continued. "Our county has been led by mighty Sultan's that were true men of the house of Saud." She said monotonously. 

That was what this was about. I was not born in Saudi-Arabia and certainly not raised there either. They were scared of western influences. 

"As we do not see Benjamin, the prince of Saud fit for the throne, we asked you to step down now." She said in a shaky voice. 

I could hear she was forced to say this.

"If you do not step down in 24 hours they will kill me." She said.  I saw her lips move, but there was no sound. 

"Wined that back!" I ordered. "No that is too far." I said.  Some one backed the video and then fast-forwarded again. "Yes from there!" I urged.

I watched her lips move and imitated her. It seemed like she said; 'I love you Benjamin'. Or; 'I love you Benjabear'.

"They say that she is saying; I love you Benjabear." The president said frowning a little. My grandfather was not pleased with this and I could guess why. This made me seem weak.

I did not care. Even in the midst of being kidnapped, she found room to tell me she loved me. That brave woman.

"Could you trace from where the video is sent?" I asked as I thought of that possibility. "We are trying." Both the president and my grandfather said. 

"We need the address. I want to negotiate." I said. "About what?" my grandfather scoffed at me.

"I need my wife back." I said. You could of heard a pen drop, because it was silent.

"You want to sacrifice her, don't you?!" I said to the both of them. "Well… officially I am not involved in this to begin with." The president said. "But I strongly advise you to let her go, because the chances that she will make it out alive to begin with, are very slim." The president told me.

"You have got to be kidding me." I said standing up in anger.

"If you will do that, then I will make a video myself and post it to every news station, stating I am stepping down." I warned.

"You will find my wife in those 24 hours or else I will be done." I said looking into the camera.

Then I turned around and walked away, out of the room. I smashed the door shut.

It was night time. We had been in that meeting for hours and hours and it all came down to nothing. 

I lay down on my bed, still fully dressed. 

I could see nothing else than those green cat-like eyes staring at me. I cried. I was not a man that easily did, but Jasmine was…

I had never loved a woman like I loved her. She had not been one to easily give herself to me, but I would of chaste her around the world, until she was finally mine, if I had to. 

She was the most smart and most brilliant woman I had ever seen in my life. No one compared to her. She was my best friend.

And I… 

"Ben." I heard someone say outside my door. I took me a while to realize is was Saphira. I looked on my clock and it said it was 03:20. It was an odd time to come visit me. 

I stood op and opened the door with just a crack. I wanted to let her know she could not come in. "How did it go?" She asked me. "How did what go?" I sighed heavily. I was in no place to hold a decent conversation right now. 

"You had a conference call." She said. "And then we saw you on the news." She smiled. There was nothing to smile about. "So you are doing it?" She asked me.

"What am I doing Saphira?" I mumbled. "You are taking over the throne?" She voiced. "Well… that depends now." I stated. "On what?!" She urged me to continue.

I sighed heavily and closed my eyes.

"I know you mean well…" I shrugged. "But I don't was to discus this right now." I said in all honesty. 

She was quiet, but still stood there. This was becoming a little awkward. Did I really have to send her off myself? Wouldn't she get that she was not welcome at my door at this hour?

"Saph, you should go to sleep." I said hoping she would take the hint and leave.

"But you are not sleeping either." She argued. "It's late." I simply said. "It is actually very early in the morning." She said half-smiling. 

"Fair enough." I told her. 

"Now go to bed then." I ordered.

"I want to stay here." She said in a small voice. "Well… no." I said and scratched my head. 

"Please." She said with puppy eyes. "I am married." I told her. She was wearing a blue satin pajama pants and blouse. "Why does everyone keep telling me you are married?!" Saphira said in an irritated voice.

"Because I am." I said wanting to be clear. 

"I know that you are!" She said whispering louder now. "Why does everyone seemed to think I am some kind of homewrecker my goodness, for crying out loud." Her words came out like a river of complaints. 

"Okay." I said sharply breathing out. "What can I do for you at this time." I said trying to be polite. I did not like snapping at her.

"Can you sing me a song?" She asked. I looked at her, with one eye closed. "Really?!" I said under my breath.

"I need to sleep." I told her.

"I can't sleep." She breathed. "I am scared." She said. I cocked my head to the side, looking at her. 

"Fine." I said surrendering. "I'll sit with you until you fall asleep." I promised her. Saphira made an effort to enter my bedroom. 

"No." I said. "I will walk with you to your room, and when you sleep I'll come back here." I told her trying to make a point.

I would not be spending the night with her, if that was what she was thinking.

She pouted her lips a little, if I wasn't this tired, I might of found it funny. I sat down in a chair near her bed. "Can't you come and sit here?" She asked me.

I shook my head. "Why not?" She asked. "Sleep." I told her. She closed her eyes and I shook my head again.

I laid my head back against the chair and started to sing. I sang Jasmine's lullaby. Oh how I wishes to have my wife in my arms right now.

Jasmine

I had ben allowed to take a shower. Although the water was really cold I was glad about the opportunity. The kind man, that was supposedly was called Rajun promised me he would wait for me and guard me outside the room. 

I had given me a new abaya to wear and a hajib. I felt good wearing the familiar type of clothing. 

When I walked out of the room, Rajun told me to stand still. I did as I was told and he held his finger to his mouth and picked me up. 

He opened a door, which seemed a little like we were in a factory and he took me outside. 

"Shh." He said as he saw that I was about to speak. He put me in the back of a van, with dark windows in the back. "Where are we going?" I asked in a shallow voice, when he sat down on the driver seat.

"I needed to get you out of there." He shrugged. "You have odd family dynamics." He said as he looked at me in the review mirror. 

"I am a religious man." He said as if that would clarify anything. "I did not want him in the same building as you." He said looking at the road again. 

He must have been talking about Saeed. "Rajun…" I said slowly. "You won't be in trouble for taking me, will you?" I asked him.

I did not want him to suffer on my account. "No." He simply said. "My employer specifically said that no harm should come to you and he watched the video we just posted." He said sighing.

"I made a bad call on that one." He winced. "What do you mean?" I questioned. 

"Never mind." He spoke. 

We stopped at a motel. I did not know really what that was, but is was what the sign said. He took my hand when I climbed out of the van. Strangely enough, he did not let go of it. 

Maybe he was afraid I was going to make a run for it.

He was right.