Chapter 2 - Memories

The Lewis and the Smith's were all time friends. The wives were best of friends since childhood. While their husbands were buddies from High School.

Annie came from a humble family. She was half korean and half american. Her mother was korean. Annie and Jenny met when they were kids. They went to the same elementary school together. There, they built up their friendship that would last a very long time.

Jenny was the madam of the Smith Mansion. Before this, she was the little princess of her father. They we're well off but still remained humble. That's why Jenny's father had allowed her daughter go to a public school in elementary.

Annie and Jenny parted ways in middle School. Jenny's family moved out of state and Annie stayed. Even then, they didn't lost contact. They promised to remain best of friends until they grew old. They even jokingly said to marry their kids. Those were their memories.

When Jenny was on college doing her BSBA, she met her husband Malcolm Smith. He was the son of a conglomerate. Jenny and Malcolm have outgoing personalities. While Annie was not as much. So Malcolm recommended his buddy Ted to Jenny, for Annie. He was outspoken yet driven. He thought it was a perfect match.

Ted Lewis was the son of a governor on their state. Not as rich as the Smiths but was still wealthy.

Jenny had met him before and thought that Ted was indeed a good man for her friend. Ted was serious on everything he does, like his father. So Jenny and Malcolm decided to match-make them. Later on, it turned out fruitful.

----

The first to get married was the Smith's. They had their baby Malcolm Smith Jr. at the age of 24. While the Lewis got married at 24 and had April at 25.

Malcolm inherited his father's business while Ted didn't wanna be a politician. Instead he built his own company with Malcolm's help.

The husbands didn't let their wives work and made them take care of the kids instead. So Annie and Jenny decided to live in the same state. So both of their families grow together.

As the kids grew up, Colm and April got along well and became close friends, just like them. The parents even thought of marrying them together but decided not to. If the kids did fall in love with one other, it'll be such a good blessing. If not, they wouldn't force them at all.

When Colm was 5 years old, Jenny got pregnant again and gave birth to a daughter. They named her Milly Smith. Unfortunately, Annie couldn't get pregnant anymore. She had a complicated pregnancy when she was pregnant with April. When she gave birth to April, Ted decided to remove her uterus. Afraid that he'll lose his wife when she gets pregnant again.

Annie was sad about it but she was already happy to have April. April was very bright and fearless kid. She often acts like the big sister of Colm. They were inseparable. They looked too cute to look at, holding hands while walking or playing.

-------

By the age of 10, Colm and April got kidnapped. In the first few months, No Ransom demands came in. The Smiths and the Lewis was frantic the whole time. Time was ticking and they didn't know who took their children. This made a huge news in the US. Since the Smiths were high profiles. But even with the FBI's help and the Smith's connection, they didn't have any luck in finding them.

It took 6 months before they got a contact regarding Colm. It made sense that no matter what efforts they have done, they just couldn't find them in the US.

Colm had turned himself in to the German Police Station with bruises and tattered clothes. No signs of April. By the time the Smiths and the Lewis came, Colm was in custody of the US Embassy in Germany.

Colm didn't speak the whole time that he was in custody except to identify himself, his parents and where he lives. That's how the police station got a hold of finding his parents.

When Colm saw his parents running towards him, he finally felt relieved. He fell in his parents arms, He started crying and talking loudly.

"DAD! MOM! SAVE APRIL! PLEASE! SAVE HER!" Colm was trembling so bad as he begged for April's safety.

Hearing April's name, Annie started sobbing in Ted's arms. Although they knew April wasn't with Colm, he was the only one who knew where she was.

The US Embassy was kind enough to gave them a private room to talk. Of course; it was a surveillance room. For them to watch and listen to Colm's statements. It was still crucial to find out the whole truth as well as finding the little girl that was still missing.

After calming Colm down, He finally started telling them what happened.

He and April just got off school when a car parked where their usual pick up was. April always like riding with Colm when they go home. Saves gas, she says.

Colm knew the man well, it was Mike Foster. One of his father's business friends. He told them that their usual car broke down and Colm's father told him to help pick up the kids. They didn't sense anything wrong and that's how they got kidnapped. They were drugged to sleep and the next thing they knew, they were already in an abandoned facility in Germany.

Hearing the name of the bastard who kidnapped his son and their friend's daughter made Malcolm infuriated beyond imagination. Annie was sobbing and Ted was holding his wife. Jenny was still holding his trembling son. It was hard for Colm to recount the story but he knew that April's life depended on it.

That day, their usual car had an accident. The driver arrived 10 minutes later, but the two kids were gone since then.

They were starved and tortured but never to the point of dying. Colm was always sickly since he was born, but it wasn't an illness. While April on the other hand was a fighter. She shielded almost every attack for Colm. She had always been protective of Colm because he treated her like his little sister. Even though Colm was older, He couldn't really do much either. He had endured a lot of injuries too even with April's help.

Annie couldn't take it anymore and cried loudly. She was yelling why, why and why to Ted. Ted was now crying too. He couldn't help but think of how brave his young daughter was. How did they endured it with such small bodies, even he can't and nobody can.

Jenny couldn't look at the Lewis, Both of the kids were taken because of Malcolm's business friend. She didn't blame her husband, but it couldn't take away the pain in her heart as well. Hearing her son's story getting worse and worse. Jenny was starting to get dizzy.

Malcolm gnashed his teeth, he tried to hold on to his anger. That man had to pay! This, he promised himself.

"But how did you escape son? What about April?" Malcolm held his son's trembling hand.

"Dad, April sacrificed herself to let me escape. You have to save her dad! I can feel that she is in much greater danger! Please! Save her!" Colm held his father's hand. He was begging to save his friend, his savior and his little sister.

"Don't worry, I will do everything to save her!"

With the help of the US Embassy and the German Police, they located the place where April and Colm was held hostage.

When they arrived, it was already too late. Mike knew Malcolm all too well. Once he knew that Colm got escaped, he was doomed to be arrested. Instead of running around to hide, He decided to sell April to a drug cartel. He couldn't let them have their happiness back. He hated Malcolm Smith! Any friends of his is his enemies.