"I'm ashamed to say we shared a womb."

☆

Remi is silent for more than Rio thinks is necessary. She finally rests her cup on the coffee table before sitting up a little straighter in her seat. "So what you're telling me, is that the man laying on my sofa has a gun, has threatened you and for some reason, which right now I cannot fathom, you are trying to help?" 

"He is protecting me…"

Remi blows out a shot of air as if to keep herself calm. "Rio.. I don't want to shout but…" she squeezes tightly to the arms of the chair. " He hijacked your cab. Call….the….police…" 

"Did you not listen to what I said? There are dangerous people out there. They're after him."

"Rio. He is dangerous. And he's the one in the same room as us right now. What are you not getting? I'm ashamed to say we shared a womb." Remi rubs her temples in despair.

Rio gets up from the seat he was sitting in, turning his back to the resting man. "You never miss an opportunity to have a dig, do you. Just because you're the clever doctor and I'm just a taxi driver.  Well, maybe on this occasion you are wrong."

"I'm not wrong Rio. I don't want you to get hurt. If you call the police…" 

"I will get hurt. He said so. He said dangerous people are looking for him. Now, they will have linked us together."

"And who's fault is that?" Remi's voice no longer remains quiet as she begins to wave her hands. "You and your car stunts. Please Rio. Just call the police.  Or I will." 

"I wouldn't if I were you." The gun is pushed against the back of Rio's spine. He is awake and staring at Remi. 

"Give me one good reason." Remi dares to say as she feels her heart pounding in her rib cage. 

"Remi." Rio looks at his sister with fright. Was she even daring to barter with his life?

"He's your brother."

"And?"

CLICK

"Remi, please." Rio screws his eyes closed. 

"Ok. OK!" She raises her hands. "No police, just let him go." 

"Can't do that." The man tightens his grasp around Rio. "He now keeps you quiet." He doesn't know what else to do as he thinks on his feet. More people were getting involved than he  would have liked and he was beginning to act in a way he was trying to avoid. He and Rio shuffle towards the window, where the man peers out to the driveway. "Keys... I want your car keys."

Remi looks at the man, she squints her eyes a little. Her precious VW Beetle is now being pulled into this ridiculous situation. The hesitation in her action causes the grip on Rio to tighten and makes him call out once again. "Give him the key for God's sake."

"Alright!" She heads to her handbag, with the two pairs of eyes not taking their gaze from her actions as a set of keys with the needed key is revealed. With a lot of hassle, she unhooks it from the ring. 

"Get the key.'' he instructs Rio, as the gun makes a fresh press into his hair. He makes a grab for the key, but she retracts her hand, with her stare, a little menacing at his captor.

"If you hurt him, whoever is after you will be the least of your worries." 

The man says nothing as he breaks the gaze, as the key is placed in Rio's grasp. The man backs away, with Rio still being held hostage as they gravitate towards the door and out to the vehicle. 

Once outside, Rio is pushed against the car. "Get in and drive." He orders as he makes his way to the passenger seat. Rio quickly and quietly does as he is told. Soon the engine is started and the Beetle leaves the quiet of suburbia. 

Remi watches, feeling rather helpless as she sees out of the window her brother and her car disappear. She didn't care what she had promised to the mad man. She would find one way or another to get him back safely. 

***

"Miss Chanelle." 

The young woman turns from the skyscraper view of the city to the voice calling her. "Any news on Carlos?" She faces the suited man. Her smart navy pinstripe trouser suit fitting perfectly on her slender frame, only to be partially covered by her long, sleek black hair, covering her back. Her high heels make a 'click click' on the marble floor as she walks at a pace towards him. 

"We may have a lead." The man informs her. "A call to the emergency services reporting a car crash." 

"And?" She takes a step closer, as the male takes a sudden gulp as her height, assisted by the 3 inch stilettos, towers over him. 

"There's no trace. We couldn't get close enough without being seen." 

She takes a sigh as she pulls a black hairband from her wrist and quickly ties her hair into a neat bun. "They will miss something. They don't know what we're looking for. Go tell Anders to get the car ready. I'll go look myself." 

"At once." The man nods and heads away with his errand. 

She heads to her desk to retrieve her designer handbag and her phone. She stops, just for a brief moment, to look at the modest picture frame sitting on the desk. She picks it up, with her finger making a trace over the image. One of her and another male. She emits a light chuckle. "You can run little brother, but you cannot hide."