"Shut up and follow my exact instructions"

“Shut up and listen closely. You are to pickup a togo lunch order at the café on the corner outside of your building. Order the blue plate special no gravy. The sales girl will give you a ticket with instructions on where to pickup the briefcase. You have ten minutes from now. Am I making myself clear.” Said the caller to Jim Walkman a mild mannered bio-chemist for Cyber Matrix.1

“But I don’t understand. What do you want from me? I’m a nobody.” Said Jim nervously opening his office door and looked around trying to see who was calling. But everybody is busy at there desk working and no one is on their phone.2

“Perhaps I’m not making myself clear. You just received an email. Open it now!”3

Jim did as he was told. Holding back his blackberry from his ear he scrolled down to the flashing email and opened it. “O’ My God, Lisa, Lisa.” He said seeing a picture of his wife bound to one of their dining room chairs with silver duck tape over her mouth. His hand began trembling. He puts the phone back up to his ear. “Hello, are you there?”4

“You got eight minutes Jim. I suggest you get moving.” Said the caller before hanging up.5

Jim leaves his office then quickly walks to the elevator and began pressing the down button in a frustrated panic. “Hurry up damn it, hurry up!” he muttered under his breath watching the numbers trickle down to his floor. “Come on damn it.” He said looking at his watch. “Shit, five minutes.” He looked at the stairway sign. 6

“I’m only on the second floor what the hell am I doing waiting for the elevator.” he reasons with himself. "Shit!"7

He shoved the door open and nearly tripped running down the stairs. He burst through the exit door and began looking around. He spotted the main entrance and glanced at his watch again. “Shit, three minutes!” Be began running towards the automatic doors pushing and shoving people out of his way until he got outside. 8

The light on the corner is green but getting ready to turn yellow. He can see the seconds counting down on the flashing cross walk sign but cars are speeding by in a tight formation trying to make the yellow light. He looked at the on coming cars then focused on a path between them.9

“I can do this.” He said then took off running towards the on coming traffic while watching the stop light and cross walk sign. Horns were blowing as he jumped over one cars hood, darting between the others. “Hey watch where you going idiot!” shouted one driver slamming on his brakes nearly clipping his right leg as he jump the rest of the way to the curb. He ran into the café then to the front of the line. Nearly out of breath he placed is order.10

“Blue, blue, blue plate special, hold the gravy.” 11

“Sure Jim coming right up.” Said the female order taker smiling handing him the receipt with directions on it.12

Jim is shocked that she knew who he was. ‘Shit, she’s in on it too.” He watched her make the lunch as he slowly walked down to the pickup counter.13

“Here you go Jim your lunch order. You got fifteen minutes. I suggest you double check your receipt before you leave.”14

He took a seat at the nearest table next to the window and began reading the instructions. His phone rang. “Hello.” He nervously said looking around gripping the receipt in his hand.15

“I suggest you don’t throw the instructions away. Now unclench your fist and listen to my instructions carefully. Look out the window now.”16

He slowly turned his head towards the windows. He could see steady moving traffic and nothing unusual except a cab waiting outside.17

“Go get in the cab now. Leave your phone on.”18

Jim did as he was instructed. He went outside and began walking towards the cab. Just as he was about to open the cab door he could see a police car coming up the street towards him and the cab. He rolled his eyes around trying to see if anyone was watching him. He pretended to drop the note hoping the traffic breeze would blow it towards the police car that’s heading towards him. A UPS delivery truck sped by them creating the breezed he needed.19

He started walking and reaching for the note purposely not picking it up but holding his hand over it so it would look like it kept blowing away. The police car is getting closer. He could see the eyes of the policeman staring right at him. Just as he stood up he could feel his blackberry humming and ringing. He knew it was “them” calling. He slowly put the phone to his ear while staring at the on coming police car.20

“Step anywhere near those cops and I’ll put bullet in Lisa’s head while you listen to her scream her last dieing words.”21

The police car slowly passed by as both policemen kept looking forward. Jim wanted to give them a signal, a sign of any kind.22

“Now that we’re both on the same page Jim, get your ass in the cab now! Don’t make me ask you twice.”23

Jim did as he said. 24

“Now hand the driver the phone.”25

He could see the driver nodding his head and looking at him in the rear view mirror. The driver handed him the phone back.26

“Here, he wants to talk to you again.”27

“What?” said Jim in a frustrated tone.28

“Here take the damn phone.” Said the drive tossing it at him. He picked up the phone.29

“You’ll be arriving at your destination shortly. When the cab stops get out and go to the corner news stand. You’ll be given today’s paper. Turn the page D3. There you’ll find your next instructions.”30

The cab pulled up to the corner. The driver handed him a brief case from the front seat. "You'll need this." Jim got out. He could see the news stand up ahead. He walked up and began looking like he was interested in a paper.31

“Here you go Jim. Page D3. That’ll be a buck fifty.” Said the paper porter.32

Jim reached into his pocket and pulled two one dollar bills. 33

“Keep the damn change.” He said then stood off to the side to read section D3.34

It read: ‘Go to the restaurant across the street and wait to be seated.’35

Jim looked across the street. Jack’s Stake and Chop House. He looked both ways then crossed the street and went inside and waited to be seated.36

“Right this sir.” Said the head waiter.37

The place is packed with people at every table. “Please sir, right this way.” Insisted the waiter pointing down the hallway to a brown large door. “This will soon be all over I assure you. Just continue to cooperate.” 38

Jim slowly followed the waiter down the dark brown dimly lit hall way. The waiter stopped at the door and turned to face Jim.39

“You cannot tell anyone what you are about to see or you know what will happen don’t you?” He paused waiting for Jim’s confirmation.40

“Yes, I, I understand…”41

The waiter pulled out a blind fold and slipped it over his eyes.42

“What the hell.” Said Jim reaching up to his face.43

“If you take it off before we go inside Mister Jim, you’ll be sorry. Now put your hands down!” said the waiter firmly pushing Jim’s hands away.44

Jim could hear the door opening. It’s quite. He could smell a slight whiff of burning smoke in the air.45

“Okay Mister Jim, you can take your blind fold off now.”46

Jim is in shock as the entire room of people shouted.47

“Surprise!!!! Happy Anniversary Jim!”48

Jim is totally shocked at first, but then he remembered while looking at his smiling wife that he asked her for the ‘Kidnap-Murder Plot Suspense” gift certificate from Gotcha Incorporated. It’s a company that specializes in all types of Surreal Fantasy re-enactments. 49

“O’ honey, you got me what I wanted. The Kidnap Plot package! O’ my God it was so real. I never had a clue until I saw you and all of our friends. You’re amazing honey. I love you so much.”50