The 1975 - Somebody Else

Two nights without Gideon in bed with her was hellish. Rory silently and shamefully prayed his work in Germany wrapped up soon so he'd comeback to her. A good night sleep was all she wanted, craved for. Massaging her temple, she stared into the mirror and grimace in displeasure.

Her face was pale, eyes sunken into the dark bags surrounding her eyes and she had lost colours in her lips. They were chapped no matter how much gloss she put on them. She was practically a walking corpse, and it was only over 48 hours since Gideon was gone.

Rubbing her tired eyes, Rory suddenly noticed the thick rim around her ring finger. It was paler than than the rest of her hands due to the blaring sun. Her rings were missing.

Frantically, she began searching the bedroom for the rings. They were expensive, costing millionaires of dollars. Cursing underneath her breath, she rummaged under the pillows, the mattress and crawled under the bed. Nothing.

They were nowhere.

Her wedding band was simple hence, missable but her engagement ring with the enormous diamonds was a different story. She can't miss that, no one can. It was meant to show off Gideon's wealth as well as her worth to him.

Rory dreaded Gideon'a reaction. Would he be angry at her?

A knock on the door caused her pounding heart to jump in her chest. Rory scrambled to her feet and darted for the door. A sigh of relief flooded her body when she saw Alvaro standing outside with his hands in his cargo trouser pockets. He ditched his cap and his work overalls for nearly combed hair and a knitted sweatshirt.

"Good you're here!" She exclaimed. "I've lost my rings. Help me find them please or else Gideon is going to crazy!" Crazier than he already was.

"When did you see them last?" He asked, averting his gaze elsewhere. "We can start from there."

Scratching the back of her head, Rory glanced at him sheepishly. "Honestly I don't remember." She shrugged.

It was the truth. All her mind, body and soul could reminisced was utter exhaustion.

"I'm sure if you batter your eyelashes at him, he'll won't be angry." Alvaro teased, hoping to end the search as soon as possible.

He didn't want to waste time looking for the rings when he knew exactly where they were - with Luci. He checked his watch, it was a few hours until their flight took off, they needed to check in at the airport.

"Want to help with food shopping?" He asked, flashing her a mischievous grin.

It'd be easier if he could just tell her however, Luci instructed him not to expose anything to until she was certain Rory could be trusted. At the moment, Luci was under the impression that Rory feared Gideon too much which risked her spilling everything to him.

His orders were to get her out of the country and out of Gideon's reach.

"Hmm," She hummed, thinking. "María said Gideon will call me soon. I can't miss his call."

"I'm sure María or Juan can stall him until we get back." He said, carefully trying to mask his sudden burst of desperation. "What if he's too busy to call and you'll just going to miss out on seeing Medellín at night."

She frowned, contemplating again before saying, "Okay."

"Get changed into something comfortable." He said, eyeing her cotton sleep shorts and oversized T-shirt, probably belonging to her husband.

Moments later, she stepped out of her bedroom dressed in soft black, culottes and a plain lilac baby tee.

Alvaro smiled, taking her wrist and leading her through the servants passages. At this time, everyone would be preparing for dinner - no one will catch them. The only problem now was the guards at the gates. They were Gideon's men and they were loyal so, he couldn't let them see Rory.

He took the keys to one of Gideon's Tesla, the white one with the thick tinted windows.

Before entering the car, he swivelled to her causing her to bump into his chest. Alvaro held her arms, steadying her. He stared into her eyes, searching her face.

"Do you trust me?"

She dipped her head in confusion.

"Yeah, why?"

"Then do as I say from now on." He said. "Get in the backseat and keep a low profile. Lay down if you have too."

He ushered her in and closed the door while fishing a cap from the duffle bag he had placed on passenger. In the rear view mirror, he saw her watching him without a word. Her expression was blank but he was sure the gears were beginning to turn in her head.

He was helping her escape. He was putting his life at risk for her.

"Alvaro." She began, her voice trembling as icy terror coursed through her body. Her mind were swarmed by thoughts of Gideon's fury.

He'd tear both of them apart, cut them to pieces. Except, she'd be the one hanging on by a thread while he dismantled Alvaro into nothing.

She won't let him die for her.

"No!" He snapped at her sharply and she tightened her lips. "We are doing this."

He started the Tesla and pushed a button on the panel that lifted the garage doors. Usually, a clearance was needed by the head for anyone to take one of Gideon's vehicle out and thankfully, Luci had that power. She also had the power to hide her steps, delete anything that traced back to her.

They drove down a familiar road shrouded by tall, thick trees and paused as they reached an iron wrought gate. The guards, carrying black military rifle, merely gestured for the gates to open. They assumed it was Luciana Torres and her daughter.

The moment they were out of the gate, Alvaro hit the gas pedal, eager to put some distance between them and the mansion.

"I don't understand." Rory whispered over the smooth hum of the Tesla. "Aren't we going grocery shopping?"

"I'll explain everything soon." He promised her, meeting her emerald eyes in the mirror.

They didn't even make it to the city, it just passed them by with its loud and colourful nightlife.

Soon Alvaro parked the Tesla in the car park of the José María Córdova International Airport. He helped Rory out the car and grabbed the bags from the trunk. He packed Rory some clothes he found in the laundry room. They were washed and ironed, ready to place back into her closet.

She took the bag from him hesitantly.

"You can trust me." He reassured her. "I won't hurt you like Señor Torres did."

"How do you know he hurt me?" She fired at him, mistrusting swimming in her orbs. "Who told you that?"

"I've seen it on your skin." He swallowed thickly recalling the time he had seen a glimpse of the scar on her collar bone. Her massive shirt had fallen off her shoulder, revealing it to him.

"I thought I hid it well." She said, tugging at her shirt.

Alvaro fished out of his plaid button shirt from the bag and placed around her shoulders. He read somewhere that planes can be rather cold, he didn't want her to freeze death before she got her freedom back. She threaded her arms through it, silently thanking him.

Rory wordless followed Alvaro into the airport. She stole a glance at him, he still hadn't told her why they were here.

He halted and turned to face her once they were inside where they were lost to a sea of people, locals and tourists.

Reaching into his pockets, he gave her the fake passport Luci got for them. Rory took from him, an Italian passport with her face next to an unfamiliar name and information. Aurora Rossi.

"We will be safe in Italy." He told her. "Señor Torres has no power there." Even when he told her that, she still appeared distant and hesitant. "Do you not want to go?" He asked, perhaps Luci was right. Rory had fallen too deep into Gideon's darkness and can no longer be saved.

As she looked at her face on the passport with a different name, birth date and address, she wanted nothing more than to go. However, Gideon held, in his iron grip, her mother. Her entire world. She can't leave her.

Alvaro pulled his eyes away from her, searching their check in counter for a familiar face. Luci showed him a photo when she came to him in the morning with a bag stashed with euros. Even without the photo, it was easy to tell that they were related, that they were mother and daughter.

Curl blonde hair in a messy knot and green eyes, he spotted her on a seat. She was alone, rocking back and forth. He took Rory's wrist, leading her towards her freedom.

"You don't have to be afraid or doubt anything." He whispered into her. "Gideon is just a man who knows how to play the game of life well but there is always some better than him, better than us."

Alvaro was certain his younger sister was better than him. She wanted to set Rory free, to save her. Hence, schemed for months for this moment. There were times where she faltered, unsure whether Rory was worth saving, if it was too late for her. However, the incident in Greece and her first attempt at running away pushed away all the doubts.

Rory still held onto her reality, her light not entirely engulfed by Gideon's darkness.

"Look," he murmured, pointing at her mother.

Rory followed his hands and gasped then a cry of happiness bubbled from her lips. She dropped her bags, racing to her mother. As she got closer, her mother looked up and beamed. Joy, hopefulness and all the euphoric emotions hugged her in a tight embrace.

She fell into her mother's arms, safe and secured - this was where she belonged.

"Rory!" She squealed, squeezing her into her chest.

"Mom," she cried, tears wetting her mother's knitted cardigan. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too."

They were rooted to the spot, swaying in their embrace. She didn't entirely grasped the situation she was throttled into and no way, especially now, would she question it. Her mother was here in her arms, that was all she cared about.

"I'm never letting you go again." Rory promised.

Her mother's lips brushed the top of her head, fingers tangling in her loose curls.

Alvaro stepped forward, clearing his throat. They needed to check in and find their gate. Rory glanced at him and he saw all the reluctance leave her body. She trusted him, fully.

"Once we get to Italy, I'll explain everything." He hushed her before she could ask questions. "Does your mom have her passport?"

On cue, her mother retrieved a passport from her colourful tote bag. Rory took it from her, Mirella Rossi was her new identity. She smiled, feeling full of hope. Gideon was out the country, he couldn't stop there and with new identities and a hiding place, he'll never find her.

A wave of guilt stabbed her chest. She was betraying him, wasn't she?

She buried the feeling in the deepest corner of her heart. She will not feel anything for Gideon. He had hurt her - he beat her, fucked her and threatened her on multiple occasions. She was finally able to get rid of him - be freed of him her tormentor.

It only took a couple of minutes to get checked in. They stepped through the gate, leaving Colombia behind them. They were now Italian citizens and laid their old identities to rest.

Rory held her mother's hand as they searched for their departing flight. It was going to be a 15 hour flight with a layover in Madrid, Alvaro had explained to them, omitting the part about Gideon's allies in Spain. They didn't need to know that, he simply didn't want to scare them especially Rory who appeared relaxed.

On the other hand, Alvaro was tensed his eyes darting to the officers who strolled casually passed them. It wasn't until they boarded the plane, Rory between him and her mother, that he loosen up.

And, the moment the plane lifted off the ground, he breathed a sigh of relief.

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