Favor

Chapter 18

It had been a week with no contact from Ember and everyone was starting to worry. "She's done this before," Jessica said after North made yet another comment about not hearing from her. "She is probably okay and just not thinking about reaching out. Especially if she's on another photo session. You know how focused she can get when it comes to her photography."

"But what if her manager made her go to that city that she doesn't want to go?" Kota asked. "She was pretty adamant about not going wherever her manager was trying to make her go. What if she went and something happened? What if—"

Jessica's phone rang and she smiled, "Speaking of the devil—"

"I'm sorry Master," Ember said slightly muffled and Jessica saw Kota hit the redline button on his phone. He then hit the recording app and motioned that he was going to go grab Sean's extra doctor bag. "Please no Master, don't please no."

Jessica bit back a sob as she listened to her best friend beg in fear.

"I said kneel NOW," a man's voice growled in such an authoritative voice that Jessica had shivers going down her spine in fear. "I told you once I found you I would double your punishments for making me have to hunt you down."

"Please no," Ember whimpered.

"What is—" Luke asked but Jessica held up her hand so he went quiet as the rest of the team rushed into the room on high alert.

"Please no Master," Ember's voice filled the room. Corey and Victor raced to their laptops and started typing away. Sean rushed up to his office and came back with two more bags. North fell next to Jessica's legs while Raven started checking all his guns.

"COUNT!" the man's voice yelled.

A swish was heard then Ember's scream filled the room. Kota put his hand over Jessica's mouth while Luke did the same to Gabe.

"I said count!" The man's voice growled.

"One, thank you Master," Ember sobbed as Jessica's nails dug into Kota's arm.

Once Ember reached ten, she screamed, "RED! RED! RED!"

"No!" The man screamed, "You don't get to stop Ember. You ran away from your punishments."

"Please," She sobbed, "It's too much, please stop, please."

"I said NO!" he said as something hit the floor. It clanged and bounced making it sound like metal on a concrete floor. Raven growled and picked up a few of his knives.

"Please Master," Ember sobbed, "I'm loosing too much blood, please stop."

"You are fine," He growled as another swish went through the phone and she sobbed.

"Count Ember or it doesn't count," He warned. "I will triple if I need to."

"Red," She slurred, "Red."

"Count Ember," He demanded.

"I got it," Corey whispered loudly as he shot up from his chair.

"Time hunt," Raven chuckled as he grabbed his car keys.

"Jess, head to the hospital and let Dr. Roberts and Momma know," Sean said tossing her some car keys. "This needs to be off the record, and I need a room set up ready and waiting for when we get her."

"Got it Doc," Jessica said sliding her shoes on, "Just bring her home."

"Got it," They said in unison as they rushed out the door.

The whole ride there their heads were filled with various scenarios and thoughts, each one mentally preparing for anything.

They drove down a dirt road and their stomachs dropped; they were going out to the middle of nowhere. That couldn't be good. "This is where horror stories happen," Corey whispered as they pulled up to an abandoned looking two-story house. "This is like Children of the Corn shit," he looked at all the fields surrounding the house. The drizzle didn't exactly help contrast the scene either. "Or Texas Chain Saw Massacre but the classics not the new crap."

"It's too quiet," North and Luke said at the same time noticing that there wasn't even birds or crickets chirping away like in normal country life. "Way too quiet."

"Search," Owen and Axel said at the same time.

Just as they started heading to the house multiple shots pierced the air making Raven immediately draw his gun. Everyone looked at one another then rushed for the house.

Raven pushed the door open and swung his gun around as he entered the foyer. He went to the next room while North headed off to another room. The team split up and started searching.

They followed Luke upstairs once they cleared the bottom floor and basement. Luke pushed a bedroom door open and immediately caught the knife rushing to his face. "Shit Cupcake," He gasped catching it with both of his hands before it's destination.

"Shit," She gasped from where she was kneeling on the floor. "Sorry," She mumbled before passing out and landing in a puddle of blood that was growing underneath her.