Pinky Promise

Nineteen

Vic's POV

The car ride was quiet. Alex and I sat in the back of the undercover cop car as Officer Rickman drove to the address this Nate kid has sent to us. It felt like it was taking forever to get to where ever this place was.

I was getting impatient. I kept bouncing my leg and tapping my fingers as I had my bottom lip caught tightly between my teeth. I sighed rather dramatically and I felt a hand on my knee. I looked up at Alex.

"Relax, Vic, we'll find her." He told me.

"He's right; we need to keep calm if we want to help your daughter." Officer Rickman said. I nodded and forced myself to sit still. I couldn't help but feel anxious though, but who could?

Soon the car finally stopped just a few yards down the street from a huge warehouse. As soon as I saw it, I forgot all about keeping any sort of cool. Know my daughter could be in there had me jumping from my seat and out of the car. When I was about half way out the door I felt Alex grab my arm and yank me back in. I stumbled back and fell back to my seat.

"Vic, it might be better if you stay in here while the rest of us go in." Officer Rickman suggested.

"What!? No! I'm her father I should be there!" I rushed out, desperate to change their minds. It didn't matter all that much, I would have gone in no matter what he said. What, did they think I was just gonna sit here and do nothing?

"He should be there, he's the one who has Nate's number anyway." Alex added. I thanked God that he was here to back me up. Officer Rickman sighed and nodded.

"Fine, but follow my orders. Speaking of which, tell Nate we're here."

I texted Nate and told him we were parked outside. He quickly replied with an okay and to wait. A few minutes later I got a text saying to go around back like we had planned.

"Okay." I said and on cue everyone got out and formed a line; Officer Rickman in front, then me and Alex, and the other officer in back. We hugged the wall of a building adjacent to the car and ran around the corner towards the back of the warehouse. The adrenaline started pumping through my body and I started shaking worse than in the car.

We stayed quiet once we got around back. After a minute the door started rattling like someone was unlocking it. It opened, revealing a boy, probably around Audrey's age. He looked right at me.

"Vic?" He asked. I nodded and he motioned for us to follow. We stayed close behind him and moved slowly. We rounded a corner and I saw the most horrific sight I had ever seen.

"Audrey!"

Audrey's POV

"Go fish." I said, bored. Nate didn't seem to hear me and didn't say anything. "Uh, Nate?" I called to him. He looked up, confused and I pointed to the deck of cards between us. "Go fish bitch." I said.

"Oh, sorry." He muttered and picked up a card. He seemed off today--like he was worried about something. I knew I was; the guy who supposed to "buy" me was coming later today. The thought terrified me, but honestly I had accepted my fate. I was just trying not to think about it.

"Sevens?" I asked when Nate didn't make a move to put any pairs down. Again he didn't answer me. I looked up from my hand to see him looking down at his phone, again. I sighed. "Nate!" I snapped, growing impatient. He looked up and dropped his cards.

"Sorry, Audrey. I gotta go...do something. I'll be right back." I rolled my eyes and put my cards down. He stood up and left my cage and walked around the side of it which led to another room I guess, it's not like I could see around the corner.

I waited in silence for a minute. Soon after Nate left, I heard quiet whispering and footsteps. I looked around, waiting for something to happen. Usually the three musketeers get in here through the big metal door that I could see. I guess it was possible there was another door or something around the corner. The footsteps quickened and it sounded like there were at least a few people coming towards the room I was in. It couldn't be the guy, could it? He wasn't coming until later! I squinted in the darkness, trying to prepare myself for what was coming. A figure stopped, facing me. I couldn't make out who it was.

"Audrey!" He cried. He ran up to the outside of the cage staring at me. "Oh my god, Audrey!" I almost didn't recognize him at first, but as soon as he spoke I knew who it was.

It was Dad.

"D-Dad?" I asked in shock. As the others came closer I saw Alex and two police officers.

"Audrey, oh baby." Dad said in a pained tone. He ran over to the door and dropped to his knees in front of me. I couldn't believe he was here. After all this time! He pulled me into a hug and I broke down. It felt so good to have him back.

"Daddy." I said as tears started forming in my eyes.

"Audrey? Oh thank god." I looked up to see Alex standing at the door of the cage. He ran over to me and hugged me as well. After a minute they both pulled away and Dad held my shoulders.

"Oh Sweetheart, are you okay? Are you hurt? God, they didn't hurt you did they?" He asked in horror. I looked down at myself and the lingerie I was forced to wear. Dad did the same and groaned in disgust.

"I'm okay, can we just go?" I pleaded through tears. Dad nodded and helped me stand. I almost fell and was really wobbly on my legs. I was lightheaded and dizzy immediately. It the whole time I was here I hadn't stood up at all except for once or twice when Nate let me. He had unchained me while we were playing Go Fish so Dad led me straight out the door, supporting me as I started to regain my balance.

"Audrey?" One of the officers asked. I nodded and he held out his hand. I took it and shook it. "A pleasure to finally meet you." I gave him a small smile and nodded.

"You too." I said. I shivered in the cold air that was blowing through the door that I now know was behind the corner. Dad pulled off his sweatshirt and slipped it over my head. I looked at the six of us and realized Nate hadn't said one word this whole time. He was standing off to the side with his arms crossed.

"You did this?" I asked. He flicked his eyes up to me and then back down to the ground, nodding slowly.

"We need to get out of here." The officer said. I looked up to Dad.

"We can't leave him." I said motioning to Nate. Dad looked down on me and sighed.

"Baby we need to get you somewhere safe and Nate's not our responsibility." He said. How could he say that? Nate helped him save me!

"Dad, without him you never would have gotten here." I said, confused. He sighed and nodded.

"I know..." He turned to look at Nate. "You're welcome to come with us. We really owe you." He said. Nate looked up at Dad, a look of shock on his face. It quickly turned to a smile and he nodded.

I opened my mouth to respond but was cut off by the last voice I wanted to hear.

"Sorry to break up the reunion, but no one's going anywhere." I spun around towards the big metal door in front of my cage.

"No..." I whispered. My stomach dropped when I saw the three men and a fourth all holding guns pointed at us.

"Oh yes, Sweetheart. No one's taking my new slave." The fourth guy said. He was the one who was supposed to buy me. I heard the two officers draw their guns behind me.

"Alex get her out of here." Vic said. His arm was around me but he pushed me behind him.

"No, Daddy--" I started.

"Go Audrey. We came here for you and we're leaving with you." He said calmly. I felt Alex take my wrist and try to lead me out the back door but I struggled against him.

"Daddy..." I called softly. I was scared of what he might do. He could be unpredictable when he was mad.

"Vic, let's go." Alex said. "We got her, now let's go." Eventually, Vic relaxed and nodded. I sighed in relief and turned back towards the door. But as soon as Alex pushed the door open I heard a gunshot ring out. I spun around and watched horrified as Dad fell to the ground.