Stranded With My Familiar Stranger

Chapter One- Give Up or Die Trying

If it was one thing I knew right now, it was that I was not okay.

Bump.

I opened my eyes to darkness, the engine hummed throughout, it was obvious I was in a vehicle.

Yep. But in a car? A van? It slowed to a stop and I tried to recall what I was doing in a dark vehicle. It only took a half of a second after to feel the strange clamp on my mouth. None on my wrists and ankles. That was a good sign, right?

What is going on?

Oh my god, this is it. 

I'm going to die.

I shouldn't talk to strangers.

I could almost feel the barrel of the gun pressed against my back once more. Last night's events came channeling through my mind again. I could finally start to get a clear image of the dangerously sexy evil man with the fitted button up that did this.

The back doors of the paneled van were flung open.

I heard voices and a loud bang and I wasn't prepared for the light to hurt the soul in my eyes that bad. I was afraid to breathe because I was doing two things. One, listening to their conversation and two, trying to play dead or unconscious or whatever they expected me to be.

There were only two different voices I heard, both seeming American, one smooth and coated with the same honey that Mr. Button Up used on me last night. It had to be him. "Quite a catch, ain't it Kev?"

"Boss, I tell you, this is the best chick yet. Club's going to be ten times richer." The parched voice, supposedly Kev, seemed belonged to someone who sounded as if they didn't drink water for five days. I let my eyes close lightly and tried to swallow back the rising heat of fear that was begging me to kill myself before they did.

Oh, so my kidnapper was the boss.

I felt fingertips, warm to touch my cold body, slowly trailing along my legs. "Kev." Mr. Button Up said in a almost warning tone. "You are not permitted to touch the goods."

"Sorry." His hands froze and came off on my legs. Good thing he did, or else Kev's face would've had a not so friendly meeting with my heels.

Maybe if I pretended to be dead, they'll leave me here and I can run.

I thought of my possibilities. These guys were clearly not the normal 'kidnap and hold hostage for money' type. Either I try to run away and die in the process, or get shipped in the wake of some Las Vegas' nightlife to parade in a strip club.

I think my first option was the way to roll...But how?

From those words coming out of both of their mouths, I was not dumb. It's obvious that these guys were armed and there was also a high possibility of these being some drug and women trading business I just ended up smack in the middle of, so I couldn't run.

As much as Kev liked my legs and as much of a 'nice catch' I was, I've watched enough movies and read enough books to know that once you hear as much as one word out of their mouths, or even seen their faces (even though it was in colourful blinking lights) , you couldn't get away alive.

Ninety nice percent sure I'd get shot if I just got up and ran. You know, thinking about it..that option didn't seem to me to be as bad.

But, I guess I'd be taking that one percent chance. Give up or die trying, right?

First of all, I don't even know how I'm getting off this cold, hard van floor to try to make my way out because they'll probably shut the door in my face before I could get out.

I heard them in the front of the van now, shuffling around looking for something, I bet it was a gun. They weren't in my path to run.

It was now or never.

Okay, come on Katelyn, think.

Just do it.

Sending silent prayers for my hands not being tied, which was stupid by the way. Kidnapping me and you didn't tie my hands. 

I felt a sudden rush of...what was that...adrenaline? I guess it was probably my soul trying to come out and float away before I get myself killed anyway. I slowly sat up and loosened the cloth from on my mouth. My lips felt so numb and dry. 

It really wasn't helping that I had no idea where I was as I definitely made up my mind that running was the only option I really had. I don't think sweet talk would've worked because they probably talked with their hands and I was not up for that.

Kev and Mr. Button Up weren't there where they were before and I felt a surge of panic sharper that I was feeling all along but I slid out of the van and my heels were about to make contact with the ground, so smooth and foreign after such a long night in the dark, when I instantly mentally slapped myself for not taking my heels off before attempting my escapade. But, it was too late and time was definitely running out on me.

I heard the front door close and I took off without another thought, into nowhere but anywhere close to these people, well, unless, of course, I was in a city full of them.

I couldn't be more than ten feet away when I heard them shouting behind me and I bent around a corner, with no doubts they were following me, but all I could think of was finding a safe place. I could focus on nothing but the blur of buildings and where the roadway beneath my aching feet was going to take me.