The Warriors

Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR

Before I knew it, I was in Shang's car, and being whisked away from the school.  I had put my keys in Larry's pocket, so he can find them there when he realizes that I am gone.   

                We sit in quiet for a long while.  "Where are we going?" I ask.  "I have no idea," he sighs, rolling his shoulders in a circular motion.  I understand how he feels, like his whole body is strung up into a tight ball.  "Oh, well maybe we should stop driving then," I say, trying to figure out where we are.  "That would be smart," he mumbles, parking the car in a secluded, wooded area. 

                I get out of the car, and stretch my body.  My feet were killing me, because I was wearing heels, but there was no use complaining about it, I'm the one who chose to wear them.  "So, what are we going to do now?" I ask, yawning.  We had been driving in silence for about an hour, probably far out of New York now.  "I have no idea," he says, not even looking at me.  Without a word, he walks out into the woods.  Having no choice, I follow.

                My shoes are beyond repair, by the time we stop.  I have rolled my white pants up to my knees because I sure as heck didn't want them to become dirty.  "I know who and what you are," he says, facing away from me.  I didn't really understand what he was saying.  He turns to face me.  I can see something different on his face.  Gone, is his openness, and in its place is solemnness. 

                I mentally yell at myself.  He's part of the Samurais, and I just let him take me away from safety.  I take my position, ready to fight.  "I don't want to do this," he whispers, looking away from me.  "There is no one telling you to do anything," I snap, wanting him to get on with it, and attack.  "I have no choice," he sighs, and gets in position.  "There's always a choice."

                He runs at me, and tries to kick me.  I parry his blow, and in return kick him.  He staggers back, because my heel catches him in the chin.  On and on we go, fighting each other, worthy of an action film.

                He flips over me, as I try to kick him.  I turn around, but he is nowhere to be found.  Looking up, I can feel him running through the trees.  Suddenly there is complete and utter silence.  I told myself I was ready for his next move, but it turns out I was wrong.  He grabs me, flips me over onto my back, and picks my hands up above my head; his knees are holding my legs from moving.  He is breathing hard, so I know I gave him a run for his money, even though that is not good enough.  There were many times when I could've killed him, but some part of me held back.  I guess I'm not cut out to be a warrior.

                He ties my hands with a silver rope, making me unable to move without it cutting into me.  When he is done, he stares at me, with blood from a cut by my shoes, running down his face.  He looks sorrowful, like he doesn't want to do this, but I know better. 

                He picks me up and cradles me to his chest.  His jacket was lost somewhere in the woods during the fight.  All of a sudden a cry pierces the air, and Laura comes running in with Lisa in tow.

                "What the fu-"he says, but gets cut off with Larry hitting him in the back of the knees.  Shang doesn't fight back, as his brother comes into view, with one other guy.  It's the one Lisa was making out with.  Lisa starts untying my hands and Laura is talking to Shang.  His face relaxes and a slight smile crosses his face.

                "I am incredibly sorry, princess," Laura says, with Shang right behind her.  Dale and the boy named Alexander (Lisa told me) follow too.  "Shang meant no harm when he tied you up.  It was all a misunderstanding," she says.  Larry and Lisa stand beside me, as I say, "It sure looked like he meant harm when he tied me up with silver cords," with a cold tone.  Alexander looks scared as I whip the cord onto Shang's wrist and tighten the hold.  "Next time you pull a stunt like this, I will have your heads," I snap, and stalk away from them.

                I grab the keys from Larry's outstretched hand.  "Stupid Samurais," I growl, slamming my door. I can see Laura and her gang of Sams come through the clearing.  "They were on orders to kill you, but decided not to.  I think we should be grateful, not mad," Larry says, climbing in beside me.  Once Lisa is buckled in, I drive off, madder than hell. 

                "I should've known an Asian boy would lead to kidnapping," I mumble, switching lanes while driving.  "Now don't be racist," Larry says with a little snigger.  I feel like snapping his head off, but decide against it, because he isn't the one who humiliated me and got my clothes dirty.  "If it makes you feel better, he looked pretty beat up," Lisa says, kindly.  I look back at her and wonder what made her be so nice.  "Thanks, it does," I say, smiling at her.  She smiles back, and then looks away quickly. 

                I get home right when the phone rings.  "I'm not getting that," I growl, heading up to my room.  Lisa comes into my room saying, "It's for you," while I am undressing.  Sighing in exasperation, I take the phone.

                "Hello?" I ask, putting my fake, pleasant voice on. 

                "Hello," Shang's voice says.

                "I'm not going to talk to you," I snarl, already putting down the phone.

                "No! Just spare me one minute, please?" he asks.  I stay silent for a long while.  "Jane?"

                "Fine, one minute."

                "My father threatened to kill my little sister.  If I didn't bring you to him by the end of this week, my sister would be killed.  I was going to do that, bring you to him, but I had a plan to save both you and Abby, and then Laura came and told me that Dale had saved Abby already, and that I was no longer under the rule of my father.  You have to believe me; my father has already killed my mother, so I had no choice but to believe that he would kill his own daughter.  Please Jane, you have to believe me," he utters.  I believed him, not because I trusted him, but I trusted my instincts, and they were telling me that he was telling the truth.  "Fine, I believe you.  But that doesn't mean I forgive you," I sneer, and then hang up the phone before he can protest any more.