Winning His War

36

His head was barely inside before the trunk slammed down, cutting off the little bit of light that came from the outside.

Before long the car started up and the long drive began.

"I swear if I kill them for anything it will be for shoving me in this thing," Jem whispered now that his voice would be covered by the engine and road noise.

He cursed every time a sharp turn was taken, causing him to slide around in the small space, usually causing him to hit his head as well.

"Barrett I swear to god if I find out you're laughing at me right now I'm shoving you in my trunk when all of this is over, we'll see how much you like being tossed around like some loose change. Devon, you stop encouraging him."

Just knowing Barrett and Dev were already watching his every move like we were honestly made me feel better. Knowing them and several others were already tailing him almost put me at ease. Almost.

"I'm fine," he said after a while of us just watching a dark screen. He was able to hook his foot around something and his arms were braced against the sides of the car, keeping his from being thrown around like a rag doll. "The punch was weak and to my nose. It's broken but not shattered so I'll live. Just in case anyone cared."

The ride was longer than any of us expected it to be. Jem had guessed they chose the bar for it's location, assuming it would be close to where ever they were taking him but now it looked like they picked it because of how far it was. Maybe they were hoping they they'd have him killed before his men even got where they were going.

Despite the long ride, it wasn't done in silence.

"You ever just lay in the trunk of a speeding car and think 'fuck I' should have pissed before I got myself into this situation'?" Jem asked as he stared up at celling with a sigh. "I might re do my hair after this. I don't mind the black but I think I would look good in dark blue," he said after a while, not minding the fact that he was literally talking to himself while his best friends and I listened in while he was being kidnapped.

"I mean honestly, just close your eyes and imagine; Jem with blue hair. It'd look hot, right Andrew?" Andrew only shook his head at Jem's pathetic accuse to fill the silence. "And no Dev, I'm not going blonde just for you. I know you have a thing for them but we all know I'll look like a highlighter if I go that light."

The ride was filled with one sided conversation but he added each of us in, speculating how each of us would react to the question he had asked until the car began to slow down for the first time since it took off.

With the camera being so close to his heart, I could faintly hear how fast it was beating in his chest but he remained as calm as always on the outside. A soft sigh fell from his lips when the trunk opened up.

"Oddly enough it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," Jem lied through his teeth as he awkwardly rolled out of the trunk.

The second he was back on his feet a rustle could be heard before he was being harshly shoved, just barely being able to keep his balance.

"And now I have a bag on my head," he said, letting us know what had happened to him as he stumbled around while the giant forced him forward. "You know this is a safety hazard. You really should be more polite to your guests."

"You're not a guest. And you won't be around long enough to worry about being treated polity."

"So you're willing to kill me quickly? Well that's a relief. Here I was thinking I was about to be tortured to death. It's comforting."

The giant only scoffed as he continued forward.

Jem attempted to move his chest around subtly to give us a view of what was happening but all we could make out due to the darkness was that we were somewhere deep in the woods. A decently big shed stood in front of us but it was in shambles and looked like it would fall apart any second now.

The inside of the shed was just as dark judging by the way the angle shifted it was easy to tell Jem had been shoved down to his knees.

"Alright, get it over with," Jem teased, refusing to let on to the fear he no doubt felt. His heart still pounded through the speakers but his voice never wavered and his head never hung low in defeat. Though he couldn't see the men in front of him, he boldly looked them in the eyes, waiting for his life to end.

"Not yet," A young voice stated boredly. "Where are the other two?"

"You drive a hard bargain Elijah, you really do but the other two were never on the table. I can tell just by your voice that you're pretty young so I'll blame this on simple inexperience but let me teach you something before I die. Never trust a man to do what he says he will. It won't hurt as bad when he betrays you in the end."

Keep them talking. That was the only way this plan really worked. Keep them talking, give Dev and Barrett enough time to find you, come home like nothing happened.

"They're in France," the giant said smugly, seemingly pleased he had a bit of information that was important.

"Are they? I thought I sent them to Rome? Or was it Chile? Hell it may have even been Japan."

"The tickets say France."

"Well of course that's what the tickets are going to say," Jem scoffed. "If you're trying to hide something you don't just hand over that kind of information to people. What kind of gang leader do you think I am?"

"A stupid one," Elijah said harshly. The sound of a gun being cocked echoed around the room. Jem sighed the barrel began pressing into his forehead. "Where are they?"

"Definitely Mexico. I think. Wherever they are I think I remember Patrick being excited to put his Spanish lessons to good use."

"Great, a Spanish speaking country, like that narrows it down," the giant scoffed.

"He's playing dumb. Tell me where they are."

"Somewhere in Europe maybe? I honestly don't remember."

"You better remember or you'll die for nothing. I'm willing to keep you alive if you just cooperate! Tell me where they are! You have three seconds. One..."

"Gaugamela."

"Two," his voice grew angrier.

"Brazil," Jem's only grew smugger.

A shot rang though the air and my blood ran cold.

Jem's body fell the floor.

The sound echoes around the room.

My heart stopped beating as I watched the screen, praying that this was some sick joke Jem made.

Then the next shot rang out and the giant went down without a fight. Everyone was on their guards the door to the shed flew open, revealing Dev and Barret.

Shots rang out from every corner of the room, there had clearly been more men hiding in the shadows than we originally thought there would be.

Jem still lay there unmoving as Barrett grabbed him by the feet and began dragging him out while Dev shot at anything that moved.

"Get your lazy, good for nothing, fat ass up and help me," Barrett cursed as he dragged the man who weighed so much more that him.

"I deserved to be carried after the hell I just went through. Stop being so dramatic," Jem said as he dug his hands into the dirt to make it harder on Barrett, gunfire still going off in the background. "Being shoved in a trunk is no picnic."

"Neither is having to do this stupid ass plan. Get up!"

"The plan isn't stupid, it worked after all."

"That doesn't mean it wasn't dumb ass hell. Now get up and help me."

Jem didn't have the chance to say another word as the feed cut off.

Last updated March 17, 2022