Straight Shot ➳ Oliver Queen

08. Some Guy in a Hood

C H A P T E R    E I G H T

SOME GUY IN A HOOD

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My heart was in my throat and I felt the blood pumping in my ears as I came to. I blinked my eyes open and slowly began scanning my surroundings with blurred vision, like waking up in a delusion. I was lying on concrete, the ground cold and rough under my body. My clothes were tangled around my body like I had been heaved over someone's shoulder. The dull ache in my back suggested that person had put me down as though they were dropping off a sack of potatoes.

I could hear the sound of water dripping into a puddle echoing in the distance and the overpowering stench of gasoline burned my nose. I slowly coaxed myself into sitting up, seeing the scant sunlight infiltrating boarded up windows.

As I attempted to use my arms for support, a sharp pinch bit at my arm. The muscle was stiff where the tranquilizer dart had hit me. My mouth tasted like dirty laundry and it wasn't until I called out for help that I realized why. A tightly knotted gag muffled my voice and dug at the corners of my lips.

I began searching for Oliver and Tommy, tugging at the zip tie that bound my wrists together behind my back. I could feel the hardy plastic chafing against my skin. The same kind of zip tie was locked around Tommy's wrists. Tommy was still unconscious and sprawled out on his side, bound and gagged like I was.

From somewhere in the warehouse, a hauntingly familiar scream rang off the metal walls. Oliver. I tried to cry out for help again, but there was no point since the fabric in my mouth silenced me. I tugged more frantically at the zip cuffs securing my wrists together.

Okay, think, I thought. I looked around me for something that I could use as a tool to saw through the zip tie, but the perimeter had been left clean– if you could even call the oil stains and dirt-covered concrete 'clean'.

One problem at a time. I couldn't break out of the ties from the ground. I pulled my knees to the side and rolled my body so I was seated on my bent knees. From there, I stood one foot at a time. I shook a loose piece of red hair out of my face as I breathed heavily against the gag. My wrists were aching by now.

I glanced at Tommy. He was still out cold, his eyes closed and his lips parted as if he was simply enjoying a little siesta. From the other end of the warehouse, another moan of agony rippled and I felt Oliver's pain in my gut. I instinctively called out his name, but it was just mumbles against the gag.

The zip tie. I braced my sore wrists and folded one hand over the other, creating a heavy fist. I took a deep breath before swinging my arms back and bringing them back down again against my tailbone. I already felt the bruise starting to form, but the zip tie was still stubbornly intact. I repeated the motion, hammering my wrists into my back, but once again, the zip tie was a daunting force.

Tommy stirred and mumbled something in his dream state. The tranquilizer dart still protruded from his shoulder, penetrating the thick fabric of his leather jacket. The dart was sturdy and silver and looked oddly expensive.

Focus. One more swing and I heard the small pop of plastic snapping. The severed plastic band fell to the concrete and I yanked the gag out of my mouth, the fabric falling around my neck and resting on my shoulders. I rubbed the raw skin on my wrists as I dropped to my knees next to Tommy, gently slipping the gag out of his mouth. I cautiously rolled him onto his stomach to unlock the tie on his wrists then turned him to his back. I shook his shoulder and tapped his cheek, eager to wake him.

"Tommy, wake up." I requested quietly to avoid being overheard by whatever lowlives had kidnapped us. Based on who we were, I quickly accredited the kidnapping as an opening to barter ransom. Three well-known kids, three rich parents willing to pay for their children's safe return.