Antidote

Chapter 38

I look around, to try and catch some sort of signal from the gang on what to do, but they've all disappeared. Frustrated, I clench the hem of my jean shorts in anxiety. I'm painfully aware of the fact that neither Tristan nor I have a weapon of any sort.

Blake advances further, a hideous smirk etched on his face. "Well, well, well, my no-good sissy of a son got himself a girlfriend!" he sneers, obviously with distaste. He peeks at my stomach and adds, "And got busy!" Despite the situation, a blush tints my cheeks pink and I open to my mouth to correct him. However, he doesn't give me a chance. He darts out and slaps me on the mouth. "Hush up, girl."

My eyes burn coals at him, but Tristan's are worse. In a voice filled with rage, he says, low and threatening, "Leave her alone." Blake, however, is not fazed by his son's obvious anger. He doesn't move, a smug grin settling on his face. "Protective, are we? Perfect." The way he says "perfect" makes my stomach flip and twist.

Blake and Tristan are now a mere five inches apart, Blake appearing completely confident and Tristan glowering holes through his skin, shaking with anger. Without warning, Blake whips a small handgun from his jeans pocket. He approaches me and before I can say or do anything, locks a thick arm around my neck. He presses the gun to my head, and I can feel it's pointy barrel boring into my skull.

"Go with me," Blake growls toward Tristan, gesturing to an old beat-up pickup truck, "Or I'll kill her." Tristan and I exchange frantic glances. "Dad," Tristan says, all rage emptied from his tone. "Don't you 'dad' me," Blake growls. "I know your game. Now, let me tell you again: Get in the truck and come with me, or I send a bullet through her head!"

Tristan looks at me, fear clouding his eyes. He looks at his father, the pickup, and back at me. Blake digs the barrel deeper into my flesh, twisting it painfully. I look at Tristan, pleading with my eyes for him not to do what I know he will. Slowly he nods, and says, "Okay. Let's go. But if you shoot her, I swear to God, I will chop off your balls, feed them to sharks, and boil the rest of you over alligators' mouths!" I almost smile. He can come up with the weirdest things when he's angry.

Blake uncurls his arm from around my neck and removes the gun from my head. I sink to my knees and call out, "Tristan, don't do this!" "Shut up!" Blake shouts at me, slapping me again. Tristan says, "Alex, leave it! Just leave it!" What is he saying?! I can't just leave it! Desperately, I clutch onto his right arm, pulling him towards me. Blake grasps the other one, pulling Tristan away.

He wrangles free from his dad's grasp and says to me, "Alex, I love you. I hope I'll get to see you again." "No!" I scream, tears fogging my vision. "Ssh," he comforts me, pulling me into a hug. He kisses my lips, then steps backward and follows his dad. I watch them go.

I watch as Tristan gets in the passenger side, his dad gets in the driver's, and they drive off. Involuntarily, I scream loudly, and, immediately, the rest of the gang comes rushing in from behind the warehouse. They're armed with guns, knives, and blueprints. Zoe rushes over to me, asking, "What happened?" "H-he took Tristan!" I reply, shaking with fear.

Zoe turns around quickly, and relays my message to the rest of the gang. Then she offers me a hand and pulls me up. She hands me a gun, a set of blueprints, and a knife. Then she says, "I'll be right back," and rushes out. A few seconds later, she rushes back in and slips a bulletproof vest over my head. "But what about you guys?" I ask in alarm, seeing that they have no vests on. "Not important," Max says. "You're pregnant." "You can fight, right?" Tony asks. I nod. Zoe takes my wrist and leads me out the door, followed by the rest of the gang.

We pile into a shining, new pickup truck. I clamber into the cab with Chace and Zoe, while the rest of the gang sit in the back of the truck. "Which way did they go?" Chace asks grimly. I point and soon we come upon another warehouse.

Two guards are standing outside, armed heavily. "Come on," Chace whispers to us, "But quietly." Zoe and I slip out of the cab, followed by Chace and the rest of the gang. "Okay," Chace says, gathering us all together in a group. "This is a big place, and if we're going to find Tristan, we're going to have to search alone."

Several intakes of breath can be heard from the group. "Alone?" Max squeaks. Chace nods. "Well then," Zoe says, throwing her shoulders back in a display of confidence. "Let's go!" A murmur of agreement goes up from the people. "Just a second," Zoe whispers. She creeps forward silently, sneaking up on the guards. When she's about a foot away from them, she jumps one. One solid punch to the jaw, and he's out cold. She kicks the other one in the balls, then punches him unconscious.

Gesturing for us to come on, she unlocks the door with a key from one guard's belt. We rush towards her and file in the door one by one. "Okay," Chace says once we're all inside. "Denny, you take this hall. I'll take this one. Tony, you take the kitchen, living room, and rec room. Max, you guard the door, make sure nobody comes in or out unless it's one of us. Ty, you patrol around the back alleyway and see if you can't find Mr. Otis. He'll help us."

I raise my eyebrow. Mr. Otis? "Mr. Otis is a gang leader who sometimes helps us fight," Ty explains. Chace nods and goes back to talking out orders. "Zoe, you take the upstairs. And Alex, you take the cell dungeons and garage." "Jake, you see if you can't find Mr. Daniels and work out some sort of deal. But don't let on that you're with us. Don't give him even the slightest inkling that you know we're here. If you do, we're all toast and you'll die a slow, painful death." Jake nods solemnly and the group separates.

Following my blueprints, I set off down a dark, barely lit hallway in search of Tristan. I haven't gone far when a meaty hand clamps over my mouth.

AN: You all love me sooooo much, don't ya?? ;)

All my love,

Em