Hunting Her

Chapter 24

The vehicle shuddered violently, jarring me as it bounced over another pothole. The van's interior rattled, its worn-out suspension groaning in protest. "Herc!" a shrill voice shouted from the front of the van. "I can't work when you're driving like a maniac!"

My whole body felt like it was on fire. The drug was wearing off, and I felt myself growing less groggy by the second. Not to mention, each jolt of the van made my head throb. I had woken up not too long ago and decided to keep my eyes closed. It was better to maintain the illusion of sleep and opening my eyes made this nightmare all too real.

"I need to properly examine the wound," an unfamiliar voice said. It was deep and blunt, likely belonging to Muscle man 2. It was the first I'd heard him speak.

Aaron and Hercules on the other hand, hadn't stopped speaking. I still couldn't get over the man's name. Hercules. They'd argued a lot since I had woken up, they'd argued about Herc's reckless driving, about him spilling coffee on Aaron's laptop, even about whether I was single. But I hadn't heard from Hunter. I didn't know where he was or even if he was in the van.

"Just wait until she wakes up," Aaron replied.

"She's awake." There was Hunter.

I opened my eyes. Hunter sat directly in front of me, his expression unreadable as he scanned my face. His light brown eyes were intense, and the dim light highlighted the sharp angles of his face. It was clear someone had cleaned his cut lip and the gash on the bridge of his nose at some point, but he still looked rough. "Got something to say?" Hunter growled, his eyes boring into mine as he noticed my stare.

I blinked slowly, giving nothing away.

"Can I treat your wound now?" Muscle man 2 asked, shuffling closer. His square jaw was set with determination and his dark eyes focused on me with clinical interest.

I looked down at my handcuffed wrists, then back at him. He shrugged.

I had my answer that was certain. "No."

Hunter scoffed while muscle man 2 raised an eyebrow. "No?" Hunter echoed.

"No."

Hunter leaned in closer, his eyes narrowing. "Do you want to die or something?"

I stayed silent.

He threw his hands in the air. "Great. She wants to die." He pounded his fist against the thin metal separating us from Aaron and Hercules. "Great stuff, Aaron. Truly."

The van slowed to a stop. Aaron, his footsteps light, climbed out and opened the back doors, letting in the cool night air. "Hi, guys," he said with a broad grin as he stepped inside. "Thought I'd ease some tension."

Hunter didn't waste a second. He stepped around Aaron and exited the van. "You deal with her," he muttered, closing us in.

Aaron sat across from me, his nervous smile unwavering. The van started up again. I watched as he fiddled with his fingers, searching for words. Meanwhile, muscle man 2 seemed content to pretend he wasn't there.