It felt like I'd been in this car for hours, the bag over my head made time spin out of control. The car rarely stopped and the only thing I could hear was the crunch of gravel under the tires. Dizziness was beginning to set in and my head was starting to hurt. Before I could yell for someone to let me out, the car stopped.
The sudden stop made me hit my head on the window and I groaned. A door closed and mine opened up and rough hands gripped my arm and pulled me out of the car. My feet hit the ground hard and my knees almost buckled but the large hands at my bicep held me tight.
I was made to walk forward and nearly tripped, but again the grasp stopped me from hitting the gound. Dirt crunched beneath my feet, and I could see small lines of sunlight through the cloth of my hood. When at last we stopped walking a key slid into a lock and a heavy metal door opened, and I was led inside.
It was hot inside as it was outside. The hands pulled me to a stop and pushed me into a chair. The cold metal bit into my wrists when they pulled them back, and tied them together. My ankels were soon also tied and the rope chafed against my skin when I struggled against them. A low chuckle to my right,
"It's no use." Then, "Take it off."
Blinding light hit my eyes and I blinked and squinted. Men's shapes lined what I could see of the concrete walls in fron of me. A figure stepped into the light but I couldn't see his face. He but his arms behind him and started to examine me like I was some sort of animal. He turned his head to someone behind me.
"This is her?" He looked back at me, "Not much to look at."
I spit at him and he grabbed my chin forcing me to look at him. "That wasn't very nice." He clicked his tounge, "Now I see why he likes you."
"Look I have no idea what's going on. I don't know who 'he' is, and I sure as hell don't know what you want from me." I spat.
"Hush now. Your voice is distasteful." He pulled back and put his hands behind him. "Tape her."
I looked back, stunned to see more men behind me, but hands found my head and kept it forward. I thrashed and kicked when they tried to put tape over my mouth. Fortunately for them my legs were tied, unfortunately for me because of that, they sealed the tape over my mouth.
The man looked back at me and cocked his head to the side. "We'll see how much she's really worth to them." He turned back and started, "Let me know if-" He didn't get a chance to finish when the door I must've come through burst open and a boy about my age carrying a machine gun stalked through.
His dark, unruly curly hair flopped as he shot through two of the men standing in front of him. Their bodies fell to the ground with hard thumps but curly didn't bat an eye, just kept shooting. The men behind me must've pulled out their own guns, bullets were flying in both directions.
And I was in the middle of it.
I tried to duck down, or at least get my head out of the way, but my bound hands made it nearly impossible. I couldn't scream, the tape still sat tightly on my face. I squirmed and grunted but to avail. What is this the second gun fight I've been in, in less than a week?
More boys entered through the dor with more guns. The bullet proof vests and combat boots made them look nothing less like military. Somehow, though, I knew they weren't. Shots were still being traded, shooters on both sides hiding behind crates and whatever they could find. One last boy came in, a lock of blonde hair falling into his face, and I almost collapsed with relief.
Nick. Thank God.
His eyes roamed the building, looking frantic. When they met mine, they hardened. He started shouting commands, "K2 push forward! K4 and K5 fall in line! K squad advance!" All at once the men followed his commands, slowly decreasing the space between the opposing forces.
"K squad watch the target!" Nick shouted and pulled a hand pistol out of his own back, firing behind me. The men kept advancing and I continued to lean down to avoid the bullets, but Nick yelled, "Sit up and close your eyes!"
So I did. I squeezed my eyes shut, the sound of bullets flying filling my ears. I didn't open them until the firing stopped. When I opened them, there was no one in front of me except for the bodies that had been shot down. A hand reached around towards my face and I rushed to get away from it.
"Ma'am, I'm just trying to help." A voice said in my ear.
"Let him help." Nick. That was Nick's voice. I leaned back and the hand gently took the tape away from my mouth. I heaved a breath as the hands began to cut the ropes around my wrists. When the rope snapped I pulled my hands together and rubbed my wrists, and soon my ankles were freed. I looked up to thank whoever cut them and found myslef face to face with curly.
Freckles crossed the bridge of his nose and his green eyes were wide open. A smile revealed straight, white teeth.
"Thank you." I croaked out.
"No problem." He flipped a switch blade back into one of the pockets of the vest and stood, crossing muscled arms across his chest. He look behind me and said,
"Anything else?"
"Keep him until I get there. Don't let him out, shoot him in the legs if you have too."
Curly nodded and I blanched. "Shoot him in the legs if you have too." It was not something I thought I'd ever hear out of Nick's mouth. I stood up on wobbly knees and turned to face Nick but he pulled into a crushing hug before I could look.
"Thank you too." I breathed.
"Calsy I'm so sorry. We came as soon as I heard-"
"Nick, I'm okay." I pulled away from him. "Are you okay?"
"Such a stupid question for you to be asking." He huffed a laugh. "I'm okay. Are you?"
I hadn't really checked. "My arm kind of hurts but I think I'm okay."
I went to look back but Nick put a hand to my cheek and guided my face back to face his. "Calsy, I'm so sorry."
"You've apologized a lot lately." I said and turned away.
"Calsy, don't-" But it was too late.
Bodies were sprawled across the ground, blood leaking from the bullets holes in their chests. Open, empty eyes stared at the ceiling. Blood dripped from lips, and closed eyes gave the impression of sleep.
I twisted back to face Nick. His face was an apology, filled with sorrow. I pushed him out of the way and threw up until my stomach was heaving. Nick rubbed my shoulders, and handed me a tissue when I was done.
When I composed myself enough I asked, "Who are you shooting in the legs?"
"The person who ordered your kidnapping."
"I want to see him."
"No."
I shot him a look. "You can't stop me."
Nick sighed and said, "Walk with me."
He shielded me from the horror as much as he could before he led me down a hallway. It opened up to what looked like a dock bay for trucks to load and un-load cargo. And in the center stood a circle of six tightly packed men. In the center a fingure sat on his knees, blood coming out of his nose.
"Part." Nick's voice was hard, commanding. Two of the men moved aside to let him in, I followed.
The circle closed around us once we stepped through and I looked around at the hard faces surrounding us.
"Alexander Pros." Nick said coldly.
"King." Alexander spit back.
"Is there a reason you kidnapped this young lady?"
"Didn't Ace tell you my brothers warning?" A small smile split his face.
"Ah yes, yes." Nick circled Alexander. "You all really should update your threats, they're getting tedious."
The smile vanished from Alexanders face as he lunged for Nick, but Nick caught him square in the jaw and sent him back on his knees. Blood now pouring from his mouth.
"You really are stupid. You're whole family." Nick said carelessly.
"She'll be dead before the year is up."
Nick crouched to his level. "Really? And whose going to pull the trigger?"
"Caden."
Nick's body went still, but only for a split second. "At least you're smart enough to know it won't be you." He stood up and looked at me. "He's all yours."
I raised a brow, but he gave a little wave of his hand as if to say Do whatever you please. So I did.
I kicked him in the face and sent him knocking into the ground. "Somebody hold him."
Curly came and picked him back up, setting him back on his knees as I landed a blow. My knuckles hurt but I didn't care. I leaned down, grabbed his chin and whispered, "Is my voice still distasteful?" I kicked him in the stomach. "Or am I much to look at now?" A slap across the face.
"You were stupid to come here. Stupid to the last drop of blood dripping off your face." I spat at him.
Nick crossed over and placed a hand on my shoulder. Looking to the nearest soldier he said, "Make it quick." The soldier nodded.
Nick led me out of the circle and back into the hallway. We stopped in the middle and he took my hand into his. Tracing my knuckles he said, "You hit with the wrong knuckles. You'll do more damage to yourself then your opponent." He was right, my knuckles ached from where I made contact.
I looked at him, "Now what?"
"Now, we get you cleaned off. And we get ready."
I tried not to flinch as a single gun shot echoed through the building.