My mouth was as dry as a desert as we pulled up into the familiar warehouse parking lot.
"Shawn," I could barely get his name out. "I'm scared."
He reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze. "I'm here. Maybe there's a way to find the kids and leave without them seeing us."
I sighed. "That's not possible. They're probably being guarded."
"Remember, it's me they want." Shawn said bitterly. "I'll let them take me, as long as the kids go free."
"Shawn, we're all leaving here together." I said determinedly.
He pecked my lips. "Let's go find them."
We opened the giant metal door and shivered when the cold air hit our bodies, raising goosebumps.
"Where's Matt, Reese, and Hayes?" I breathed.
"They should be here soon. Said they were caught up in late afternoon traffic."
I rolled my eyes. "Out of all things."
I held my breath when I heard the voices of Nash, Taylor, Cameron, and Ricky.
"Where are they?" Taylor snapped.
"They're going to be here soon Taylor, calm your shit!" Cameron shot back.
I heard a low growl and a clanging noise as if something heavy hit the floor. He must've knocked something over in anger.
Shawn pressed a finger to his lips as he peeked into the doorway.
"They're there all right," he whispered grimly. "I think they're hidden in the shadows, in those chairs."
I bit my lip to keep a whimper from escaping.
Then, the voices stopped.
"Where did they go?" Shawn frowned. "I could've sworn they were right-"
"-Here?" Came a voice from behind me.
I started to scream and that's when a hand clamped over my mouth.
"Let me go!" I muffled into my attacker's hand.
"Shut up!" A voice hissed viciously into my ear. Something sharp pressed into my side and this time it wasn't Carter's car keys.
The door was roughly thrown open and I was tossed onto the concrete floor.
Shawn wasn't so lucky either. He was punched by Nash and kicked in the side by Taylor.
Ricky bound his hands with zip ties.
"C'mon you guys, we just want information from them," Cameron complained.
"You want to leave now?" Taylor got up into Cameron's face. "You want to join them on the floor?"
"Fuck off Taylor!" Cameron shouted back angrily. "I was just thinking we didn't have to be this excessive!"
"Where are the kids?" Shawn asked weakly, blood running down his face from a cut on his forehead.
"In the corner," Ricky sneered at him.
"Abrielle!"
"Shawn! What's going on?"
Their voices sounded higher pitched than usual, but that was probably from how frightened they were.
"Let them go!" I screamed at them. "It's us you want, not them!"
"Not until you give us Shawn," Ricky said smugly.
I laughed right in his stupid face. "Yeah right. Just give us our siblings and leave us alone before our friends call the cops."
"What friends?" Taylor sneered.
He snapped his fingers and Nash pulled Reese and Matt through the door, hands bound and eyes frightened.
Hayes was nowhere to be seen.
My confidence disappeared in the blink of an eye. "R-Reese! Matt!"
Reese stared at the ground, thick tears running down her cheeks.
Matt was bruised and bloody, his cheery smile gone and his eyes gaunt and lifeless.
A lump grew in my throat as I watched Reese clutch his hand and sob quietly.
"Give us our siblings back," my voice trembled from trying not to cry.
Nash smirked. "It's not that easy you know. Give us Carter and Shawn, and you're all free to go!"
"Carter's in the hospital," I said through clenched teeth. "You put him there."
Ricky laughed harshly. "He shouldn't have double crossed us and went under cover. That little shit got what he deserved."
Taylor mumbled something to Nash and Ricky and while they were doing that I took the opportunity to mouth, Where's Hayes, to Matt. He just looked at me and shook his head slightly as if to say I don't know.
"Can I just see Emmett?" I asked desperately. "Please?"
Taylor smirked. "Sure thing. Nash, give them back their siblings."
I was a bit thrown off by his answer. They were going to give Emmett back?
Nash sneered at me as he placed a hand on the light switch that threw a corner of the massive room into darkness.
"Ready to see them?" Ricky sneered.
I chewed my lip, afraid of what I would see. What if they were hurt? What if they were tied up and bound like Shawn?
"Ready kids?" Nash called into the dark.
"Abrielle! Shawn! Help!" The high pitched voices of our siblings rang out again but I got a funny feeling in my stomach.... Their voices were off.... Way off.
"Okay, here we go!" Nash pulled the switch and I gasped at the sight in front of me.
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Sorry to leave you hanging guys!
And sorry for the late update... Truth be told, I'm more focused on my other stories right now, But I'll promise to update before I leave on Sunday for sleep away camp!
I'm so grateful for 8k, and counting. This story wouldn't have been possible without you guys, (corny, I know, but true.)
I love you all! Stay lovely!
-Sophia💕