I just smile and begin to laugh with a few coughs in-between trying to still catch my breath. I have no idea what the fuck they are saying, but that won’t stop them. I do, however, know what they want because of Jerry’s last confrontation.
The guy with the tiger tattoo stops the tanned one as he is getting ready to pull back his arm to swing at me again. They are talking back and forth to each other, and the conversation seems to get heated between them. Finally, the tanned one turns to me, puts his palms on the arms of my chair and leans into my face, almost touching each other’s nose, “Man…name…now!” He struggles to get these words out, but at least I understand them. I swing my head from left to right, indicating I’m not going to say a thing.
His nose scrunches up, not very pleased with my reaction, and he sucker punches me in the gut one last time before dragging my chair back to the trough. This time, I don’t stand a chance. I’m already gasping from the punch by the time my face hits the water, taking in a mouth full. Struggling, I sway side to side, my eyes open looking at the bottom of the rusty tin trough. Bubbles are protruding from my mouth and nose as my body tries to gasp for air. The black tunnel vision comes back and closes in on my view before I pass out.
I don’t know how long I’ve been out for, but I wake to the tanned man bending down in front of me, and my head is pounding profusely. He begins to untie my left ankle and then my right. I’m not entirely sure what his reasoning is but I’m going with it. As soon as I get the chance, I’m taking it.
Just then he goes to the back of the chair and wraps his hand around the top and drags me to the wall. He must think that I’m still passed out because he proceeds to untie my wrists but leaves the rope around my chest. Once they are free, I go for it.
Turning my body to the left, I place my right leg between his and slide his foot out from underneath him. He loses his footing and falls on his ass. Walking up to him even further, I sink my knee into his chin until he falls to the floor. Turning his limp body over, I dig for the pocket knife he shoved into his jeans. Finding it, I swipe the blade across the rope that’s still around my chest. The blade is very dull, so I cut it like I’m using a butter knife. After a few minutes, I’m finally free of the chair. I turn and make a run for the door. As I’m out it, I look to my right then my left back to my right. The hallways are pitch black, and I have no idea where I’m at.
Just as I’m about to go right, the tanned guy that I knocked out is behind me and grabs me by the hair to drag me back in the room. The sting that I had before has now tripled. I try again to turn to trip him, but this time he seems to catch on and backs away just in time. Instead, he spins me around faster than I can catch my footing and I fall to the ground again.
He grabs my hair and drags me back to the wall that is still slightly trickling with water. Grabbing his wrist, I try to pull myself up to relieve some of the pain caused by his pulling, but he takes his other hand, and sucker punches me in the temple. Slamming my head against the wall, hard, he lets go of me and steps a few feet out of my direction to get the rope that he took off my wrists. Coming back, he straddles me and takes my wrist and places them in front and ties them up. Lifting my arms in the air, the tanned man is pulling the rope through a ring in the wall that I never spotted before.
Looking from the ring back down to his crotch that is now in my face as he is still messing with the rope, I open my mouth and bite down as hard as I can into his dick. His jeans stop the full force, but I know I get a decent amount. He is yelling and screaming like a little girl, and I don’t let up on him. He begins punching me on each side of my head hoping I’ll let go. I don’t until I start to see the tunnel again.
Then it gets black. Nothing.
CHAPTER fourteen
thane
A fter Greer had been missing and I finally was able to track down Matt, I did what any person would do to find the love of their life. Taking him to an abandoned building, I had all the tools necessary to torture the son-of-a-bitch.
Placing him in handcuffs, around his wrists and ankles, I had him pinned up against a pillar. Nose to nose, “Where the hell did he take her?” After a few seconds of not answering me and glancing into my eyes, I grabbed the back of his neck tightly with one hand and dragged him across the room.
Giving him one more chance to tell me, I removed my hand from his neck and placed it on the collar of his shirt, bunched up in a fist. Gritting my teeth, “Last time, where did he take her?” Matt just looked into my eyes and started laughing hysterically.
Laughing in-between speaking to me, “You…will never…find her.” Looking into his eyes, I saw pure hatred for Greer. I had no idea why he had despised her, I didn’t care.
Quick and swift, I placed my hand on the back of his neck once again and violently shoved his head in the ice-cold metal tub of water sitting in front of us on the table. Matt began to struggle against my hold as he tried to pick his head up out of the water. After twenty seconds I slowly pulled his head out of the tub.
Gasping for air, beginning to laugh once again, “You…can torture me…all you want…because I finally got…my revenge.” Slamming his head back into the water and forcefully banging his head against the inside of the tub, I held his head down for around twenty seconds.
His struggle was quickly fading this time because I never gave him enough time to catch up on air the first time. After bringing his head back up, he gasped for air but, never laughed this time. Water was dripping down his chocolate skin and onto his already soaked white t-shirt.
Turning his head to face me, “Where…is…she?”
Peering into my eyes, as if he is looking in a black hole, “That bitch deserves everything she is getting to her right now. She won’t be the same…even if she lives.”
Rage filled every inch of me at that moment. I wanted him dead, but I knew he wouldn’t be any use to me if he were. Instead, I twisted him around and made him walk. After bringing him to the garage of the building, we stood there, staring at my truck.
Standing there, looking confused, “What, you going to take me on a joy ride?” His laughing began again, and I was sick and tired of hearing it.
Throwing him to the ground, in front of my truck, I walked over his body and to the driver door. Opening it up, I hopped in, sat in the driver seat and started the engine. I could hear Matt pleading from the front, “Man, wha? You gunna run me over now? Come on, this isn’t going to get me to talk.”
Just then, a smile crept along my face. He had no idea what I had in mind. Leaning to the right, I stretched out and reached for the jumper cables that were laying on my passenger floorboard. Once I had them in my hand, I leaned back to the left and jumped out of the driver seat. Walking to the asshole, I placed my hand on the hood that had the jumper cables in them, and the other hand was searching around under the hood to find the latch to lift it. Not two seconds later and it was popped open. Reaching behind me, I grabbed my gloves out of the back of my pocket and put them on. Taking the red and black jumper cables on one end, I placed them on the battery. Grabbing the other end, walking toward Matt, I slide them across each other to show him the sparks that are flying off them. I was scaring the living shit of him.
Panic in his eyes, “Man, you really don’t have to do that.”
Rage in my eyes, “Where the fuck is she? Last time!”
Matt’s eyes became more comprehensive than before, “Yo, listen, I have no idea where they took her. I was just the lookout. I swear.” Sweat dripping down his forehead, “Please, don’t man.”
“You deserve everything you have coming to you. Whether you know where she is or not, you sent him her way, and for that, you have more coming to you then you know.” Leaning down, I placed both jumper cable cords on the handcuffs on his wrists.
Matt was screaming uncontrollably. I was glad that I had chosen one of the abandoned buildings a few blocks from Greer’s warehouse that was ransacked a while ago. Being in this part of town, no one would think twice to c
all the cops let alone come in wondering what was going on. They would be stupid to. After a few zaps and the smell of burnt flesh, I took the jumper cords off the handcuffs and waited for him to speak up.
Silently pleading for me to stop, he began to look all over the garage for anything that may help him, which there wasn’t. Glancing at me, “You’re fucking crazy man.”
Kneeling in front of him, cables still in my hand, “No, I just know how to do my job and find what is missing.” Extending my hands out, I placed the cords on the handcuffs that were placed around his ankles. Matts body began to shake uncontrollably again as the shock went through his body for a few more seconds.
After taking them off again, I stayed where I was, “Now, you willing to tell me where she is, or do I need to hook these to something else?” Looking down at his dick and then back to his eyes, “You wanna call my bluff?”
After waiting longer than I wanted to, he said nothing, I leaned in and was inches from his dick before he blurted out with his hands up, “Ok, ok. Some old guy with two big dudes approached me about a month ago. They were asking about Greer and said that they had plans for her.” Taking a deep but fast breathe, “I told them that I knew where to find her but then asked them what was in it for me. The old feller didn’t take it too well but agreed to any terms I wanted. Told him I wanted Greer to suffer and I wanted her to for a long time.” Looking from my eyes to my hands then back up, he gulped hard before continuing. “He had no problem with any of it. He was extremely pleased with them. All I know is I was to call them at the number they gave me when I see her, so I did.”
Taking one of the cords, my anger got the best of me, and I slammed it down on the concrete floor just a few inches from his head sending a spark or two hitting his face. Yelling out in anger, “FUCK.” Getting up I went to the truck and released the black and red jumper cables from the battery and flinging them back onto the floorboard. Turing the ignition off and slamming the door, I proceeded to make my way back to Matt who was still on the floor, staring at me.
Dragging him by his foot, I watched as he painfully squirmed in my hold around his burnt ankles. “Dude, I told you all I know. Honest truth. Let me go! I gave you all I know!”
Stopping where I was, I looked down at him. That last bit pissed me off, and I wanted to hear nothing out of his mouth anymore. Pulling my right arm back and swinging it forward, I knocked his ass out.
Dragging him back to the pillar, I left him there. Walking over to one of the three tables I had set up, I looked over all his belongs that I took off him prior to getting information from him. Laying eyes on his phone, I picked it up and looked at his history call log from thirteen days ago. A lot of the numbers on his phone weren’t programmed, so I wrote them all down.
Taking the piece of paper with the numbers on it, I made my way to the computer sitting on the third table. Sitting down, in the worn out red chair that was here when I arrived, I started to type each number into my database. Something had to pop up for me to use.
After typing in the ninth number, a search popped up that caught my eye. It was a burner phone, so no name popped up, but I had an address of the location of the call. This was the best lead I’ve had so far. Jotting the address down, I got up and made my way back to my truck, leaving Matt right where he was. There was no way he was going anywhere, for a while.
***
Driving up to the address on the paper, I come to a stop at a dirt driveway lined with trees. The place wasn’t too far from the road considering I could see one of the buildings from where I was. Putting the truck in drive, I drove about a half mile down the road and hid it off to the side behind a big pile of brush. Walking into the woods, not even a mile, I come across one of the many buildings. Watching and waiting close to five minutes, I get up and quietly make my way into the closest one.
Looking around, it was a single room that seemed to be used as storage. There were multiple gas cans, some that were full, to the right and to the left were metal shelving from floor to ceiling with miscellaneous items on it. One of those items caught my eye, a big green metal box sat there. Walking over, I examine it to find small blood stains on the handle of the lid. Carefully opening it, there was a bunch of tools stacked close to the top. A lot of them had dried blood all over them. Screwdrivers, hammers, pliers, a rolled-up spool of wire, and other various items. Closing the lid, my mind went straight to Greer. What the hell were they doing to her?
The sound of screeching tires caught my attention and brought me back to the now. Moving toward the door, I slightly jarred it open to see what was going on around me since this building was lacking windows.
Two big guys got out of a silver car, the passenger turned around and walked to the back door to open it. As the gentleman got out, he peered over the roof of the car, looking around. I’m assuming to see if they were followed. As he took his shades off, I knew exactly who he was. I had to find the strength to keep myself in this building instead of walking out and beating the living daylight out of him.
Jerry Sloan appeared right in front of me, not even fifty feet away. Dressed in a black, long sleeve button up dress shirt along with a black vest, dark gray pinned stripped dress pants, and some expensive looking shoes. His hair was salt and pepper, he looked to be keeping himself well groomed, in a narcissistic perverted way.
After a few minutes, all three men walked into the building across from where I was. I needed to check the other buildings to see if Greer was here but part of me also wanted to tail Jerry because eventually, he would lead me to her. Taking the tracker, I had in my back pocket, I carefully made my way to the front car tire and placed it just on the other side. Not even five seconds later, the door opens to the building all three of them went to. One of his lackeys was walking out the door until his attention turned back inside. Now was my time to get out of here before I was caught. Darting for the building I came from, I heard the man opening the door one more time. As he walked out, I made it just in time to not be seen.
Closing the door to the building, I waited until the coast was clear. I was locked in this building for a few hours before I heard the three of them make their way back into the car and drive off again. I wasn’t worried about chasing after them due to the tracker I placed on the vehicle. According to the surveillance cameras from the mini market, that was the car that drove off with Greer in it, so I knew that had to be Jerry’s vehicle, which was exactly the car I wanted to track.
Opening the door, I made my way into the building across the yard to see what was over there. As I stepped foot into it, there where two other rooms attached to it. The first one looked to be a dining room of some sort. The walls and floor seemed to be the same as the last building I came from. All concrete walls painted white with dirt floors. A beaten up, wooden table with three stools was in this room along with a bottle of Jack and a cigar that was just put out.
Making my way to the door to the right, I found that to be a bathroom of some sort. The toilet was disguising, piss and shit all over it, inside and out. The sink that has stains on it looked to have never been cleaned before. Walking to the curtain, in the corner of the room, I opened it up to find a shower nozzle sticking out of the wall. Next to that, on the right, was dried blood. Looks like it had been there for quite some time.
Walking out of the bathroom and into the last room of the building, I come to find a twin bed on a rusty metal frame located in the middle of the room. There was one, small window located in this room with a tiny shear curtain that was tattered to hell. The bed sheets were disheveled with stains of all sorts. There was a wooden rocker in the dark corner of the room with a small stand next to it with a cigar tray on top. Something told me this room wasn’t used for sleeping in.
Making my way out of the building, I turned left and walked a good two hundred feet before I come to the main entrance building that I saw off the highway. It’s surrounded by ten-foot, white concrete walls all the way around. From the outside, even on the road, you
can’t see what is on the other side except for two light poles located on each wall and a stand of some sort to the right. Walking to one of the entryways, I slide on in. The area is literally a big opening with dirt on the ground. To the right is a small grandstand with one chair close to the railing located along the edge of the six-foot drop. The area is a pretty decent size, about the size of a fairgrounds dirt track. Glancing along the corner wall were a pile of burn barrels, other than that, nothing.
Leaning down, in a squatting position, I place both my hands on top of my head in frustration. If Greer was here, she isn’t anymore. I have no idea what this place means to Jerry, maybe party city or something but I don’t think this is where he would keep her. Placing my hands on my knees, I look around some more to see if maybe I missed anything. Nothing. Dead end.
I made my way back to my truck, slide in and reach for my phone in my back pocket. I needed to see where Jerry was. Unlocking my touchscreen, I clicked on the app just for my tracking devices. After punching in the information, Jerry’s signal popped up. He seemed to be thirty miles West of me. Placing my hands on the keys, I turn the ignition over and put the truck in drive. Speeding off, hoping my next destination would bring me closer to Greer.
***
After driving for thirty-five minutes, I finally stumble upon Jerry’s other location. This one took me a bit longer to figure out because according to my GPS, Jerry was standing in the middle of the timber, but I couldn’t find an entryway to get to him until now. Again, hiding my truck aways down the road and covering it up, I continued by foot into the woods. This place wasn’t anything like the last one. Surrounded by a six-foot fence with barbed wire rolled around the tops, whatever or whoever was in there, he wanted them to stay in. This building looked to be more up to date than the last location. Just from observing it from my point of view, it seemed to be an old brick house, but something in my gut was telling me there is more to it. Observing the rest of the property, I found a few cameras attached to the entrances to the doors and gate only.
Rise (The Phoenix Series Book 1) Page 12