by Melissa Jane
My mouth was pasty and I craved water desperately. I knew there was little chance of finding any so I swished the small amount of saliva I had around in my mouth. All I could do was lay silently staring at the roof of the vehicle hoping for answers as if they might suddenly appear. Memories of what could only have been a couple of hours ago flooded my mind.
I recalled feeling a presence in my room, then a heavy body on top of mine pinning me down. And that fragrance! A fruit orchard with a hint of spice.
Did he not feel he had done enough damage to me already, that now he was resorting to drugging me in the middle of the night and kidnaping me from a place where I had already been kidnapped to? My mind rushed through the various theories that could apply to this situation.
Only two reasons seemed plausible. Since Aiden was responsible for the death of my brother there could be no reason why I shouldn’t become his next victim. Wanting to dispose of bodily evidence would account for the use of a vehicle. Or he was double-crossing the very men he considers family and orchestrating the transaction with Alexsonov all by himself. Both thoughts were difficult to stomach. I wondered how Juan and Hector would feel knowing the man they had raised and taken in as their own had only backstabbed them and undermined their whole operation.
Turning on my left side, flinching from the pain of Carlos’s earlier attack, I studied my surroundings closer. I was in the back of a truck-like vehicle which meant there had to be a door latch somewhere. I felt around the lined paneling, but to no avail. There was no lever or handle, which struck me as odd, though a protruding bolt-like fixture in the center of the panel hinted that at some stage there had been a latch.
Typical!
My fingers inched higher above the bolt where I could feel a window pane, the cool hardness the only thing between me and the freedom I longed for. The options were limited in terms of escape routes. Any motion over the back seat could safely be ruled out as there was no way of assessing who else was in the vehicle without running the risk of being seen. Escaping from the rear door was a possibility, but without the latch, timing was everything. But I couldn’t do it on my own. I searched the carpeted floor of the trunk corner to corner but found nothing to assist me. I had nothing on my person except the torn negligee I had been wearing before I was taken… for the second time. Reaching up to touch the ripped strap, I felt some relief, finding that it had been tied in a knot. At least he attempted to protect my modesty for me.
Slumping back on the pillow and close to acknowledging defeat, sudden hope dawned on me. Reining in my excitement, I flipped onto my tummy, my ribs protesting with the thoughtless motion. I began clawing at the edge of the carpet in the corner of the trunk. If my assumptions were correct, and I prayed with all my heart and soul they were, there would be a spare tire in a wheel well and if so, by rights there would also be a jack kit. My heart pounded with anticipation as the corner of the carpet folded over revealing the metal base underneath. I shifted and maneuvered my body to roll the carpet underneath me just enough to feel around near the wheel well for the jack. My hand passed over the warm tray and then over the rubber of the spare tire. That simple discovery assured me I was on the right track. I couldn’t feel a jack kit on that particular side so I once again shifted my way down to face the other end. Repeating the same process, I peeled the carpet from the edge and under my body. My fingers trailed the metal tray to the tire and surrounding edges.
And there is was. That beautiful, blessed lifesaving piece of metal at my fingertips. My heart pounded with excitement at the discovery. Finally, something worked to my advantage. Finally, fate was smiling down at me. There it was, only inches from the tire. My weapon to freedom.
***
The vehicle began to slow and move off the smooth tarmac to the rubble on the side of the road. I had already resumed my position of feigning sleep, just the way I had been left. My heart was rapidly pounding at the thought of what was coming and I willed myself to relax and hoped my rigid body wouldn’t deceive me.
“Check on her. I’m going in.”
It was the first time I had heard anyone speak. It was Aiden’s voice. There was at least one other person travelling with us, and now they were separating.
Perfect!
Two car doors opened and, moments later, both slammed shut. Remaining perfectly still in the darkness, I honed my listening to the sounds of footsteps crunching the gravel as the person neared the rear of the vehicle. He was inches from me, only separated by the door and window. The anxiety and nervous tension I was experiencing created a sheen of sweat down my front. The lever on the outside turned and the glass lifted high, allowing a cool breeze to flow through caressing my skin.
I could hear the man’s breathing from where he stood looking down at me. My own breathing had stopped during that time and only recommenced when I heard his boots crunching the gravel when he walked away. This was my time. I needed to act swiftly if my impromptu plan was to work. I sat up quickly, keeping my head low enough not to be seen, but just high enough to peer over the metal side. I recognized him immediately, even though his back was to me. His face was staring into the darkness, a cigarette in hand. It was Jorge, the man Aiden instructed to look after me while he was gone. I had once considered him a protector and he had never given me the impression he would hurt me, which made what I was about to do even harder.
Grabbing the tire iron I had hidden under me during the inspection, I got to my feet and bent through the opened rear door. Stepping onto the gravel felt like both heaven and hell. It overjoyed me knowing I was almost free, but at the same time, I was pained as the sharp-edged stones stabbed into the soft pads of my feet.
Jorge was still staring into the darkness, but I noted with some urgency his cigarette was almost down to the butt. I had to move fast. Through gritted teeth, I hobbled over the sharp gravel with stealth-like precision. I was closing in on him but I knew almost anything and everything bad could potentially happen in those few short moments.
And it did.
Only two feet away and Jorge turned a few degrees in my direction and I froze. I was so close, I could launch at him and hope for the best, but I couldn’t. My body refused to move. Jorge exhaled the remainder of smoke from his nose and mouth and dropped the cigarette butt on the ground before stomping on it. In a split second, he turned that fraction more to see me standing behind him. I don’t know who got more of the fright, him or me, but we both jumped from the shock. In that same second, his eyes shot up to see the tire iron mid-air, his hands instinctively flying out to grab my arm. It was too late. I had already begun swinging during the moment of shock. The iron smashed against his temple with a sickening, gut-churning thud, opening a gash from which blood gushed. My victim fell, unconscious.
I don’t know why, given the circumstances, but I felt awful about what I had just done.
***
Running around to the front of the car I checked for keys in the ignition. They weren’t there. I looked frantically around at my surroundings, but given the darkness there was not much to see. Aiden had gone into what I could only determine was a tiny convenience store, Mexican-style set off the road about fifty yards. He would be back soon and, in all honesty, I was not convinced of my strength and feared that Jorge would come around sooner than I had hoped. My only option now was to run and pray for some divine intervention.
I looked in the direction we had come, if Aiden were to come after me, he would determine I only went forward. Staying behind my enemy made sense to me. I took off in a sprint down the road, disappearing into the pitch blackness, ignoring the taunting thoughts screaming at me that nothing good ever comes from darkness.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Laila
Sweat covered every inch of my skin and dripped from my chin. The dry heat caught in my throat as I panted for air and my ribs nursed a brutal cramp. On the moonless night, I had no idea how far I had run or where I was going. There had been no sign of civilization, no farm house,
no nothing, just pure blackness. How far could I keep going before someone found me or, worse, I got so lost no one could ever find me? The only guide I had was the tarmac beneath my feet indicating I was still on the road. I slowed my pace down to a steady walk, my feet feeling as though they had been torn to shreds. When I could take it no more I stopped and hopped on one foot, lifting the other up to pick out the tiny stones from my raw flesh. It was like standing on a million lawn prickles, but I couldn’t be deterred by a bit of pain.
The soft glow of two tiny lights ahead caught my attention. I watched for over a minute as they morphed in size signaling that they were indeed headlights. For the first time in a long time, I felt some hope grow within my soul. Steadying myself, I picked up the pace along the tarmac, heading toward what could only be my savior. Optimism propelled me forward knowing that I could, potentially in the next few hours, be taken to the authorities and soon after that flown back home.
The headlights illuminated my surroundings as I waved frantically for whoever was behind the wheel to pull over. The driver began to slow to a stop and tears welled in my eyes as my exhaustion battled with excitement. I stood blinking against the blinding light as I waited for the driver to exit the car. Fortunately, only a heartbeat passed before the driver’s door opened and it took every ounce of pride I had not to run and throw myself at their feet.
“Thank you… thank you for stopping. Please, can you help me?” I began, not caring that I sounded like a desperate banshee. Waiting for my savior to come into view, I stood nervously hoping they would communicate in some way. “I need the police… please, can you take me?”
“I'd better,” the voice in the dark began, “because if you keep running out here in this dangerous place you will be dead before dawn. Who knows what kind of crazy people roam out here.”
There was something… something about his voice that made my feet retreat hastily backward. The man in the darkness laughed at my obvious fear before stepping forward, his figure silhouetted by the headlight.
“Where have you been, mamasita?” he taunted. “I have missed you.”
My shoulders slumped and sobs erupted as salvation slipped through my fingers. Engine noise behind me caught my attention as another car pulled up on the road trapping me between two sets of headlights. It felt as if the road was my stage where a tragedy was in the process of unfolding. Unfortunately for me, I was in the lead role. Instant recognition of the latest arrival slammed me in the face without remorse. I was now caught between two evils. Choosing which was the lessor of the two was heaven’s way of laughing at me.
Two car doors opened and slammed shut in unison. Aiden and Jorge advanced forward, two Glock pistols pointed at Juan. I hadn’t anticipated this standoff and Juan’s composed demeanor compared to Aiden’s hostile approach confused me.
“Hector is disappointed in you,” Juan told Aiden, unfazed by having two weapons pointed at him.
“Get back in your fucking car, Juan, and go back in the direction you came,” Aiden demanded.
Juan ignored his opponent. “Of course I told him it was a long time coming. I always knew mixed bloods couldn’t be trusted…” It seemed Juan always took pleasure in taunting. This was no exception. I hated them both, but I knew what it was like to lose my parents so Juan’s comment was a low blow.
Aiden stood his ground against Juan’s personal attack. He didn’t even flinch.
“I won’t tell you again, Juan. Get back in your car.”
“Well,” Juan looked contemplative. “You see, Aiden, I just can’t do that without Laila, so…” – he looked at me – “Laila, if you don’t mind…” He gestured to the car.
“She’s coming with me,” Aiden replied coolly. Juan casually pulled a gun of his own from under his jacket and pointed it at Aiden.
“She’s not yours to take, puto. If you remember, you stole her from Hector and, when you steal from Hector, you steal from me. If you were any kind of man you would share the same philosophy. Being family and all.”
This was ridiculous. They were arguing as if they were two boys in the playground fighting over the new girl.
“I am not anyone’s to take,” I cried out, frustrated by their ignorance. My words fell on deaf ears. The two men continued their menacing glares over their pointed weapons.
“He defended you, you know,” Juan stated. “Fuck knows why. If it were me, I would have just left you where I found you all those years ago, because now look…” He gestured wildly with his free hand. “Look at how you have deceived the man who raised you. This is the thanks you give him! He wants you dead, Aiden, and he isn’t going to stop until your head arrives on his doorstep.”
“Get her,” Aiden commanded Jorge, his eyes never breaking from Juan’s. I frantically looked to Juan as Jorge gripped me from behind, his arms bear hugging me in what felt like a death grip. I struggled to free myself from his hold but to no avail, my feet leaving the ground as he wrestled with my thrashing body.
I screamed for him to let me go moments before my ears were pierced with an echoing boom. Juan had fired a warning shot into the air, stilling Jorge.
Silence descended on the desert again. Nothing moved except my thudding heart.
“You heard the lady. Let her go,” Juan finally said. He was unnervingly calm, his Glock now pointed at the two of us.
Another gunshot erupted, breaking the calm that fell upon us after the first shot. I cringed at the deafening blast, but witnessed Juan’s gun twisting from his hand and falling to the ground several feet away. Juan looked from his hand to me and then to Aiden. The look on his face told how both stunned and impressed he was. He clearly hadn’t expected it and neither had I. Aiden’s clean shot at Juan’s gun now left him with the upper hand, his face that of steely determination.
Like Juan, I was momentarily awestruck by the precision of Aiden’s aim only to be brought back down to reality I was now once again in the hands of the man who killed my brother.
“Lucky shot,” Juan taunted, not sounding the slightest bit rattled.
“Unlucky for you,” Aiden returned in tone. “Go back home, Juan, and pass on my regards to Hector.” Juan stood facing his opponent, his hands slightly raised to indicate surrender, a patronizing expression radiating off him in waves. Now without a weapon, this was enough for Juan to retreat, but he wasn’t deterred. He would return. Next time more prepared and ready to take back what he felt was rightfully his.
Juan laughed lightly before shaking his head, conceding defeat. “I recommend you run fast, puto. Because I will find you and when I do…” He slid a finger across his throat, his threat of retribution made clear as he walked backwards to the car. “You can trust I won’t make the same mistake again. You are as good as dead.”
“W-wait,” I stammered. I looked to Juan expectantly. “Please don’t leave me here.” I didn’t like Juan in the slightest and, in fact, comparing him to the filthiest scum on the planet wasn’t fair to the scum, but my options were limited. That and I foolishly took into consideration his last show of kindness when Carlos attacked me.
Juan snorted at my plea, his face antagonizing his rival. The effect that had on Aiden stilled me as I watched his chest rise and fall heavily, his jaw set like chiseled stone, a twitch in his neck revealing his agitation. For a moment, I thought I saw more than just irritation, maybe even some hurt. Did it bother him that out of my dismal choices, I would rather go with Juan?
“Mamasita, do not worry yourself, I will be back for you.”
Juan shot me a quick glance of reassurance. I wasn’t reassured. If my only choice of living was between Aiden and Juan, I most certainly would not choose my brother's killer.
I watched as Juan retreated to his car and turned to drive back down the long stretch of road. I cried as his tail lights vanished into the thick darkness of the night.
“Get her in the car,” Aiden said clearly disgruntled.
Fighting to free myself of Jorge’s firm grip, my head swung back vici
ously connecting with Jorge’s with a loud sickening thud. Pain shot through my skull and I saw the earth move sideways beneath me.
“Fuck!” Jorge yelled in pain.
His death grip loosened as he stumbled backwards dropping me to my feet. Spinning around to face him, I was pleased with my result as blood gushed like Niagara Falls from his nose. I didn’t have time to admire my efforts of self-defense, the darkness to the side of the road beckoning me. Without looking back, I took off in a sprint and onto the rough, dusty earth beyond.
I had only made it twenty meters or so before I heard the heavy breathing and pounding of footsteps behind me. One of them was following me and by the sounds of it, too closely. I veered to the left hoping to lose him, except he followed, each step of mine matched by his. The prickly shrubbery and long thin grass scratched my legs and tangled around my feet causing me to stumble, the dips in the terrain jarring my knees. The heavy breathing was closing in so I picked up speed, ignoring the protests of my body. I stupid to believe I was any match for my hunter seeking his prey.
A rough hand clamped around my upper arm yanking me back hard, my legs flying out from beneath me. The sandy dirt offered no soft landing as I slammed heavily down on my side, searing pain ravaging my fragile ribs. I could hear the man cursing under his breath and from the commotion I sensed that he too must have fallen. I stumbled to my feet using his clumsiness as my get-a-away, until fingers latched on to the back of my negligee. I pivoted quickly, my hand balled into a fist as I swung blindly through the air praying I made contact with something. Excruciating pain shot through my fingers and wrist upon smashing into what could only have been a face, inciting more muttered curses from the man. The grip on my negligee loosened upon impact and I shuffled back out of his range before turning and running again. Frustrated and full of rage I realized my actions all seemed to be in vain as not long after I started my sprint, the man’s footsteps once again resumed behind me.