by Jonas Saul
She sat up to see more of the room but was held back by a strap across her chest and an ache in her cracked ribs.
“What the hell?” Sarah croaked.
Her wrists and ankles were also bound to the table or gurney they had left her on.
“How many times do I have to be tied up in my life to begin to really hate this game?” she asked out loud.
“You’ve been tied up before?” a man replied.
She turned to the voice. An attractive man entered the room from behind an abutment in the wall. Late twenties, early thirties. Dressed in a white shirt, black suit jacket and expensive jewelry. The man looked ready for a photoshoot with GQ.
“What’s going on here?” Sarah asked. “Who are you? Where am I?”
“Questions.” He shook his head and sat in an overstuffed leather chair in the corner and examined a fingernail. “Questions are things I use to get what I want. They are not something you are privileged to use.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Sarah asked, her calm being pushed aside by his maddening demeanor. “I’ll ask whatever the hell I want to ask. Are you something with an alphabet? CIA, DEA, FBI, NSA or one of the other fuck ups who got me in this mess—” she stopped. “You’re cartel. You’re with the Enzo Cartel.”
He continued digging at the fingernail like a demented maniac worried the nail was a cancer he needed to excise.
“You’re Enzo, aren’t you?”
He released the finger, pulled out a cell phone and typed on it.
She blew air out between her teeth, turned to stare at the ceiling, and waited. It was obvious they were going to do it on his terms whether she liked it or not. And she was tied up, so smacking him wasn’t an option.
He rose from the chair and slipped the cell phone away.
“I will speak to you soon. For now, sleep.”
“I can’t sleep. Been sleeping too much. Untie these straps. We’ll have a drink over there at the bar and talk. Maybe we’ll learn that we have a common interest.” She waited a heartbeat, then added. “And I have to pee. I need off this bed thing.”
Her head could raise high enough to watch him as he crossed the room. At the door he stopped and without turning around, he said, “Sleep.”
Then he disappeared. The door closed.
She dropped her head back and ground her teeth.
“Asshole.”
The door opened. Her head jerked up. A man in a white lab coat walked toward her.
“You coming to release me?” she asked.
“You could say that,” he said.
He had a small box with him. Some kind of kit.
“What’s that?”
“A piece of heaven.”
“Funny how that works. Today’s not the day I go to heaven, so thanks, but no thanks. I don’t want your piece of heaven.”
“Enzo’s orders.” He stopped beside her and opened the little box. “You think I’m going to defy Enzo?” He sneered. “Stupid girl.”
“Then just tell him you did what you were told—” he strapped something on her arm and started tapping for a vein. “What the fuck are you doing?” she asked, struggling against the tight restraints. She was unable to move her arm more than an inch.
“When I inject you, please refrain from moving. I don’t want to destroy your vein. I don’t want to kill you. At least not yet, anyway.”
“Inject me?” She surged with panic. “Don’t you dare inject me with anything.” She glared at him. “Your mistake is fearing Enzo. Inject me and I’m the one to fear. I will kill you, personally. I’m the enemy here. I’m the one to fear. Remember that.”
“Sure, lady,” he said. He produced a needle from a table just behind his hip. “Whatever you say.”
“What is that shit?” she asked, trying to get a look at the needle. Unless someone broke through the door in a few seconds and rescued her, whatever was in that needle would soon be swimming in her bloodstream. The violation tore at all her core values and beliefs. It drew hatred from dark depths and gave her a determination made of steel to squash men like the one in front of her. She wished for the strength to break her bonds and then his face.
“Heroin,” he whispered as he drew close to her inner elbow.
“Heroin!” she shouted. “Do not put that in me.” The pleading quality of her voice rankled her. “Please, don’t.” A tear streaked down her cheek. Weakness didn’t become her. In this moment, what else was there, though?
The needle broke her skin. It slid in like a deviant alien bug, entering her body, to swim unfettered wherever it wanted.
He was talking again, but it was hard to follow. She tried to zone him out and fight the restraints.
“You may experience a shortness of breath, dry mouth and some disorientation at first,” he said. “But it’ll ease off until I give you the next needle.”
“There won’t be a next needle …” Her voice surprised her with its slow lilt. “Stay away … from me.”
She shut her eyes and drifted. At one point the blood-restricting strap was removed from her arm and the pain in her ribs eased off altogether. She actually felt good despite her protests. This wasn’t so bad. Maybe these people were nice. Maybe everything would all work out.
At one point she felt like she was walking. Then urinating. Then sleeping. Then nothing.
It will all work out, she thought hours later as the urge for another needle overcame her.
Where’s Vivian?
Sarah drifted off to sleep with Vivian nowhere near.
Chapter 36
The RV pulled to a stop behind the ambulance and Aaron jumped out. He ran for the open doors of the ambulance and looked inside.
“Where is she?” He glared at the men surrounding the vehicles. One man with a bandage on his arm stepped closer.
“I’m Darwin Kostas.”
“I’m Aaron.”
They nodded at each other, each man knowing the other through Sarah but having never met.
“We tracked them here with GPS and satellite coverage,” Darwin said.
“What happened then?” He looked around. “I don’t see Sarah.”
The rest of the men had exited the RV and the BMW and stood behind him.
“We were just learning what happened from those two.” Darwin pointed at two men on their knees, fingers entwined behind their heads. “They stopped under a bridge and took Sarah out of the ambulance while protected from satellite view. They carried her over a ridge and down a small hill to a waiting van where they left the area. By the time we came upon these two, they were driving empty vehicles.”
Aaron stomped a foot and turned to face Parkman.
“Stay calm, Aaron,” he said under his breath. “We’ll get her back.”
“He’s right,” Darwin said. “We’ll get her back.”
He spun back around. “How?”
“You are the key.”
“Me? How am I the key?”
“They’ve taken her to where they were holding you. Just tell us where that is and we’ll head on over.”
“It’s not that easy.” Aaron stepped away and stared down the length of the road.
“Why not?”
“Because we walked out at night. Then we hitched a ride into town. I have no idea where we were. Unless Casper here can offer directions, we’re fucked.”
Casper shook his head. “I can remember a few details, but I don’t think I’ll be of much use.”
“Shit!” Aaron said to himself.
Parkman placed a hand on Aaron’s shoulder. “We’ll get her back. Aaron, remember, she has Vivian and she’s been in worse situations.”
Aaron nodded and lowered his head to stare at the ground.
Behind him, Darwin ordered his men to their vehicles. They needed to clean this up and leave ASAP before the authorities arrived. Two of Darwin’s men walked the drivers to their vehicles and tossed one, then the other, in the trunks of the cars. Standing around with this much firepower for more
than ten minutes was not going to get Sarah back alive.
“Aaron, come with us. We’ll band together, study maps of the area and try our best to launch a full-scale attack on the Enzo compound.” Aaron turned toward Darwin who continued speaking, “We’ll get her back. Trust me.”
Aaron nodded. “But first we have to go get Benjamin out of that hospital. We can’t leave him there alone. He’s unguarded.”
“You take one car with two of my men. Once you have Benjamin, my men know where the cabin is.”
Aaron nodded again.
Darwin twirled his finger in the air and his men fired up their engines. Parkman led Aaron toward the RV.
Two minutes later they were rolling down the highway, leaving Tijuana behind. Darwin had a place for them to crash, eat, and make plans. A cabin outside the city. A place to regroup.
But Aaron wasn’t focused on that at the moment. He needed to get Benjamin safe and then Sarah. Thoughts of Sarah rolled through his mind as he got in the car with Goulash and Bush.
The car pulled away and headed back to the hospital as he closed his eyes and saw Sarah’s face in his mind.
How would his life ever be the same without her?
Chapter 37
The slap was violent, shocking her awake with its intensity. She opened her eyes and blinked away the sleep. Her body was heavy, subdued, like her extremities had weight.
The room. Same room. But she was sitting up now. No gurney. No urge to pee. Her clothes had been changed. A gray one piece, like found in a prison. Everything was so different but still the same.
“Hello,” she said out loud.
The slap. Who had slapped her? Where were they?
She looked left, then right. Ice clinked in a glass behind her. She tried to turn, but could only go so far. Her wrists prevented the move. She glanced down at them. Duct taped to the arm rest.
That’s why they’re so heavy.
Why? Where am I? Cartel home? She blinked away the mental smoke and thought harder. Why was it so hard to think?
Hospital. Drugged. Gurney in billiards room.
She looked around again.
This room.
Kidnapped. Drugged.
Heroin.
Heroin. That sweet rush. It wasn’t so bad. She eased back in the chair. Comfortable. This wasn’t so bad. If that was all they were going to do for a few days or weeks, why argue? She could deal with it later. She wasn’t a druggie. She wouldn’t use once this was over.
Right, Vivian?
She struggled to feel her sister. Nothing.
Vivian?
She closed her eyes and focused on Vivian. Something was wrong. Something kept Vivian from her. Was she disappointed in Sarah? Was she somehow chastising her for thinking the heroin wasn’t so bad?
Who are you to judge, Sis?
Her face suddenly shot to the right. Someone slapped her again. Harder this time.
“Wake the fuck up!” a man said.
“Hey,” Sarah shouted and blinked away the water in her eyes as it rushed over her lids. “I’m up, I’m up.”
The good-looking man from earlier moved away and sat across from her on a long plush burgundy sofa, an amber liquid in his glass.
“Holy shit,” Sarah said, her face still stinging. “Who are you again?”
“Ask a question.” He set his glass down on a large white table that looked like it was made of marble and got to his feet. He maneuvered himself in front of her. “Ask a question—” he slapped her so hard, her cheek resonated with a biting sting—“and get slapped.” He retook his seat and picked up his beverage. “I ask the questions, not you.”
Sarah glared at him, the pain waking her up all the way.
“You always beat on defenseless women? Is that how you get your rocks off? Oh, wait, that was two more questions, wasn’t it? Shit, three.” She spit at him, her saliva landing on the white table close to his drink. “Fuck you, pathetic scum.”
He offered a half smile, then got up. This time he slapped her twice, once on each side.
“Two for three questions,” he murmured, and sat back down.
“Overcompensating for the lack of manhood?” she asked.
Now he laughed. But he got up again and slapped her so hard her left cheek went numb and she tasted blood. The euphoric feeling she experienced upon awakening quickly dispensed.
“Don’t sit down,” Sarah said. “We’re going to be at this a long time.”
He remained in front of her. “Is this about control?” he asked. “During this part of our relationship, you own the room? Is that it?”
“Our relationship,” she repeated. “I’m not sure what we have is a relationship.” She looked up at him and braced for the slap, then said, “Is it?”
He raised his reddened hand. She glared at him and forced a smile.
Then he dropped his hand. “I tire of your antics.”
“And I yours.”
The man took his seat on the sofa and sipped from his drink. He leaned back, placed an arm along the length of the back of the sofa and nodded at her.
“You’ve got guts.”
“Untie me. I’ll show you what else I have.”
“As enticing as that sounds, I don’t want you dead yet.”
“Why not? I was your goal when you took Aaron. Now you have me. Let’s do something about it.”
“First I need to know who those men were.”
“What men?” The sting in her cheeks had receded. But now fatigue swept over her. She needed sleep even though she’d slept a lot since she’d been here. Maybe he would give her a taste of that needle again. Just a little one. She didn’t want more, but maybe he’d give it anyway. When she could do something about it, she would never willingly accept drugs. But as his victim, if he were to …
“The men who followed my vehicles and attempted to break you out. Who are they?”
She examined her bound hands. Then looked at the mark the needle made.
“I was drugged in the hospital.” She met his intense eyes. “How am I supposed to know who followed your vehicles?”
“Because you were part of the plan.”
“What?”
“My men detected the GPS tracking device instantly. Backup was called in. You were loaded onto another vehicle. The GPS tracked ambulance was driven away without you in it. But we tracked them. Thirteen men in total. Pulled over and surrounded my vehicles looking for you. I know a few of them. Parkman, Aaron and Agent Schaffer.”
Parkman’s here? Casper’s alive? But it was the third name that shocked her. Aaron?
She focused her eyes on him. “I thought you had Aaron.”
“I did. Aaron and Schaffer performed a daring escape. They killed several of my men. Good men.” He sipped from his drink as if he were talking about men who had simply quit his employ. “I will kill them myself for that. My men deserved better. Aaron and Casper will pay, but that’s a matter for another time and has no bearing on our conversation.”
The ball in the pit of her stomach got heavier.
“If you had them once,” she said. “Chances are, unless they come to kill you, they’re done here. Casper would call in help and disappear with Aaron.”
She realized that Darwin didn’t have to let her be taken. Aaron was already on the outside. Why didn’t Vivian warn her? Why was she here?
“There were two Canadians from Aaron’s dojo,” Enzo said, ignoring her comment about Aaron. “I know them. The third one is still in the hospital with a gunshot wound, but he will be dead within the hour.”
A bittersweet relief swept over her as she realized everyone had come to Mexico. Everyone was here. But where was Vivian? Which one of Aaron’s teachers got shot? How could she warn them that the cartel was heading to the hospital?
“I want to know where the rest of them are hiding,” Enzo said. “Tell me who these other men are. The ones who tracked my vehicles. They’re professional, organized, and well-armed.” He leaned forward on the sofa an
d placed his elbows on his thighs. “If I’m not mistaken, since I’ve met men like them before, I would venture a guess they’re mercenaries.” He eased back, the sofa’s material groaning with his bulk. “How the hell have you warranted this kind of help? That’s what I want to know. Tell me, why are you so important?”