Chapter Nineteen – The First Casualty
“Sir, I need for you to get out of the car immediately.” The man opens my car door and I feel exposed having my side open for attack.
“What’s going on?” My voice shakes as Sophie places her hand over mine and squeezes it.
“I need for you to get out of the car and come with us. We believe your life is in danger.”
“Is this some kind of joke?”
I wonder if one of the boys has set me up. I turn my head, managing to glimpse a look at Sophie’s scared face. If it is a joke, she doesn’t have any foreknowledge of it.
A hand grabs my arm and I’m forcibly pulled out of my car. My feet drop to the ground and in the shock of the moment, I lose my balance and fall to my knees. The man doesn’t wait for me to stand; he just drags me towards the white van.
“What are you doing? Let him go!” Sophie comes alive then and climbs out of the car, running at the man holding me.
Even Nicole panics and runs at us. She punches the guy who has hold of me hard in the side which makes him release me and I fall to the ground. I move to run, but arms grab me again and this time Sophie and Nicole are frozen. I look behind me to see why.
“Move and I will shoot you.” The man who has been keeping an eye out now holds his gun and has it pointed at Sophie. I try to concentrate and I hear a thought that doesn’t belong to Nicole or Sophie.
“The boss said to use whatever force necessary. He won’t care if I smoke a couple of annoying kids.”
“They’re bluffing. I bet it’s not even a real gun.” I know that second voice, it’s Nicole’s.
“Stop, I’ll go with you, just don’t hurt anyone.” I hold up my hands even though the man has a strong grip on one of them. “Don’t do anything stupid.” I’m talking to Nicole, but really it applies for everyone.
“We won’t harm anyone if you come with us,” the man holding me speaks up as we take several steps backwards.
“Who are you? What do you want with Blake?” Sophie is crying and I want nothing more than to go over and comfort her.
“We’re just doing our job which, at the moment, is to protect this kid. We haven’t lost anyone yet and we don’t plan on it.” I’m nearly at the van now and the door slides open behind me.
I’m shaking all over as a cloth is brought over my mouth and I breathe in the stench that smells of strong chemicals.
“No!” Sophie screams and steps forward as a gunshot rings out.
I panic, feeling my vision wavering. I force myself to focus and try to find Sophie. Has she been shot? Has Nicole? What just happened?
I see Sophie on the ground and my heart stops beating, fearing the worst. Dark tunnels close in on my vision and my limbs grow weak. No one is around me now; the men have disappeared as I slump back into the van. Another loud shot sounds and I vaguely realize bursts of light shining in the van from the morning sun. It’s weird to have holes inside a van, isn’t it?
More gunshots blast around me and I hear someone screaming, but I can’t force myself to stay awake. Whatever I have been drugged with is now working. I’m falling into unconsciousness and with the sounds outside, I’m not sure I’ll ever want to wake up. My last thoughts are of Sophie and Nicole, wishing I could make sure they’re all right before darkness mercilessly swallows me whole.
Taken By Surprise Page 38