Chapter 2
Two men got into the front of the van while another secured ropes around Cole and Monique.
"Tom! Hurry up! We gotta go, a bunch of kids are getting off a school bus and we probably look suspicious! Damn, what are you doing?"
Tom peered around to the front of the van as he finished. "I'm coming, chill out!" Tom shut the doors and ran to the front of the van and got in.
They all talked for about an hour before they turned on the radio. For that hour, 2 of the 4 kids were trying to untie their ropes. When the men turned on the radio they started talking to each other.
Nick was trying to get La'Toya's attention but she was busy trying to untie her feet with no hands. No luck.
"La'Toya, I think they knocked out. Toya! What are you doing?"
"Nick, these guys could be killers, we gotta get out of here!" They were whispering. Yelling in a whisper. La'Toya soon started to sweat and started breathing far faster then normal.
"What the hell? La'Toya, you look like you having' a panic attack."
"No, you don't say," She was now resting her head on her shoulder.
"Ok then, well while you're still awake-"
"I don't plan on going to sleep."
"Nick ignored her and continued, "Just help me try to wake them up," Nick kicked at Monique. After trying to kick her several times he succeeded in kicking her in her side. She didn't budge. Same with Cole.
"They out cold," said La'Toya, "What do we do now?"
"I should of never left the damn house..."
"You shoulda never got in that fight." After La'Toya said that the van took a violent turn. Nick and La'Toya were jerked a couple of inches from their seats, not that they had any; it was just a floor.
"You know, if we don't die from a car crash we'll-"
"Would you please just stop and shut up?" Nick was trying to think but couldn't when La'Toya was probably spelling out the end of their lives.
La’Toya looked away from Nick and stared at a long pipe. The same one that was used to hit Nick with. He needed to be hit again. If only Cole were awake so she could kick him in his balls. That would be nice.
The van took another violent turn and Nick and La'Toya were thrown from where they were sitting into their two friends. A couple of minutes later the van lurched to a stop sending Nick flying into a block of wood and La'Toya into a board.
"Are you ok?" asked La'Toya leaning forward to look through a crack in the board. She didn't wait for an answer as she asked, "Where’re we?"
"...I have no-" The van door was opened suddenly and a middle aged man appeared. He was carrying a knife in one hand and a black case in the other. A got on the van slowly. Nick acted as if he was knocked out while La'Toya glared at the man.
The man smiled at her as he moved towards her. "What's your problem?" La'Toya asked still glaring at the man.
He laughed and faced La'Toya face to face, "I have no problem, I just wanna put yall to work."
"Put us to work? What the-"
The man slapped her hard across her face, "Shut up! Why the hell can't you sleep like the others?"
La'Toya just sat there, shocked. Neither of them noticed Nick sitting up until he had kicked the man in the face, hard.
The man stumbled back and Nick looked at La'Toya, "You ok?" She just nodded.
"You wanna be the brave one huh? Kick me? Well boy, I'm gonna fuck you up, literally." The man's voice scared La'Toya half to death, Nick was about to be hurt! The man stood up slowly holding his nose, which was pulsing with blood. He lunged for Nick but was stopped by another man that had grabbed him.
"Not now, we gotta go."
"Naw, come on now, I think he should just get me now and get it over with. And to pass the time since those two still knocked out." La'Toya looked sharply over at Nick. Only he would say something like that.
The man that had just walked in frowned, "They still knocked out? Dammit."
"Yea, so maybe you should just-"
"If you were smart you'd shut the fuck up." Nick immediately shut up. La'Toya couldn't help but smile a little; he was always talking at the wrong time and shutting up at the right time.
Monique stirred. La'Toya and Nick looked toward her.
"Look at that, they waking up. You," He pointed to La'Toya," wake them up the rest of the way."
"I can't."
“Why the fuck not?"
La'Toya rolled her eyes, I'm still tied up." The man frowned and slowly moved to untie her. When she was untied La'Toya moved towards Monique. Her eyes were fluttering. Monique let out a loud moan. Her eyes opened," Hey Monique, you ok girl?"
Monique looked at her then Nick then Cole then at the men that were talking outside the van. "I was hoping this was a nightmare or something but I'm feeling a little bit of pain."
"It's ok, we gonna get out of this, somehow. Cole ain't awake yet but-"
"Crap, is she ok?"
"She ain't get no more then you so she should wake up soon. They gave yall, what's it called? Chloroform?"
Monique nodded looking worriedly over at Cole.
Cole soon let out a moan. She was slowly sitting up and looking around just as Monique had done. Nick moved towards her, he had somehow untied himself.
"You ok Cole? You don't feel sick right?"
"I'm ok, just a little headache. Where we at?"
They all shrugged. Suddenly a very large man walked up. He looked at the man Nick had kicked. "What happened to you?"
"That little brat," he pointed to Nick, "kicked me!"
The man looked at Nick and nodded slowly. "I'm Tony, that's Aladden, the one with the bloody nose is Steve and Bob's not here but he's the leader of this whole thing and you will cal him sir. Got me?" They all nodded. "Now what's all of yours names? First and last. We need to know the names of the kids that we putting to work."
They all looked at each other, "My name's Cole Carter."
"Mine's La'Toya Johnson."
"Monique Thompson."
The man, Tony, looked at Nick and asked his name, "Nick."
"Nick what? I haven't heard a last name from you."
"I haven't heard one from you either." Cole glared at her brother; Nick rolled his eyes, "It's Nick Carter."
"You're a brave kid ain't you? Talking back to a man that could snap your neck. You gonna be the trouble- maker, I can tell."
"Ok...." Nick glanced up to get a better look at Tony. His cold eyes were fixed on Nick and a large smirk shined across his face. “Do you have a staring problem?”
Tony backhanded Nick hard across the face, “Shut up!”
Cole tried to go to Nick but Tony grabbed her violently by the arm, “if you want to stay out of pain’s way then I would suggest you to listen-“
“We need to get these kids to the trucks. I’ll take these two you take those two. Let’s go.” The voice came from Steve who had La’Toya and Monique by the wrists.
Tony pulled Cole out of the van. She stood perfectly still. Should she fight or wait?
“Ok let’s go,” Steve led Monique and La’Toya across a large field where the grass reached all the way to their knees and no traffic sounds or any other sounds for that matter could be heard.
La’Toya was pissed off and Monique could tell by the way she pulled back from Steve every step they took. She walked slower but with long strides. Steve roughly pulled La’Toya up with him. This set her off. Everything she had been thinking about came out.
“What the fuck is yall’s problem? Can’t you tell from the way Nick’s acting we won’t go down without a fight? Well here’s a fight!” At hearing those words Monique looked over at La’Toya in time to her elbow jab Steve right below his belt. He fell down moaning in pain. He still had his grip on Monique forcing her to fall down with him. Monique didn’t stay long, she yanked free from his grip and jumped up to help La’Toya help Cole who was struggling to get away from Tony.
Everything stopped as Nick was grabbed from behind. There was a gun to his head. The person holding it was Bob.
“If yall want him to keep his brains in his head then you can all settle down and go back to who you were with. If you don’t, keep fighting. If you don’t care, run. If you care then, well, everybody’s happy.”
“You’re happy you mean,” muttered Nick. The three girls couldn’t help but roll their eyes at him. Only Nick would roll his eyes at someone that was holding a gun to his head.
The man looked at him, “Now you is doing more work.”
Nick rolled his eyes then looked at them as if to say, ‘do something!’. Hey all immediately moved to the men they had been with. Steve hit La’Toya and Monique upside their heads as Cole just stood with Tony.
“Let’s go.” Bob pulled Nick and the others followed after.
They walked. And walked. And walked more. They walked over gravel. They walked through woods. They walked over more gravel. They walked for hours until they reached 4 trucks. Behind the trucks there was only dirt and gravel.
Bob pushed Nick towards a truck, “You comin’ with me. One kid a truck. One grown a truck. You know where we goin’. Let’s go.”
****
(AN: this next part is just each individual with the person they went with. Whether it is in the truck or a break from the truck.)
**Cole**
Cole’s heart was racing. She had never known or even thought she would be kidnapped. He, her brother or her friends. It was always when you live in the subbies you is safe. At least that’s what they mom would say. ‘A small town by the city you ain’t got to worry but if you I the city you better worry real good.’ Maybe Monique asking about those kidnapped kids was an omen? Well, not an omen but a warning? Not from her but from, Cole’s eyes rolled up to the top of the truck. It was black. If you saw black that meant something bad was gonna happen. That’s why guns were black. If you saw white, hope. Her brother’s words. Her dumb yet smart brother’s words. But then again he’s not dumb, he’s stupid. His words again. That got Cole to wondering if she would ever hear his words out loud again. He had the smartest mouth out of everyone she knew. Cole bit her lip softly. She thought about losing a twin and bit down as hard as she could.
“Hey, whatcha doin’ little lady? Don’t hurt yourself.” Tony laughed softly, “What’s that? Blood?” Tony reached over to grab her chin but Cole moved away. Tony’s eyes filled with fury. “You know what?” Tony roughly grabbed Cole and pulled her on top of him. He moved out from under her and reached behind the seat. As he felt the truck slow down and swerve he roughly hit Cole in the head, “Drive dammit!” He turned back around as Cole slowly pressed down on the pedal and put her hands on the steering wheel. She looked around. It was a desert for miles. She saw another truck and decided to follow it.
Cole bit her lip. She glanced beside her at Tony. What was he doing?
What he was doing was looking for his gun. Tony pulled it out and held it towards Cole. He was smiling. “This, my beautiful little lady, is a pistol. The only one I got. It’s right here. In the back of this truck in this box. It’s a blue box.” He smiled at her. Cole just sat terrified. He laughed at her. He slowly put it away.
Tony then moved Cole out of the way and smiled, “I see you were smart enough to follow the leader?” He laughed.
They drove on. Tony laughing every so often at Cole who looked as she felt, terrified. They soon came to a large barb wired fence. Behind it was three small buildings.
****
**La’Toya**
They had been driving for a while when Bob had said they would take a short little break.
“Ha, you look like you’re scared. What’s wrong baby? I’ll try not to hurt you too bad.”
“Oh mother fucker you’re a-“ La’Toya began trying to get away.
Before La’Toya could finish Steve had stopped in his tracks and wrapped his arms around her waist. “You’re pushin’ it to the limit.” La’Toya managed to choke out.
“No, this is pushing it to the limit.” Steve pulled La’Toya against his hard body. Wrong move. Without thinking La’Toya wrenched out of his grip and made a run for it. Stumbling on a large rock she fell. She picked herself up and started to run again. She suddenly felt two large hands wrap around her neck. She tried to get them off but no luck.
Steve dragged La’Toya back to the truck and slammed her up against the door. He pinned her arms o either side of her.
“You know, the more you fight the more I want you. So keep fighting, please,” Steve moved his lips toward hers.
La’Toya’s mind was racing, ‘Too close, too close. Back it up asshole.’
She went to try to move away but was too late. Steve kissed La’Toya hard and moved his hands down her body. Breaking the one-sided kiss. Steve’s eyes bore down on her. She had no idea what to do. Run? Yell? Just let him do his business? Steve seemed to have read La’Toya’s mind.
“Just let me do what I wanna do baby. Then we both move on. You move on to your work and I move on to one of the others. How about it?”
“Asshole, “whispered La’Toya looking into Steve’s cold gray eyes.
“Why you gotta be like that? All I want is a little lovin’. Is that too much to ask for?” Steve chuckled.
“Boy, you’re asking for it,” answered La’Toya breathing harder and faster. Steve roughly kissed her again.
“I’m not asking for it, I’m demanding it,” Steve’s hands traveled up to cup La’Toya’s breasts in his hands. They then traveled down to unbutton her jeans. La’Toya’s eyes closed. She was about to be raped in the middle of a desert that was in the middle of nowhere. And in March!
La’Toya’s eyes snapped open as she felt Steve’s hands leave her body.
“What the hell are you thinking? If they’re in pain they won’t work. We’re leaving no. Let’s go!”
La’Toya breathed a sigh of relief. Bob had just pretty much saved her dignity. She couldn’t help but smile as Steve and her climbed into the truck,
They drove for a couple of more hours, neither saying a word. They drove until the reached a barbed wire fence. Behind it was three small buildings.
****
**Monique**
She sat there in the seat quietly. This guy was really quiet. He hadn’t said a word to her since they had gotten into the truck. She was starting to feel how Nick probably felt when his medicine was wearing off and he had to be quite and sit still. Monique smiled softly to herself.
Monique glanced out the window, the three other trucks and, well, desert. Lots to look at. The trucks windows were tinted. She wondered what the others were doing, thinking. Well, Monique was tired of thinking.
“What are you going to do with us?” Monique asked in a quiet voice, Aladden just looked at her. “You don’t talk much.”
“It seems that if we talk you kids want to hit. Especially your blond friend.” Monique smiled at that, “But more so if you talk you give out your secrets.”
“What secrets do you have?”
“One’s that are mine.” Aladden looked at her again. “In answer to your question, put you to work. Give you all some discipline. He looked away. Conversation over.
Monique bit her lip. She thought they all had enough discipline. Their parents weren’t ones to just ground you.
Monique stopped. He said pt to work? Sure it had been said a couple million times but put to work how? Lord knows it wouldn’t be no fun. No matter how fun it is, it’s always for a cause. ‘Work ain’t fun, it’s work for what you want.’ Monique vaguely remembered her father’s words to her. What cause did these men want them to do work for? Maybe it was a good cause? Yea, right.
She decided to stop thinking and just sit. They drove for a couple of hours more before they reached a barbed wire fence. Behind it was three small buildings.
****
**Nick**
Bob looked over at Nick, “So you the only kid here that’s a boy huh? A boy that had the nerve to roll his eyes at me. Even though I had a gun to his head?”
Nick ignored him. He just looked out the window. This dude had to be crazy. All these people. Bob roughly hit Nick in the shoulder. Hard.
“Ow! What’d you do that for?” Nick glared at Bob while rubbing his shoulder. That better not leave a bruise…
“You never ignore me. You obey to what I say. You follow my orders, answer my questions, and listen!” Bob was fuming. This boy had just asked about something he did? He could kill him!
“You know, you just said the same thing like, three times, sire.”
“Don’t call me that, Call me sir. Not sire. Sir. Got me?”
Nick rolled his eyes. This guy was dense. “Sorry sir. I’ll never call you sire again………Bob.” Nick smiled on the inside. He loved pissing ‘grown’ people off. Especially the ones that would hit him. He looked over at Bob. His ears were turning red.
“What the fuck did you just call me?”
“Bob. Why? I can’t call you that either? What about…Robert maybe? Or Caesar? Or maybe R.C.?”
“How in the hell?”
“I have my ways.” Nick smiled. He knew how to pickpocket. Quite good at it. Dumbass dumb enough to keep his wallet in his pocket during kidnapping. Nick smiled again and waved Bob’s wallet in his face. Bob’s eyes flashed as he snatched it out of Nick’s hand.
“I need a break.” Bob quickly swerved the truck the right and stopped. He reached into the glove compartment and pulled out some handcuffs. He handcuffed Nick to the steering wheel and moved to get out.
“I could be like Jackie Chan in Rush Hour! Waaawwww… Hi…yaw!” the door slammed, “Well fuck you too asshole.” Nick muttered. He looked around; he needed something to do.
Nick sat bored out of his mind for what felt like hours. It had only been ten minutes. When he saw Bob coming back he quickly kicked the lock. It went down. Bo smiled at him and pulled out the keys, “Didn’t get these did you?” Nick didn’t answer, as he was interested in the other trucks now. Hey look! They didn’t have any license plates. So weird.
Bob looked oddly over at Nick as he took off the handcuffs. He was quiet, too quiet.
Nick looked at Bob as he started the truck. He smiled. Bob looked…disturbed. So weird.
They drove until they reached a barbed wire fence. Behind it was three buildings.
****
Inside the barbed wire fence everyone stepped out if the trucks. The kids looked around at their surroundings. The grownups looked at each other. It was a small town. A very small town at that. So weird.
AN: Thanks to everybody who reviewed. Reviews got me back to typing when the computer went out on me right when I was done. Then, lo and behold! It was recovered. Yea baby. Well thanks for the reviews. And I’ll try to get out the next chapter (that’s not written) ASAP. I’m one of those authors that even if she is done writing the chapter she won’t type it. I’m just like that sometimes. Plus, if I get more reviews then I’ll push PhaPha to write so that we can get the chapter done with faster. (Did I mention this is a collaboration thingy?) :o)
CcRrAaZzYy by Alana
