The drawer was mostly empty with only a few paper clips, and Post-it notes inside. Sarah closed the desk drawer and moved to the next. Her hands trembled with fright and anxiety. She muttered to herself to hurry up, and focus on what she was doing.
The lantern’s gleam faded to darkness, and the room went to black. Sarah reached for the light and grabbed the handle on top of the device.
“Come on, come on,” she said, smacking her palm against the base.
A spark of life breathed from the bulb. Sarah rejoiced with a grin. Light grew from the interior of the clear plastic casing and pushed the darkness back.
She had to move fast. She caught a lucky break and might not be as lucky next time.
One drawer left to check. She jerked it open. The few contents inside knocked about the steel. The brilliance from the lantern waned as she held it a scant inch away from the shallow drawer.
The doorknob to the room twisted as voices beyond the door raised an octave. It sounded heated.
Oh no.
Sarah was out of time. Her pulse spiked as she glanced to the door, then back to the desk.
The tips of her fingers searched the interior as if her life depended on it. Sarah reached to the back of the drawer and discovered a long, slender object. Her finger felt around the flat edge. She couldn’t see what it was, but she pulled it out just the same.
Sarah held the knife-like object up to the lantern. A letter opener. She probed the tip with her finger. It was blunt and dull. With enough pressure, though, she might be able to pierce the skin.
The door rattled inside the jamb, then popped open.
“You just worry about yourself and less about what I’m doing,” an angry voice said. The door stopped moving. Light from the hall bled into the room. Sarah closed the desk drawer and scurried back to the bed. “You don’t get paid to think or have an opinion. Now follow orders. No one asked you, so shut it, all right?”
Sarah sat on the edge of the cot as the door opened farther. Both of her hands were clasped together between her legs as a smaller, pudgy man stomped into the room.
He huffed and puffed, then shook his head. His cohort loomed from the hallway, but didn’t venture inside. He trained the light at the man’s back which outlined his shadowy, round silhouette.
The man stood in the middle of the room, staring at Sarah who remained silent and still. His ominous presence made her feel uneasy, causing her to adjust her backside on the bed. Sarah couldn’t see his eyes from the partial shadow that covered his face. Only his mouth was visible. A coy smirk formed as his tongue rimmed the edge of his lips. Nestled in the waistband of his jeans, Sarah thought she spotted the outline of a pistol, but couldn’t be sure.
Sarah diverted her gaze to the floor, then back to him. He kept his attention fixed in her direction, then cocked his head to the side as if to look her over.
“So, this is our newest catch, huh?” the man said, with a sinister tone. He lifted his arm and motioned for the other man to come closer. “Bring me the light, Martin.”
“Um, you know the boss told us to keep out of here, Sonny,” Martin replied. “He was quite clear on that point. We’re not allowed to come in here at all because of what you did last time.”
Sonny sighed, then rubbed his hand over his face. “Yeah, well that was an accident. Just get your ass in here, and bring me the flashlight. I’m not going to ask you again.”
Martin hesitated, then looked down either side of the hallway. He inched his way toward the entrance of the room while scanning over the hall.
Sarah gulped, but remained silent. Her gaze switched between Sonny and Martin. The letter opener stayed clutched between her palms and out of sight of the fiendish men.
“Today, Martin,” Sonny said, while snapping his fingers.
The rail-thin submissive man flanked the overbearing meat sack. He placed the flashlight in his hand, then quickly back-peddled to the open doorway.
Sarah caught a brief glimpse of a pistol in his jeans. Both men were armed which didn’t bode well for her.
Sonny shined the light on Sarah’s face. She squinted, then turned away. “She’s just as scrumptious as her friend. I’d say this is another good catch. What do you think, newbie? She’s pretty hot, huh?”
Martin lingered by the door. He peered out into the darkness, but didn’t respond. He seemed more worried about getting caught than about what Sonny was doing.
“I guess so, yeah,” Martin said, in a low whisper that was barely audible. Trepidation tainted his voice. “Can we please get out of here before Philip comes back? He’s the only one the boss wants in here messing with the girls.”
Sonny snickered as he eyed Sarah. “These aren’t girls, Martin. They’re women. Every single inch is full grown, my friend. Just look at her.”
Sarah concealed the letter opener in one hand while raising the other to block the light. The hint of the man’s intention was clear as day. The thought of his hands touching her skin made her shudder.
Sitting on the cot, Sarah held her breath as she struggled to keep her fear from spilling out. She pressed her lips together to keep from blurting out a slew of obscenities she feared would only antagonize the deviant.
“Grab that door, will ya?” Sonny asked. “I just want to get a sneak peek at what goodies our lady friend has to offer.”
“Christ. Are you kidding me right now?” Martin hissed. “I’m getting out of here while I can. If you want to stay and get a slug to the head when Philip comes back, that’s on you, but I’m not dying from perving on some chick.”
Sonny kept his gaze fixed on Sarah as he walked toward her. He reached out to grab her arm, then said, “Just get the damn door. I’ll tell Philip you were in here with me if you don’t. Who do you think they’ll—”
Sarah sprung from the cot, wielding the letter opener like a dagger. She lifted her arm into the air and charged the pudgy swine. Her brow furrowed as she breathed heavily through her nose.
Sonny stumbled backward, his eyes widening from the sudden movement. Nonsense fled his lips as Sarah stabbed him in the side of the neck.
“Aah! Get her off me!” He cried out in pain.
The blunt end punctured the skin.
Blood poured from the narrow slit.
The fat bastard tripped over his feet, and fell to the floor. He groaned in agony and pleaded for Martin to come help.
Sarah mounted his waist.
“I’ll go get help,” Martin stuttered from the doorway.
The plump guard swatted at Sarah, trying to get her off him.
She knocked his arms out of the way and stabbed him two more times in the neck. Anger filled her soul and spilled out in a swarm of violence that rained down upon the sorry excuse for a human. That would be the closest he would get to having her give him a cheap thrill.
Sonny gurgled on his own blood. His arms swung wildly in the air. He caught a lucky shot, striking Sarah in the face. The blow knocked her off his waist.
The letter opener popped from Sarah’s fist as she hit the floor. She searched the floor for the opener, but couldn’t find it within the murk.
Sonny tried to speak, but his words came out as nothing more than a garbled mess. Blood erupted from his mouth like hot lava. His hand palmed the multiple stab wounds, but it did little good in staying the flow of blood.
Sarah crawled toward him and reached over his twitching legs. The flashlight sat on the floor with the beam trained at his head. She scooped it up and leaned back.
The light washed over his stomach, and the piece he had tucked in his waistband. Sarah pulled the handgun from his jeans, then stood up. She trained the light at the weapon and caught sight of the red taint that stained her palm.
Both hands were wet with blood, but she didn’t care. The opportunity to escape was upon her, and she couldn’t let it pass. Martin had vanished from his post, giving Sarah a straight shot to the hallway.
Sonny writhed on the floor as Sarah bolted for the hall. She
hoped he suffered a slow, painful death before passing.
Sarah stopped at the open doorway with her arm pressed to the jamb. The pistol trembled in her hand as she panted. A swarm of adrenaline and fright surged through her body as she peered down the hallway.
The flashlight beam sliced through the ether before fading away. It didn’t pick up any inbound men charging her way. Sarah stepped to the other side of the entryway with the pistol up and at the ready.
She craned her neck and skimmed over the vacant corridor. The faint hint of light spilled through the distance, but did little in offering any insight as to what waited for her. Loud, angry shouting caught her attention, followed by multiple footfalls coming her way.
Sarah dipped out into the hall, then scurried down the dark hallway in the opposite direction. The light trained ahead of her as she kept the pistol up. She peered back over her shoulder as the hastened footfalls grew louder.
“We need to find her,” a voice said. “We can’t lose her.”
The pounding of her feet against the floor echoed through the hall. Each hard step signaled her position and made her cringe.
Sarah was lost on where to go. The blinding darkness seemed endless and hid any threats that loomed ahead of her. The flashlight waved like a magical wand in her hand—a powerful weapon at her disposal.
She had to track down Mandy. Leaving her behind wasn’t an option, but finding where they were keeping her was easier said than done.
The men were closing in fast. Their footfalls drew closer. The gleam from her light acted like a beacon for them to follow. Sarah couldn’t turn it off, though. It was too dark, and she wouldn’t be able to see where she was going.
A junction was up ahead. The hall split off to the left with a wall of darkness before her. She saw no hints of lights and didn’t hear voices.
Sarah slowed just enough to skirt the blind corner. She peered over her shoulder to the hall while running at full tilt. A few long strides were all she was afforded before running into a black clad figured that felt like a brick wall.
The impact knocked her hard to the floor. The air ripped from her lungs. Both the flashlight and pistol fell from her hands as she struggled to gather herself.
A large man hovered over Sarah. The beam from the flashlight shone on his thick-soled boots. The pistol was within her reach. She reached for the piece, but the man kicked it away. He grabbed a handful of her clothing and jerked her off the floor.
“The boss wants to have a word with you.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
SARAH
The brute slammed Sarah down into a chair. The metal legs scraped across the floor. Sarah’s head wobbled and ached.
Natural light shone through the windows and gave her a visual of the warehouse. Stacks of crates and boxes littered the space. A number of armed men stood around with automatic rifles clutched in their hands. There were five that Sarah counted, including Martin. Guess today was his lucky day since he was still breathing.
Mandy sat in a chair across from her. A gag had been placed in her mouth. Muffled screams loomed from the cloth as she leaned forward in the chair.
“I tell you what. I don’t think I’ve ever come across two females who have given me more trouble than you and your friend there,” an irritated Irish voice said, from behind Sarah. Footfalls traced behind her and drew closer. Sarah turned her head to either side, trying to lay eyes on the man, but couldn’t. “Most are generally too scared to even look at my men. But not you two. Old Sonny found out what sort of a handful you really are, did he?”
He stalked her from behind, then leaned in close to sniff her hair. His fingers ran through the matted strands as he walked around her.
Sarah jerked her head away from his touch while looking in his direction. A scowl formed on her face as she glared at the well-groomed man. “Who are you, and what do you want with me and my friend?”
The tall, stout man walked a bit farther, then turned to face Sarah. Both palms ran over his slicked back hair. He had no facial hair and looked clean and well kept.
“The name is Kinnerk. Samuel Kinnerk to be more precise.”
Sarah tensed. Her fingers clawed the tops of her thighs as the blood drained from her face. She glanced around at the armed goons flanking Samuel and noticed two of them who had been after her and Rick. Both looked battered and beaten with black eyes and busted lips. They must have killed Rick, but not before he throttled them. He was yet another friend who had perished.
“Listen, I can tell you right now that I don’t know anything about this Allen guy or what he owes you. Neither does she. We’ve never met the man before,” Sarah said, while nodding at Mandy. “You’re wasting your time if that’s what you’re after.”
Samuel grinned, then placed his arms behind his back. A smirk formed on his face as he paced about the floor before her. “I have no doubt that you don’t, and to be honest, that’s not why you were brought here. We’re still tracking Allen down. It’s a bit more complicated since the power’s out and all, but his debt will be paid in full soon enough.”
“Then why did you kidnap me and my friend?” Sarah asked.
“I’m a business man, Sarah. I operate many streams that generate a nice flow of income. One of those is the facilitator of cash transactions.”
“A loan shark, then,” Sarah replied with a hint of indignation to her tone.
Samuel nodded, then chuckled. “Basically yes, but the other sounds better.”
“It’s still illegal either way you slice it,” Sarah said.
“Aside from being a loan shark,” Samuel said, while pointing at Sarah, “I also provide clients with female companionship. It’s a lucrative business that has made me a fairly wealthy man. The demand for young women around the globe is much higher than one might think. You’d be surprised how much my clients are willing to spend on beautiful American women.”
A human trafficker. One of the lowest forms a criminal could sink to in her eyes. Tearing innocent girls from their families or preying on those who were lost and helpless made her mad and sick to her stomach. Still, she didn’t understand why she and Mandy were there since they were neither of those.
Sarah glanced around to the men that stood at Samuel’s back. Each looked at her with stone-cold gazes that made her skin crawl. “So, what? Now you’re moving on to grown women? Is that it?”
“Not exactly,” Samuel answered. Another man materialized to his right. It was Man-bun. “See, about a year ago, your daughter, Jess, was marked by my crew. Vin here was tasked with procuring her for a buyer we had lined up. Needless to say, things didn’t go as planned.”
Sarah’s eyes swelled with tears as she balled her hands into fists. She cut her gaze over to Man-bun who looked at her with an emotionless stare.
“It’s because of you that my baby girl is dead!” Sarah wanted to strangle both men with her bare hands, watching the life drain from their faces. That would be a good start among the other numerous violent acts that swam in her head.
Her butt lifted from the chair. A restrictive hand grabbed her shoulder, and shoved her down. Sarah jerked her shoulder away in anger, but the hand remained.
Mandy wrenched her arms that were tied behind the chair. The gunman moved in and stood close behind her.
“I know how upset you must be, Sarah, but your daughter’s death is not what we intended to happen. We had to move sooner than we anticipated, so we improvised,” Samuel said.
Sarah squirmed in the chair. The rage she felt wouldn’t allow her to sit still. She only saw red. “So, breaking into my house with me and my husband there was your grand plan to grab my daughter?”
“In a manner of speaking, but like I said, my hand was forced. It was a risk that had to be taken. Get inside, nab your daughter, kill you and your husband, and make it look like a home break-in. We even had a note ready to leave in her room stating that she had run away. Her death did not benefit me in any way, but it did cost me a lot of money.”
“Good,” Sarah said, feeling some sort of justice.
Samuel nodded. “Yes. I imagine you feel the slightest bit of victory from that given what has been taken from you. But, unfortunately for you and your friend, things have taken a rather unique turn. See, the individual who was set to acquire your daughter has agreed to take you and well, now your friend, in lieu of your dead daughter. Having you and your husband, which we haven’t been able to locate as of yet, as loose ends with this ugly matter, simply cannot go on any longer.”
Sarah scoffed. “Why wait a year? Why didn’t you just kill us sooner?”
A radio crackled from one of the goons behind Samuel. The armed gunman pulled it free of his belt and handed it to Samuel.
Samuel held it close to his ear and listened, then nodded at the gunman. “Go sweep the perimeter. Take three guys with you. We might have some company.”
The gunman tilted his head and grabbed the radio from Samuel. He pointed at three of the other men. They flanked the man and vanished beyond the large wooden crates.
Vin stood near Samuel with Philip behind Sarah and one other gunman flanking Mandy.
“Simply put, heat from the authorities,” Samuel answered. “We know you have friends in the Boston Police Department, and well, they were getting closer than we liked. When the power and communications went down, and the city spiraled into chaos, we seized the opportunity. Nothing like an apocalypse to aid in our endeavors.”
Sarah glanced to Mandy who had shiny eyes. A fearful look washed over her face as she fought to speak through the rag shoved in her mouth. Despite the rage that boiled in the pit of Sarah’s stomach, they were trapped with no way out. As much as she wanted to bolt from the chair and kill Samuel, she wouldn’t make it far. The thought of him not being punished for taking her daughter was worse than the fate that awaited her.
Vin leaned in close, and spoke into Samuel’s ear as reports of gunfire popped off from outside of the warehouse.
Samuel recoiled from the sound as he looked about the space. A strained voice barked from the gunman’s radio who was behind Mandy.
Survive The Fall | Book 2 | Madness Rising Page 16
