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And because of my line of work, I had done a lot of research. Into the human body. Into what arteries were where, the best places to strike, slice, or put pressure on.
I knew what I needed to know to use anything to inflict maximum damage.
Decision made, I gritted my teeth and started to wiggle my wrists side to side, the motion was small at first, thanks to the tightness of the tape. It bit into my skin, and I swear I could feel layers peeling away as I whimpered against the tape, glad it muffled the sound so no one in the car could hear my pain.
Not that they could hear me anyway. I’d been listening to the drone of male voices for what felt like hours, punctuated with the occasional hearty laugh. Like this was no big deal. Like kidnapping innocent women was just a daily practice for them.
Maybe it was.
That thought had me twisting harder and harder against my binds, no matter how much it hurt.
I stopped only when I felt a trickle down my hand. Was it blood? Or just sweat? I wasn’t sure I could take a chance that it was the former. If they saw blood, they might check the binds. I couldn’t risk that. Besides, I was pretty sure I’d loosened them enough that if I leaned backward enough, pinching my shoulders together as best I could so I could press my forearms closer together, that I could slip them free.
That was the plan, at least, as I took the rest of the ride to try to breathe, to steel my nerves, to prepare myself for the upcoming fight.
It felt like forever, and yet too soon, when the car stopped and idled a moment before the engine cut. Then the doors opened, the car shifted as they climbed out, and the doors slammed.
More muffled male talking, but I was having a hard time hearing it over the whooshing sound of my blood in my ears.
Focus.
I needed to focus.
Then there was the crunch of stone under someone’s feet and the click of the trunk lid opening.
I think I expected to see, to have more clarity now that I was awake and ready to confront this, to confront them.
But it was pitch black.
I’d rarely seen such an utter lack of light. I’d always lived in busy areas, the light pollution at night never allowing things to take on that eerie blackness that nighttime in movies often did.
But I could just barely make out the outlines of faces as they loomed over me from my fetal position in the trunk, discreetly wiping my hands and wrists on the carpeting beneath me, hoping to get rid of any evidence of blood if it existed at all.
Wherever we were, we were far, far from home, that much was clear.
The air was crisp as I was pulled out of that trunk, as I tried to take deep breaths of it, to keep myself calm and therefore prepared for whatever was coming next.
A door opened and shut.
Floorboards creaked as I was dragged across them. Then we went down basement steps. Two sets of feet. The one carrying me and the other behind me. Though I’d been pretty sure there were three or four of them.
That was good, though. Two guys to handle at once, then the other two once I dealt with these.
Then, what?
I steal the car.
I drive like hell until I get to a populated area. Then I get myself home, I pack up my shit, and I leave.
Where, I had no idea. But I would have a long drive home to figure that out.
Then… a security system.
Dogs.
Other ways to make sure no one could ever sneak up on me again.
The basement was dark and felt like it stretched on forever. Way bigger than was common, closed doors on either side.
What the hell happened down here?
I didn’t intend to find out, damnit.
A door creaked open and then I was dropped hard onto a steel chair, making pain ratchet up my spine.
A chair.
A chair was a great weapon.
Especially a steel one.
And, miracle of miracles, they didn’t bind me to it.
In fact, the guy just turned and walked away.
I felt a moment of triumph, figuring I could get my hands free, then work at my ankles.
After that, I could grab the chair, move next to the door, and get ready to strike when it opened again.
I didn’t get a chance, though.
Because I heard the muffled voices, then the door was opening once again, but this time, the light flicked on.
I was blinded for a critical moment, making panic rise up before I could tamp it back down.
Then my eyes adjusted.
And I was face-to-face with my worst nightmare.
Though, I didn’t know it right at first.
“Murphy,” he said, making a popping noise after it.
