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I let out a sigh of relief. “Okay, so, you know how earlier you offered to help if I needed it?”
“What do you need?”
I almost cried at the total surety in his voice.
“Can I get a ride?”
He didn’t hesitate as he said, “No problem. Where are you?”
“I’m at home—at Atlas’s house.” I quickly rattled off the address.
“Yeah, I know where that is. I’ll be there in a few.”
My chest eased now that I had a plan. “Thank you,” I said, meaning it to my very core.
“Don’t mention it. I’ll be right there.”
I waited at the end of the driveway for barely longer than five minutes when a large, black SUV pulled up. The tinted passenger-side window came down as I approached. Tony was in the driver’s seat, leaning over to speak to me.
“Hop on in.”
I opened the door and climbed inside, sitting on the plush leather seat and putting my backpack on my lap.
“Thank you so much again, Tony. Really.” I blabbered on as I buckled myself in.
Tony waved me off as he shifted into drive and the automatic locks engaged with a soft mechanical thump.
“Where to?” He pulled onto the road and we began the twisty descent down the residential end of the bluff.
I paused, fiddling with the zipper on my bag. “I was actually hoping you could drop me off at the bus station.”
He glanced at me quickly in the dim light from the dash. I expected him to say something, maybe talk me out of it, but instead he nodded. “Okay, sure. But do you mind if I make a quick stop on the way?”
I shook my head. “Of course not.”
We were silent as we drove. I spent most of the time flipping the zipper pull back and forth, trying to focus on nothing, because if I let myself think about what I was doing, I was going to lose it and I needed to keep it together. Hopefully I wouldn’t have to wait long for a bus. I’d take anything that was going to get me out of here.
The vehicle came to a stop, and I finally glanced up, looking out the dark windshield. There was nothing much to see, mostly darkness and trees. Tony cut the headlights quickly, and I frowned.
“Where are we?” I glanced at him.
He unbuckled his seat belt, turning to open the door. “I just have to pick something up real quick.”
My forehead crinkled, and I turned to look out the passenger-side window. It was so dark I couldn’t make much out. What would he have to pick up here? Wherever we were?
My thoughts were distracted and unclear. By the time my gut started to warn me that something was wrong, a strong arm curled around my chest, locking my arms in place at my sides. Something cold and damp was pressed over my nose and mouth. A sharp, sweet smell filled my senses, and before I could fight, my vision blurred. My limbs became heavy and useless as my mind succumbed to blackness.
