Devil from the East

AWOL

Weeks later,iv not seen or heard from Nishada, it's strange when I don't see him for weeks he still lingers in my mind. I text him to no reply so I just ignore him when he eventually reply with vague answers
"Hey Nishada, how are you?"
"Good"
It's annoying

One day we get a phone call for an emergency family meeting at my parents house. It's never good when we get summoned like this so I head over there with a worried feeling in my stomach.
As I'm heading inside, Johnny and Dave are there consoling a sobbing Daisy. My mom is playing with Aiden.
"What's happened?" I ask as Jessica, David's fiancée, comes and hugs me
"It's Pete, he's missing" she cries hugging me tighter. It was like all the oxygen had gone from the room, I could not breath.

"Wha.... how long?" I whisper
"2 days, he has never gone this long without contacting me" Daisy sobs
"Even when he was drunk he would call.....what if he is hurt or....." she wails unable to finish her sentence.
"Have you phoned the police?" I asked
"They can only do something after 3 days" David replies
"But iv pulled some strings and some buddies on the force are looking out for him" he continues
"The rugby team and dad are out now looking for him" Johnny adds.

My head is a mess, I can't think straight.
"I'm going in the cab" I finally choke holding back the tears and fear in my stomach.
"I'm coming with you" Johnny nods and follows me to the door
"I'll ring hospitals and bars" Dave yells as we head to my cab.

I don't even know where to start, we drive around aimlessly at first, checking the main streets. Johnny gets a call from David
"Hello" he answers on speaker phone
"Dev and Sue said he was there yesterday, he left with some guys he didn't recognise but Pete seemed to know them. Iv got names and background checks, they were loan sharks! I have no idea he knew any loan sharks. A patrol is heading to their office, I'll keep you updated" he explains.

Johnny and I look at each other in shock, Loan sharks???
Now I'm really worried, I pull up next to the mall as Johnny goes inside to check some places, I wait outside and decide to text the one shady person I know whom MIGHT know something or help.
"Nishada, it's me, weird question..... do you know any loan sharks in the area?" I type and send, in no time he texts back
"I do" he answers and it annoys me again with his vague answers
"Where do they go if they want to .... get money from someone" I ask tears falling from my face
"Somewhere near the docks, what's wrong Dotty?" He replies but that's all I need. Johnny comes back flustered and I hit the gas, speeding through the town towards the docks as I explain to Johnny

"He has text you again 'you can't go there it's dangerous for you' do you want me to reply?" Johnny reads my phone, shaking my head
"No tell Dave to send someone there to meet us, be it police or the rugby guys, we can handle this ourselves" I answer.

In no time we pull up at the docks, the fisherman are cleaning up from their morning catches, all around is are creates and boats. He could be in any of there is the loan sharks are hiding him here.
Johnny and I split up, I decide to ask the fishermen if they have seen or heard anything around here. Most shake their heads, but one I ask nods.

"Yeah he is here, want me to take you to him" he replies. He is so creepy and I know it's a bad idea to go with him, but if there is any ANY chance he knows where Pete is I'm going to find him. Nodding I follow him to one of the fishing boats, he takes me below deck to where they gut and store their catches, and behold there is Pete, badly beaten and tied up in the corner of the boat

"PETER!" I yell running to wards him, he opens his eyes and his eyes widen as he sees me running to him. He mumbles through his gag desperate to tell me something. I take the gag away from his bloody mouth
"GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" He yells pushing me away with his head.

"Now now Pete, she has come to rescue you, you should be more greatful" I hear a voice behind me that sends chills down my spine, then an arm wraps around my shoulders dragging me away from my brother.
"DONT YOU HURT HER YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Pete yells angrily
"I would not dream of hurting such a delicate flower" a man whispers behinds me, holding my neck tight and a gun pointed to my temple
"Pete" I whimper scared out of my mind
"ILL KILL YOU, IM GONNA......" Pete begins to yell when the fisherman that had brought me here kicks Pete in the face hard, I hear a crunch and his foot hits Pete over and over again

"STOP IT" I scream. Finally he stops and Pete is left panting moaning in pain
"Please just let him go please" I beg
"Now he owes me a lot of money my dear flower, how to you recon am I going to get what I'm owed" the man whispers behind me
"What do you want" I ask scared of the price that needs to be paid
"Well, do you have 10k on you by chance my little flower" he asks rubbing the gun against my stomach. My body begins to go weak and I shiver.
"Or.....as I'm such a nice guy I could be swayed to an exchange" he adds, I feel sick as his gun runs around my jeans almost digging in to go underneath

"Please, I'll do anything you want just.....please let him go" I plea, I can see he needs a hospital or he will......
"Anything?" The man whispers as he bites on my ear hard making me scream out in pain. My ear throbs and I can feel the drips of blood land on my shoulder, but Peter wounds are far greater and Daisy needs him. I can't leave Aiden and the new born without their dad, Pete has always protected me so now I want to protect him
"Yes" I whisper