Bad Intentions

Chapter 19

New York

The city where all my troubles began. I was sitting in the car while we were driving through the streets and the darkness outside was somehow peaceful. We had already driven a few hours. It was quiet and I was alone in the vehicle with the driver, a man whose age was a mystery. I had heard somebody else say his name though, Lenny. He looked friendly but didn't utter a word. No matter how many times I had tried, he didn't make a sound. Probably something to do with work policy. Ben could know.

You're probably wondering how I ended up in the car while I recently did my best to escape. Let me tell you, I didn't go willingly. After my little conversation with Mr. Ventura, he had called for two strong men to drag me into this car. They had handcuffed me and made it clear to not break any more of their ridiculous rules. I guess they were referring to me not being respectful and obedient. They had mumbled something about being a valuable asset and at this moment, I still had no idea what that had meant. It was hard to get any information out of these men.

But not impossible.

The car came to a stop, but Lenny didn't walk out yet. Instead, he stayed in his seat while not moving an inch. I would've almost believed that he was a statue but I could see him breathing so I knew for sure he wasn't. I peeked outside the window and noticed the dark, empty road. I knew it was dangerous to roam the streets at this late hour.

Hence, me sitting in a stranger's car.

Little raindrops started to trickle on my window and for some odd reason, it drew my attention. Back home, I always thought it was peaceful, looking at the rain while relaxing with a cup of tea in my hands. I closed my eyes and tried to remember the scent of lavender and honey and for a moment I could almost feel the hot soothing drink running through my mouth. Back then, worrying about my life was the last thing that would've crossed my mind. It seemed so long ago, although it was only a few days. The adrenaline had worked out as I felt a small stinging pain in my ankle. It was still a bit swollen, but it could've been worse. It would heal in time.

Suddenly, two headlights illuminated our entire car and I turned around to get a better view. A car drove past us and parked a little bit further from where we were standing. Two broadly built men stepped out of it, followed by Mr. Ventura. The guards came towards our car and signaled at Lenny. He unlocked the car for the two men. I sat motionless as I already knew what was about to happen. They opened the car, unlocked my handcuffs, and dragged me out. We came to a stop in front of what seemed to be a large, abandoned building. There were no lights or people around it and the outside looked a bit spooky. The building was attached to other buildings on both sides.

The rain started to pour and it was hard to see if there was life in the other buildings on this street. Goosebumps were forming on my arms and the cold, freezing air made it hard to think clearly anymore. My hair was soaking wet by now and my clothes were heavy from the rain. It was very uncomfortable standing outside like this but not so much for Mr. Ventura, he had an umbrella above his head.

I didn't know why we were waiting this long, but there had to be a reason for that. I looked at the large front door and saw that Mr. Ventura had finally opened it. Knowing him, it probably took a few passwords to get inside. We all started walking and went through a neglected hallway. Large spider webs were hanging from the ceiling almost touching the floor. I shivered at the thought of the big spiders that lived in it. We came to a stop when we reached another door. This door looked more secure than the first one. Another password was typed into a screen and it opened with a loud click. I was pushed inside and my eyes grew wide at the sight of the interior.

The marble floor immediately stood out along with the large, open staircase that led up to the next level. A big chandelier stood at the center of this enormous hall and I could see the resemblance with the hotel that we previously stayed at. I turned around to notice that the two other guards had left, leaving me alone with Mr. Ventura. Being alone with a man as dangerous as him, made me a bit anxious. I still was unsure about what he needed from me and he was in no hurry to tell me. He walked up the large staircase while I stood frozen by the door, examining it, hoping that escaping this house was a possibility.

"Follow me." He said sternly. Did he even care about what I was thinking or feeling? Was this such a normal situation for him? Kidnapping people and taking them to a stranger's house? I crossed my arm in response. "No, I'm staying right here."

He stopped halfway on the staircase to take a look at me.

"Are you always this stubborn?" He asked, annoyance becoming his current mood.

"I don't know, are you always this annoying?" I responded quickly. It was softer than I intended to, but he had heard it. I continued speaking when he didn't say anything back. "You don't care about me, so why should I even bother listening to you? If you think I'm following you voluntarily, then you're an idiot." I looked around to avoid his eye contact. He made me nervous in a way that I couldn't describe. I felt the air changing again and I quickly became aware that I may have crossed the line with him. I should be more careful about what I was saying but he always brought out the worst in me. I simply couldn't help myself.

"What did you just call me?" His harsh tone made me instantly look at him. It was then I knew I had messed up for sure. He walked down the stairs and it took him only a second to stand in front of me, His height towering over me. He made me feel so small. I didn't answer his question. I knew when to speak and when not to. The look on his face made it clear that being rebellious would not be tolerated. I also knew he had a gun in his pocket and I didn't want to provoke him.

"Did you lose your tongue?" He said angrily, only inches away from my face. This man knew how to intimidate someone. This time it was me who didn't respond. Silence was my friend at the moment. Silence would keep me alive. "Let me remind you of what will happen when you speak to me like that again." He continued. "A bullet will go through your head, just like that man you killed all those years ago." My eyes widened when he spoke about my dark past. The secret I was hell-bent on keeping to myself, but he had found out about it. I don't even know how he discovered that information. A friend on the police station swore he would never tell it to anyone and any evidence had been swiped out. I guess a man like him had a network of resources that could dig deeper than I could only imagine.

He wasn't finished yet. "So when I say walk, you walk. When I say breathe, you breathe. Understood?" There was nothing I could say so I nodded my head in agreement. He seemed satisfied with my silent answer since he turned around to walk away.

Little did he know that my fingers were crossed behind my back.