Why Can't I Hate You?

~26~

I woke up in a chair. My hands were tied behind me, and my legs tied to the chair legs. Thomas was to the right of me, and Brenda was to the left, still out, and she had taped across her mouth. She must have put up more of a fight before she passed out.

"What's going on?" I asked Thomas, barely managing to get the words out.

"Shut it, sweetheart." A man leaning against the wall opposite us pointed a gun to me."I'd hate to ruin that pretty face of yours."

"We were just looking for our friends. No one needs to get hurt." Thomas said.

The blonde woman that approached us before had her gun pointed at Thomas. "We won't hurt you, so long as you cooperate."

Brenda stirred awake, moaning through the tape when she realised what was happening.

"Shut it." The man pointed the gun at her.

"What do you want from us?" I pressed for answers.

He moved closer to me, crouching down to be face to face with me. "You're property of wicked. They will reward us gratefully for returning you to them." He grabbed my face." Shame, though. I think I'll miss this pretty face of yours. Do you think they'll mind if we play a little with their experiment toys?"

I spat in his face. "Keep your filthy hands off me."

He paused for a moment, then slowly wiped his face clean before he struck me, hitting my face. Then grabbed my hair, forcing my head back.

"STOP! NO!" Thomas thrashed in his chair.

"That wasn't smart."

A commotion broke out above. Hard thumps on the ceiling, followed by some screams. He exchanged looks with the blonde girl. "Another group must have broke in." She said. Then they both left the room.

I didn't like how vulnerable we were tied to these chairs. What if it was full-blown cranks up there? Or wicked? We sat in silence listening. More thuds came. Then, footsteps, and the door clicked open.

"You all look comfortable." Minho smirked.

Newt came over to me, with a look of concern on his face. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine." I lied.

He didn't seem to believe me, but untied my legs and wrists. I got up from the chair, stretching.

"We should get out of here." Jorge said.

"What about Marcus?" Thomas questioned.

"We already found him, and we got what we needed."

We left the god forsaken place and got into a truck that Jorge had apparently taken from Marcus. Bertha, he called it, and our pursuit to the right arm commenced.

The drive felt like hours. I took the opportunity to get some sleep, but the bumpy road kept waking me up.

Minho was cracking the occasional joke, but the silence took over again. I wondered what had happened to the immunes still in wicked's possession. Had they all been sedated like Thomas had described? Where are they even still alive?

The truck shook, making noises that it probably shouldn't be, and halted to a stop.

"That didn't sound good." Thomas said.

"Well, she ain't new." Jorge got out and went to the front to check the engine. A cloud of smoke came out of it, and he coughed,wafting it away with his hand.

"Are we out of fuel?" Thomas leaned out the open window.

"No, I think it's just overheated." He shut the hood, sitting back in the drivers seat."If some of you can push it, I think I can get her going again."

"Not to worry." Minho flexed his muscles."I always knew my muscles would come in handy."

I rolled my eyes with a smile, getting out of the car. Minho rolled up his jacket sleeves, getting ready to move the truck.

"It'll take more than one of you to move her." Jorge spoke.

"Are you seriously underestimating my strength." He acted offended.

"I don't doubt it, hermano."

"Bloody hell, fine, I'll do it." Newt removed his jacket, throwing it to the side.

"Alright, on my count. Three, two, one. " He turned on the ignition.

The truck rolled forwards slowly. It didn't surprise me that Minho wasn't straining. He was our fastest runner.

Newt, however, had me dumbfounded. Even with his limp and his slender phrame, he didn't seem at all phased by moving a whole truck. His arm muscles flexed as he pushed, seemingly effortlessly. A few stands of hair falling into his eyes. The car took off on its own for a few feet, then stopped.

"You're so welcome for saving all your asses." Minho bowed.

I watched as Newt combed his hair back with his hand and picked up his jacket from the floor. Then drew my eyes away and got back into the truck with the others.