I'm Fine

Part 28

"I wouldn't call it kidnapping, I'd call it protecting," Volto said, "Now hand me your phone."

I hesitate, not wanting to give up my only chance of rescue.

"Now!"

I hand it over and he throws it out the window.

"See, that wasn't too hard."

I concentrate on memorizing where we are going, hopefully I will have a chance to contact somebody.

I'm not very hopeful though.

His hand brushes my cheek, "Oh Sang, what have they done to you?"

"Nothing," I spit at him with vitriol.

"You've gotten feistier."

I turn my head to raise an eyebrow at him in a "no duh" response.

"But what did they do to you? Did you not meet their expectations or something?"

"I'm fine. They're fine. If you could get this incredibly idiotic idea that I need saving out of your head, that'd be great."

Hearing mechanic laughter is creepy; it will probably feature in my nightmares.

"Have you seen yourself lately, you are not fine, but you will be."

Volto is not allowed to twist my boys' words like that. I bite my tongue though, knowing there is no arguing with crazy.

...

He locks the door as he gets out quickly, then comes to my side. With a firm hold on my wrist, he drags me into the house.

It looks far too normal for someone like Volto to live. It is typical suburbs, neatly trimmed grass, blue trim on a two-story house.

He leads me up the stairs to what he calls my suite. It has a bedroom, bathroom, and a little sitting area.

He pushes me into an armchair.

"Stay."

Like I'm a dog.

He leaves the room but is back in under a minute.

"Good girl, I should have expected that those boys would have you well trained."

I hold his gaze with a steady glare.

"I have to say, you were a lot prettier before the guys broke you."

"They didn't do anything."

He ignores me.

"I'm going to make dinner. You can read, there's an iPad. I'll be back soon."

Once he leaves the room, I check out the window. There is some device connected to it with a blinking light. I assume it is an alarm. There goes that plan.

I get out the iPad and click on the Facebook icon. I search each of the boys' names with no results. Of course they wouldn't be on there.

I could somehow message the police, but I can't because then I'd end up in foster care when they tried to contact my parents.

Who else is in the Academy that I could contact? Who have the boys mentioned?

As I am pacing, it comes to me. Silas mentioned meeting an Axel Toma who worked at the aquarium. Mr. Blackbourne had introduced me to him. He must be Academy.

I search for the Charleston Aquarium on Google. They have an email address. Volto is logged onto his email on the iPad.

I request Axel Toma's contact information, making sure to delete the sent email. Within minutes I have a response.

I commit the information to memory and delete the email.

I write quickly now, not sure how much longer I have before he comes back up.

Mr. Toma:

I am the bird on the Blackbourne team and I need help. I was kidnapped. In a suburb about 30 minutes from downtown. Houses are beige with blue, green, or gray trim. House umber 3140, but I don't have the street.

Then I delete the email.

...

If anything could make Volto less appealing, it is Volto carrying a platter of food.

He sets a plate heaped with pasta in front of me, a basket of bread, and a bowl of salad.

I stare at my plate.

He stares at me.

"You can eat that, you know."

I stare at my plate.

"I'm not like those boys of yours. I care about your health."

I stare at my plate.

"Eat Sang."

I stare at my plate.

"They really wrecked you."

I stare at my plate.

He pulls his chair closer to mine.

I stare at my plate.

"Sang, you will eat or I will feed you."

Well that's a repulsive thought.

...

There is sound at the window after Volto tucked me in.

Which was a creepy as it sounds.

The window rattles slightly. I stand up and go to it.

Luke and a guy I don't know are there.

They try the window again.

I shake my head and point to the box.

The other guy pulls a black remote out of his pocket. He clicks a button.

I almost had hope it would work, but when the green light turns red, I knew I was screwed.

I make a shooing motion with my hands and move towards my bed as I hear Volto run up the stairs.

Another alarm activates downstairs. Then one in the kitchen.

Volto runs back downstairs.

My window breaks.

I make my way over to Luke. And I jump.

I roll out of the fall, take a second to coordinate myself, the take off at a run following Luke.

A gunshot sounds, then another.

I run faster.

We run to Mr. Blackbourne's car, or maybe its Victor's.

We are almost there.

Almost.

...

I wake up in the hospital, all of the boys sleeping on the ground around me.

This is what family is, and if we can get through this, we can get through anything.