Mint to Be

Chapter Sixteen: In Trouble

"AHHH!" I screeched, launching myself upright.

The covers fell off my body, and my bare arms covered with goosebumps.

I panted heavily, my entire body covered in a cold sweat as I looked around the bright room. I always left my light on.

"Meow?" Inky asked from at my feet.

I sighed in relief, and picked up the cat, bringing it closer.

"Shhh, it's ok," I muttered more for my benefit than his. I stroked his fur soothingly.

This cat was my only source of comfort.

Before I'd gone to bed last night, I noticed another note on my pillow.

'Almost there.'

To say that I was freaked out would be putting it lightly.

I needed to get the heck outta here.

Before it was too late.

I slid out of bed and marched over to the door, throwing it open, and I walked across the hall to where Cate was staying.

I banged on the door, and she opened it instantly.

"Yes?" She asked in an annoyed tone.

"You've got to help me," I said, my wife eyes frantic. "These guys kidnapped me in an ice cream truck. But it wasn't ice cream they were selling. It was murder."

She balched. "What?"

"Can I come in?" I asked, and she nodded.

We sat on her bed and she asked me to explain.

I told her everything, beginning with the day I thought I was being followed, and ending when they arrived.

"And that's it," I finished.

She had had the same shocked expression on her face the entire time I was speaking.

"Wow," She finally said.

I opened my mouth to speak, but just the the door opened, revealing Miles and Aiden.

"Yo, Cate, we were-" Miles stopped abruptly when he saw me. Then he said, "Whatever she told you, she's lying."

"YOU KIDNAPPED HER?" Cate bursted out. "You could be ARRESTED for this! ARRESTED!!! Oh my gosh- I'm an accomplice! I COULD GET SUED OR SOMETHING! OHMYGOSH-"

"Calm down!" Miles shouted, and I jumped. He was downright scary when he raised his voice. "Nobody is an accomplice, and nobody is getting arrested!"

"Don't be too sure of that, pal," I threatened. "My Chief-of-Police dad also happens to be a lawyer."

"Oh, hold on," Aiden finally spoke, instantly quieting everything. "It was for a valid reason. We don't just go around kidnapping girls in our ice cream truck."

"Is it because my dad is chief of police and a lawyer?" I asked. "Because if yes, then that was a lie."

"Tell me right now," Cate ordered in a low voice. Miles walked over and whispered something in her ear.

I tried to catch what it was, but all it sounded like to me was 'pssst pst psssssssssssssssssssst'.

Whatever Miles was telling Cate, it was working. A look of realization and then understanding passed Cate's eyes before she nodded and he pulled away.

"So...?" I asked in annoyance.

Cate smiled sadly at me. "Sorry, Caroline. I see where they are coming from."

"WHAT?" I cried. "Oh, not you too!"

"What's going on in here?" Cole asked as he and Adeline stepped into the room.

They all looked at one another. And then it was silent.

They all just stared off, and it looked like they were zoning out.

What the heck?

Something fishy was definitely going on here.

Then, their eyes went back to normal, and Adeline laughed slightly. "Well this is a predicament, isn't it?"

I looked between all of them. "What was that?"

Cole frowned. "What?"

"That," I pointed at them. "That look."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Aiden shrugged.

I bared my teeth at him and hissed.

He looked momentarily unsettled, and Miles spoke, "Caroline, the sooner you accept your stay here, the better it will be for everyone."

I gave him an incredulous look, "So you kidnap me, taking me away from everyone I love, taking me away from school, a job, and a family, and tell me to just settle in?!"

Aiden grabbed my elbow and lead me out of the room.

I resisted at first, but he was strong, and he walked down the hallway and the stairs with me in tow.

"If you don't tell me where we're going right this second, things will get unpleasant."

Aiden ignored me, and I yanked my arm out of his grip and socked him in the face.

His head flew to the left with the impact of my punch, and blood rushed to his face.

A dark read circle began forming on his cheek, and his face became so terrifying, I began my mind's instinctive response.

Rambling.

"Did you know that the weather today was 79 degrees, and we're in fall? The temperature seems much cooler than last week, yet its hotter than yesterday, and tomorrow's last week will be cooler than next week's Wednesday before Friday's-"

"Oh, shut up," Aiden said, calming down. "I'm not going to hurt you. Yet," He tacked on. His arm gestured to a door on the right side of the staircase that is never noticed before.

Great.

"Tell me where we are going," I said. "I order you."

He laughed, and opened the door, and pushed me in.