CAGED

Chapter 28: The Chase

Ryan's P.O.V. (Giving y'all a different look on the last 2 chapters. 😈)

Marissa slapped my cheek hard, causing my head to turn to the side from the force. A moment of surprise flashes across her face, as well as mine, before she seems to have realized what she just did. I send a hard glare her way as she backs up quickly, tripping over the edge of the couch and falling. She scrambles herself into a standing position before running off towards the door, her movements full of panic.

"Go pack!" I snap to Rachel quietly before I take off after Marissa without another moments hesitation. She's opened the door now, my alarm system letting off a shrill screech as she runs down the steps and towards the garden.

How stupid! I think as I continue to chase after her fleeting figure. For someone so small and malnurished she certainly still has a sense of speed to her. The only place to go there is the old shed. I think for a moment before something else occurs to me. Unless she loops around the entire garden just to stall time away from me.

I see her fleeting figure turn left just as I reach the fountain. I turn to my right just in case the girl does look the garden. I quickly follow the path take several turns before I arrive at the old garden shed. The thing is never used anymore, and honestly should have torn down ages ago. It's a useless eye sore with its aged and rotting wooden slats, and its cracked door that won't stay shut.

I stare at the door for a brief moment before slowly making my way to it, yanking it open as it shrieks in protest. Dust and mold make the air stale and pungent as I take a careful step inside. The shed is crowded with old equipment and broken crap that really should have tossed years ago, though at the time it was easier to just throw it all in here.

I look around to see if there's a place for the small girl to squeeze herself and hide. I see a couple of spots that if she really tried she could force herself into, though by the undisturbed dust I assume it's unlikely. The alarm is still sounding from the house before me, and I only have about 90 seconds to turn it off before the police are notified.

That in mind I turn from the shed and return outside, taking off to the right to finish the look around the garden. I return to the house at lightning speed and type the code into the system beside the door. The alarm ceases and the surrounding aringoes silent.

Wasting no time I go to find Rachel in her room, her backpack stuffed full and sitting beside the door. She's changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, perfect running gear. I grab her bag from the floor and she follows me as we run down the steps.

"Daddy," Rachel cuts into the thick quiet. "What about Rissa?"

I glance out of the front door to see Marissas small figure crouched down as she tries to make her way down the driveway. A smirk grows on my face as I rush Rachel out of the door, my driver following quickly behind us.

"We'll pick her up on our way," I answer as we climb into the back seat. I reach beneath my seat for a small bottle of chloroform and a rag before quickly soaking the rag and calmly pressing it against Rachel's mouth and nose. She's starled for a moment before she starts trying to wiggle away from my hold, useless against my strong grip around her torso.

Chloroform does not work as it does in the movies, not even in the slightest. What I am doing to Rachel won't knock her out or anything as serious as that. In fact, because of the exposure of the rag to the oxygen in the air, it wouldn't last the 5 minutes necessary to render someone unconscious. It will, however, leave her dizzy and tired. Enough so that she won't notice what is happening with Marissa.

"Go!" I instruct as Rachel relaxes against my hold, her eyes fluttering as she tries hopelessly to focus. I turn my attention to the front window as Rachel relaxes into the seat. I see Marissas fleeting form and instruct my driver to hit her. He doesn't hesitate as he swerves the car over, her body rolling over the hood and into the gravel of the driveway.

As I step out of the car I see her huddled into herself, her hand gripping her leg and favoring it. Looking at it I can tell it's broken. I approach her and grab onto her shoulder, gripping it tightly.

"It never does to run, does it?" I ask as I turn my grip to her arm, my fingers digging into her armpit. I yank her upright and she stumbles along beside me, favoring her leg as much as possible. I take her to the trunk and pop it open, throwing her against it.

She falls to the ground with a quiet shriek. I grab her hair in my hand and slam her head against the corner of the car. I lift her broken body and drop her into the trunk, slamming the top shut.

Getting back into the car and wave Roy, my driver, on. Roy is an invaluable resource to me as he is unfathomabley faithful. No matter my business or what I ask him to do he abides without a moments hesitation. He has never questioned my instructions before, and I know that he won't now as we make our way out of the cities limits.