THE VICKERS

Chapter 15

How do you know it's the end? That you will soon take your last breath?
Does it come from the panic that I desperately tried to hide?

The deep breaths I tried to take only came out in short gasps. I could feel Devin slumped over next to me in the vehicle we were in.

Every bump in the road caused him to fall over onto me then someone would pull him back up. My hands were tied behind me.

I imagined Devin's was too. I felt like this was it. Devin couldn't protect me, and Dahlia was probably dead by now. I shook away the stinging pain in my eyes.

Last I checked we only had an hour to deliver the money to whoever took Dahlia. We didn't know where. We only knew we're supposed to get a call. We failed. Don't cry, Darius. Don't. The more I told myself not to, the bigger the lump in my throat grew.

Fuck! I knew going to Tino was a bad idea. I cursed myself for following Devin's lead, but looking back, I knew I couldn't do anything to stop Devin.
Devin was the most headstrong person I've ever met. I stopped myself from breaking down as the car had stopped and I was dragged out. The man hauled me by the shirt up some creaky steps.

Seconds later I was pushed down in a seat. The bag ripped from my head. I half expected to see both of my siblings noting before me in a pool of blood, with their throats slit. But, we were back at Tino's empty house.

Then they hauled Devin in. He didn't have a bag over his head. They placed him next to me on another metal chaur. The man handcuffed him to the chair.

Blood dripped from his nose where they punched him to knock him out. It was red and a bit swollen but I don't think it's broken. I hope.

"Well isn't this interesting. Back where we started this morning." Tino says as he sauntered into the room wearing all black this time. He carried a drink in his hand. "Wake him up" he commanded.

"You leave him the fuck alone!"

"Shut up you punk!" the beefy man barked at me.

"Don't touch him! I'll kill you!" I yelled.

He slapped Devin a few times ignoring my threats. A few more smacks later and his eyes flickered open. He blinked a few times for his eyes to adjust.

It took him a while to realize what was happening. He looked at me confused. He saw that I was tied up, and when he tried to reach me, he realized he was handcuffed.

He tugged against them trying to get free. His features went dark when he saw Tino.

Tino laughed. "There he is!"

"When I get out, I am going to kill you"

Tino laughed again.

"Sure you will. But for now, I wanna know where the tape is?"

"What tape?"

"Oh, you're good. But you mustn't forget, I taught you everything you know."

Tsk

"He says he lost it so he lost it! Just let us go we're running out of time!" I urged.

"Oh, I know which is why your brother needs to be honest. Now I know you opened the envelope, found the tape. So where is it?"

I looked away from his gaze. The bag of money that also contained the tape was on a table right across from us on a table.

"It's not in the shed. Not in your pockets. So where oh where could it be? Maybe Devin doesn't know" he said circling us and swaying his glass.

"But maybe you do little Darius?"

"Leave him alone Tino. He doesn't know anything"

"Are you sure?" He stooped down before me, staring dead into my eyes.

I could see the bag to the right of his face. It's as if he was daring me to look at it. I kept my eyes square on his.

"Alright fine!" he said turning around.

I let out a breath I was holding for too long.

"I'll just check the bag," he said motioning for one of his men to bring it over.

I looked over at Devin who hadn't taken his eyes off Tino this entire time. The man dropped the bag at Tino's feet and unzipped it.

"Well look what we have here," he said checking its contents.

"No tape. A lot of money, but no tape"

I was relieved for a second until another man rolled out an old TV from another room.

"Oh I found it already, I just wanted to have some fun"

Devin looked over at me. I know I messed up hiding it in the bag. I should have known; hid it under a rock or something but not in the most obvious place in the world.

The television flickered on and the man that brought it in inserted the tape into the VCR.

A man in shades appeared with a smaller woman in all black standing beside him. He began to speak but his voice was modified slightly.

"Hello boys, if you're watching this I assume you are still alive and well. And your sister is too at least for now. The money must be dropped off in the middle of Berlington park, in the garbage bin right next to the sandpit. This time let the little one do the work, alone. 1 am sharp. If my men don't report to me that the money is there by then, Dahlia dies. If there is any interference, Dahlia dies. Have a good night gentlemen."

The video cut to Dahlia still tied up and bruised.

"Well it's 1:30 am and the park is about 25 minutes away by car"

"I'm going to fucking kill you" Devin threatened.

"No need for threats Devin-"

"What do you know? Who took her?!" he shouted.

"Well I can't go around just giving out information without a little incentive"

"Let me go and I'll give you all the incentive you need"

"What do you know Tino?" I chimed in.

"Quiet kid, the big people are talking" he retorted.

"Look we go way back Devin, so that's why I'm gonna give you guys a fighting chance. Uncuff him"

His men hesitated

"But boss..."

You could see the slight fear in his eyes as Devin stared at him approaching with the keys.

He was bruising at his temple. No doubt where Devin knocked him out. Another man untied me and I rubbed my wrists from where the rope was digging into my skin.

As soon as Devin was released he elbowed the man in nose and in one swift motion lifted the man's knife from his belt.

In a blink, he had Tino against the wall the blade at his throat. Tino's men all drew their guns and aimed at Devin. Tino didn't look shocked in the slightest.

"Who took her?! Who?!" He demanded.

While everyone was focused on them I went for the bag.

"Look, man, I have a lot of respect for you. You got a lot of balls, too many to count. I don't know who took her."

"Devin let's go" I pleaded. We were running out of time.

"So how did you know about the tape?"

"I didn't know what was on it. I got a call to do a job and I did it." Tino nodded towards the men and they lowered their weapons.

Devin took a while to lower the knife. He stared at Tino for too long.

"Devin!"

Tino whispered something in Devin's ear. Then he lowered the knife. What could he gave said?

"If I find out you had anything to do with her being taken, you're dead".