Caught in the Crosshairs

Chapter 8- Slip-ups

"So wait, let me get this straight." Drew interjected as we made our way deeper still into the woods. "The janitor - tiny, old, defenseless Gary - hires someone to hurt you in the alley to cover up for whatever dastardly scheme he's - scheming?"
"That's about as much as I can figure." I shrugged as I ducked under a branch. "We just have to figure out the what first."
After twenty minutes of walking, I froze in my tracks. "Shhh!" I whispered and threw out an arm to block Drew's path. "There's the Jeep."
There it sat, in the middle of a clearing, just as plain as anything. No one was inside, or anywhere around it. I looked back at Drew. We held each other's gaze for an hour it seemed, telling each other to be as quiet as humanly possible. After what felt like an eternity, we were sure it was safe to investigate.
"What do you think is inside?" Drew asked me, his eyes lighting up with excitement.
"I honestly have no idea. But to give me such a sucky injury it better be worthwhile," I joked.
The windows of the vehicle were rolled down halfway, allowing Drew and I to look in from either side. And there it was.
"Oh my gosh! That's the same paper bag that creep beat me up over!! I'm sure of it."
"Then let's see what's inside, here," Drew reaches his arm inside and tried to reach it.
"My arm keeps getting stuck, can you try?" He asked as he pulled out his arm.
"My dear boy, why don't you just ask what's in the bag?"
A shiver went down my spine as I heard a pistol cock back into position. I looked up to see fear spilling through Drew's eyes as a gun was being pressed to the side of his head.
Gary.
"Why must children always be poking around in business that isn't theirs? It begins to annoy me." He spoke evenly as he grabbed Drew's wrist.
"Run, Sam! Go get help." Drew commanded with terror in his voice.
I sprinted backward, not taking my eyes off Drew. I could begin feeling my asthma kicking in when I ran into a tree. Stupid, freaking clutz! - But then the 'tree' grabbed me and picked me up from behind, carrying me back in the direction I had just sprinted.
"Help! Help! If anyone can hear us help us please come and-mhmjd chhett fyourr hoandsch schoff mha moufh!" I yelped as the man behind me began gagging me with a cloth- soaked in something.
Oh no! If that hanky is soaked in chloroform I'm toast! Oh gosh, I left my inhaler in my duffle bag at school! This CAN'T be happening!
Even as these thoughts poured though my brain, my vision began to blur. My breathing turned to wheezing. There were three Drews right in front of me, holding out arms to catch me as I was falling to the ground. The men hit him with a branch and told him to pick me up. Apparently we were going on a little trip. But for then, I was out.
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After my little nap, I woke up to find I was still in Drew's arms- and we were still walking to somewhere. Gary and the second man were pointing a gun at Drew's back, encouraging him to keep walking. I looked up and saw that we had reached a dead end. There was nothing more than a wall of ivy facing us on the side of an outcropping- or so I thought. Gary handed off the gun to man #2 and walked towards the wall. Gently placing his hand on a rock of some sort, he inserted a key and turned it. To my surprise, it opened a door. That wasn't a rock it was a doorknob, and this was probably an overgrown cabin of sorts. I realized the cloth was still over my nose so I pulled it off and tried to take in a deep breath. Man was that stupid of me. From breathing in those chemicals for so long, I triggered an asthma attack for myself. All of a sudden I started wheezing again, my throat felt so dry and my eyes went wide. I needed water or coffee or tea or something to help, but somehow I got the feeling my hosts weren't too accommodating.
"Put her down," man #2 ordered. His voice sounded strangely familiar to me, so I turned around to face him. I couldn't believe my eyes.
"Mr Jenkins? What are you **wheeze** how could you**chokes**"
"Never mind that." He silenced me with a steely glare and set jaw. "Come over here." He demanded.
I smoothed out my cheer outfit, and he pushed Drew and me over to what looked to be an old bedroom-it was pretty small.
"Now, tie up the girl." Jenkins commanded Drew, pointing the gun directly at him.
"No way, are you kidding?" Drew stood defiantly.
Jenkins redirected the pistol to me. "How about now? Ah yes, the little girl is your soft spot, isn't she?"
"Don't hurt her. But fine, I'll tie her up." Drew complied.
"Excellent. Here's some rope - no funny business."
Drew grabbed my hands together behind my back. He gave them a gentle squeeze as if to say I'm sorry, and then continued to tie my wrists together.
"Tighter! Her wrists need to be tighter." Jenkins shouted. Drew took a breath and tightened the ropes- I winced from the rope cutting into my skin.
"Much better."
Then he knelt down and tied my boot-leg to my free leg.
"Gary, come tie up this boy." Jenkins called out.
I started coughing uncontrollably, I could feel my throat constricting and knew I needed my inhaler.
"Open the closet." He glared.
Drew opened the door. It was a tiny space, barely big enough for one person to sit comfortably.
"Get in."
What? What is he thinking, we can't both fit in there.
"Did I stutter or do I need to throw you in?" He asked coldly. "Actually, I think I'd enjoy that much more." His said, his icy grimace transformed into a slimy sneer.
"Nope, I'm already going." Drew cut him off quickly. I looked into the tiny room. It looked even smaller with a football player inside. Before I could think anymore (or wheeze), Mr Jenkins actually picked me up and tossed me on top of Drew in the tiny closet.
"Enjoy you stay! Au revoir." He smirked, closed the door and locked it.
"Ow!" I yelped when my head was thrown into the wall. I stood up to my full height of 5'2" and pounded and threw myself at the door, shouting "Let us out! You're going to go to jail for this! Let us go!"
After a minute, I sunk to the ground, gasping for air.
"Need...inhaler..." I gasped for just the smallest of breaths.
"Hey, hey are you going to be ok?" Drew was panicked.
"N-" I shook my head, unable to get the word out, rolling to my side and losing consciousness.
"Ok, oh my gosh...um..think Drew...what are you supposed to do if this happens? Do you have an emergency one in a pocket or something...no, you're wearing your uniform."
He was hitting his head trying to figure out something it looked like.
"Wait! I learned about his last year during lifeguard training. We're supposed to sit up the victim and make sure they take deep breaths. Can you sit up?" He asked, concern spreading through his gentle green eyes.
I shook my head. I was physically unable to sit up with the amount of space I had to maneuver- and my hands were literally tied behind my back.
"Alright, I'll just have to sit you up my self." He resolved and began wriggling the ropes off of his wrists. Amazingly, he was able to get them off in only a couple minutes - but to someone unable to breath it felt like hours.
"Here, I got you, just sit up right here," Drew whispered, pulling me to a sitting position with his hands on my shoulders/arms. There was just enough space for us to both sit on the ground with our legs scrunched to our chests if we turned lengthwise. Of course, there was more room for me but he managed.
Drew finally got me to a sitting position, and he leaned my head back slightly so it was resting on the wall.
"Now look at me and take big breaths, ok?"
I was almost asleep, I ignored him easily.
"Hey, you gotta stay with me ok? Look at me." He said, gently cupping my chin with his hand.
"Look at me, you've gotta breath deep, long breaths ok Sam? Cmon, in- and out. In- and out."
I joined him eventually and felt slightly better -after five to ten minutes I was eventually feeling better- but only slightly. I still had a migraine from hitting my head earlier.
"Can I take a nap now?" I asked, almost pleading.
"Yes, as long as you're feeling better."
"Drew?"
"Yeah Sam?"
"It would be easier to fall asleep if your hand wasn't still on my face." I gave a little smirk.
"Oh, haha yeah you're probably right." Drew looked away. My eyes had plenty of time to adjust to the light in that closet, and I could swear I saw Drew blushing.
Oh crap, I know what Kyle meant now. I thought, recalling his "Surveillance System " remark from a while ago.
"Drew?" I squeaked out.
"Yeah Sam?" He looked back.
"Thank you for helping me." I smiled, leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.
"You're very welcome, Samantha."
I could tell he was trying very hard to make his voice sounds smooth, but his face gave him away like anything. I leaned my head on his shoulder and took a nap, unsure of what my near future would hold. Would we escape? Would we get kidnapped and taken somewhere much farther away from home?

But for now, I felt safe as Drew wrapped his arm around me while I fell asleep. I just hoped we could both make it out of here safe.