Hole'd Up

Chapter 4: I Knead You to Know

I was kept a prisoner in that tiny room for two more days after the last chapter occurred, rounding my sentence out to an even week. Per usual, Maryellen came in the next day with a tray of food and some news for me. 

"Hey, Guinea Pig." Her voice was warm as the metal door creaked shut behind her. 

I was sitting on the floor, braiding my hair, when she came in. I turned to face her, still sitting, and asked, "Guinea Pig? Is that my new nickname? I think I prefer Sleeping Beauty." That was the first time I had looked back at that conversation since I was taken below the Danger Zone. My heart ached a little bit, not for Maryellen, but for Zack. I wondered how he's been since the hold-up. I'd seen that kid have panic attacks in the backroom whenever we ran out of a certain type of donuts during rush hour, so I couldn't even begin to imagine how he was now. What happened after I was gone? Heck, what happened after I got bagged? The last thing I remember him saying was "Harley, watch out!" right before I lost consciousness. Did they hurt Zack too? I'd never cared for or even tolerated him, but at the moment, I felt guilty. Like I was responsible for all of this happening. Like however the robbery affected him was my fault. I quickly dismissed these thoughts from my brain, but something, deep inside me, compelled me to ask Maryellen:

"What happened.. to the other kid at the store, like after you guys took me. The one with the black hair?" The second it left my mouth, I immediately regretted my question. Nothing she could say would make me feel any better. Sadly though, I couldn't just revoke my question, and before I knew it, Maryellen had an answer for me.

"The one by the register? I think he was okay. I was pretty caught up in the moment, but after I uh..."

"Kidnapped me?" I thought out loud. Shoot, I didn't mean to say that, but I guess I'm not lying. 

"Yeah, sure, kidnapped you, he tried to hit me, but damn, that kid has zero upper body strength. It took me twenty seconds to realize what he was doing. At that point, Greg came over and was helping me carry you, so he knocked the kid back. He fell down, not unconscious, but he did just kinda.. lay there. Really weird. He was pretty cute tho, huh Harley? You can't deny that someone who would attack a robber for you might be a keeper." She winked at me after the last part.

That was not the answer I needed. "Bleh, no way. He's 16, and a total loser. I'd never even consider Zack as a romantic option." I audibly gagged and pretended to throw up.

"Zack, so that's his name." She flashed me a grin, and for some reason, it sent a chill down my spine. Shit, should I not have told her his name? Are they going to target him now or something? Not really my problem I guess, but I do not want that kid haunting me if they kill him.

"Yeah, that's his name. So what of it?"

"Oh nothing," She grinned. "I was just....thinking."

I did not like the sound of that.

"Anyway," She sat down in front of me. "Your time is coming is soon, Harley."

"Time for what?"

"Time for us to get rid of you." Her face was dead serious. 

My face went white and my jaw dropped. "You-you what-"

"Harley, geez, chill, I'm just kidding. Woah, you looked like a ghost." She went into a laughing fit after this. My face started turning red. I felt kind of bamboozled, not going to lie. She got me good. I tried to recover smoothly. 

"Ha, yeah, I know," I said, lying, like a liar. 

"Are you sure about that?" Before I got any time to answer, she recomposed herself and her face got serious again, but this time, in a real way. "But seriously, Harley. We've had you here for what, a week now? And nobody has claimed your ransom."

"Well, what did you expect? I'm just some low-life with a bad background and no friends. I thought your little questionnaire with Lee told you that."  Her previous statement made me bitter. Of course, how could I let myself get my guard down so low? She only talked to me to get information and because she had to. I felt like something, deep down in my subconscious, had always known. I was just desperate for some real friendship. I should have known better. Never again.

"Harley, stop putting yourself down like that. From what we've talked about these past few days, I can tell you could be a valuable asset! And it's Lea, not Lee. You don't want to get her name wrong in front of her face."

"Valuable.. asset? What are you saying?" I cocked my head to the right, staring at Maryellen through scrunched eyebrows.

"Kid, you clearly have the spirit of a fighter. Anyone could see that. And you are really likable. Charisma is one of the most deadly things someone can possess. You look at your background like its a weakness, like it's something you should be ashamed of, but honestly, it's the opposite! We all have baggage, what you do with it determines what type of person you are. You have clearly not let this crappy situation you were put in bring you down in the slightest. Hell, you managed to make me, your CAPTOR, into a friend. That takes some real people skills, which we can always use more of here."

"Maryellen, I'm still confused. What do you mean, "here?" Are you guys not going to let me go? 

"Harley, no, you don't understand. Listen to what I'm saying. I've been talking to some of the other members and.. well.."

"Well, what?" For some reason beyond me, I started shaking. The braid that was loosely hanging in my hair since she had entered the room finally unraveled, and I stared at Maryellen in disbelief. "What are you saying?"

"Harley, we want you to join Lynx."

WHAT!?!?