Taken

Chapter 3

"Ryan? Why are you doing this?" I whispered. Hoping I could get some kind of insight into why my life had been thrown into chaos. Ryan didn't respond. I sat back with the side of my head against the window to the front cab, listening to the movement outside.

"We have to be more careful. Max and Henry won't like it if she's damaged."
"I know, I know. But what are we supposed to do? Let her get away? I think they'd be more pissed off knowing their investment had escaped. They can deal with a few bumps and bruises. They'll heal."

My breathing caught in my throat with what they were saying, but I was so confused that I couldn't piece it together. I could hear the men outside as they opened their doors and started the car up. Within seconds, the back of the van was lit up with small LED lights on strips attached to the roof.
I quickly turned my head to my shoulder, the harsh light burning my eyes. The small curtain that divided the cab and the back of the van opened and both men looked in.

I stared at them, then quickly turned away, cowering into the small corner of the cage. One of the men grunted then shut the curtain. The engine turned over and the car began to move off. Before I knew it we were speeding down what I would have assumed to be a freeway of some kind. I pulled my knees close and hugged them. I closed my eyes and focussed on my breathing. Deep breaths. One in... one out... one in... one out...

"Hey. Hey! Wake up!" Ryan spoke aggressively beside me. I kept my eyes closed. He thinks I'm asleep. I continued to pretend that I was asleep until I could hear movement beside me. The cage door rattled as Ryan struggled to open it. I could feel his presence in the small cage before I actually felt him touch me.

He grabbed one of my arms and moved it away from my body but because they were tied they pulled my body with them. I fell into Ryan and we tumbled to the floor of the van. He grunted and began to lazily try and move me. Removing the binding from my hands. I quickly elbowed him in the side of the head repeatedly. He yelled out and dropped his key as I quickly tried to bundle him back into the cage. He was in far enough so I backed up and rammed the door closed. Ryan yelled out and began banging on the cage like an animal. I looked up as the cab curtains opened and the two men looked into the back to see what was going on.

I winked at them when I saw the panic in their eyes.
"Did your employers not tell you who you're dealing with?!" I laughed out, letting my smile spread over my face. A number of emotions passed across their faces. The one driving quickly turned his attention back to the road, I could see in the rear vision mirror him talking to the man beside him.

I knew I had time. If I locked him up I would be able to make a dash for freedom when they opened the doors. If we were on a freeway they would have to look for an exit of some kind as they couldn't risk opening the back when there were other cars or people around that would be able to report what they had seen to police.... a girl making a desperate dash for freedom... for her life.

Before long I could feel the change in the road, the otherwise smooth drive had now transitioned into a bumpy one. I stumbled and fell into the side on the van, behind me Ryan audibly smirked.

"What are you going to do now? Huh. You're outnumbered and definitely outgunned. You didn't think this through, did you." I turned slightly to look at him, the smirk on his face angered me.

"You don't know who I am or what I am capable of." I snapped back, pausing when I was again thrown into the side of the van. Ryan continued to chuckle to himself, which sent an unsettled feeling throughout my body. The brakes of the van squealed as it pulled to a stop. I took a deep breath and prepared myself. I didn't have much of a plan, none if I was being honest.

I watched as the two men in the front of the van opened their doors and got out the car. I stood and braced myself, turning to face the back doors of the van.

"Anna. Hey, Anna. If you don't want anything bad to happen, you just need to open this gate and climb into it with me. I promise I won't be too rough on you." I shook my head and waved a finger at him without looking.
"I'm not going anywhere near that cage again." I whispered through gritted teeth. My stomach was in knots. I was beginning to regret my decision. It wasn't a smart one, and with no plan and not knowing where I was was another huge risk. You'll regret it even more if you don't try.

Car doors opened then closed near by, which sent another unsettling jolt through my stomach.

"Hey, Anna. If you just surrender to us it will be so much easier!" Someone yelled from outside the van.
I grit my teeth, knowing that I was already about to regret the words that would leave my mouth.
"No! You can get fucked!" I yelled, bracing myself for when they opened the doors. I paused. Are they going to open the doors?

"Listen. We paid good money for her. We know what we were getting into. Just because you were not prepared doesn't mean that we won't get what we paid for. You can wait here as back up. Not that we will need it but just in case you've fucked up again." My breath caught in my throat. The new voices were gradually getting louder and louder as they made their way to the van.

Shit. There's more of them.