Jaws of Death

Chapter 1

Monday

17:21 PM

Just as soon as the sun began setting, the Silvercreek Avenue in Queens, New York was littered with vehicles. Many of those belonged to people who were just trying to get back to their homes after a tiring day at their office. An even bigger number of vehicles belonged to those who wanted a quick bite of fast food from the restaurants that were in plenty. Many joked that there were more fast food restaurants in the Silvercreek than the rest of Queens put together. It was a very common occurrence to see cars, vans and bikes parked along the side of the road while their owners chomped on their evening specials inside the restaurants.

Perhaps this was the reason no one paid notice to the black van that was parked just slightly away from the McDonald's. The windows, with thicker sun control films than was legal in Queens, were all rolled up completely. If someone bothered to observe sharply, they would have noticed that the sliding door to the van was slightly ajar, as if the passengers were waiting to get down at any moment.

Inside the van, Jayden Miller was waiting to get down at any moment, as he fidgeted with the fibre of his winter face mask. The hood of his jacket was pulled down over his face. Together with the face mask, there was no way anyone could identify him. The same could be said for the five men who were sitting in the seats with him. He barely knew their names. This was a last minute set up anyway. Most of them were younger and more inexperienced than him, which made them all look up to him, in a way. They were all restless, just like him. One of them kept blinking at the floor of the van, probably wishing he was somewhere else except here. Two of them were whispering to each other in feverish tones, running through the entire plan for the umpteenth time. The fourth guy kept looking out of the van, cautiously keeping an eye out. The last man was absently rubbing the tip of his semi-automatic pistol with his thumb.

Jayden looked down at his own weapon. A Glock 17! He had used guns before but they were all improvised firearms. They weren't originally made by firearms manufacturers. But this one, it was on a whole different level. The handling and balance felt very cozy but foreign. He had had only a day's notice to practice with it before he was sent on this 'emergency work'.

Christ! Why am I so anxious? He thought to himself as he kept gazing at the gun in his hand. After a couple of years on low level drug trafficking, here he was, being ordered to kidnap. He wasn't really sure if he should call this a promotion of sorts, in his line of work. Yet, his boss had told him there was no one else available to do this job right now. It was an 'emergency' and 'no one to turn to'.

Jayden pulled out his phone and glanced at the woman's photo again. A blonde hair that fell in simple curls on her shoulders, with slightly bony cheeks and bluish eyes, the woman was quite attractive. He licked his lips and smiled.

Maybe boss will let me have her, as a token of appreciation!

"Jay!" Someone tapped on his shoulder.

Jayden looked up to find everyone alert. They were pointing outside the window with gloved hands. Jayden glanced to see their prey, the woman in the photo, open the door of McDonald's and disappear inside. His heartbeat accelerated. The restaurant was less crowded than usual but as time went on, Jayden knew, more people would drop in.

"Shall we go, now?" It was the guy who kept looking outside the van.

Jayden shook his head. "Give it five minutes! Let her settle in!"

He realised that not everyone accepted his decision to wait another five more minutes. But they were too anxious to bother with argument. Jayden was breathing faster himself. Any moment now and he would probably commit a crime that was far bigger than any he had committed before in his life. Absently, he began chewing his lips, staring out into the restaurant. Time kept ticking. He was hoping that they pull this off right. He was sure he wouldn't make much mistakes but he couldn't say the same for everyone else in the van with him. One mistake and the consequences would be very hard to bear!

Think of happy things, Jay! He told himself. Think of what you're going to do after this. Think of asking the boss to have her for a night. Think of what you will do to her when-

"It's time!" One guy breathed.

Jayden's heart began beating faster as he double checked his mask. "NOW!"

They pushed the door open and ran out towards the restaurant door. In a short sprint, he reached it first and pulled it open. I'm in! Where are you, Beautiful? He thought as his eyes scanned the crowd just as his hand pulled out his Glock at the screaming men and women before him. It was a complete disarray. People screaming...some raising their hands...some ducking under their tables... The mere chaos of the sight made Jayden's heart beat faster with more anxiety.

Come on, bitch! Where the fuck are you?

"There she is!" One of his men yelled, pointing at a distant table at the far end of the restaurant. The blonde woman was just turning in their direction. Her mouth opened in shock and horror at the sight of armed men. There was one other man at the table with her. He was almost on his feet when Jayden pointed his gun and fired. Twice!

The bullets found their mark right at the man's heart as his body jerked back in the impact. His men were already onto the woman, grabbing her as she tried to kick and punch them. Jayden gave her a sharp blow on her head with the butt of his handgun that knocked her completely out cold.

Wiping his sweaty shivering hands in his pants, he lifted her onto his shoulders and carried her to the van, half-running, half-walking. His men were shouting at the others in the restaurants, grabbing every mobile phones they could get their hands on to make sure no one called 911. Jayden heard a gunshot and turned around just in time to see a waitress falling down on the floor, her throat exploding in a gush of blood. He kept running.

He was throwing the woman in the backseat of the van, just as his men dropped out of the restaurant door, looking like they had been a part of the most thrilling adventure of their lives. They jumped into the van and hurriedly closed the door while Jayden got into the driver's seat. He fired up the van and stomped on the accelerator, wanting to get away from the scene as fast as possible. His hands were still shivering when he operated the steering wheel, pushing past the traffic on the avenue. His ears were perked up to catch any sound of police on their heels.

There were none!

When he was sure they were in a safer zone, Jayden slowed the vehicle down and pulled out his phone with a free hand. He typed a message to his boss:

We've got Karen Page!