A Cartel Affair (First Original Draft)

Chapter 19

Lea's P.O.V.

I sat quietly as we drove away from the house, the tension rolling through the limo-styled Navigator was like a suffocating blanket wrapping around me.

Carter's mother and her two watchdogs had taken the seats directly across from Lynx, Miller, and myself. I refused to meet her eyes and had chosen to look out the window as we took a seemingly familiar route. As the midsummer sun warmed my skin, I looked for anything to tell me where we were going, but just as before, there was nothing but trees and an occasional patch of wildflowers.

Like that's going to do you any good my mind scolded. You've been with them for how long now? You don't even know where the hell you are to begin with, so what good would would it do you to try and figure out where you're going?

I sighed as I realized my mind was right. It had never occurred to me to ask where I was being kept. 

Like they'd actually tell you that.

I rubbed my temple as I again realized my mind was probably right. 

We pulled onto an airfield about a hour later and stopped beside the plane. I recognized it as the one that I had gotten off of when Carter brought me here, where ever the hell here actually was. I felt Lynx and Miller stiffen beside me as they looked toward the plane and noticed the pilot standing by the stairway.

I reached up and clasped the pendant between my fingers, careful not to activate whatever tracker it held.

"Um, where are we going?" I asked as the driver exited the heavily tinted S.U.V. and opened the back door.

Carter's mother and guards stepped out, ignoring my question. As I started to exit the vehicle, I saw Lynx slip out his phone, typing quickly, his face furrowed in apprehension. I slowed my exit when Miller noticed what Lynx was doing as well. The two of us exchanged knowing smiles and positioned ourselves to block the view of the three douche bags that were waiting on us to exit the vehicle.

"You three, out. Now," watchdog number one growled when he turned and noticed that we were all still in the S.U.V.

I twisted my mouth in agitation as he glared and then reached in the car and tried to drag me out by my upper arm.

"Hey you piss ant, that hurts." I clawed at the man's hand and tried to scramble farther back into the S.U.V. as he tightened his fingers around my arm.

Miller reached over and covered the man's hand with his, twisting and pulling the man's thumb back toward the back of his hand and down toward his wrist.

The man let out a grunt as a dull crack sounded. He pulled back and cradled his injured hand as Miller hissed, "Touch her again and I'll do more than break a finger, I'll kill you with my bare hands, got it?"

The guard stepped back and nodded tersely. I let a small smile slide over my lips as I stepped out and the man moved to the side. Carter's mother looked from her guard to Miller as he began to exit the vehicle. Her face was blank as she reached in and pulled a gun from her clutch, aiming it at the man I had begun to consider a friend.

My eyes went wide as I watched her finger start to tighten on the trigger. Before I could register what I was doing, I stepped completely in front of Miller, covering his body with mine. My face was just as blank as her's. However, where she seemed composed and steady, I was a quivering mess.

I felt an hand push against my back and heard Miller's tight voice, "Move Lea."

I shook my head as I stood my ground, keeping him behind me. I had seen two too many people killed and I wasn't about to watch a third die. Not today.