me? I told you the bad shit I did, you probably think I’m a monster. I’m sorry. Please—”
Shepherd gives me a shake. “Snap out of it. I won’t leave you, but there’s no saying what your father will do to me. Try to get them to leave me behind.”
I nod. “Okay.”
I hear a sound at the door a moment before it’s pushed inward and Davis, the officer who’d stopped me at the station a few years ago, stands there.
“Found him,” he says before glancing at Shepherd.
I step in front of Shepherd so he can’t shoot him. “Leave him alone or I’m not going.”
The officer stares at me. “What the fuck ever. Come on.”
I rush for him, acting relieved to be with him as the other officers crowd the hallway. I don’t hear any more gunfire, but I can hear the groans of dying men as I’m led down a hallway and out toward “freedom.”
Out of one cage and into another.
“We’re so glad to have finally saved you,” Officer Davis says, but the words don’t feel genuine.
Officer Trenton nods. “Yes, so glad to see you’re safe.” He sounds uncertain as Davis roughly stuffs me into the back of a car. I look back at the factory and see Bear tied up on his chain again, but my view is blocked when Officer Davis climbs in next to me as Trenton gets into the passenger seat.
Even Bear can’t escape this fucked-up life.
“Where the hell have you been?” Officer Davis asks.
I ignore him as he stares at me.
“You think he told them shit?” a man I don’t know says from the driver’s seat.
“I told the chief he’s a liability. Fucking liability, man,” Davis growls as he reaches over like he’s going to hit me.
I lean out of his reach as he scowls at me and the car starts moving.
“We could just kill him and tell the chief Tony killed him,” Davis says.
“Too many officers have seen him alive now,” the driver says.
“He had a fatal wound that we didn’t notice then. They’re all hanging back to secure the area. No one will notice,” Davis decides.
“You really think my father’s stupid enough to not notice you guys shot me in the car?” I ask. “He’ll murder you all.”
Davis glances at me before grinning. “I’ve always hated you, kid. Your father takes too many risks when you’re involved.”
“Risks? Don’t make me laugh. He literally just let a madman hold on to me for how long?” I ask.
They ignore my existence as Davis bitches.
The driver slows at a stoplight as I reach to my side where I have the knife hidden. What could I do to get away? Could I really stab one of them? But there are three of them. Can I escape before they put a bullet in my head? They’re already determined to paint the side of the car with my blood.
The window cracks and the driver’s head slams against the opposite window as blood sprays his side of the car.
I jump and Davis yells, “Fuck!”
Trenton dives into the driver’s seat as he tries to push the man’s body out of the way.
“Fucking assholes. What the fuck do they think they’re doing?” Davis yells.
Trenton presses down on the gas as the tires squeal. I grab for the door, but I can’t get it to unlock from back here. So I pull the knife out and press it against Davis’s neck. “Stop driving or I’ll kill him,” I growl, mentally begging that I sound much more threatening than I feel. If he refuses, what am I going to do? I’m already feeling nauseous from the blood on the window and the metallic smell that’s filling the car…
“Fuck. We’re trying to help you,” Trenton yells.
“All of you are fucked up. All of you are monsters. You’re not helping me by taking me back. I don’t want to be with people who think it’s fine to sell illegal weapons and force people into prostitution and kill people without reason.”
Trenton shakes his head as the car jerks and the tire begins to thump. “Fuck… I was just… trying to help my daughter. I needed the money… she’s sick.”
He slams on the brakes, throwing me forward so I lose my grip on Davis.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Davis growls.
“I’m done! I’m fucking done!” Trenton yells as he throws the car in park, unlocks the back doors, and holds his hands above his head.
“I ain’t fucking letting them take me alive,” Davis yells as he grabs me by