Page 79 of Loco

I turned the phone toward him, freezing the grainy frame. “Recognize him?”

Hurst squinted at the screen, then shook his head. “Drawing a blank, but Ned might have better luck.”

He tapped the screen, sent the photo, and then frowned at the time. “Doubt he’s awake, but I’ll call him. If he’s in, he’ll move fast.”

He walked off to make the call, already talking just as the line connected.

I stood there, the image still glowing in my hand, the chaos of the scene swirling around me, and something shifted for the first time in hours.

We weren’t alone in this. And maybe—just maybe—we had enough firepower now to start pushing back.

Sayla

The car was moving too fast. I could feel the vibration of the engine thrumming under me, the smoothness of the road beneath new tires, and the soft give of leather seats beneath my legs. This wasn’t some rusted-out van or back-alley vehicle. It was newer, quiet, and deliberately chosen.

And I hated that I had time to think about those things because the worst part of it all—the part that was carving me open—was the sound of the kids crying.

Kaida's wail was sharp, confused, and scared in a way that made my heart break into pieces. Kairo was trying to be brave, sniffling and whimpering through his own tears like he didn’t want to make it worse. Their hands were tied, and their faces were covered—just like mine—and they didn’t understand why.

“Please.” My voice shook as I forced the words past the lump in my throat. “Please don’t hurt the kids, they’ve already been through enough. They’re just babies.”

No one responded. I couldn’t even tell how many of them were in the car. I couldn’t see, could barely hear over the pounding of my own heart. The blindfold pressed against my eyes was hotand scratchy, and the tape around my wrists had already rubbed raw spots into my skin. I had no clue where we were or how long we’d been driving. But I knew one thing: someone would pay if anything happened to those kids.

I lowered my voice, turning my head toward where I thought Kaida was.

“It’s okay, baby,” I murmured calmly. “You’re so brave. I’m right here, and I promise we’re going to be okay.”

I didn’t know if she could even hear me over her sobbing, but I kept going.

“Kairo, you’re doing amazing, sweetheart. We’re going to get out of this, I promise you. Just stay strong a little longer.”

The car came to an abrupt, jarring stop, and my head smacked lightly against the headrest.

“Asshole,” I snapped under my breath, rage bubbling just beneath the surface. “I swear to God, I’m kicking whoever’s driving right in the throat.”

The door opened, and cold air rushed in, and I heard the kids crying louder—higher-pitched and panicked as they were lifted out one by one. I jerked against my restraints, heart in my throat, but stayed quiet. My instincts screamed to fight, to shout, to claw someone’s eyes out, but I had to be smart. I had to stay calm—for them.

A rough hand gripped my upper arm, hard enough to bruise, and yanked me out of the car. I stumbled, feet hitting uneven ground, and someone shoved me forward.

Being blindfolded while you’re being pushed is something I’d rather not do again. You can’t brace yourself and can’t anticipatewhere your feet will land. You have to trust you won’t fall or run into something—and I didn’t trust one of these bastards.

I was jostled along a short distance, and then someone gripped my arm again and guided me—this time down some stairs. They were cold and hard under my bare feet. Each step was a gamble, and I had to fight to avoid tripping. They didn’t care or slow down, they just forced me along.

Once we reached the bottom, they let go. Footsteps echoed around me, retreating, and a door creaked and slammed shut. And just like that, we were alone.

Aside from the soft cries of the kids and my shaky breathing, there was no sound.

I dropped to my knees and leaned against a wall, dragging air into my lungs and trying to think. I’d seen something once about how to escape duct tape restraints—something about moving your hands under your feet and using your teeth.

I gritted my teeth and shifted. It took maneuvering, bending at angles that made my shoulders scream, but I finally got my tied hands under my legs and around to the front. My arms trembled from the strain, but I didn’t stop. I leaned forward, grabbed the edge of the tape with my teeth, and pulled.

The skin on my wrists burned as I tore at the adhesive. It was slow and brutal, but it gave, inch by inch.

When the last strip tore free, I yanked the blindfold up to my forehead and blinked through the blurry light.

We were in a basement with a concrete floor and bare walls. I could just make out a heavy door with no handle on this side at the top of the stairs.

I turned to the kids. Kairo was curled in the corner, Kaida leaning into him, both of them still bound and blindfolded but safe and alive. I scrambled over and whispered softly to them as I worked on the tape around their wrists. My hands were shaking, and my heart was thundering, but I made sure my voice was steady.

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