Page 73 of Instinct & New Identity

Neither of these men looked familiar, but they must be part of theCrossStreetKingsgang that killed my parents.

The chemicals still stung my eyes, butIforced them to stay open soIcould stay alert and focus on what was happening in front of me.Maybethere was somethingIcould use to my advantage.PerhapsIcould take advantage of my blow to the head and make them thinkIhad back fallen asleep.

“You sure we can’t play with her a little bit before we kill her, boss?” the tall one asked as he sneered at me.

“I don’t want to risk her escaping,” the boss’ deep voice said from somewhere in the distance behind me. “Juststay on track and meet us at the safe house when you’re done.”

“So, leave her alone until we can kill her andFletchertogether?” the shorter one asked.

“Yes,” the boss responded impatiently. “Stickwith the original plan.”

OhGod.Theywere going to lureVincehere and kill us both.

“Now, call him,” the boss said.

I tried to turn my head to get a view of the boss, and see ifIrecognized him, but from where my chair was positioned he was too far back and likely behind some of the large drums.

The boss, whose voice had been relatively calm and collected up to this point, now became menacing. “Fletcher, you took a few things of mine, so nowItook something of yours.”

Vince took something of his?Maybethis wasn’t about my parents or theCrossStreetKingsat all.

Now was my chance. “Vince!Don’tlisten to him—it’s a trap!”Iscreamed, hoping he could hear me through the phone.

“Shut her up!” the boss ordered.

The short man came over and pressed a handkerchief over my mouth roughly—not only preventing me from talking anymore, but also making it difficult to breathe.

“Fletcher,I’mtexting you the address of where your lady friend is,” the boss continued. “Meetme there.Nocops, or she dies.”

He ended the call, which prompted the man suffocating me to release his grip.Igasped for air, desperately trying to refill my lungs.

“Get everything set up,” the boss demanded. “I’llmeet you back at the safe house when it’s done.Remember, we may have a cop helping us out by redirecting resources elsewhere to prevent help from coming to rescue her, but chances areVincewon’t be coming alone—so be careful on your way out.”

“You got it boss.Seeya later,” the short one replied.

I knewIwas running out of time.Ineeded to stall them.

“Why are you doing this?”Iasked. “Whatdo you want with me?”

“Your boyfriend arrested one of our boys.Thisis payback forOklahoma,” the taller man said. “Youmade the mistake of shacking up with someone who's stupid enough to trust someone who wants them dead.”

Stupid enough to trust someone?Whatwas he talking about?

“We got somebody on the inside who feeds us everything we need to know,” he added.

“Shut the fuck up,Spade,” the shorter one growled.AtleastIknew the tall one’s name now.

“What’s it matter,T?”Spadetold the short guy. “OnceFletchergets here, we’re gonna light this place up and lock the doors.Sheain’t gonna be able to tell anybody jack shit.She’llbe dead,Fletcherwill be dead, and we’ll get revenge forOklahoma.”

Light it up?OhGod…Theywere going to set fire to the place with whatever is in those flammable drums.

Spade andTstarted to dump several of the bins with the flammable contents all around the room.WhileSpadecontinued to dump,Tmade his way to the back exit and locked the doors with a chain.HeandSpadethen made their way to the only other exit, and then left me alone.

This was my chance.Ineeded to get out of here.Vincewas likely already on his way, andIcouldn’t let him die.Ididn’t want to die either.

I tried in vain to pull at the ties around my wrists.Nothingworked.Ihad nothing to use to get them off.Thechemical smell was getting even worse since they spilled some of it out in the open.Icoughed as the scent burned my nostrils, eyes, and throat.

Think.

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