Page 67 of Maverick

“It was probably just an animal or something.”

I threw some of the sticks toward the woods and grabbed a water bottle to clean up the small pile of ash. I looked around, pleased with my clean up.

“Okay, Orion. Let’s get out of here.”

Orion started to growl and circle me as I headed back into the van. Feeling a little nervous, I quickly hopped into the van and tried to start it.

I turned the key, but nothing happened. No click, no turning over. Absolutely nothing. I groaned and slammed my head down on the steering wheel.

“This can’t be fucking happening. Wrench fixed this stupid piece of shit!” I threw open the door and grabbed my backpack. “Come on, Orion. Looks like we’re walking.”

Before we could even get around to the front of the building, a large man popped out. I turned to try and run but another man appeared behind me. A third man, the man who tried to grab me downtown, came out from the woods with a sinister smile on his face.

“Ah, the beautiful, Willow. We are finally alone. Now, I’ll give you two choices; come with me peacefully and you won’t get hurt or fight and we will hurt you. What’s the choice going to be, babe?”

Orion started to growl and circle around me. I placed one hand on his head and spit toward the big man. “Eat shit. And you can tell that to Snake too.”

He laughed and started to come closer to me. Orion growled ever deeper and bared his teeth. As the man stepped closer, Orion pounced and sunk his sharp teeth right into the man's leg.

He yelped and pulled his foot back. “Fucking dog! Get this fucking mutt off of me. Now!”

The two other men came running and tried to pull Orion off of their boss. They threw him across the parking lot. As Orion landed, he started to whimper.

“Orion!” I tried to run to him but the two men grabbed my arms and pulled me back. “Get the fuck off of me! Now!”

I tried to fight but they were too strong. The other man came over and started to laugh.

“You stupid bitch. Should have just come with us and your stupid dog would have never gotten hurt. Oh well.” He turned to the other men and motioned to a car hidden behind some trees. “Put her in the trunk, boys.”

They started to drag me across the parking lot and I kicked and tried to escape. Orion was trying to get up and I yelled. “Stay down, buddy! It’s okay. Just stay, boy.”

Orion stayed down while the men dragged me to the car. They opened the trunk, tied my hands together, and threw me in. Before they shut the trunk, the last thing I saw was Orion running toward town.

It felt like hours passed before the car finally stopped. I could hear the men shuffling around and then a door closed.They were going to leave me here. I’m going to die in a car trunk.

Tears started to stream down my face when the trunk popped open and the big guy’s face came into my view.

“Time to fucking go.”

He wrapped a blindfold on my eyes and pulled me out. I could feel the sun beating down on me and knew it was at least still daylight. Somebody was bound to see me.

He dragged me up a flight of steps and I could hear him opening a door. It slammed shut and I was thrown to my knees. The blindfold was torn off and I looked around.

I was in a shitty motel room. The old worn burgundy carpet had seen better days and the old cream walls were turning yellow from the years of cigarette smoke. Two queen beds and an old dresser were on either side of me. I could see an old brown door which probably led to a bathroom.

Four Shadow Raiders were standing around me in the shitty motel. The big guy laughed and pushed me toward the bed. I sat down and tears started to fall down my face again.

“I don’t have any money. I’ve told Snake this over and over. My mother is the one who spent it all. Every last dime.”

He slapped me across the face. “Shut the fuck up. We don’t care about the money anymore. Plans have changed.”

They all started to laugh when the door opened. Looking up, I saw the Prospect, Zach, come into the motel room.

“Thank God! Zach where’s Mav?”

Zach’s sinister smile brought chills down my arms. “Oh sweet, Willow. Maverick isn’t here to save you this time. You’re all mine, babe.”

I could feel the bile coming up in my throat and pushed it down. Zach was a traitor. I was fucked and nobody was going to come and save me.

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