“What the hell is this?” one asks.
“She isn’t one of us,” another chimes in. Who the hell are they? I don’t bother asking. Instead, I sit back and close my eyes. I don’t know what the hell is happening right now, but as soon as I can, I’m getting the fuck out of here.
I hear the doors close and the engine start before we begin driving. I’m not sure how long we drive before the van stops once more.
I can vaguely hear people, no men, talking outside the van when the door can be heard opening.
“What the fuck is this shit?” Someone asks.
“She’s just an additional girl,” another man says.
“No, the fuck she isn’t. We vetted all the girls. Who is this one?”
“I was told to offer you another hundred thousand for this one.” A hundred thousand? What the hell? Did he sell me? Did Jake sell me? Instead of talking, I listen.
“We didn’t fuckin’ agree to this shit,” the man roars this time.
“What the fuck is goin’ on?” another voice.
“They added a new girl.”
“No, fuck that. I vetted all the girls on the list. We ain’t takin’ another one.”
“If you don’t take her as well, the deal is void,” the man says this time. My heart is hammering in my chest, not knowing what's happening. I can faintly smell cigarette smoke through the hood they have on me, but I can’t see shit.
“You tell that motherfucker he’s a real piece of shit!” The man yells loudly. I can hear the jingle of keys, slamming of doors, and the mumbles around me.
“Do you know her?” A man asks, and I hear women talking. They all say no. “You see this shit? Does she look like she’s willin’ly goin’?”
“Fuck. No.” Someone reaches in and plucks the hood off my head as I squint my eyes, trying to see who it is. That’s when they hit me. The prettiest green eyes I’ve ever seen in my life.
His face contorts in anger as he looks me over. I can only imagine what I look and smell like. I’m almost embarrassed.
“What the fuck are you doin’ here?” he asks me.
“How the hell should I know?” I snap at him.
“Get out,” he tells me, reaching in and helping me out.
“What are you doin’?” another man asks this time. His cut says Remy.
“She isn’t one of them!”
“And how the fuck do you know that?” he asks.
“'Cause I know her,” Hodge tells him.
“You know her? That’s just fuckin’ great, Hodge. You can’t just pull her out of the van. They’re expectin’ her.”
“Not anymore, they aren’t.”
“Think about this shit, Hodge. If there isn’t an extra girl, they’re gonna know,” Remy roars louder now. I look between them, confused as all hell as to what’s actually going on.
“Who sent you?” Hodge asks me. I shake my head. No way. No way in hell am I telling him about Jake. Not a fucking chance. “I mean it, Kemah. Who sent you with them?” He yells louder this time. I jolt slightly but keep my head held high. He isn’t going to bully me into saying shit to him like Jake did. Fuck that.
“This is fuckin’ great,” Remy mumbles as Hodge runs his hand over his face. He glances around before looking at his friend and motioning to another girl walking past.
“Put that bitch in her place,” he orders him. Remy glances over at the girl at the same time I do, before looking back at Hodge.