Taken

Taken

By Corie L. Calcutt

Copyright 2011 by Corie L. Calcutt

Cover Copyright 2011 by Dara England and Untreed Reads Publishing

The author is hereby established as the sole holder of the copyright. Either the publisher (Untreed Reads) or author may enforce copyrights to the fullest extent.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold, reproduced or transmitted by any means in any form or given away to other people without specific permission from the author and/or publisher. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to the living or dead is entirely coincidental.

Also by Corie L. Calcutt and Untreed Reads Publishing

Hostages at the Kitchen Table

http://www.untreedreads.com

Taken

By Corie L. Calcutt

Jesus. What, you have a late night, Luke?

I yawned. What gave it away?

Rob smiled as he waved my items over the ancient scanner. The fact that I could count your back teeth that last time you yawned was a big help. Well-kept fingers slid the catnip toy into a bag and sat it on top of the giant bag of cat food. Didn’t know you had a cat.

I don’t.

Dark eyebrows raised a little. Then why the cat stuff?

It’s for Angie.

The eyebrows shook off their question, replacing it with a sly look. So that’s the trick, huh?

Come on. I’m gonna be late for dinner, I said, grabbing the bag off the counter.

Dinner this late? Man, what’s on the menu?

Yeah, don’t you wish, I said, following the unspoken comment. Angie had to work. She forgot to buy cat food the other day. Called me in a panic, asked if I could get some for her.

Aha.

Keep it up, man. I grinned, trying to work the sleep out of my system.

Rob laughed. Hey, I don’t want no trouble. Bad enough I have to cheat off you to pass American Lit.

Keep that up, and I know where to get eggs and shaving cream by the case. I could hear the laughter pouring out of Rob’s lungs as I walked out the door. Looking through the oversized plate glass, I could see him busily ringing up a few small items for the next customer—a towering giant of a man in clothes that looked as though they’d been through the wringer a few times. The smell of smoke had hovered around the man, and I was glad to leave him behind me.

The night air outside the store was incredibly warm for November. Remnants of leaves crackled and rustled through the trees as the warm wind began to pick up a little outside the corner store. Angie’s neighborhood wasn’t terribly far from mine, and with the temperature being in the mid-seventies, I had decided to walk over to get the last two items on her list. The quiet street cast itself in half-light as the full moon shone brightly in the night sky, and the vague shapes of rusted cars and beaten trucks spottily lined the curbed lane.

A dull humming sound followed behind me for a minute; I looked back and saw what looked like a work van pulling to the side of the street. Considering the hour, it probably had come in from an out-of-town job. Looking at my watch, I saw that it was getting close to nine o’clock. Angie was going to kill me.

The thought of homemade chili began to take over. I could smell the spice she put in the hamburger and taste the sour cream layering overtop the perfectly seasoned canned tomatoes Angie made from scratch. The sound of shifting cat food rang through my ears as I carried the heavy bag. A little chill ran down my spine, and I stopped a moment. Sensing nothing, I continued. My imagination had a tendency to run away with itself every now and again.

As I walked, the chill in my back worked its way farther and farther up my spine, creating a tingling sensation right at that point where the head and neck meet. I looked around, hoping to see some errant squirrel racing loudly up a tree, hear the rumble of a car engine, or even feel the wind pick up coldly on my face, perhaps telling me that the unseasonable weather was going to change for the worse. Spinning on my heel, I looked up and down the moonlit street. All I saw were the shadowy outlines of old houses now serving as student apartment housing, scattered trees and a few dim street lamps. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Get a hold of yourself, I scolded silently, continuing towards Angie’s street. There’s nothing out there.

Suddenly an arm seized me from behind. What the…? I cried out, but a flash of something silver and shiny caught the rest of the sentence in my throat. A sharp prick at my throat killed the thought instantly.

Come here, a voice growled, deep and foreboding. The powerful arm that had taken hold of my midsection pulled me backward, causing me to lose my balance a little. Move.

I balked, trying to pull away from the force hauling me back. No! Let go of me!

The sharp prickle reasserted itself, driving very close towards its intended target. Shut the hell up and do what you’re told, or so help me I’ll cut you. Do you understand?

Sharp blade points nipped menacingly at the tender flesh of my throat. I tried to pull away from the arm at my midsection, its grip as solid as iron. It would not give. For the moment, there weren’t any options. Yes, I breathed, hoping it would be enough.

Move.

Strong arms began dragging me backwards. The only glimpses I could see of my assailant were of badly wrinkled sleeves and thick hands. The powerful smell of dirt and smoke nearly choked me. The overwhelming force the man used to haul me away was making me stumble a little. My nails caught against rough, weathered skin as I fought for release.

I glanced around wildly, hoping to find purchase on a clue as to where I was being taken. Soon I spotted the old work van sitting patiently near the curb. It had no lettering on it, no windows to see inside or out from the back. Get in and shut up, my attacker ordered, releasing his knife from my throat as he shoved me inside.

As soon as I landed on the rough, rusted floor of the vehicle, I immediately tried to hoist myself back up. What do you want? I cried, inching towards the open door. What do you…?

My query fell silent with a fierce backhand to the head. Before I could pick myself back up, the stranger climbed inside of the van, hauling the door shut after him. A little overhead light blinked to life as the door locked. I could hear the man rummaging through the meager contents of the van.

Moments later, I heard another bark. Roll over, the man demanded, his voice leaving no room for argument. The light glinted off the wicked-looking pocketknife I saw pointed straight at me. Now! On your stomach!

Fearing reprisal, I slowly rolled over onto my stomach. My face pressed into the spot-rusted floor. Calloused hands grabbed my own and forced them behind my back. A thin cord of some sort began to cut into my wrists as my assailant bound them together.

You don’t… I began, struggling to keep my voice even. You don’t have to do this. Look, just tell me what you want, and I’ll give it to you!

The man paid me no mind. The same thin cord brushed around my ankles. No, I grunted, sharply pulling my feet away, but strong hands pulled them back into place and secured me tightly. As I tried to focus on the rusted floor, my heart began to sink.

There. That oughta hold you, my attacker said, walking past me towards the driver’s seat. Now keep your mouth shut. Got a long drive ahead of us.

Help! I called out as the engine fired to life. Help me! Can anyone…?

So help me, I will gut you right here if you say one more word. Believe that.

The thought of those fine blade points making quick work of me made me fall silent. I clung to the hope that someone had seen what had happened. I prayed that someone would wonder about the broken bag of cat food lying in a puddle on the sidewalk. The floor jolted underneath me, and the van sped off into the night.

*

It seemed like we had been driving for hours. My legs were stiff from being forced into one place for so long, and my arms longed to fall at my sides. The smell of dirt and smoke had intensified, and I could feel pebbles of soil starting to cling to my face as it remained buried the steel floor.

Tipping my head slightly, I managed to gain a look at the dim reflection in the windshield. A pair of wild green eyes stared back, keeping watch on me every second. The feeling was unnerving, and a shiver began crawling up my spine again.

You got a name? the man asked. He casually pulled on a cigarette, flicking the ashes outside the cracked window.

I kept silent.

Rule number one, kid—I ask you something, you answer me. And don’t you dare lie.

My intake of oxygen increased. I could easily make up a name on the spot. The memory of the knife, however, sent pure apprehension through my veins. John, I said, deciding to use my older brother’s name.

John what?

Dayton.

Not from Ohio, are you?

N-no, sir. Colorado. It was almost the truth.

Mmm. Silence loomed over the truck once more. The stretch of road or highway we were traveling had several potholes in it, causing me to gain a more personal relationship with the floor of the van than I had particularly cared for. The hell you doing in Virginia then, John?

What was this? Twenty questions? School, I said, afraid of not answering at all.

Oh. More silence. You can call me James. The sound of something crunching rose from the ground outside, and after a moment, the van came to a stop. James crawled out from his seat and stepped into the back, standing hunched over me. Look at me, he said flatly.

It was difficult turning over onto my side. My left arm tried to protest as it shouldered a sizable portion of my weight. Looking up at the man, I was surprised when I realized that I had seen him somewhere before.

Here’s how it’s gonna go, John, he said, stooping down onto one knee. His intense gaze was inescapable. You and me are gonna walk into that building there, take care of a few things.

I nodded, just to show I was following along. A part of my eye had caught the bright lights flooding in through the windshield.

If you even so much as blink, flinch, or whisper that something’s wrong, I will take it out on the person you tell and make you watch. You understand?

Swallowing hard, I nodded.

Tell me you understand.

I-I understand.

Good. James pulled me up into a sitting position, cutting the cords around my legs. Turn around.

I gingerly turned, allowing James to cut through my bonds. Once they were free, I rubbed my wrists to try to start the circulation in them again. Hold ’em out here, my abductor said, his voice giving no room for refusal. Once they were in front of me, James tied them again with more of that wretched cord. He then tossed an old coat over my shoulders, buttoning it closed down my front and tucking the sleeves into frayed pockets. It’ll do, he murmured as he stood up outside the rolling door. Now, keep up with me and remember—I’m watching.

Crawling out of the van, the tall floodlights that surrounded a filling station along a highway blinded me almost immediately. There were no signs to tell me what highway it was, and the traffic on it was light at best. Five unoccupied fuel islands stood side-by-side, keeping sentry in front of the large white concrete building behind them. James clutched my shoulder as he walked us inside the shop, his evil glare daring me to step out of line. There a bathroom? he called to the lone employee pulling the graveyard shift that night.

Back of the store. Two stalls. Here, the kid said, tossing James a key. My guard caught it in midair as he continued shoving me towards the back. Lines of stocked shelves and walls of giant coolers silently mocked me as my keeper led me around like a trained monkey. Thinking fast, I quickly glanced around the store. There were a couple of cameras posted near the front and back of the store, and a giant digital clock gave the time as two a.m.

After you, James said as he pushed me inside first. Once he had entered the windowless space, he immediately locked the door. "Kind