Chapter 22

Chapter 21
Justin’s breath caught as he heard her scream. He dove to catch her but missed her hand as she sailed down through the air to the river below.

“Bree!” he yelled. He almost went with her until Ben grabbed him. Justin shook his partner off, and he rushed down the sidewalk to the dip that would take him to the river. He began to panic when she didn’t come back up. “Bree!” he yelled again right before he dove into the chilly water. Why wasn’t she coming back up? As he got further to the middle where she was tossed, his feet barely touched the bottom.
He sucked in a lung full of air and dipped below the water. He saw her lying at the bottom. He rushed through the water and grabbed her with one arm and pushed up from the bottom. They broke through the top, and he pulled her back to the grassy dip.

“Justin, Bree!” Cierra yelled as she skidded down the dip.

Justin got to his feet and pulled his darlin’ into his arms, getting them out of the water, “She’s not breathing!” Justin exclaimed as he laid her down. He knelt beside her and tilted her head back and began to perform mouth to mouth on her.

He felt like time stopped as he tried to get Bree to breathe. He couldn’t lose her.

Finally, she sputtered and began to spit up the water. He turned her to her side as she continued to release the water.

She finally stopped and laid down against the ground.

“Babe?” Justin rubbed her thigh gently, but she didn’t turn to him, her breathing was heavy as was his. His heart wasn’t beating as fast now from the fear, though.

He leaned forward touching his forehead to her shoulder as his hand moved up around the front of her and squeezed her to him gently.

She let out another body shaking cough, spitting out more water.

“Cierra, where's Ben?” Justin demanded, not taking his gaze off of Bree.

“He went after the guy.” Cierra explained.

“Damn,” he moved his head from his darlin’ but didn’t move his arm. He began to stand, hauling her up with him. He picked her up and climbed up the dip quickly. He rushed to the car Cierra had and placed his darlin’ in the front seat. “Go home with Cierra, I’ll be there soon and don’t you dare try to run again.”

She didn’t respond, and her eyes were so lifeless, but he had to go help, Ben. He stood from the car and shut the door as Cierra rushed around to the other side.

“Get her home, don’t let her leave, what way did Ben go?”

“That way.” She motioned with her head in front of her. “Justin, both of you be careful, and don’t blame her, this is my fault, I’ll explain later.” She ducked into the car and began to head back to the apartment.

Justin took off the way Cierra had directed him, his boots pounded against the pavement as he made his way to find his partner and friend.

He would have to handle Bree later. He felt relief when he spotted Ben running in front of him. Justin pushed himself harder and finally caught up to the bigger man, “Ben, are you still hot on his trail?”

“No, dude, I lost him.” Ben panted out as he slowed down. “I thought I could catch him, but he’s gone, just totally disappeared, Bree, okay?”

“More or less.” Justin clamped down on his anger. He’d just have to stay with Bree, make sure she stayed put and safe.

“Cierra?”

“A little shaken but I think she’ll be okay, we’re going to have to talk to them when we get to the apartment, I sent them there.”

“Instead of a hospital?”

“Yeah, I think she may have hit her head, but I’ll monitor her tonight to make sure she’s okay.”

"That was a long fall.”

“Yeah, I know.” Justin gritted his teeth at the thought of the eight-foot drop, at least. “Come on, let’s head back, if she’s not doing okay I’ll take her in, I just wanted to get her off the streets.” He tried to shake off the personal hell he had just gone through. When was this girl going to get a break? His break would come once Marnie was home safe and sound. He didn't even want to think about what she was going through right now.

"Okay.” Ben glanced around quickly, and then they made their way back to the Sonata.
~
Marnie jumped as her door was flung open. The man that walked into the room wasn’t Burly. She swallowed hard. Why? Why was this happening to her?

She backed into a corner and cowered down to the floor. She swore if she ever got out of this hell she’d do everything she could to make sure that any other girls this had happened to would be found. She’d speak at every school or function she could to try her best to make sure as many girls as possible knew that being kidnapped could really happen.

Sure, everyone might talk about it, but the worry needed to be there. She had never worried, now she and four other girls were prisoners. “Please leave me alone,” she began to beg. “My uncle will find me, you all will regret this." She hoped she wasn't wrong, Justin should be here by now looking for her. He wouldn't rest until she was safely home.

The new man let out a harsh laugh. “You’re joking, no one is coming for you, they give up after three days of searching for you prized winners, they know the fate you all have.”

Marnie glanced up at him for a moment before she shouted. “You’re lying!” She couldn’t let them break her. One six nine was free, she’d find Justin, and he’d come for them.
“Did you know her name? Hmm?” he purred out. “One six nine, you weren’t here very long, but you sent her on a suicide mission, the keeper here, went to get her, he gave your uncle a choice, either you or her, when Sal pushed her over the railing over the river, your uncle lunged himself so hard to get her, he about went over but missed, she’s swimming at the bottom of that river now, she’s dead, you will either be sold,” the man moved even closer to Marnie. “Or, one of us will be having a lot of fun with you.” He ran a finger gently down Marnie’s shoulder.

Marnie went to move back even more but the wall stopped her but it didn’t stop her from dry heaving. She was done for, they were going to break what little hope and strength she had left. If only she could figure a way to get out and take the other girls with her. Tears began to cloud her vision. Were they all done for?