Kidnapping

Kidnapping
I managed to get back to school before the bell rang.
Luckily, Anabela made an excuse to the teachers, saying I had to leave after lunch, and all I had to do was wait for the bell to ring and blend in with the crowd.
My day was fantastic; Silas was just what I needed to fill the void I'd felt since his death.
I get into my brothers' car, and everyone falls silent.
I nuzzle Angelo to find out what happened, but he simply ignores me.
I don't understand what's going on and prefer not to get caught up in their bad mood.
We're halfway there when Nicco, who came to pick us up, takes a different route than I'm used to.
The boys also notice and tense up. I see Sandro looking in the rearview mirror and cursing before reaching for his cell phone.
"Lorenzo, we're being followed," he says, and my blood runs cold.
I'm about to stretch to look back when a noise hits the car and Angelo pushes my head down.
Oh my God, it was a gunshot.
My heart hammers in my chest, threatening to burst out of my throat.
I see Leonardo roll down the window and stretch halfway out before starting to shoot.
I let out a loud scream as a strong impact hits the car.
I realize whoever is chasing us wants to run us off the road, make the car roll over.
The sound of gunshots grows louder, and Nicco, who is driving, has to duck his head to avoid being hit by a bullet.
"Shit," I hear Angelo say before a loud bang hits the car again and I feel everything spin.
The windows explode as everything spins to the ground. I'm not wearing a seatbelt, so I end up hitting my head and body several times.
When the car finally stops, I feel blood running down my head and my vision blurs.
Nicco is passed out, trapped by his seatbelt. Leonardo and the others are already getting out of the car as best they can to kill anyone who approaches. I move with difficulty; my arm hurts terribly, but I need to reach Nicco and see if he's okay.
"Nicco!" I yell, shaking him.
I notice a cut on his forehead and other superficial cuts on his body.
"Nicco, come on, wake up!" I yell again, my voice tearful.
I smell fuel, and my desperation grows. I release Nicco from his seatbelt and scream for help.
I know the boys are fighting for their lives outside, but I need to get Nicco out of here.
My cousin groans, and my hope grows. I see him trying to open his eyes, confused by the situation.
"We have to get out of here," I say desperately.
Nicco regains his composure and starts moving. He kicks the car door open and crawls out.
"Come on, Elena," he says, reaching for me.
I start to crawl out when I remember my notebook in my backpack.
I pull my bag out, but it's stuck between the seats. "Leave this there, we'll buy another one later," Nicco says urgently.
"I can't," I reply, opening my bag just to grab my sketchbook.
"Damn it, Elena, get out of this car!" Nicco yells urgently.
I get out of the car with the sketchbook in hand before it's engulfed in flames.
I realize we've fallen into the trees at the side of the road. Nicco drags me away from the car, but without the men who were shooting at the boys noticing.
My cousin looks dizzy; the cut on his forehead is deep and won't stop bleeding.
"We have to stop, you're going to pass out any moment," I say softly, pulling him behind a tree.
"The others will be here any moment," Nicco says wearily.
As if on cue, the gunfire stops.
I let out a sigh of relief that quickly disappears when I hear Sandro scream.
I want to run to my brother, but Nicco stops me and tells me to stay still.
Tears of fear stream from my eyes. I hear footsteps near where we are, and my heart races.
I cover my mouth to stifle my panting breath. I see Nicco pull out a small knife, having handed his gun to Sandro.
"If you try anything funny, we'll kill the boys," says a man with a strange accent behind me.
I turn slowly and see a gun pointed directly at my head.
"Get up," the man orders Nicco, who does so with difficulty.
I feel his hand close over my aching arm, and I let out a cry of pain.
"You son of a bitch," Nicco says, lunging at the man who cocks the gun.
My cousin freezes in place, and the man smiles.
"Don't test me," the man warns, and I swallow hard.
We're taken to where the others are.
Leonardo and Angelo have minor scratches, but they're okay. Sandro, however, has a bullet wound in his leg, bleeding heavily.
I run to him, heedless of the gun pointed at me. I press the wound on his leg, and he groans in pain.
"You'll be fine," I say fearfully, knowing it might be a lie.
"Get them in the car," orders a man with a long beard.
He must be the leader, because the others start moving as soon as he orders them.
The boys don't fight, but I struggle when they try to pull me away from Sandro.
The man holding me loses his temper and slams the gun hard into my temple, making me pass out.



My body aches as if I've been in an uncomfortable position for too long. My arms are burning, and I have a terrible headache.
"Sorella," Leonardo's voice calls to me.
I open my eyes and find myself in a dimly lit room, smelling of mold and urine.
I try to move my arms, and a metallic clang makes me look up.
I'm chained.
I try to free myself, pull my arms away, and get out of here.
I can't be trapped again, I can't.
"Elena, calm down," Nicco's voice brings me back to reality.
I look around and see my brothers, equally trapped; they have bruises on their faces, and Sandro looks pale and weak.
"Where are we?" I ask fearfully.
"You're at my company." A man, no older than fifty, enters the room.
He looks like someone important; his suit is impeccable, and everything about him exudes money.
"Who are you?" I ask, knowing I've seen him somewhere before.
"I'm Edgar Zenatti, a friend of Jorge Sinclair," the man introduces himself and kneels in front of me.
As he touches my face, I hear the boys tugging hard on their chains.
"And we're going to have so much fun, honey," he says with a smile that makes me sick.