Chapter 128 Flight
Melissa’s POV
My wrists were on fire. I’d been pulling at the ropes for what felt like hours. I have been twisting and struggling trying my best to find any weakness in the knots.
But I’ve gotten nothing so far. They were too tight.
I grunted in frustration, yanking harder. The rope bit into my skin, it was probably going to leave marks. I didn’t care.
I needed to get out of this chair.
I needed to escape before…
The door opened. Stephan walked in, with an apple in his hand. He took a bite, chewing slowly as he looked at me with amusement in his eyes.
“You know,” he said conversationally, “you’re wasting your energy.”
I glared at him and kept pulling at the ropes.
“The cords are really tight.” He took another bite of the apple. “You’re not getting out of those on your own.”
“Let me go,” I demanded.
He raised an eyebrow. “Or what?”
“Gavin is going to come get me. And when he does, this won’t be funny anymore.”
Stephan laughed. “Oh, sweetheart. That’s the whole point. We want Gavin to come. We’re counting on it.”
He took another bite of his apple and walked back toward the door.
“Wait!” I called out. “Where are you going? You can’t just leave me here!”
“Watch me.”
The door closed behind him.
“Stephan!” I shouted. “Stephan, get back here!”
Silence.
I slumped back in the chair, breathing hard. My wrists were raw. My shoulders ached from being pulled back for so long.
How long had I been tied up? Hours? A whole day?
I’d lost track of time. The door opened again this time three large macular men walked in.
They looked like security. Or soldiers.
None of them spoke to me.One came behind me and started untying the ropes around my wrists.
The moment I felt them loosen, I yanked my hands forward.
I was finally free but before I could do anything, two of the men grabbed my arms. One on each side. Their grips were like iron.
“Let me go!” I struggled against them. “Get off me!”
They ignored me completely.
The third man untied my ankles. Then they hauled me to my feet.
I tried to dig my heels in. But it didn’t matter, they were too strong.
They dragged me toward the door.
“Where are we going?” I demanded.
No answer.
They pulled me down the hallway. I fought every step. Twisting. Trying to break free.
Their grips never loosened.
We went through a door at the end of the hall. Outside.
The air was cold. I wasn’t dressed for it. I had just the clothes I’d been wearing when Sophia had drugged me. A thin shirt. Jeans and no jacket.
I shivered immediately. There was a black SUV sitting in the driveway. With the engine running.
“No,” I said, realizing what was happening. “No, I’m not getting in that car.”
They didn’t care about my opinion.
They shoved me into the back seat. One man climbed in on each side of me. Sandwiching me between them.
The third got in the front passenger seat.
The driver pulled away before I could even think about trying to open the door and jump out.
“Where are we going?” I asked for what felt like the hundredth time.
The foolish fucks didn’t even turn back
I looked at the man on my right. “Please. Just tell me where we’re going.”
Nothing. His face might as well have been carved from stone.
I tried the one on my left. “I need to know what’s happening.”
No response.
I slumped back in the seat. Tried to think.
We were leaving the compound. Driving somewhere.
But where?
And why now?
The drive took maybe twenty minutes. We passed through trees. Gates. More trees.
Then buildings started appearing. We were back in civilization.
Then I saw a sign outside that said Private Aviation
No.
No, no, no.
They were taking me to an airport.
A private airport.
Which meant they were taking me somewhere far away.
Somewhere Gavin might not be able to find me.
The SUV pulled up to a small building. Beyond it, I could see a sleek private jet on the tarmac. The stairs were already down. Waiting.
“No,” I said firmly. “I’m not getting on that plane.”
The men didn’t respond. Just opened the doors and pulled me out.
I drove my elbow back into the ribs of the man on my right. I heard him grunt.I managed to get one arm free.
I swung my fist at the man on my left. Connected with his jaw.
He barely flinched.
But it gave me enough space to twist away from both of them.
I ran.Made it maybe five steps before hands grabbed me from behind.
I kicked backward. My heel connected with something. A shin, maybe.
I heard someone cursing.More hands grabbed me. I was surrounded by all four men.
I kept fighting anyway.
Scratched at faces. Kicked at knees. Tried to bite when someone’s hand got too close to my mouth.
I got one of them good. My nails raked down his cheek drawing blood.
He swore viciously.
“Enough!” The driver screamed. Someone grabbed my hair. Yanking my head back.
Pain exploded through my scalp.
Then something pressed a needle against my neck.
“No!” I screamed. “Don’t…”
Too late.
I felt the prick. Felt something cold spreading through my veins.
“No,” I whispered. My legs were already getting weak. “Please…”
The world started going fuzzy around the edges.
The last thing I saw before everything went dark was the private jet.
Waiting to take me God knows where.
\-----
When I woke up, I was moving.
No…flying.
The engines. I could hear them. Feel the vibration through… whatever I was lying on.
A bed.
I was on a bed on a plane.
I tried to sit up. My head spun violently.
Whatever they’d given me was still in my system. Making everything slow and heavy.
I managed to push myself up to a sitting position. And leaned against the headboard.
The room…because it was a room, not just a plane cabin…was small but luxurious. A bed. A small couch. Windows showing nothing but clouds.
The door opened.
A woman walked in. Middle-aged. Professional-looking. She carried a tray with water and what looked like crackers.
“Where are we going?” My voice came out hoarse.
“Colombia,” she said simply. Set the tray on the small table beside the bed. “We’ll be landing in approximately six hours.”
Colombia.
“I need to make a phone call,” I said. “Please. I need to call someone.”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible.”
“Please.” My voice cracked. “Just one call. To let someone know I’m okay.”
“You’re not supposed to make calls, Miss Hayes.” Her tone wasn’t unkind. Just matter-of-fact. “Those are my orders.”
“From who?”
“Eat something,” she said, gesturing to the tray. “You’ll feel better.”
Then she left.
I stared at the tray. At the water and crackers that were probably perfectly safe but that I didn’t trust anyway.
Colombia.
I was being taken to Colombia.
To the heart of Zeus’s empire.
Where Gavin would have to come if he wanted to get me back.
Which was exactly what they wanted.