Chapter 26 Held For Ransom?

Chapter 26 Held For Ransom?
Damien's POV

I try to escape the three men but I am overpowered by them. They pin me down and hit me mercilessly, until I am unconscious.

I don't know for how long I had been out, I wake up tied to a chair in an strange room. My eyes pain as I struggle to adapt to the bright light in the room.

The room is wide, and I can hear footsteps from above. It may be a basement under a house, but I don't know where exactly?

Laredo? La Terra? Monte Azul? Or are we somewhere in America? I feel pain on my face, it's from the punches I received earlier. I wonder why I am not even dead. Those guys were really strong.

I try to untie and free myself but all efforts to no avail. The ropes are too strong, and each attempt only causes me pain.

So I give up and wait calmly until someone comes in through the one and only door in the room, he's holding a tray of… I guess food, and wearing an indifferent look. He doesn't look like those three men that attacked me.

I salvate the moment he places the food on a table he drags to my front. Grilled meat, some vegetables and soda, with two fresh apples. He huffs and sits in an opposite chair, then takes one of the apples and bites it.

“Not poisoned,” he says in a thick accent and takes another bite. “Damien, huh?” he chews fast like a hungry cat, “My boss says you are worth more than a billion dollars”

His words make me gulp hard.
I am shock beyond words as reality downs on me. I am kidnapped!

“Yes,” he giggles after noticing the change in my expression, “And we are willing to milk you dry, Damien…”

The door opens again and he quickly stands up. An old looking man comes in with two armed guys behind him.

He glares at the guy that brought food for me. “You were supposed to call us as soon as you notice he's awake!” he yells at the guy. “And how did you expect him to eat with his hands still tied? What's wrong with you, Mario?”

“I'm sorry sir, I thought maybe…”

“Get out!”

The guy leaves as commanded. Them the old looking man smiled at me before sitting right where the guy that left sat. He orders his guards to untie me, and warns that if I try anything stupid they will surely deal with me severely as I won't be able to go far.

“This place,” he looks around from the top, “it's all guarded. You can't leave unless I say so” he adds.

I rub my wrists. They hurt from fatigue.

“Come on, eat…” he says as he brings out a cigar and lights it.

I hesitate at first.

What if they poisoned me?
But why would they even do that? It’s obvious I am valuable to them, so I think they won't kill me… at least not without getting what they want, which I think is money.

I grab the second apple left in the tray and munch it like never before. It tastes good. After devouring it, I lay my hands on the grilled meat. Gulp some soda. And in no time I am already done eating.

I belch.

The old looking man stare at me in awe.

“You seem too hungry for someone who's worth fortune,” he turns to his guards, “Are you sure this is the right guy?”

“Yes, sir. It's him, Damien Harrington. Carlos says Mam Carolina sent them to get rid of him for trespassing their property. But they couldn't bring themselves to do that, so they stole his valuable things and money before calling us to come pick him for a possible racket” One of the guards explains.

“Who is Carlos?” The old looking man asks.

“It's a friend of ours, working for La Estancia” The second guy chimes in.

“La Estancia?” The old man bluffs, “Of all the women in America, he comes here to chill, huh?” he giggles at me.

I don't need to reply him, because that will not change or solve my problem. How to get out of this situation is the only thing on my mind.

“He doesn't talk?” he glares at me. “Make him talk!” he orders his men, who come and drop me down… pinning me to the floor.

“Please… stop!” I finally found my voice.

He laughs evilly, scornfully pointing at me. He signals his men to stop, “I thought you don't speak” he composes himself. “Now, let's get to business. Are you really who my men think you are? The son of a multi billionaire?”

What will happen to me next depends on what I will say. I need to choose my words carefully.

“I… I don't know what you are talking about. Maybe I… impersonated the wrong guy, but all I know is all the money I had with me were stolen by those guys. With my drugs too, worth a million dollars” I lie. I hope to make the two gangs fight each other.

The old man glances at his men before turning back to me, “Are you trying to say… you are a smuggler, and La Estancia robbed you off your money and drugs using one of their… girls?” he asks, I can see the anger building on his face.

“Yes!” I pretend as if I am completely right, meanwhile it's just a mix of a little truth and a lot of lies to deceive them. “Just let me go before my master learns about my disappearance, he's going to send his men to find me”

“And who's your master?” he asks.

I gulp. I never thought he would ask.

I think sharply, and a dangerous name comes up.

“Ricardo Delgado Mendoza, from… La Terra”

As soon as I mention the name, he gets up from the chair, visibly agitated. He stares at me for some times, breathing hard before turning to start kicking his men.

“You bastards, what have you done?! Get him out of here now, and
go find that Carlos or what's even his name. He's a dead meat, I promise!” he screams.