Someone Cool

Lara lifted his long sleeve and exposed his watch. "What's that?" Lara asked curiously, but Tyler didn't answer. He dialed Aaron's number using the watch, and the call got connected.

"Hello?" Aaron said, hoping that it was Tyler and not the organization.

"Aaron, don't come here. He will kill us all." Tyler whispered, and Lara was shocked; she never imagined that he had a smartwatch on him.

"Why will you tell him not to come?" she frowned.

"I will be there; we are in this together. Just be cautious and not anger them," Aaron advised him as he filled a burette with some chemicals.

"You can't come here alone; we need a plan."

Lara hurried and crouched beside Tyler. "Aaron, you should call the cops, since you already know the location."

Then the door was pushed open. "The food..." the man was saying when he noticed Tyler's watch.

"You," he hurried to Tyler and kicked him.

"Ouch" Tyler gripped his stomach, and the man dragged the watch and shot it to the ground, shattering it into pieces.

"You are trying to be smart, eh? Wait till Lincoln hears about this," he warned, and he turned to leave when Lara grabbed his leg.

"Please don't tell him."

The man kicked her and walked out; she rushed to help Tyler up, and he pushed her.

"I said you should keep watch; why did you leave the door?" He scolded her, and she felt guilty because it was all her fault; she had forgotten about the door and quickly rushed to talk to Aaron.

Now they have lost their only hope. "I am sorry," she apologized, but he scoffed. Two men walked in and grabbed Tyler, with Lara trying to fight back.

"Smart kid, I hear you are the internet guru." Lincoln's voice echoed as he walked in, and they pinned Tyler to the wall.

"Please leave him," Lara begged, and Lincoln looked at her.

"What's your role in all this?"

Lara bit her lip. "She isn't involved in this; she is just someone we met at the seashore," Tyler explained, and Lara felt touched by his attempt to save her.

"Really?" Lincoln mocked before he signaled his men; they dragged Tyler and tied both his hands tightly.

"Please don't hurt him," Lara pleaded as tears threatened to flow down her cheeks.

"Are you going to use your last 3 hours and 45 minutes crying for him?"

Once he was tied, they pulled a rope that hung him right up to the ceiling.

Tyler looked down, and his eyes met with Lara. He gave her a reassuring look, saying that everything would be fine.

"Get the whip," Lincoln ordered, and both their eyes widened in shock.

"No, no, please," she went down on her knees, but her pleas were invalid. One man held a long whip and crossed it on Tyler's back. "Ahhh," he screamed at the top of his voice. He felt an excruciating pain leave from his back to every part of his body.

"Don't play games with me," Lincoln warned before he turned to leave.

"Lincoln" Tyler called, and he stopped before he looked at him.

"Do you know how it feels to be outsmarted by two teenage guys? Ask Jacob about that, but don't bother. I am sure you will feel that way soon." Tyler chuckled, and Lincoln clenched his fist.

"Give him 20 more," he ordered, and left.

"Tyler, what are you doing?" Lara asked angrily. Why did he have to infuriate the man?

"Ah, hit me like a man," he cried out in pain, and Lara simply closed her eyes as she heard his screams.

The room was filled with Tyler's screams. Soon, the men were done, and they walked out of the storage room, leaving Lara and Tyler alone.

Tyler's blood dripped onto Lara's face. She stared up at him and saw he was slowly closing his eyes. "Don't fall asleep."

"I feel sleepy," Tyler replied, and she paced around the room.

"You can't fall asleep; my sister told me that once a patient falls asleep, then it's hard for them to wake up."

"The sexy doctor who took the bullet out of me?"

"She isn't anything like me," Lara chuckled. She didn't even have the physique of a girl.

"That's right, you are something else," Tyler laughed.

"I know, right?" Then she looked up and noticed that he was starting to fall asleep.

"I will tell you a secret," she blurted, and she saw his eyes slowly open.

"I always dreamt of having a boyfriend—someone very cool who would crush other girls' hearts by being with me. Someone smart, handsome…"

"And why don't you have one?"

"The last guy who asked me out was the guy from the bakery; I don't like him... I need someone very cool."

"Like Aaron," Tyler chimed in, and Lara bit her lip. Aaron was the coolest and smartest guy she ever came across, but they were a team.

"I am not his type; he is probably too cool for me," she muttered before she looked at Tyler.

"So, did Aaron ever have a girlfriend?"

"Do you think we have time for such insignificant things?" Tyler sneered.

*

Fifty minutes later, Lara had succeeded in keeping Tyler awake when the door was pushed open and Lincoln walked in with one of his men. "Your friend decided not to show up." 

"What will I do with you guys?" he thought, then one of his men walked in and whispered some words to him.

"Great, bring him in. Let him come join his crew. Aaron is here." He had an excited smile, and Lara felt very nervous. Was this their time to die already?