Chapter 8

"What's going on? Someone please tell me. Where am I?" his trembling voice asked.

No one answered, it was quiet. The only sounds that could be heard were the rumbling on the engine, and heavy breathing.

"Please where are you taking me?" he asked again, realizing he was in a moving car from the bumps on the road.

"Just keep shut, okay? we'll get there soon" A croaky voice replied gently.

Michael was at Arnold's building that afternoon, walking through the hallway with the pocket book in his hand, looking for the room number on the book.

"103, found it." He said to himself. "I'm sure he's just scared, that's why he didn't show up." He continued with an easy voice.

Michael knocked, but no response, he knocked again with a little more force, still no answer but the door moved in a little.

"It's open?" his ease began to fade into caution.

Pushing the door gently by the handle, he walked into the room slowly. It was completely silent end eerie.

"Hello? Anyone home?" He whispered softly.

The room was dark and, in a mess, almost as though he was robbed in the middle of the night. Even though everything was out of place, nothing was missing, except for, Arnold.

He walked around gently, picking and dropping things in his way, looking around, trying to figure out what just happened. Realizing that this was an abduction, he jumped on the spot in surprise as his phone rang.

Quickly pulling out of his pocket he answered without even checking who it was.

"Hello? Who is this?" he said with some aggression.

"Whoa! Calm down solder, it's just me." It was Blake, Michael could tell by his sharp but deep voice.

"Sorry, you just startled me that's all." Michael apologized. "So, any news."

"Yeah, I found your guy, he was moving just outside the city in a blue van. Seems he's come to a stop though close to an old railway station, I've already sent the location to your cell."

"Thanks." Michael ended the call.

He ran out the room, straight to the stairs where her rushed down like a man possessed, he was already behind and needed to catch up before it's too late.

The residents of the building where both shocked and impressed by his acrobatics, he jumped over obstacles, skillfully dodged people and slid on the rails, all the way to his car, then zoomed off.

On the side of the road, in the outskirts of the city, stood a broken-down van with its hood up and, a slender man standing over it, attempting very poorly to try and fix it.

"How much longer?" the man with a croaky voice asked from inside the van, sitting next to another guy whose hands are tied and a bag over his head.

"I dunno, I'm just trying stuff and hope it works?" The slender man replied, scratching his head.

"Well, hurry it up!" he was frustrated. "The nice sounding lady over the phone said we should get this done quickly."

"Please! You don't have to do this! I'm begging you!" Arnold pleaded, his voice, though muffled by the bag over his head, was filled with fright.

They ignored him. The slender became surprisingly happy, as he rushed to get into the driver seat.

"I think I got it; I think I got it." He sang, putting the key in the ignition.

There was a loud bang, that spooked the passengers in the back, as car jerked on the spot and the engine cried out smoke.

"What on earth was that?" the man with the croaky voice asked frightened and angry.

"Oops" the driver said, scratching his head again. "Sorry bro, this might take a while"

It was approaching evening and they where still stuck there. The driver still trying to repair the van, while his brother sat on a bucket outside, frustration written all over his face. His phone rang and he picked up.

"What's going on? Why haven't you called? Is it done?" Alice launched him with questions over the phone.

"Firstly miss, I would like to apologize to you for the lack of information, I am duly sorry for that." He said as he getting off the bucket.

"Secondly, we've experienced car troubles and have not been able to make it to the destination." He continued.

"Wait, you mean to tell me you've been stuck all this while?." Her voice rose steadily before she calmed herself down. "Okay, just do it there."

"I don't think I quite understand you." He replied.

"There's someone on your tail so, forget the car, find a spot nearby and finish the job"

"Okay miss."

"And get rid of your phone now, I don't want to be traced. I'll find contact you afterwards"

"Alright then" the call was over, he pulled out the phone's battery, then sim, and threw them in some bushes far off.

He looked around and smiled as he saw an abandoned train station not too far off

"Broady, forget about the van and grab the guy, we're walking." He said to his brother.

"Okay" he left what he was to grab Arnold from inside the van.

Brody pulled a tired Arnold out then went over to meet his brother. Together they walked towards the abandoned train station.

Michael was driving like a maniac, speeding his way through the open road, searching for the blue van. He past some smoke then saw, from the side of his eye the blue van.

He immediately stepped on the brakes, leaving a trail of tire marks, as smoke filled the entire road, drifting towards the van before coming to a stop.

He got out of his car quickly, rushing to check the van. It was empty, by the looks of it. Turning his head around, he searched for clues.

It was getting dark, and he had to hurry. He saw, in the mud, three sets of footprints, they were heading towards the abandoned train station.