C141 Almost There

The car’s engine hummed steadily beneath Annabelle’s tense frame.

The unease that had crept up on her since they left the safehouse now surged like a tidal wave.

She clutched Cathy closer to her, her hand smoothing over her sister’s hair in an effort to calm herself more than the child.

The satellite phone Dante had handed her sat heavy in her lap, the glowing map coordinates a lifeline in the growing storm of doubt. She frowned, studying the tiny red line that charted their route.

The sharp realisation that they were headed in the wrong direction made her stomach drop.

"Rio," she said, her voice tight but steady. "We’re going the wrong way."

He didn’t respond, his hands gripping the wheel firmly as the scenery rushed past.

"Rio!" Annabelle called again, louder this time, her heart hammering against her ribs.

When his eyes flicked to hers in the rearview mirror, the coldness in them made her shudder.

Gone was the kind man she’d thought she knew, replaced by someone unrecognisable. A cruel smirk tugged at his lips, and her blood ran cold.

Her fingers tightened on the phone as she fought the rising panic. "You’re not taking us to the safehouse," she accused, her voice low but edged with disbelief.

Still, he said nothing.

Then, without warning, he reached back and snatched the satellite phone from her hands, his fingers grazing hers as he ripped it away.

He rolled down the window and flung it out into the night.

"Rio!" Annabelle screamed, her body lunging forward instinctively.

He slammed his foot on the accelerator, the car lurching forward. The seatbelt cut into her chest as she was thrown back, and Cathy let out a frightened yelp.

Annabelle’s mind raced, possibilities flashing through her head.

She couldn’t jump out, not with Cathy beside her. She couldn’t fight him in such a confined space without risking them both.

"Bet I fooled you," Rio said suddenly, his voice dripping with malicious amusement. "Stupid bitch."

Annabelle flinched at the venom in his words.

She glanced at Cathy, whose wide, terrified eyes mirrored her own fear.

"It is... you are a traitor?" She blurted out before she could stop herself.

She immediately regretted saying that.

She should keep him talking but not get him angrier than he already seemed to be.

Her voice shook as she tried to keep him talking. "You don’t have five sisters, do you?" she asked, gripping Cathy’s shoulder for support. "I doubt you even have a mother."

He laughed then, a sound that made her skin crawl. "Oh, I had a sister," he said, his tone unnervingly casual. "She got a little too chatty for her own good. I fucked her good, then made sure she doesn't talk anymore."

Annabelle automatically covered Cathy's ears.

She stared at him wide-eyed, horror freezing her blood.

"You’re a monster," she whispered, her voice trembling.

He didn’t deny it.

Her fingers brushed the door handle, testing it.

Locked.

She swore under her breath, her gaze darting to Cathy, who was now trembling beside her.

Annabelle forced a weak smile, leaning close to whisper, "It’s going to be okay. I promise."

Cathy didn’t respond, her trust slowly eroding under the weight of yet another betrayal by an adult who was supposed to protect her. Annabelle’s heart cracked at the sight.

Rio’s phone buzzed on the dashboard, and he picked it up with one hand, still steering recklessly with the other. "Yeah," he grunted into the phone. "Almost there."

The sound of his voice made Annabelle’s stomach churn. Her fingers brushed against the edge of her boot, where the weight of her concealed gun brought a sliver of hope.

The car veered sharply as Rio careened down a dark, narrow street in a rundown neighbourhood. The rough cobblestones beneath the tires jostled them, and for the first time, Rio’s speed decreased.

Now, Annabelle thought.

She reached down and pulled the gun free, her movements swift and silent.

The moment Rio glanced at her in the mirror, she swung the butt of the gun with all her strength, aiming for his head.

It connected with a sickening thud.

"Fuck!" he shouted, his grip on the wheel slipping as the car skidded.

Before he could recover, Annabelle struck him again. His head slumped forward, and for a moment, she thought she had knocked him out cold.

"Get ready to run," she whispered urgently to Cathy, her hand moving to the ignition.

But Rio wasn’t done.

He reared up with a growl, his hand shooting back to grab her hair. He yanked her forward, slamming her head against the dashboard.

Pain exploded in her skull, and stars danced before her eyes. Cathy’s scream pierced through the haze, sharp and terrified.

"Stupid bitch," Rio hissed, his breath hot and rancid against her cheek.

Annabelle struggled, twisting in his grasp as her vision cleared.

She raised the gun again, but before she could strike, Rio slammed the brakes, throwing her off balance.

"Stay still!" he barked, his hand tightening painfully in her hair.

Annabelle’s gaze flicked to the side window, where shadows moved in the dim streetlights.

Men. Five, maybe six, all dressed in dark clothes.

They surrounded the car like predators closing in on their prey.

Despair crashed over her like a wave.

She knew she couldn’t fight them all, not with Cathy in the car.

"I’m sorry, Cathy," she whispered, her voice breaking.

Her sister’s tear-streaked face was the last thing she saw before Rio yanked her head back, and the door wrenched open to reveal the cold, hard faces of the men.