Chapter 9

Both Brian and A.J. froze when they heard the voice over the bullhorn deliver its message. Their two captors immediately began to squabble among themselves yet again. A.J. ducked as the second man waved his gun in his direction.

“Damn it, he needs to be more careful,” he hissed.

“Yeah, don’t end up like me, because trust me, this sucks,” Lila spoke up weakly from her spot on the floor. A.J. bit his lip as he turned his attention to her.

“I’ll bet it does. Just hang in there; we’ll get you out if here. Trust me.”

The police were still yelling through the bullhorn, and the two crooks still didn’t seem to know quite what to do.

“There’s no way we’re going to get out of this if we can’t find some way to communicate with them out there,” Brian pointed out quietly.

“I know it.” A.J. paused for a moment, deep in thought. Before Brian could stop him, he had risen to his feet.

“Call them,” A.J. said. Two guns were immediately leveled at his chest. A.J. did not so much as flinch. Instead, he pointed to his cell phone, which was partially visible under one of the shelves.

“They want to talk to you, and the only way any of this is going to be resolved is if you let them. I know I want to get out of here just as much as you do.”

“Right, they talk to us, and we get arrested,” thief number 2 spat.

“If you don’t, it’s only a matter of time before they bust their way in here and we all die,” A.J. pointed out.

They glared at each other for a moment, and Brian waited for the shot that he was sure was coming. It didn’t. Instead, he heard the sound of someone scrambling for the fallen phone. A.J. sank back down to the floor, shaking.

“Serves you right,” Brian whispered. “What the hell did you think you were doing?”

“Trying to save our asses, because obviously they don’t know how.”

“What number should I call?” Thief Number 2 asked his partner.

“How the hell should I know?”

A.J. sighed. “See?” he muttered to Brian. He called back out to the thieves. “Press redial. You’ll get someone that I am 90% sure is out there right now.”

“Howie?” Brian mouthed at him. A.J. nodded in confirmation.

“Don’t do anything yet,” Thief Number 1 said menacingly.

“Why not?”

“I want them to sweat it out a little more.”

Brian bristled at this. He couldn’t understand how a human being could be so twisted and cruel. He was holding a girl in his arms watching her bleed to death, and they wanted to play games. Something in him snapped, and he finally found the courage to speak out.

“This girl can’t wait forever!” he hollered. “She needs to get help!”

“Take care of it,” he threatened.

“I’m not a doctor,” Brian said, his voice flat and cold. Even A.J. was taken aback by the hatred in his eyes. It was enough to intimidate anyone, which was why his heart sank down to his knees when he heard the reply.

“Than I hope for your sake that you are a quick learner, because I’m holding you responsible if she dies.”

Marie wasn’t sure what woke her up, but she found herself wide-awake staring at the ceiling. Something wasn’t right. She took a moment to clear her head and concentrate on what could possibly be wrong. She glanced at the clock and noticed it was about quarter to four. What could possibly wake me up at four in the morning? She wondered. Maybe it was Lila coming back, she reasoned, vaguely remembering her conversation with her roommate earlier. She propped herself up on her elbows and glanced over at the bed that Lila had been sleeping in. She came face to face with Becca’s feet, but she did not see Lila. She frowned. Hadn’t she just said she was going to that corner store? That had been forty-five minutes ago. She swung her feet over the edge of the bed and glanced around the room. What could be taking her so long?

She got up and cracked open the door, peaking out into the hallway. It was empty. She noticed that one of the keys was missing, so she knew that Lila wasn’t locked out. She closed the door again and crept over to where Ellie and Julie were sleeping. She knew better than to try to wake up Becca. She shook Ellie’s arm, and was relieved when her eyes opened sleepily.

“Marie? What is it?” she mumbled.

“I can’t find Lila.”

Ellie was suddenly more awake. Marie had never seen someone who was as sweet and caring as Ellie was. The mere mention of the possibility that something might be wrong with one of her friends got her full attention, no matter what.

“What do you mean?”

“She went out around three to that 24 hour store by the gas station to get some flu stuff. She’s not back yet.”

“What time is it?”

“Almost four.”

Ellie sat up, concerned. “Should we go look for her?”

“I think we’d better.”

Ellie nodded and got out of bed. “Should we get Becca and Julie up?”

Marie paused, and shook her head after thinking for a moment. “Let’s not stir everybody up until we know there is a problem.”

“Okay. Leave a note though.”

Marie scribbled a quick note on the hotel stationary and left it on the nightstand where both of the sleeping girls were likely to see it if they should wake up. After throwing on some clothes, they snuck out the door.

“I hope nothing’s wrong,” Ellie said worriedly.

“Probably not. I’m sure she’s fine. You know how she can be. She tends to wander lost in her own little world.”

“Yeah, I’m sure nothing’s happened,” Ellie said, trying to sound convincing. But there was a gnawing feeling at the pit of her stomach that wouldn’t go away.

“Still, I’ll feel better once we’ve found her.”

They pushed open the hotel doors and exited into the night.

***

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