Classified ☑

[ chapter 29 ]

I looked at Cole as he laid on the ground in front of me, feeling a little guilty about what I'd done. If he was telling the truth and didn't know what his dad was really up to, he had no idea what he'd gotten himself into.

"Please stop!"

Shelly's screaming pulled me from my daze and I took off towards the van. Rope still kept my hands tied together, but I didn't have time to figure it out.

"I don't want to die," Shelly whimpered.

Underneath the van I could see Shelly, Mark, and Dante on their knees. The guy with the gun must've still been pointing it at them.

Guilt crept its way in again at the realization that just by knowing me, Shelly and Mark were pulled into this. They'd forever be haunted by this day.

"Where is Cole? He was supposed to bring the girl out by now." an unfamiliar voice spoke.

"I'm not sure. But you heard the boss's orders. Kill them if Cole doesn't get her out here in time," another voice said.

That got me to thinking. Was Cole being blackmailed by his father this entire time? Cole had told me they were kidnapped for leverage to make me talk, but maybe his dad was using them as a way to get Cole to do his dirty work.

Mark was his best friend and Shelly was also his friend, maybe his dad was using them to get Cole to get information from me since I hadn't given anything up to him. But, Cole also drugged his friends he told me.

Or did he say he was supposed to?

I shook the thought from my head. Something wasn't adding up. I wasn't sure what was the truth and who was telling the truth. Maybe his dad blackmailed him into drugging his best friends and kidnapping them. But now wasn't the time to worry about that.

The two men who were unfamiliar continued to argue, their voices raising every few seconds. I worked my way slowly around the van to Dante's side. From the position I was in, I could see Shelly, Mark, and Dante all had their hands tied up like mine.

I picked up a handful of dirt, finding a tiny rock, and threw it at the back of Dante's leg. He sensed it and waited to look until he was sure the guys were still arguing and not paying attention to him. He dipped his head while still looking forward, letting me know he knew I was there.

Standing up from my bent over position, I walked out from around the van with my hands up. The guy that held the gun pointed it at me, staring wide eyed. The guy next to him stiffened and kept his eyes on me as well.

The look on Dante's face told me he didn't know what I was up to yet, hopefully he'd soon get it. If he didn't, none of us were making it out of this alive.

Shelly and Mark both looked relieved but confused. I didn't blame them. They didn't deserve to be in any of this mess, yet here they were. They probably didn't have any idea on how involved I was in this mess either.

"Stop!" The guy with the gun ordered, keeping it pointed at me.

Him and his buddy moved with me, keeping their eyes on me as I took step by step. I needed just a little more-

A shot rang out, stopping me in my tracks. I gulped and held my hands up in surrender. If I took another step, he might've not been as nice to give me a warning again. "Okay, okay, I'm not moving."

Dante seemed to get the idea as soon as their backs were turned towards him.

Before the guy without a gun could get a word out, Dante had the rope keeping his hands tied around the guy's neck, just as I had done with Cole. I sprung forward and wrapped my own rope around the guy's wrist with the gun, pointing it into the air.