Why me? (Austin Mahone)

Chapter 30

Chapter 30


Ashley's POV

"NOOOOOO!"

The two paramedics holding me back didn't let me get anywhere near the ambulance.

"LET ME GOO!" I was trying to set free, trying to at least see him but I couldn't.

I was crying more than I had ever cried in my life. I had never felt like this. The pain, the sorrow, the anger, the despair... everything was accumulating inside me.

"HE CAN'T BE DEAAAAD!" I yelled as loud as I could. "NOO! NOO! NOOOO!" I felt to my knees not being able to hold everything in anymore. The crying overpowered me.

There was a loud sound of a lighting, and then water droplets begun to fall. Just as if the weather felt the way I felt right now, it started to rain heavily.

I still tried to see him. Try to get to him, but the ambulance was closing.

Before the ambulance was closed I finally saw him.
I gasped covering my mouth. My crying increased.
He had pale face, blood everywhere, with his eyes closed. Not a sign of life in him.
A black zipper bag covered him seconds after I saw him.

"NOOOOO!" I yelled once they closed the back doors of the ambulance. "HE CAN'T BE DEAD!" The ambulance turned on their siren and drove away.

I was soaked.
I struggled breathing, and my crying turned into sobbing. "PLEASE"

A paramedic came to me and pulled me up, guiding me to another ambulance.

I couldn't take my eyes off the ambulance where they took him away from me.
I was walking with my head turned to the back, following it with my eyes, I never turned away, until I could see it no more.


~7 hours earlier~


"Time's up" I heard Brad say.

"What?" I asked "What time?"

"Its 12:15" He said looking at his watch. "I told him he had until 12 to give me the flash-drive" He said talking about what he said to Austin a few hours ago. He took a minute and then raised his brow and sighed "Too bad... We'll have to give him a little... motivation" He said grinning.

I gulped.

A hundred things crossed my mind and none of them were good.

He opened his suitcase again, but this time he took a camera out of it.

I actually sighed when I saw it. At least it wasn't something harmful.

He turned it on, making a little red light face me. He left it on top of the desk next to me and he came my way holding a knife in his right hand.

"Say hi to the camera" Brad said kneeling next to me and pointing to where the red flash was coming from. He waved at it. I just stared at him.

He went to the back of my chair and untie my hands.

I was more than surprised when I felt the ropes coming off my hands.
I moved my hands to the front and saw them. They had bruises on the wrists because of the ropes.
I rubbed the marks with my fingers.

"Don't get too comfortable" Brad said walking back to where I was. To my surprise he had new ropes in his hands. He lifted them so I could see them.

"Don't" I begged once he came closer to me "I won't fight. I won't escape. I promise"

"I need them" He said taking my right arm and placing it forcibly over the right armrest of the chair. "They will keep you from moving. That way it'll be easier" He did the same with the other hand.

Now I had both of my hands tied on each armrest. I tried to moved them, but I ended up moving the whole chair.

"There" Brad said proudly. He turned to where the camera was "Lets make sure this thing work"

"What are you doing?" I asked. I didn't even wanted to know the answer.

"LEO!" He yelled "You're about to found out" He said then answering me.

A boy came in, closing the door behind him. He had a black mask.

Wait. I think he was the first guy that was in this room with me when I got here. I never caught his name.

"Hey there" He said to me. "Hope you remember me"

So it is him.

I didn't answer.

"What did you wanted me for?" He asked Brad.

"I need you to film everything that's about to happen" Brad said to him. "I'll have both of my hands pretty busy" He said in a not so nice way.

Leo shrugged. "Okay"

He took the camera in his hands. Brad turned to see him.

"Take that thing off" Brad said pointing at his black mask. "You don't need it anymore"

"Sure?" Leo asked uncertain "I don't want any-"

"Just take that damn thing off!" Brad interrupted him.

Leo sighted and did as told. He put the camera down on the desk and pulled his mask off. He was looking at me when he did.

My eyes went wide when I saw his face.

'Leo' looked exactly as Jake. Same eyes, same nose, same smile, except his hair and his small beard on his chin. Almost as if they were twins... Wait a second.

"Surprised?" Leo asked once he saw my face "I was afraid you were going to react like this"

"Oh my god" I was only able to murmur that "You.." I stammered "You are Leo Porter" I stated "Jake's brother"

"And that" Leo said taking the camera again "It's true" He grinned.

Oh shit. Oh no. Oh my god.

This can't be happening.

Jake's brother? There's no way!

I was still in shock. I will probably always be.

Is there something else I have to know before I get a heart attack?

"Okay" Brad said clapping "Let's get this started"



Austin's POV

"Now what?" Alex asked me for the third time.

I hushed him. "Let me think"

We were both sitting inside my car outside Ashley's house.

A billion police officers and reporters where on his front yard, cameras and people everywhere.

I could hear a reporter all the way from here. She was talking to the camera in front of her.

"We are here reporting from the senator's Louis Ridgell house. Her daughter Ashley Ridgell has been missing since yesterday. Apparently her parents saw her for the last time lastnight at home, bur our contacts tell us her mother's car was found parked on a bakery miles away from her house. This case is being evaluated as a possible kidnapping, but officers can't do anything yet until 48 hours are completed. This was Lana Frey reporting from..."

"So she is all over the news now" Alex said after hearing what I heard.

Of everything the woman said I could only think about one thing.

"They won't do anything in 48 hours" I said "She could be dead by then" When I said that out loud I instantly regretted it. Even thinking about it made me sick "We are the only ones that can help her now"

We both looked at the watch. 12:30.

"We found nothing on Jake's house" AC stated "That dude knew nothing. He has no idea Ashley's missing" The reporter and the guy holding the camera passed right in front of our car "Well.. until now"

"If he doesn't have it, then who?" I asked more to myself than to Alex.

"I don't know man" He said shaking my head "But I can't stop thinking about Ashley"

I instantly turned to see him.

"What the hell dude?"

"No" He instantly replied "I mean. We were supposed to give them the flash-drive half an hour ago. They threatened on hurting her. I just don't want her to get hurt, you know what I mean?"

At that moment my cellphone buzzed. I took it out of my back pocket.

On the screen it showed:

"Brad Tyson has sent you a video"

Just seeing his name made me want to kill someone.

Alex saw that too and leaned on me to see it. I clicked on it.

The room was all dark but there was a light coming from somewhere that illuminated everything. The camera was placed somewhere and someone came out on film.

Brad.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw her. Ashley was tied down on a chair. Both hands and feet. Did she had a bruise on her right cheek? YOU SON OF A BITC-

"Say hi to the camera" Brad said once he knelt next to her. He waved.

The look on Ashley's face was killing me. I couldn't say anything but I was dying on the inside. She had a look of fear, she was scared.

Brad went to her back and worked on something with his hands. Then Ashley's hands were free. When did Brad got knife?

"Don't get to comfortable" He said to her. She was rubbing her wrists, she's probably hurt. Damn it.

He took a rope from a desk next to her and showed them to her. Her expression changed completely.

"Holy shit" Alex said "I swear I'm gonna kill that bastard"

Ashley begun to talk and I hushed him.

"Don't" She begged "I won't fight. I won't escape. I promise"

She tried to step back but he took her by the arm and tied her to the armrest of the chair.

"I need them" He said "They will keep you from moving. That way it'll be easier"

Easier for what you asshole!?

I swear to God if he touches her, even one hair in her head, I swear he'll regret the day he was born.

He did the same with the other hand. She was now tied again. She tried to move but it didn't work.

"There" Brad said turning to the camera "Lets make sure this thing work"

He called a name I didn't get. Someone came in and took the camera.

Ashley said something but it was almost a whisper. The guy in the camera chuckled.

"Okay" He said. His voice sounded louder than Brad's and Ashley's now that he had the camara closer to him "I'm ready"

Brad grinned and came closer to the camara. Blade in hand.

"You know Austin" He started "I thought you cared about this girl" He said turning and poiting at her with the blade "I thought you cared at least more than you care about a flash drive..." His face now covered the whole screen "But I see you don't..."

He walked back, I could see Ashley again. She started crying.

Brad stopped once he was next to her.

"Maybe" Brad said "You do care for her" He placed the tip of the blade in her neck "And maybe" He continued "All you need is a little motivation to realize it"

My breathing increased uncontrolablly.

"DON'T YOU DARE!" I yelled.

The camara guy came closer to the chair where Ashley was, Brad by her side.

Brad started passing his blade all over Ashley's face and arms.

I had to close my eyes and bit my lip.

Ashley's crying increased.

"Shh shh" Brad cooed her "It's not your fault" He said leaving the tip of his blade on Ashley's forearm. "You can blame Austin for this"

He pressed the sharp blade against her skin, and went all the way down to her palm, leaving a deep, red cut on her whole arm. Blood was coming from everywhere.

At first her face was in shock but when the blade sliced down she let out a scream of pure pain. You could see on her face how much pain it was. The scream was mixed with crying.

My heart was beating extremley fast. You could hear my breathing from miles away. Everything inside me hurt, seeing her like this hurted more than anything in the world.

"See what you did Austin?" Brad asked while rubbing his blade with a towel to remove the blood. Ashley could still be seen from behind him, crying in pain. "That was just her right arm. She still has another one, and her neck... It's your choice. I'll give you until five, and then goes her other arm" He stopped right in front of the camara and smile digustedly "Guess I'll see you soon"

The video was over and the screen turned black.

I didn't move. Not a muscle. I was still breathing heavily, My fists were really tense. I was trying to hold my own words.

Alex took my phone from me once he notice I could be able to break it with my bare hands.

"We can't let him do that again" AC said.

I couldn't say anything. I couldn't do anything.

Just knowing she's somwhere out here. Alone, crying.. hurt for fucks sake. She's bleeding and she can't even move her own hand. Who will help her? She needs me. I should've never left her. Never.

"We got two more hours" I stated. Finally taking my eyes off my hands and turning to see Alex. "We are not going to find that damn flash drive in two hours! We didn't find it with one month Goddammit"

"We have to find it" Alex continued. I shook my head. He doesn't understand "It has to be somewhere and if we try enough we can-"

"Alex!" I yelled so he could shut up "Are you even listening to me? We won't find it, not now and maybe not ever. We need to think about something else. The flash-drive is not an option anymore"

I left Alex thinking.

"You're right" He said nodding "I'm sorry"

"This is not your fault" I said turning the car on.

"I know" He said "But I'm sorry we couldn't stop Brad from hurting Ashley"

I closed my eyes just at the thought of it.

"Don't worry. I won't let that happen again"



***



"Shit man" Robert said after seeing the video Brad sent me two hours ago "That dude is sick"

"I can't believe he lived with us" Tyler said disgusted "He better watch his back because if I ever see him again-"

"We will see him again" I corrected him "Today to be more precise.We have three more hours before that pice of shit does something to Ashley again. We need to find her. Now."

"That's impossible" Zach said "Sorry, but they could be anywhere"

"It's been almost half a day since they took her" Alex said "They couldn't have left the city"

"But they won't be stupid enough to keep her on a place where we'll look for her" Tyler said "They must be somwhere we don't even know exists"

I know they're right but I can't accept it. I need to find her. No matter what.

"Wait a second" Robert said. None of us had realized he was still sitting on the couch replaying the video of Ashley for the third time. "Did you guys hear that?" He said pointing to the phone.

"Hear what?" I asked coming closer to him to see what he was looking at. Everyone did the same.

"Listen to this closely" He said replaying an specific part of the video. We all saw it again. It was the part when Brad blamed me for sliding his hand.

Why did it had to be the worst part?

I closed my eyes.

"I don't hear anything man" I said opening my eyes once Robert paused the video again.

"Yeah, me neither" AC agreed.

"You're not paying attention" Robert said replaying the video "Listen to the background, right when Ashley screams"

God. I had to see that again, but this time I actually heard something.

"Wow" Alex said. Apparently he heard it this time too "Take it back, play it again"

Robert did as told.

The sound Robert wanted us to hear was barelly audible. If he hadn't replayed that tape the bunch of times he did, none of us would've realized it. It wasn't loud, but the thing causing that sound was surely something big. I don't know what that was but I swear it sounds familiar.

"The sound doesn't come from inside the room" Robert said "Its something coming from the outside, really far from where they are actually"

"It sounds like a car to me" Zach said "The thing is, cars doesn't make that much sound"

"So it might be something bigger than a car" Robert said. He played the part for the millionth time.

"Its sounds like.." Tyler started.

"A train" I finished for him. Then it all clicked in my mind. "What if they knew we were gonna look in the most hidden places?" I asked retorically "They knew that we weren't going to look on the obvious ones because it wouldn't make sense" Everyone stared at me confused "Think about it. Maybe they chosed the most obvious place because they knew we wouldn't look for them in it. And what is the only place that we know has a railroad near it?"

"The winter cabin" Alex answered surprised he knew the answer.

"Exactly" I said grinning and proud. "Our cabin"


Ashley's POV

The pain of my arm was unbarable. I realeased choked cries every second. Even tho its been two hours since Brad did this to me it still hurts like the time he sliced it on my skin.

A few minutes ago I thought I was going to pass out from the pain, but I stayed awake, barely realizing what was happening around me.

As soon as Brad cut me he left. Leaving me with alone with my harmed arm and Leo.

I knew they weren't going to help me with it. Blood kept coming out everytime the old one dried. It hurted like hell. My whole arm was red. No sign of my skin color. I couldn't even look at it.

Out of nowhere Leo got out of the room and closed the door behind him. I thought he wasn't coming back, but to my surprise he did, and he had paper with him and a bottle of alcohol.

He took the chair under the desk and placed it next to my bleeding arm.

"Wha-What are you doing?" I stammered. The pain didn't even let me talk properly.

"I'll clean your cut" He said taking obe pice of paper and watering it with alcohol.

"I-I thought Brad told you not to get near me"

"He did, but he is not here anymore" He looked at me and made a week smile "I'll press this on it, it will hurt" he said raising the wet paper "Ready?" He asked.

I closed my eyes and nodded bitting my lips.

The feeling of the alcohol pressed to the cut felt a hundred times worse than the cut itself.

I tryed to keep myself from screaming but I wasn't able to contain it for a long time.

"Almost done" He said after I whimpered in pain "Just one more time"

He pressed it again for the last time and once he was done I was finally able to let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry he did this to you" He apologized "If I had know he was going to do this I swear I would have said no"

I didn't answered anythihg back. I looked at my arm, it wasn't all red anymore. It had red marks all over it, and the cut kept the blood coming out, but it was way much better than before.

"My brother is gonna kill me for this" He said chuckling and shaking his head "When he realizes I was part of this he will beat the crap out of me... I deserve it tho"

He is talking about Jake.
Oh Jake. What would I give to have you here now, so you could help me get out of here.

I finally looked at him, and I found him staring straight at me.

"He cares about you, you know?" He asked "He's always talking about you and your other friend" He must mean Chloe "You are really important to him" He waited for second. Everything was silent "You know what? If you asked me, I would say he loves you as a sister more than he loves me as his brother"

Why is he saying this to me? To make me feel bad about him? or is he really being honest?

"I don't deserve anyone to love me anyways" He said shrugging "But that Austin guy?" He said raising his brow "He is lucky to have you. Everyone who has someone by their side when they're working on this job, living this shitty life like me and him, all of them are lucky. He is lucky"

I don't know what he means with that, but it felt nice to hear that about me coming from someone.

I was going to say something but we heard footsteps.
Leo ran and hid the papers and the alcohol. He moved the chair to the opposite side of the room and sat right before the door was opened.

Brad came in grinning as usual but this time he was talking with someone by the phone.

"Yeah yeah" He said "I seeing her right now. Yes. I sent him the message you told me. I gett it Dave. Yeah whatever. Okay boss"

Dave? It sounds familiar.

I bet I heard Austin talking about him sometime...

Why is Brad talking to him too? I thought they were enemies.

"The clock is ticking" Brad said once he ended the call "Time is almost up... they have,uhm..." he looked at his watch "15 minutes"

He then noticed Leo was still here.

"You can go now" Brad said to Leo. He pointed at the door behind him.
Leo got up and trudged there. He got out but not before giving me a sad look and then closing the door. "You better pray for him to call" He said looking at me.

All the time left I had left with a healthy and safe arm were 15 minutes. Austin is never going to find the flash drive.

I fell terrible for keeping that thing now. I always knew I was wrong by having it, but I never thought something this big could happen.

If Austin at least knew I had it, he could do something. Now there's no way I can tell him where it is. And telling Brad I had it? Will just make my death sentence. Knowing that he has the one that really has the flash drive wil make him need Austin no more. And then, he would actually kill him. But now that he will never get the flash drive, I will be the one who is going to get killed.

"Five more minutes" He said patting his watch with a blade.

A loud sound came from outside the room. Both of us were startled,

It sounded as if a window was broken or something like that.

We both remained silent to see if we catched something again. But we heard nothing.

"Time is up" Brad said walking towards me.

"No no no" I said rapidly "You said there were 5 more minutes!"

"And they haven't called, have they?" He asked mockingly "I think we could pretend those five minutes are over... how about we count them as seconds?" He said smiling, proud of his idea. "Five"

"You can't do this to me" I begged.

"Four"

"No!"

"Three" Every second meant one more step towards me. By now he was on my knees. "Two" He holded my left arm in one hand and pressed the tip of the blade in my forearm.

"Please don't" I said for the last time.

"One" At the second he said that he pressed the blade again but this time harder, making the wound deep. But just when he was about to slide down. The sound of gunshots where exploading all over the place.

He stopped inmidiatly and turned to the door.

I wanted to cover my ears but my hands where tied.

The sound was as loud as it could possibly be. The gunshots didn't stop. Thee sound of broken windows, screams, voices, and moving furniture were there too.

"What the hell is going on!?" Brad yelled in dispair. Right after he said that his face changed completly, as if he recognized something. He ran to the door and made sure it was locked. Then he ran to me, blade on hand. "That smartass" He murmured angry.

He moved the blade to my hand. Just when I thought he was going to cut me again he cut the ropes. Both of them. Hands and feet.

"GET UP!" He yelled angry "GET UP RIGHT NOW!!" He yelled again. He took me by my harmed arm and lifted me up.

I screamed in pain.

"SHUT UP!" He yelled shaking me, only making the pain worse. He throwed the blade to the other side of the room and took a gun out of his back.

The gunshots ceased and footsteps where coming closer.

Brad poited his gun at the right side of my forhead at the same time the door was slammed opened

My heart dropped when I saw who it was.

Austin came rushing in with a big gun in his hands.

He murmured my name when he saw me.

"LET HER GO" He demanded.

Brad tried to remain calm.

"You take one more step in and I shoot her" Brad warned him. Austin went silent. "All I asked for was the flash-drive Austin, and you couldn't get it... If you don't give it to me right now I'll shoot her"

"I DON'T HAVE IT WITH ME!" Austin yelled "DON'T YOU GET THAT!?"

"You better get it if you want her back alive" He warned again. "Or else, I'm taking her with me"

"He can't get it!" I yelled to Brad "He is telling you he doesn't have it" I was trying to ignore the agonizing pain that was coming from Brad's hand pressed on my arm. "Please let me go"

"You are not going anywhere until I get what I want" He said making more pressure on the hand over my arm.

I screamed.

"STOP HURTING HER!" Austin yelled "OR I'M GOING TO SHOOT YOU! I SWEAR I WILL SHOOT YOU"

"I will die either way" Brad answered "We both know that. So why don't I make you pay and take her life with me?" He said pressing the gun closer to my head.

"Don't" I begged.

"Tell me where the flash-drive is" Brad said to Austin "Or I'll shoot her in five seconds. Five" He begun counting.

"I DON'T KNOW!" Austin was as desperate as I was. Or even more.

"Four"

"BRAD WAIT!" I was the one who yelled this time.

"Three"

"He doesn't know where it is! No one knows!"

"NOOO!" Austin yelled coming a step closer.

"Two"

"I HAVE IT!" I finally yelled.

It worked. He stopped counting.

Both Austin and Brad didn't move, both staring at me.

"You what?" Austin was the one who asked first.

"I have the flash-drive" I repeated "He could have never given it to you" I said to Brad "Because he didn't know where it was. I am the one who has it. I've had it this whole time"

The desire to mourn was taking over me. I've never felt this guilty. I controled it.

"You've had that damn thing this whole time!?" Brad asked. He lowered his gun when he said that and took a step away from me to be able to see me properly.

I nodded.

"HOW THE HELL DID YOU NOT TELL-" Brad was screming at me but he was silenced by the sound of a gunshot. I jumped in my place. I turned to see Austin with both hands on his gun and a finger releasing the trigger.

Then I turned to Brad, who was now down on the floor.

"Oh my god" I murmured covering my mouth. It hurted to move my arm but I didn't even noticed at the moment.

Austin shot Brad right in front of me. He was bleeding on the floor but he wasn't dead. He was shot on his shoulder, but still he remained on the floor having trouble breathing.

I turned my hand down and began to cry. Not for Brad, but for me. Everything that has happened to me in the last 48 hours has marked me for ever, and now, I just saw a man get shot by Austin.

I felt someone's hands cover my face and pull it up. I opened my eyes to find Austin doing it. I began to cry harder once I saw him.

I pressed my head in his chest and he covered me with his arms.

He was comforting me while I cried.

"It's okay" He said slowly "Everything is gonna be okay"

We remained like that for a minute. None of us saying anything.

"Ash?" He asked still holding me.

"Mhhh?" I hummed.

"I want you to turn around" He said.

"What?" I asked raising my head "Why?"

"Just do as I say. I don't want you to see it" He asked "Cover your ears"

"Oh my God no" I said once I realized what he was going to do "Don't kill him. Please don't"

He frowned.

"You do realize all he has done to you? To me?" He asked.

"I know" I answered "But I am begging you. Please don't kill anyone. Please don't."

"I can't do that Ashley. I have to-"

"Please!" I yelled "Please do it for me"

He closed his eyes and sighed. "Okay, let's get out of here"

A wave of relief went over me. We walked by past him.

"Kill me" Brad said "Kill me cause this won't stop me. Nothing will"

"Let's keep going" Austin said to me, pressing his hand on my back.

"I will get back to you again Mahone!" He yelled "I promise!"

Austin walked back with his gun in hand.

"Austin!" I yelled hoping he wouldn't do what I was thinking he would.

He took the back of his gun and pointed at Brad.