A Different Kind of Animal

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Arabelle felt her jaw drop. Leo was that scary old man’s son?! It was hard to believe.

Leo thought so, too, apparently. He looked a bit shaken, but his voice was firm as he said, “You’re lying.”

“Suit yourself.” Big Ben shrugged, looking very pleased with himself. “But why would I lie about that? I could have said something crazy like you’re an alien from Mars or somethin’.”

“At least now I know that’s not a possibility,” Leo replied scathingly, his voice dripping with hate. “Because it’s not like I know where I do come from.”

Arabelle eyed Leo worriedly, watching as he put his hand unknowingly to his stomach and started working his feet under him to stand up. Ben kicked him back down. Leo snarled, his face strained, and she could tell that he was in a lot of pain and trying not to show it. No doubt because Big Ben would probably leap on the opportunity to make him feel even worse.

“Well, anyway, guess I should tell you what I’m supposed to tell you.” Steadying his rifle again with his good arm, Big Ben nodded his head toward her without taking his eyes off Leo and said, “She comes with me.”

“The hell she does!” Leo roared, and Big Ben had to hold Leo to the floor with his foot and the gun.

“Boss’s orders. Guess he wants to have a little chat with her.”

The guy certainly knew how to push Leo’s buttons, because her friend—boyfriend?—looked ready to explode.

“I won’t let you,” Leo growled through bared teeth, his long canines glistening with saliva. Big Ben mustn’t get intimidated easily, because Arabelle thought that Leo looked absolutely terrifying.

“I was afraid you’d say somethin’ along those lines,” Big Ben said, feigning disappointment.

Arabelle saw something shiny drop down out of Ben’s sling into his waiting hand. Leo didn’t notice. Before she could shout a warning, he plunged a syringe deep into the top of Leo's arm.

Leo hissed with pain, staring down at the syringe with shock and anger. Snarling, he swiped at the other man’s head, but Ben ducked and backed up a few steps. He dodged the next five blows that Leo tried to land after scrambling to his feet, each one getting more and more sluggish. Then Leo staggered to a halt, breathing heavily as he tried to stay conscious, and whispered “Sorry, Ara—” before collapsing into a heap on the floor.

Arabelle was trembling, unwilling to look at Big Ben, keeping her eyes glued to Leo’s motionless body. In her peripheral vision, she could see Ben moving toward her, stopping just a couple of feet away.

His voice was surprisingly apologetic as he said, “I really wish you hadn’t gotten mixed up in all this.” Then, more sternly, he ordered, “Don’t say a word till I say it’s okay. You’re going to follow me, and don’t be tryin’ nothin’ funny, ya hear? Or I won’t hesitate to shoot.”

From some dark recess of her mind, she found the courage to say, “You’re going to kill me, anyway, so what does it matter?” She had wanted to sound strong, but her voice was halting and raspy with barely restrained tears.

The worst part was that Big Ben didn’t deny it. He handed her a black scarf from his pants pocket and said, “Cover your eyes.”

Once she’d reluctantly blinded herself, she felt the cold metal of the muzzle poke into her lower back to prod her along, and she allowed herself to be led. There wasn’t any other choice.

“Stop outside the door.”

She did, and she heard him pressing buttons behind her, no doubt securing Leo within the room again. She couldn’t help but ask, “Is he going to be all right?”