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Call Harry. These two can wait but Jessica is in danger. The radios. He pulled his out and pressed the PTT button. "Harry," he said and waited. It was only a minute or so but seemed like forever. "Alex, where are you?" "At my farm. Two guys tried to kill me. They'll be after Jessica too." "Where is she?" "She was going to her house to get her car. If they found me they'll find her too if they haven't already." "Are you all right?" Harry asked. "I'm good," Alex replied. "As long as there aren't any more of them." "All right," Harry said. "I'm about twenty minutes from Jessica's place. I'll head that way and meet you there." "Got it. See you in a few." Alex was about the same distance away. He ran back to the driveway. A dark green Toyota Avalon was parked behind the TrailBlazer. Frankie and Vinnie's car. Have to drive through the yard to get out. Frank was waiting when he arrived at Jesscica's house. "We're too late," Frank said. "Looks like they were waiting for her." Alex looked at the Escape, the broken window. They got Jessica. Same ones sent a couple of thugs to beat me with baseball bats.
Jessica had no idea where she was. Lying in the back seat she had no idea where they had gone. When the vehicle stopped the man in the passenger seat got out and opened the back door, pointing a gun at her. "Get out," he said. She complied as the alternative was probably to be dragged. She was in a graveled parking lot, the truck parked in front of a large sheet metal building. "Move," he said, prodding her with the gun. The driver had joined them and opened a door for her to enter. Inside was a large room with a doorway in the middle. "C'mon. Move it." Through the doorway, doors on either side of the hallway. He opened a door and she was thrust inside. They're going to kill me. Alex too if they haven't already. The room was empty and she was lying on the floor. OK Jessica Marshall. They're gonna kill you if you don't do something. If you don't get your hands free you're gonna be dead real soon. The crude zip-tie restraint wasn't like the disposable handcuffs cops used - just one around each wrist and a third connecting them. The one on the left hand wasn't quite as tight. You got a chance.. The loose one wasn't loose enough. She couldn't get it past the base of her thumb to the narrower part of her hand. The room was bare, not even a window to break for a piece of glass to cut the tie. She looked a the door, a door she didn't want see open. Not without a chance to fight. The door had a lever handle. One of those long industrial types found in industrial or institutional buildings. She went over and stood with her back to the door. Left hand is the one. She got the end of the lever under the tie and with a desperate strength threw herself away from the door. A burning pain that subsided only slightly after the tie came off. She looked at her hand - it was bloody and probably missing some skin. She got the Charter out and went back to the wall and sat down, hands behind her. Took the Charter out of its holster. The pain subsided a bit as she waited. She had no idea how long it had been when the door opened. The big one - probably lucky she got the big one first. If she could kill him and take his weapon she might be able to deal with the other one. "Get up," he said as he approached. She made as if to rise, fell on her left knee. He approached and held out a hand. Being a gentleman. Big mistake. She whipped the Charter around and thrust it at his face and squeezed. The bullet went into his right eye and he fell back. Jessica grabbed the Glock from the pancake holster on his belt and pointed at the wall and squeezed the trigger. Another bang. Good, had one in the chamber. She crouched a ways from the door and waited. It opened and little skinny guy came in. She fired three shots from about five feet away and he went down. Jessica leaned against the wall, sat down. There were only two. How long before someone comes to check on them? Probably a while. Got to find Alex. She didn't want to think about them having gotten to Alex first. One of them probably had her phone - she pulled the radio out of her back pocket and pressed the TALK button. Harry responded first. "Harry here. Got Alex with me. Where are you?" Thank God. I'll do it some more later. "I don't know. A couple of guys grabbed me and drove me somewhere. I'm inside some building, industrial maybe. I haven't found my phone yet." "OK, don't worry about it now. Are you in any immediate danger?" "I was a few minutes ago," Jessica replied, "But it's over now. Permanently." "You're inside a building?" "Yeah, I haven't looked outside yet." "If you feel safe doing so," Harry said, "take a look now." Jessica took a minute to check skinny guy's body. No phone. Big guy had it in a pocket of his jacket. She took it and went to the entrance. The door was glass and she took a look at the parking lot. The only visible vehicle was the truck she had arrived in. Opening the door she cautiously stepped out and looked. No other vehicles. "Harry, I found my phone. I'm outside." "Any idea where you are?" "No, the ride here was about ten to fifteen minutes." "See any businesses, signs you recognize?" "I don't see anything.... wait, there's a big building across the road with something painted on it. Old and faded." "Can you read it?" "It looks like BLUEARROW." "An old trucking company," Harry said. "I know where that is. You're about twenty minutes away - will you be all right for that long?" "If no one else shows up. Is Alex all right?" "I'm good," Alex broke in. "We'll be there as soon as we can."
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