I awoke from a hard jerk when the truck came to a stop. When I opened my eyes, I saw nothing but darkness. I had to blink a few times before I realized there was a black sack over my head. It smelled stale like old cigar smoke or shit to me. I tried my best not to panic, I had to focus and keep my composure. The truck sat still for a while and I could hear voices talking beside me and up front. I tried hard to see through the little tiny holes that gave me a little breathing air but nothing… What the hell was going on? Who are they and where’s Charlie? The last thing I remember was locking up my office then lights out. Whatever is going on, they want me alive…

“Aw Puto! Watch where you’re going! You almost hit that bus, you idiot!” screamed the passenger riding shotgun at the driver.

I lifted my hand to touch the back of my head but was stopped by the metal rings, I'm guessing handcuffs. I didn’t feel them right away until I moved. Still with lifting both hands I managed to rub the lump swelling in the back of my head from where one of them hit me.

“I didn’t see the bus, jeez calm down! It came out of nowhere! I swear…” shouted the driver screaming back at the front passenger.

“You didn’t see the bus? How? I saw it a mile away! Just pay attention and get us there in one piece…”

The men up front continued to argue. Some in Spanish, the rest in English. The Syndicate sent the Folk Kings to get me? Didn’t know I was that special to them… Before they went around the bus, it announced the route it was taken. I heard, ‘Route 9 2nd Street towards Downtown’. That means we’re not that far from my office and I was only out for a short period of time. Good, I think.

The ride to our destination became quiet. All we could hear was the soft tunes coming from the radio. I could barely hear it though, it sounded like Spanish. The blinker clicked right as the driver turned left then right twice then we started to slow down and come a stop. The driver jerked the gear selector upwards into park. I felt like this was my moment to speak up, “You know guys, all of this was very unnecessary. I would have came willing without being hit over the head and stuffed into a truck blinded and handcuffed.” I turned my head to the right even though I couldn’t see the person sitting next to me. “Kidnapping is a federal offense by the way…”

The henchmen sitting to my right shoveled me back into the person on my left. The guy to my left slowly pushed me back to the center. The truck doors opened to my right and the henchmen grabbed me by the handcuffs pulling me out on to the ground. “Shut up and don’t say another word.”

“I was just saying, it’s not worth…” Before I could finish the same henchmen gave me a gut-wrenching punch to the stomach. It made me drop to my knees in agony. “Cheap shot asshole…” I said kneeling down holding myself.

Still unable to see anything but glimpses of the light of day through the sack, I heard someone push him henchmen away from me. “The boss said unharmed. We’re here anyway. Let’s finish what we were told to do so we can get the fuck on, ok?” I couldn't see the asshole nod, the silence made it obvious. One of them grabbed me by the arm and guided all of us inside a building.

Immediately my nerves became harder and harder to control. What the real fuck was going on? Most importantly, how am I going to get out of this? I started dragging my feet and trying to listen out for anyone else who might hear me if I screamed. I heard nothing but footsteps and echoes… I couldn't see any light coming through just pitch-black darkness. We continued guiding through turning left then right. Wherever we were the hallways were not that long. As we got closer to their destination, I began to smell a strong scent of chlorine. That’s it, my natural flight or fight was kicking in.

The room carried the echoes when anyone spoke. It was warm and humid like maybe a swimming pool area. The overwhelming smell of chlorine burned my nostrils as I began to fight whoever had me back. He dragged me to a chair and forced me to sit down. Instead of opening my handcuffs and attach them to the chair, he added another pair to them. I felt he didn’t want to risk opening my cuffs and me getting away. I screamed at him, at them, “You don’t have to do this! I didn’t do anything to anyone! At least tell me why I’m here!” My echoes bounced off the empty walls and no one answered me.

A few moments later, I could hear footsteps walking towards me. The stride and clicking noise of sounded like heels against the hard floor became louder as they approached. The clicking noises stopped right in front of me causing a whiff of air to brush past me. Immediately I recognized the perfume… could it be?

I felt the sack over my head loosen and slowly was pulled of my head. My eyes took a few minutes to adjust to the light plus I didn’t have my glasses. I’m sure they’re outside my office door since that’s where they snapped me. I blinked a few times again trying to focus on the woman’s face. I already knew who it was any way…

I squinted my eyes and said, “You…”

The woman got closer which made me look up all the way. She almost touched my knees then she knelt down and got in my face, “Me…”