Chapter 23

Shit.

I had just ruined any chances of a friendship with Ruby.

I just had to keep it from her for a whole fucking week. I felt absolutely horrible.

But I did it to keep her safe. If she would've known, Ruby would have never gone to this trip with me. She would have been paranoid for the rest of her life. She would try and stay away from me at all costs.

And I couldn't have that happen.

I hated to admit it, but Ruby was starting to grow on me. Without her, I don't know what I would've done. Probably going back to my bad boy ways.

Why did I say that like it was a bad thing?

Ruby was changing me, I could feel it. She made me open up to her and tell her my secrets, my fears, my memories.

"Damn it!" I yelled to no one and slammed my fist on the wall, making it shake.

She was out on her own now, in the dark, at night. I wanted to go and help her, but I couldn't. She obviously was mad and I was angry at her, too. I'd been called many names in my life: douche, idiot, asshole, etc. But saying that I was ignorant and didn't care enough about other people? That hit me hard, like a bullet. I needed to ignore it. Besides, tomorrow's the competition. I needed my sleep. She'd come back, I know it.

But no matter how hard I tried to fall into a slumber, one thing was always on my mind.

Ruby.

I woke up with a deep gasp for air. My lungs felt like they were filled with water and I couldn't breathe right. My wrists were rubbed raw from the scratchy rope that they tied them up with behind my back and onto the chair.

I couldn't call for help because of the cloth that was currently gagging my mouth.

So in summary, I was screwed.

I was put in some sort of warehouse. There were wooden crates around me and rusted pipes running along the ceilings. I wouldn't be surprised to see a mouse skit across the floor.

I shook my tied up arms and legs, causing the chair to rattle. Sighing, I slumped into the chair, ignoring the burning tug of the rope cutting into my skin.

I heard a creaky door open and I looked up to see three men walking in. The one on the left had a large body frame and bulging muscles that were escaping from his gray shirt. The man on the right was smaller, but still looked intimidating.

And then the middle one?

He had ginger hair and sharp, rectangular glasses. He was shorter than the other two, but had a face I could recognize anywhere.

Enir Borshkaschov.

"Hello Ruby," his thick Russian accent started, "it's been a long time, yes?"

I glared at him.

"Take the gag out." He instructed the left bodyguard and he came over and ripped the gag off. I winced in pain from the sharp yank.

"Long time no see Enir." I spat.

He walked closer and sat in the chair placed across from me. Crossing his legs, he grinned. "How's Pennsylvania?"

"Better than ever."

"Hmm, really?" he sighed and spoke to the right man in Russian. I picked up a few words, but couldn't get a general idea.

The man took something out of his pocket and handed it to Enir. It was my phone.

I gulped while he studied it and turned it on.

"What is your password?" He spoke, his words coming out a little unpronounced.

"I forgot." I said.

He chuckled and came closer. Squatting on his haunches, he stared me in the eye and then suddenly hit me with so much force that I trembled. He flicked out a knife and pointed it to my throat.

I refused to show fear. I absolutely refused it. I had learn long time ago that it was the prime source these evil people fed on. The fear of their victims.

"I'll ask again," the knife pressed harder, "what is your password? Hmm?"

"One," I started, and Enir pressed the number.

"Two," I said again and he entered it in.

"Three," I spoke, with a sly grin, and Enir looked at me suspiciously.

"Four."

Enir stared and I smirked, then he pressed the button and my phone opened up to my home screen.

I watched him as he pressed the phone icon and went straight to keypad.

"I heard that you made friends with a competitor in the 2015 Fighting Championships, yes?" he spoke.

I clenched my fists behind me and took a deep breath. This was all my fault, all my fault that I had gotten Ryder involved in this. I should have stayed away from him. I should have.

"I don't know who you're talking about." I said confidently.

He chuckled and pressed the knife to my throat. "You know, the boy that you have become so fond of lately."

I gulped as he pressed a little harder. "You will call him and tell him that you're in trouble. You will say that you need him to come and rescue you. Do you understand?" he said, his eyes piercing mine.

"And what if I don't?" I replied.

"Then we'll go get him, and kill him in front of you, which would be a shame because he would bring us a lot of money when we trade him."

I gulped and closed my eyes. "I'll call him."

Enir slowly typed in Ryder's contact name and his info came up. I looked up at Enir and he nodded to go on.

Him pressing the call button was terrifying. I felt as if my whole world would collapse. Maybe I should just tell Ryder to run and let them kill me.

"Ruby?" I almost cried when I heard his voice. It sounded so unaware and calm. "Ruby? You there?"

I gulped and proceeded. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm here." I heard the shakiness in my own voice.

"Ruby, are you okay?"

"I'm in trouble, Ryder." I felt a tear roll down my cheek.

"Ruby what happened? Tell me where you are!"

I sniffed. "I-I need you to come help me." I stammered.

"Where the hell are you Ruby? Tell me!" I heard him yell over the phone.

Enir held up a board with writing on it. Tell him to come to the park by your hotel.

I paused. This was it. They were going to kidnap Ryder too and sell him for money. And then they would kill me.

"Ruby! Ruby what's going on?" he yelled again over the phone.

I took a deep breath. "Ryder, I-I need you to get the hell out of this state. Don't go home, it's not safe, go somewhere where no one will find-"

A sharp object plunged into my side and I realized that it was Enir's knife. He was cursing in Russian and had the phone in his hands. I screamed in pain and clenched my teeth; the knife entering deeper and deeper into me.

"Listen up, and listen carefully. I have Ruby, and if you want her alive and well, meet us at the park near the factories at midnight. If you're not there, you're little girlfriend dies." Then he dug the knife deeper into me, causing me to scream in pain and become dizzy. The whole world looked fuzzy to me now...

"Ruby! Ru-" Ryder was cut off by Enir and I drifted into unconsciousness.