Chapter 20

Shawna

Julian has come in every few hours to visit me.

The first time, he brought me into the other cell, located right next to the one I woke up in, and sat me down on the filthy chair and strapped me down. I tried fighting him but he proved easily I could be overtaken by him and his size.

To say fear racked through my body at an alarming rate was an understatement. I was petrified he was going to do something I wasn't so sure I would be able to walk away from, but instead he merely walked away and returned with food and water. Maybe he didn't get the whole torture thing but I wasn't complaining. I ate the dry sandwich and swallowed down the half bottle of water with gratitude.

The second time he came in, he let me pee, which was as disgusting as it sounds. He seemed different, almost frustrated but kept his cool. His cargo pants were dirty and he had some stains on his green shirt but nothing looked like blood so I had to believe he didn't have anyone else somewhere in this hell hole. I wouldn't have forgiven myself if he had Candice or Julia somewhere in this disgusting place.

Now, as I sit here awaiting his next arrival hating that I didn't count the seconds in my head until he returned the second time. He seems like the kind of person that sticks to a schedule and that actually might help me in this situation.

My ankle is throbbing and my wrists hurt from being constrained in this small chair as it bites into my back and limbs. I tried getting out of the chair several times but all I managed to do was cut deep into my flesh. Now every movement makes the ties dig in deeper.

I lay my head back for the tenth times causing my head to hit the edge of the chair's top. I close my eyes in pain and mentally slap myself. When I shake my head to get rid of the pain, I feel something near my ear. I shaky my head a little more and that's when I feel it, a hair pin.

Now, this is the part in the movie where the hot girl trapped to a dirty chair somehow get this hair pin in her hand then bends her wrist backwards to unclip herself, magically allowing her to escape.

Me? I'm definitely not that character.

I managed to let the hair pin drop down to the floor on my first try and I blew out a frustrated breath at the fact that I would make a terrible angel for Charlie. I push my head back in frustration again but this time when I do so, the chair moves a little. I use the edges of my toes and lean back as far as I can. I can feel the chair begin coming off the tiny hinges attached to the legs from the floor.

I rock back and forth for what feels like hours, only stopping when my back and ankle react in pain unlike anything I've ever felt. Finally after a thousand tries, I managed to push myself so far back that I fall backwards on top of the chair. The old wood shatters causing one of the arms to break off. I grab a piece of wood and smash the other arm until it breaks as well. When I stand, my back protest in more pain but I push through it, intent on not getting caught standing around. He took my shoes but I'll be damned if I need them right now.

I turn to head out of the cell when Julian appears.

Fuck. Is this guy psychic?

"What the hell did you do?" He screams throwing the water on the ground causing it to pop open and spill all over the cement. I want to run over and drink it up but I don't think he would appreciate that. "Look what you've done, now I have to bring you to a different cell."

He moves towards me but I duck around him and land on the thin mattress. He looks different than he did a few hours ago. His eyes are larger, and he is sweating profusely. I can also see a bit of shaking in his body. He's on something.

"Goddammit. This is going to shit fast. First the fucking kid is gone, then the stupid idiots from that MC can't stick to their goddamn word." I can't understand his words completely because he's mostly mumbling and is not making much sense. I stand up from the cot, looking from the cell exit back to Julian.

"Now I have to do this the hard way." He says as he brings out a knife and turns around to face me. I still have the wooden arms and legs attached to my very badly injured hands and feet so I pick one of them up and stick it up to him. "You think you could stop me with a fucking piece of wood?" He chuckles but before he could attack, I swing the wood in his direction and as he jumps back, obviously more battle combat ready than little old me, he trips over the rest of the wood on the floor and I use that as my escape.

I run out of the cell and straight towards the right. I've already tried this way before, but I'm hoping he kept the door unlocked this time since he was down here with me. I reach the door and hurry to open it as I can hear his footsteps coming right behind me. Luckily the door opens and I swing it back and lock it as soon as possible.

I see stairs to my left as he begins banging on the door and pummeling it. Knowing it won't hold I run up the stairs quickly and run right into a mass of muscle.

"Shawna?"

I look up and see the Max standing above me. Before I can react or call out his name in relief, he picks me up and carries me up the rest of the stars.

"Max, how did you find me?"

"Never mind that right now babe, I need you to run out of this corridor and right out the entrance. Shane is up there but he's armed. Make sure you call out to him, do you understand?"

"Wait, what are you going to do, I can't leave you."

"I'll be fine, now go. Go!" I run in the direction he told me to go, screaming for Shane the entire time. Two figures come at me and I stop in exhaustion as they find me.

Austin and Shane circle me and check me over.

"I'm fine, I'll be fine, but you need to go that way." I point in the direction I had just come from. "Max might need you. There are stairs and a locked room. Julian is inside and he's deranged and unbalanced. He kept talking about a kid and an MC. He's got a knife."

"We'll get to Max. Take my phone and go outside and call for backup. Stay in a small area where people can't see you. We don't know if this fucker is working with someone. You sure you're good?"

"I will be, just please Austin, get to him. Don't let anything happen to Max."

Austin nods and he and Shane pull out their guns and rush to the corridor I ran out of. I pray that they find him and it's not too late. I run to the exit and run outside. The sun beams at me and it takes a moment for my eyes to adjust.

The nearby area is deserted. I look back and take in the building Julian had me held in. It looks to be some kind of old burned down hospital. There are old half burned cars and debris everywhere. I can spot some old caution tape that flaps at the wind and the once green grass is now a dark brown. I run over to one of the cars and sit down right in front of it, blocking me from the sun and anything that might come looking for trouble.

I pull out Austin's phone, find Chance's number and call him. He answers on the first ring.

"Prez."

"Chance? Chance it's me, it's Shawna. The guys found me but they are inside fighting that Julian guy. They might need help."

"Shit, glad I sent Shane ahead to meet up with them. Where are you darlin'?"

"I-I don't know. It's an old hospital I think but he knocked me out and took me here. I don't know where it is."

"It's alright, I'll have Torque pinpoint the cell, do me a favor and make sure you stay outside and do not go in there. You hearing me Shawna?"

"Yes, yes I hear you. Just get here Chance. I can't let them get hurt."

"We'll be there darlin' hang tight." Chance hangs up and I try to reign in my tears and heavy breathing.

A thought occurs to me after a few seconds and I hate that I'm about to do something that is potentially the stupidest thing I've ever done. What if they need help? What if Austin and Shane went the wrong way? Max could be all alone right now. I can't let that happen.

I stand up, leave the phone there just in case they need the open service and run back inside.

Hope this works.