Chapter 2

Emma was cold, wet and scared. One of the men that had pulled her into the van had wrapped ropes around her hands and feet. He had put something over her mouth so she couldn't yell and around her eyes so she couldn't see. They weren't very gentle when they threw her in the back of the van and her shoulder really hurt. She wanted her daddy. None of them had said much of anything to her other than to be quiet and to stop fighting back. She had bit one of them when they tried to put the object around her mouth and had also kicked one of them.

Her dad had told her once to always watch her surroundings and the people that were around. Before they blind folded her, she knew there were two men and one woman. The woman had a weird accent and was a little rougher. One of them men was mad because Emma was wearing leggings under her skirt and that she had kicked him in the groin. He had tried to put his hand up her skirt but the woman had stopped him and told him he could do whatever he wanted later. Emma was scared of what that might be.

They drove for what seemed like hours and the road was really bumpy and there were a lot of hills. Emma felt car sick. She could hear what sounded like a train in the distance. As badly as she was scared, she was trying to hear and smell what she could. What none of them realized was her cellphone was in her coat pocket and unless they noticed it, she was going to try and at least text her dad as soon as possible. She hoped that Danny was okay, she had seen the cut on his forehead. She was also really worried about her dad. She knew that he would be as scared as she was. The one thing that could do was imagine all the nights where they would all cuddle up and watch movies on the couch. She would remember how warm he was, how he smelled, the sound of his voice. It was the only thing that was comforting her.

"What are we going to do with her? I understand you think her father killed your brother, but she is just a little girl. If you want revenge, go after him or Tom Chandler. And I promise, he will rain hell down on us, especially if Lyle does what he wants to."

"I don't care that she is just a little kid. She is the one I could get to. Her sister never leaves the house and the wife is apparently almost as deadly as her husband. Lyle can do what he wants, just drive. This is my revenge on her father and Tom Chandler, he loves that little wench and it will tear him to pieces to have her in this situation. We aren't going to kill her, but when I decide to give her back, that little girl will never be the same. He will have to look at her every day and know what was done to her and that it is his fault. He probably won't want her to even live there."

The woman and the driver were arguing back and forth. Emma knew the man's name was Alex and she thought the woman's name was Renee but she wasn't sure. Lyle was in the back of the van with her but at least he was keeping his hands to himself for the moment. He smelled really bad. The only one that was even slightly was gentle was Alex. Emma had been warned about people touching her in places that she shouldn't be touched and knew that was what Lyle wanted to do to her but was mad because the leggings stopped him. She knew when they got wherever they were going, the leggings would be taken away but she had to figure out a way to keep ahold of her phone and keep it hidden.

They finally stopped after driving on a bumpy road for so long that Emma's behind was hurting. Alex gently lifted her out of the van and carried her inside somewhere. She could hear Renee and Lyle arguing outside. Alex took the object out her mouth and the blindfold from around her eyes. He gave her a drink of water and swept some hair out of her eyes.

"You have to be quiet. Not fight. I know you have a cellphone on you and I am not going to take it away. They are going to be out there for a while and we need to text your dad. That will give them a location if they ping your phone. I will do what I can to keep Lyle away from you. He likes little girls and you are just what he wants. But you have to follow instructions, understand?" Emma nodded at him, she wasn't sure why but she felt she could trust him. He worked the cellphone out of her pocket and quickly tapped out a message to her dad.

"I am with Emma. You need to track this phone, I will keep it but do not call. She is safe and I will do what I can to protect her. No promises. Do not respond to this. Emma says to tell you that she loves you."

Alex set the cellphone on silent and stuck it in his pocket. Emma wasn't sure why he was protecting her but she would listen to him. She was scared of Renee and Lyle but not as much of Alex. She just prayed that Danny was okay and that her daddy would know what to do with the text. She was keeping quiet and had gone to the bathroom. Lyle and Renee had come inside but were still arguing in the kitchen area. Emma was sitting on a wooden chair in the living room area and Alex had tied her back up but the ropes were looser and he had gently messaged her hurt shoulder. She was trying to be brave like her daddy was but it was really hard.

Renee had fixed pork and beans and force fed them to her. Emma didn't like them but not knowing when she would eat again, she did her best. Her chin was sore from Renee holding it a bit too firmly. Lyle had ran his hands up and down her legs a couple different times but the leggings slowed him down. She had originally dressed in just her skirt but her dad had made her go back upstairs and put them on since it was still cool out. She was thankful he had now. When he first told her to, she got a little frustrated at him. He could be so difficult sometimes, always making sure her and Hannah were warm enough, felt okay; that it could be kind of smothering. But she had no doubt that her dad loved her and would do anything to get her out of whatever this mess was. She just had to be brave and quiet and not fight even though she wanted to.

Alex was doing everything he could to keep Lyle away from Emma. He didn't like Renee's plan but she was paying well and he had a little girl Emma's age. He didn't have any other choices if he wanted Anna to eat. He had seen interviews with Emma's father and had read the news stories about what the Nathan James crew had done. He was scared. Renee had not told him what her plan was until they went and took Emma from in front of her house and then he was clued in. He felt horribly for Emma and felt even worse for her father. From what he knew Mike Slattery loved his children and would fight to hell and back for her. Alex had been a low level drug dealer but had been clean since before the Red Flu. Anna's mom had died and she was staying with a friend. Renee promised to pay big but he wasn't sure. Alex's life would never matter to much but he felt he was supposed to protect Emma from whatever Renee had planned. Her father had done a difficult job and maybe he had killed Renee's brother, but an innocent child shouldn't have to pay that price. Alex didn't feel that Mike should pay it either. He just hoped that Mike had gotten the text and was doing what needed to be done with it. He planned on sending another message out as soon as he got away from Renee and Lyle. He just had to make sure Emma was okay. He suspected her shoulder was broken but she was unbelievably tough.