Author's note: Hey everyone!!!! Eleventh chapter is now up!!!! I hope you'll enjoy my attempt at suspense... it's making me kinda nervous.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS!!!! I love you all! :)
Superdani: IT IS getting kinda depressing... but it'll get better I swear!
Chapter 11: Taken
Horatio knew something was wrong the moment he stopped the car in front of his house. He climbed out of the Hummer and half ran up to his front door, which had been left wide open. He walked in and looked around, trying to stay calm as he looked for his niece.
"Peyton?" He called out, hoping he was wrong. He looked in the kitchen and made his way down the hall towards her bedroom. "PEYTON???"
She wasn't in the house. Sirens could be heard approaching in the distance as Horatio flipped his cell phone open.
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Peyton took a sharp breath as she started waking up. Her head was pounding and her whole body felt sore. She kept her eyes closed, trying to fight the waves of dizziness that kept washing over her. The seat she was sitting on shook continuously and her head kept hitting something hard and flat.
'I'm in a car?' she thought, not remembering when she'd left her uncle's house. Last thing she could remember was sitting on Horatio's couch, working on her computer. Someone had knocked at the door and then…
Oh God.
Another wave of dizziness washed over her as she straightened and tried opening her eyes. She could feel the cold sweat beading at her forehead as she pressed her hand over her mouth, willing herself not to be sick. She took a deep breath and forced her eyes open again.
She was in a moving car. A car she'd never been in before. She slowly turned her gaze towards the driver and gasped, instantly recognizing her kidnapper's dark face. He was the same man Ryan had helped her get away from. She watched him with horrified eyes as his lips spread into a large grin. He turned his black eyes in her direction and smiled brightly. "Good! You're awake! I was wondering when I'd get to see these beautiful brown eyes of yours!"
Peyton stayed silent, having no idea how to react. A part of her wanted to kick and scream and call for help, but the other part was telling her to stay calm. This man was three times her size.
"How are you feeling, baby?" He lifted his hand up to her face and brushed a loose curl away from her face. "You might feel nauseous for a little while, but it's gonna go away soon, I promise."
Peyton swallowed with difficulty. "Where are you taking me?" she whispered, still unable to find her voice.
"It's a surprise!" he told her cheerfully, his focus back on the road. "I'm taking you to our special place."
Peyton's eyes grew even wider as she started imagining places he could be taking her. She looked out the window and tried concentrating on trying to recognize the buildings. She'd never been in this part of Miami… that's if they were still in Miami. How long had she been out? She bit her lip, forcing herself to stay calm.
Horatio would find her.
"Listen, baby" he started, his voice soft. "I know we've been having a rough time lately, but you have to believe me when I say I want to make things better. Do you believe me?"
Peyton looked down at her hands and nodded her head in agreement. She had to play along.
"Great." He said, clearly satisfied with her answer.
Peyton saw his hand leave the steering wheel as he reached to touch her knee. She quickly moved away from his touch and shut her eyes, knowing she'd made a big mistake.
He pulled his hand away and hit his fist against the steering wheel in anger. "Do NOT move away from me!!!" he shouted, his soft voice long gone.
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When Ryan and Calleigh finally reached Horatio's house, there were already a few police cars and curious bystanders circling the perimeter.
"Oh my God, what happened?" Calleigh muttered, stepping out of the hummer.
Ryan's heart was hammering in his chest as they quickly walked towards the front door. They found their boss standing in his kitchen, apparently waiting for them. "Horatio? Where's Peyton?" he asked him, trying not to show his growing concern.
The redhead turned his head towards them, his face cold. "I believe she's been taken."
Calleigh's hand shut up to her mouth. "Oh my God."
On the outside, Ryan seemed calm but on the inside, he was panicking. "Taken? As in kidnapped?"
"Yes." Horatio gave them a stern look and pointed at the door. "I want you to process the entrance and the rest of the house. We need to find who took her." He waited for their acknowledgment and left them to work. He made his way out of the house and spotted Frank walking towards him.
"Frank, what have you found?"
The tall man pointed towards the crowd. "I talked with your front door neighbor, Mrs. Barr. She's the one who called 911. She said she saw a tall man throw something in his vehicle and drive off. At first she didn't really think anything of it, until she noticed your door had been left wide open. She thought he was a thief."
Horatio nodded his head. "What type of vehicle was he driving?"
"She said it was a dark green pick-up truck. She wasn't able to see the license plate number." Tripp answered as he started dialing on his cell phone.
"Frank, we need to find that truck."
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Peyton could barely control her emotions as she watched the moving buildings pass by. Everything in the neighborhood seemed abandoned, the buildings old and dirty. No one could be seen anywhere, so calling for help would probably be useless. She'd just make him mad again. Her face still throbbed where his hand had contacted with her cheek.
She turned her head as she felt the truck slowing down.
"We're here!" he announced, his voice cheerful again. They stopped in front of what seemed like an old abandoned apartment building.
Peyton stayed quiet, not knowing what to say. She watched him as he turned the engine off and looked at her, his lips in a large smile. "Sorry if I lashed out earlier…" He waited for her to say something and frowned when she didn't say anything. "Why are you being such a bitch about this?" he asked her, his voice harsh.
She winced and shook her head. "I'm… sorry. Do you want to take me inside?"
He pinched his lips and reached inside his pocket. Peyton's eyes followed his every movement as he found what he was looking for and held it out to her. It was a cell phone. "I will. But first, there's something I want you to do."
She looked at the object but didn't move to take it. "What…"
He grabbed her wrist and forced the phone in her hand. "Call him." He growled. His eyes never left her face as he waited for her to do what he wanted.
Peyton looked down at the small black object in her hand. "Who?"
"Don't play stupid with me! Call HIM!" He shouted, getting more and more agitated.
"I don't know who you're talking about!" she cried, her hands shaking with fear.
She whimpered when he grabbed her face and forced her to look at him. "The guy you've been seeing behind my back." He kept hold of her chin, watching her face as she started understanding who he meant. "Call him, and tell him you'll never see him again."
Peyton's lips trembled as hot tears travelled down her face.
He brought his face closer to hers, forcing her to look at him. "Do it, or I'll kill him."
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