Chapter 3
"Sara, is something wrong?"
"Huh?" She asked, looking at Ian.
"You're not here."
"I'm fine. It just seems like something isn't right." She shook her head and smiled.
"Just one of those feelings. It's probably nothing."
Just then they saw Renee and Gabriel walking toward them. There was someone else with them. She was about the same
age as Renee with light brown hair and soft gray eyes. She had a smile on her face, but there was a troubled look in her eyes.
Sara stood up and walked toward them. "Who's this?" She asked when she met them in the middle of the room.
"This is Cara. She's a friend from school. She got here yesterday."
"Nice to meet you, Cara." She turned to Renee and Gabriel and asked, "Are you ready?"
They nodded and headed over to where Ian was sitting. Cara stood against the wall and watched. The four of them headed
over to the mats. Sara and Renee walked to one end and Ian and Gabriel stayed at the other.
"Try to kick me."
Gabriel brought his foot up and sent it forward. Ian grabbed it and quickly let go.
"Good. Much better than last week."
Gabriel grinned at the praise.
*******
"I want you to try to block my punch." She threw her fist at Renee. The younger girl raised her arm to block it. Sara smiled
at her. "That was good. Very quick."
They rested for a moment, then Sara said, "I'm gonna grab you from behind. I want you to try to get away."
Renee nodded and turned her back toward Sara. She grabbed her arms and held them tightly. Renee tried to pull her arms
away. When that didn't work, she started to twist her body, but this didn't work either.
Sara let go of her arms and Renee turned around. "You don't want to panic. I know that's easier said then done. When I
come up behind you, relax and just slip out of my grip."
She nodded again and Sara came up behind her and repeated the exercise. This time Renee let her muscles relax and easily
slipped out of her grasp. She smiled at Sara. "That's much better, Renee."
They turned around to see the two men walking toward them. "You two have really improved over the last month," she said
to Gabriel and Renee. "I just hope your skills never have to be tested."
They walked over to where Cara was standing, and after saying goodbye to Sara and Ian, they walked out to the car, then
started to drive back to Renee's. They hadn't gone far when Gabriel said, "I need to stop at my shop. Just drop me off and I'll
walk home soon."
He watched her drive away, then walked inside.
*******
She knew something was wrong, but she didn't know what it was. When the door opened easily under Renee's hand, Cara's
worry increased. "Didn't you lock the door before we left?"
Renee stopped and thought for a moment. Then all the color drained from her face. "I think I did."
She stood there for a minute, unsure of what to do. Then, taking a deep, steadying breath, she pushed the door open and
stepped inside.
It didn't look like anyone had been there. Everything was in order. That told Renee that something was wrong here. She
took a careful look around, but didn't see anything missing.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw that the bedroom door was slowly creeping open. She grabbed Cara's arm and backed
out of the door. Renee took her phone out of her coat pocket and dialed Gabriel's cell phone number.
*******
Gabriel was in the back room when he heard his cell phone ringing. He walked over and picked it up. "Hello."
"Gabriel." Renee's voice sounded strained with panic.
"What's wrong?" He asked with fear clutching at his heart with an iron fist. He heard a sharp intake of breath and then
silence. "Renee? Are you there?" He was starting to panic, but forced himself to calm down and think. He turned his phone
off and threw on his coat. The next second, he was out the door and running down the street toward Renee's apartment.
He arrived five minutes later breathing heavily. He paused for a second to get some of his breath back, then bounded up the
steps.
*******
Two men pushed Renee and Cara down onto the couch. Renee stood up, but one of the men pushed her back down. She
got back up just to be pushed down again. A seething rage was starting to rise in her. These men had broken into her home
and were now holding them captive.
"Just sit down," one of the men said. He sounded more annoyed than angry. "Whoever you called will be here soon. Unless
he's smart."
"What do you want?"
"You'd like to know, wouldn't you?"
"Yeah." There was a sarcastic bite to her voice. "That is why I asked."
He didn't reply. The other four men in the room just stood there watching them. Their heads turned when they heard
footsteps approaching. Renee's face went pale. She knew it was Gabriel.
The other men looked at the one who had spoken, he was obviously the leader. He nodded and they stood to the side of the
door. When it opened, Gabriel stepped in and two of the men jumped him, grabbing his arms.
He tried to get away, and when he couldn't pull out of their grip, he kicked one man in the shin. The man involuntarily let go
of his arm and grabbed his leg. He spun around and smashed his left fist into the other man's mouth and he let go too. Then,
the other three men were on him.
A right crossed to his jaw, and a left stiffened his mouth. Another right smashed him on the chin, then a left dropped him to
his knees. He felt a foot in his back, and the next thing he knew, his head was hitting the floor.
He came off the ground with a lunge and threw everything he had into a right-handed swing, but caught only empty air. A
hard-knuckled fist slammed into his chest, then one of them clipped him on the jaw, and lights exploded in his brain. He hit
the floor flat on his back and tried to get up. A foot pressed against his chest stopped that.
Two of the men picked him up and dragged him over to the couch. They dropped him to the floor in front of Renee and
Cara. "That's what he gets for being foolish," the leader said.
Renee just glared at him. She was shaking with anger and frustration. Gabriel struggled to a sitting position and shook his
head to clear it. Then, he slowly got to his feet. The leader watched him with grudging admiration.
One of the men came over to him. "Why don't you just sit down, boy?"
Gabriel shook his head and quickly lifted his foot to kick the man. He was quicker though. He grabbed it and held it in the
air, leaving Gabriel defenseless. Renee jumped to her feet and ran at the man. She rammed her shoulder into his back, and all
three of them fell to the floor.
Another man grabbed her shirt collar and pulled her to her feet. Then, he put a gun to her head.
"Now, boy, sit down," the leader said.
All of the color drained from his face, and he sank into a chair. He pushed Renee back down onto the couch, and she stayed
there this time.
The leader walked over to the couch and squatted down in front of Cara. "The boss'll be happy to see you. He was very
upset when you left."
"He can take his time. I left because I didn't want to be with him anymore. He didn't seem to get that."
"I don't really care about that." He stood up and sent two of the men outside. "Stay out of sight. If anyone tries to come in,
stop them."
Just as the door closed again, the phone rang. Renee jumped up to answer it, but the leader motioned for her to sit back
down. It rang three more times before the answering machine picked up.
"This is Sara. Guess you guys aren't there though. Call me when you get in."
"When she doesn't hear from us, she's gonna come looking," Gabriel threatened.
"I'll shut him up for you, Duff," one of the men offered.
"No," he replied, shaking his head. He walked over to Gabriel and hauled him to his feet. He sent a fist into Gabriel's
stomach and he doubled over in pain. Gabriel fell to the floor. It was only by sheer force of will that he kept the nauseous
feeling at bay, let alone stood up.
"You aren't very bright, are you, boy?"
"Do not call me boy." Gabriel forced the words out.
He couldn't help but chuckle at this. They could kill him, and this kid was upset that they were calling him boy. He sobered
up and said, forcefully, "Listen, boy."
"Don't call . . . "
Duff slapped him and started a trickle of blood at the corner of Gabriel's mouth. Gabriel glared at him, but didn't reply.
"You had better sit there and keep quiet unless you really want to get hurt. I don't think you're that stupid. Please don't
prove me wrong. I enjoy my peace." He pushed Gabriel back onto the chair and walked over to his men.
*******
When there was no answer at Renee's, Sara called Gabriel's apartment. There was no answer there either. Just then the
witch blade decided to give her a vision. She saw Gabriel sitting in a chair. Renee and her friend, Cara, were on the couch
beside him. She could see fear and anger in their faces. She grabbed her coat and helmet on her way out the door.
