5-4: Abduction

Now it's going to get interesting. If you people don't want Janika and her stories tossed out the window you'd better give me reviews. Oh, and this is dedicated to Dianna since she submitted the 100th total review I've gotten for all my stories so far.

(((-4-)))

Janika shifted and twisted beneath the white hospital sheets that were now drenched in sweat. Her eyes flew open and she nearly cried out when she didn't recognize anything, but her throat was too dry to make more noise than a croak. She tried to move, but her hand wouldn't budge. Puzzled, Janika looked down and saw a black belt strapping her limb down.

There were several pairs of footsteps approaching the door so loud that they echoed. Janika had no way of defending herself! It opened and the girl came up short. They were her friends! All but Odd.

No sooner had she loosened up than new fears attacked her. What if they had germs! Her fingers twitched. They felt sweaty, filthy, contaminated. She thrashed violently to get free though she knew vaguely that it was pointless. Don't let them touch me! Oh Lord, please keep them away!

"Janika," Jeremy whispered as he sat beside her in the chair.

He made no aggressive moves, but the adrenaline created from fear continued to flow through her system. The boy spoke slowly and concisely.

"We need to get you out of here. It's dangerous. The only safe place is the factory. Will you come with us?"

She couldn't concentrate on him. Her eyes wouldn't focus and her thoughts refused to stop flying erratically about her mind. What was he saying? She couldn't tell. Whatever it was, she didn't want any part of it. Janika shook her head back and forth furiously. Just leave, leave!

The blonde boy nodded. "I thought you might feel that way. It's all right."

She didn't expect him to cover her nose and mouth with a cloth reeking of chloroform. Her eyes widened and she tried to scream, but she was overpowered by the chemical and slumped where she was.

"Yumi, a little help?" he asked as he folded the rag and put it away.

"Sure," she said flipping open her pocketknife. The blade was keen and cut through the straps quickly. Ulrich had taken out the harness he would use to carry Janika down the fire escape when suddenly the door flew open.

"Going somewhere?" Sissy's obnoxious voice made Ulrich cringe. "If Odd was supposed to be keeping anyone from getting inside this room, he's not doing a good job of it. The little punk is busy with a snack machine down the hall."

"What do you want?" he snapped.

"To visit my cousin, of course." Her tone suggested anything but. She practically fluttered over to him and placed a hand delicately on his arm. "And also to find out what you were stealing from the gym. We still have a date for tonight, you know."

Yumi stood fuming off to one side. "Just leave us alone and get on with your pathetic life."

"That's too bad. I have my cell right here and it would be all too simple for me to call the police since you're planning something illegal." She swept her hair over one shoulder. "Unless a certain handsome boy standing in this room decides to go with me on our date."

Jeremy stepped forward, gulping. "I'll sacrifice myself for the greater good."

The others couldn't help snorting at that.

"Not you!" the insufferable girl recoiled. "I mean Ulrich!"

Yumi was in front of the brat in a bound. "If you take Ulrich out of this room right now, I am going to tear all your hair out," she said so seriously that Sissy took a step back fearfully.

"No, it's okay. I'll go with her." The brown-haired boy got between them and ushered Sissy toward the door. "Jeremy, wish me luck."

His friend shook his hand and then they left the room. Yumi was still staring transfixed at the doorway when Odd came staggering in.

"D-d-did you j-just see that! Why didn't you guys stop them?"

Jeremy simpered coyly. "He'll just be a little late. I handed him the chloroform. It might take him some time to get her out of the way, but he'll be along soon." He opened the backpack and tossed the harness to the other blonde. "Put that on Janika. We still have to get her out of here and we definitely can't risk you dropping her."

They forced the window open and Yumi crawled out. Everything seemed okay so far. "Are you two ready?"

"It's too late to back out now anyway." Jeremy peeked back out into the hall. "Ulrich is distracting the nurses and Sissy's tapping her foot behind him. Let's do it."

They disconnected Janika from the heart monitor. That would raise red flags in the nursing station so they had to work fast. Odd hoisted the unconscious girl up and pushed her through the window to Yumi.

Jeremy followed, closing the window behind him. They raced across the rooftop to the fire escape. The two unprepared teenagers had expected a set of stairs with platforms on every floor. Instead they found themselves staring at a ladder that went straight down.

"Oh man! How could this possibly get any worse?" the girl groaned.

Suddenly a siren went off. The boys looked at her accusingly.

"It was a rhetorical question," she muttered.

I always liked to call Sissy She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed-And-Then-Betrayed. Oh, and I also wanted to officially thank my friend Paz for those wonderful drawings of Janika. If anyone wants to see them, just email me. (She might freak when she finds out, but I think her stuff is worth it!)