Hostage Part 5

Okay, so, I know you're all upset about the lack of updates but there is a good explanation for that! Now, this chapter is just getting the basics down and moving just slightly but the chapters to come will really be what the story is worth waiting for. And no, they will not take as long. Just in order to get my feeling back for the writing takes a while. So, lastly enough, enjoy! And please do not hate me.

"Here's the vehicle." The auto mechanic says as he directs Stella and Mac towards the back of the lot where the black van currently rested. "Brought in 'bout a couple hours ago."

Mac stood besides the auto mechanic as Stella began to walk around the vehicle, gloves already on her hands. He turned watched Stella for a moment before turning to look at the gentleman besides him. "Do you know why it was brought in?"

"Said that brakes were locking up. Needed it fixed or somethin'. Personally? Don't think anythin's wrong with it."

Mac nods at the mechanics answer as Stella points her flashlight into the tinted windows of the SUV, her eyes searching for anything that can help her find some connection to the kidnapping of Flack.

And as she leans closer, gloved hands positioning themselves on the window, Stella squints her eyes and peers in. At first, there's no indication what so ever that this vehicle had been used in years but there's something that reflects off the light and it catches Stella's eyes. She leans back and turns her head towards where Mac and the mechanic, her brows furrowed. "Hey, do you think you can open this for me?"

The mechanic nods quickly and pulls a set of keys out from his pocket as he walks over to where she is standing. "Yeah, sure. No problem." He takes the key and slides it into the SUV's lock and turns the key, the familiar sound of a 'click' echoing off, and pulls it open, the smell of bleach quickly filling Stella's nostrils.

"Mac!" Stella quickly calls out as Mac moves over to her side. "There's bleach in here."

The mechanic gave them questioning looks as Mac stepped closer, snapping gloves onto his hands. "Mr.-"

"Call me Dave." The mechanic quickly replies as Mac steals a glance over his shoulder at him.

"-Okay, Dave, did you or any of your workers happen to have access to this vehicle?"

"No, only me. And I swear, I did not bleach it."

Stella turns to Mac, angry and desperation lingers on her face. "Mac, this is not good at all. We've basically hit another dead end."
He knows they're at another dead end because he knew it right from the beginning. He figured that those that had captured Flack were probably close to that of experts and leaving behind a vehicle with open access would mean that evidence would soon enough be spotted.

Mac faces Stella and sighs, his head aching from the chaos and confusion of the case. "We know one thing." And at that moment Stella glances up at him. "Someone had lost a lot of blood in here."

Xxxx

"Man, ditchin' that shit was tough." Grady Akers complains as he leans back in his chair, legs stretched out on the table in front of him. "Had to make up the best fuckin' excuse."

Joe Pillatio looked up from his deck of cards to give the younger man a questioning look. "What did'cha say?"

Grady smiles proudly. "Brakes locked, somethin' up with the car heatin' up or somethin'. They bought it."
The door to the left opens and a tall man enters, tossing a bloody towel on the table where Grady's currently rest. The two other men in the room look up at their boss, Johnny Keys, as he moves past them, the smell of alcohol lingering.

"So, how'd he take it?" Grady asks as Johnny rummages around in the cupboard, looking for anything along the lines to stop the bleeding of the bite marks on his hand.

When Johnny's hands land on the napkins, his answers. "Kid's quite a fighter." He removes the napkins and stands up, grabbing the tape on the counter before pulling a chair up to where the other two men sat. "Fuckin' kid bit me."

"What did'cha do to him?" Joe asks as he looks over his cards to watch as Johnny wraps the napkin around his hand before taping them together. "Kill him, finally?"

"No, Joe. 'Ain't killin' him yet. We need him to get what we want. I just took that bat of yours and whacked him with it, demanding that he tell me all about his father's work."

Grady sits up straighter in his seat. "What? Thought this was about his boy, not the father."
"It was never about the boy. Always the father." Johnny responds as he tosses the tape back onto the counter. "Listen, new idea. I'm thinkin' that this Donnie Jr. here 'ain't gonna last much longer. He's lost a lot of blood. So, if he dies, we're just gonna keep pretendin' he's alive until we get what we want."

"I thought we were gonna kill him at the end."

"No," Johnny emphasizes as his lips curve into a dangerous and deadly smile, one that many had feared to ever see, "we're gonna let him die. I'm already goin' to jail and the sweetest revenge for me will be havin' Flack Sr. attendin' his son's funeral."

TBC.