Chapter Sixteen
Scar POV
I'd been in and out. I hardly knew where I was, and I had no idea how long I'd been there. I just wanted my dad...
"Kenny? What the hell does Kenny want?!"
Kenny? Why did that name sound familiar...
"You beat him to the punch. He wanted to do the same thing. He wanted..."
"Enough!"
Okay, I knew that was Marie.
"This back and forth is really cute, but right now, we need to think about Scar. She's getting worse."
I weakly opened my eyes to see Freddy, Marie, and a man that I'd never seen before.
"I've got that covered. We're heading to Texas."
"Why?"
That was the last thing I heard before I fell back into sleep. When I woke up again, I was in a hospital room. Marie was beside me.
"Marie?"
She looked at me and jumped up.
"I'm here."
"Who's Kenny?"
"No one you need to..."
"He threatened me."
Her eyes turned stony.
"When?"
"I don't remember... A guy threatened me with a picture of Nicky and said to tell my dad that "Kenny" wanted to talk."
She sighed and sat back down in the chair.
"He was your mom and Freddy's half brother. He had a different dad... Your mom told Darry that Hurst was her last name, when it was really Smith. Hurst is Kenny's last name."
"So that's why Ponyboy said I looked like a Hurst... I didn't understand what he meant..."
"It wasn't until Freddy got caught that your mom told Darry her real last name. She didn't want him to know she was connected with the Smith's."
"Why does Kenny want me?"
"He started a drug business after Freddy got arrested. He wants the same thing. For you to take over the business."
I looked around, taking in my surroundings before I fell asleep again. I'd woken up again, but felt loopy with whatever they gave me. Marie was gone, but a nurse was there.
"I want Soda..."
She gave me a funny look.
"You can't have soda in your condition. I can get you some..."
"Noooo... I want Sodapop and Ponyboy. My Uncles..."
She looked at me puzzled again.
"I ain't crazy..."
"Miss Smith, I think the medicine is just..."
"Their names are Sodapop and Ponyboy Curtis! They live in Tulsa! I want them!"
I started sobbing. She grabbed my hand.
"Okay, okay. I'll see what I can do..."
Pony POV
"Hello?"
"Is there a Sodapop or Ponyboy Curtis there?"
"This is Ponyboy."
"Oh, good. This is Nurse Young. I work for the Houston Medical Center. There's a young woman here who says she wants to see you. Says you're her Uncle. Scarlett Smith."
My breathing hitched. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut.
"Sir?"
"That's Scarlett Curtis. She was kidnapped almost six months ago..."
"What? I..."
"Don't let anyone else in her room. I'm calling our station. They'll tell you what to do."
I hung up and called.
"Tulsa P.D. What can I..."
"I need to talk to Detective Miles. It's an emergency."
She transferred me.
"Hello?"
"It's Ponyboy. I just got a call from a nurse at Houston Medical Center saying that a girl there by the name Scarlett Smith was asking for me..."
I heard him bark orders to someone and then he was back.
"Meet me here. We're going to Houston."
I called Soda and told him. I don't think I'd ever driven so fast.
Freddy POV
"Kenny still trying to find us?"
"Yeah. He is."
I sighed as we walked into the hospital.
"I think I'm gonna arrange a place to drop her when she's better and leave a tip about Kenny. They'll think he's the one who got her in the first place, and she'll be with her family."
"I've never known you to give up."
"I'm not, Joe. I'm giving her what she wants. She wants to be with them, so she will be..."
We stopped when we saw the cops standing outside her room.
"Shit!"
We snuck into a nearby room. Thankfully, it was empty.
"We've been found out, Freddy!"
"Maybe not..."
"What do you..."
"Let's get out of here, and then I'll tell you."
Scar POV
"Wherever she was kept was obviously bad. I don't know for sure since we don't know where she was, but she seems to have been exposed to black mold. The fever could be from a number of things. She should be..."
I opened my eyes and cut off the doctor when I saw them.
"Soda... Pony..."
They turned, wide eyed and we're both by me in a second. Tears stung my eyes.
"Are you... Are you really here?"
Soda looked sad, but relieved.
"We're here. We're here, kiddo..."
"It's so damn good to see you, Scar..."
They both hugged me.
"I... I wanna go home..."
"I'll release her tomorrow."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. The fever has gone down enough. Keep an eye on it, and keep her home for a while."
"What month is it?"
"It's the end of October."
The next day, we headed home. I slept most of the way.
"Scar, we're home..."
I weakly got out of the car. Before we even got up the steps, the door flew open to reveal Keegan, James, and Matt.
"You're really here..."
I was attacked, and even though it hurt, I hugged them back, so happy to be home. I was sitting on the couch, when Soda came in with two police officers, and he didn't look happy about it.
"They need to take your statement..."
My heart dropped.