Chapter 5.
'So this is where things took a turn for the not so great.' Cate explained as Kelly handed her a fresh mug of hot chocolate.
'Not so great?' Scotty commented confused. Cate looked to him, the penny dropped as she realised that she hadn't shared this side of the story with all of her family, again trying to protect them from worrying.
'Um yeah, Scotty don't tell mama or Danny this next part ok?' Cate asked. Scotty smirked nodding.
'In the vault.' Scotty said crossing his heart making Cate smile as she mirrored the action.
'So things took a turn for the worse, how?' Julie asked wondering how things could possibly get worse.
'Well, we were driving along perfectly happily playing music and enjoying ourselves and then well…'
'Things went wrong.' Jill piped up.
3 years earlier.
The truck carrying Cate, Four Leaf and the band continued on the highway heading to their destination when the truck pulled off on to a back road unbeknown to its passengers it pulled into a truck park stopping.
'What's going on?' One of the band members asked as everyone jolted with the stop. Cate looked around heading for the loading doors.
'Good question.' Cate answered as the doors swung open, before Cate knew what was happening someone grabbed her and pulled her down swiftly off of the truck.
'Catey!' Four Leaf called out panicked after her rushing towards the doors.
'I wouldn't do that if I were you.' A voice said stepping out of the shadows shining a torch up into Four Leaf's eyes. Looking down Four Leaf could see Cate being held by a muscle bound man, his arm wrapped round Cate's throat. As Cate struggled against him he would lift her up off of the ground choking her further as he did. 'Hello Wild Cat.' The voice with the torch said as he turned to face Cate shining the light in her face. Cate recognized the voice straight away.
'Mack.' Cate said with disdain. 'What are you doing here out of jail?'
'It's called having a good lawyer Cate.' Mack answered walking up to her.
'Well we'd better send you back there hadn't we?' Cate said pulling on her restraints arm.
'You can try but as we're taking this rig and leaving you all here I doubt it.' Mack laughed making Cate's blood boil as she stamped her foot down in to her captors shin. As he cried off releasing her Cate dove for Mack, who was still laughing. The pair struggled on the ground for a while. 'Just like old times Wild Cat.' Mack sniggered as Cate managed to get on top of Mack then slapped him hard in the face. 'Cute.' Mack said moving his mouth around loosening it from the slap. Cate slapped him again this time across the other side of his face.
'Shut up Mack.' Cate snarled. Mack lay still looking at her smirking. 'What's so amusing?' Cate asked. She got her answer as something heavy hit her across her side knocking her off of Mack, pain coursed through her side as she rolled on to her good side she looked up to see what or who had hit her. The same guy that had been restraining her stood helping Mack to his feet holding onto a thick piece of wood. 'Ow.' Cate mumbled to herself.
'I'm taking the rig and its load Cate so all of you stay back and keep out of the way. None of you will be hurt then.' Mack explained with his disturbingly handsome smile. Cate pulled herself up to her feet as Four Leaf and the band got down out of the truck joining her Four Leaf by her side helping her.
'You alright luv?' He asked.
'I will be when I wrap that piece of wood around Little John's head over there.' Cate huffed.
'Don't do anything rash Catey.' Four Leaf whispered Cate looked to him for a moment before rolling her eyes. She couldn't risk the lives of the group with her; too many people she cared for would get hurt.
'Fine Mack get out of here, take the rig and go.' Cate said. Mack laughed walking towards her.
'I intended to Wild Cat, I intended to.' Mack turned on his heel heading back to the truck then just as quickly as he turned away he turned back. 'Just one last thing though.' Mack smiled; Cate looked at him wondering where this was headed. He lifted his hand as if intending to caress her face as Cate went to push his hand away Mack swiftly slammed his fist in to Cate's stomach causing her to double over; he followed if with an elbow to Cate's back making Cate to fall to the ground.
'Cate!' Four Leaf called out as did many of the band members. Cate held up her hand to signal she was ok, stopping them from doing anything stupid. Coughing she stood up Four Leaf helping her.
'I'll let you have that one Mack but you'd better get running.' Cate warned. Mack smiled again before he began to laugh walking back to the truck and climbing up into the cab, still laughing as he slammed the door shut, the engine started and the truck pulled away.
'Damn it.' Cate muttered as she bent over putting her hands on her knees, catching a breath after the small scuffle. Four Leaf squatted down in front of her.
'Are you sure you're alright luv?' He asked concerned.
'I'm fine Four Leaf, really just need to catch a breath.' Cate smiled putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
'So what do we do now?' Tim the drummer asked.
'Start walking.' Cate replied. 'We'll hitch a ride with someone eventually.'
'For all of us? Unlikely darlin' Four Leaf said standing again rubbing the back of his neck as he thought.
'Well we have to try Four Leaf and if we stay stood around here we'll freeze.' Cate started to head for the road when lights caught her eyes and then the sound of music began to filter through. 'Well I be…' Cate smiled before she turned to the others. 'Hey guys come take a look at this.' As the rest joined Cate they saw what she was pointing out to them, a roadside bar, a biker's bar.
'Well let's go see if we might get some help.' Cate smiled as they started heading towards the glow of the bar. As the band and Four Leaf went into the bar Cate cast her eyes over the bikes lined up out front recognizing the colors and one bike in particular. 'Our luck might have just changed boys.' Cate said to herself smiling as she entered into the bar. The rest of the group she was with had already found themselves places around the bar getting themselves a well earned drink to settle their nerves.
'Drink Cate?' Tim called over.
'In a minute, I'll be right with you.' Cate smiled to him finding who she was looking for over at the pool table. 'You know whenever there's trouble out on the roads you're never far away.' Cate said picking up the cue ball as it rolled across the pool table towards her.
'You sure it's me that's near all the trouble or just you causing them?' The man asked as he looked up from the pool table to Cate.
'May be a little of both. How you doing Spider?' Cate asked her serious face breaking into a smile.
'I was doing great until you walked in, what's the problem Wild Cat?'
'My Prince Charming has just ripped me and my friends off, grabbed our ride and stole my friends music equipment. Want to help me chase him down, teach him a lesson?' Cate asked perching up on the pool table throwing the cue ball in the air and catching it again. Spider walked round to her catching the ball when she tossed it up in the air again, he smiled devilishly.
'How much head start do they have?'
'About ten minutes.' Cate replied sliding off of the pool table. Spider put his pool cue and the ball down on the table and turned heading for the door.
'Let's go Wild Cat.' Spider called back as he left the bar.
'Catey, who is that?' Four Leaf asked looking at where Spider had just left.
'Don't worry Four Leaf.' Cate said quietly so only the two of them could hear. 'He's one of the good guys.' Cate smiled. 'I'll be back soon and hopefully with our rig and your gear.' Cate left the bar finding Spider on his bike engine roaring he held out a helmet for Cate, putting it on she climbed onto the back of the bike and pointed in the direction of where Mack had gone.
'How long until you tracked him down?' Julie asked shifting around in the armchair she was curled up in.
'Not too long.' Cate smirked.
Spider, rode at high speed tracking down Mack and the truck he had hi-jacked from Cate. Cate held onto Spider around his waist shifting her body weight when needed to go in line with the road and the bikes movement making sure she didn't throw off the balance of the bike, within a few miles the truck was in sight. Cate patted Spider's shoulder pointing to the rig ahead. Spider nodded as he put on more speed to catch up with Mack. Spider unzipped his biker's jacket with one hand and motioned to Cate, getting the idea Cate put her hand inside his jacket and pulled out Spider's gun, 9mm. Cate smiled as they moved closer to the side of the truck. Getting level with the driver's side of the truck Cate, balancing herself, pointed the gun towards the driver, who was shocked to see her, and motioned for him to get off the road. Cate saw the movement in the cab when Mack's face appeared at the window a look of thunder across his face then he disappeared again.
Before they knew it the truck swerved towards Cate and Spider on the bike. Spider responded quickly with Cate only just being able to grab on to him and still hold the gun without falling off the bike.
'Son of a…!' Cate and Spider shouted in unison. Cate patted Spider's shoulder again motioning to go around the truck which Spider did, slowing down he went around the back of the truck riding up alongside the passenger side of the cab. Cate patted Spider's shoulder again when they were level with the back of the cab; Cate dismounted the bike on to the truck.
'You did what!' Scotty exclaimed followed quickly by Kris's hand being clamped across his mouth as she pointed towards the room Rebecca was sleeping in. Scotty nodded as Kris released him. 'You did what?' Scotty repeated in an urgent more hushed tone looking to his sister shocked.
'Oh Scotty honey, you have no idea.' Jill laughed as she reached over and ruffled his hair smiling her cheeky smile as Cate continued telling the story.
Cate stuffed the gun into the back of her Jeans waistband as she climbed the back of the cab leading up to the passenger door. Getting her hand on it she was surprised when it swung open almost causing Cate to fall but quickly Cate grabbed onto the doorframe and pulled herself in grabbing a hold of Mack and punching him squarely in the nose, blood started to fall almost immediately as did Macks' curse words as he cradled his now broken nose. Cate pulled the gun and held it on the driver.
'Pull over, carefully.' Cate demanded. The driver wasn't about to argue as he nodded and slowed the truck down to a stop by the side of the road. Cate motioned for the driver to get out of the truck which he did, leaving his door open Cate helped Mack out of the cab by kicking him down to asphalt below. Mack cried out in further pain as he curled up into a painful ball on the floor. Cate jumped down herself and walked to the back of the truck with Spider the other side of the truck she opened the back of the rig to reveal the rest of Mack's crew.
'Everyone out!' Spider shouted to them all. Seeing both of the guns that Spider and Cate had the men put down their playing cards and quickly got out of the truck. 'Face down on the ground.' Spider barked his orders pushing one of the men onto the dirt on the side of the road. All the men followed suit including the driver who helped drag Mack over dropping him again to the ground.
'Mack, never a pleasure.' Cate laughed as she kicked his boots before turning to the truck shutting the back doors then heading back up to the cab.
'What do you want to do with this lot?' Spider asked as if he didn't know.
'You want to call in your friends?' Cate smiled handing him the CB radio, Spider smiled back as he climbed into the cab, Cate shut the door so Mack and his buddies couldn't hear Spider calling in back up. 'They'll want a statement.' Spider quietly said as he got back down from the cab.
'I know and you know where you can find me but I have to get back to L.A.' Cate smiled as she climbed back up into the cab.
'Get back to your sister huh?' Spider nodded knowingly.
'Yep, first Christmas and all that and this little adventure isn't helping matters.' Cate said rolling her eyes.
'Got a pen and some paper?' Spider asked, Cate looked to him confused then dug around finding what Spider asked for. 'Give this guy a try, he might just be able to help you out, just tell him I sent you.' Spider smiled as he handed Cate the paper and pen. Cate nodded smirking slightly wandering what her friend was up to.
'Ok thanks, now let's get back to the others before Four Leaf starts trying to commandeer one of your guy's bikes and comes after us!' Cate laughed as the sound of sirens neared, their cue to leave.
'Better get a move on.' Spider said grabbing up his helmet and running for his bike. Cate agreed as she shut the cab door and started the truck up again.
'So you got away without much incident then?' Scotty asked.
'Not every scrape I get in to ends up with me in a hospital bed Scott.' Cate smiled as she threw a handful of popcorn at her little brother.
'Just most of them.' Kelly teased playfully prodding her sister in the arm.