i slide the same hoodie I wore the first time over my head. Off to meet Marcus. I look at myself in the mirror. Today I'm going to quit The job. I don't care about the money. I'll find another job, as long as I don't need to do something that could endanger Tobias. I slide my phone into my pocket and go out to the living room. Caleb is sitting with Cook in his lap and his laptop in front of him.
"What ya up to?" I poke my head over his shoulder. He's Skyping with Susan. "Hi Susan."
"Hello Tris. Thanks again for getting us those reservations yesterday." She smiles.
"Yah, that was really nice sis." I ruffle his hair.
"I thought you guys might want some real time together. Well I gotta go. I'll be back later tonight bro. Don't forget to feed Cookie!" I head to the door.
"I wont! He would never let me forget anyways." I chuckle and close the door behind me. I'm glad for the extra layer of clothing. It's pretty cold out. I should expect that though, it's the day after Christmas. I trudge to my truck, climbing in and starting the engine. I wait a few minutes for the car to heat up. I rub my bare hands together, trying to conduct even the smallest amount if heat. The tips of my fingers are pretty much numb. I grab the wheel and push down on the gas pedal. My truck smoothes forward, crunching over the snow. I drive to the park, taking my time because I don't really want to talk to Marcus. If he had intentions to hurt Four, then I hate him.
I pull up outside of Amity Park. I look at the frost covered trees. They have icicles hanging from them. The sun that is soon to set creates a magical shine to each of them. I slide out of my truck and head in. The only sound is the crack of ice under my feet. Other than that, it's unnervingly quiet. I glance around for any signs of people.
I come to a stop in the clearing I met him in last place. I wipe the snow from the bench and sit down. My ears are perked for any sound. If you listen carefully, you can hear the jingle of the icicles hitting each other. It sounds like little bells of a fairy. This place has a whimsical feel to it.
"Why hello Tris." My head spins to the other side of the clearing. Marcus stands there with a creepy smirk.
"Marcus." I greet stiffly.
"I'm sure you have some information for me?" He walks over to stand a few feet from me.
"About that. I've decided that I would rather not do this job." The heart necklace is searing against my collarbone. I stand up to leave. "Now if you excuse me I must be leaving." A cold hand grips my shoulder.
"Not so fast. Im not finished talking to you." He forces me back down onto the bench. I glare up at him.
"I have places to be." I spit.
"Oh and would one of those places be with your new boyfriend?" I stiffen immediately. "It was predictable from the start. You think I really needed info on Four? Please, if you had really done your research, you would have learned something very important."
"What?" I growl dangerously.
"That I, in fact,...am his father." I'm stunned silent. "Yes. Four is my son. And I needed a way to get to him. Because of him, I didn't get my fathers riches. Nooo, he had to give it to his grandson. Well, I want that money, and you're how I'm going to get it."
"You used me!" I shout. I jump from my seat and am about to punch him. Before I can even create a fist with my hand, something hard and metal hits the back of my head. Marcus smirks as I fall to the ground. My vision is growing blurry and there are black dots everywhere.
"Yes I did. And I'm not done yet." He reaches down and yanks the necklace from my neck. two sets of hands pick me up and drag me away. "Take her to the warehouse!" My mind goes all fuzzy. Everything blends together, sounds, colors. Then everything goes black. Cold flows over my body.
*Two days Later*
FOUR POV
I sit in my room, reading one if the books I got for Christmas. I expected Tris to be up here already. She usually comes and talks to me at this time. She wasn't here yesterday either. My brow furrows and I find it hard to concentrate on the words on the page. This worries me. Did I do something to push her away? I can't think of anything. I groan and throw the book on my bed. Maybe I can ask Uriah or Christina.
I walk out of my room and glance down the hall. I run down the stairs, taking two at a time. My nerves have gotten the best of me once again. I find Uriah and Christina in the lounge.
"Sup Four?" Uriah greets. Christina just offers a smile. I sit down in a chair, running a hand through my hair. "You seem Stressed, what's wrong?" He quirks an eyebrow.
"Have either of you seen Tris lately?" I ask. They both shake my head.
"Maybe she's sick." Christina offers.
"No. She would have told someone." I don't say that she would have texted me. We never really told anyone about our relationship. I don't want anyone to know. If it got to certain people, I know bad things would happen. I run a hand through my hair again.
"I'm sure she's fine Four." Uriah assures me. I don't believe him. Tris always comes to work, if not to get the money, to see me. Ive never been this worried. I stand abruptly and walk out of the room. Maybe if I got for a walk it'll calm me down. I go outside and the cold hits me right in the chest. Snow falls down lightly from the sky which is clouded. I take a deep breath of crisp air. I walk around to the meadow where me and Tris like to hang out. I walk to the forest, heading for the clearing that I took her to on Christmas. The ashes are still in the fire pit. But there's something else. An envelope. I snatch it up quickly.
When I open it, my nerves sky rocket. Inside is a gold necklace. The one I gave Tris. Now I know something terrible has happened. I take the note out that is also there.
Dear Tobias,
I have a feeling you might want to listen. I have your dear little girl with me and if you don't do as I say, well, let's say something bad might happen to her. I want the money. Bring it to me tomorrow. Oh, and if you call the cops, you know what will happen. Meet me at the abandoned amusement park at midnight. Bring the cash and come alone. I'll see you tomorrow.
-M
No. No no no! I can't believe it. How the heck did Marcus find out! I hear steps behind me and I turn around. Chance sits by a tree, looking at me with perked ears. I kneel down and he hops over to me. "Hey buddy." He nudges me. I guess he can sense I'm upset. "I'm afraid Tris might be in big trouble." His ears flatten and he whimpers. Its like he can understand. "Don't worry. We'll get her tomorrow." But my voice shakes when I say this. Wether or not she'll be ok when we get her is what I'm worried about. I don't care if I lose my money, I just want her to be ok.
TRIS POV
When I come to, i see nothing but darkness. Im sitting in a chair, which I know because I can feel the coarse wood beneath me. When I pull my hands, I find that they are binded with rough rope. Same goes for my feet. I growl from frustration. The sound echoes around me. I wonder where I am. My try to make out anything in the darkness but I find it empty. Maybe I'm the only thing here.
"Hello?" I call out. My voice echoes back at me. Well that's not creepy. I try to pull my hands free but my attempts are futile. I sigh and slump in the chair. I should never have trusted Marcus. Since the first time I met him, he had a suspicious vibe around him. I guess I was so desperate for the money I didn't question it. Ugh I should have researched him. I can be so stupid sometimes.
"Well, looks like the little girl has woken up." A door creaks open. Light hits me right in the face and I wince.
"Who's there?"
"Oh you don't remember me?" the malicious voice asks. I can see the outline of him. That voice is somehow familiar. I squint and try to make out his features. "I'm surprised. After all that time in school you spent trying to ignore me. You could say...archenemy." I scowl thoughtfully. Archenemy in school. That could only be one guy.
"Peter." I spit His name like venom.
"that's me! So Tris, what have you been up to?" I glare at him but don't say a word. I always hated him at school. He was a cocky bastard who thought he could get any girl. I had been one of his targets. Whenever he got near me I would either ignore him or flip him off. He never gave up though. I hated him so much. "Oh what happened to the girl that would always tell me off?" He sneers.
"Fine. You want me to tell you off? You're an arrogant, self-centered, cocky, jerky bastard. Happy?" I growl. He just chuckles in amusement.
"So creative."
"Peter! Stop bothering the captive. Marcus needs us outside to keep an eye out for Four." Some guy yells.
"I'm comin Eric!" Peter snaps. "Well gotta go. Bet ya can't wait for your little boyfriend to come save you." I glare at his back as he exits the room. Then it's dark again. I huff angrily. The one time I get kidnapped and I'm stuck with that idiot.
FOUR POV
I pace back and forth in my room.
"Four calm down! She'll be fine." I told Zeke about everything. The necklace, the note, my father.
"But what if she's not? What if Marcus does something to her?" I curse under my breath.
"We'll know tonight. You just need to sit down. You're sure I can't come with you?" I nod and sit down on my bed,
"He would probably kill her if you did. I'm going to bring Chance though. Keep him in the car just in case." I nod towards Chance who sleeps on a big dog bed in the corner. "If anything happens, he'll help."
"Yah. He seems pretty protective."
"That's exactly why I'm keeping him in the car. If he saw Tris being hurt, well, bad things could happen. He would not be happy." Zeke nods. I guess he's right. I do just have to wait for tonight. But I swear, if he so much as hurts Tris, I will personally murder him.
TRIS POV
I growl at the two men, Peter and Eric.
"oh shut up Stiff." Peter sneers. That's his old nickname for me. "We gotta take you up. Your boyfriend should be here soon."
"What are you going to once he gets here?" I glare at both of them.
"Marcus will handle that." He forces me to walk forward. my hands are still tied. "Now get goin." I stumble slightly but his grip on my shoulder keeps me from falling. I grumble under my breath as they lead me outside. I wince at the bright lights. My eyes have grown accustomed to the darkness. Even with the sky blanketed with clouds it's brighter. The smell of rusted metal and mold hits my nose. My face scrunched in disgust. We are in a small ally between buildings. I don't see Marcus anywhere. "Now we wait."
I look at the dark clouds in the sky. This amusement parks been abandoned for years. It had a good reason. A lot of people got hurt in the faulty attractions. I never went here, not the best childhood. It seems like grime and fungus has grown over everything. It's all just got that creepy haunted feel to it.
"ok Chance. You stay here, I'll go find Tris." He whines quietly. I grab the big bag of money and exit the car. Chance jumps up against the window and watches me go into the park. The creak of the boards under my feet add to the creepiness. Its actually built on a. Dock. The only sound is that of my footsteps and the sound of metal screeching against medal like hinges. Probably that big spinning swing. It's like everything has stopped. It's no longer snowing and the wind has died down. Like these events have nature holding it's breath to see what's going to happen. I end up standing near the Ferris wheel, just waiting.
"Ah Tobias, you showed up." The icy voice says from the shadows. I scowl and turn to face him directly.
"Marcus." I greet coldly. He smirks but his eyes show no emotion. I glare at him with full hatred. "Wheres Tris?"
"Oh we'll get to that later. Show me the money?" I hold the bag up. His smirk grows. "Very good."
"Show me Tris." He ignores me and walks closer.
"How much did you bring?"
"A lot." My voice comes out as a growl. He snatches the bag from me and looks inside.
"Hmm I don't know if this is enough..." My hands turn into fist and I grind my teeth.
"Listen here Marcus, if you don't give me her, I will kill you." I warn. He chuckles but there is no humor in his voice.
"Fine. Come on boys!" He yells there's a moments silence then there's a painful scream. Tris! Before I can do anything, Marcus runs. I don't bother chasing him because I know Tris is hurt.
"Tris!" I run in the direction I heard her scream. Two guys pass by me, but I ignore them. The only thing that is in my head is Tris.
TRIS POV
"come on boy!" Marcus yells from I don't know where. Peter and Eric share a glance. Before I can comprehend anything Peter has a knife. I don't know where he got it. the thin, sharp blade comes flying down across my side. From my ribs to my stomach. I scream with surprise but mostly it's consumed by pain. I fall to the ground and they run away. I clutch my side as the blood leaks between my fingers. When i pull it away, it's covered in the crimson that is my blood. Nausea over takes me and my head drops to the ground. I barely make out a familiar shout.
"Tris!" I know the voice but can't pinpoint it. The pain is overwhelming. The voice says my name again except the time it's closer. I feel a warm hand cradle my face. I look up into those brilliant blue eyes.
"Four." I croak quietly.
"Shhh...you'll be ok. Don't worry." He looks down at my side frantically. I can see the panic on his face. He whips out his phone and dials some number. I can feel myself slipping away. My eyes droop and the pain turns to a dull throb. "Yes I need help. My girlfriends hurt really bad." my eyes close. The last thing I remember is the feeling of his strong arms scooping me off the cold ground. Then it's all pitch black.