...

Sequel: Chapter 9: An Attempted Escape

Kevin's PoV:

"I have to find something for dinner later, and you're coming with me," I pipe up, and he warns, "Don't do anything, or else I will have to leave you here with Harry, and I'd hate to do that," I nod. I finish eating my sandwich, and he takes my plate. "Come on, let's go," I get off the bed, and Ben takes a hold of my arm and leads me out of the room. He already has a coat on, but he takes another one off the coat stand. Why's he taking off another one? He hands it to me, "Here, you'll need a coat. It's cold outside."

I take it and say, "Thank you," When I put it on, it's like I'm swimming in it, it's so big. It reminds me of when Uncle Frank lent me his coat just last night... I miss Uncle Frank so much... I miss my whole family... Will I ever see them again?... "I have no boots..." I say, in a small voice.

"What?"

"I have no boots..." I say, a little louder, in a tone that I hope will make him give me some sort of footwear.

"Well, you're not going anywhere out of the car, so don't worry about it," I pout. "Don't give me that look. It's not going to make a difference."

"Where are you going?!" I hide behind Ben, shaking. He's going to beat me!

"I'm just taking him out to get some dinner,"

"Is he gonna escape?!"

"I'll make sure he doesn't, Harry. Would you just relax, OK?!" Ben looks behind him, seeing me cowering behind him. "It's OK. Come on, buddy," Ben picks me up and carries me, like Dad always did... He carries me outside. I hide in Ben's coat, when the cold air makes contact with my face. My feet are already freezing! But, soon, Ben places me in the car in the passenger seat. He raises my arm up to the headrest of the seat and handcuffs it there.

"You don't have to do that. I won't go anywhere,"

"Well, we can't take that chance," He closes the door and gets in the driver's side. We then drive off, back into Central New York...

...

We're quiet for awhile, when I pipe up, "What are we getting?"

"I don't know. Whatever I find,"

"Can we get pizza? Cheese pizza?"

"I don't know, bud. We'll see,"

"I like Pizza Hut,"

"We're not going to Pizza Hut,"

"Why?"

"Would you please just stop talking?" Ben says, a little frustrated. I don't want to make Ben mad... He's the only nice one out of the bunch, other than Marv, who's gone... Even though he's the boss, he's the nicest one out of the bunch...

"I'm sorry..." I pout and slide down in my seat.

"The only reason why you're coming with me, is because I don't want you beaten by Harry like that again,"

"I know, I'm sorry," I say, trying to hold back my tears, because Ben's tone scares me.

"Look, don't cry, OK?" I look out the window, looking at the tall buildings of New York, trying to hold back the tears. "Kevin, I'm sorry. Just please, don't push my buttons... I'm on edge today, mostly because of Harry, OK?"

"I'm sorry..."

"Would you quit saying 'sorry' please?"

"I don't wanna get hurt, especially by you. You're like Marv,"

"Well, you're wrong on that part, kid. I'm not like Marv, because I wouldn't let you go, like Marv did,"

"You wouldn't hurt me, though, would you?"

"I'd rather not, but if I have to, I will,"

"I won't do anything, I promise,"

"I hope you're telling the truth, kid, because I do. I'd hate to hurt you,"

"Are you letting me go Tuesday?"

"I hope to. I want you to get back to your family, but as long as we get the money. If not..."

"You'll kill me?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

"I don't want to, bud, but you are held for ransom,"

"I wanna go home..."

"Stop complaining about it, please?"

"How would you like it, if you were separated from your family? Twice!"

"I've already know what that's like, kid!" I jump, because Ben's tone startles me.

"What?"

"When I was your age, my family didn't want me, anymore, OK?! I lived in an orphanage, until I was ten. I lived in a foster home, until I was eighteen. When I moved out, I was desperate for money, and that's why I do what I do today! Do you think I want to do this?! Do you think I want to kidnap and kill a kid?! I was unable to get a job, OK?! Unable to!"

"If you know what it's like... why'd you do it with me?..." Ben obviously loses his patience with me, because he backhands me... I manage to hold my face with my left hand, where he backhanded me, which is right beside my eye. I start to cry.

"Please stop crying, kid. Please?"

"You hit me!"

"Only because you wouldn't shut up!"

"I'm sorry…"

"Quit saying you're sorry, OK?!"

"I don't want you hurting me…"

"Well then, quit saying you're sorry," I almost say "I'm sorry" again, but I stop myself just in time...

I manage to stop crying before I ask, "Are we almost there?"

"Another five minutes," Ben and I don't continue talking, anymore, until we arrive to our destination five minutes later… Ben starts to head out of the car, when he turns to me and warns, "Attempt anything, ANYTHING, kid, and you will have to be punished," Ben closes the door and heads inside the store…

I sit in the car, contemplating. I know what Ben said must be true… He did hit me, after all… I try to slide my hand out of the ring of the handcuffs, but even my hand's not small enough to slip out of these. Trying to is just causing my wrist irritation… I manage to lift up my foot and I try to kick the window. I then switch legs, using my left leg, I slide my foot in the door handle. I try to open it, but I then discover that it's locked...

"Crap..." I say to myself. I manage to flick the switch with my foot and then I attempt to open the door with my foot again. It clicks, and I push it open. Since we're not in a parking lot, just parked out back of the store, nobody's able to see me. So, I shout, "Help! Somebody! Help me!"

Suddenly, a hand is wrapped around my mouth, and my feet are pulled back inside the vehicle. The door's closed, and I hear, "What did I say, kid?!" I didn't even hear Ben get in the car... He finally takes his hand off my mouth and backhands me. This time, in my eye again. The same eye that Harry hit... I repeatedly say "I'm sorry", but Ben then says, clearly angered, "I've been holding my patience in with you, kid! Don't think I'm going to take it easy on you!" I continuously repeat "I'm sorry" again. "Cut it out! It won't work!" He smacks the side of my head. I shrink down and hide in the coat that Ben lent me. I start to cry. "Quit your bawling! Once we get back, after Harry's done with you, you're going to bed without supper, understand?!"

"No! Please! Don't let Harry hurt me!" I should never have called for help... I am such an idiot...

"Too bad, kid! I guess you shouldn't have been so stupid!"

"Please... Don't let Harry hurt me..."

"I don't care!" Ben presses on the gas. I hope Ben will get pulled over by the police this way...

"Please..." I beg.

"Shut up." he says, through gritted teeth.

"Please... Be nice to me, like Marv was..."

Suddenly, I get a fist in the stomach... I gasp and continue to cry. I cry, until we reach the house...

Marv's PoV:

"Now, tell me everything," Officer James Pickens says.

"Ben's in charge of the robberies, forcing Harry and I to rob. Krista's the one that sells the things at different Pawn Shops all over. It was a total accident that we ran into Kevin a couple weeks ago... We let the boss know, and he recommended keeping the kid to get ransom money. Though, Harry hurting the kid wasn't Ben's idea, it was Harry's... Mostly out of revenge for last year,"

"That's when the boy trapped his house to catch you guys, right?"

I nod. "When I grew a soft spot for the kid, Harry of course did what he pleased to the poor little guy, after I got arrested..."

"How did the others know that the boy would be in New York?"

"In all honesty, I have no idea. After I got arrested, of course I didn't hear from the others again..."

"Do you think it'd be a good idea to contact Ben, trying to manipulate him into telling us where Kevin is?"

"No. I wouldn't recommend it. I may be an idiot, but I know that Ben keeps his promises. If he doesn't want you guys involved, that kid is dead,"

"Where would be the best place for your partners to hide?"

"In a rural area of New York, I'm sure. It'd save them from being captured a lot easier,"

"So, your boss is the type of guy to keep his word?"

"Yes. If he wants ransom, in trade for giving the kid back, he will. Harry and Krista are both manipulating. Harry's mostly abusive. Krista managed to become a therapist to hide her identity of being a criminal,"

"If we send you to New York, would you help the police there?"

"I'll try to. I didn't want to get in this line of work of stealing, anyway... Though, how would you go about doing that?"

"Well, we have a plan..."

To be Continued...

...

A/N: Thanks for reading! You know what to do! ;) Today's useless info: I presented my project... I thought I was going to have a heart attack...

Well, Kevin tried to escape, and now Ben's going to let Harry deal with him. ;) How will that go, hm? ;) Ben's clearly not being such a nice guy... Now, Marv's in on saving Kevin. How will that go? ;) Well, you'll see next chapter! Ciao!

PS: S Lila 315, update again! CoverGirl7210, update both stories! Also, I beg you (I'm convincing Lila, too) to do more chapters for your story, because it's so amazing! XD OK, I'm done. Ciao!

- Termina's Hero1234