Capture the Flag

Chapter 3

I'm trapped.

The reality of it all sets in, and I feel empty of everything. My brain struggles to generate the thoughts I need to escape.

My body, still shaking from the electric shock, is numb, and the two men on either side of me sit me down on the metal bench attached to the side. They aren't gentle, by any means, and I grunt out as I am slammed down. One sits on my right, holding my arm, and the other sits across from us. 

The guy across from me is lean and tall. He seems built for speed and strength. He stares back at me with the same calculating look I give him. The guy on my right grabs my arm a bit tighter, watching me like a hawk. He's a lot bigger of a guy, and his viselike grip is just a glimpse into the strength he possesses. This is not going to be easy.

The guy across from me knocks twice on the wall between us and the front of the truck. It lurches forward and I realize we're driving away, away from my home, from my family. 

I start to panic.

"You need to calm down," the guy across from me says, sensing my anxiety.

I think about the last few minutes,  the minutes where my life has taken a turn for the worst. To make matters worse, I have no idea what any of these people want with me, or why I'm even here. I start thinking the worse.

My breathing gets lighter and lighter, and I feel like all the oxygen in the room is escaping from me. I lean over feeling lightheaded.

"She's having a panic attack," says the guy next to me, releasing my arm. He seems to be looking for something under the bench. 

My world starts spinning and with no one holding me up, I start falling forward. 

"Whoa there, hold on," the guy from across is there holding me up, "you gotta breathe for me. That's it.  Nice deep breaths"

I try to follow his words, but everything seems so cloudy.  I honestly think I might pass out.

"Jones, get me the sedative!"

"No," I groan out, "I'll be fine"

The last thing I want is to do is take a sedative at a time like this, but ultimately my body decides for me. My vision fogs over and I am left in a cloud of darkness and dreams.

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"How much longer do you think she'll sleep for?"

"I gave her a pretty strong dose, she probably won't wake up until we land."

I slowly wake up to a state of confusion. Where am I? What's going on?

I feel dizzy and drowsy. I could easily return to the fog of sleep that surrounds me, but something is going on. I'm not sure what, but something isn't right. 

I am sitting upright in a plush chair. My neck hurts from laying at an angle, but other than that I feel alright. A loud background noise drowns out my thoughts. Am I on an airplane?

I force my eyes open and take in my surroundings. The memories return, I have been kidnapped.

"She's up, Clark," The large man who is built like steel comes over to me. He takes my wrist and seems to check my pulse.

"Are you feeling better?" The man named Clark, who seems to be in charge, is sitting across from me. He's taken off his mask and helmet and seems much more relaxed. 

I don't respond, as I am too occupied looking around. 

We're on a plane, me and four other men. They're all dressed similarly and I assume it's the three guys who grabbed me, plus maybe the driver? It's just us on the flight plus the pilots. But that's not the biggest shock. The plane is a luxury one. It seems to be a private jet. 

I look out the window to my left, we're high above the clouds. There's nowhere for me to go.

"Where are you taking me? What do you want?" I ask, turning towards the man in front of me.

He ignores my questions, "Are you thirsty? Can I get you something to eat or drink?"

I don't want anything from them, but I am so thirsty, I just nod in response. 

He comes back with a glass of water and a wrapped ham and cheese sandwich. I eat, knowing I'll need strength for whatever's ahead of me. I need to come up with a plan to escape.

"We'll be landing in around 30 minutes. Until then, relax and just take it easy.  There's nowhere  for you to go."

He's right, as much as I hate to admit it. There's nowhere I can go from this high in the air. They didn't even have to tie me up or anything, this plane is a cage in itself. But, there is one thing I'm good at, and that's using my head. You better believe I am going to use my head to figure this out. 

There has got to be a reason it was me, this wasn't random. They came into my house shouting my name, doing minimal damage. Everything seemed so perfectly planned, with barely any flaws in my mind. And the money...that's the big question. 

What kind of organization can afford the equipment they have. This trained of a team. And a private jet? For me? They have been careful with me. It's clear that I am the package they are delivering. But to where? Why?

I notice something, suddenly.  A small emblem stitched onto the sleeve of the man across from me. On the sleeves of all the men.  I look around and see it again, on the seats, on the glass window. 

There is no possible way.

This is not some foreign gang, mob,  or terrorist group. My kidnappers are working under the order of the United States government.