Taken

Chapter 22

I continued staring at Henry and Max, the blood on them drew my eyes to each droplet. Panic surged through me.
"Oh god. You've killed someone. Here?!" I stood up, pushing Matt's hands off me and avoiding Henry and Max's attempts to grab at me. I turned and faced them. Reality knocking all dizziness and disorientation from my mind.

"If the other families find out. They'll kill us." I started hyperventilating and began pacing. Without meaning to I turned and looked at the body. I froze. He was unrecognisable. I could feel it bubbling within my throat. I screamed.

Someone ran up to me and pulled me into them and covered my mouth with their hand. My body was shaking and I couldn't control it. I was still screaming into the persons hand. Out the corner of my eye I could see them rest their head on my shoulder as they tried to hold me close and turn me.
Suddenly, I felt a sharp prick to my arm. My head spun to Markus gently removing a needle from my skin. My screaming died down and tears ran down my cheeks. I could feel my body becoming weak. With the support of the person holding me I collapsed to the floor, my fall completely controlled by the person behind me. They moved their hand from my mouth and used it to hug me tighter into them.

"I'm sorry Anna." Markus said squatting down and moving some hair away from my face. The person behind me moved and I could see that it was Erik.
"Why uncle Markus?" I whispered, fighting through the grogginess. He gently reached out and touched my cheek.
"Exactly as you said, the other families would see this as an act of war. You are affiliated with the Murdock family now, although you still have ties to your father, they would still see this as a defiance against the rules of this meeting place." I could feel my breathing deepen and my eyes became heavy.

"What I gave her a quarter dose of muscle relaxant. She will be awake just unable to move completely. The effects of the drug should dissipate in about half an hour. That should give you enough time to clean yourselves up." Markus said, standing up and taking a step back. He motioned to Henry and Max then to a wardrobe.
"There should be some shirts in there that should fit you. I will get started on this." Markus said turning towards the body.

Max and Henry walked over to Erik and I and squatted down. Henry shook his head and gently ran his hand down my cheek. I tried to move, to do anything but it felt like it took me 5 minutes to even blink.
"Can she be moved to another room?" Henry asked, turning and looking at Markus. He nodded.
"Take her to the pent house. Here's my key. I will send one of my men up as added protection." Markus said, nodding and throwing a keycard to Henry. He grabbed it and passed it to Matt. I looked at Armie who also had blood on him.

"Erik, smart move as usual rocking the all black suit. We will have to do that next time. You and Matt can take her to the penthouse while we get cleaned up." Matt nodded and walked to the door.
"We will be with you soon." Henry said gently running his hand over my hair and leaning forward and kissing my forehead. Erik stood up with me in his arms. Max whispered something into his ear then turned to me.

"Be good." He whispered before gently pinching my chin. Matt opened the door and Erik walked out into the hall. They walked towards the lifts, Matt walked in front of us and blocked most people's view of us.

"What happened to her?" Someone asked, Matt laughed and pressed the call button on the lift.
"She had a little too much to drink. Markus gave us a room key to let her sleep it off a little."
The other man laughed, "Yeah, my Missus does it all the time. Good luck."

The lift chimed and Matt stepped aside, gesturing Erik and I into the lift, he quickly followed. Matt scanned the card and selected penthouse. The lift was quick and soon we were walking down a hallway. Erik effortlessly carried me down it and waited until Matt scanned the keycard at the door.

Just as we entered the phone began ringing. Matt quickly stepped to it and picked it up without saying anything. Soon he responded then hung up.

Erik walked me to the sofa and gently laid me down. Matt walked over to us.
"That was Vizla. He is sending his man up in a minute. He has our weapons." Erik nodded and sat down on the sofa next to me.

There was a knock at the door. Erik stood up and walked to it, peering out the peep hole.
"I'm Markus's man. I've got some stuff for you." The other man said through the door. Erik opened the door and let the new man walk in.

"I'm Kellan." He said shaking Erik's hand and opening the bag he was holding. Erik didn't respond, only reached inside the bag and pulled out his gun.
Matt walked up to him and shook his hand.
"I'm Matt, that's Erik and this is Anna." Matt said motioning to us. Kellan looked at me and smiled.
"I see Markus has cranked out the paralysing agent. I have the reversal drug in here too. Are you ready to give it to her or do you want to wait?"

"Maybe wait." Matt said walking over to the phone that started ringing again. He picked it up and spoke into it occasionally. I heard him hang up the phone.

"Erik, Max wants us down there for a minute. He said to leave Kellan here and we will be back in a few."
Panic filled my stomach. Erik patted my leg and walked back towards the door. Matt smiled at me and turned around and left the room. I could feel tears running down my cheeks.

Without saying anything Kellan moved forwards and lifted me into his arms.
"You don't need to cry. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just taking you to the guest room, you'll be more comfortable there."

Kellan walked into a bedroom and gently placed me on the bed. My body was aching from being rigid and stiff.
"I'm sorry that it has come to this. Markus mentioned that he wanted to speak with you. He should be here soon. I'll leave you be." He said, gently pulling a small blanket over me. I watched as he turned and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Before too long I could hear movement and speaking outside the door. I watched it as Henry and Max walked in the room followed by Markus and Kellan.
Henry quickly walked over to me and sat down next to me, he gently cupped my cheek in his hand.

"I will now inject the reversal drug." Markus said from the corner of the room. Henry moved hair away from my face and nodded. Markus walked up and injected the serum into my arm. I closed my eyes tightly. I had always hated needles and injections, for me this was extremely uncomfortable.
Henry, Max, Markus and Kellan spoke between themselves for a few minutes until I was able to control my body.

I gingerly sat up, my head was spinning and I felt stiff. I looked to Markus and stood up, walking to him and pushing him in the chest.
"Why the fuck would you do that to me!" I yelled, pushing him back again. I could hear Henry begin to stand to get me. Markus raised his hand slightly stopping Max and Henry from stopping me.

"Anna, you left me with little choice. You couldn't control yourself and it would have brought undue attention to the situation." Markus said, lowering his hand and looking down at me.
I pushed him in the chest again. This time Kellan came in from the side and scooped me up and moved me away from Markus. I elbowed him in the back several times but he didn't let go. He continued moving me back until Max grabbed me and held me in close to his body.

"I wouldn't have to fucking worry about bringing 'undue attention' if I didn't have to worry about staying alive!" I spat back. Markus' face flashed a sad emotion before it was quickly covered.
I groaned and pulled away from Max and left the room.