NO DOUBT [bwwm]

• 33 • The Unraveling II

I kept slipping in and out of consciousness.

One thing they don't tell you about being unconscious is the terribly unwavering loneliness that comes with darkness. It's incredibly frightening. A spine shivering feeling, only I couldn't feel my body.

It was during those moments of consciousness, that I was supposed to feel more in my body. But they really felt like watching clips of a movie, trying to organize and puzzle them mentally. Or even just trying to remember them.

Even when I was passed out I knew I was in danger. The violent thuds of the moving car never failed to remind me I was far, far away from the love nest Orlando and I had created for ourselves. I had been taken away from it. From him. I wasn't safe.

And I was drugged. Heavily. Not enough, though, because obviously it didn't keep me knocked out. But my body felt limp and powerless. Absent almost. Part of my brain had shut down. I was nothing but eyes.

However, I do remember one clip clearly. The thuds had stopped suddenly. There was arguing. I heard a feminine voice. A few masculine ones. I had a glimpse of the front seats. I was in the trunk of a van as it appeared. Was probably tied with some silver duct tape over my mouth, who knows, it wasn't like I could use any part of my body other than my eyes in that moment, anyway.

"Tony... walk me through it again... El Jefe told you to what?" A masculine voice spoke. "To New York? You know he don't do business like that at all and even less in New York... Nah, what I'm hearing is some sketchy ass story, you're not even driving in the right direction... lie to your mama, wey. Do you even know who she is...? Fuck outta my face I'm driving now,... pendejo..."

The car didn't start he seemed to be waiting on something.

"Yo, P, you called me?" I know this voice. I just couldn't see who the owner of the voice was.

"What's up, guapa, how you lookin' this fine this time a day, ma?..."

"Why I am I in the middle of the highway somewhere in Atlantic City at 2 in the morning, Pat?" That familiar voice again... she was a woman, that I knew.

"Ask these fools,... so she's in the trunk right now...knocked out. They say El Jefe wanted her back in NYC..." Pat spoke.

It was the woman's turn to speak now, "That's impossible... close contact with him... I've been supervising her... No orders since he's vacationing in Boston... well Tony's a liar. New York and New Jersey are out of question. We have no other option... He agreed for us to bring her there. I'm coming with you."