Falling Up

41. Red Sand

The overhang of the mountain was coming closer and closer as Jason's heart hammered in his chest. They couldn't have been more than a couple of miles out and he was set on what he needed to do. All he needed to do was swerve at the last minute, through the broken guard rail and send the car that currently had Vincent, Marcos and himself in, over the edge. The impact would kill Vincent and finally his family would be free of him. Even if it cost him his life in the process.

Seconds felt like an eternity as the car sped forward, towards its demise. He was close. So close to enacting his plan that he could taste victory on the tip of his tongue.

"There is a gravel road just up ahead. Pull over." Jason nearly jumped out of his skin as the shock of Vincent's voice took his anxiety nearly over the edge. He couldn't pull over yet. He was so close. Just a few more miles and he would end it all.

"I said pull over," repeated Vincent as he grabbed the steering wheel from Jason and yanked it down, turning the car rapidly to the left and forcing Jason to apply pressure to the brakes. His wrist twisted painfully with the sudden movement of the steering wheel. The car rumbled over the gravel road before coming to a complete stop a fair distance from the main highway, hidden and out of sight.

Jason's heart was hammering in his chest, his hands a little shaky as he struggled to place the car in park with his handcuffs still attached to the steering wheel. Now that they were at a stop, he could only hope this was temporary and they could be on the move again soon. He was desperate to end it all before things got any worse.

As he looked over at Vincent, he saw the scowl he had seen so many times before cross his face. He had never been afraid of Vincent before, but this was different. For some reason, he looked different, calmer in a way, and that made him even more fearful.

It had been over two years since he last saw him. Back then, he was always on guard, but ever since Vincent went to prison, Jason had let his guard down. He had changed as well, in a way. He was no longer the type of person to rush into a fight and he hated to admit it, but he was shit scared right now.

But whatever Vincent wanted, he wouldn't give in. He needed to be the old Jason again. He needed that fight back in him. He needed to protect his family.

"Why did we stop?" asked Jason.

"I'm not an idiot," replied Vincent. "I know about the gap in the guardrail further ahead. And I know you're the type of idiot to send this car off the side of the mountain."

Jason clenched his jaw in annoyance. Vincent had planned this. It sounded like he had planned every inch of this kidnapping and he was well aware of the path they would be taking.

Vincent opened his car door. "You forget Jason. I've lived with you since you were a kid. I know how that mind of yours works." And with that, Vincent stepped out of the car, tossing the handcuff keys to Marco in the backseat.

The passenger side door remained open as Jason sat in the driver's seat with Marco twirling around the keys in his hand on the backseat. He did nothing but sit still, his mind still working things over as he watched Vincent pull his phone from his pocket and start talking. It didn't take long before he heard the rage rise up in Vincent's voice.

"You what!?" Jason overheard.

He sounded pissed. Good, he thought, taking the opportunity of Vincent's distraction to pull on his cuffed hand to see if he could break it off somehow and make a run for it. The next moment, he was elbowed in the side of the head by Marcos, sending his head crashing into the window.

"Stop that," said Marcos, resting back in his seat as Jason tried to regain his composure with a now splitting headache.

"Get him out here," called out Vincent, hanging up his phone.

Marcos got out of the car, pulling open the driver's side as he grabbed Jason's wrist roughly, wriggling with the key in the lock. "Don't try anything funny," he said as the latch clicked free.

Marcos grabbed Jason by the shirt and shoved him out of the car. He landed on the ground with an ungraceful thud as the gravel scratched against his palms, letting out a hiss as the sting of the cuts hit his fingers. Marcos placed his foot on Jason's back, keeping him on the floor as he roughly repositioned his arms around his back to handcuff them back in place.

After a moment, Marcos released Jason and pulled him up off the ground, dragging him to the other side of the car, where he shoved him harshly to his knees in front of Vincent.

"Where is she?" growled out Vincent.

Jason furrowed his eyebrows in confusion before a fist collided with his jaw, sending him sprawling to his side against the harsh ground. Before he even had a moment to comprehend what had happened, Vincent's foot greeted him as he was kicked in the side, causing Jason to heave in a breath of air as he choked on the disturbed, dusty red sand around him.

"God, that felt good," said Vincent, cracking his knuckles together as Jason worked on catching his breath again.

"You know Jason," said Vincent, walking around his body on the floor and kicking up dust into Jason's eyes. "The only thing that was on my mind in prison was how much I was going to enjoy torturing you when I got out. And, of course, getting my hands on that little whore again. So, how about we try that question again, shall we? Where is Riley?"

Jason rolled on his back, looking up at Vincent as the sun shone a nasty glare past Vincent and into his eyes. There was a smile at the corner of his lips and he laughed at the question as if it was the most ridiculous thing he could have asked. There was no way in hell he was telling Vincent anything. Especially the whereabouts of Riley. But it made him wonder. If they found him so easily, they must be somewhat aware of her location.

Vincent placed his foot on Jason's shoulder, pressing down harshly as he winced at the uncomfortable pressure. "Come on Jason. Riley has a schedule and a very predictable one," said Vincent. "She should have been heading from work to her class at this time of day. Yet, surprisingly, she wasn't heading to class. Nor was she in her first class today. So tell me Jason. Where did the little slut disappear to? Did your FBI boyfriend know what we were planning?"

Shit! Vincent must have been following them all for a decent amount of time if he knew the FBI was on his trail. But Jason was just as out of the loop as Vincent was on this one. He dropped Riley off this morning and she should have been in class. It definitely seemed out of character for her and normally he would be pissed that she was missing her classes. But at this point in time, he couldn't be more thankful that she wasn't where she was supposed to be. And wherever she was, he hoped she would stay there, far away and out of Vincent's grasp.

"I'm not telling you shit," spat out Jason, biting his tongue as Vincent's foot crunched down on his shoulder, eliciting a hiss from his lips.

A kick to the side of his ribs was only the beginning of Vincent's hateful rage against him as he lay helpless on the floor, coughing up blood that mixed in with the dusty red sand underneath him. Yet his mouth stayed shut, no matter how much Vincent repeated the same question over and over again.

Even if he didn't know where Riley was, he was glad she wasn't with Vincent and he would do whatever he could to keep her safe. He would do anything to keep her safe.