Silent Witness

Chapter 46

Riggs

I had to think fast I had no idea if this guy was full of shit or not. "We will give you 50,000 for all of them including the boy. "Nah that's not enough the boy is growing on me I might keep
him" the man said. "What could you possibly need with the boy?" I said, "a lot more then you think, in fact I was thinking about killing him" the man said. I could feel Collins getting angrier beside me and I definitely felt the same way. I was ready to pull out my gun and shoot this guy right here. We had to play it cool we were doing a job, and now was not the time to go rogue. I mean we didn't even know if this guy had Ryder or if it was just a random kid. We also needed to save all these girls as well none of them deserved this life. "Look I have other buyers so what's the deal?" He said, "50,000 is my final offer" I said, "sorry no can do but thank you for trying" he says as he pushed us out the door.

"That did not go well" Collins says, "you think? Fuck I can't figure out if he has Ryder or not and if we call Ethan and he doesn't then we can't do our job properly" I said. "I say we call Ethan we are in over our heads here" Collins said. I knew he was right and we called our boss I was really hoping this guy didn't have Ryder because Ethan would lose it.

Ryder

It's official there is no way out of here not a vent nothing. He didn't even give me a bed to sleep on this was going to suck. I mean who even was this guy and was he even going to come back? Before I could think of an answer the door opened, and the same man stood before me. "Almost sold you to some idiots but I think I might keep you and watch you suffer what do you think ?" He said, "I think you are a piece of shit " I said and that pissed him off as he punched me in the face, "wow yeah hurt a 9 year old kid" I said, "oh you are not just some kid Ryder you are worthless just like your mother was. You deserve to die just like she did"he said. With that I was pissed and I attacked him taking him down. He laughed and pulled out his gun, "what do you say now boy? Hmm not so brave now are you?" He said. I stood up as he pointed the gun at me then I laughed, "I say you are done for" I said. "Drop it now" Ethan said as he jabbed the gun into the back of the man's head. He dropped the gun and Ethan arrested him. "You good bud?" He asked me "yeah" I said punching the man in the face too getting a little revenge. I was not going to hide anymore I was going to be braver.

There were a bunch of girls too I think this man also took them. He said he was selling us so I wasn't sure for what but I didn't think it was a good thing. One girl just slightly older then me came up to me and hugged me, "thank you" she said. I wasn't sure what I was being thanked for and I also wasn't sure how I felt about the hug. Then Ethan grabbed me in a hug, "I am glad you are okay, you scared us you know" he said, " sorry I was grabbed walking out of the school it happened so fast who was this guy?" I asked, "no one good trust me let's get you home" he said and I followed him to his truck. I never should have doubted he would find me, my dad was the best and I knew he would find me.

Stephanie looked relieved when he saw me and I was glad to be home. Lacey hugged me and we watched her cartoon on the couch before dinner. Dad had to go back to work there was a lot of stuff to clean up after that fiasco. I was just glad everything worked out I mean I of course knew it would. After dinner Stephanie gave me an ice pack for my eye and I helped her get Lacey ready for bed. "Are you going to work for us when the new baby comes?" I asked her, "I hope so" she said, "I am sorry I wasn't there fast enough Ryder and that you were taken" she said. "No it's not your fault I was early and I'm sure he had it planned either way. I'm not sure who that man was but he used to work for my father. Not sure he liked me very much and I don't know why" I said. " I don't know either you Ryder are an amazing kid and you will go far in life" Stephanie said.

"That is if people stop trying to kill me" I said, Stephanie hugged me. "You poor sweet boy ugh people can be so awful" she said. "It's okay I'm used to it, I know the people who care about me are the only ones who matter so I'm not going to let the others bring me down" I said. "Your are an inspiration to all young kids struggling in life, like I said you truly are amazing Ryder and I can see you going far in life" Stephanie said. " I second that" dad says as he walked into the house, "dad" I said, "hey bud no need to worry that man was sent straight to prison" dad said. "I wasn't worried about it but thanks for always rescuing me" I said. "I am your dad I will always be there for you no matter what" he says. I hugged him as he tucked me into bed. Things might be rough for me but I always knew with my dad by my side I will make it out in the end.