You're My Sunset

Chapter 25 - Stay With Me

I consider screaming, then realize that there is no one around to hear me. Just the bad people. I wonder why I was kidnapped. I don't know anybody with ties to this business. Unless..... No, Ryder would have told me if he was part of a gang. Then my thoughts fly to my father. I really don't know where he stands in all of this, but running with the Bad Crowd in our city has it's disadvantages. Perhaps this was because of Daddy. Although, I don't know how they could've followed us, since we're a state away from home right now. Then again, when there's a will there's a way. As I'm wondering these things, the door slams open and a stocky guy walks in.

He wears a faded blue ski beanie and is very muscular. His floppy brown hair sticks out at odd angles from the beanie. I don't know him. He pulls up a chair and sits down in front of me. "Do you know why you're here?" I shake my head, afraid to speak. He says, "Your Daddy made some unwise choices in his life. You don't just get involved with the Bad Crowd and walk out when you've had enough. Besides, he was our best fighter." My heart catches at the news. My Daddy wasn't bad after all! He tried to escape the Bad Crowd!

The beanie-man chuckles at my expression. "People don't change, kid. He never did. But now that he's not in our gang anymore, we want him back. He's our strongest asset. But he won't come with us, which is why we had to use force. And, I'm sad to say, you're part of the bargain, kid."

His words make my heart sink. "Part of the bargain." I know what that means. These bastards are going to give my Daddy a choice: Come back to the gang, or they'll kill me.

***

Ryder's p.o.v

Cupcake hasn't come back from the post office. As the hours tick by and she still hasn't returned, I'm beginning to get very worried. People in this state are not the nicest. What if she got mugged? Or kidnapped? Or shot? Finally I can't stand it any longer. I call the rest of our friends, and they initiate a search of our campsite, to make sure Cupcake's not here. They all turn up empty.

I think I know what happened. Lily told me that her Daddy apparently had gone to the Dark Side, hanging with the Bad Crowd. It was enough shock to figure out that her father was ALIVE, much less running around with people who killed other people for running into them. So I assume that they've kidnapped Lily for some reason. The only thing is, I have no clue where they are.

I share my opinions with the rest of the group, who are equally concerned. "So we have everything we need, except for their location," Amber says, puffing her hair in frustration. "We'll need ammo, too," Ethan reminds her. She huffs a sigh, tears shining in her eyes. Hayden speaks up then. "The ammo isn't a problem. I have gang buddies here who could get us what we need." "Okay, so now we just need to figure out where they are," I say. "Everyone hop in! We're going to find Lily!"

First, we visit Hayden's pals and get our weaponry. We get bulletproof vests for each and every one of us, obviously. If these people are as bad as media makes them out to be, we'll need all the protection we can get. They also supply us with pistols, machine guns,  and knives. When we have all that we need, we hit the road, determined to find where they're keeping Lily.

First, we check the post office where she was to pick up her letters. The clerk remembers her and says she read her letter, turned deathly pale, and then fainted. Some guy grabbed her up and told the clerk she was sick and needed a doctor. Then he put Lily in the truck and drove off to the north.

Encouraged by the new-found clue, we drive to the north. We come upon several drab, colorless houses that offer no clue as to Lily's whereabouts. We keep driving. I'm tense and anxious. Every minute we don't find her, is one more minute of torture she's enduring.

***

Lily's p.o.v

After the man in the ski beanie leaves, there is a lot of racket in the other room before somebody leads my father,  in handcuffs, into my room. "Daddy!" I cry, trying to hug him but failing. He sits beside me and strokes my cheek. "Hi, baby." He takes a deep breath and says, "I'm sorry you got dragged into this whole mess, sweety. I never meant to endanger you or your mom." I shake my head. "It's alright." He manages to hug me before ski-beanie-man walks back in. "So," he says, grinning sardonically. "Shall we begin?" And with that, he draws a black stubby object from his jacket pocket. A gun. And he presses it to my head. "Join or I will kill her."

Ryder's p.o.v

After about an hour of driving, we come upon a warehouse. It looks empty, but we want to check it all the same. I signal for the others to follow me. They immediately get out of the car and follow me to the warehouse door, carrying our weaponry and vests. I crack the door open an inch. I hear angry shouts and quiet responses coming from the building. I pull back, nodding to the gang. "I'll go in first and get Lily out of danger. The rest of you follow me." They nod, so I slip on my vest and reach for the guns. Max checks to make sure my vest is on properly, then releases me. I let out a warrior-like cry and dash inside.

Lily's p.o.v

My Daddy and beanie-man are negotiating when I hear talking outside the door. It sounds like....Ryder?! How did he find me? I'm tempted to scream to let him know I'm here, but then the bad guys would be suspicious. Just as I'm thinking this, I hear an animalistic war cry, and Ryder charges through the warehouse door.

The man takes his gun off of my head and levels it at Ryder. He shows no fear, and takes out a machine gun of his own. The beanie-man yells to the other room, alerting his pals to come and help him. Meanwhile, Ryder has taken the moment of inattentiveness to his advantage, and shoots beanie-man point-blank. Seconds later, reinforcements arrive through the door. My Daddy gets up from his seat and turns to Hayden, who has now entered the warehouse. Hayden takes off his cuffs, and Daddy joins the meelee. Soon, it's a flurry of knives, guns, fists, and blood. Two of the bad men lay on the floor, dead by Hayden's and Ryder's bullets. The door flies open and Drake, Ethan, and Max join the fight. Moments later, Amber and Mia rush in. Mia runs off to help Drake fight a stocky, muscular man who's joined in. Amber runs up to me and cuts my bonds loose with her knife.

"Oh my god, are you alright? Oh my god, did they hurt you? OH MY GOD!" I smile up at her. I've never been so happy to see my best friend. She hugs me, then steps back to help the others. I'm aware that I should probably get out, since I'm not wearing a vest like the others. I stand up and I'm about to run out the door when a bullet comes zinging through the air towards me.

Pain. So much pain! It hurts like a motherfucker! Ryder comes rushing over, abandoning his guy. The last thing I hear before drifting into unconsciousness is Ryder's voice saying, "Goddamn it Lily, stay with me! Please stay with me!"

AN: Oooh, cliffhanger! What do you think, guys? Is she going to die or stay alive? Hmm? Thoughts? Either way, don't forget to comment how you liked it below and definitely don't forget to VOTE!

All my love,

Em