Two days later, Dakota and the others sat in a room upstairs- finally out of the dingy basement- listening to Red. “Today you find out what your special operation is?” He smiled evilly, as he stood up out of his chair. “There are some papers, in the building were taking you too, that we need you to take. And then you are free.”
That’s it? What’s on those papers? “But remember, we will be watching you for the rest of your lives.” Creepy said.
A shiver went down Dakota’s spine, Is there no end to her creepiness!?! “Is there a problem, Dakota Hunter?” Creepy asked.
Dakota shook her head, “Good, because you know what will happen if there are any problems.”
Creepy slid a shock collar to each of them, and glared at them until they put them on. Dakota stared at the collar in her hand for a moment, and the insides of her stomach did a flip flop. But she latched the collar behind her neck anyway. Red told them the plan, and when he was done, Blonde said, “Follow us.” Waving his gun at them.
They all got up, and followed Creepy, Red, and Blonde, out to the car. They entered the car, and Dakota sat next to Samuel. His job, for the “operation”, was to dismantle the cameras in the restaurant they were breaking into. What could possibly be so valuable on a piece of paper, in a restaurant. Do they need a receipt or something? Red started up the car, and they drove away to there destination. Half an hour later, they arrived, and the car braked. The engine died down, and they climbed out. Dakota thought of running, but was reminded of the last time she had tried to do that.
Creepy handed Ian and Brooke a radio, and then they joined them. Dakota eyed Sarah walk by the window, and Blonde pull her down by the collar of her shirt. “You mess this operation up, and I’ll personally make sure you never see your family again. Not even me!”
He let go of Sarah, and she joined Dakota and the others in silence. Red gave them the gesture, and they began running. Dakota followed the others, trying to catch up with Sarah. She got close enough to her and whispered, “What did the blonde guy mean, you would never see your family again, not even him?”
Sarah shuddered, “He’s my dads cousin.”
“What?!” Dakota exclaimed, astonished.
“Shh! Yes, his name is Joseph King. But I’ve heard the other two only call him Joseph Snake.”
“Why do they call him Joseph Snake?” Dakota asked.
“I don’t know.” Sarah paused, then hissed, “Maybe because he’s a dishonest snake.”
Dakota followed them silently, His name is, Joseph. That’s far from the name Rumplestiltskin. They ran to the restaurant, and waited to catch there breathe. It didn’t take long for Ian to recover- it seemed as if he had ran a million miles before- “Okay Samuel, do your thing.”
They followed him to the back of the restaurant- Olive Garden- to a large silver box attached to the building. Samuel immediately opened up the metal box to a bunch of wires, and began his work. He cut a few, and just took some off, but a moment later he announced, “Done.”
Samuel stood straight, and looked at his work, satisfied. “The power’s… off.”
“Samuel, the lights were off already.” Brooke commented.
“Yes, but… the lights were, off… and I just turned off the security… cameras and, alarms.” Samuel lengthened the word, “cameras” out longer then he need too.
“They better be.”
Ian studied the doorknob, a moment then tapped the side of it a couple times. “What’d you do that for?” Dakota asked.
“Now, I can open the door.” Ian played with the doorknob for a moment then shoved it open. “Ta-da!”
Dakota rolled her eyes, as she crept into the fancy restaurant. She saw as she stepped in the room, Sarah lead a woman to a closet and shove her inside, and locked the door. “What was that for?” Dakota asked.
Sarah glared at her, “We don’t want anyone interfereing, do we?”
Dakota got the feeling Sarah intended the question to be a command. They strolled through the building, searching. “Did they say where the papers were supposed to be?” Sarah asked.
Ian grabbed his radio, and spoke into it. “We’re inside the building, where are the papers?”
Silence answered his question, and he stood for a moment waiting. “They’re… not answering.” Samuel told Ian.
“Yeah, I know that.” Ian hooked the radio back onto his belt, and they started the search again.
A few moments later, Jordan called, “I think I might have found the papers.”
They all sped to her from where they were, and waited anxiously to see the papers. “What’s on them?” Brooke asked.
“Just names, and a bunch of numbers.” Jordan answered.
Dakota stole the papers from her, and studied them. There information from credit cards! Identification theft. “Do you guys know what this is?” Dakota asked.
“No, what is it?” Sarah asked.
Samuel glanced over her shoulder, and looked at the paper. “It’s credit card information.” Dakota announced.
“So… identification theft?” Jordan asked, worried.
“Yeah!”
Ian seemed doubtful, “How do you know this?”
“My dads a police officer, he explains this kind of stuff to me all the time.”
“Well, don’t try anything, okay? Or you’re in big trouble.” Ian commanded.
Dakota glanced at the papers, Nathan Ross, Edmonia Kate, Grace Hopper, Makayla Black, Aidan Cone, Natasha King, Kaiden South, Elisabeth Stewart, Matthew Ryan. Those were all names of people, who would probably wake up in the morning, to find out there credit card information had been stolen. “Guys, what are we going to do?” Dakota asked the others, as they headed out.
Brooke snatched the papers, “What do you mean, what are we going to do? Were going to give these papers, to the guys… and girl.”
“All those people are most likely going to lose all there money, if we give that to them.”
“It’s our ticket out.” Sarah said.
“Jordan, you agree, don’t you?” Dakota asked, desperately.
Jordan hung her head, “I want to get back to my family.” She whispered.
Dakota’s mouth gaped open, in disbelief. “Do none of you see how wrong this is?!”
Everyone just hung there heads a little, and said nothing. Then Dakota noticed something from the corner of eye, Pens! Dakota stole the papers from Brooke, and snatched a pen. “Dakota, what are you doing?!” Brooke shouted.
She snapped the pen- with little effort- and ink blotched all over the papers. “Dakota!” Sarah shrieked.
She rushed to the ruined papers, and stared at them helplessly. A tear ran down Sarah’s cheek, as the others just held their mouths open in disbelief. Dakota felt uncomfortable with them all staring at her. Brooke seemed to boil in anger and disbelief, Ian looked helpless and torn. Samuel trembled as his mouth hung open, and Jordan fell down into a crying lump. The only one, Dakota saw no emotion on their face, was Sarah. Her lips were just a thin line across her face, and she stared calmly at the papers, but breathed heavily with tears streaming down her face.
But then there was a change, Sarah held her breath for a moment, then jerked around, with her fist flying toward Dakota’s face. There was no time for Dakota to react, Sarah’s fist plummeted into Dakota’s face, in an instant her nose began to bleed. “You just ruined our only chance to get out!”
Dakota staggered back as she wiped away the blood. “We’re all going to die, now!!” Sarah yelled, almost too loud.
Sarah attempted to punch Dakota in the stomach, but this time Dakota was ready. She took hold of Sarah’s fist, and flipped her over, onto her back. Sarah laid for a moment, groaning. “Wait! You guys, listen!” Ian demanded.
Dakota stopped and listened, in the distance, she could hear the obnoxious sound of sirens. Police! She smiled, “It’s the police! They can help us!”
A look of worry spread across Brooke’s face, “No! We still have the collars on.” She said almost hoarsely.
Why can’t they just take them off? Dakota thought.
She heard the sirens come closer. “We need to get out now!” Ian demanded.
“I’m staying right here!” Dakota announced.
I’m not going back. If they want to be wimps, that’s fine with me! A hard look passed through Ian’s eyes, “No, you are coming.”
He marched over to Dakota, “Ian, knock some sense into your brain! This is the police, they can help us!! Are you blind!?!”
Dakota saw a flash of red and blue on the wall. “You are coming.” He said.
Unexpectedly, Ian hoisted Dakota up onto his shoulder. “Put me down, Ian!” Dakota shouted.
Ian ran out of the restaurant, with Dakota on his shoulder, and followed the others. Dakota could tell Ian was having trouble, after all he was only a few inches taller then her. A moment later, they stopped behind a building not far from the car. Ian let go of Dakota, and her body landed hard against the pavement. Dakota winced. “What was that all about, Ian?” Sarah asked.
“She didn’t want to come.” Ian answered.
They all stared at Dakota, as she sat up in pain. “It’s the police, you people! They were the chance to get out!”
“Shh!!” Brooke hushed.
“The papers were our chance, until you ruined them!” Sarah whispered, “Besides, they would find the opportunity to come kill us!”
“They’re going to do that anyways!”
“Well, now they are, since we don’t have the papers!”
“Well, why don’t we just take off and run?!”
“Because, they’ll just shock us using the collars!”
Dakota saw a figure behind Ian, He has a gun! “Ian-“
The man wrapped his arm around Ian’s neck in a quick motion. Everyone froze as Ian started to choke, and the man put a gun to his forehead. “You guys trying to escape?” The man asked, roughly.
Dakota recognized Joseph (Blonde), she didn’t know if he was better or worse then a stranger. “No.” Was all Ian could muster.
“Then come with me.”
He let go of Ian, and he almost fell to the ground. He gasped for air, while the others followed Joseph. Dakota stopped for a moment, and waited for Ian. After a moment, of catching his breath, he caught up with the others. Dakota and the others followed Joseph into the car. They entered, and sat, while ignoring every little glance from Dakota. When are they going to tell them what I did? She held her breath for pretty much the entire ride, expecting at any moment for them to give her away. At the house, the car stopped. The kids waited for Red, or one of the others to make the first move out of the car, but they didn’t move. Creepy turned around, and stared at us with demanding eyes, “Give us the papers!”
Dakota could feel fear crawl it’s way into her, and she shook. The others tensed, and remained silent. “Answer me!” Creepy shouted.
Ian glanced at Dakota, then back at Creepy lady, “Dakota ruined them.”
Dakota held her breath, and looked down at the floor. How could he could do that?! I thought we were all in this together! She let out a shaky breath as Red grabbed her by the collar of her shirt. He brought her right up into his face. Dear God, please help me. “Is what Ian says true?” He asked, heaving heavily in anger.
Dakota gulped, “I-” The word came out shaky, and quiet. She paused for a moment, as a verse came back to her, Though I walk through the valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no evil, cause thou art with me. She stopped shaking, and spoke, “I did ruin the papers.”
A look of hatred spread across his face, and she continued, “I believe it is wrong to steal someones money, and I knew I needed to prevent that.” She announced, as bravely as she possibly could.
Red threw her against the seat, and it took all her strength to not lunge and attack him, or any of them. He slammed down on the gas pedal, and they drove away. After a moment, of nasty glares from everyone but Jordan, Dakota heard Brooke let out a scared breath and asked, “Where are we going?”
“Why do you need-”
Creepy put a finger to Blonde’s lips and interrupted, “We’re doing what we planned to do with you all along.”
“You’re taking us back to our family?” Brooke asked, excitedly.
Creepy laughed, then mumbled, “Something like that.”
Dakota saw tears of joy spring up in Jordans eyes, and Sarah seemed uneasy. Are they really going to let us go back to our families? We saw their faces. Then Dakota remembered what Creepy had mumbled only a moment before, ‘something like that’. They’re not going to let us go. Dakota knew. They turned into a dark alley, and Blonde turned back to them, “Don’t follow us.” He commanded in his rough voice.
The three criminals exited the car, and Dakota caught the sight of Red set something down in his seat. Dakota unbuckled, and leaned forward to see what it was. “Dakota, what are you doing!?” Brooke asked in an annoyed whisper.
Dakota ignored her, and the commands of the others. Suddenly a beep came from the device, and smoke began to pour into the car. Dakota rushed for a door and tried to open it, but it was locked, and there were no buttons inside the car. “Is that smoke?!” Sarah asked, frightened.
Dakota punched the glass, as the car began to go up in chaos. Everyone tried to open the doors, but with no success. The smoke began to engulf the car, and Dakota heard Brooke scream, “We’re all gonna die!!”
Dakota heard coughing behind her as she still attempted to break through the window. She held her breath and continued to grab anything she could find and pound it on the window. After a moment, her lungs burned and she couldn’t hold it any longer. She gasped for air, and coughed, as the smoke traveled its way through her body. Her lungs burned even more now, and her eyesight began to fade. Everything began to spin, and she felt lightheaded. Her surroundings faded into black.
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