Undercover Justice (28 page)

“Where’s Kent?” I asked, as we sat down. Nowadays, Charlotte knew where Kent was more than I did. That’s ok though. It was actually kind of nice. Almost like having a sister.

“He had to meet with Mr. Cotter over something in his Chemistry class. He was only going to be a few minutes.”

“Oh, I wonder where Ollie and Jed are? Oh, here they come,” I said as I saw them walk into the cafeteria together. Giving them a little wave, I watched as they got in line for their food.

“Are you and Jed going to Prom together?” Charlotte asked opening her milk.

“I don’t know, we haven’t talked about it. How about you and Kent?”

“He asked me last night,” Charlotte said excitedly.

“And you said…”

“Yes of course,” she said grinning.

Suddenly, the cafeteria doors slammed shut. Several people screamed. Looking up I saw three masked men dressed in dark clothes standing in front of the doors. The one in the middle was holding a gun.

“Everyone stay down and be quiet. As long as nobody moves, no one will get hurt,” the man with the gun yelled.

Martin! I would recognize that voice anywhere. Dread settled in my stomach, pinning me to my seat. Looking down at the table, I realized how inadequate it would be as protection from a gun. There was no way out of the cafeteria. Martin and his men were blocking the main entrance and exit. The only other way out was through the kitchen. Unfortunately, they would probably notice someone trying to sneak into the kitchen. Strangely, the kitchen door was shut and the servers were nowhere in sight.

Searching frantically for Jed, my eyes connected with his. I knew Martin was looking for me, by the expression on Jed’s face. He looked scared. “Stay down,” he mouthed to me.

Martin strode forward obviously looking for someone. “Greyson!” he yelled, waving his gun in the air. Someone whimpered.

I watched in horror, as Jed stepped out of line with his hands up. “I’m right here Vecelli. Let these people go.”

“Shut up!” Martin yelled walking toward the middle of the cafeteria.

I watched as Jed slowly took a step toward Martin and the gun. Fear washed over me. I’ve always read about that, but didn’t realize that it actually felt like something washed over you. Like a flood of hot dread the settled in my soul. I had a feeling that nothing good was going to come of this.

“Where is she?” he yelled, looking around wildly.

Slowly Jed took another step toward Martin, with his hands held out from his sides, palm’s facing up. “She’s not here,” he said in a calm voice.

How could he act so calm? My heart was pounding. I stayed where I was, partly because I was scared stiff, and partly because Charlotte had her hand on my leg holding me down. Looking around the cafeteria, I saw some girls softly crying and people trying to hide underneath or behind the tables. I couldn’t believe this was happening. It was all because of me. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. Martin looked crazy and unstable.

“You’re lying! Boys, beat it out of him. If she’s in here, she’ll show herself.”

Horrified, I watched as the other two approached Jed. Jed looked my way, our eyes met, he was pleading with me to stay hidden. I nodded, I wasn’t particularly eager to give myself over to Martin. Relief flashed across his face, before he turned his attention to the two closing in on him. One of the men reached into his pocket and pulled out a switchblade. Flipping it open he waved it in front of Jed and laughed. Jed kept one eye on the knife, while keeping the other glued to Martin and his gun. The two men closed in on Jed. I almost didn’t see it happen. Before I could blink, Jed kicked out with his foot and sent the knife flying across the floor. Then he landed a hard fist to the other man’s jaw. In less than six seconds, both of the thugs were sprawled out on the floor.

“This is between you and me Vecelli.” Jed said, breathing harder. “You want me? You come and get me yourself.”

“Now, that wouldn’t be as much fun would it? Besides I have a bone to pick with that girlfriend of yours,” he said, looking around the room, presumably for me. As Jed advanced on him, you could see his confidence starting to fade. Jed was clearly bigger, stronger and the more dominant male. Taking a step back, Martin said, “I see we are going to have to do this the hard way.”

Walking over to the closest girl, he grabbed her and yanked her to her feet. Wrapping an arm around her neck, he alternated between pointing the gun at her and at Jed. “You come any closer and I’ll shoot this girl.”

Jed immediately backed up a step, once again holding out his hands in surrender. “There’s no need to involve anyone else,” he said again. “Here I am, come and get me.”

By then the two thugs had made it to their feet. Vecelli gestured to them and said, ”Grab him.”

My heart cried out for them to stop, as one grabbed Jed from behind pinning his arms. The other, whom Jed had kicked the knife from, hit a solid punch to Jed’s face, snapping it back, and then another to his middle, doubling him over.

Charlotte squeezed my leg as hard as she could. If not for her, I would have jumped to my feet and cried out.

“Cuff him to that pole.” Martin instructed his men, pointing to the black support pole in the center of the cafeteria. “Then check him for weapons.” Letting go of the girl for a split second, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of handcuffs. He leaned down slightly, and slid them across the floor to the other masked man who wasn’t holding Jed.

I watched as they pushed and shoved Jed over to the pole and cuffed his hands around it. Jed’s mouth was bleeding and his t-shirt was ripped. Even though he went peacefully to the pole, his eyes told a different story. They were filled with anger and revenge as they glared at Martin. I was even intimidated by Jed. He was huge and threatening looking, his eyes were promising violence. Martin must have seen the threat Jed still posed even cuffed to the pole, because he ordered his men to take Jed car keys, and then teach him a lesson.

As they pounded into him, he took it silently, never giving them the satisfaction of knowing they were hurting him. He silently defended me, bravely taking the beating for me. I couldn’t take it anymore. If I hadn’t already suspected that I was in love with him, I would have now. He was an incredible caring, brave man. His strength never wavered. I was through hiding. Tears were streaming down my face, as I shook free of Charlotte’s grasp and stood up and screamed for them to stop.

Immediately, Martin’s eyes turned to me. “Well hello there, Darling.”

Jed started struggling at that point. He fought them off as hard as he could until he could get around the pole to face me. “Run Nora!” he yelled at me. “Don’t let them take you. You don’t know what you’re doing.”

“I can’t let them keep hurting you,” I sobbed. “I love you.”

“Well, well, well, isn’t that sweet. You must be a heck of a guy there Greyson, to be worthy of this sweet little things affection,” he said walking toward me. “Of course you were willing to take a beating to protect her. So, she must be worth it. You won’t mind sharing, will you Greyson?”

“If you touch her, I’ll kill you,” Jed ground out through clenched teeth. Seeing Jed’s lethal glare, Martin laughed. “Yeah, what are you going to do about it cuffed to a pole? Come here Darling,” he said gesturing for me to come forward.

Gulping, I hesitantly took a step forward. “That’s it. If you come with me without making a scene, I promise not to hurt anyone else. We’ll walk out of here right now, and go have us some fun,” he said coaxingly.

“Don’t do it Nora!” Jed yelled, followed by a grunt as the knife guy slammed his elbow into Jed’s side.

The silence was palpable as everyone froze, waiting for my actions. Glancing to my left, I saw sympathy in many people’s faces, as well as relief and hope. If I went with him now, then none of them would be hurt. I knew that Jed would come for me. I didn’t know when or how, but I knew that he would find me.

Shaking, I took another step forward. “Damn it Nora!” Jed yelled desperately. I closed my eyes, when I opened them I saw Jed bleeding and hurting, struggling to stay on his feet. Before I could think about what I was doing, I ran toward Jed. Covering the distance before anyone could move, all I could think about was getting to him. Crying, I wrapped my arms around his waist.

“Ah, Baby,” he said gently kissing my face. “I’m sorry.”

“Jed,” I said sobbing, “You’re hurt.”

I felt rough hands yank me away. “I’ll come for you.” Jed yelled after me as they dragged me toward the door. “Don’t give up. Fight with everything you have.”

“If anyone comes through that door before we get in the car and pull out,” Martin said gesturing through the window to a black van sitting at the curb just outside the building, “I’ll shoot her.”

I struggled to stay on my feet as they shoved me through the cafeteria doors and out the side entrance door to their waiting vehicle. I didn’t want to get into the vehicle. I was not prepared for this. I fought back, sticking my foot out, I tripped one of the men and he went down cursing. Soon after that, everything went black.

As soon as they left the building, Jed yelled for Charlotte.

Charlotte ran over to him crying. “I tried to stop her Jed. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it Honey, it wasn’t your fault. I need you to do something for me,” Jed said. “I need you to unbuckle my belt and slip it off. Ollie?”

“Right here, Jed,” Ollie said, appearing at Jed’s side.

“Run and find Kent, then call the police. Ask for Officer Parker or Detective Cooper.”

Ollie took off at a run. All around kids were standing back up and staring after the black van. Strangely, everyone was still silent as if in shock.

Charlotte scooted in front of Jed and reached under his arms to unbuckle his belt. It took a couple tries for Charlotte to get the pin to come out of the belt hole it was in. Tears were streaming down her face and blocking her vision. Finally it pulled free.

“Good, now slide it off me, don’t worry about hurting me,” Jed told her as she winced when she accidently knocked into his side. His rib was probably bruised. He didn’t think it had been broken. He had been in too many fights as a kid to know the difference between a bruised rib and a broken one.

Charlotte yanked his belt free from his jeans. Standing in front of Jed, she held it up for him to see.

“Ok, now turn it over. There should be a small metal key taped to the inside of it. It’s a handcuff key.”

Turning the belt over, Charlotte found the key and ripped the tape off it. Jed held his hands out away from him, and Charlotte inserted the key into the lock. Turning the key, the cuffs snapped open.

“Thanks,” Jed said rubbing his wrists.

Kent came barreling through the doors with a stricken look on his face and with Ollie right behind him. Seeing Jed and Charlotte, Kent ran over to them.

Charlotte threw herself into Kent’s arms. Kent hugged her back, his eyes seeing Jed’s beaten face and ripped shirt.

Jed walked over to retrieve the knife he had kicked out of the thug’s hand. He tucked it into his waistband and asked, “You coming with me Barton?”

Jed didn’t wait for an answer. He strode toward the door. “Ollie, Charlotte, wait for the police and tell them what happened. I’m going after her.”

Kent gave Charlotte a kiss and then ran after Jed.

“We’re taking your car,” Jed told Kent as they walked out the school door. As soon as they hit the pavement, they both took off running towards the red Camaro.

Chapter 21

Everything seemed dark as I woke up. My head felt fuzzy. Blinking several times, I realized that it wasn’t totally dark; there just was very little light wherever I was.

I was laying on something that felt somewhat soft, but I was pretty sure it wasn’t a mattress. My hands were above my head. Trying to pull them down, I discovered that they were tied to something near the ground. I felt around as much as I could. I think it was a seat, like in a vehicle. I must be in the back of the black van Martin had shoved me towards. I don’t remember anything that happened after I tripped one of the men. They must have given me something to knock me out.

That would explain the shooting pain on the right side of my head just above my ear. Struggling, I pulled at the bonds. They were pretty tight, but seemed to have enough play in them that if I stretched and pulled, I might be able to slip a hand out.

The van smelled like sweaty, old clothing. As my eyes adjusted to the light, I could see that there were old curtains covering the back windows and one hanging behind the front seats, separating the back from the front. I didn’t even want to think about what I was laying on, and who had been here before me. I shivered from the thought. Ugh!

The van was empty. Where were Martin and the other men? I didn’t care, but I certainly didn’t want stay here to find out. Pulling, I twisted and turned trying to loosen whatever was holding my hands to the seat frame. It felt like it was made out of rubber, the way it pulled and caught at my skin.

“I thought you said the Director ordered us to take her,” a male voice said angrily coming closer.

“That’s not what I said, man,” Martin said. His voice sounded like it was close. I turned my head, straining to hear. “I said, the Director wanted us to scare them off. This is how I choose to do that.”