Masked man dumps Ethan in the cargo area, but Ethan doesn’t even flinch. There’s no telling how sore and banged up he’s going to be when he finally comes around.
With gloved hands, Thomas grabs a small black object from the front seat of the vehicle.
It’s a video camera.
“You will say exactly what I want you to say and nothing more. Do you understand?”
My body is shaking so hard, it’s tough to nod.
“You will tell them I have taken you from this island. You will tell them they have my word I will not kill you unless my orders are disobeyed. Your father and the Landrys are not to leave the island. They are not to contact anyone in any way. If they do not follow my orders, then I will break my word.”
He presses a button and a little red light blinks on, then a bright light beams from the top of the camera, chasing away the impending darkness. I’m staring at the lens and everything he just told me to say jumbles in my brain.
“Umm…Thomas wants me to tell you he is taking us off the island.” My voice sounds rough…unfamiliar and I have to brush away a stray tear that slips out of the corner of my eye. “He said…”
Oh God, I’m drawing a blank!
I look at Thomas and he is mouthing the words he wants me to say.
“Um…he said you have his word he won’t…kill…us if you follow his rules.”
I swallow the lump and try to remember exactly how he worded the next part.
Thomas moves the camera in closer and the bright light blinds me for a second. He’s moving his finger in a circular motion, wanting me to get on with it.
“Rule number one: You are not allowed to leave the island. Rule number two: You are not allowed to contact anyone.”
I take a deep breath before I finish the last part. “If you break his rules, he will break his word and kill us.”
And then he ends the video, flips the screen, and reviews what he filmed. I can’t see it, but I can hear my shaky voice and can only imagine how awful it will be when Dad and the Landrys watch this.
“Get her the paper and bring me the box,” he says to the masked man, then turns to me. “Write:Push playon that paper.”
I do as I’m told and he takes the paper and the camera and puts it in a large white box.
Handing it to the masked man, he says, “Leave this closer to the camp. Be fast, we need to get moving.”
Masked man runs back the way we came, the box in his hands so white it’s glowing in the darkness. There’s no way our parents won’t find it when they start looking for us.
I’m so mesmerized by the box, I don’t realize Thomas has zip-tied my hands behind my back until it’s too late.
The masked man returns and sits in the driver’s seat, then Thomas throws me inside the vehicle—I’m sandwiched between him and the masked man on the small bench seat. Masked man’s breathing is heavy, probably from carrying Ethan and running through the woods, and a scary image of Darth Vader pops in my head. Soon I can’t think of anything else when I see him. There’s no space separating any of us, and it makes my skin crawl. Vader cranks the vehicle but doesn’t turn on the headlights.
“Sissy?”
I freeze. Spinning around, I see Teeny step out from behind a tree. Oh. My. God. She must have followed Vader back after he delivered the box.
“RUN, TEENY!” I scream.
Thomas mutters something under his breath then bolts out of the vehicle, pulling his gun out of his waistband.
Teeny panics. Doesn’t move a muscle. Before I can make it off the bench seat, Vader throws an arm around my chest and pins me to his side.
“Da—” His other hand slaps over my mouth before I get the rest of the wordDadout.
Thomas raises his arm and fires. Teeny drops to the ground. I let out a muffled scream. Thomas walks back to the vehicle and aims the gun at me.
Everything goes dark.
