Ana felt nauseous. What were they going to do to him? What did they want?
One of the cowboys pulled something out of his pocket and held it up to his bandana. It appeared to be some kind of handheld radio. He listened intently, nodding, then slipped the radio into his pocket and bent down to grab Benny’s outstretched arms. He said somethingto the other man, who picked up the feet. Benny’s gray shirt pulled up, exposing his belly; the ignominy of it felt like a slap in the face.
“Leave Benny alone!” a loud voice shouted, making them all jump. Caden stepped forward, his face flushed an angry red.
He picked up a stone and flung it in the direction of the truck. It fell short, rattling along the ground.
“Leave him!”
The menmusthave heard Caden but didn’t so much as glance in his direction.
Something released inside Ana; suddenly she could move again. She bent down and grabbed a rock and flung it as hard as she could in the direction of the men.
“Don’t touch him!” Her voice sounded puny and distant, but she didn’t care. “Leave him alone!”
“Stop it!”
“Let go!”
“Put him down!”
Everyone was shouting now. They followed Caden’s lead, grabbing anything they could reach and throwing it at the two cowboys. Caden rooted around and grabbed an entire fridge door and with a roar flung it over the line. It crashed loudly onto the ground.
The men didn’t even acknowledge their efforts. They lifted Benny’s body easily between them and carried it towards the truck.
Helpless again.
Ana looked around desperately, noticing Ellis standing off to one side, watching. She walked over to him, grabbed a sharp rock off the ground and held it out. He was the Wolves’ all-star point guard. Fifty feet was nothing to him.
“Ellis,” Ana said. “Please,do something.”
Ellis nodded, understanding. He grabbed the rock, balanced himself, took aim, and launched it high into the air.
It was a perfect throw, smacking one of the men hard on the back. The man dropped Benny’s legs and, for the first time, turned to face the motel.
Ellis smiled and bent for another rock, aimed, and threw it. This one hit the truck inches from the second man.
Caden cheered. The barrage picked up, led by Ellis. Infinitely more dangerous now they had their captain.
“Stop it.”
“Don’t touch Benny.”
Ellis kept up the attack, gauging the distance and getting closer and closer to his mark. The men were forced to take cover behind the truck.
Now both of them faced the motel. One pulled out the radio again. He spoke briefly into it, then nodded to the other.
They didn’t seem worried; their movements were relaxed and easy. They took up their positions behind the truck, leaning on the back, arms resting over the sides of the flatbed. What were they waiting for?
Ana paused, rock in hand. This felt wrong. They looked too comfortable, just standing there, faces hidden smugly behind their matching bandanas.
She looked around and caught Ellis’s eye. He had stopped too, a worried expression on his handsome face.
Who had they called on their radio? What was going on?
It didn’t take long before they found out.
One of the sheds close by suddenly exploded. It felt like the air was sucked up as a wave of burning heat whacked them.
