At the very least, I stand a better chance with the metallic buckle than by just struggling hopelessly.
I edge myself carefully to the seatbelt buckle, and now that I have an actual plan, it becomes easier to listen to Tony blathering on about what exactly he’s going to do to me.
Which is a lot, apparently.
“Okay, hear me out,” he says. “You just know they’re going to tell us to take her down to the cell. That’s where we take all the guys they have us bring back for them.”
“The three guys,” corrects dickhead number one.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever, Phil. We usually kill them on the spot. But we did bring three guys in, and three is enough to know that they always have us take them to the cell.”
“They were men, though,” objects the guy that I can no longer as easily call dickhead, now that I know his name is Phil. “Whoknows, with this chick? Maybe they’re going to fuck her right then and there.”
“Maybe,” says Tony dejectedly, as I furiously push the tape against the buckle. “But maybe,” he adds, looking at Phil brightly, “they’ll have us take her to the cell. And you know what the cell doesn’t have?”
“What?” grunts Phil.
“Cameras. Every inch of Devil Tower is swarming with cameras, except for the cell. There isn’t even cell reception down there. That’ll be our shot. We can fuck her before they get their hands on her.”
I bite down on a whimper, feeling the tape at last give way. ThankGod.
But now what? My ankles are still tied, and anyway, I’m in a locked, fast-moving car.
But the two men are so focused on their conversation, I wonder if I can manage to at least untie my ankles without having them notice.
I edge toward one side, pressing my face against the glass of the window, as if I’m going back to sleep. This also means that if I slump forward, Tony, who’s sitting in front of me, won’t see, and Phil will hopefully be so focused both on talking and on driving, that he won’t think to look.
At the very first bump in the road, pretending to be asleep, I fall against my knees. For a moment I don’t move, feeling Phil glance back at me before turning his eyes once more to the road.
Then I quickly reach around to my ankles, and rip at the tape, biting down on a cry as I feel like I’m also ripping my skin to shreds.
But somehow, I manage to undo the tape tying my ankles together too. At that point, I’m wondering if there isn’t some sort of guardian angel watching over me, because everything starts to go my way.
“Gotta pee,” grunts Tony, while I quickly take my previous position again, my wrists behind my back.
“Fine, but be quick about it. We’re running late. We told the boss we’d be at the airport by seven. And you know that plane is going to be leaving right on time.”
I’m laser-focused as the car pulls to a stop in front of a gas station. Phil unlocks the doors, but not mine. Still, with Tony heading into the station, I have maybe one minute where I’m only facing one man, instead of two.
But what the hell can a skinny girl who’s never done an ounce of exercise in her life do against even one armed guy?
Unless guy number two has left his weapons in the car.
And that’s just what he’s done. On the front seat, lying in full sight, are a gun and a knife.
My heart beats wildly as I stare at them.
Okay, Piper. Think. You’re going to grab that gun, kill Phil, push that button over there to unlock the doors, and then you’re going to RUN.
But I don’t even know how to shoot. There’s a safety mechanism, isn’t there? And what if there are no bullets?
The knife feels like a better bet. But that means I’m going to have to stick it through his skin.Ew.
Just think of what they’ll do to you if you don’t escape! It’ll be worse than death. Fucking do it, Piper. Don’t freeze. Do it!
I don’t know how I manage to overcome my freeze response. My rape at Quill’s friends’ hands is at the forefront of my mind, overwhelming every single one of my senses, as I grab the knife and lunge at Phil before he’s had time to realize what’s happening.
Taking advantage of his surprise, I push the knife into one side of his neck then bring it toward the other, slitting it.
