Page 67 of Ryder

“Processing?” I stammer.

She nods. “Out back, there’s an office. We each get stamped with a number, then put into cages depending on destination. At least, that’s what I heard one of the guards saying.”

I swallow hard.

“We’re gonna get you out,” Cash tells her. “Feds are gonna come and take you home. You gotta sit tight and stay here, okay? No runnin’ off. We’re in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night.”

They nod. Some of the girls are crying and hugging each other. One of them meets my eye. She can’t be older than Harlem’s kid, fourteen or fifteen maybe?

Tag busts off the lock and the girl closest to him falters, practically falling into his arms. He catches her, muttering under his breath.

I run toward the back, using my flashlight to guide the way. “Crystal?” I yell.

There’s a commotion now. Everyone is talking and yelling, some girls are screaming. Clearly, they don’t know we’re here to rescue them, not hurt them.

I check the cages as I go by. “Crystal?”

Bronco joins me, racing ahead as we both shout out.

“She’s in here,” comes a female voice a few cages away.

I join Bronco as we both sprint toward the back. How fucking huge is this joint?

“Crystal?”

A short, dark haired girl with blue eyes has her fists on the bars. “She’s hurt.”

The words come out, but I shake my head. No.

“Stand back,” Bronco says.

“Hey, what about us?” a loud voice sounds from the cage next door.

“Shut up, Sapphire! Everyone is getting out!” The dark-haired chick yells at her.

She runs over to a figure hunched over in the corner. I adjust my eyes as Bronco shoots off the lock. I run inside, diving to my knees in front of her.

“Crys?” I shake her. “Crystal?”

“She’s in shock, I think,” the girl says. “She was awake earlier and talking. You’re Ryder, aren’t you?”

I don’t look at her. “Yeah.”

“She knew you’d come. She told me over and over that you’d come.”

It’s then I notice… Crystal’s hair is short, almost shaved in parts. He cut her fucking hair off.

“What the fuck did they do?” I whisper. I hold her gently by the shoulders.

“I undid the ties at her wrists,” the girl says. “I couldn’t get the legs, I’m sorry.”

Crystal’s lips part and she moans. “Ryder?”

“I’m here, baby. Ryder’s here. Nobody is ever gonna hurt you again.”

14

CRYSTAL

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