Page 7 of Leo

“This,” she smirked.

Stretching out her arms, she pulled back quickly against her chest, and the zip tie snapped, freeing her. With her hands now free, she looked through the small window between the back of the truck and the cab. The men had walked maybe a hundred feet from the truck.

“Do exactly what I just did. I’m getting us the hell out of here.”

The men had been foolish enough to leave the keys in the truck, as well as their weapons. Tillie wiggled her narrow body through the opening, taking her place behind the wheel. Gripping one of the weapons, she fired at the men, hoping to just scare them away.

Both men ran toward the trees, hiding as quickly as they could. She backed the truck up, turned it quickly, and sped down the road.

“Is everyone okay back there?” she called.

“We’re fine. What the hell was that, Tillie? Who are you?” asked the man.

“No one special,” she said. She didn’t know if this had all been intentional, if someone knew her and her family, but she wasn’t about to give anyone any additional ammunition.

Able to finally reach her comms and tracker, she tapped them both.

“Tillie? Are you there?”

“I am so glad to hear your voice,” she said, fighting back tears. “I’m alright. I’m headed back into Botswana but left our kidnappers on the side of the road. They’re going to be pissed.”

“We could give a shit about that. The boys will meet you at the airport near the game preserve across the border. Make it there, and you’ll be okay.”

CHAPTER FOUR

“Dad!” she yelled, seeing her father step toward her.

Tillie ran into her father’s arms, happy to feel his safety and security. The three people with her looked on, staring at the strange helicopter behind her.

“Are you alright? Are you hurt?” he asked.

“No. No, I’m not hurt. They zip-tied us, but we were able to break them and get away.”

“How?” asked Leo curiously.

“She annoyed the shit out of them,” said the man standing with the two women. He grinned at them, smirking.

“Well, you work with what you have,” smiled Tillie. “This is Jewel, Brad, and Gemma. Guys, this is my family.”

“Your family?” questioned Brad. “They don’t look like you. I mean, maybe him.”

“I’m her father,” said Tanner, somewhat annoyed by the man’s comments. “These men are our family.”

“Whatever and whoever you are, I’m just happy to see you,” said Gemma.

“What did they want?” asked Mav.

“They wouldn’t tell us,” said Tillie. “It’s what made them stop and get out of the truck. I kept pestering them about what they wanted from us, if it was ransom, political, or whatever it was. They wouldn’t say.”

“It doesn’t make any sense. They didn’t make any demands for ransom,” said Saint.

“Well, it doesn’t matter now,” said Brad. “We’re free, and we can go home now.”

“It’s not that simple,” said Tanner. “If we don’t figure out what they wanted, it could happen again, or they could come after you again.”

“How?” asked Jewel. “I mean, we’re all going home. They wouldn’t follow us to the states, would they?”

“They might if what they wanted was valuable enough or if one of you was valuable enough,” said Mav.

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