Page 53 of Saving Little Jenna
"So here's the plan," I said, starting the car and practically racing it. "Marcus will stay in the car since he hasn't had any formal training in combat. Marcus, you need to look out for Otis in case he tries to run away, in which case you should follow him. John, I hate to put your life in danger, but I need you with me in there. We'll have the upper hand if we outnumber him."
"I meant it when I became Jenna's uncle," John rolled down the window to let in some air. "As Michael said, we fight for our own. Let's just hope Otis isn't armed."
I was glad I had John with me. I wouldn't have remembered about the tracking app had he not inspired me with his little speech and asked me to think hard.
When we were halfway there, a terrible thought popped up in my head. "What if something bad happened to Jenna by the time we reached there? What if he wasn't here to take her back? What if all he wanted was to hurt her? I'll never forgive myself if something happens to her."
"Remember what I've taught you, Clark," John said. "The things you teach your Little always apply to yourself too. The what-ifs are always scarier than reality. Never assume the worst, only hope for the best."
The moment we reached there I brought the car to a sudden screeching halt. John and I got out while Marcus swiftly jumped in the front seat and took the wheel. When I looked back, he seemed ready to take off should Otis try to run away.
We went up to the reception and asked for Otis' room number. It wasn’t a surprise he'd chosen 666, the number of the beast. Hurrying up the stairs, I knocked on the door as hard as I could. There was silence on the other end before a shadow moved across the closed blinds. At least Otis was here. If he had done anything to my baby girl, I would strangle him with my own two hands. Senior citizens were supposed to be treated with respect, but this was a monster who had lost his way ages ago.
"We can't give him time to come up with a plan," John said, standing before the door. "Best take him by surprise."
I stood next to him and nodded, both of us charging towards the door and slamming our bodies against it in unison. The third time we did that, the flimsy door broke open and John fell onto the floor inside, rolling a couple of times before standing up next to a bed with Jenna tied up in it. I thanked the stars Jenna was alive and well.
Otis stood before me and he was uglier than I'd imagined. Just as I'd feared, there was a gun in his hand and it was pointed right at me. I slipped into the mindset when I used to get into fights years ago and the lingo came back to me naturally.
"Motherfucker, you're hard to look at." I pulled up my fists before my face, ready to take him by surprise. "No wonder you started a cult just to get laid. You wouldn't be getting any action otherwise. But you came to the wrong neighborhood, fool. We take care of our own in our community."
Otis scoffed. "I wouldn't be so cocky if I was you. Leave this moment or I'll shoot you right in that pretty face of yours. Satan has spoken his will and Jenna is to my eleventh wife. I'm just a pawn fulfilling my role in Satan’s great plan."
"Listen to him, Daddy!" Jenna shouted with tears in her eyes as John began to untie the complicated knots restraining her. "I don't want you to die!"
I set my priorities straight on my way over. No matter what happened, Jenna had to come out of this unharmed. I couldn't back down now just because my life was in danger. I'd gladly sacrifice my life if it meant saving Jenna's, and at least then I'd be able to keep my promise. I looked over at a horrified Jenna. It was a good way to go if my baby girl's sweet face was the last thing I got to see. If Otis shot me, I knew John's training was just as good as mine, so he'd attack Otis from behind and save Jenna. I'd gladly use my death as a distraction if it meant saving her.
"I love you, sweetheart," I said to Jenna, who screamed realizing what I was about to do.
I nodded ever so slightly to John, who I hoped knew what it meant back from the days of our street fights. As it turned out, he did.
"Hey, asshole!" John shouted, surprising Otis and causing him to turn his head.
Just as he began to move the gun to point in John's direction, I snatched it out of his hands and pointed it right at him, the action so fast it took less than a second. In fact, I'd done it so swiftly Otis hadn’t even realized the gun was missing when he pointed his empty hands at John.
Realizing what had happened, Otis raised his hands above his head and turned toward me, a sour look on his face.
"I'll return for what is mine," he said, looking at Jenna and walking toward the front entrance.
"You're not going anywhere," I said, pointing the gun right at him. "I'll shoot, and I mean it."
He ignored my warning and walked right out the door. I ran after him but stopped a few steps later. My baby girl needed me and her safety was my priority. Hopefully, Marcus would do his part and follow him when he tried to run away.
Running back inside, I helped John untie her other hand. Within moments, she was free. Before I could check up on her, I had to know if Marcus had managed to follow Otis.
Rushing back outside, I saw Otis from the balcony I was in. Jenna and John soon joined me. Otis was running down the stairs and towards his car. Marcus looked ready to step on the gas, but the moment Otis opened the door of his car, Michael and Kristen jumped out of it. Otis frowned as he stared at them in confusion.
I was just as confused. They must've sneaked out the moment we left and followed us here in Michael's car. I had pointed to the red car to show Marcus it belonged to Otis, the same one parked outside our home the past few days. Michael must've seen it and sneaked inside with Kristen to prevent him from running away.
"This is for trying to hurt our friend!" Michael shouted at the top of his voice before sucker punching him in the gut, just like he used to do with the block of towers I sometimes helped him build, except ten times harder.
Otis grabbed onto his tummy and yelled in pain as the wind got knocked out of his body, collapsing onto the ground seconds later.
"Yeah, and this is for all the nasty things you did to innocent people." Kristen kicked him right in the nuts, causing Otis to howl in pain.
"Let's hit some sense into him!" Michael said and it was all Kristen needed to hear.
Together, they began kicking all over his body as he writhed and rolled around in pain.
