Page 66 of Shadowman
“This is the first time I’ve ever gone, like… nonstop.”
“Oh…” he rumbles, taking on an air of pity, though I can’t miss a subtle twinge of amusement in his eyes. “Well, buckle up. You’re in for a fun few days.”
My mood is plummeting fast. “I’ve only been using for three weeks straight,” I mutter, stubbornly refusing to take accountability for the situation I’ve put myself in. “And maybe three more weeks before that, on and off.”
Sven’s lips twitch. “I’m sure you’ll be fine then.”
Tosser.
Exhaustion is beginning to take over while I gaze out the window, wishing I could see something out there;anythingin actual Seoul, other than the airport runways. But before I can wallow too much, it’s time to go.
Sven drags me to the gate, and we begin boarding our next flight… To JFK.
Fifteen hours.
That’s how long the flight is from Seoul to New York. Somehow the trip back to the States from Thailand seems epically longer and more insufferable than the trip there.
I sleep for the majority of it because, as much as I’d rejected the idea of withdrawal, my bodyiscrashing. Still, every momentthat I’m conscious is spent thinking,obsessing, over who could be responsible for this capture.
After all, it’s not as if I have rich parents who would send someone to drag me back and force me into rehab. I have no one. Iknowno one…
Well, maybe one person.
And… he does happen to live in New York now.
The more my hazy paranoia rushes over this, the more I attach to it, and the more I convince myself it’s true…
ThatDr. Loveis having me delivered to him.
I mean, that must be it. What other explanation could there be??
But now, the most significant question remains…What is he going to do with me when I get there?
A large black SUV picks us up at JFK, and we set off to yetanotherlocation. Nearly three hours in the car and we reach our next stop, which I’m assuming is also not our final destination, based on the fact that it appears to be a ferry dock.
When Sven exits the vehicle, I follow his lead and get out, stretching my arms and inhaling a deep pull of ocean air.
“Where the hell are we?” I ask, knowing bloody well no one will answer me.
“Alright…” Sven sighs as he nods at someone behind me. “This is where I leave you.”
“Wait…what?” are the last words I get out before a bag is pulled over my head.
In an instant, I’m fighting, struggling against the hold of two men. They slap handcuffs on my wrists, and shackles on my ankles, dragging me a few feet then shoving me into the backseat of a different SUV.
“Oy! Sven! What the fuck is this?!” I shout, wiggling around while they slam the door. “I slept on your shoulder, you mankyold fuck! And this is how you play me??Ugh!” I roar, breathing heavily, rage and a sense of betrayal weaving through me.
It’s not as if we becamefriendsor anything. But still… He could have at least given me a heads-up.
The same bloke who made it his business to feed me so I didn’t get sick… Bloody bastard.
I can’t see shit. It’s all pitch black from the bag, but I can make out voices just outside the vehicle. Suddenly, the front doors open, and I hear people getting into the SUV and starting it up. Then we’re moving again.
“What the fuck is going on??” I growl, my limbs instantly growing tired from flailing around.
And the withdrawals are starting. Lovely.
They’re all still ignoring me, one of the new male voices speaking from the front seat, “Yari? Yea, lemme talk to El Jefe,por favor. Gracias.” He goes quiet for a moment while I struggle pointlessly. “Hey, boss. We got him.Si, he’s—”
