Page 16 of Tristano

“You say that like it’s a good thing.”

“It is. Because now, whenever you need a dark knight to save you, you know I’ll be there.”

“Promise?” I ask as my heart beats wildly.

“Promise, principessa.”

Slowly I wake up and realized we were moving.

I can still smell the cedarwood and mint that has always brought me comfort. I wish he was here with me.

Opening my eyes, I see that there is one dim light swaying from the metal roof. Looking around, I see the other girls, some passed out and others wide awake. I groan, rubbing my head.

We are on the move. I think it’s been about five or six days since I’ve been taken. What I think was last night they finally brought us water with our food. After drinking it, I realized the mistake I made. They drugged it.

The screeching of brakes makes me cover my ears. We must be on a train. I wonder where they are taking us now. I guess wherever they plan to sell us or whatever it is that they do.

The sound of retching makes me sit up. Mandy is in the corner with her back to us as she dry heaves.

“That’s fucking gross,” some girl who can’t be a day over sixteen sneers.

“Yeah, well, it’s not like she can help it if she gets motion sickness when they have us locked up now, can she?” another snaps.

The longer we are captive, the more irritable we all get. I haven’t lashed out, but I’ve wanted to. Some of these girls aren’t old enough to have better control over their emotions. Add in the high-intensity high-stakes situation and it’s assumed at least one of us will lose it at some point.

Leaning against the wall, I shut my eyes and go over everything I know. When I was taken, I was the sixth girl. They didn’t take anyone the day after me, but then the four days after that they did. I think it was yesterday I drank the water, but I can’t be sure.

“Does anyone know what day it is?” I say loudly over the train.

“I’m not sure, but when I was taken it was April first,” the girl next to me says.

Looking over at her, I remember she was the eighth girl taken. So it has to be either the fourth or fifth of the month.

Hope blossoms in my chest.

Maybe that’s why I dreamed of him. I was supposed to check in with him via phone on the first. It’s our routine. I have never missed even when undercover.

He has to be looking for me, right?

I wish I had made a different decision back then. The one and only time outside of the day we met that he came to see me was when I graduated from the police academy when I was nineteen years old. I still remember the way it felt to be with him again.

“You came.” I rush over to hug him.

He picks me up, spinning me around before setting me back down.

“Of course I did. These are for you.” He hands me a bouquet of flowers and a gift bag.

“What’s in the bag?” I ask.

He smirks. “I’ll show you, but only if you come with me.”

He looks around at all the cops hanging around my backyard.

I nod knowingly. This has to be weird for him. It’s why I didn’t think he would come. I should not be seen with him, but I so wanted him to be here. More than anything really.

“Let me go make an excuse to my uncle. I’ll meet you down the street.”

It didn’t take me long to convince my uncle to let me walk to the store for some ice. He was deep in discussion with another officer so I know he won’t miss me when I’m gone longer than I should be.

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