When Jordan woke up, she felt dizzy. Her hair was down and she needed to remove it from her face so that she could vomit from the splitting pain she felt in the back of her skull. As she tried to move her hands, she realized that they were bound behind her. She didn’t struggle. She shook her head to clear the hair from her face only to cause the nausea to come on quicker. She leaned over and vomited nothing but bile. She hadn’t eaten since lunch.
“Ah, the Rock Princess is awake”, a man’s voice said.
“Who are you?” Jordan said. She could hear in her voice that she was hurt.
“At the moment, that’s not important my dear. What is important is that you are going to suffer. I am going to beat the hell then call your Daddy. I wonder if 73 year old David Draiman will come to the rescue of his first born daughter. Or if your twin, the Nobel Prize winning Doctor, will come to your rescue. I’m pretty sure that the things he’ll want to do to me will violate his oath to do no harm.”
“Fuck you, jack ass. I don’t care what you do to me. Leave my family out of this.”
“Oh, but Jordan, your family has everything to do with this. You shouldn’t even be here. Your father should have died the night he was shot at the end of the Uproar Festival all these years ago. But, your stubborn ass Jew of a father couldn’t just humor a mother fucker and die, could he? No. He should have just let your loud mouthed whore of a mother die, but he couldn’t do that either, could he? No. Irian Cartwright was a thorn in the Establishment from the get go. She preached about equality, but did she really live it?”
“Yeah, mother fucker. My mother lived what she preached. She was tolerant of everyone. She never turned anyone away because of something she didn’t agree with.”
Out of nowhere a hand came and slapped her in the face hard. She felt her jaw slip out of place just slightly. “Jordan Hannah, you don’t know the sins of your parents from before you were born, but I assure you, you will pay dearly for them.”
She shook her head as she opened her mouth to pop her jaw back in. “I know what people think my parents did before I came along. I know what the history books say about my father from during the Utopian Occupation. What you punks don’t understand is there is no such thing as Utopia. Not on Earth there isn’t. Humans are flawed and therefore incapable of achieving perfection.”
“You’ve been listening to your father spout off philosophical nonsense again, haven’t you?”
“No, I’ve witnessed the imperfection of the human race first hand. I travel the world, remember. I’ve had people die at my shows not for disease but because people become obsessive. I’ve personally pulled men and women in wheelchairs and on crutches on to the stage so that they could crowd surf as the band played. People know illness. People are imperfect.”
“And those who have such afflictions should be exterminated, Jordan. Don’t you see? Now, so that I can exterminate the rest of your worthless family, why don’t you tell me where homestead is?”
“How about I don’t and say I did?”
He slapped her again and blood blossomed from her bottom lip. “Where is your family homestead?”
She spat the blood she tasted in her mouth back in his face. “FUCK YOU!” she screamed.
“Oh, Ms. Draiman, you’re going to regret that.” He doubled up his fist and punched her in the face.
She knew she was going to be hurt after that. She felt something in her face snap under his fist. “I regret nothing yet. You called my father a stubborn assed Jew. Well, I got his stubborn and my mother’s stubborn Jew/ Irish mix, you piece of shit. When I dig my heels in, mother fucker, I don’t budge. Good luck getting me to tell you where homestead is, because it will never happen. Beat me all you want. Rape me for all I care. You’ll never get the location of my father’s land out of me.”
“So your father still owns the land, does he?”
“I said it was his land, I didn’t say he still owned it. He bought it before he and my mother got together. I’ll always think of it as his whether he owns it or not.”
“So, you’re saying that checking property records would be pointless?”
“Pretty much. My father owns a lot of property.” She was bluffing and praying that he didn’t catch on.
The man sighed. “I was afraid of that. Well, Ms. Draiman, I’m going to let you stew on your injuries and whether protecting your loud mouth of a father and your whore of a mother is worth your life or not. I’ll be back in a little while. Meanwhile, though I have no interest in fucking a loud mouthed little dike such as you, I can’t speak for my men. Don’t fight when they try to take you. It will only make things worse for you.” And the man walked off.
Jordan wasn’t afraid. She knew that if she had to die to protect her family, then so be it. Her children were safe, her siblings and their families were safe, and her parents were safe. That’s what mattered.
She saw the man stop to talk to one of the men, who nodded. He walked into the room where Jordan was tied up. “I’m so sorry, but the man has threatened my family as well. If I don’t do as he says, then he will kill my children”, he whispered.
Jordan nodded. “I understand. Just follow your orders. I have a brother who’s a doctor. If he can’t fix me, he’ll know someone who can.”
The man nodded. “I’ll try not to hurt you too badly. The man that replaces me in the morning probably won’t be as kind.”
“Gotcha. Do what you have to do to appease your boss. What doesn’t kill me will make me stronger, right?”
“Right. Right now, I’m checking your injuries. After a little time alone, I’ll be expected to come back in here and break a few things myself.”
“Ok. So, what’s the damage?”
“So far? He’s split open your lip open, knocked loose a few teeth, and broken your maxilla.”
“My cheekbone?”
“Exactly. He’s gonna want more damage soon. He’s gonna want black eyes before he calls your father.”
“And you’re gonna be in charge of that?”
“Nope, I get to break ribs.”
“CARTER! I’M NOT PAYING YOU TO TALK TO HER!” the first man had yelled.
“I’m not, Mr. Grissom, sir! I’m talking to myself about her injuries. You told me to look her over”, he man called back. To Jordan he whispered, “I’m so sorry. He’s a horrible man, you see.”
“I understand. Do what you have to.”
“I’ll try not to leave too much evidence that you were beaten. And I’m really sorry for this”, he said and punched her in the stomach.
She couched up blood and spit it out on the ground as Mr. Carter walked away.
---------------
“God David, can you believe that we have 25 grandchildren now?” Brie laughed as they lay in bed that night.
“Nope. It’s insane.” He sounded distant.
“What’s on your mind, David?”
“Jordan going missing. I’m worried about her.”
“So am I. But, David, she’s a strong girl. She’s as stubborn as the two of us combine. We both knew she was going to sneak off at some point. Now, we play a waiting game. I’m sure she’ll call when she’s got her head clear.”
“I don’t think this is a case of her disappearing for a day or two to clear her head. I’m afraid that this is Albert the Shaman’s predictions coming true.”
“You mean is interpretation of everyone’s dreams?”
“Yeah, that. Think about this for a moment. He said she was going to defy me. She had to be planning this for a long time. At least since we’ve been here.”
“I know. But, Jordan is also an opportunist. If she can find a hole she’s going to exploit it. Perhaps she just took advantage of the ruckus that had been kicked up when Rina was born this evening. Davina was keeping their kids occupied in the back yard and she took the advantage to slip away. Plot though she may have, she just took the chance to get away.”
“I just hope that nothing bad is happening to her.”
“David, you and I both know that if those radical Utopian bastards have her in their hands, she’s fucked worse than Chuck.”
He sighed and pulled her in a little closer. “I know. What I want to know is what they want from her.”
“Us.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Did you see the sizes of the bounties on our heads, love?”
“I’ll never let anything happen to you.”
“Baby, I know. You don’t have to convince me. What we need to do is wait to see what happens. We have all this kick ass equipment out here; the boys have been training with the most feared man in the country. We have a doctor in the family in case she’s injured.”
“I pray that she’s not. Lord only knows what it will do to her psyche.”
“Well, if need be, we’ll take Jazz and Levi so that Davina can dedicate her time to taking care of our messed up daughter. I’m sure that Jordan won’t listen to anything we have to say after this ordeal.”
He sighed. “I hate it when you’re right.”
“This is one of those instances that I do too. But, we both know that Jordan won’t want to listen to her parents when she comes back from this. She’ll want her woman. Anyway, Davina will know better how to handle her than we would anymore. She hasn’t lived at home since she was 18.”
David nodded. “Very true, and again, uncomfortably right. Do you think we’ll have to run that op we did the other night with the boys for real?”
“I think it’s a possibility, yes. It’s going to be an all nighter if we do.”
“Then we’ll have to get plenty of sleep tomorrow, won’t we?”
“Oh yeah, I think we’ll have to take a few power naps.”
He laughed. “Naps. When did we get so old that we had to take naps?”
She laughed as well. “We haven’t, babe. It’s just prudent that we do so, unless you want to be chugging coffee.”
“You know I have no problem with that now that the reflux is under control.”
“And you’re not having to keep your voice in top condition anymore, either.”
“True. Will you be ok though?”
“Snacks are my friend, baby. If I eat the way the Doctor has told me to and keep my sugar up, then I’ll be fine.”
He nodded. “I worry about you. You know that.”
She smiled. “You worry unnecessarily”, she said and kissed his chest. “Now, let’s try to get a little sleep so that we can be on our toes tomorrow.”
“Sounds like a plan to me, love. Let’s get some sleep.”
---------------
Jordan was no longer tied to the chair. Instead, she was chained to the wall. She was still dizzy from being cracked in the head with whatever had knocked her out. Luckily, she hadn’t been sexually assaulted yet. The assault had only been physical. She’d been beaten badly enough that she knew she had bruised ribs- if not broken- and she had a black eye. When the Grissom man would question her and she’d refuse to answer, one of his goons would hit her. Some went for the face, some for the body and others for her legs. She knew her fibula wasn’t in great shape.
“Ms. Draiman, this is getting tiresome. Just tell me where your parents are and I’ll take you to a hospital”, Grissom said.
“How many times do I have to say it?” she asked through swollen lips. “Go to hell. I’m not telling you shit.”
A 2x4 smashed into her thigh and she felt it crack, but never made a sound. “Perhaps I’ll call your father and demand that he and your mother turn themselves over to me for your release. What do you think, Jordan?”
“That you’re insane and I can’t wait until someone ends your miserable existence. I’m not telling you shit and my parents will never turn themselves over to you. What’s your beef with my Dad anyway? What did he ever do to you?”
“He and that rag tag band of his annihilated forces that I was supposed to command. He’s a loud mouth and so are you. Now, if you want to continue to breathe and infect my oxygen with your filth and lies, tell me where your parents are located right this moment. If they’re in the country, I want to know where so that I can get rid of them once and for all.”
Jordan smiled internally. “And if they’re not in the country? What if they’re still in Israel where they’ve been living since Dad retired five years ago?”
“Then give me your older brother. Tell me where Malachai is hiding. Tell me where Logan Moyer and Caleb Johnson are hiding while you’re at it.”
“So, you’ve gone from wanting my parents to wanting my brother, his best friend, and our cousin. What do you want with them?”
“It’s not really them I want, though their deaths will make me happy. I’m more interested in your niece and nephew that are about to graduate high school. Miranda and Isaiah, if I’m not mistaken. Born August 18, 2024.”
“What do you want with Isaiah and Miranda?”
“That’s my little secret. Now, where are David and Brie Draiman?”
“Dead”, Jordan lied. She paid for it dearly. The 2x4 went across her ribs and she grunted.
“You think I haven’t done my homework, Jordan? There are no death certificates for your parents on record anywhere. Nice try. Where are your parents?”
“I’m not telling you, so stop asking.”
“Jordan Hannah, you’re going to force me to let them really hurt you. So far the only reason you haven’t been brutally raped is because I’ve told me men to leave you alone.” He stopped and though for a moment. “We’re going to give you more time to think about it, Ms. Draiman. We’ll be back after a while. Maybe some time to consider the options will be good for you.” She heard the sound of multiple footsteps retreating.
Jordan couldn’t see a thing. She was practically blind. Both of her eyes were swollen shut. Her mouth was a mess, she was sure. Her lips were swollen, she was missing teeth and there were several that had pieces broken off. She was going to need a cosmetic dentist to fix the damage that had been done.
Her mother had taught her a method to draw in her energy to assess her injuries. That’s what she did. Aside from the facial stuff, she knew she had to have a couple broken ribs because she was having difficulty breathing. Her left leg was on fire from the 2x4 that had been taken across it. And she knew better than to try to put weight on the leg. She knew that little bone in the back of her calf was in pieces. How many though? That was the real question. I hope this douche bag just ends the bull shit and calls Dad when he comes out here. I’m never going to tell him where they are. And I’m certainly not going to give him Malachai, Logan and Caleb. They’re my band mates. Logan’s my fucking cousin. This guy’s for sure got a few screws loose. But, this is what Dad’s been having the boys train with Morbus for. God, I’m such a moron. Dad always has a reason, even if he doesn’t share it. But, for now, I’ll try to get some rest, because there’s no telling when that tool is going to come back in here and let his goons fuck me up some more. Jordan relaxed in the chains that held her against the wall. She knew she probably wouldn’t get a lot of rest before one of the goons and started fucking with her some more.
And the hours ticked on.
---------------
“Gentlemen, this is a ROPES course. I want to see what you’re made of today. That obstacle course at the house has nothing on this. This will be timed. You’re all wearing safety harnesses because you’re all going to be strapped to a boulette. In essence, this is what rock climbers and the like wear for safety unless they’re morons and do it free form”, Morbus said. “After this today, I’m going to be nice and let you all out of training. Now, I know Jordan is missing. That’s why I’m going to let you boys have the day off. Rest up. I spoke with David this morning and the moment we know anything about Jordan’s condition, we’re going to start prepping to go get her. Jake, I suggest you set up a small trauma unit in the house so that you can assess your sister’s injuries once we get her back to the house. Now isn’t the time to worry about that. Now is the time to breeze this course. The faster your guys finish this, the faster we get out of here. You guys got it?”
“Yeah!” they all called out.
“Great. We’re going to do this two at a time. It’s easier for me to keep track of what’s happening that way. Gonna pair the slowest ones with the fastest ones. Skyler and Caleb are up first. Then it’s Jake and Justin, followed by Jeremiah and Malachai. James and Marc will go next. Logan, you, Colton and Kylely will all go together because you were in the dead center. My boys will be on boulette to keep you safe and anchored. Let’s do this!”
“You’re going down, old man”, Caleb said.
“In your dreams, Caleb. I finished before all of you did. You’re all younger than I am and I skunked you”, Skyler answered. “Just put up or shut up, Caleb.”
“And… go!” Morbus said after they were ready. They guys took off. They were pretty neck and neck for the first half of the rock wall; then Skyler kicked it into over drive. The rest of the course was a nothing. Once Skyler come flying down the zip line, it was over. But, Caleb wasn’t far behind though. Morbus laughed. “Skyler maintains his record so far. Jake, if you want to stay in second, you had better teach Justin a lesson in speed.”
Jake smiled sarcastically. “Oh, I don’t know about that Morbus. I’m pretty sure that Justin will eat my dust.”
“In your dreams Jake.”
“We shall see, Justin.”
When Morbus gave the signal, Jake and Justin took off. Jake was showing off how much upper body strength he had by not using his feet on the rock wall. He over took Justin in no time. But, Justin caught up after the rock wall on the log bridge. It all came down to the zip line as they fought for the lead the entire time. Jake hit the zip line first with Justin on his heels. “We have a nearly three way tie for the lead”, Morbus laughed when the boys climbed out of the air bag. “Nicely down. Jake, where the hell?”
“What?”
“Rock wall, no feet? Where did that come from?”
“A couple of years ago Jeremiah and I took the families on vacation and we went free style rock climbing. There were places where you didn’t want to put your feet down on that rock face, so we raced to the top with nothing but arms. Climbers chalk or no.”
“Did you guys have chalk?”
“Yeah, and we taped our hands to do all of this.”
“Hey Jake!” Marc called out.
“What up?”
“Can we see the gun show?”
Jake laughed and flexed. “Boom, BOOM!” he called out. “Check out the firah powah! And this is what you get when you work out like I do.”
“Get back over there, show off”, Morbus laughed. “Next up is Jeremiah and Malachai.” The trash talking continued and those who talked the most were the ones left in the dust. “Ok, final results. Jake and Skyler are tied for first, Justin and Caleb come in at a very close second and Jeremiah is still in third with James and Marc on his heels for fourth. Kylely, Logan, Malachai and Colton all tie for fifth. Good news. No one took longer the three minutes. I’m whipping you guys into shape.”
“Can we go home now?” Marc asked. “I want to go home and let loose a little bit of the testosterone coursing through me on my wife.”
“Wish we all had that liberty”, Jake laughed.
“Yes, boys, we’re going home. Like I said, get plenty of rest. We may end up going on a search and rescue tonight.”
No comments:
Post a Comment