Chapter 4: Choice

You have ten seconds to get out of the car, before me and my men drag you out ourselves"

I looked back at Will for reassurance and he gave me a stiff nod.

I got out of the car slowly, Will following close behind.

"Just to make sure you both don't try anything stupid." Baldie stepped forward from behind and dangled two handcuffs in front of my face.

He gave one to Tattoo-freak who went over to Will and fastened them on his wrists and Baldie put the other ones on mine. He roughly took me by my arm and started dragging me towards what seemed like an abandoned hotel building. I realized that I had no idea where we were.

We entered the building and I took in my surroundings all the curtains were drawn so it was pretty dark. We entered into what seemed like the reception area. At least that's what it would have been in the past when this place wasn't such a wreck. There was no furniture and the ground was littered with cigarettes, crumpled papers, and all kinds of garbage.

Overhead a shabby chandelier was turned on illuminating the whole area. Most of its bulbs and crystals were missing, it looked like it would fall down any second.

"Classy isn't it?" Baldie asked chuckling, I just made a disgusted face. He dragged me towards an elevator and pushed the button, the doors opened with a lout 'creak'.

I was surprised that it still worked. I was pushed in and everyone filed in behind me. My eyes met Will's again, they were emotionless, his face showed no signs of distress. I looked away. If he was anywhere near as scared as I was he was doing a really good job of hiding it.

The elevator started moving with loud 'screeches' and 'creaks', finally it came to a stop and the doors opened. We walked down a long carpeted hallway and stopped in front of a door with a large brass handle. Tattoo-freak knocked on the door twice.

"Who is it?" A gruff authoritative voice sounded from the other side of the door, it sounded annoyed.

I saw tattoo-freak gulp.

He was scared? That made me nervous.

"It's me, Robert." Tattoo-freak, whose name was actually Robert replied somewhat timidly, "Bryan is here with me as well. We've bought both of them as you asked."

"Come in." The voice responded.

Baldie, whose name now I knew was Bryan opened the door, motioning towards me and Will to get in. We didn't have any choice but to comply.

I stepped inside. The first thing I noticed was that the room wasn't anything like the rest of the hotel, it was spotlessly clean. The curtains were open, allowing sunlight to enter. There were two huge shelves against the side wall.

"Welcome." The gruff voice spoke again.

I followed the sound and my eyes trained on the man in a black suit sitting behind a huge canopy desk.

He must've been at least fifty, tall, with grey hair and a well-trimmed beard.

There was something about him that made me feel uncomfortable.

His steely grey eyes seemed to be fixated on me. His eyes were cold and emotionless and his gaze made me shudder involuntarily.

He smiled, but there was nothing kind about his smile. "I'm Dominic Black." He said in his hard, cool voice "I apologize if my boys here gave you two any trouble."

His eyes trailed to my wrists "Now boys," he said in a stern tone to Robert and Bryan "This is no way to treat guests." His eyes met mine again. "Especially when there's a lady involved." He clucked his tongue disapprovingly, his eyes not leaving mine. "This is not how I like to be introduced to pretty girls." He continued smiling. "How about a nice dinner with me later sweetheart?"

I felt bile rise up in my throat and I pushed it down.

"I'd much rather shoot myself right here." I snapped, narrowing my eyes at him.

He laughed loudly. "Feisty one I see, I might just keep you. It would certainly make things a whole lot . . . entertaining." He said in a calm voice.

"Over my dead body!" I spit out.

His eyes hardened, all traces of humor disappeared. "That could be arranged" he said in an eerily calm voice. He suddenly stood up from his desk and walked towards me, causing me to step back involuntarily. I knew I had stepped over the line.

He stopped a few feet away and reached into his coat pocket, extracting a revolver.

He glanced at me once before pointing it in my direction.

"Since you're so keen on dying, right now. I'll make it easier for you." He said coldly.

I straightened my shoulders and raised my chin up.

No way was I letting this bastard know that I was scared.

I could feel my body start to tremble but I met his gaze squarely.

Suddenly, Will stepped forward shielding me from Dominic "Will, what are yo-" I started but he cut me off, talking to Dominic in a hostile tone.

"What is it you want? Money? Name whatever price you want just let us leave"

Dominic looked amused but quickly masked his expression and snorted, "You know what I want. I want the same thing I wanted from you last week." He said evenly "Except, before I had offered you one million dollars to fulfill my demands, now that offer doesn't stand. Now I offer you the chance to live. If you agree to my terms I spare your life and your little friends too."

He put his revolver back in his coat pocket and continued in the same cool and calm tone. "However, if you fail to comply. I will kill you. But first you'd have to watch as I very slowly kill your pretty companion here." He stepped forward and I felt Will stiffen in front of me. "You'll have to hear her scream and beg. It's all in your hands." He sneered.

The temperature of the room seemed to have dropped twenty degrees. I saw Will clench his jaw. His breathing became ragged and I saw him ball his hands into tight fists.

"Make your decision now Will and choose wisely".