Free Unthinkable (Berger Series) by Merinda Brayfield Page A

eyes.
    “Okay, thanks, now I’m done eating.” Evan pushed his plate back. The room was starting to empty. He felt full for the first time in days. How many hungry days ahead until they reached Wyoming?
    Damien approached the table, twirling a cigarette in his fingers. “I guess ya’ll ain’t stickin’ ‘round?”
    “No,” said Yoshi warily.
    “Listen,” Damien sighed, “I’m sorry for what I said about needin’ a sitter. If ya’ll want me to come along I will.”
    “Sure,” said Evan, ignoring Yoshi’s wary look.
    “Thanks,” Damien looked relieved. “When you’re done I got a place for ya’ll to spend the night.”
    “We’re leaving now,” said Yoshi.
    Evan looked between him and Damien. “Why not spend the night? There will be plenty of nights to sleep on the ground.”
    Yoshi looked torn. “Fine, but we’re leaving first thing. Not staying for breakfast.”
    “Deal.” Evan cracked a small smile.
    Damien led the way out of a side door. As soon as they were outside Yoshi stopped and looked Damien square in the eyes.
    “Why are you doing this?” asked Yoshi.
    Damien shrugged and pulled out a lighter.
    “Why offer to come with us? Obviously you have friends here,” pressed Yoshi.
    Damien lit the cigarette and took a drag before looking at Yoshi. “Maybe I just ain’t ready to settle down yet.”
    Yoshi shook his head and allowed Damien to lead them a few blocks to an old brick building. He knocked on the door and an older man answered. “Take care of them,” Damien said as he waved goodnight. The man led them into a back room. Evan had an uneasy feeling as they walked through the house, but shook it off. Yoshi’s paranoia was rubbing off on him, he figured. There was a pair of cots in a back room. Evan set the shotgun on the floor. Between the food and the exhaustion of the road he was asleep in moments.
     
    A gun blast jarred Evan awake. He fumbled for the shotgun, but hands yanked him from the cot. Yoshi was cursing nearby. A kick drove the air out of him and he dropped.  Hands held him down as a bag was forced over his head. Evan screamed and struggled but it was useless. A thick blanket wrapped around him, pinning his arms. Someone picked him up and dragged from the room. Evan felt the change under his feet from floor to grass. A punch to the head made the world spin. He was tossed into the bed of a pickup. Someone held him down while a whispered voice in his ear threatened violence that froze Evan’s blood cold. He stopped struggling and fought back panic, trying to breathe evenly as the truck sped along.  There was a word or two of conversation, but it was lost in the wind.
    The truck bumped along for what felt like years. Evan strained to hear anything, any sign of what lay in store. He knew that he was totally at their mercy. The thought nearly drove him to panic again, but he pushed it down. What the hell was going on? Why were they doing this to him? Couldn’t he just be living his nine to five life? Why had the world gone to shit? He tried to stop his thoughts, but they pounded against his mind in unrelenting waves. The evil whispering voice returned with more promises of violence as the truck slowed. Now Evan panicked, struggling in vain as someone laughing held him down. The truck made slow circles in the road. As it picked up speed again they picked up Evan and threw him from the bed. Evan felt himself flying through the air. He cried out as he landed painfully on his side then rolled. He struggled as he came to a stop and wriggled free. He ripped the bag off his head “Goddamnit!”
    Evan scrambled to his feet and stumbled back to the road. He looked down one way and then the other. The truck had vanished. It was nearly daylight now. Evan grabbed his hair and walked circles in the road. There was no sign of Yoshi. Yoshi was gone. He cursed himself for trusting Damien and losing Yoshi in the process. Yoshi had tried to warn him, why hadn’t he listened? More