The second car carrying Isabel, Alex, Maria, and Michael followed closely behind Max’s jeep. Alex again suggested taking a different direction but Isabel wanted him to remain on their tail at least until they got out of the city.

As they rounded the hill just on the outskirts of town, Maria leaned forward in her seat and said, “I think we should call them, get them to head north.”

Isabel nodded curtly.

Maria pulled out her cell phone and dialled Liz. Isabel screamed as Alex hit the breaks and swerved to avoid Max’s bumper. The two vehicles came to a stop side by side on the dark highway. Just ahead, two more black vans were blocking the road. Max slammed the jeep into reverse and was about to hit the gas when the headlights from the two chase vans crested the hill and stopped him.

Kyle spoke up, “Alright, someone has to tell me what’s going on here.”

His statement fell on deaf ears as Liz and Tess watched the same man who had attacked them earlier walk between the cars. He stopped and opened Liz’s door, “Out.”

When she hesitated he cocked his gun and pointed it directly at Alex on his left. “Now,” he growled.

Liz climbed out of the jeep with Max, Tess, and Kyle following. Another black-clothed man herded the teens from the other car and directed everyone towards the waiting vans in front.

Maria and Michael were bringing up the rear when she stumbled and fell to the ground. As Michael stooped to help her up the man shouted at him to cease. He snapped his head in the man’s direction and proceeded to reach down for Maria. The man stepped up and with a powerful swing of his rifle, caught Michael beneath the chin, snapping his head back. He stumbled backwards but before he could fall the man flew at him through the air. The force of the tackle was so great that Michael spun around and hit the ground face first. He slid along the pavement before coming to a stop. He didn’t move.

Maria jumped up and ran to his side, pushing aside the man who had knocked him down.

“Michael,” she yelled, turning him over gingerly. Alex and Isabel had moved to help but were quickly pushed onward into the vans were the other 4 already sat.

As Maria turned Michael over she let out a little cry. The right side of his face was covered in blood and she could see that it had been burned from scraping against the pavement. She also noticed blood staining his right shirtsleeve and wondered how badly he was hurt. She shook him gently and called out his name softly, “Michael.”

He groaned and opened his left eye to look up at her.

Before Maria could thank God that he was okay the men were on top of them again, two of them grabbing Maria and half carrying, half pushing her to the van while another 3 roughly picked Michael up and threw him into the back of the van.

The doors to the van were in the rear with the seats situated in a ‘U’. The guys picked Michael up and laid him across one of the seats as the van started to move. Maria knelt on the floor beside him while her sisters tried to check that she wasn’t hurt as well.

“Are you okay?” Maria asked Michael.

He grunted. “Stupid question.” But there was a small smile on his face as he said it.

Maria allowed herself a small smile but then concern clouded her face again. “No, seriously, how bad is it?”

“I’ll live,” he replied as he sat up, his face contorting in pain. Maria climbed on to the seat next to him as he surveyed the seating arrangement.

Michael was near the back door with Maria on his left. Max was seated directly across from him with Liz and Tess next to him. Kyle, Isabel, and Alex were on the seat behind the driver.