They will pay for that. I vow it.

“Get them inside, now!”

Someone grabs both of my arms, jerking me up. The butt of a gun connects with my temple so fuckin’ hard my world goes black.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

2014 - Santana

My leg burns like it’s on fire as I head into the thick trees to the west of the property. I don’t think the bullet went in, but it kills all the same. I can’t run to the driveway, the land is open and I’ve not doubt someone has come after me. If I’m in an open field, I’ll get shot before I make it. The sounds of gunfire still echoes, breaking me with each loud, ringing shot.

“Santana!”

I hear a familiar voice and turn to see Mack running towards me, two guns in his hands. He’s covered in blood and his hair is whipping wildly in the wind. He stops when he reaches me, staring down at my bloody leg. “Fuck, you’re fuckin’ bleedin’. We gotta get outta here, I don’t have time to stop and fix that. Can you run a little further?”

I don’t hear his words clearly; my eyes are trained on the field of workers behind him. I let my gaze settle on one in particular. A small blond girl. I can’t be. I start running in that direction without thinking. Gunfire and shouted voices are all I can hear, but I don’t stop. Mack grabs my arms, but I shove him away so forcefully, his fingers drop away.

He turns, shots ring out, and then he barks, “Santana, we’ve got company.”

My mind is in a haze, the blond girl...so familiar. I don’t think, I don’t feel, I don’t fucking care. I turn, pulling my gun from my pants and I shoot the two figures in the distance that are running towards me. I hit them with a precision I shouldn’t have. Their bodies drop into the overly long grass.

“Fuck me,” Mack mutters.

I charge onto the field, not caring if I get shot. Not caring about anything but the blond girl I’m getting closer and closer to with each step. I can’t feel the pain in my leg anymore; the only thing letting me know I’m still here is the pounding of my heart.

The fields are filled with lines of stout trees. Slaves are scattered through them in groups of four or five, all chained together by the ankles. They’re all working, and I see the reason they can’t go far, is because their chains lead to a massive post at the end of each line of trees, stopping them from being able to run.

They call out to me, pleading voices, but I only have eyes for one. The blond girl turns as I near closer and I know, I just know. A pained cry rips from my throat as I take her in. Ratty, damaged blond hair, a body so tiny she’s undoubtedly mal-nourished, and the biggest, bluest eyes I’ve ever seen.

“T-T-Tana?” she croaks.

Her voice is like music to my ears. I skid to a stop when I reach her, my arms going out to launch her tiny body into mine. She’s so skinny, God, so skinny. Agonized cries leave my throat and my legs go out from beneath me, taking her down into the dirt, too. Her tiny arms are around me, her crying loud and pained.

Gunfire erupts.

“We gotta go!” Mack bellows, reaching me.

I pull back, and through blurred vision stare down at Pippa’s chains.

“We need to get them off...we need...”

The other slaves attached to her, are staring at us, their expressions a mix of shock and confusion. I look at them, then to Mack.

“Hurry!”

He growls, “Move!”

I do, and he aims his gun at the chain, pulling the trigger. It explodes. It takes a few shots to get the second one, but in seconds, Pippa is free. She launches herself into my arms, sobbing hysterically. I could nearly lift her she’s so tiny. Mack does just that, sweeping down and lifting her into his arms.

“Santana!” she screams, so loudly and so full of fear it makes my entire body ache, knowing what she must have been through.

“He won’t hurt you, but we have to go. It’s okay, shhh.”

She stops screaming, but her tiny body continues to shake. I turn to Mack, hearing voices getting closer and closer. We’re protected from the trees right now, but it won’t take long for them to figure out which row we’re in.

“Please!” One of the slaves calls. “Please help us.”

“You have to help them,” I cry.

“No,” Mack bellows, taking my arm and jerking me away.

“Mack, please!”

“We take them, we’re fuckin’ dead. Not to mention the shit they’ll do to the guys if they come out and find their slaves gone. You wanna risk Maddox?”

I can’t argue. I turn to the slaves, calling, “We’ll come back, I swear.”

Their cries trail after me as we disappear into the thick trees only twenty or so meters away. A shot hits the trunk right beside my head just as I get in. I scream, and Mack pulls me harder and faster. The pain in my leg is back with full force now, burning to the point vomit rises in my throat and escapes my mouth before I can stuff it back. I don’t stop running, Mack doesn’t even notice.

He pulls us through the trees with a ferocity I’m not sure I’d have without him. More shots ring out, coming too close. I smother my cries, forcing my legs to move when they really don’t want to. We run towards the road, trees and rocks causing damage to our bodies as they scrape along our skin. We reach the massive fence and Mack doesn’t hesitate, he lifts Pippa and throws her over.

“Mack!” I cry, hearing my sisters pained wail as she lands on the other side.