“Start talking,” Wanderer ordered.
“Not until we have an agreement,” Levi said firmly.
“Boy, does this look like the fucking Price is Right to you? Stick him, Moose,” Wanderer demanded.
“With pleasure.” Moose brought the knife to Levi’s neck.
He flinched. The blood drained from his face, and his body shook. He clamped his mouth shut. Moose exchanged a look with Wanderer. Levi was tougher than he looked.
“If I tell you where she is, there’s nothing left to keep me alive. I’m not a stupid man,” Levi said.
“And if we let you go and you tell us some bullshit, we’re fucked,” Moose said.
“Let him go. We’ll find him again. You realize that, right, pretty boy? We’re going to hunt you down and kill you slowly for this. What you get today is a brief respite,” Wanderer whispered.
“Why should I trust you?” Levi asked.
“Because you have no choice,” Moose deadpanned. “Or do you need a little more persuasion?”
“No! No. She’s in the asylum.” Levi clutched the seat.
“You hear that, driver? We got us a new destination,” Wanderer yelled. “If you harmed even one hair on her head…”
The fear on Levi’s face made Moose growl as he dug the knife into the man’s thigh, burrowing into the flesh beneath his expensive trousers.
Levi screamed. A dark stain appeared against the material of his pants.
Moose stopped. “So you remember to keep your hands to yourself. You tell your friends their days are numbered too.” Afraid he’d continue to hack at the man who might be lying about Joey’s whereabouts, he put his knife away and sank onto his haunches, never taking his eyes off Levi.
A half-hour went by, and the terrain grew rockier. Moose knew they finally were closing in on their location.
Levi stared out the window, refusing to make eye contact with any of them.
The van stopped. “We’re here at spooky shit, man,” Hawk announced.
Moose leaned over and opened the door, stepping outside. The sky had turned a peachy pink as dawn broke. “Bring him out,” Moose said. The dilapidated building loomed ahead, a vision from every child’s worst nightmare. “You’d better hope you remember where you put her, and she’s unharmed. How did you get the girls to come with you?” He narrowed his eyes as Levi was untied and forced to his feet.
“Drugged them. GHB.” He beamed. The pleasure he took from stealin
g her screamed psychotic serial killer. Wanderer punched him in the gut.
He doubled over, gasping for air.
“You’ll be getting a souvenir before this is all said and done. I promise you that.” The rumble in Wanderer’s voice pledged pain and repaid debt.
“Let’s go,” Moose urged. They could do whatever they wanted with the douchebag once he had Joey back. That’s all he gave a shit about now.
They entered a side door they had to pry open. Moose gripped Levi’s arm tightly, and Wanderer held the other. The smell of decay and filth stung his nostrils. As they made their way deeper into the building, the madness of the place seemed to increase. Crazed ramblings, writings and pictures covered the faded white walls. Remnants from the functional days peeked out from inside open doorways. All they needed was a wheelchair to roll down the hallway on its own to complete the scene.
They turned to the left, and Levi stumbled to a halt.
“What?” Wanderer asked.
“I— This is where I left her. That door shouldn’t be open!” Levi exclaimed.
Moose grabbed him by the lapels of his coat and slammed him against the wall. “You fucking with me? You think this is some sort of game? Is she even here?” He pulled Levi away and slammed him repeatedly like a ragdoll.
“Cool down, man, I can see she broke out. He’s telling the truth.” Wanderer rested a hand on his shoulder. “He’s no good to us concussed and drooling out the side of his mouth. He obviously knows the layout.”