Her Titans by Genevieve Jasper

Atlas

29

I wake up slowly, my thoughts like they’re wading through treacle. What the fuck happened to me? I feel like a truck has hit me. A splash of cold hits my face and I jerk my eyes open, pain instantly searing through my brain.

“Fucking finally. How long does it take?”

I don’t recognise the voice, but it echoes slightly, wherever we are. I pry my eyes back open, absorbing the pain and taking in the face from the photos plastered all over our conference room wall.

“Who are you?” I ask, trying to buy some time to collect my scattered mind. No such luck.

“Don’t try me with that shit, I know you know exactly who I am.”

He chuckles manically in my face, then shoots out a fist, connecting straight with my jaw at lightning speed. My mouth fills with blood, but I feel nothing else.

I can’t feel my body at all, so it’s only the fact the room stays upright that I know I haven’t been floored. It feels like cement has replaced the blood in my veins. My limbs have no sensation other than heaviness.

“What the fuck did you give me?”

“It’s all about you, isn’t it, Atlas? Don’t you want to know why I’m here?”

“Not really,” I reply, disdain dripping from my words. At least the cloud over my brain is clearing. My lack of interest causes his face to scrunch in fury, but a ding from his phone distracts him and it disappears instantly. This guy is fucking creepy.

“God, these besties of yours sure are needy, aren’t they?” he asks, grinning. It isn’t his phone, it’s mine. While he’s sidetracked with that, I take the chance to look around and realise exactly where we are. The basement, in my own fucking home. “Shall we go with engine trouble delaying you or someone keeping you? What’s the maid’s name again? Lucy!”

I don’t answer him, but he doesn’t seem to need any encouragement. How the fuck he knows that information or how he got in here in the first place are questions I’ll ask once I’m out of here. He stands right in front of me, knowing full well he won’t receive any retaliation from my frozen body. My phone rings and he lets it ring out, watching the screen until another text comes through.

“Wow, they’ll really believe anything. Where were we? Oh yeah, why I’m here.”

“I don’t give a fuck,” I hiss at him.

His fist shoots out again and gets me right on the nose. A crunch of bone makes me cringe, and I definitely felt that one, which is a good sign. Whatever I’m under seems to be wearing off pretty quickly now that I’m awake.

“You’re really fucking rude, do you know that?”

“Okay,” I relent. “Why are you here?” If I can keep him talking, I might be able to gain some mobility back. He must’ve tied my wrists because my arms are behind my back and there’s no way I’m capable of holding them there right now.

A huge grin eats up his face again. The manic smile and dead eyes belong in a horror movie, not in my basement.

“Yes! I’m here for Madelaine,” he says as if he’s made a huge reveal, like he hasn’t been stalking my fucking girl for weeks.

“Madelaine’s not here,” I spit.

“But she will be soon. See, you really should be more interested in what I have to say. I could’ve told you everything about the car swap. I think it would’ve impressed you, honestly.”

“What car swap?” I have no idea of the time but if Madelaine is due back soon, it must be no later than early afternoon. The last thing I remember is being on a morning call, so I’ve either lost a few hours of time or the drugs have impaired my memory. Did someone hit me? How am I down here?

“In fact, she should be here any minute so let me just top this up, can’t have you ruining my surprise.”

He gags me and then pulls out a syringe from his pocket, uncapping the needle. I’m completely powerless to stop him and as soon as he steps back I feel the minute sensations that were returning to my body disappearing again. My mind stays alert, though, so it can’t be the same thing he gave me last time.

“Atlas?”

Madelaine! I hear her calling me but I can’t reply. I thought my mind was clear but it sounds like her voice is coming from right in this room. Leighton jogs up the stairs and disappears. Is this it? He’s going to take my girl and disappear. The guys will eventually find me down here but Madelaine will be gone. I will search my whole life for her if that’s what it takes to get her back. Nothing happens for the longest few minutes of my life, but then the door opens at the top of the stairs.

“Atlas!” Madelaine calls my name in relief as soon as she’s low enough on the stairs to see me. “Atlas?” she calls again as she reaches the bottom, heading for me.

“Stay the fuck away from him!” Leighton calls, stopping her in her tracks. “Over against the wall. Go near him and I’ll have to shoot him, which will be really fucking irritating because I waited for him to come round for ages.”

Madelaine sits about 10 feet away from me, arms wrapped around her legs in front of her, pure fear in her eyes as Leighton walks over and removes my gag.

“It’s okay, baby.” The words are clear in my mind but they come out slurred. God, I wish I could go to her, hold her in my arms. Preferably after I’ve crushed this fucker’s head under my boot. She sags with relief when she hears my voice.

“Are you okay?” she asks me.

“I’m good. Are you okay?” I want to reassure her, but my words still come out slower and more slurred than I’d like. I don’t want her wasting any energy worrying about me. She needs to be focused on getting herself out of here, since I’m in no position to do so. Madelaine is my priority here and I would die a thousand times to keep her safe.

“Didn’t I say I was going to die in this house?” she asks with a watery half-smile.

“You’re not dying,” I say fiercely, but her expression shows me she doesn’t believe me.

“I would never hurt you, Madelaine,” Leighton says. “Can I tell my story now so he can die and we can go?” He obviously has a lot to get off his chest, but I can’t give him any of my attention. This beautiful, brave, captivating woman in front of me demands it all. She isn’t paying him any mind either, our gazes unwavering, tears swimming in her eyes.

“I love you,” she says, one tear slipping free and rolling down her cheek.

“Madelaine-” I start but can’t finish, my chest cracking at her expression and my frustration growing.

“Enough of this shit!” Leighton roars at her. “You’ll love me soon. It was always meant to be me and you. Just let me explain!”

“Okay,” she concedes, tearing her gaze from mine. “But what did you do to Jeremy?”

“Nothing, your precious Jeremy is fine. It was actually so slick, another one of my great ideas. You got separated when he was cut off at some traffic lights, now he’s busy following another car down the I50 while my guy followed you in an identical car so you didn’t figure it out.” His chest puffs out as he regales Madelaine with the tale. A text alert followed by a static crackling catches his attention and I see him walk towards the bannister, but I keep my eyes on my girl.

“For fuck’s sake! Can’t catch a break around here,” he mutters. “Guess that’s your time up.”

Madelaine’s eyes shoot back to mine with horror, and suddenly she’s launching herself at me. I hear a pop and her weight collides with me. All I can feel is Madelaine’s warmth and the feeling of falling. If I have to go, I’ll go with Madelaine pressed to my chest. My head cracking against the floor puts me out for the second time that day.