The lights blasted J.T. in the face again. He looked up and stared at the men approaching. Anthony and Antonio headed toward the enclosure where Curt’s dead body lay. A body bag, draped over Antonio’s shoulder, swayed with his stride. Neither man acknowledged J.T. or even looked his way. Antonio stood a few feet back as Anthony unlocked the gate and stepped inside. After rolling Curt over, Anthony cocked his head toward Antonio.
“Come on. Let’s put him in the bag. He’s already getting stiff.”
Antonio pulled the gate completely open and entered. He spread the black bag out onto the floor and unzipped it.
With a smirk, he addressed J.T. “See what happens when you won’t cooperate? Remember what I told you earlier, Fed. You have until morning or your sister gets plugged in the head too.”
“Let that piece of shit Mr. Vetcher know I’ll give him the information he wants, but I have to see my sister first. I need his word that he’ll release her after I tell him what he wants to hear.”
Anthony and Antonio chuckled as they dropped Curt’s rigid body into the bag and zipped it. With their hands slipped through the looped handles, they dragged the bag out of the cage.
Anthony looked back at J.T. and grinned. “Get some sleep, Fed. Tomorrow may be your worst day yet.”
Antonio stopped and reached into his coat pocket. He pulled out a bag of crackers and tossed it through the links. “Eat your supper. You won’t see us again until tomorrow.”
“How about taking these cuffs off, then? What harm is one night going to do? You can put them back on me in the morning, and your boss won’t be the wiser. There’s no way I can get out of here, anyway.”
Anthony gave Antonio a nod.
“Turn around and put your hands against the fence.”
J.T. did as he was told and backed up with his wrists against the links. Antonio fished through his pants pocket for the handcuff key and pulled it out. He unsnapped the cuffs and pulled them through the opening next to the gate, then he dropped them to the floor.
“Don’t make me regret this.” He turned his back to J.T., grabbed the handle of the body bag, and disappeared around the corner with Anthony.
Moments later, the lights went out, and J.T. was left alone in the blackened room. He sat in the corner and ate the crackers as he waited for his eyes to adjust to the dark. He rubbed his torn, aching wrists, then stood and paced.
I’ve got to get out of this damn cage and find Julie. Tomorrow might be too late to save either of us.
Finally able to see shadows in the dimly lit warehouse, J.T. caught a glimpse of the handcuffs lying on the floor just outside his enclosure. He pulled off his belt and tried to snag the cuffs with the belt buckle. Somehow, between the cuffs and the belt, he was sure he could figure a way out of the cage.