IN A WAR TO HAVE HER.

The guys they shot on air to enforce my adoption showed they were well-prepared.

"Who are you guys, why are you blocking our way?" DMC yelled at them as they could bow before him.

"All we need is her; we are here to take her away from you. You can't have her." The lead gang member, who is wearing a mask, spoke.

Looking around, I am the only female. Meaning I am the one who came after. I got confused when I heard them say "her". My heart started panting.

"I am not going with them; please don't give them room to take me away." I helplessly shouted.

"Hey! Calm down and get into the back seat." One of DMC's boys directed me.

Shivering like I am in foul weather under heavy rain, I entered the back seat since the front one had become uncomfortable.

DMC gave them an order to give way. If not, he would crush them, but they wouldn't listen. He requested the gang leader to tell him who they were working for, but he refused.

This was happening at a bridge that had a river, almost like an ocean. They came out of the bush close to the River and followed us up to the bridge.

"We are more than you guys and can push you all inside the River. You have to hand her over to us, or we kill your boys and still go with her." The gang leader spoke while he was vibrating.

I looked through the car window and saw that the river was deep. Pushing someone into the River is to end their life.

DMC kept negotiating with them but they remained adamant. Their resolutions to adopt me were clearer.

I kept watching from the car to see what the great Don Master Cole could do to surpass them. His ability to do so becomes unabated.

"We have waited for too long for you to hand her over to us, but you seem to be stubborn." Says the gang leader

"She is my lady and I have her in place of the money the father owes me." DMC highlighted.

"She is on a pledge, yes, but I wish to make her my wife. Do not take her away." DMC still laments.

His two boys went closer, and they pointed guns at each other. The gang leader was released alongside his other three. They were six in numbers and DMC and his boys were three.

I started thinking about what to do next since I wasn't comfortable joining them in the name of adoption. I opened the door a little and sneaked out. Not only that, but I tried to watch if they would be distracted to enable me to run away but to no avail.

I made a little move like I wanted to urinate.

"If you move an inch I will shoot your leg. Don't try to be funny." One of them pointed a gun at my back as he rebuked me.

"Give me way, I want to urinate, don't you have a mother or a sister?" I scolded him, but that didn't move him.

"Don't you ever hurt her. She is my woman, not yours. She cannot belong to you." That was DMC's voice which gave me some breath.

The other guy came closer to monitor me. He is very tall and dark. So I mean looking at her face. I couldn't urinate again, even though I was pretending to do so.

"Hold her hands, don't let her move further." He spoke in authority.

Behold, he held me tight to himself.

"Stop, you are hurting me." My shout was nothing to them.

DMC tried to come closer but was blocked by the gang Leader.

I looked back and saw a red car far behind us without a number plate. As soon as they carried me up, the car started driving closer.

I struggled to resist them, but it wasn't possible. I tried to fight but they overpowered me.

"Nancy, don't let them take you away. Resist them, you are a strong woman." DMC was giving me a directive that I knew would not hold water.

"Get her in fast," The driver of the red car said as they took me into his car.

They quickly covered my eyes and drove off. I observed, the gang leader and the other two didn't join us.

"Where are you taking me to, release me? I want to urinate." I kept disturbing myself.

"When we get where we are going, you will see where you will be." The driver says.

"Let's stop a bit and allow her to urinate." The one at my left told the driver.

I was asked to go down and urinate as they removed what they used to cover my face. Meanwhile, they handcuffed me to prevent me from running away.

Looking around, no one lives around. We were in the middle of the forest. I couldn't hear the sound of birds.

"Do fast and urinate. Stay at the back of the car to avoid animals from the bush attacking you." The person to my right told me.

"Move to the back and stop time-wasting." The driver shouted at me as I owed him something.

I urinated with fear and went back to the car. Their guns were pointing at me, and I decided to behave myself.

Getting into the car, they didn't cover my eyes again.

"Take this and be cool." offering me an ice cream.

"You want to kill me?" I asked.

What happened to us?" Ray asked.

"Our mission is not to kill you but to fulfill the need of our paymaster." The one to my right told me.

"So who is this your Master and what does he want from me?" I was curious to know.

"Do you think I will answer you?" He removed his face as he responded.

"When the Pay Master sees you, he will explain. You need an ice cream. Take." Showing some concern the one at my left told me.

I took the ice cream from him. Finished it like one who has been hungry for decades.

"Thank you for the offer. It is as if you know I was hungry." Trying to be friends with them, I showed appreciation.

"So tell me your names. Can we be friends?" I asked in humility.

"Jack, Ray, and Ken," the driver gave out the names.

The driver is Ken, the one to my left is Jack, and my right is Ray. Ray appeared to be more hostile than Jack, despite how handsome he was. His words are hurt and could make you lose interest in relating to him.

He offered me the ice cream and from all indications, he bought it with his money, understanding the journey could be too Long.

"How long can we be on the road before getting to where we are going?" I asked.

"We still have more hours to drive to our destination. We will get somewhere and have some food." Jack explained.

Jack brought out a cigarette pack, took one stick, and lit it up.

"I don't like the aroma; it reminds me of me," I begged him not to smoke.

"Your father is a chain smoker, and he often smokes but at home or outside. How do you cope with him?" Ray asked, meaning he knows my Daddy.

"It appears you know a lot about me, tell me. How do you know my father?" I asked, rushing.

"We gamble together, smoke together, and some other naughty things."

"Naughty things like what?" I asked.

"He is not a killer, but he is a womanizer. That's a naughty thing, isn't it?" He asked me with laughter.

"So what about you guys?" I asked a question.

"Are you guys killers?" I asked with fear.

"You are not slaughtered yet I guess?" Jack stated.

"We don't kill and haven't killed. We do our job and hand over to the pay Master and go. He decides what to do with the person." Jack yelled at me.

I noticed he wasn't pleased with the question. His humor changed. That made me understand they are drawn to wasting lives. However, the issues with my Father made me recall the past.

I agreed with them in my mind that my father is promiscuous. Mother complained about it when she was alive, but he kept denying it.

In the past, when Dad took me out, he dropped me off with a caregiver and left with a young lady in a hotel room. He came out sweating like he had done press-ups or some other sports activities. With the eye of a little baby, I didn't know what happened.

Dad, I knew smokes, gambles, and drinks, but didn't know he womanizes, if not for the revelation by them.

"Ken, we are close, slow down." Ray alerted him.

He drove in and parked in front of an eatery. They removed the handcuffs from my hand and asked me to behave.

"Do not try to play smart so that you don't force us to act stupidly," Ray told him in a calm voice.

I nodded my head in acceptance. He held my hand like I was his girlfriend. It was evening and the night was falling.

So many young people are drinking and marrying. The sound of the music moved me. I felt like dancing, but I do not know what to do.

"Can I dance a little?" Ray nodded. I stood up and danced for a few minutes. In the process, somebody came closer to dance with me, and he called himself Roy.

You can dance well. I am Roy and you?" He asked, holding my hands.

"Nice meeting you, Roy. I am Julie."

He signaled the waitress to bring me a cup of red wine. I took a little and kept dancing with him. The red wine tastes good and it's my favorite.

"Do I get you more Julie?" Roy asked, noticing I liked the wine.

"Yes, I need more if you can," I answered him with joy.

I haven't been to parties or clubs in a while. Dancing is part of my hubby, but he doesn't have the means to display it to my certification. Daddy doesn't allow me to go out for fear of people coming after me, her only daughter and child.

Jack had gone out to smoke while Ray and Ken were watching me with keen interest. They ordered some food. There was spaghetti and fish on their table.

Moving forward a bit, Ken stood up and reminded me that I should comply with the agreement.

"Who's he?" Roy asked.

"He is my friend. We are together." I asked him to avoid a clash.

"Your friend is handsome." Roy acknowledged Ken's appearance.

Ken is actually handsome, and his pointed nose is very noticeable. He went back to their seat and continued with his meal. Ray signaled me to come over and place an order.

I love white rice and sauce. I excused Roy to go and eat. He begged me to allow him to pay for my meal, which I gladly granted.

Taking the food to Ken and Ray's table, he waved at me as he left to dance with them.

"Sure you had fun dancing with him?" Ken asked with a smile.

I looked at him and nodded my head. He gave me an unused handkerchief to clean the sweat on my face which I collected.

"You sound carting Ken, don't you?" I asked him with pleasure.

"Sometimes, not always" He answered, pointing at me to continue with my meal.

"Your food may get cold, eat fast, ok." Ken insisted.

"Jack walked in and touched my back. Where have you been?" I asked him.

"To smoke."

"You took time, how many sticks?" I asked Jack.

"Just one, I have been busy observing the environment. I watched you dancing from afar, and I like your steps; it is impressive." Jack declared.

I took time and had my meal and was wondering why we stopped over when the night was falling. From all indications, they would rather not tell me where we are heading and how long it will take us.

I have asked before, but I do not see them even disturbed. Showing me love is to make me feel free and never wanted people to understand what was going on.

"Nancy, let's go. We are going to stay in a hotel nearby." Jack requested.

They ordered me to enter the vehicle when I started questioning them about where they were taking me and what business we had with the hotel.