Chapter 598 - Let's start this again

JoAnna reached into hidden compartment of her bag and pulled a case which has variety of small liquid-gel-capsules. She picked a light green one and swallowed it. She kept one dark green capsule in her palm before keeping the case back in her bag.

She cleared her throat to get men's attention, but it was unnecessary since they were staring at her anyway.

"Excuse me… can I have some water?", she asked weakly.

Her expression told them that the medicine she took might be stuck in her throat, or maybe is bitter. In any case, she didn't look comfortable.

Three men glanced at each other and one of them reached for the bottle and handed it to her.

JoAnna looked at the man who had his hand extended toward her, offering the water.

"Can you open it? I can't open with my hands tied."

He exhaled in frustration and opened the bottle.

While he was opening the bottle, JoAnna crushed the dark green capsule between her fingers and reached to take bottle from the man.

In next instant, the man collapsed to the floor with a thud.

Two men at the table stared for a second at the unconscious man.

"What did you do?", one man of the two asked JoAnna.

JoAnna had expression of being wronged. "Me? I didn't even touch him! Come and check. Is he having a heart attack?"

Two men hesitated for a moment, but at the end, she really didn't touch their friend, so they rushed to check on him. Few seconds later, they were sprawled on the floor as well.

JoAnna grinned, satisfied with her performance. But after few seconds she frowned. She was still tied up. JoAnna looked at her hands. She was tied up with some cloth; the knot didn't look complicated, but the cloth was dirty.

JoAnna rolled her eyes before starting to pull on the knot edges with her teeth.

Few minutes later, JoAnna was free and three men were tied up to chairs. Each of them was seated, their hands tied in the back behind the backrest, and each of their legs was secured to the leg of the chair. JoAnna picked the man who spoke the most so far and injected him with truth serum and checked if they have any weapons on them. They were unarmed.

JoAnna made sure the door is locked before reaching into her bag for a small bottle which she placed under the nose of the man who got the truth serum.

He shifted a bit before his eyes sprang open. He was staring at JoAnna who was seated on the fourth chair at the table, opposite of him.

JoAnna smiled. "I feel we need to start again… Hi!"

He frowned and tried getting himself free, unsuccessfully. "How did you knock me out?"

"You inhaled something I made."

"How come it didn't affect you?"

"Do you remember the medicine I took? Think of that as an antidote." She smiled victoriously. "Now my turn to ask questions. Why am I here?"

Man frowned and looked at her without responding.

She checked the time… the truth serum should work by now. "Come on… I answered your questions… What is your name?"

"I am Juan. I don't know why you are here. Boss paid us to stay put and make sure you don't leave until he comes back."

"Boss? Enrique?"

Juan nodded.

"When is he coming back?" JoAnna got worried that her current situation might become complicated if more people are involved.

"I don't know."

"When did he leave?"

Juan glanced at the tablet in front of him which showed time. "About three hours ago? He took your photo and left."

"My photo?"

Juan nodded. "Yes, with a phone. He took your photo and I think he sent it to someone."

"Oh…" JoAnna concluded that Enrique sent her photo to Jeff. So far, she thought that Jeff does not know that she is in this predicament, but if Enrique sent him a photo of her being tied up, that means he knows! ' Poor Jeff, he must be worried sick .'

She reached for her phone and saw that the screen is broken, and it's not working. "Who broke my phone?"

Juan shook his head. "It was like that when we took it out of your bag."

JoAnna wanted to ask Juan for his phone, but she remembered her ring and sent a message that she is not in danger.

"Why are you watching over me? Are you loyal to that man?" Juan didn't look like gangster. Why did he help Enrique to keep her hostage? She wanted to find out.

"All of us here are in it for the money. He said he will not hurt you. He just wants to scare someone." Juan honestly responded. Well, considering the truth serum, he didn't have other option than to be honest.

"Scare someone? By kidnapping me and keeping me tied up in… where are we?"

"Warehouse on Kenneth street."

Kenneth street? JoAnna is not familiar with Los Angeles so that didn't mean anything to her. "Are we in Los Angeles?"

Juan nodded.

JoAnna remembered Bridgette. "There was a woman with me. Where is she?"

"I haven't seen any other woman."

"How many people are outside?"

"Six, how much I know. Not including the Boss."

At that point, someone tried opening the door from outside. Gently at first and then yanking violently.

"Why is this locked?" Man's voice with a heavy Spanish accent was heard. "Open the door!", man bellowed.

"That is the Boss.", Juan whispered.

JoAnna bit her lip. "Enrique? Tell him you are busy."

Juan's eyes opened widely in surprise. He was thinking: 'How can I tell my Boss that I'm busy? What will he think when he hears that three men and one woman are locked inside a room and 'busy'? '

JoAnna nodded vigorously to encourage him to speak while her hands moved swiftly inside her bag.

She took another dark green capsule in left palm and on the right hand she put a small ring on her middle finger and attached a light blue capsule to it on the inside of her palm. 'The dark green one will knock him out, and the blue one will paralyze him.' Now she had her two weapons in her hands and a plan in place. The only concern was if Enrique is not alone… what if those six men from outside are with him? She does not have anything that can take care of seven men… JoAnna took a deep breath and told herself to take it easy. One at a time. Idea popped into her mind to take Enrique as a hostage and leave this place.

JoAnna frowned while thinking that Jeff must be worried sick and hoped that he got the message. She will deal with this. She has to.

Juan took a deep breath before responding. "We are busy!"

"BUSY?!!" Enrique almost screamed from outside. "Juan? Is that you? OPEN THE DOOR! RIGHT NOW!"

There was loud banging on the door before it was kicked open.

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