Chapter <b>61 </b>
Nestled deep in the
to take a long–dis, ountains, Magnolia Town wasn’t essible by direct bus or train. To get there they had
to take a long–distance coach, transfer to a rickety local minibus<i>, </i>and then hike up the winding mountain <b>path </b>before finally reaching the remote settlement.
Olivia hailed a taxi and headed straight to the bus station.
Just after Olivia bought the tickets, Gina started fussing about not feeling well and imed she didn’t want to squeeze onto the crowded bus.
“Olivia, I saw some delivery trucks parked outside. If we pay the drivers a little, maybe they can take us straight to Magnolia Town. It’ll save us a lot of money,” Gina suggested.
Olivia’s lips curled into a faint smile. “Sure, that’s fine.”
Getting Olivia’s agreement, Gina smiled with joy. She clung to Olivia’s hand. “Alright. I knew our girl was the thoughtful one.”
“Donald,” Gina called out to Donald, waving him over. “Go get the truck.”
Donald soon pulled up in a small delivery truck, a white towel slung around his neck. He waved at them from afar. “It’s ready.
“I worked it out with the driver. $500 for the round trip, and I’ll be driving myself.” Donald grinned at Olivia. “Whenever you want toe back, just let me know. I’ll send you back with this.”
Olivia remained silent and took her time checking out the inside of the truck. It was packed with everything one could possibly need for the road–nkets, pillows, tissues, and utensils. Anyone would have a hard time believing this was just a rental.
“They’ve even got tissues,” Olivia said, waving an opened pack of napkins in front of Gina. “Guess that 500 really paid off, huh?”
Gina gave an awkward smile. “Yeah, your father really knows how to handle things. No wonder he got such a good deal on the rental.”
Olivia didn’t say anything else. She just climbed into the truck and settled in.
The cab was pretty cramped. Donald took the driver’s seat, while Gina sat on Olivia’s right, holding onto her arm like she was afraid Olivia might run off.
Olivia frowned slightly. “Why are you holding onto me so tight?”
“Oh, um…” Gina scrambled to exin, looking embarrassed. “It’s just… I haven’t seen you in so long, and I’m so excited. I just want to be close to you.”
The cab was tiny and stuffy, and the air reeked of something weird–like a mix of musty odors and some kind of medicinal chemical.
Donald floored it, and before long, they were out of the city and speeding down the highway.
<b>20:06 </b><b>Wed</b>, <b>Sep </b><b>3 </b>
Gina pulled out an unopened bottle of water and handed it to Olivia. “Thirsty? Have some water
“A little,” Olivia replied, taking the bottle without a second thought and taking a couple of gentle sips.
As soon as Olivia swallowed the water, Donald and Gina exchanged a look, their grinspletely unrestrained.
“I’m feeling a bit tired. I think I’ll take a nap,” Olivia said, pretending to be exhausted as she stretched her neck.
“Sure, go ahead. I’ll wake you up when we get there,” Gina replied.
Olivia closed her eyes, a barely noticeable smirk flickering at her lips.
Donald shot Gina a look. “She’s out.”
Gina nodded, whispering, “This stuff really works. Look at her–she’s out cold in just a few minutes.”
Hearing that, Donald finally rxed. He lit up a cigarette and said in a loud voice, “My buddy’s got real connections. He can get his hands on such a strong drug. Just a few drops, and she’s knocked out.”
Gina nced at the sleeping Olivia and snorted, “These girls are so gullible. Say a couple of sweet words, and they’ll just tag along.
“She really is a stunner. What a shame to waste her on that old geezer.” Gina tilted Olivia’s chin up for a closer look. “Nydia was right—she’s got the perfect look.”
Donald stubbed out his cigarette, sounding irritated. “Don’t go soft on her now. Weren’t you the one who brought her here in the first ce?”
“I was just making conversation,” Gina muttered, frowning. “No need to bring up old stuff. After this job, we’ll move to the city. No one will find us there.”
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