Mad Summer Love

Taken

The ride to the mansion was a flurry of giggles as the three recounted their day. Maddox watched Summer and Madison, his face full of light. It was nice to be happy again, it had been a long time since he could describe anything in his life as good.

When the car pulled up to the curb, they all piled out. Maddox was nervous, he wasn't sure how his family was going to react. As he closed the limo door, the corner of his eye registered the movement. He whirled and deflected the hit so that it glanced off his shoulder instead of hitting him in the face.

Maddox took a step back, the attacker was about his size and masked. Normally, it wouldn't have fazed him, but the assailant wasn't alone. There, on the other side of the car, was another headed toward the driver of the limo and two more coming up from behind them.

Summer saw the men gather around them. She clutched onto Madison who had immediately flown over and clung to her the moment the man took a swing at Maddox.

“Mommy?!" she cried, scared.

“Shh...baby, it's OK,” Summer lied, trying to calm her daughter.

Summer knew that something bad was about to happen. She tried to move, but she was frozen in fear. She looked toward Maddox who was directly behind her. If she tried to reach out for him, she could touch him.

Just then, a shot rang out and the driver's window of the limo exploded, making Summer and Madison jump.

Maddox knew the driver wasn't going to be helping at that point.

Summer quickly moved her hand to cover Madison's eyes as the two guards in front of them at the gate were shot and dropped to the ground.

Madison let out a scream.

Summer began to panic, unsure of what to do, her heart hammering out of her chest.

It was clear that these guys were professionals. Maddox knew they weren't going to kill him or the girls or they'd all be dead already. The alternative, however, wasn't much better. These guys wanted them alive and that came with even worse possibilities than a bullet to the head.

Maddox ducked under the next punch, allowing him to position himself so all four masked men were in front of him. He was right about them wanting them alive as they had holstered their weapons. The smart tactical move was to make sure none of the attackers were behind him, but then he realized his mistake. They weren't after him.

One of the men yanked Madison from her mother.

“Mommy!” Madison's screams rang out.

The man that had her, put his arms around her, pinning hers down while she kicked frantically.

Summer pulled on Madison, trying to get her back from the man.

“Let go of her!” she yelled, but another masked man grabbed Summer by her arms, yanking her away from her daughter.

Maddox went wild knowing they were in danger. He charged at the man who was standing in his way. Before the attacker could react, Maddox had him by the shoulders, headbutting him in the bridge of the nose. The man crumpled and Maddox slammed the masked face into the side of the limo, letting the unconscious body fall to the ground.

Tears filled Summer's eyes at the sound of her daughter crying out for help, but she was not going to let them take her. Summer stepped on the man's foot who held her, but it gave her little reprieve because he pulled her arms back harder.

“Let me go!” she shouted, her legs trying to kick him as he pulled her up off of the ground with her arms pinned behind her. “MADDOX!” she screamed as he finished knocking a man out.

All she could think about was that he needed to save their daughter.

Maddox was moving toward the man who had Madison, but the third attacker was moving toward him at the same time, trying to cut him off. Maddox knew they were stalling for time, trying to keep him busy. Maddox surged forward, hoping to catch the man holding Madison off guard. He used his shin to strike the man's knee, causing him to stumble and for a moment he lost his grip on Madison.

Maddox tried to take the opportunity to grab his daughter, but the third man had closed the distance and gotten behind him. The punch Maddox took to his kidney staggered him and the attacker's arms were around his neck. The chokehold brought stars to his eyes and if he didn't do something quick he'd be unconscious. Leaning forward, Maddox leveraged the man's feet off the ground, then pushing backward he slammed him into the limo, the force taking the assailant’s breath away. Two quick elbows to the attacker's mid section and Maddox dropped to his knees, suddenly free.

At that very same moment, screeching tires signaled the arrival of a large black cargo van. Both Summer and Madison were being dragged toward it as the side door banged open. Another masked man jumped out to help grab Summer who was kicking and screaming.

“No! Maddox!” she hollered again as another man grabbed her feet.

Maddox was up in an instant, he started to run, but before he could get a step in the attacker he thought was disabled kicked at his legs, knocking them out from under him. He went down hard, his hands barely breaking his fall, but enough to stop him from smashing his head on the sidewalk. Maddox planted his hands to get up, but it was too late. He saw both Summer and Madison hauled into the truck and the door slam shut.

Running, he reached the side of the vehicle just as it sped away. Maddox put his hands to his head and howled at the fleeing vehicle. He wasn't going to catch it, but there was still an option. He stalked back the limo. The man that had delayed him enough to allow the escape was struggling to his feet, the other was still unconscious near the rear tire.

“They'll be fine if…,” was as far as the man got before Maddox's foot came down on his forearm, snapping it.

He bent down to the man who was now screaming in agony. “I only need one of you,” Maddox said, snapping the man’s neck before he could protest.

The gate to the mansion opened as Maddox was wrestling the unconscious man into the back of the limo. Two of the home's security emerged onto the street, handguns poised.

“What the f**k took you so long,” he yelled, not realizing what felt like an eternity for him had actually been over in less than a couple of minutes.

The two men looked up and down the street. Once confident the threat was gone, they holstered their weapons and moved to assist Maddox, just as the faint sound of sirens began.

“You drive,” he said looking at one of the men.

There was no argument from the guard as he pulled the dead driver from the limo and hauled him up onto the sidewalk.

The second guard helped Maddox with the unconscious attacker.

The guard tasked with driving, had the engine running just as they had finished loading their captive.

“Drive. Before this street is swarming with cops,” Maddox demanded as they piled in.

He looked at the other guard, “You. Wake this piece of s**t up, we're going to have a little chat.”