Unthinkable (Berger Series) Read Online Free PDF Page A

himself. Still, Evan had never kept it loaded before and somehow it just didn’t feel right.
    He heard the thump of the pump kicking on and looked cautiously out the windshield. Night was coming and he noticed that he could see little outside the glare of the station lights. With a start Evan realized the lights meant he was in perfect position for anyone to see him. He unbuckled and slid down into the seat, hoping that he was low enough behind the dash. He couldn’t see Yoshi from here though. Evan shifted and looked over at Yoshi through the open window. His heart beat faster as he strained to hear anything beyond the sound of the pump.
    He jumped when the pump clicked to a stop. “So now the question is, how do we pay for this?” asked Yoshi as he jammed the pump back on its holder. “Pay at the pump isn’t going to work. Is there anyone around here to pay? And with what?” Yoshi opened the door and looked at Evan slouched in the seat.
    “We’ve got some cash,” said Evan as he sat up.
    “I don’t see anyone to pay.” Repeated Yoshi as he climbed back into the SUV.
    “We can’t just drive off,” said Evan, horrified. He had the gun pointed at the engine compartment.
    “Put that down before you shoot something,” Yoshi’s voice was dead calm. “What do you propose we do? Leave an IOU?” Yoshi slammed the door shut and started the SUV. Evan stuck the gun back under the seat, glad to be rid of it. He tried to think of something else to say.
    Yoshi eased away from the pump. Evan felt a tingling at the back of his neck even before the headlights spotlighted the man in front of them with a shotgun leveled at the windshield.  Yoshi slammed on the brakes as Evan instinctively ducked. No shots came and Evan raised his head. Yoshi put his hands in the air as someone stood outside his window, pistol at his head. As the image registered there was a click next to him and Evan turned to see the barrel of a gun almost directly in his face. Evan froze, open mouthed.
    The pistol man stepped back. Another man yanked open the door and pulled Evan out of his seat. Evan stumbled out, off balance. The second man punched him hard in the gut and Evan dropped to his hands and knees gasping for air. He could hear struggling on the other side. Yoshi was fighting. Evan started to get up. They grabbed the back of his shirt and slammed him chest first into the hood. Someone twisted his arm behind him and he cried out. He opened his eyes and saw Yoshi connect with a punch. Evan felt cold steel against his temple. He whimpered. The gun cocked in his ear and Evan was sure he’d be pissing himself in a moment.
    “What about your friend here?” the man holding Evan asked loudly.
    Yoshi swung around and saw Evan with a gun to his head and terror in his eyes. The fight left him and he sagged. The men Yoshi had been fighting pulled his arms behind him and handcuffed him. The gun left Evan’s temple. He tried to breathe. Viciously the pistol slammed into his head. Stars burst before his eyes. He fell as more kicks and punches rained down on him. His arms were no protection from the blows. The last thing he heard as his world spun into darkness was the sound of Yoshi yelling. But it sounded far away and the words were lost in the muffling dark.

     
    Chapter 3
     
    Cold. A hard cold floor. Metal around his wrists. Arms stretched above him. Evan slowly opened his eyes to the wood beamed ceiling. His body spoke in pain everywhere, each one shouting to be heard above the rest. The massive headache weighing down his head seemed to shout the loudest. A faint breeze moved a ceiling fan in uneasy rhythms.
    A wave of panic crashed through Evan, threatening to overwhelm him. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to fight it off. A few deep breaths and his eyes opened again. Evan forced himself to try and sit up. His hands were handcuffed to a pipe of some sort, but he managed to slide up into a half-sitting position and look around.
    In the dim