A brief, dim flash in the darkness. Then the pressure seemed to be gone from my throat. I figured it was just me, that I was drifting off into the dead zone, out past pain and sensation and struggle. Suddenly, I was gasping and choking and trying to get air. I pushed myself over so I could breathe better. There was another flash of light. I was fighting for air and blinking my eyes, trying to figure out what was happening, all the feet scuffling around alongside of me. There was a pain in my side for a moment, and I realized someone was stepping on me. Three, four, five people? Four. Danny boy was stumbling, no, being dragged, into the van. They were grunting and cursing in Spanglish about his size and weight. He started to kick and struggle. Flash. The light again. It was a stun gun. They’d zapped him. He spasmed. They yanked. His feet disappeared inside. The side door slid sideways from inside and shut with a slam. The black cargo van was already in gear, backing out and rolling away.
