The Pompeii Disaster by Dan Gutman

Author:Dan Gutman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2018-02-19T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

SHUT YOUR MOUTH!

THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE. IT HAD WORKED PERFECTLY for the Flashback Four when they needed to get the TTT back from that obnoxious pickpocket on their first visit to Pompeii. And it worked perfectly against them now. As a weapon, just about nothing is as effective as the element of surprise.

“What the—”

Four big guys had jumped Luke, David, Isabel, and Julia before they had the chance to react, overpowering the kids. With a muscular arm wrapped around each of their throats, the kids were helpless. It wouldn’t take much for any of these guys to give one good yank and snap a neck.

“Owww!”

“Get your filthy hands off me!”

“That hurts!”

“What’s going on?”

Their attackers didn’t say a word. The Flashback Four struggled to bite and kick, but it didn’t take long to realize it was useless to fight back. Before they knew what was happening, the kids were being dragged down the street and around the corner.

“What did we do?” David asked. “We didn’t hurt anybody!”

“Where are you taking us?” said Luke. “What are you doing?”

“We don’t have any money!” Isabel shouted. “We don’t have anything at all.”

“Shut your mouth, slave!” Isabel’s attacker yelled at her.

“Slave?” said Isabel. “We’re not slaves!”

“This is a big mistake!” Julia shouted. “My father works for Verizon!”

“Shut up!” one of the thugs shouted.

Julia managed to get one arm free. Her attacker grabbed her roughly and slapped her.

“How dare you!” she screamed.

The Flashback Four were dragged across a bumpy stone street, trying to keep their wits about them. Luke tried to memorize the street they had turned on, so he would be able to retrace his steps when—and if—they were able to get free. His attacker smelled bad. He was overpowering in more ways than one.

Luke, David, and Isabel stopped protesting, but Julia was indignant.

“I have my rights!” she shouted. “You’re going to be in serious trouble, mister! This is a free country!”

It actually wasn’t truly a free country. It was a republic, and Emperor Titus had the final say. But let’s not get bogged down with that stuff. The Flashback Four are getting kidnapped!

There were other people out and about, but nobody seemed to pay any attention to the fact that four kids were being dragged through the street in broad daylight. It was nothing unusual. Slaves received this kind of treatment all the time.

“Call 911!” Julia shouted out to anyone who might be listening. “Hey, aren’t we allowed one phone call?”

“There are no phones here, you dope!” Luke muttered to her. “They won’t have phones for centuries!”

“Not even landlines?” Julia asked.

Isabel had begun to cry. Of the four kids, she was the one who was the least prepared to handle stressful situations like this. Her parents had raised her very carefully, protecting her from the dangers of the outside world. So when she did encounter a problem or crisis, she was the most likely to freak out or shut down completely.

“They’re going to whip us,” Isabel sobbed, “just like they whipped that slave

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