The white pickup started with a gurgle, a rumble, and then backfired. Sam jumped, startled. Her arms were numb from being trapped behind her and taped together so tightly. Scruff sat in the driver's seat of the rickety, barely running truck, and grinded gears until he got it into first gear and pulled forward. The action jerked her head back enough to hit the headrest with a hard thump. At this rate, she would have whiplash.

Scruff pulled out of the parking lot and onto the ...