Note: Yeah, this is the sequel to exoneration because there's a bunch of stuff i left really open at the end of that story. So, I guess you should read that one first, but you might not have to. Idk, i'm not sure really where this one is going. Anyway, just two things i want to say straight off. School started a few weeks ago, but they just started to give us like actual work. As a result, i'm having less and less free time and i'm spending much of that free time sleeping. So sue me. second, my other stories have been relatively tame, so in this one, i'm gonna add some more violence, maybe some cussing. But no smut. sorry. But there will be sexual tension/lotsa innuendo. It's not that i have anything against smut, i just can't really write it well. Ok, now read. And the one thing i'm sure about is the the number of reviews will greatly influence how often i update and how long the story ends up actually being. So, if you like, review.
Oh yeah, this chapter is short and is kinda a flash forward...the opposite of a flashback
Hunted
The man sprinted down the old trail panting heavily, yet not daring to stop. He could barely see in the failing light but he struggled on; to stop would mean death. Hopefully.
The path abruptly ended in a small grassy clearing which under different conditions one would have considered beautiful. At the moment, it was just a large open space separating him from his freedom.
He had barely made it half way to the safety of the trees on the when something literally tore into his leg. It collapsed under him, and he came tumbling to a stop soon after.
He grabbed his wounded leg in a feeble attempt to stop the bleeding. He froze as he saw his pursuer emerge from the shadow of the trees.
Tony approached the helpless man in the clearing with his still smoking gun drawn. He smiled humorlessly at his victim.
"I just said I wanted to talk. You really shouldn't have run. It would have been less painful." He paused. "Well, maybe it wouldn't have been less painful, but it would have definitely been much easier. For me anyway."
The man writhing on the ground said nothing. Unless of course the occasional whimper of pain counted as speech. Tony crouched down next to him.
"I'm sorry, I didn't hear that. What?" He put his hand next to his ear.
"I didn't do anything." The man finally managed to rasp through gasps of pain. Tony straightened.
"The hard way then. To be honest, I was hoping you would deny it." He holstered his SIG and slowly moved his foot to the man's wounded leg.
"I'm going to count to one. Ready? One." He slowly began applying pressure. The man's screams reverberated around the clearing.
"You know," Tony began conversationally, "I don't understand why you ran into the forest. There's less people, buildings, cars and, probably most important for you right now, less people to hear you scream" The only response was a weak moan.
"You...can't do...this..." the injured man rasped between breaths. "Cops have...to follow rules." Tony ignored him.
"This reminds me of Dirty Harry. The first one and my personal favorite. Clint Eastwood corners the sniper in the middle of a football field. He is forced to use..creative measures to get a confession." He leaned over his victim.
"He got in a shit-load of trouble because, like you said, we cops need to follow rules. Unfortunately for you, right now I'm not a cop. I'm on vacation." He reapplied the pressure on the man's leg.
"I took your goddamn director, fine, I admit, for the love of god let me-" The rest disappeared in a gasp of pain.
"That's true, you did kidnap the director of NCIS, but that's not why I spent a days tracking you across two states." Tony's expression darkened for the first time since entering the clearing.
"I'm here because you shot my partner." He hissed.
Plot twist...