July 1986
Twenty miles off the coast of New Zealand
Hans stood on the balcony over looking the ballroom in the center of giant yacht that was owned by millionaire Grant Underwood, a successful businessman from New Zealand who every summer held this grand parties to a very elite group of associates. Most of which were complete strangers, who simply came for the booze and entertainment. By midnight Grant was always completely trashed. Surrounded by showgirls he had hired to dress around in their sparking dresses and headpieces, and get together a dozen or so men to gamble, throwing thousands away as if it was trash. The yacht was always crowded and the music loudly blasting as everyone mingled and stumbled half dressed into their quarters.
Hans had blended within the crowds, introduced himself under a false name calming to be a lawyer for one of Grant's sister companies. Grant who was all ready half wasted, welcomed him along with seven or other complete strangers as her showed them to the main ball room as crowds gathered around tables laughing and toasting.
Hans causally checked his Rolex watch before sipping his champagne. He still had twenty minutes to go. If all went as planned he suspected he could sneak away to Grant's suite, crack the vault, and have his speedboat waiting for him at the time planned. He had been to last year's yacht party, simply scoping it out before learning rather quickly that there was little to no security on this boat, and that Grant was very sloppy with what he had. Half the crew along with the guests were drunk and spent most of the night in the main ballroom until nearly dawn. He had all ready looked over the vault in Grant's room and saw it would be an easy break. There was no cameras, alarms, and he knew that Grant the idiot wouldn't even know that he had been robbed until they docked the next morning. By then he would be heading back to England, leaving no trails behind.
Dressed in one of his best black suits, he placed the glass down on the large wooden railing and took one last look down at all of those drunken fools hanging over each other. Turning, Hans silently walked down the long hallway straight to the brass mirrored elevators. Pressing the button that took him to the floor before the deck, he calmly put his hands together and waited until he heard the bell chime and the doors slid open.
Strolling out, he took a left, and then two rights before coming to the double set doors of Grant's suite. Reaching out, he was prepared for the door to be locked...instead much to his surprise, the door silently clicked open. Raising an eyebrow, Hans carefully pushed the door open before walking inside. The lights were on, and he faintly heard something. Closing the door behind him, he stood there posed, head slightly cocked listening. His leather shoes walked across the plush sea green carpet before he stopped right in the doorway that opened up to Grant's study and the mirrored backing for the vault.
Which was now wide open.
There was a woman...well more of a girl. She was dressed in a skin tight leather jump suit with boots. It showed every curve of her body, along with her thin waist, hips, and bulge of her breasts. She wore long leather gloves, and her radiant red hair was tied tightly back into a slick ponytail. A small flashlight clutched between ruby red lips that were formed into a perfect 'O'. She had froze when he walked in and she spun around, drawing her pistol. Hans noticed she had cracked the vault with little to no effort. She had simply removed the mirror backing, typed in and cracked the code, and began helping herself. There was a large black gym bag sitting beside her as she was collecting jewelry, stocks, and unmarked bills. Turning towards him, she simply popped out the flash light which dropped to her other hand as the other clutched the aimed the gun.
By then Hans had all ready drawn his, set back in her relaxed hand. Smirking, he stared at her.
"Clever girl."
The woman stared at him, and Hans' eyes looked her up and down. She had gorgeous sparking green eyes, fair skin, and a body that Hans was pretty sure shaped and crafted by God himself.
"Who are you?"
Hans saw there was no need to lie, if the girl seemed a threat he would simply shoot her within a second thought. Smiling, he relaxed his gun a bit.
"Hans...Hans Gruber, and it seems as though we both weren't on this ship for the party."
That's when the girl relaxed her gun, lowering it carefully before motioning back with her head towards the vault.
"You gonna use that?"
Hans stared at his gun and simply smirked.
"Without knowing your name? That would simply just be too rude."
The woman stared at him.
"In that case...pleased to meet you."
Hans gave a dry laugh before stepping forward, scanning the outside of the vault door.
"From the looks of it your a personnel. This isn't exactly the easiest of vaults to crack. It seems you and I have a lot in common with Grant's expensive."
"Do you work for him?"
"No, simply just a guest...much like yourself."
"Well...now what?"
"That is the question now isn't it. Now what. Well, you do fully deserve the full loot since you were after all the person who went to all the trouble of cracking it...but I must have. How do you suppose to get off this ship?"
"I was planning on when it docked. It's only a few hours from now and by then nobody would even notice..."
"True, but getting out of the city might cause a problem. Grant may be an idiot but he will send the hounds from hell after you. I on the other hand could solve this little prickle your in. I have a speedboat coming in less than ten minutes give or take. You are more than welcome to hop aboard."
"Where you headed?"
"Far from here."
"How do I know this isn't a trap. You could be working for Grant..."
"I could, and that means you will have to put complete trust and faith in me."
"How much you want...50 percent? Split it?"
"Ah darling I expect you should get a bit more than that. You did after all crack the vault and from what it looks...you did a fine job."
Smirking, the woman lowered her gun completely before offering a gloved hand.
"The name is Cora...pleased to meet you Hans."'
Fifteen minutes later everything was packed up and neatly put away in the bag Cora had brought. Hans hadn't intended on taking the jewelry, but saw that Grant had a pretty impressive collection so far, and together Cora and him shoved everything into the bag before Hans zipped it up and they replaced the mirror. Wiping over their prints, and silently slipping out, Hans held the bag while they headed for the elevators. Right before the doors shut, a drunken couple began walking towards them, holding out their hands.
"Whoa, hold the doors!"
Rolling his eyes annoyed, Hans turned towards Cora grabbing her suddenly, feeling the weight of both of their guns now tucked in the back of the waistband of his slacks. Taking her leather clad arm, he firmly pulled her close before giving it a squeeze and drawing her close, plunging his lips against hers. Cora's eyes widened as Hans plunged his tongue into her mouth, nearly inhaling her as his hand ran up and down her side.
Ignoring the couple who stood back for a second, the doors closed on them and the elevator brought them down to the deck. Alone for a moment together, the kiss lasted a second longer before Cora gently pulled away almost in a daze. Taking a second to catch her breath, she stood there staring up at him.
"What was that for?"
Hans grinned.
"Just wanted to look like another horny drunken couple...gotta blend in."
Cora smirked, highly amused.
"So...this boat. Coming soon?"
Hans nodded, staring down at her.
"Yes, and we'll be gone before any of those fools will even know they were robbed."
"Sounds like a perfect plan."
"Well of course...Still, I couldn't have gotten these without you. Besides we can find a safer place to split everything as you wanted."
Smiling, Cora followed him onto the deck as the cool wind from the water rushed up and hit them. Still holding the bag, Hans checked his watch before smirking.
"Any minute now the speedboat will be here. Do you want to split this now or wait?"
Looking around, Cora saw the deck was dark and deserted. Smirking, she shook her head.
"We'll wait."
Letting out his arm. Hans offered it to her in which she took. Together they walked to the railing over looking the lapping waves before Hans turned towards her.
"Never thought I would find myself attracted to a cat burglar."
Cora raised an eyebrow slightly surprised.
"Cat burglar?!"
Hans looked down at her, highly amused.
"Well that is what you are? Isn't it?"
"Sometimes...and you?"
"I'm simply a business man my darling...just a boring business man."
"What sort of business are you in?"
"Well, you'll have to stick around and see."
Smiling, Cora stood close before the steady sound of an engine began coming. Pointing, Hans showed the speedboat that was coming in the distance.
"There's our ride."
"Wonderful."
Turning towards her once more. Hans looked her over.
"Cora...how old are you?"
"A true lady never reveals her true age...but I'll let this one slide. I'm twenty-five."
Hans smiled before Cora glanced out and saw the driver of the speedboat was a huge build man with long blond hair tied back in a ponytail. His hard set face stared forward as he drove the boat along side the boat, the engine idling.
"And you?"
"My age?"
"Yes."
"Forty-three darling, forty-three...and I believe I'm on the verge of something very interesting."
Holding out his hand, he grasped hers carefully before tossing the bag overboard in which the blond man caught. Swinging one leg over the railing, Hands held out his arms for Cora. Looking down for a moment and then around the dark deserted deck. Feeling a strand of her hair blow back, she held onto Hans and he helped lower her onto the speedboat. Climbing down himself, the two stood on the slightly uneven surface before sitting down on the passenger seat of the boat. Setting the bag down between his feet, Hans motioned to the blond man behind the wheel.
"Go Karl."
The blond man eyed Cora for a moment as Hans opened his arms, allowing her to sit on his lap. For a second the blond man whispered something in what sounded to be German before Hans simply shook his head and answered in the same language. Karl nodded, and his set face seemed to relax a bit before he started up the engines and began to drive away. Holding onto her, Hans arms tightly held onto Cora as they began driving off into the night. Glancing at the blond driver, Cora leaned into Hans.
"He okay?"
"Karl's fine. We've been working together for some time now."
Feeling the boat hit the waves, Cora sat against Hans, smelling his deep cologne and never feeling more excited and nervous before in her entire life.
Seven hours later
Cora and Hans laid in bed together. They were in a suite at a local hotel that over looked the city, and both had just spent the last couple of hours making love. Her wild red hair falling down to around her shoulders, she laughed as she propped herself up on her elbow and stared down at Hans as he tried to catch his breath. Even with the air conditioner on full blast both were sweating and a thick glaze over their sleek bodies, both exhausted and drained of energy.
Cora leaned down, playfully running her fingers through his salt and pepper hair. Twirling it and smiling before he looked up at her.
In the last few hours in-between all the love making, they had also shared a great deal about their pasts. Things Hans never thought he would tell anyone, he had told to her. Now with all the loot from the vault spread out on one of the marble tables at the end of their bed, the two had just finished their latest round and seemed exhausted.
Hans learned she was American. A thief and an orphan. She had been living on the streets most of her life before she began putting her good talents to use.
He told her a little about his past, his background, and even Simon. Now the two were shacked up in a hotel, drunk off champagne, and enjoying the last few hours of activities. Faintly opera music played as Hans gazed up at her, locking his eyes with hers.
"Do you really want come with me?"
He half expected her to say no and take her share and go. Instead, she simply smiled down at him and softly began to trace her finger against his chest.
"Of course...you said you had a lot of things to teach me. Sounds pretty interesting."
Smiling, Hans grasped her hand and gently kissed her.
Never before in his entire life had he felt this way.
December 24th 1988
It was exactly two hours before the men were set off to load up and go downtown to the Nakatomi Plaza. After months of careful planning, tonight was the night.
With their unmarked trucks and car waiting, the crew were holding up at a sea side motel roughly an hour away. Theo rented the four rooms, and they all had been staying there since early this morning. Most of the men were in the other three rooms, the weapons checked, and the building blue prints looked over and studied. The ambulance tucked neatly in the back of their truck. The plan was after they blew the room, collected the bonds, they would escape in the getaway car, slip out and drive back to the mote where the bonds would be counted and split up and everyone would be on their way.
It was a beautiful clear late evening, and the sky was beginning to take on a gorgeous orange reddish tint. The view from the simple motel room had a breathtaking view of the beach which besides a few surfers, seemed almost deserted. The faint sound of the waves crashing on shore filed the air as seagulls drifted and cried.
Standing on the balcony, Hans gripped the railing and turned his face up towards the sky. Feeling the cool refreshing breeze come off the water, he inhaled deeply before smiling.
Everything would change tonight, everything.
Turning, he looked inside the room where his wife was sitting Indian style on the bed. There were two handguns he was bringing about with him on his person, and she was leaning over screwing in the silencers. Her long hair was tied off to the side in a long braid, and her slender fingers worked with ease as she re-checked his weapons. He knew she was angry with him and had been ignoring him since he firmly refused for her to come along. Sighing, he hated to see her so angry with him. Walking back inside, he shut and locked the sliding glass door before staring down at her. Crossing his arms, he leaned back and watched her before she looked up. Her large green eyes looked outraged.
"What?"
She snapped, the two guns laying in her lap.
Hans remembered when he first laid eyes on her just a few years ago. From that point onward, they hadn't spent more than just a few hours apart. Together they had pulled off some very impressive jobs together. Both had married less than a week after meeting each other. Even though this fact was well hidden from many for Cora's protection, Hans still couldn't believe that after everyone who had betrayed him through his life, Cora was the only true person to stay by his side.
Smiling, he walked over before sitting on the edge of the bed. Reaching over, he gently touched the bottom of her chin, causing her to look up.
"You're angry with me?"
"I just don't understand why I can't come to Nakatomi! We've done dozens of jobs together before. I've proven my keep! Why can't I help!"
"Because this is the biggest job yet, and it's going to be very dangerous and I couldn't bear the thought of you getting hurt. I need to be focused so everything goes to plan."
Making a face Cora pulled away.
"Bullshit! If it's so dangerous why are you even doing this?! We promised each other the moment you put this ring on my finger we could be equal. So it's okay for me to be driven crazy with worry all night instead if you? Isn't it better if we're simply together!?
Hans knew deep down inside she was right. When he met her he was not only doing heists, he was also in the West German Volksfrei movement. While Simon was wasting his time with the military, he was proving himself with his own rights over seas. It was only after he met and married Cora in private that he was expelled from the moment when they discovered his side jobs. Deciding to turn his back on that part of his life, he took his new bride and traveled through Europe, putting both of their skills to good use. Now after months of planning this was it. All those millions just sitting in that vault, waiting to be taken. He knew once they did this job, Cora and him could disappear for good.
"You know I can't let you...besides we need someone to stay here. You're the only one I truly trust. Besides if everything goes to plan we should be in each others arms by dawn."
Cora who usually guarded herself quite well blinked, a slightly glassy look coming over her eyes which showed Hans after being with her for almost three years that this was a sign of her on the verge of tears. Nothing made him angrier than seeing her upset. Sighing deeply, he grasped her shoulders. Forcing her to look him straight in the eye.
"Listen to me. I have planned this out carefully. We both have. Everything will be fine. I promise you. And tomorrow...it will be Christmas morning. We'll be on a plane back to Europe, and we'll finally be able to start our true life's together."
Cora bowed her head slightly, almost ashamed.
"It's because of me you're doing this. If I hadn't of gotten sick..."
Hans firmly pressed his finger against her lips, causing her to look up.
"Don't you dare say that. You hear me? I'm doing this so we can start over. Go someplace where nobody can find us and you can get well."
"But Hans...what if all the money in the world doesn't fix it. What if after all of this I still..."
"Stoppen!"
Hans snapped in German, causing Cora to stare. Unlike so many, she was used to him loosing his temper which happened rarely. She understood now that it was simply because he was worried and upset for her. Feeling guilty she gulped and pressed her hands against the smooth fabric of his shirt. Smoothing his tie, she looked up at him.
"Just please be careful. I can't even stand the thought of something happening to you..."
Leaning in close, his beard gently tickling against his smooth face, his warm breath went up against her neck.
"Don't worry darling, I'm not going anywhere."
With that Cora felt Hans' firm hands push her back on the bed. Laying there, she stared up at him as he stood at the edge of the bed, quickly loosening his belt. Feeling a thousand of different emotions crash into her, she stared up feeling her pulse race. Quickly he yanked down the zipper of his slacks and began to work himself out of them. Laying there, she waited as he used his free hand to open her legs and spread up the skirt she had been wearing. With two adjustments, he half knelt and laid most of his weight on her lower half. Taking a deep breath he took a moment before slipping inside of her. Stiffening, Cora latched onto him as Hands laid there, his face filling with color. Staring down at her, he took a moment before easing himself in again. With another push, he deeply groaned through his teeth before his hand tore open her blouse, ripping the fabric. Laying back, Cora took a second as his hands began to scoop and mold her soft breasts as he leaned down and began sucking and kissing her throat. Feeling himself throb inside of her, she laid there as he began to push inside of her and thrust. With each move, the cheap bed creaked from beneath them. Finding a fast rhythm as he usually did, he began roughly went into her before lifting both of her spread legs and placing them on each of his shoulders.
Cora laid there, twisting and turning on the bed and Hans' breathing became more labored. Watching a tiny beads of sweat rolled down his face, she laid there as he continued to pump into her when suddnely his movements became slower and more drawn out. Waiting, she heard him mutter something under his breath in German before his entire face became flushed and he finished inside of her. Moaning, he snapped his eyes shut before collapsing on top of her.
After a few moments of silence Hans lifted his head and stared down at her. Cora looked up before gently cupping his face.
"What if I can never give you the son you want so badly? What if the doctors were right..."
Stopping her words yet again, Hans kissed her lips gently before ruining her braid while running his hands through her hair. Kissing her cheek, he rubbed his nose against her before whispering.
"Never mind that...like I said, everything will be different in the morning."
Within just a few minutes, Hans was standing, fixing his slacks and smoothing out his shirt and jacket. Slowly, Cora closed her blouse and hiked herself watching him. Staring at the clock, she knew he still had some time to go before he had to leave. Motioning towards the bed, she looked at him.
"Lay with me for a bit...just a little while."
Hans stared at her before nodding. Carefully he eased into the side of the bed before glancing at the clock. With still nearly an hour before they had to load up into the truck, he decided to spend a brief period of time laying with his wife. It was Christmas Eve after all and he wanted to prove to himself yet again how much he truly loved her.
Wrapping his arm around her, he inhaled her sweet perfume while she smelled his rich cologne and together they shut their eyes, and slept.
2007
"You're father is here to see you."
Holly remarked with more than a bitter enough tone. It was late July which meant in just one more month Alex would be going off to his first year of college. Earlier that year he had received news he had been accepted to UCLA, where he was planning on majoring in sports education. It seemed so strange that her youngest was now just on the verge of leaving home. She had gone through the same exact thing when Lucy and Jack left...but Alex was different.
Alex had been mowing the lawn for Holly that afternoon despite the muggy high rising heat. She had scolded him about staying out in the sun for too long, and kept a close eye on him while she wrote emails and kept glancing out the sliding back door that opened up to the patio. Standing in the doorway, she watched as Alex hurried across their back hard, his light brown hair slightly hanging in his eyes and his almond shaped eyes turned downward. He wore a T-shirt which was slightly sweat stained from working all day, and a pair of baggy basketball shorts. Sometimes Holly caught herself staring at him in almost complete wonder. This was a child she thought she would hate, a constant reminder if that nightmare that happened nearly twenty years ago.
At first the idea of abortion had crossed her mind after she discovered she was pregnant with him just a few weeks after the Nakatomi Plaza incident happened. Her and John hadn't been together in months since she had officially made the move out to the coast, and there hadn't been any other men.
The memory of the rape was still vivid. She remembered seeing that after everything that had happened, that this was just a robbery. She watched as the men were frantic, shoving all the bonds into the suitcases and bags. She sat there completely stunned before she spoke out-loud, anger rising deep inside her.
"After all your posturing, all your little speeches you're nothing but a common thief."
That's when he lunged at her like an animal, bearing his teeth at her.
""I am an exceptional thief Mrs. McClane and since I'm moving up to kidnapping you should be more polite."
That's when she looked down and saw the faded tan line on his hand. A wedding band that been there recently. Rising her eyes, she stared at her.
"And I'm sure your wife is proud of you...how would you like it if something like this happened to her?"
He glared at her before putting his face even closer to hers.
"She wouldn't, she's a clever girl."
"She's an idiot having anything to do with the likes of you."
That's when he grabbed her by the hair, hard enough to yank it out of her scalp. She shrieked as he dragged her to a standing position while the other men glanced up and went back to packing the bags. Holly struggled, dragging her heels as she tried to fight him before he threw her into the next open doorway there was. Slamming into a table, the wind was nearly knocked out of her as she tried to stand up. Grabbing her, she hit her straight across the face, hard enough to make her vision blur. Within seconds she felt him throw her against the table and begin to lift and rip her skirt. She tried once to push him off, but the weight of the butt of the gun smashed back against her head. Feeling everything begin to blur again, she struggled to grasp hold of something as he slammed her down against the surface.
Holly felt light headed, all she could see was the table in front of her. She tried to push him off but suddenly her limps felt as if they were made out of water. Blinking weakly, she stared forward as she heard the sound of ripping fabric and then the sound of his zipper coming down. Feeling his hot breath on the back of her neck, he swore at her in German before it happened.
Holly snapped her eyes shut and screamed.
There was horrible pain, and she struggled but he pressed her down, keeping her arms pinned. Having only been with two men in her whole life, one being John, everything began to shatter. She was being raped. This monster was raping her.
She felt him buck his hips towards her, sweating and gritting his teeth as she cried out. Within seconds she felt her entire body get slammed against the edge of the table and finally he moaned loudly and finished inside of her. There was warmth and pain, and the rough sense of fading as he ripped out of her. Collapsing against the table, Holly felt weak. Her entire insides were burning, and she thought she was bleeding. This wasn't anything like it was with John. It wasn't warm, or brought any pleasure. Instead it was cold, rough, and lifeless.
Holly laid there for a second, stunned tears rolling down her face before he grabbed her by the neck and yanked her upward. Her skirt dropped down, as did her slightly torn nylon stockings. She stumbled for a second tasting blood. His face appeared flushed, and his eyes suddenly seeing exactly what he had done. He stared at her before he dropped his eyes, mumbled something and fixed his belt before grabbing her arm and dragging her out.
Less then ten minutes later he was dead.
Alex was a result of a horrible rape. Something that took nearly a week to tell John. Now all these years later, her teenage son stood before her, smiling and looking nothing like that horrible event that created him.
John and her ended up deciding on keeping the baby, and the day he was born and she held him, she saw only herself in him.
Yet as the years went on, he began looking more and more like his biological father.
She knew the time had come to tell him the truth. John was against it, but she insisted. He was an adult now, he deserved to know.
She hadn't regretted this child, she loved him just as much as her other children. He had grown into a bright, happy go lucky young man that she adored with all her heart. Still. He was a constant reminder of what had happened.
He was Hans Gruber's son.
