Thief of Hearts

Chapter 1: Caught between a rock and a really hard place

(Wooooh! Sorry it took me so long to update but this chapter is uber long and was super hard to write, I will be going back and reviewing/fixing things later but for now I wanted to get it up for you guys. Also be ready for language, gore, and crude jokes in this chapter, if you don't like it don't read. Thanks for the support and I hope you all enjoy! Please review!- it makes me work harder ;) Also I don't own Die Hard or I'd be uber rich and very happy, and I can only dream that I own Hans Gruber, but sadly I don't own him either...)

Managing to change into my dress in record time, I slipped on my compression pants and slid my gun holster (that was designed to hide on my inner thigh for when a cop wore a dress) on my leg and situated it so it was comfortable. I had forgot my gun however, so instead of placing a weapon there I stowed my gum away. Genius, I know. But I still had to apply makeup, which wasn't much given my lack of caring and limited supplies. It was merely light mascara, not too much to where I looked like a rock star, but just enough to give my lashes definition. Finally, I touched my lips up with some lip balm, I prayed mom would think it was gloss and not make me put on the real stuff; my lips were dry anyway so it served a double purpose. Throwing my clothes over my shoulder, I assessed myself in the mirror with the comical wiggle of my eyebrow, making guns with my hands and pointing them at my reflection. Suddenly I heard a gunshot. My hands flew to my mouth to stifle the scream that had almost come out in shock, but even though it was suppressed I knew it was a gun. I had my dad's police classes to thank for that, and a bit of intuition that what was going on wasn't anything good. Or just common sense, but then again, what's the difference?

I crept ever so slowly to the bathroom door, praying to god whomever was out there didn't catch wind of me as I ever so stealthily – or so I hoped that's what it was like – opened the door. It didn't creak a bit as I opened, and I almost let out a sigh of relief but managed to hold my breath before it left.

"Tell Theo he needs to meet us on the meeting floor, we must crack the codes as soon as possible if we wish this to go smoothly." The deep timbre was accented harshly, the voice itself was beautiful and smooth, but the twisted pronunciation of the words sounded familiar. German. They were definitely German. I couldn't make out any faces from here, but I was suddenly very glad for the two years of foreign language High School had required me to learn, who knew it'd come in handy. Taking a deep breath, I gathered my courage and took another small step out to see if I could make out numbers and faces to notify the police, or merely see if this wasn't anything bad and I was being paranoid. There was a number of people filing towards the elevator, but one stood out among the rest, the way he held himself singling him out as the obvious leader of the group. Yes, they were definitely German, the suit the brown haired man whom had spoken was of a German brand, as was the long grey trench he was wearing. I was also glad I took interest in male attire.

This was bad news, I could not get caught. I need to get out quick, before anyone sees me. With that thought in mind I went to retreat back into the bathroom and perhaps dial 911 or get my parents out of there, yes, that was what I was going to do.

"Don't move, or I will put a bullet in your head." I heard the voice before I felt the cold barrel of a gun pressed into my temple, I cursed silently. Fudge sticks. This was definitely not my paranoia acting up, something bad was about to happen.

I felt him push me, none too gently, in the direction of the others. "Woah man I get it, hold your horses." He sneered before pushing me even harder. I bit back another smart ass reply that would probably get a bullet planted in my head and quickened my pace so he wouldn't be able to jab me with the barrel of his gun. Something strong wrapped around my upper arm as I rounded the corner, and before I knew it I was being thrown into the middle of the elevator next to the smooth-speaking-trench-coat-wearing-German-guy. I tripped over my own feet at the sudden harshness of the push and fell onto my knees, the man who had caught me filing in before the doors closed behind him.

"What have we here, Karl?"

"Yeah! Jesus Christ, Karl!- where are your manners? I bet your mom didn't teach you to behave like that in front of a lady!". I went to standup but was pushed down harshly by Karl's foot back to the ground. "Oh, I see she taught you to kick too."

"Why you little-"

"Enough! I won't have you acting like a fool already, she is merely playing with your anger, and you are letting her." I was pulled to my feet by a large hand clamping around my arm once again, hauled into the chest of whom I'd labeled as the leader as of now. Our bodies were so close that they grazed each other, but from this far I could make out his musky scent of leather and tobacco - something I didn't think smelt good on men – though admittedly, it suited him quite well. His brown eyes assessed my face and body, while I managed to keep mine at head level, albeit I couldn't help but admire the facial features I did see. He had a large nose that was strong and chiseled like the rest of his face; he had a pair of full pink lips that curved around the edges; a neatly trimmed beard and goatee decorated his masculine jawline, making him seem even more German than before; and his hair was brown with a few streaks of gray, combed to the right side and back the rest of the way.

Holy shit he's handsome.

I gulped as the thought crossed through my head, I mean, I couldn't technically blame my body for heating up at being so close to an extremely hot German guy, but I didn't agree with feeling so outright attracted to a man. Especially when that man had a gun, and a bunch of friends with guns.

"How much have you heard?"

"Nothing."

Close to nothing, but good enough, I've figured out more thanks to Karl though, and common sense. Not that thatneeds to be mentioned at all I thought bitterly, though I could feel a touch of fear racing through my veins, accompanied by an extra dosage of adrenaline.

He narrowed his eyes at me, crow's feet forming around the corners of his face as if he was trying to look into my soul and see if I was telling the truth. I was definitely very glad that I was a good liar, or this could have ended with me on the floor with a bullet in my skull. "Hm, what is your name? It seems I've met a very pretty woman in the most unfortunate of situations."

What is wrong with this guy? Are all men's motives really to get in a woman's pants? "Is this you're sick attempt at trying to flirt with me? God the nerve of German people, now I see why everyone hates them!" I regretted my words as soon as they left my mouth, having to prevent a flinch or face palm as I awaited my captor's reply. Hadley you are effing stupid as hell, I grimaced.

He chuckled, a melodious sound that rumbled deep in his chest and vibrated my whole body, as soon as it stopped I wanted him to laugh again. Jesus, am I really that cliché? Ugh. "As much as it amuses me to listen to your little outbursts, I've asked for your name, and I expect an answer." His voice, face, and body language all took a serious tone about them in a second's notice, and I could feel the color drain from my face at the thought of being at gunpoint. Just as quickly it was replaced by anger, how dare this man think he can prance in here and demand her name because he has a gun! Well that is a pretty good reason- oh shut up!

"My name is Hadley McClane." I replied curtly, trying to pry myself from his grip, but it remained unfaltering on my arm.

The hand that gripped my upper arm drifted down the path my exposed skin, freezing me to my spot, my breath choking in the back of my throat at the trail of fire he left behind his touch. The bastard was doing it on purpose! I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to contain a moan, or groan, or whatever was threatening to spill over my lips at his soft caressing fingers. He took my hand in his, and I found it surprisingly warm and soft, though much larger than my own. It looked as if he had the hands of pianist, it felt that way, too. They beckoned my eyes open at the slightest of squeezes, and immediately mine met his in an intense gaze. I couldn't decipher what was behind the carefully guarded eyes, not that my brain could function properly as it was. All I could do was stare blankly, and hopefully not with my mouth open, in awe at how dangerously predatory this man was and yet so alluring at the same time. "Hadley," he whispered against the soft skin of my knuckles, "what a beautiful name." I shuddered, hopefully he didn't notice, but I knew he did when he let out a small chuckle at the shaky breath that escaped my lips. "My name is Hans Gruber, it's a pleasure."

I snatched my hand back, recovering speedily from my lapse of weakness (spurred by desire, what else?) causing a hurt expression to run over his face before it just as quickly became one of annoyance and anger. "I would say likewise, but I would be lying." Do you have a death wish? Jesus keep your mouth shut!

Hans's lips pressed into a thin line as he looked at her over the brim of his nose, his eyes had slightly narrowed, though the crease on his forehead spoke loads of what was happening in his mind. I could practically see the cogs working in his head, his dark eyes turning cold at my blatant disrespect of his authority. I could tell he was one of the people you didn't dare cross the line with unless you were aware of the consequences, but I couldn't help but test the waters. It was easy to see he wouldn't take this lightly, and even easier to notice that me having undermined his rank was a decision I would pay for.

Ding!

Saved by the bell, quite literally too, I was sure Hans was going to snap my neck or out a bullet between my eyes if there was another moment of thought. Everyone else in the elevator began moving forward slowly, I hadn't noticed the other people had pulled out their guns until they began to quietly unload. No one in the party seemed to notice the new arrivals with their machine guns, and I was admittedly astounded- how could you miss the hot German guy that was surrounded by mercenaries? Ignorance is bliss I guess.

I went to slip into the crowd and hopefully go unnoticed before the gunfire went off, but I was held back by a tight grip on my arm. I felt Hans before I heard him or the gunshots, but when they did echo even the warm feeling of his body against mine didn't block out the cries and screams from the lump of people as they realized this was a life or death situation. His men scattered and occasionally their guns went off, I just hoped no one was getting killed. I looked into the crowd that had been rounded up like a bunch of sheep, searching for a pair of familiar eyes when they found mine. My mom's eyes were wide with fear, but not a moment after I'd caught them my head was ripped in Hans's direction with my chin gripped firmly between his fingers. He leaned down until his lips were brushing my ear, and I felt my whole body stiffen at such close proximity with him. "You shall be dealt with later, but it would be in your best interest to behave or your punishment will be more severe." I gulped at the cold tone his voice had taken akin to its deep timbre, my body shivering down to the core as a million scenarios ran through my head of what "punishment" could mean.

I was suddenly pushed in the direction of one of the goons, his hand replacing where Hans's had been not many moments before. Catching myself from falling, I grimaced at Hans's back as he took off his coat and black shirt that covered his suit. The crowd was still at its large in volume, the gunshots quieting some but making others even louder than before. He reached into his trousers' pockets and pulled out a small leather bound book, I couldn't make out any words from where I stood but it seemed to be a notes page of sorts in extremely cursive writing. "Ladies and gentleman." His deep accented voice wasn't lost over the sea of screaming people, but it didn't quiet down until he repeated it. "Ladies and gentleman!" They all quieted down at that, but I couldn't focus on what he was saying, my mind racing and heart thrumming in my ears about what was about to transpire and what would transpire later. Oh god I'm fucked, why'd you have to get in a quarrel with a descendent of Hitler?

Hans licked his finger then flipped through the pages of the book a couple of times before he promptly closed it and replaced it in his pant pockets again. "Ladies and gentlemen, due to the Nakatomi Corporation's legacy of greed around the globe, it is about to be taught a lesson on real power. You...will be witnesses. If our demands are not met, however you may become participants instead. Now, where is...'Takagi'? Where is the man who..." Hans gave a slight, smug smile to the crowd, "...used to be in charge here?" Oh, so that's his name. It wasn't the best way to find out I admit, but I suppose it was better than never finding out at all. How optimistic of you. My thoughts quickly quieted however when Hans turned to me with a quirked brow. I glared at him, not wanting to give away Mr. Takagi's position and definitely too mad to look at him any other way. Damn hot Hitler reincarnation, it's no coincidence both their names start with "H".

He shrugged and turned back to the crowd, reading off Mr. Takagi's life story like it was a biography straight from a book. I was lost on how he knew that much, I didn't even know that much about myself, but I couldn't help but feel fear prickle through me when he walked past him, the only reason Mr. Takagi hadn't been turned in was because of my mom holding him back. I could feel my mind trail to what he would do to both of us, better just me than him and I, but I guess I didn't have a choice in that.

"Enough!" Mr. Tagaki stepped forward, and I cursed silently, this couldn't possibly mean any good.

"… and father to five." Hans wrapped up his little hunting session with a smirk, facing the Japanese man who was dwarfed into comparison of Hans's towering stature, though he didn't shrink down a bit. "Mr. Takagi, how do you do? It's a pleasure, I'm Hans Gruber." He held out his hand but before the shocked Mr. Takagi could take it he was being shoved to the elevator by Karl, whom I hadn't noticed had entered the search. I was pushed in the direction as well, though I tried to peel away at one point Hans grabbed me (none too kindly I might add) and all but threw me in the elevator by Mr. Takagi. I could see the nervousness etched into the contours of his face, but he had some balls I must admit.

"What is the meaning of having the girl here? She is of no use to whatever it is you want me to do."

Hans smirked before entering himself and pressing the thirty fourth floor button. "On the contrary she is quite vital to the operation."

I had to hold in vomit at that, I felt as if my heart might explode from how fast it was beating. What the fucking hell is that supposed to mean? Oh god I'm screwed. Royally screwed! I stood by Mr. Takagi, making sure not to touch any of the men on either side of me. I could see Hans staring at one of us two, or maybe both of us, I couldn't tell, but I was nervous and so was Takagi, and we both needed comfort. I subtly took his hand in mind, squeezing it reassuringly in which he looked at me, then our joined hands, then squeezed back. My body relaxed a bit, but I could feel a pair of eyes burning into my face, I didn't dare look into their hazel depths, instead I stared at my feet like they were the most interesting thing in the world.

"Nice suit. John Phillips, London?" My head snapped up at the airy comment Hans made, it was exactly how a usual awkward elevator conversation would go except it was even worse because Hans was holding us both hostage, and yet he found the sense to comment on Takagi's suit? This guys is crazier than I first imagined, lord help me. Takagi seemed as speechless as I, but Hans just smiled and the elevator dinged. "I have two myself." He exited, followed by a pushed Takagi and I who were still joined at the hands. "Rumor has it Arafat buys there."

Hans led the way into a modern room what was open, but he immediately walked over to the miniature model of the Nakatomi plaza, his eyes gazing upon the model with an admirable ambition. "And when Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept. For there were no more worlds to conquer." He looked over his shoulder to Mr. Takagi, "The benefits of a classical education." I just barely managed to keep in an eye roll. I happened to like my head the way it was though, so I managed. Hans quickly made his way over to the model bridge, his eyes alight with a boyish delight that would have been cute had my life not been currently threatened. "It's beautiful. I always enjoyed models as a boy." I tried to imagine a younger, less sadistic, cute baby Hans, but I couldn't. "The exactness, the attention to every foreseeable detail... perfection." His voice is perfection, I could listen to him talk for hours… I shook my head, those were not thoughts I needed to be having at a moment like these! My life was at stake! Now was the worst time to be having such thoughts.

Mr. Takagi, without knowing it, saved me from myself by returning the anger in my veins, I needed to hate this man, it should be coming first hand to despise this man… but it wasn't. "This is what this is about? Our building project in Indonesia? Contrary to what you people think, we're going to develop that region... not 'exploit' it."

Hans smiled lazily, "I believe you. I read the article in Forbes." He clapped his hand together, coming over to the pair of us and walking in-between us so our hands disconnected. "Mr. Takagi, we could discuss industrialization of men's fashions all day, but I'm afraid my associate, Mr. Theo, has some questions for you. Sort of fill-in-the blanks questions actually." He pushed Takagi in the direction of the meeting room where a black man was sitting at the computer, a coke to his right and a smile much too large for his face for being in the current predicament stretched his features. I scurried after him, not wanting to leave my only solace but was pulled back almost immediately. I was really beginning to hate how he did that. "Now, I wish you to behave, or, more than normal at least, or your lover won't make it out alive, yes?"

I turned at him with a locked jaw, "He's not my lover." I scowled, crossing my arms over before breaking out of his grip. He had a satisfied smile on his face, almost as if he needed reassurance for something, I didn't care what, and took a seat next to where I assumed Takagi would be.

Tagaki was currently standing next to the black man hunched over what looked to be a computer that was attached to the table. Hans had taken a seat next to them, and was smiling impishly at me, I could almost hear his thoughts taunting: I know something you don't know! I tried to ignore it, but both our attentions were switched to Takagi when he suddenly blurted out: "I don't have that code...! You broke in here to access out computer?! Any information you could get - they wake up in Tokyo in the morning, they'll change it! You won't be able to blackmail our executives or threaten-"

"Sit down!" Hans barked, which took me (because he looked childish not moment before) and Takagi by surprise before he complied and sat next to me. My hand found his under the table and I held it for dear life, because maybe that was the case; I didn't know anymore, I just needed some sane physical touch. We were both dead people walking anyways. "Mr. Takagi...I'm not interested in your computer," Hans began more calmly, his hands folded over his chest, "I'm interested in the 640 million dollars in negotiable bearer bonds you have in your vault." Tagaki looked shocked, and even though I admittedly was to, I didn't know who to be shocked at. I mean, who the hell keeps that much money in a place like this for Christ's sake, and why the hell is Hans so fucking relaxed about this? "Yes...I know about them. The code key is a necessary step in accessing the vault."

"You want...money? What kind of terrorists are you?" I'm wondering the same thing, but then again, this is Germany, what do we expect?

Hans chuckled, my attention swimming back to him. "Who said we were terrorists?" He slowly reached into his coat pocket, emphasizing every movement carefully until he drew a gun from the inside. My breath caught in my throat, and from the increased sweat coming from Tagaki I could tell he was having a similar reaction. I don't want to die, I mean, I know no one does but I don't want to die now!- I don't want to die a boring death for being a coward even if it is by a handsome German terrorist I'm hypothesizing is an ancestor of Hitler.

The gun he pulled out, I recognized as a Walther, had a silencer on the barrel, and ever so slowly he unscrewed it and softly set it on the table before setting the gun equally as softly next to it. "The code please?"

"It's useless to you! There's seven safeguards on our vault, and the code key is only one of them! You'll never get it open!" Tagaki pleaded, the perspiration on his brow growing tenfold.

"Then there's no reason not to tell it to us." Hans stated simply, his brow relaxing once more as he reclined in his chair.

"I told you..." I heard Theo murmur to Karl, my attention drawn to them.

"It's not over..." They have a bet on this? Those sick mother fuckers…

Hans gives them both a look like an annoyed schoolmaster and turned back to Takagi. "This is too nice a suit to ruin, Mr. Takagi. I'm going to count to three. There will not be a four. Give me the code. One…" His hand hovered over the gun. "Two…" He took it in his hand, paused for a moment, then picked it up. "Three-" He cocked it.

"I don't know it! Get on a Goddamn jet to Tokyo and ask the chairman! I'm telling you! You're just going to have to kill me –"

"Ok." Han raised the gun but I managed to be a hair quicker. I pushed Takagi's seat out of the way and he fell back and away from harm's way. The bullet shattered the glass door behind us, but the sound didn't scare me, the shock painted on Theo and Karl's face, and the anger on Hans's did. At least Tagaki looked pleased and gratified with not having a bullet in his head.

"I can help, computers are my specialty and cracking codes is my job." Hans narrowed his eyes at me, his jaw clenching before he gestured with his gun hand for me to take Theo's place. I walked confidently to where he sat, ignoring the stares I got from all the other occupants and took in the small computer in front of me. Think, think, god Damnit Hadley think! I'm screwed, I can't do this, oh well it's too late, maybe he'll kill you and not Tagaki. Cracking my knuckles I took the offered seat and began typing away, it was so fast I don't think anyone else had caught on that it was utter bullshit. There was nothing I could access from this computer, the only thing at all useful about this thing was it was main-wired to the system and if it was shut down then a lot of other things would be too. Or so I was hoping.

BINGO! I glanced at the coke glass to my left, biting my lip and praying to god my death could be swift. I knocked it over and it fell almost too perfectly on the key-board of the computer. With crack followed by a hissing sound and the screen going fuzzy before it went black, I looked over at Hans with a feigned sheepish smile on my face and shrugged innocently. "Oops."

Hans's eyes lit with rage, and I wasn't sure that my bold move was such a good idea after all. I had never seen someone so angry in my life, even after living with a hot-head with my dad. This was the kind of anger that drive people to insanity, but before I could protest he had raised the gun and shot the helpless Tagaki who was still on the ground. My stomach twisted, and as the life left his eyes and his brains spurt out onto the floor around him I knew I was dealing with a maniac.

"You're insane." I whispered blankly, my voice low and cracking as I looked at the corpse on the ground. I had seen dead people, but I had killed this man, maybe not by pulling the trigger myself but I might as well have.

"Insanity is often mistaken for genius, Miss McClane. But I can assure you, I am no psycho, just a visionary, hopefully now you can see what happens when you disobey me." He put his gun in his pocket and roughly pulled me to his feet, our faces only inches apart, and it felt as if he'd stolen my breath straight from my lungs. I didn't know if I wanted to kill him or kiss him. "Because next time, I may kill someone that you love, yes?" I didn't say anything, and he didn't let me answer, everything had become hazy. I let a man die because I was being a smart ass, because of my carelessness Tagaki was dead, and if I kept acting careless he might kill Holly or John too, or maybe even find out about Lucy and John Jr. and kill them as well. I wanted to choke back my pride and be submissive for the well-being of my family and friends, but the more I stared at Hans the more angry and rebellious I felt the need to be, he made me want to lash out, and even though he "disciplined" me, I knew he enjoyed it. Oh god what am I going to do? God, if you are real, please work some magic here, because things are about to get a whole hell of a lot worse…

In that moment one thought managed to fall in place in my reeling head: Hans Gruber was someone who liked to be one hundred percent in charge.