Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait! But in return is a relatively long chapter! Thanks for the reviews and enjoy!
"We need bait."
"But how are we supposed to get in touch with the guy when we have the bait?"
"And what guarantees are there that he'll listen? This is Hoffman we're talking about."
Jill listened to the heated discussions with little emotion, sleep threatening to consume her. She wasn't sure where she fit in or if her ideas had the right to be heard. After all, it's was partly her fault that everyone in the room was under such circumstances. Maybe it would be better for all of them if she just kept her mouth shut.
Lawrence limped into the room, cellphone in hand. He snapped it shut and was helped into his seat next to her by Adam. "The police just got a video message from Hoffman a few minutes ago. He's demanding that they turn you in Jill."
She shuddered, fear running down her spine. She had known all along of course that Hoffman would come after her but this kind of reassurance made it all the more real. "Does he think I'm in their custody?" she asked.
Lawrence shrugged. "He didn't say. I think he just figured that the message would find it's way to you at some point or another."
"Can't the police track the I.P address?" Daniel suggested.
The worn doctor shook his head. "They're working on it but need I remind you of the last time they tried tracking down a video feed?"
Daniel squirmed in his seat, reliving the dreadful memories. The last time had been when he and a few select others had been captured. Their actions inside the big nerve gas house had apparently been pre-recorded for the police, luring some officers into the wrong abandoned house while his father, Eric, had been led to the right one in an attempt to save his son's life. While all along he had been there in a safe, a mere inches away from him. Ultimately, Eric Matthews had been killed. And all because he had wanted his son safe.
Jill sensed Daniel's discomfort but she clenched her fists and kept to herself. She didn't belong here. It wasn't her place. Instead, Brit lightly patted him on the back along with Adam.
Lawrence cleared his throat. "Yes well, until the police are able to trace the address we have to work on our plans. The guns?"
Brit stood up and reached underneath her chair for a toolbox. Inside was plenty of ammunition to support them all and four pistols. She daintily tossed one each to Adam, Lawrence, and Daniel. She pulled the safety on hers and carefully aimed it at the wall with both hands, testing her strength. Jill couldn't help but notice how much she looked like an action hero. The bad-ass brunette with icy eyes and a killer attitude, she even had the war wounds to prove it.
Daniel was staring at his gun inquisitively. Years of living with a cop had obviously gotten him used to the sight but yet he had never actually held one before.
Adam, on the other hand, was staring at his gun with a mixture of fear and repulsion. "Wow...I never thought I'd lived to see one of these babies again." he laughed nervously. Jill noted that he flexed his shoulder self-consciously.
"Now as for bait..." Lawrence began.
"...me."
Everyone turned towards Jill, even Brit lowered her gun.
"What about you?" Adam spat.
Jill ignored the burn. "I could be the bait."
Again everyone stared. She wasn't sure where this was coming from or if she wanted to go through with it but something inside her urged her to go on.
"I could be the bait that you need to draw Hoffman out. After all, I am what he's looking for."
"But Jill the possible consequences alone-" Lawrence was stopped when Adam held up a hand, eyes on Jill.
"-No, let her go on."
Jill sucked in a breath. "H-Hoffman sent the police department a video right? Well, what if we were to make one? W-we could arrange a meeting. Set a trap, lure him in, and...well that's where you guys come in right?" she nodded at the guns.
The idea began to sink in. "It's not very far-fetched...but Jill you could be risking your life. We all know what Hoffman is capable of and this video will send him right after us." Lawrence said worriedly.
"Isn't that kind of the point?" Brit pointed out.
"Yeah I mean it's now or never right?" Daniel inputted.
"I say we put it to a vote." Adam spoke up. "Everyone who is for Jill being used as bait, raise your hands."
Four hands shot up in the air.
Adam grinned and looked at Lawrence with amusement. "Sorry Larry; Democracy's a bitch."
Sydney stumbled towards the closed door, sweat trickling down her forehead. She could hear screams and the familiar whirr of machines behind it. Her tall lanky frame shook with fear as she struggled to make a choice. Where were the others? Should she go in?
Another scream erupted from inside.
Sydney swept her burgundy hair back and pushed the door open. The sight that met her eyes was even more hellish than she had expected.
A carousel minus the horses was spinning in the center of the room with Lance and Savvi as their fated passengers. Their hands were bound behind their backs and surrounding their waists was a metallic belt of sorts that was connected to a metal rod that hung before them. A timer was at the far end corner of the room, flashing red, already counting down the time. Below the timer, were two levers one of which held a tape recorder by it's chord.
Sydney slowly made her way over to it, ignoring Savvi and Lance's pleas for help. Her hand was shaking as she pressed play.
Hello and welcome Lance and Savvi. As you should both know by now, everyone in this house is connected. Now whille there are no distinct connections between the two of you, I can't guarantee the same about your savior. You see, you have both ruined lives. Lives of the others in this house. But now it is time for them to strike back. Now it is time for the lies to stop. There are a pair of levers at the far end of the room. The right one will release you from the metallic belt that is currently locked onto your waists. The left one will cause the metal rod in front of you to snap forward, impaling you. Your only chance of survival is appealing to your savior; telling them the truth. And perhaps they will spare you. Perhaps not. Your savior will have until the timer runs out to decide your fate. Live or die; it's their choice.
The tape clicked off.
1:30
"Sydney! Sydney please get me off of this! Please!" Savvi screamed, her terrified face whipping by as the carousel spun on it's deadly course.
"S-Sydney! Please come on! Help me out here!" Lance yelled, wriggling his hands in a pathetic attempt to loosen the binds.
Sydney stood shell-shocked as she observed the contraption. There was no way of releasing them without somehow causing the metal rod to snap forward. The rods were slowly moving forward and from the looks of it, Lance's rod would snap forward first. The first decision was his. The only way out was through the levers.
1:20
She immediately headed for the right lever when she realized something; they knew nothing about Lance. Savvi's connection had already been discovered but Lance hadn't been all that eager to share. She would let him go...after she knew what he was in for.
"What are you in for?" she asked calmly, making sure to make eye contact with Lance.
His green eyes narrowed in confusion and anger. "W-what? J-Just get me off! Get me off!"
Sydney closed her eyes and took shallow breaths. "What. Did. You. Do?"
1:00
Lance didn't answer and he continued to struggle against the binds, Savvi doing the same.
Sydney felt a pang of anger hit her. Why was it so difficult to answer the damn question. She impulsively let her hand curl around the left lever.
"NO! Please n-no!" Lance sputtered.
"I repeat; why are you here!"
0:50
Lance could feel himself growing dizzy. "I-I killed some people."
Sydney felt her face grow hot. "Who?"
0:45
"My best friend and my wife," he responded meekly. "I caught them sleeping together and I...just lost it. They had been having an affair for months."
Oh no. Oh God no. Jake...Jake had been having an affair. It was the last thing we talked about before he disappeared. No. NO.
Her hand shook over the lever. "What was his name?"
Lance was taken by surprise. "W-
"-His name. W-what was it?"
"Jake."
0:40
The world melted away, everything becoming cold. Numbness. It couldn't be. This all had to be some kind of joke. A misunderstanding. Anything but he couldn't be dead. Jake couldn't be dead.
0:30
The metal rod was now a mere inches away from Lance's face. "Sydney please! Syd-"
"YOU KILLED HIM! YOU KILLED MY BROTHER! YOU FUCKING KILLED HIM!" Her blue eyes flashed with uncontrollable anger and she had to restrain herself from jumping at him.
"H-He was your b-brother? L-Listen Sydney I'm sorry I didn't know-"
"YOU HAD NO RIGHT! YOU HAD NO RIGHT!" She roared, her face turning a violent shade of red.
All those years of waiting and hoping. Ruined. Jake was dead. Killed by the murderous bastard before her.
0:20
"I didn't know! He slept with my wife!"
"THAT DIDN'T GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO KILL HIM! IT DIDN'T GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO TAKE HIM FROM ME! HE WAS YOUR FRIEND! HE WAS YOUR FRIEND!" Tears were streaming down her face.
"Ple-"
"MURDERER!" Without thinking, she pulled down hard on the left lever and the metal rod snapped forward, striking him in the forehead.
Blood splattered all over the walls and onto Savvi who shrieked in horror and began hyperventilating. Lance's body slumped forward, blood streaming down his stricken face.
0:10
Sydney backed up into the wall, shaking in disbelief. She had killed him. She had killed Lance. She wasn't a murderer. She was violent sure and smoking and drinking were no strangers to her but this was different. She had taken a life.
"SYDNEY!"
She whipped her head over to Savvi who was howling her lungs out. It took her a few seconds to zone in on the problem. Sydney lunged for the right lever but was a second to late.
0:00
SNAP
The rod impaled Savvi mercilessly. Her warm blood splashed Sydney who yelped. The metallic belt unlocked itself and Savvi fell to the floor, her eyes becoming glassy.
Sydney leaped to her side. "It's g-going to be okay. Don't worry just hold on." she whispered frantically, running a hand through Savvi's spiky blood soaked hair.
Savvi's hand fell over to her pocket, the other gripping Sydney. "Hand...writing...note..."
Sydney tried to understand.
"Hoffman..."
And with that her grip on Sydney loosened and her breathing ceased.
Conveniently enough, the door swung open to reveal a startled Reyna and Oliver who was holding a fragile looking Trish. As they took in the scene before them, Sydney backed away from Savvi's body, shivering. Reyna staggered over to her, her skin even more pale than usual. "S-Sydney? W-What happened?"
Sydney shook off her comforting arm as she hobbled out the door. Her eyes strayed over to the dead bodies. "I'm sorry..." she cried. "Sorry..."
...Hoffman
Author's Note: And two more bite the dust. R.I.P Lance and Savvi. Thanks to Zackt2010 for contributing on the carousel trap idea. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Below is the updated list of connections:
Connections:
Savvi, Michelle, and Dan- 3
Corrine and Trish- 2
Sydney and Lance- 2
How many left: 7
