Chapter 10

A Woman's Gotta Do What a Woman's Gotta Do

The man named Smitty who had been at her side since delivering the flowers that morning pulled Jenny to her feet. He hadn't struck her as being particularly bright and seemed to forget that her feet were still tied when he pushed her forward, causing her to fall. Since her hands were still bound behind her back as well, there was nothing to break her fall except for her face.

As she hit the concrete, several concerned voices shouted out but were cut short by Tyson's sharp commands. "I said no one move. She'll be fine. Smitty cut the damn rope from her feet and bring her to me!"

Jenny barely noticed the chafing pull of the rope as the man cut through it; the pain in her cheek and nose was much more intense. When Smitty pulled her up again she noticed the swelling around her left cheek and eye were already beginning to block out her view of Kevin, but she never took her eyes off of him as they approached Tyson.

When they were by Jerry's side, he quickly wrapped one arm tightly around her waist and in the same movement turned the gun on Smitty and fired. "That was for being an idiot."

Smitty's lifeless body crumpled at her feet, in a pool of blood and gray matter, making her want to vomit.

Tyson then pressed the still hot barrel of the gun into the soft skin below Jenny's jaw. "Anyone else want to show me how smart they can be?"

When no one moved or answered, Tyson continued to run his mouth. "So Ryan, I bet seeing your fiance at the end of your own weapon makes you wish you'd been a bit quicker last year, huh? Maybe one day you'll actually be good enough to catch me. But not today."

"Shut up!" Jenny yelled. The events of the day were catching up with her, pushing past her breaking point. The steel of the pistol bit into her skin with every word, but she didn't care. "He's a great cop! They all are, and nothing you say can change that. You may have gotten away once, but you can't run forever."

Jerry lowered his voice so that only Jenny would hear him."That's very sweet of you to defend him. I'm sure that's adding to his masculinity, or what's left of it. Now if you want to see him again after today, let's take a little walk."

Tyson placed Jenny in front of him as a human shield and yelled back to Junior and Lou, "Cut the ropes from their feet and bring them over by the plane, as soon as I'm on board, I'll let this one go and you can take care of our unfinished business."

Lanie's captor spoke up. "But I thought we were all leaving."

"We are, if you do it right." Jerry answered as he walked toward the aircraft.

Jenny tried to drag her feet as they walked, hoping to trip Tyson up, but he was bigger and stronger and never stumbled. No matter where they were, she was always between him and the guys.

"Speaking of masculinity, you must be oozing with it, considering you're hiding behind a woman" Jenny spat.

"Shut the hell up, or I'll shut you up for good!" Tyson snapped and pressed the gun to her even harder, causing her to bite her tongue until she could taste blood.

When they got to the plane's steps, they stopped and waited for the others. When everyone was together, Tyson began backing up the stairs, leaving Lanie, Lou, Junior and Beckett in front of him on the tarmac.

Just before they reached the top, Jerry stepped back away from Jenny, presumably to hide in the plane., and woman's voice called out from the right side of the warehouse, drawing almost everyone's attention.

She was never able to spot the source of the voice before all hell broke loose.

Jenny felt something pass near her head before being knocked down by the sudden weight of Jerry Tyson's limp body on top of her.

Trying to see what was happening, Jen lifted her head from the steps and could see that Beckett had knocked Dr. Parish to the ground and was covering her with her own body. A pool of blood was spreading quickly near them on the white cement.

People were yelling, guns were firing and then someone jumped over her from the plane to the ground below.

Just as everything seemed to quiet down, Jenny felt the previously dead weight of Tyson's body shift, and instinctively she screamed. Just before she ducked her head down, Kevin came fully into her line of sight with his weapon drawn. The sound of a gun discharging next to her ear caused her to recoil and left her momentarily deaf.

The next thing the knew, a liquid warmth spread over her back and shoulders but then almost immediately the heat and oppressing weight were gone. Tyson was no longer on top of her. She opened her eyes to see the gun Tyson had been holding, resting on the step below her and Kevin running toward her.

A man she didn't know, but quickly realized was the pilot, helped her to her feet just in time for her to fall into Kevin's open arms. Jenny could tell he was talking to her but the ringing in her ears drowned him out.

Instead of trying to figure out what he was saying, she just buried herself in his chest and let the tears flow.