Sorry, it took me so long. But, my mind was distracted with thoughts of me and Dom, next week. LOL. No updates next week. I'm in CA for FCW and meet/greet with DOM/JULIE. Enjoy the newest chapter.

Chapter 14

Dante walked quietly alongside the house, withdrawing his gun from its holster and aiming it in front of him. Jason was a few steps behind him and Dante turned, noticing the gun in his hand.

"Cover me," Dante told Jason, as he reached the window and was about to peer inside.

"Why don't you cover me?" Jason answered, sarcastically, as he moved, crouching near the window directly on the other side of Dante, "I don't take orders from you, Dante. Never have and never will."

Dante looked inside the window, frustrated at the long, dark-colored drapes that blocked his view.

"Can you see anything?" Jason asked, hearing the sound of crunching leaves to his right.

"Nothing. I can't see past the damn drapes," Dante told him, as he turned to Jason, "What is it?"

"Thought that I heard something," Jason answered, scanning the area around them. All was silent.

"Move aside," Jason ordered Dante, wanting to take his own glance inside. Nothing. No moving shadows. No Franco.

"If you would have let me check out the room when we were inside this wouldn't be a problem, Dante," Jason told him, irritated by Franco's absence.

"Hey, I don't have time for us to play who's on first and who's on second, Jason. Lulu's life is at stake. Every second that we stand here arguing, is one second more that she spends with that psycho. Now, are you willing to work with me, or not?" Dante demanded, unaware of the face that appeared in the window and quickly disappeared.

Dante and Jason were not willing to budge, their lack of trust evident in their body language and the guns leveled at each other, as each stood their ground. It was a male pissing contest, neither one wanting to give up control and let the other lead. They might have stood like that for several minutes, as opposed to seconds, each waiting on the other's reaction, if not for the sound that broke the silence.

"Bobby, you've got company!" Karen Frank yelled from the front of the house.

"Dante, I'm over here," he heard, erupting from the woods.

One voice, that's all it took for their bodies to spring into action.

Dante reacted first, his body becoming tense, his face etched with worry.

"Lulu," he said, softly at first, almost in disbelief, as he and Jason raced into the woods.

"Lulu," he shouted louder, his feet crushing the leaves below his feet.

His footsteps pounded on the ground, his heart beating frantically inside his chest.

"Dante," she yelled to his right. Dante heard her scream once more, his arms raised in front of him, trying to shield him from the low-laying tree branches that scraped at his arms and slapped him in the face.

He ran to her rescue, following her voice, as she and everything around him suddenly became silent. Dante stopped in his tracks, his police training kicking in. He listened for the sound of snapping branches and the disquietude of heavy breathing, the former breaking the silence, as Dante immediately turned to the left, his right hand touching the trigger, his left holding the pistol grip, as he pointed his gun toward the sudden noise. His pulse beat faster, his eyes wider, as he watched them appear before him.

Out of the woods he emerged, one arm restraining her, as the other pointed a gun to her forehead.

"Detective, what took you so long?" Franco exclaimed, as he held Lulu captive.

...

Fifteen minutes earlier, Lulu found herself standing in front of the window, her hand flush against the glass, as she realized that the image in front of her was real.

Dante was here, Lulu exclaimed, relieved that her ordeal with Franco was finally over.

She was about to turn and run toward the door, preparing to scream her head off to announce her presence, when she felt his arms grab her from behind, picking her up off of her feet, as he dragged her toward the door. She tried to yell for Dante, but he held his hand over her mouth, muffling her scream, as she kicked at him with her feet.

When she struggled harder, he whispered in her ear, his voice sending chills down her spine, "Make another move and I'll shoot him where he stands, Lulu. You know I will," he told her, holding her tightly, as he grasped the doorknob.

"Dante's a cop, Franco and he has Jason with him, too. They'll shoot you before you get a chance to run." Lulu answered him, desperately.

"Really, Lulu? Are you willing to risk that?" he whispered, poking a gun into her side, as he leaned in, "A known felon, recently released from Pentonville. Do you really believe that Dante let him carry a gun? And even if Dante managed to shoot me, Lulu. If I died by his bullet, Jason would go back to prison. He knows that. Do you really believe that he has your boyfriend's back?"

Lulu's face was crestfallen, her eyes brimming with tears, as she glanced at the door, knowing that Dante was just on the other side, "Promise me you won't hurt him," she said softly, as she felt the gun remain at her side.

"Come quietly, Lulu. I promise, it'll all be over soon enough," he told her, as he pulled her against him, his arm wrapped around her with his gun hand, while the other slowly turned the doorknob.

He opened the door just a half inch and listened for the conversation on the other side, all the while glancing at Lulu, as he raised his gun and watched the fear play on her face. He raised his finger to his lips telling her to be silent.

"I must have left the television on," Franco heard his mother say, as he peered out into the hallway.

He ducked his head back quickly, smiling. Soon, he thought to himself, it would all be over soon. The anticipation was killing him.

"We're here about your son, Franco?" he heard Dante answer his mother, as she looked back into the hallway and saw him.

Her eyes grew large for just a moment, before she directed her gaze back to Dante and Jason, leading them away from Franco's view.

"Would you like some tea?"

Franco heard Jason's muttered response and Dante's acceptance of the tea, as he pulled Lulu silently through the door, aiming his gun at Dante's back, as he pulled her farther back down the hallway and out toward the backdoor of the house.

Every instinct in Lulu's body was telling her to cry out, to scream to Dante that she was here, but what if Franco was right. What if Jason was unarmed?

She knew she couldn't bare it if anything happened to Dante. She had nearly lost him once before and she knew that she couldn't live through that again. If Jason couldn't protect Dante, then she would. Even if she had to protect him from Franco to do it.

"It's just a little further," Franco told her, as the sunlight hit her full in the face, causing her to close her eyes to the glare.

She heard the vibrating sound of a cell phone and opened her eyes, as Franco gave her a silent warning, holding the gun to her head, while he answered the phone.

"Took you long enough?" he answered, using the gun to prod Lulu deeper into the woods, "Is everything ready?" he asked, holding the phone to his ear.

Lulu glared back at Franco, as he continued to lead her into the woods and away from Dante.

She felt the branches stinging touch as they left scratches on her face and arms, "Is that him?" Lulu asked Franco, shaking her head in disbelief.

How could someone so close to them betray them? Someone that they thought was a good friend.

"It is, isn't it?" Lulu told Franco, as he continued to hold the phone to his ear, "Just take care of it," he told the caller, hanging up the phone.

"That was Ronnie. Dante's friend," Lulu laughed, as Franco pointed the gun at her and released the safety, "I heard him. At the hospital. He's working with you, isn't he?"

"Lulu, haven't you figured out by now, that all of you, every last one, have contributed to my masterpiece. Maybe Detective Domestico is just a courier, a trained monkey sent to deliver my messages at will. Or, perhaps he isn't anything of the sort. Maybe he is just an innocent pawn, trapped in my never-ending chess game. Either way, you become immortal," Franco said, raising the gun and placing his finger on the trigger.

"The next photograph in my pièce de résistance," Franco explained, as Lulu realized that he had planned to kill her all along.

"I don't want to be immortal, Franco. I want to live," she told him, begging him to change his mind.

"But, Lulu think about it. To die now, to freeze this moment of bliss that you have with your boyfriend. To never have to see the love leave his eyes when you become fat with his child and he eventually cheats. I could give that to you, Lulu. Immortality could be yours," he said, pulling her close, "All you have to do is say the word."

"Go to hell," Lulu answered him, as she heard a woman's voice interrupt.

"Bobby, you've got company!" Franco was warned, his mother's message causing a distraction.

Lulu took the opportunity to struggle with him, breaking free from his grasp momentarily and screaming, "Dante, I'm over here!"

She continued to struggle, Franco's strength overpowering, as she screamed out Dante's name one last time, feeling the gun pressed against her temple.

Franco leaned in to whisper, his arms holding her tightly, "Should we give him the good news?"

...

Jason and Dante reacted instantly to Lulu's scream, moving in different directions.

Dante's feet pounded on the ground, running toward the sound of her voice, as Jason moved silently toward the left. Franco was here, he thought. He would try to come up behind him and take him by surprise. He heard the sudden crunch of a snapping tree branch and halted, looking around him for any signs of movement. To his right, he heard Lulu scream that she was near Dante. Could she have escaped him? Was it Franco that he heard?

Cautiously, he aimed the gun in front of him, acting defensively, as he moved slowly forward, his eyes darting left to right. Behind him he heard the click of a trigger being released, as he turned around and abruptly dropped his weapon in front of him.

"Well, what do we have here? Is that a gun in your hand, Morgan?" Ronnie questioned him, smiling, as he pulled out his cuffs.

"What the hell are you doing? Franco is here. Dante needs backup," Jason replied, as Ronnie took the gun from Morgan and locked his wrists together, behind his back.

"You heard him boys," Ronnie said to the two police officers accompanying him, "Franco's here. We have no further use for him," he said turning back to Jason, "Carrying a gun violates your terms of release, Morgan. I'm afraid that you're going to have to go back to Pentonville."

"You haven't caught him yet. You need me to stop him," Jason told Ronnie, as the two officers led him toward a patrol car in front of the house.

"We've already cornered him, Jason. Where's he going to run?" Ronnie shouted back to him, as he moved forward, listening for the sound of voices in the woods.

"Let her go, Franco. She has nothing to do with this. You didn't want her last time, she was just an innocent. If you release her-"

"Release her? Detective, why would I do that? Lulu and I are more alike than you think. We've had a lot of time to get to know each other. I know things about her that-" Franco smiled, caressing the side of her tear-streaked face with the nozzle of the gun.

"What do you say we both pull the trigger at the same time, Detective? Lulu can watch us both bleed to death on the ground." Franco told Dante, as he held the gun at Lulu's forehead.

"Drop it, Detective. Or, I'll drop her," Franco threatened, his expression promising that he spoke the truth.

Dante lowered his gun, throwing the 9mm on the ground in front of him.

"Kick it away," Franco ordered, leveling the gun at Dante, as he continued to hold Lulu captive in his arms.

"I did what you asked. I played your stupid game, Franco. Now, let her go," Dante ordered him.

"Where's Morgan? I know he was in the house with you," Franco questioned Dante, curious as to why Jason hadn't appeared yet.

"Behind you, can't you feel his gun trained on your back?" Dante answered, with hatred pouring from his eyes.

"No he's not. So, where is he?" Franco questioned, not turning around as Dante wanted.

"I told you, he's just a few feet behind. Why don't you look?" Dante told him, using his eyes to warn Lulu of his actions.

"Jason?" Lulu said, turning her gaze to the right, as Franco followed suit.

"Where? Morgan, is that you?" he shouted.

Franco heard the snap of a twig, relaxing his hold on his gun hand just enough for Lulu to struggle against him, breaking free from his grasp.

Dante lunged at Franco, as Lulu fell to the ground momentarily dazed. The men fought, their bodies rolling on the ground, as Lulu found herself staring at Dante's weapon. She reached for it, the gun feeling alien in her hand. She slowly sat up, every bone in her body aching, as she leveled the gun in front of her and slowly stood up. Her hands were clammy and the gun felt cold in her hands, as they trembled, the gun shaking before her.

She tried to point it at Franco, but was afraid that she would hit Dante. She heard the sounds of fists hitting flesh and cried out, as Franco hit Dante in the chest, momentarily winding him.

"Police, put your hands up," a familiar voice shouted from behind her, as she heard the sound of footsteps hitting the ground.

Franco used the distraction to break away from Dante, pushing him to the side. Dante's head hit the ground, the force of the blow causing him to lose focus.

Franco stood for a brief second and faced Lulu, "Are you going to shoot me?" he said, as she leveled the gun at him, frozen.

He smiled, turning his back on her and running into the woods, as gunfire erupted behind him and he heard the shout of police once more. Dante stood, his head aching, as he chased after him.

Lulu stood immobile, her body shaken, her finger still on the trigger. She didn't fire the gun, but who did. She felt someone rush past her. It snapped her out of her daze, awakening her to her surroundings and his retreating back. She had to protect Dante, she thought, clutching the gun in her hand, as she raced into the woods after them.

Dante's feet trampled the leaves on the dirt path, as he ran after Franco. He heard the pounding of feet behind him and knew that he had back-up. He slowed his pace, his ears trying to pick up the sound of Franco's movement. A noise to the left alerted him and he turned, looking in that direction. He could hear his breathing nearby and his eyes scanned the woods looking for any sign of movement.

It was eerily quiet.

Then, behind him he heard his partner, Ronnie Domestico shouting at the top of his lungs, as he burst out of the woods.

"Did you get him?" Ronnie shouted, his gun aimed into the trees.

"Jesus, Ronnie. Why don't you shout a little louder?" Dante answered angry, as Ronnie stood beside him.

Ronnie lowered his gun, scanning the woods, as his gaze returned to Dante, "It looks like he got away."

"I had him in my hands, Ronnie. And I nearly had him again, before you appeared like a tank out of the woods."

"Sorry, pal. Where's Lulu? Did you get her?" Ronnie asked, as she suddenly appeared behind him.

"I'm right here, Ronnie," she answered, aiming Dante's weapon at Ronnie, as a worried Dante looked on.

"Baby, it's over. Everything's gonna be ok," Dante promised her, slowly moving toward her. She looked like she was in shock. Why else would she hold a gun aimed at Ronnie?

"Hey, Lulu. Glad you're ok. You can put the gun down now. Franco's gone," Ronnie answered, trying to reassure her.

"I don't think so," she replied to Ronnie, directing her gaze to Dante, "I heard him at the hospital, Dante. He was outside the supply room where Franco held me."

"Who?" Dante asked, enraged at everything that she had gone through.

"Franco practically confirmed it just a few minutes ago. You're working with him," she told him, as she trembled, the gun shaking in her hands.
"What? Ronnie? But, that's crazy, Lulu," Dante replied, shaken at her admission.

It couldn't be true. He knew that Ronnie had a past connection to Franco, but allow him to kidnap Lulu.

"Dante, you know that she's just in shock, right? I mean, this is nuts, pal. Franco did that stint in jail, Dante. That was it. I would never-" Ronnie protested, watching for any change in Dante's expression.

"Lulu, you have to believe me. Whatever Franco told you was a lie. Dante's my friend. I know how he feels about you. I could never-"

"Then, explain to me what you said outside of the supply closet at the hospital," Lulu asked him, still aiming the gun at him, "You told the other officers that you already searched the area."

"Because I had, Lulu. I didn't know that Franco held you there. If I knew, Lulu-"

"I don't believe you," Lulu cried, as the gun wavered in her hands and Dante reached for it, securing it in his holster, before wrapping his arms around her.

Her body collapsed from the stress of the ordeal and Dante lifted her into his arms, turning his back on Ronnie Domestico, as he walked toward his car.

"I got you, baby." he whispered, as she held tightly to his neck and he placed a soft kiss on the top of her head.

"Dante, pal. You believe me, right?" Ronnie asked, as he followed him to the waiting car.