Chapter 03: Run Stephanie, Run
I slammed through the emergency exit; exhausted, trembling, and fighting a sudden bout of dizziness. My panicked run down four flights of stairs had left me gasping for air and barely able to stand.

Pressing myself against the side of the motel, I struggled to catch my breath, as the muffled sound of cars roared past, and a dog barked in the distance. A radio played faintly nearby, strangely in tune with the constant buzzing from the flickering neon 'EXIT' sign above the emergency door. I stood there in the narrow alleyway between the buildings, wondering, was I dreaming?

Just seconds ago there had been an all out gun battle. Now, nothing. Where the heck were the police sirens? Gunshots? People running for dear life? After standing there for near five minutes, I shook myself. Christ! What's the matter with me? I should be halfway down the block by now!

Placing a hand against the wall for support, I slowly edged up the alley and emerged into the hotel's rear parking lot. Wedged snuggly between the hotel and the building next door, the eastern and southern ends were gated off from the dimly lit street. Stepping further into the lot, I squinted through rows of cars looking for an entrance/exit. A moment of dizziness struck me, and I staggered several feet over to a nearby '78 Cameo, and leaned against the hood.

Big mistake.

The alarm system sounded, alerting anyone within a seven block radius of my presence. SHIT! Can't I ever get a fuckin' break! I slid off the hood, groaning, and took off toward the back end of the parking lot. I stopped up short and hid behind a minivan at the sound of footsteps. Peering through the back windshield, I watched as a group of five men, dressed mostly in black, materializing from the alleyway I'd just come from. As they came into better view, I caught sight of what appeared to be Uzi's in their hands.

I swallowed. Great. Just great. Me and my brick verses five guys armed with Uzi's. Yeah, I was so getting out of this one alive.

I watched them approach the Cameo. Two breaking away and circling, while the others stood off to the side. Oh-mi-god! The blood drained from my face, as I caught sight of the one in the middle. It was him! It was the man who'd driven the van.

I gasped. As if he could hear it, he looked straight in my direction, then scanned the rest of the parking lot. I ducked down further and watched him speak to each of the men. The two beside him nodded, turned, and when back into the alley.

Turning to the remaining two, he motioned to the parking lot with his gun and said something. The men nodded, then pulled out their flashlights. Taking a section of the lot, each man flanked out and started walking down the rows of cars. And just my luck. Evil Van Guy a.k.a. Nikes was coming my way.

I held the brick in a death grip, and eased backwards until I'd lodged myself between a navy blue pick-up truck and the parking lot fencing. My heart pounded as I watched him slowly walk down the row of cars, flashing his light.

"Terry," he sang. "Come out, Come out. Wherever you are."

He was within fifteen feet of me, now beside the minivan. The next time he flashed the light in my direction, he'd see me for sure. If I was quick enough, maybe I could knock him out and crawl over the fence. But that was unlikely. Even If I did manage it, the other men would hear or see and I'd be dead before I even stubble to the fence. I held my breath and waited for the inevitable. If I made it through this, I was going torture Terry Gilman within an inch of her life, and then let Grandma play with her.

He started to swing the light in my direction when a cat meowed. Startled, he jerked his head around and swore. Peeking out from behind the tire wheel was an orange and white tabby. The man swore again, and kicked at it. It hissed, then retreated back underneath the van and emerged out the other side, promptly disappearing through a huge hole someone had cut into the wire rim fence…whoa, wait!

A loud crashed sounded from across parking lot. A moment later one of the men who'd gone back into hotel staggered back out. He stood for a moment, swayed, then fell to the ground. There was another crash, someone yelled, and was answered with two loud bangs. It was dead quite for exactly three seconds. Then all hell broke loose.

I wasn't sure what was going on. Bullets rained through the parking lot, shattering car windows and setting off alarms. The man who was once my kidnapper crouched behind the minivan for cover, as he shot toward something at the alley entrance. He was literally only four feet from me now. I looked at the hole. With everyone distracted trying to kill each other, I had a real chance of making it out. Alive. Barring the fact, I could get past the psychotic asshole in front of me. That was simple enough, right?

Right.

I slowly eased toward him. He ducked, suddenly. I reared back a step. The back windshield of the minivan exploded into a million pieces and rained over us. Shielding his eyes, he turned and looked straight at me. His eyes blazed shocked for a split second, before the brick slammed against his head. Dropping his gun, he yelled out and fell away from the cover of the minivan. Still yelling, he held the side of his bleeding head and started to stand, when something hit him from behind. A bullet. Several more hit him and he cried out. I turned away quickly, closing my eyes, and covering my ears. I could still hear him yelling. Then suddenly, he stopped.

I didn't look back.

Moving up the fence, I grabbed the edges of the hole and wiggled through. Crotched down, I hurried toward the corner of the next building. Something stung my left shoulder. I staggered a bit, but keep on moving. Another shots hit the ground near me, as I rounded the corner.

Clutching my shoulder, I felt blood trickle down my shirt sleeve. In the distance and getting louder, sirens sounded. Thank God!

But hell if I was sticking around.