Note: As requested… :)
Part 52
POV – Gill
I don't know how much time has passed since my abduction or how long I have been lying on this stone cold floor. All I know is that my body is slowly staring to shut down - hypothermia and dehydration are taking their toll. Despite freezing cold, my skin is on fire. The pain in the abdomen is getting worse. Each breath comes with a wheezing sound. I try to suppress the cough sending painful tremors down my body, but momentarily suffocate from the deprivation of the oxygen and fall out of the consciousness. I wake from my own moans and the vicious circle repeats.
Despite my best efforts, doubts creep in. Could it be that no one is looking for me?
Nonsense! I chide myself. Off course they are, they just can't find me.
Nevertheless, the panic settled at the pitch of my stomach is spreading through my veins like venom. I'm not sure I can bear it much longer without going mad!
Is it really the end? Am I going to die in this God forsaken place and be left to rot for eternity together with the corpse of the man with whom I had grown very close over the last weeks?
Just the other day Connor's warm eyes sent the butterflies down my belly as he chastely asked a permission to kiss me, now their light is gone forever. He was a good man, a decent man. His death will haunt me for the rest of my life, which for the moment doesn't seem to be overly long.
I have no clue what is on the chip Connor gave me before he was killed or what it has to do with me, but I'm sure of one - if I die, the truth stored on the tiny piece of plastic will never see the daylight. Connor paid high price for it and I will be damned if I let it be in vain.
I can't give up, not now, not ever! I owe him that much.
There are loud steps in the corridor.
I hold my breath in trepidation. They stop in front of the doors. Several seconds later there is a brash squeak and a small ray of light like a reflection of hope breaks through this damned twilight zone.
My attempt to pretend unconscious is short lived. A kick of the boot to my solar plexus is convincing enough to summon involuntary moan from my lips.
"Remember me, honey," the mocking voice getting closer to my face feels remotely familiar, "I told you we will meet again."
My eyes fly open just to be greeted with crazed gleam of a man I hoped I will never see again.
McLean!
Good Lord, I'm in the hands of a madman with a grudge. My chances just fell from low to zero.
"What do you want?" I hoarsely whisper shooting a daring look straight in his eyes. He will not get the satisfaction of seeing the fear spreading like a wildfire inside me.
His hand lingers on my chest as he openly leers at me, "Has anyone ever told you that despite being a major pain in the ass, you are a very attractive woman."
"So I've been told," I reply tightly, trying to mask the terror swelling in my heart, "I'd probably be even more attractive, if you let me freshen up a bit."
"Nice try." McLean laughs genuinely entertained at my failed attempt, his eyes roaming over my body, "You know, this doesn't have to be a total waste of time..."
He brushes his fingers along my neckline, pulls apart the blouse, his fingers slide down my body.
"Just tell me where the chip is and I can make it all go away," hot breath against my skin sends shivers down my spine. In one swift motion he tears apart the skirt covering my lower body.
Desperate veil erupts my lips, "Nooooo!"
POV – Cal
The sheet is drawn from the lifeless body. Gill's pale, lifeless face appears in front of my eyes, "Gillian, Gill, God no!"
I jolt awake only to be greeted with utterly dissatisfied grimace on Zoe's face, "You were screaming in your sleep."
"What?" I try to clear my mind enough to grasp a hold on reality.
"You called her name," she accuses angrily.
To get away from the inquisitive stare, I roll to my side. Sweeping my palms over the face I try to clear the fog clouding my brain.
Last forty eight hours seem like a crazed roller coaster spinning completely out of control. I came home only to change and take a quick shower, but my body simply shut down. At my age the lack of sleep is felt more profoundly.
Dull headache develops at the base of my scull and I wander off to the kitchen for a glass of water. Automatically my hand reaches for the bottle of bourbon, but stops midair. This will not help. With renewed determination I pour a glass of fresh water and slide down the chair.
"I know something is going on," Zoe leans against the doorframe, "I have never seen you so distraught."
I look at her, notice the hurt in her eyes for shutting her out, the suspicions and jealousy, but it doesn't bring the empathy it should. With a sigh I wave for her to come over and sit her in my lap. It is not her fault I feel dead inside.
"Why are you still here?" I ask gently caressing her shoulder, "Yesterday morning we agreed that you and Emily will go to your mom's for a while."
"Not we, you agreed," she corrects me, "no explanations or reasons. Cal, just tell me what is going on."
I can't explain her everything that is going on, especially considering her peculiar state, but I have to make sure she and Emily are safe.
So much has happened in such a short time, I wouldn't even know where to start, even if I wanted to.
After making sure Alice is in good hands, I returned to the office. Bennett and Jack had gone to the morgue to identify a body of a woman matching Gill's description. Thank God, it wasn't her!
Wheels requested information on abandoned mines, but the data did little to narrow down the search. There were more than hundred marked places in West Virginia alone, not to mention ones that were not mapped. The analysts already worked with the satellite images, but it will take time. Meanwhile the clock keeps ticking.
Earlier in the day Bennett received a phone call from his agent sent to trace Jack, who disappeared right after the morgue. I have never heard anyone swear so profoundly!
When we arrived, the scene reminded a criminal blockbuster. Jack was sitting amidst junkie lair with a dead body at his feet. It didn't take a genius to figure it was the corpse of McLean's brother.
"Moron," Bennett roars, "You might just signed her death sentence!"
"I didn't mean to," Jack sighs without real effort to justify himself, "it just happened."
"How did you find him?" I ask.
"I have my ways," the man evades the answer.
If I didn't know better, I would have thought Jack is not affected, but one look in his eyes shows a man walking thin line between the sanity and abyss.
The police is on its way. Bennett will take care of the situation, but Jack and I have to leave. Now!
"I will go to the hospital to check on Jane," I inform Bennett on the way out.
"Too late," Jack's voice sounds distant, his gaze focused somewhere I can't follow, "she passed away earlier today."
"What?" Bennett and I ask in unison completely taken by surprise, but Jack has already left the room.
I can't believe that Jane is dead! Earlier I didn't had a chance to go to the hospital and now it is too late. The knowledge that I could have been there for her is gnawing at me.
Jack's last stunt can trigger McLean. I'm more than ever worried for the safety of Zoe and Em.
On their own accord my thoughts return to Gill.
We hadn't found her, hadn't come even close to finding her and the clock is mercifully ticking sliming any chances we might have.
POV - Jack
I killed a man for her. It was an accident, but still counts. The disturbing part is that I don't care. The death does not scare me as much as the knowledge I can kill and then sleep like a baby. Unfortunately it was in vain. The poor bastard really had no clue what his monster of a brother is up to.
I try to focus on the data, but mental and physical exhaustion is taking its toll. I'm close to seeing hallucinations, but refuse to stop digging through the classified file on McLean, confidentially forwarded to me by Hildebrandt.
tbc
