Chapter Forty Seven: Stayin' Alive by Bee Gees

"Wait, look!" Fabrizio said. "There's your phone. And it just stopped on Front Street."

"Rose must have known they'd make her destroy her phone," said Jack.

"Come on," said Thomas. "We'll call the police on our way."

•••

Cal stood in front of Rose. "You hurt my feelings the last time we saw each other."

"You mean when you tried to rape me?" Rose asked. "Yes, Cal. I'm very sorry I hurt your feelings."

"Well, I'm going to make you pay," said Cal. "You're mine now."

"What about Jack?" Ivy asked.

"What about that gutter rat?" Cal asked.

It took all of Rose's willpower not to scream at Cal for calling Jack a gutter rat. "I thought we were getting him here," said Ivy. She stormed out. "I'll guard outside."

Rose lost it. "You hurt Jack and-"

"I'm going to stop you there," said Cal. "I'm not doing anything to him. I'm going to keep you for myself, and let him know how it feels to lose you. I'm going to teach him my pain." Cal motioned to Helga. "Her we're going to hurt."

"Don't do anything to her!" Rose yelled as Helga cried, trying to scream through the tape.

Cal knelt down, and his face was inches away from Helga's. He pulled the tape off of Helga's mouth. "But she hurt you. I can't let that go unavenged."

Before Rose could say anything, Helga spat at Cal, getting him right in the eye.

Cal moved back and wiped his eye. He pulled his arm back and quickly punched her right in her eye. "Helga!" Rose exclaimed.

"Why are you upset, sweet pea?" Cal asked. "She hurt you. I hurt her back."

"I didn't want that," said Rose, clenching her teeth.

"Well, I want that for you," said Cal. He went to clean out his eye, and Rose saw a gun in his pocket.

"He has a gun," said Rose quietly. She looked at Helga, who nodded to her. "So what do you want me here for, Cal?"

"Well, make up for lost time?" Cal said, winking at her.

"Ugh, you're sick," said Rose. "You can't get anyone to sleep with you so you have to kidnap someone and rape them to get laid."

"That's rude," said Cal. "You know how I feel about you disrespecting me." He slapped her across the face. "That'll teach you to respect your master."

"My master?" Rose asked. "Oh, Cal, if you would just let me go, I could break up with Jack and come back to you. Then we could be a real couple."

"You think I'm dumb, sweet pea?" Cal asked, getting closer to her. "I'm not letting you out of my sight again."

Rose knew what she had to do. She spat in his eye, and he moved his head back, closing his eyes. "You better not do that again."

"Are you going to punch me?" Rose asked.

"No," said Cal. "I love you too much for that."

He moved away and started to wash out his eye again. Meanwhile, Rose started pulling out the knife she hid in her back pocket. "Wow," she began, as she started cutting the rope tying up her hands. She still held them behind her back so he wouldn't know. "Get ready," she whispered to Helga, who nodded. "I can't believe you showed some mercy, Cal. You're not the man you were the last time we were together."

Cal's naiveté took over him, and he turned to face Rose. "Really?"

"Yes," said Rose. She was trying to sound a tad seductive, but not over the top. "Now kiss me."

Cal walked over to Rose. She really didn't want to kiss someone else, but she had to save Helga's life, Jack's, and her own. Cal put his hand against her cheek. He kissed her, and Rose brought her eyes down to his waistband, where he held his gun.

Rose swiftly grabbed the gun and punched him square in the face. She aimed the gun at him. "Move and you die," she said.

"You won't shoot me," said Cal.

Rose kept the gun pointed at him while she untied Helga's hands. "Hold this while I tie him up," said Rose. She grabbed rope from the counter and tied his arms and legs, and put tape over his mouth.

"Thank you," said Helga.

"Don't mention it," said Rose. She finished untying Helga, and they got up. "Let's go."

They ran out the door, and Ivy was right outside. Rose put her finger against her lips, and Helga nodded. "Against the wall," said Rose, pointing the gun at her.

Ivy went against the wall, and she started to laugh. "You won't shoot me."

"Why do people keep saying that?" Rose asked, and she shot her in the foot. "Wow, the kickback from that gun is… crazy."

"Oh my god," said Helga. "Let's go."

They both ran out the door, and they immediately saw the flashing lights of police cars outside, and in the center was a taxi cab.

The cab door opened, and Jack jumped out, running over to Rose. "Rose!" Jack exclaimed, hugging her tightly. He lifted her off the ground, kissing her over and over again. "Are you alright?"

"Jack," said Rose, and she started to cry.

"They're putting him away this time," said Jack. "Kidnapping will get you a life sentence."

"Good," said Rose. She hugged Jack tightly, kissing him lovingly.

Helga cleared her throat behind them. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Jack released Rose, and she nodded. "Sure."

They walked away for a second. "Thank you," said Helga. "You didn't have to do what you did. You didn't have to come and save me."

"Sure," said Rose.

"I should've known you wouldn't do anything to hurt me," said Helga. "I'm sorry I acted the way I did. Jack was right. You're really the best friend I've ever had."

Rose smiled. "Thanks."

"And I realize it's a long shot, but I hope you can forgive me," said Helga.

"I don't think so," said Rose. Helga looked down. "See, I'd prefer for my friends to not be crazy gunmen who have pointed a gun at someone before."

Helga smiled and laughed. "That ship has sailed I guess, right?"

Rose nodded. They met in a hug. "I missed you," said Rose.

"Yeah, you too," said Helga.

Rose walked back to Jack, and Helga walked over to Fabrizio. "Hey," said Fabrizio.

"Hi," said Helga. "Listen, I've apologized to Rose, and now I'm apologizing to you. I'm sorry about anything."

"Thanks," said Fabrizio. "And I guess I forgive you."

"Can we just… be friends?" Helga asked.

"Sure," said Fabrizio. "I guess we can try."

"Thanks," said Helga. She then walked over to Jack and Rose. "Jack, can I talk to you for a second?"

"I guess," said Jack.

"Do you want me to go?" Rose asked.

"No, stay," said Helga. "Listen, I just wanted to say I'm sorry about everything."

"You're going to have to earn my trust back," said Jack. "You really hurt her."

"I know," said Helga. "And I'm going to work on that. But I know I did everything wrong and that I lashed out at Rose for no reason, and I know that I have to make it up to you guys. And I will."

Jack nodded. "Okay," he said.