Amanda's head pounded. She tried to open her eyes but the light caused a jolt of pain explode behind her eyes. Getting a feel for her surroundings she knew she was in a vehicle in motion. The cold touch of metal on her wrists confirmed that her hands were handcuffed behind her back. Amanda's legs were also confined, probably rope she told herself. Her brain was foggy and she tried to recall the last thing she remembered. Lee! Her eyes shot wide open uncaring of the previous pain. She was in his car and he still had the same blank stare on his face as he drove. Amanda tried to say his name hoping to talk him out of whatever was happening to him. She was terrified and had no clue what was going on but she knew Lee wasn't in control and that scared her the most. When she attempted to talk she realized her mouth was taped shut.
Lee stopped the car at a red light and looked over at his passenger. Noting that she was awake and took another syringe and griped her arm. Amanda tried to squirm away but Lee held her tighter making her moan in pain. He pushed the needle through her shirt.
Amanda felt the needle puncture her skin and could feel the liquid burn through her arm. Again a wave of nausea and darkness enveloped her.
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Amanda felt the car slow to a stop. She forced herself to open her eyes. Armon's face filled her vision as he pulled her roughly from the car. The feeling of fear that was in the pit of her stomach rose to her throat as the reality of her situation penetrated her fog that had settled in her head. Being thrown in the back of a van Amanda searched for Lee. Even if Armon had control of him she felt safer with him near her; she trusted that man and knew that he could never truly hurt her drugs or not. Locating him in the passenger seat she relaxed slightly. They drove 10 minutes and the van came to a halt. Amanda was again dragged from the vehicle and carried into an old apartment complex. Armon threw her down. Amanda moaned as the wind was knocked out of her and her shoulder exploded with pain from the force of the fall.
The terrorist stepped over her and removed the tape. Amanda seeing an opportunity began talking immediately, "Lee, Lee can—" She was silenced by a hard slap.
"You are not allowed to speak, only scream." Armon informed her with a wicked smile. He rolled her over and undid the handcuffs only to secure her hands to a water heater above her head. He tightened them until they almost cut off her circulation. Turning to Lee he spoke again. "Okay Lee, kick her."
Amanda looked at her partner and saw the hesitation. 'Lee was there!' She thought desperately.
"I said kick her, like this." Armon demanded digging a steel-toed boot into her ribs. Amanda cried out in pain. "Yes good. I want to hear you suffer." He said kicking her again. Amanda tried to bite her lip but a grunt slipped out. "Lee kick her." But Lee didn't move. Armon sighed and Amanda could hear him rummaging for something; he came back into view with a needle and injected Lee with it. "Now kick Amanda." Again no response, which led to more drugs.
While his attention was directed on Lee Amanda pulled her lock pick from her sleeve. She silently thanked Lee for insisting that every shirt she had should be equipped with one. With her knack for finding trouble and her forgetfulness Lee didn't want to take any chances that she wouldn't put her pick in her shirt every morning. At the time Amanda was annoyed. Okay so she forgot the password a lot at first, but she'd changed from the flighty housewife to a pretty good agent in the past three years. 'I owe him for this' she thought as she began working on the cuffs. She was aware of the exchange between Armon and Lee and Amanda feared he would continue to inject him with drugs until Lee kicked her or died. "Lee please. Kick me." She pleaded hoping to stop an overdose.
Armon glanced at Amanda. She stopped her work on the cuffs so he wouldn't find out and take her only chance away. He realized that Lee would do whatever Amanda said and he roughly pulled Lee over to Amanda, "Say it again or I'll inject him with enough drugs to kill an elephant."
Amanda looked into Lee's unseeing eyes. "Lee please do it or he'll kill us both." She could see tears welling up in his eyes as he resisted.
"Beat her or I'll kill her." Armon hissed.
Something snapped inside his head. 'Kill Amanda? No!' Whatever it takes to save her. In his drug induced mind he connected beat her or kill her. 'The only way to save her is to beat her.' With all his might kicked her.
Amanda was unprepared for the force of the blow. Stars exploded before her eyes and she thought she'd pass out. 'No' she told herself 'get the cuffs undone.' Blow after blow came at her with more intensity that she thought possible. Finally the cuffs came undone and she rolled trying to get away from Lee. "Lee stop!" She cried realizing he was coming after her. He stopped. Armon came at her but Amanda brought her foot up in his groin and he doubled over. Quickly Amanda searched him for a gun and found it. "Move over there" she instructed. Armon complied. Amanda cuffed him to the heater and hit him with the handle of the gun knocking him out. She saw the hate in Lee's eyes and Amanda was worried he would kill the man and quickly found another set of handcuffs. "Lee I'm sorry." She apologized and handcuffed him across the room. She sat in the middle, all her adrenalin was gone and she was in pain. All she could do was lie down and wait for the drugs to wear off in Lee system because she had no energy to even move to get help or find a phone. The darkness once again enveloped her.
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Lee forced his eyes open. He realized immediately that he was cuffed to the wall. His vision was blurred and he blinked furiously to get at least an idea of what was going on. The last thing he remembered was being in Amanda's room when the phone rang. He was in an old run down room now. There was a faint light on over in the corner and he could make out a small form in the middle of the room. He focused on the face and in horror realized it was Amanda. Beat her or kill her rang through his head as he stared at the bruises on her face. 'I did that' he thought and began to pull at the cuffs cursing himself for not having a lock pick on him. He always warned Amanda not to forget hers; she won't let me forget this. Feeling around behind him he realized he was attached to a pipe and he began pulling with all his might. Finally about to give up the memory of kicking Amanda flashed through his head and he jerked the pipe free. He stumbled quickly to her side. "Amanda can you hear me?" He asked gently rolling her over. No response. He felt for a pulse and found a strong steady beat. Letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "I'm going to go get help." He spoke softly and stood. Surveying the room for a phone his gaze fell on Armon handcuffed on the opposite side of the room apparently unconscious. Hate filled him. He made Lee hurt his Amanda. "Now is not the time. Help Amanda and then you can take care of Armon." He said to himself.
Lee walked out the building. The sun was rising and he wondered how long they had been there. He and Amanda arrived at her house a little after six. Did they spend the whole night here? And where was here? Quickly he found a pay phone and dialed Billy's number.
"Hello?" Melrose answered.
"Billy it's Lee." He announced.
"Lee where are you? Is Amanda with you?" He questioned clearly concerned.
"I'm not sure where we are, but Amanda is with me. She's hurt pretty bad."
"Hold on the line we'll get a tap and get a team out ASAP." The line was silent for few minutes. "Okay we've got you're location and we're rolling. Will you be by that phone?"
"No, there's a building across the street. It's an old apartment complex the number is 507."
"All right we'll be there in 45 minutes. The paramedics are already dispatched they should beat us there."
"Thanks Billy." Lee answered and hung up the phone. Sprinting back to Amanda's side his mind was reeling. How could he allow this to happen? How could he do this to the woman he loved even if he was drugged there was no excuse.
Amanda hadn't moved and Lee was worried that she had stopped breathing. He checked her pulse and found in was weaker than before but still there. Lee picked her up cradling her and her was again amazed by how light she was. Tears fell down his face as the memories of what he did to his Amanda came flooding back. He could hear the sirens in the background as Amanda began to stir. "Amanda, can you hear me?"
Amanda struggled slightly opening her eyes. She looked into Lee's face and fear choked her. The look on her face was a slap in Lee's face. He never thought that emotion would be directed at him. "Lee?" She calmed slightly seeing there was emotion in his eyes, but in was a sorrow she knew she had caused by her reaction.
"Amanda…" He started but was at a loss for words. A simple apology could not make up for what he had done.
"Lee stop. This wasn't your fault. It was Armon, he was controlling you."
"Amanda I hurt you. I kicked you I—"
"Lee Stetson drop it. I'm okay. I don't blame you for any of what happened here." She interrupted as she tried to stand. The paramedics entered the building and surveyed the scene. They weren't given much information and weren't sure what to expect. Seeing a bruised Amanda struggling to her feet they directed their attention to her. "I'm fine I just want to get out of here." She told them.
"Amanda at least let them look at you outside." Lee pleaded.
She nodded and they helped her outside into the ambulance. Lee was about to jump in with them but Amanda put a hand on his chest and stopped him with her eyes. She didn't want him to see the effects of what he had done. Knowing he had done them was bad enough. She was silently hoping he would have no memory of any of today but she assumed the trauma was so great he couldn't forget or he wouldn't let himself forget. She would get over this but she worried that Lee wouldn't.
To be continued…