It is now morning and Duo stands in Hilde's kitchen. He pours himself a cup of orange juice and lets it sit as he gathers his thoughts. He sighs as he thinks about last night . . . He never intended to sleep with Hilde but he doesn't regret it. In fact, he is rather calm about the whole thing. Duo laughs as he thinks about Wufei's reaction if he ever found out. ("That guy needs to lighten up.") Duo shakes his head and takes a sip of his drink. As he lifts the glass to his lips his eye's catch something. He slowly puts the glass on the counter as he looks to the back door that is to his left. The doorknob is slightly pointing down at an angle. He is about to take a closer look when he hears a gasp. Duo turns around to see Hilde standing in the doorway holding her white sheets. She has a look of pure shock as she stands there in her pink plush bathrobe. Duo smiles at her and just as he is about to say hello his eyes spot something red on her white sheets. Duo pails as he remembers that last night was her first night . . . Guilt rushes over him as he tries to think of a way to say he was sorry but Hilde quickly covers the spot up and heads toward the washer that is down the hall.
"Hilde . . . " He says softly as he leaves the kitchen after her.
"I wouldn't do that to you." Duo rubs his neck. "I... ("Man . . . what do you say in a time like this?") I'm sorry."
"I'm not." She says quickly. He looks at her and can't help but smile.
"Then neither am I." They stand there for sometime as a peaceful silence takes over. Then, without warning, the washing machine goes off. Duo jumps and then starts to laugh at his own nervousness. Hilde is bent over with her hands on her knees. Her shoulders rise and fall at an alarming rate. Duo relaxes and kneels in front of her.
"Hilde? You ok?" He says as he laughs. He rests a hand on her shoulder thinking that her current state is due to the fact that she was also startled by the washing machine. However, her cold temperature tells him otherwise. "Hilde? Are you ok?" He says startled by her lack of warmth. Hilde lets out a sob and falls into his arms. She wraps her arms tightly around his neck as she lets a river of tears to flow.
"Oh God Duo. He's here. He's HERE!" She cries. Duo wraps his arms around her waist.
"The killer? Did you see him?" He frees one hand to pull out his gun.
"I see . . . him . . . " An image flashes before her of the killer hiding in the bushes that are outside her home. He is holding a baseball bat. Then she sees "You . . . your leaving my home and he's . . . he's" Her sobs take over her voice and Duo can't make out what she is saying.
"He's what Hilde? What is he doing?" He says as he rubs her back to calm her down.
"He's going to kill you!" She grabs the collar of his shirt. "Duo . . . you can't go . . . Don't go! He's here! Waiting for
you to . . . to leave!"
The president of L1 sits in his study staring at the television. His wife, Relena, sits on the bay window behind him. She portrays the image of a broken purslane doll who has been put there by their cruel owner. She was lifeless. The man she loves is going to die and there is nothing she can do to save him. No, the president is in no danger, it is Hero Yuy whose life is one the line. Relena holds back a sob as she thinks of her lost lover. Her husband hears this and smiles. He knows, he knows that Hero is innocent. He even knows who the killer is. Yet, here he sits, not raising a finger to help this innocent man from an impending doom.
"What's the matter my dear? Crying over your little lover?" He says, amused by her sudden intake of breath.
"How did . . . "
"I know?" He says cutting her off. He turns his chair around to face Relena. "I know. And I . . . " He stands up and walks over to her. He pins her up against the window hard, causing her to gasp in pain. "Will NOT let you ruin my image just because you can't keep your legs close!" Relena closes her eyes in hopes that she can escape this nightmare.
"We interrupt this broadcast for a special news report. Today, James Jackson was arrested for the murders of Jessica Hunter and Clair Stipe." An image of the killer caused Relena's husband to let go of her. He walks over to the television stun to see the man he had hoped to never see again. "He was intercepted by detective Duo Maxwell . . . "
"Dammit, dammit!" He says as he storms out of the room. Relena slowly gets off the windowpane and walks over to the television. There she sees a bruised Duo and a very badly beaten James Jackson.
"He will go on trial sometime next week for the killings . . . " Relena sits down in her husband's seat and wonders why he was so upset to see this. ("Since when did he care about the earth?") Relena stands up and heads after her husband . . . She was going to get to the bottom of this.
"Mr. Jackson. Could you please explain your connection to Miss Hilde?" Says his lawyer.
"Yes Miss Dorothy." He says softly. "I...well you see, I met Hilde at a coffee shop. Well, more like I ran into her. We never said anything but when I saw her I knew I . . . I knew she was someone special. I knew I had to find everything about her. She became my obsession. I followed her around, I'll admit that, but I never killed anyone!" Hilde sat there staring at the man with her arms crossed. She was disgusted at this weak attempt to sound like some love sick fool.
"Why were you at her house?"
"I...saw her with detective Maxwell. You see . . . " James turns to the judge. "I'm from L1." Duo's eyes opened up to that. He stares at the man . . . desperately trying to place him in his mind. ("Why does that make my warning bells go off?") Then it hits him . . . ("This . . . it's like what Hero went through. He's the killer! James Jackson is the L1 killer! Not Hero!")
"And I know that Mr. Maxwell is known for being a charmer and someone who use women. I didn't want Hilde to be taken advantage of . . . so . . . "
"So you followed her home to make sure she was safe?" Says Dorothy. James nods and Dorothy smiles. "Now tell me. Does this sound like a man who wants to kill? He is just some poor fool who fell in love with the wrong girl. A girl who is a former prostitute!" She says as she points to Hilde. Hilde does nothing. She won't let Dorothy get under her skin. "A girl who is a disgrace to our city! She is city trash! And she pulled this poor man in her web . . . "
"You no NOTHING of my life! I am none of those things!" Yells Hilde as she came to her own defense. Duo places a hand on her shoulder and makes her sit. He then whispers something in her ear, telling her to calm down.
"I believe that we should end this here and not waste any city money on this case. " Says Dorothy smugly.
"I beg to differ my dear. I believe that this man has all the qualities of the killer." Says Quatre. He opens his suitcase and pulls out a file. "You see. Mr. Jackson has been in a mental hospital for thirteen years, ever since he tried to kill his mother. This man was released three years ago on terms that he stay on his medication. I believe he has not done that."
"You don't know that! You are making an . . . "
"My dear, the evidence in clearly shown. Do a drug test to see if he has been taking his drugs and search his house." The judge takes the file and looks it over. He places it down on his desk and looks to Hilde.
"Do you have anything to say?"
"Yes . . . " She didn't know if it where wise to tell about the visions. So instead she tells about the time in the park. "He attacked me in the park. He tried to kill me!" She says.
"Do you have and proof that it was him?"
"No . . . But I know it was him! The man had the same voice and hair . . . "
"HA!" Says Dorothy. "What? Are you saying that my client is the only blonde in the city?"
"I SAW it happened! I saw everything!" Hilde hides her face in her hands and she cries. "They won't leave me alone! Every night they cry! They cry for peace . . . they won't leave me alone . . . " Her voice is soft and filled with pain as the images of the dead girls cloud her mind.
"Who are they?" Says Quatre, transfixed by Hilde's story.
"The girls he KILLED! They won't rest, I won't rest until he is put away! Please! You have to believe me!" She pleas to the judge.
"She works for a "Psychic Hotline"." Says Dorothy with disgust. Hilde glares at her.
"All right. Here is my decision. I will not hold Mr. Jackson on charges of murder. But I will ok the tests and the search. So Mr. Jackson, don't leave the city."
"Oh. I won't." He smiles.
"Oh Duo!" Hilde hugs him as she cries. Duo hugs her protectively and they stay like that for sometime.
"Hilde . . . " Duo speaks suddenly up. "It's ok. Shh. Don't cry babe. Come on. Everything will be ok."
"NO! I won't be ok! It won't stop until he is put away forever! I will forever be plagued by those girls cries for justice!" Hilde's hold on Duo tightens. "Make it stop Duo . . . " She says softly. "Please make it all go away." Duo rubs her back and her crying is subdued.
"I'm going to try babe." He takes a deep breath and lets his mind wonder back to Hero. He has to get back to L1 but he can't leave Hilde here. "Hilde."
"Yes." She looks up to him.
"Come with me."
"What?" She says, a little confused.
"Come with me to L1. I think I may know how . . . "
"DUO MAXWELL!" Yells an all too familiar voice. Wufei. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Hi Wu-man!" He says as he turns around to face Wufei.
"I saw you on the television! What the hell are you doing?"
"You just now realized that I have not been with you? Boy Wufei. That's really sad!" He laughs.
"Listen you! Une will want a full report on this and she will want to know why we didn't work together! Who the hell is she?" He says pointing to the girl hugging Duo's arm. "It's that girl! What the . . . Maxwell! If you did what I think you did, I'll . . . "
"That's none of your business!" Duo shouts out. Wufei takes a step back.
"I don't care anyway! Besides, you have bigger problems!"
"Bigger problems?"
"Yes, like the president of L1! I don't know what you did but he is pissed!"
"What the hell? I met the guy only once! That was three years ago when I was part of the security team for one of his parties. And he was a Senator then!"
"Well, he wants to talk to you"
"Good. That gives me a reason to go there. Come on Hilde." He takes her hand and heads off.
"What? Why are you taking her?" Says Wufei as he follows them.
"She goes where I go! That killer is free and I won't let him land a hand on her!" He says, almost growling, as he grabs Wufei's jacket. Wufei nods and Duo lets go. "Lets go." And he takes off running down the street with Wufei right behind. Hilde takes off after them and finds it hard to keep up. She is about to yell at them and tell them to slow down when an image flashes before her. An image of a blonde . . .
"Dorothy . . . " She says silently as the vision unravels before her. Hilde sees her being thrown to the floor and kicked. Tears fill Hilde's eyes as she see the girl's life being beaten out of her. "No . . . please God no . . . "
"Penny for your thoughts . . . " Says a chilling voice. Hilde turns around but before she can see him or even scream, something comes crashing down on her head. Hilde's limp body falls to the ground and the figure picks her up and disappears in the shadows . . .
"I won't do it . . . " Says a faint voice of a little girl. Hilde slowly opens her eyes and finds that she is face down in the grass. She tries to get up but every part of her body feels like lead.
"You have no choice!"Says a male's voice.
"NO! Why should I? What do you want with Miss Relena anyway?" Hilde manages to get up.
"That voice . . . " She says as she hears the males voice again. "Jackson . . . " She growls. "You
As her sobs become less, Hilde can hear the sound of someone digging. She sees James digging a hole. At his feet is the little girl, lifeless. Hilde has never let herself say she hates someone . . . she tries to avoid that feel but right now she won't hold back. Hate consumes her for that man . . . no monster. He is the symbol of everything evil and Hilde will stop at nothing to avenge those he killed. Hilde looks at James and sees him kick the girl in the hole.
"Uhhh . . . " Came the sound of the little girl. ("She's still alive? He's going to bury her ALIVE?") Hilde tries with all her might to run over there and kick his ass but she still can't move. Hilde screams as James starts to fill the hole. ("Why isn't anyone seeing this?") She thinks about the people in the party. If only one could look out the window and see this . . . Just then, Dale Smith looks out the window. He looks right at James. Dale tries to make out what he sees, James is in the shadows which make it hard to see him. Dale just smiles and turns away from the window pulling his wife with him. Suddenly Hilde's vision becomes foggy and she can no longer see. She falls to the ground, tears spent, and sits there lifeless. She stays like that until the fog lifts and she sees the same place put without people. The dome is dark and it is night time. The only light is from the moon and a flashlight . . . James. He has a shovel and a cloth bag with him.
"Lets see . . . I think she is over here." He starts to dig until he uncovers the girl's body. "You caused me a lot of trouble. You know that? Everything would have been alright if you had just lured Mrs. Smith out here so I could kill her! I wouldn't have to worry about the police or her husband!" He drops the bag in with the girl and starts to refill it. "Oh well, at least you can help me and hide this stuff for me. Don't want to be caught with their stuff! They might think I killed them! HAHAHAHA." He laughs as he pats the ground with the shovel and disappears. Slowly, Hilde starts to wake up . . . She is happy the nightmare is over and tries to get up . . . However, a sharp pain in her wrists and ankles hold her down. Hilde opens her eyes and tries to scream but her voice is stopped by her gag. She finds that she is in a small room with no furniture except for a lava lamp in a corner near the door. There is only one window and that is behind her. Outside she can hear the sound of rain.
"This isn't the address you gave the police." Says a voice. ("Dorothy! She's still alive . . . ")
"I have many homes my dear." He says calmly. Hilde again tries to get up but can't. Her head is heavy and she can tell that she must be drugged. With her hands and feet tied, there seem like there is nothing she could do to help. But Hilde isn't the one to give up. She uses all her power to force her legs against the wall behind her.
Bang.
"What was that?" Says Dorothy.
"What was what?"
Bang.
"That!"
"Oh, must be my sister in the other room. Let me go check on her."
Bang. Bang. Bang.
The door opens and lighting crashes down, filling the dark room with light. For a moment Hilde could see James clear as day. He closes the door and kneels next to her.
"Hilde, Hilde." He shakes his head. "Being a bad girl now are we? Maybe you need some more sedative to calm you down." He pulls out a needle and gives her another shot of a sedative. Hilde's world becomes dizzy and sleep threatens to over take her. He pats her head and gives her a kiss on the forehead. "Now be a good girl . . . This won't take long." He says darkly. Then he leaves closing the door. Again lighting crashes down, filling the room with light. Hilde gets her first glimpse of the room. The walls are covered with pictures of girls . . . girls Hilde knows as the ones in her dreams and many others. Also on the walls are nails that hold rings, bracelets and other object, all belonging to the girls in the pictures. Hilde turns her head away as another flash of light fills the room . . . this time she sees the wall behind her. On that wall were pictures of HER!
Crash! Bang . . . came sounds from the other room. A muffled cry is heard . . . ("Dorothy! He's killing her!") Hilde tries to get up but the drug lays heavy on her. She won't let him take another . . .
"I...won't . . . let . . . " Her words are forced from her mouth as the sound of the fight outside becomes more violent. "I won't let him WIN!" Suddenly the effects of the drug are gone. Somehow Hilde has found a new strength and it using it to free her wrists. She can no longer her any sounds but under the door she can see a light. Now it's gone . . . there it is again. Hilde wonders what he is doing but first she frees herself. She frees her wrists and unties her feet. Surprisingly the drug no longer has an effect on her. Hilde creeps up to the door, but before going out she grabs the glass bottle of the lava lamp. ("Dammit! It's hot!") She says as she put is down. Hilde takes off her shirt and wraps it around the lamp. Then she exits the room. She stands in a short hall way . . . it is dark but she can see someone sitting in a chair.
Flash.
A light goes off and to Hilde's horror she sees that the person in the chair is Dorothy, She is bloody and look like she isn't breathing. Around the corner she can see a foot . . . ("James . . . ")
"Come on Dorothy love . . . lets see a big smile!" Flash.
("He's taking pictures! Good, then he won't expect me.") To give him no chance of some waring Hilde runs down the hall and when she gets to the end she swings the glass lamp around the corner . . . hitting James square in the face.
"AAAAAAAAA!" He rolls on the ground as he holds his broken nose in place. "You bitch!" He is about to get up but Hilde kicks him in the jaw.
"I will make you suffer for the things you did!" She screams as she picks him up. Hilde doesn't know how she got this strong, it's as if she has the strength of many others fighting with her. She slams him against the wall and there she starts to punch him over and over until he falls limp to the floor. The moment he falls and hits the ground a wave of pain washes over her . . . the drug just kicked back into effect. But before she let the drug take over to stumbled to the phone and dialed 911 . . .
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O_O I am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry for this coming so late! And I am sorry of it being dark...(Well, not really) I got a job and I have been doing summer school! Also, my Aunt called yesterday to tell me that her kitty just died! WHAAAAAAAA! I loved that kitty! Sniff o WHAAAAA! I'm going to miss that fur ball! Anyway, I know I told some of you that this will be the last chapter...sorry, it isn't. I need to rest. -_-; Well, I hope you like this...please review or EMAIL me!
Thanks to all who review!
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