Chapter 6

Sara pushed the door open with her foot and stepped quickly through the doorway. Jake was close behind her. They looked around the room, but found it to be empty. Empty, turned over crates, dust, and cobwebs were the only things they could find in the abandoned building.
"Another dead end," she muttered.
"Don't worry, Sara. We'll find this guy," Jake assured her.
They walked back outside after a thorough search of the building. Climbing into the car, she slammed the door and Jake pulled away.
*******
"I told your friend he may not be alive when this was over. It's not my fault he didn't listen to me."
"Shut your mouth, boy. I don't want to listen to it."
Gabriel opened his mouth to say something else, but with a warning look from Renee, closed it again.
"What do you want with us?" Renee asked, trying to stay calm.
He had just walked in and pointed his gun at them. Then, he made them sit on the couch. Afraid of him doing something to Renee if he didn't, Gabriel obeyed.
Larry had sat in a chair across from them with his gun trained on them. He hadn't said anything until Gabriel opened his mouth.

"Because of you my boss and partner are dead. You will pay for that."
"But we didn't kill them," Renee protested.
"It doesn't matter. It is still your fault."
They didn't understand his reasoning, but decided it was safer to keep their mouths shut. Renee rested her head on Gabriel's shoulder. He took her hand in his and squeezed it gently. There was fear and anger in his eyes.
Larry stood up and walked over to them. He grabbed Gabriel by the shoulder and dragged him to the other side of the couch. There were marks on his shoulder where the man's fingernails had dug into his skin. He fell against the arm of the couch and cried out in pain as his arm hit against his ribs. Larry just laughed.
Renee started to go to him, but their captor pushed her back down on the couch. Then he sat down next to her and slid the barrel of his gun across her cheek. She tried to move away from him, but he stayed right beside her.

"You're a pretty little thing," he said, moving his hand up into her hair.
She felt dirty from being so close to him. Spitting in his face, she growled, "Keep your hands off me."
He just laughed. "And a feisty one, too. I could have some fun with you."
Gabriel grabbed the man's arm and tried to pull him away from Renee. He turned around and threw a fist into Gabriel's stomach. He doubled over in pain and slid off of the couch. He fell to the floor and lay on his side.
A wave of nausea washed over him, and when he had finished retching, he rolled over onto his back groaning. Larry laughed at Gabriel's pain, then turned back to Renee.
He forced his mouth over hers. Renee jerked away from him. "You're a disgusting pig." She spit the words at him.
He slapped her, sending her off of the couch. Her head hit the floor, stunning her. Gabriel struggled to his feet, despite the pain it caused. He took a step forward, then collapsed to the floor.

Renee shook her head, trying to clear it. She saw Gabriel laying on the floor and crawled over to him. He was still conscious but too weak to move. She was too angry to think. With a lunge, she was on her feet. She took Larry by surprise and knocked him to the ground. She began to hit him with all the strength she had, but it wasn't enough. He pushed her from him and got to his feet.
She jumped to her feet and tried to make it to the other side of the room. Larry started after her and Gabriel moved his leg, tripping him. He sprawled on the floor but quickly got up again. Going after Gabriel now, he didn't pay any attention to Renee until she rammed her shoulder into his back.
He stumbled, but quickly recovered and didn't fall to the floor. He spun around and pushed her to the floor. Her back slammed against the floor, and the wind was knocked from her. Before she could recover, he had her shoulders pinned to the floor.
*******

Sara was walking down the street when she heard someone say, "Sara, you must hurry."
She turned her head to the side quickly and saw Danny beside her. He wore a worried look on his face.
"What's wrong?"
"Hurry," was all that he would say, then he disappeared.
Damn, I hate it when he does that, she thought.
Gabriel's apartment was on the next street, so she picked up her pace. When she was a building away, Ian stepped out from the shadows. "Your friends are in grave danger. I am here to help," he told her.
"Go home. I will take care of this one. But thanks."
He nodded his head, then disappeared into the shadows again.
*******
Larry climbed on top of Renee, and she tried to squirm away from him. When this didn't work, she tried to kick him where it would do the most damage. He just grinned at her when this failed too.
He pinned her down with one arm, while the other one started to rip her shirt open. She was still struggling to get away, but it wasn't doing any good.

From where he was laying on the floor, Gabriel saw what was going on and struggled to his feet. His head was spinning and he thought he was going to fall, so he grabbed the edge of the couch. Once the room decided to stay still, he went forward. Each step was a struggle, but he continued to walk forward.
Just as he reached them, the door swung open and Sara stepped in. Larry's head swung around and his eyes widened with fear as he saw her bracelet turn into a metal gauntlet. He rolled off of Renee and pulled his gun from his pants as he rose to his feet. She advanced on him and he turned and ran to the door.
The blade retracted, and Sara chased him down the hallway. They ran out of the building, and Larry looked behind him just as he reached the street, but he didn't stop running. He didn't see the truck until it was too late.
The truck stopped and the driver climbed out. "I didn't see him," he told Sara when she got out there. "He just ran right out in front of me."
"I know. I was chasing him. I'm a cop," she added at his questioning look.

They bent down beside the body, but he was all ready dead. Sara straightened up and looked at the driver. "I'll report this. You might have to answer some questions, so you might as well stay here."
She dug her phone out of her coat pocket and called Jake. Once she had told him what had happened, she hung up and walked back into the building.
Sara walked back into Gabriel's apartment and saw them sitting on the floor. Gabriel had one arm wrapped around Renee's shoulders. She was resting her head against his shoulder as the silent tears rolled down her face.
She squatted down in front of them and asked gently. "Are you okay, Renee?"
She nodded her head, but didn't say anything. Sara looked at Gabriel. In his eyes, she could see the pain he was feeling in his heart. "He's dead," she told them.
A smile briefly lighted his face. "Then it's over?"
"Yes, it is." She stood up and held her hand out to them. They stood up and Sara turned a worried gaze to Renee. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Renee just nodded again. They said good-bye and Sara left. Gabriel led her over to the couch and they sank down onto it. He wrapped his arms around her as she buried her head in his chest and cried.
"I'm sorry, Renee," he said, stroking her hair.
"For what?' She asked through the tears.
"For not stopping him. I should have stopped him."
She put her finger over his lips and said, "You couldn't. It's not your fault."
He kissed her, then held her tight while she cried.
*******
"That small one there. Open it."
"This one?" She asked, picking up a small box from under the small Christmas tree.
"Yeah."
She tore the wrapping paper off and opened the small, black box. A piece of paper fell from it. She picked it up and read it.
I'm not as good with words as you,
So I hope this will do.
If you'll wear this ring on your finger,
I promise we'll always be together.
She just stared at the paper for a minute, then took the ring from the box and slid it onto her left ring finger. She looked up at him with a bright smile on her face.
Renee stood up and walked over to where he was sitting, then wrapped her arms around him. "Of course I will."
"I love you, Renee," he said, then kissed her.
"I was wondering what was taking you so long."

THE END