I walk around the corner, coming straight into a man with dark hair in his
late twenties. It appears to be the same man I saw at the mall, and I
reach for my gun, with no luck. I feel my body falling to the cement as I
groan out in pain. I can't see if there are two people or just one, but I
know I'm in trouble. I grab for my weapon, but can't manage to retrieve
it. I feel the pain overtake me as I fall deep into oblivion.
*******
I awaken in the darkness, feeling my hands bound together behind my back and my legs tied with rope. "Eva?" I whisper, trying to sit up as I hear movement rustling around.
"Samantha?" Her voice is weak and shaky. "Is it really you?"
"Yeah," I nod with a soft breath, trying to rub my hands together to unknot the rope. "Almost got it," I manage to grunt out, feeling her hands in the darkness on mine.
"Here," she offers, untying my hands and then helping with my legs. I reach down for my gun and find it missing. I let out a sigh.
"Thanks. You're not tied up?"
"No need," she says. "There's no way out of this room anyhow."
"There has to be."
"The only way in is through that door, and it's locked," she tells me with a sigh.
"Well, we'll just have to pick the lock," I answer. I carefully stand up. My legs are weak and my head is spinning. My hands move to my head, as I fall to the floor in pain. "Ugh," I groan in agony.
"Your head?" she questions, moving a hand to feel over the skin. "You're bleeding," she points out, as she wipes the blood and tears at her pants to use as a bandage.
"I'll be all right," I tell her. "What about you? We found your blood at the house."
"It's just my hand," she tells me, showing me the damage done to her palm from a blade or some kind of knife.
My eyes have adjusted to the darkness and I can make out the slight swelling in her hand. "You're going to get an infection," I tell her as I glance towards the door. "Can you walk?" I question.
"Yeah," she nods. "Doesn't matter, though, because we can't get out of here. Believe me, I've tried."
"What's he want with us?" I question.
"You don't want to know," she breathes out in a dark, distant voice, and it disturbs me.
My hand comes up to reach her cheek. "Eva, he didn't hurt you, did he?"
She laughs darkly. "He tried," she tells me with tears in her voice. "After I called you, he lost it completely."
"I'm here now," I tell her supportively. "I won't let anything happen to you."
"We have to get out of here, Samantha. Was anyone with you?"
"No, I was supposed to go to the hotel I was staying at. He called me on my way back."
"You didn't tell Jack?"
"He was watching and listening to everything I did," I pause, "--everything that's been going on. I had no choice. I left my phone in the car; I don't know what I was thinking." I let out a sad sigh, praying for Jack to realize I'm gone and that I'm in danger. I yawn, tired from the pain and endurance of this entire ordeal. "How often does he come down here?"
"Once, maybe twice since I've been here," she tells me. "I had some water-- that was about it. I'm not really hungry anyways," she sighs, moving her hand through my hair. "Does it hurt anywhere else?"
"No," I whisper, "but the pain is pounding all over when I move." She sits at my side, running her fingers through my tresses to alleviate the pain. "Your team will find us. I knew you would come."
"We didn't have any leads, until I remembered the guy from the mall. I thought it was a far shot but---"
"How'd you know where to look for him?"
"I didn't," I answer. "He called me, gave me an address to meet him at. I don't know how far we are from where the car is parked," I whisper.
I close my eyes, tired with sleep and the darkness gives me some comfort and peace of mind. "Don't sleep, Samantha," she tells me.
"Just for a little while."
"Please," she begs me, tears in her voice, "I don't want to be alone."
"I'm right here," I answer, feeling myself torn between two worlds.
"Samantha, he's coming!" I feel her arms trying to shake me awake.
"Owww," I moan, tears in my eyes from my head injury. I try to sit up, and in the darkness hear the door unlock. She grips onto me tightly, fearing for her life. "You promised to let her go!" I scream, seeing the door pull back and a figure staring back at me.
I take in a deep breath, trying to steady my fears and protect Eva. The figure moves towards us, and in the darkness I freeze. My eyes are wide with fright, but I know my options are limited. I could try to escape, but how far can I really get? I could barely manage to stand up earlier.
I see my gun, poised in his hands. "Stand up!" his voice bellows out as he pulls me to my feet. I groan out in agony and protest, as I'm shuffled out and into another room. I glance around with squinted eyes, trying to suck in the pain and see where I am. I feel the gun lodged against my back. "Try and run and I'll shoot you and then your friend," he chides, pushing me down to the floor onto my knees.
We're in an abandoned warehouse, or so I figure. There isn't much open around here, which is probably why they couldn't find Eva. Even if they looked from building to building, she was buried away in the basement of some building.
"You promised to let her go!" I remind him forcefully.
"I didn't promise anything," he points out, using my gun to smack me where the blood has dried to my face. I groan and fall to my stomach in agony, with no power or breath left in me.
"What do you want?" I cry out, my hands holding my head.
"Acceptance---it's what I've always wanted of your kind."
"Our kind?" I repeat, turning my head to glance into his dark, lifeless eyes.
"Flirty, likes to tease. Come on, tell me that doesn't describe you."
"You want acceptance?" I repeat, gaining my voice and some of my strength back. "Then try earning some respect, not kidnapping two women!" I shout back at him.
"Respect?" he repeats with a dark laugh. "You don't know what respect is. Sleeping with your boss, who's married! You don't honestly believe he loves you. He's just looking for someone to fill a void."
"Aren't we all?" I choke out. "Let Eva go; she's of no use to you," I tell him. "I'll do whatever you want."
He laughs, waving the gun around as he paces in front of me. "You honestly believe I'm going to let her go. You've fought me all along. Why now would you give in?"
"To save her life."
"I'm saving her," he answers, "from the loneliness."
"Let her choose her own life!" I eye him angrily. "Let her make her own decisions. Let her go!"
"You want me to let her go?" he repeats, cocking off the safety of the gun, "I suppose I could waste a bullet." His grin is dark and full of death.
"No," I shake my head, ready to plead for her life and do anything to save her. I'm afraid of what that might entail, but what other choice do I have?
I hear the door rattling and Eva pounding against it. "Leave her alone!" she shouts and he looks at me and laughs.
"Should I take her advice?"
I suck in a breath, knowing if it's not me, he'll hurt her. "No," I tell him, biting back the bile rising in my throat.
"Good," he whispers, moving closer as his eyes watch my lips. I feel dirty under his gaze and want to hide myself under all the imaginable clothes one could put on. His hand moves to my face, fingering up over the dried blood and bruise that he inflicted. His mouth moves to come down and capture mine. I wince in horror and feel tears trickle down my eyes, begging for this not to happen.
I hear doors shifting and pull away, glancing to see Eva nowhere in sight. Light is coming inside, and I turn around to see Jack with his gun drawn.
"FBI!" he shouts, his gun ready to fire. I feel dirty hands holding me close, spinning me around as he lodges the gun against my forehead.
"Take a step closer and I'll kill her."
"The FBI doesn't negotiate."
"Even for a loved one?" he questions in a dark laugh.
I close my eyes, unable to stand the sight of the fear etched on Jack's face. I can't see him in pain because it will only cause me more. I have to shut my eyes for I fear having them open will only keep him from firing his gun. I can't look at him, I can't distract him, I can't do anything but feel the gun lodged to my temple as tears fall from my eyes.
"Please," I whisper, begging this to be over. Begging to either be dead and feeling no pain, or to be alive and with Jack. I can't imagine living without one or the other. If I should die, Jack might eventually move on-- he has his children. I, on the other hand, would have nothing.
I hear footsteps from behind and out of the corner of my eye, I see Danny and Vivian with their guns drawn.
"It's over," Jack tells him. "Let Samantha go."
He grips the gun, turning it from me onto himself. Vivian runs over to stop him, but it's too late. He pulls the trigger and his body falls to the ground in a heap. I hear Eva's screams of fright from the basement. Martin manages to unlatch the door, helping her out, while I stand dazed and slightly out of it.
Jack moves towards me and pulls me into his arms for a kiss filled with more passion than I've ever experienced. My body shivers from the cold, since the air inside the warehouse is not much above the temperatures outside. Someone drapes a warm blanket over my shoulders, as Jack puts his arm around my shoulder and guides me outside. "Eva," I whisper, glancing back to see Martin helping her to the nearest ambulance. "Come on." Jack takes me over towards the paramedics and has me sit in the ambulance bay where they quickly examine me.
"I'm fine," I tell them, although I feel rather out of it. "I just haven't slept much," I offer as they eye the cut on my forehead.
"You're going to the hospital," Jack tells me, not taking 'no' for an answer.
"Don't leave me," I whisper, feeling tears in my eyes as he squeezes my hand.
"Can I ride with her?"
"Are you immediate family?"
"Yes," I answer, never letting go of Jack's hand as I'm placed onto a stretcher and transported to the hospital.
I close my eyes, too tired with sleep to comprehend what's going on. When I finally awaken, I see Jack at my bedside, his hand latched to mine.
"Will Eva be all right?" I question, feeling my stomach tense at the thought of her not pulling through.
"She's in better health than you." The nurse enters the room, having heard my question from the doorway. "You have a mild concussion, so we'll want to keep you here for observation. Eva will be released by tonight. The doctor is prescribing an antibiotic for her hand," she tells me, stepping out of the room and leaving Jack at my side.
"I can't believe you," he shakes his head. "Do you know how concerned I was?"
"I'm sorry," I offer.
"Sam," he blows out an annoyed breath, "you could have easily been killed in there. Why didn't you call for backup? Why didn't you go to the hotel?"
"He called me," I answer. "He knew things, so he had to have been watching me." I chew nervously on my lip. "I did what I thought you'd have done, if it would have been your girls," I answer. "Forgive me?" He nods his head with a sigh. "How did you find me?" I question.
"An officer was canvassing the neighborhood and saw your car parked illegally. He was going to write up a ticket when he noticed your badge open and left on the front seat. He called me, asked if there was something going on in his area. That's when we went looking for you. You weren't too far from your car," he tells me, squeezing my hand affectionately.
"I thought you'd never come," I tell him.
"And lose one of my best agents?" he teases with a smile. "I don't think so." A small smile forms on my lips as he tells me, "Get some rest."
"I love you," I whisper, glad that things ended the way they should have.
"I love you too," he answers leaning down to give me a soft kiss.
The End.
Epilogue
With all that's happened, neither Jack nor myself cared that everyone around saw the kiss in the warehouse. Martin was there, offering his support as a friend and he came to apologize for his behavior at the diner. I told him it was my own fault---for not telling him sooner what was going on, and for having little faith that we would still be able to remain friends. His hands went to my shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze as he told me he would hate to end our friendship. He was, of course, disappointed that I was with Jack, but I promised him we wouldn't make things strange for him, since it was still against Bureau policy.
Since Martin and I were on better terms, Van Doren had no choice but to let me continue working the Missing Persons Unit, so long as the knowledge of the relationship between Jack and myself didn't fall into the wrong hands. We'll make sure to keep things covert until the time comes when we may want something more permanent to develop.
Jack's daughters, Hannah and Kate, are still trying to come to terms with the divorce. Hannah's managed to get along well with Eva, since the girls came over one night, when Jack was on a case and Maria had to work late. Why did I get stuck watching his kids? I offered, since I wanted them to like me. It may not have been the wisest decision I made, but Eva certainly smoothed things over.
Eva finally found herself a boyfriend, and in a few months is planning on moving out. She hasn't said yet whether she'll be moving in with him, but it wouldn't surprise me.
In the end, things have worked out for the best, and maybe one day soon we'll all live under one roof. Until then, I can only imagine what might await us and only hope and dream of good things to come.
*******
I awaken in the darkness, feeling my hands bound together behind my back and my legs tied with rope. "Eva?" I whisper, trying to sit up as I hear movement rustling around.
"Samantha?" Her voice is weak and shaky. "Is it really you?"
"Yeah," I nod with a soft breath, trying to rub my hands together to unknot the rope. "Almost got it," I manage to grunt out, feeling her hands in the darkness on mine.
"Here," she offers, untying my hands and then helping with my legs. I reach down for my gun and find it missing. I let out a sigh.
"Thanks. You're not tied up?"
"No need," she says. "There's no way out of this room anyhow."
"There has to be."
"The only way in is through that door, and it's locked," she tells me with a sigh.
"Well, we'll just have to pick the lock," I answer. I carefully stand up. My legs are weak and my head is spinning. My hands move to my head, as I fall to the floor in pain. "Ugh," I groan in agony.
"Your head?" she questions, moving a hand to feel over the skin. "You're bleeding," she points out, as she wipes the blood and tears at her pants to use as a bandage.
"I'll be all right," I tell her. "What about you? We found your blood at the house."
"It's just my hand," she tells me, showing me the damage done to her palm from a blade or some kind of knife.
My eyes have adjusted to the darkness and I can make out the slight swelling in her hand. "You're going to get an infection," I tell her as I glance towards the door. "Can you walk?" I question.
"Yeah," she nods. "Doesn't matter, though, because we can't get out of here. Believe me, I've tried."
"What's he want with us?" I question.
"You don't want to know," she breathes out in a dark, distant voice, and it disturbs me.
My hand comes up to reach her cheek. "Eva, he didn't hurt you, did he?"
She laughs darkly. "He tried," she tells me with tears in her voice. "After I called you, he lost it completely."
"I'm here now," I tell her supportively. "I won't let anything happen to you."
"We have to get out of here, Samantha. Was anyone with you?"
"No, I was supposed to go to the hotel I was staying at. He called me on my way back."
"You didn't tell Jack?"
"He was watching and listening to everything I did," I pause, "--everything that's been going on. I had no choice. I left my phone in the car; I don't know what I was thinking." I let out a sad sigh, praying for Jack to realize I'm gone and that I'm in danger. I yawn, tired from the pain and endurance of this entire ordeal. "How often does he come down here?"
"Once, maybe twice since I've been here," she tells me. "I had some water-- that was about it. I'm not really hungry anyways," she sighs, moving her hand through my hair. "Does it hurt anywhere else?"
"No," I whisper, "but the pain is pounding all over when I move." She sits at my side, running her fingers through my tresses to alleviate the pain. "Your team will find us. I knew you would come."
"We didn't have any leads, until I remembered the guy from the mall. I thought it was a far shot but---"
"How'd you know where to look for him?"
"I didn't," I answer. "He called me, gave me an address to meet him at. I don't know how far we are from where the car is parked," I whisper.
I close my eyes, tired with sleep and the darkness gives me some comfort and peace of mind. "Don't sleep, Samantha," she tells me.
"Just for a little while."
"Please," she begs me, tears in her voice, "I don't want to be alone."
"I'm right here," I answer, feeling myself torn between two worlds.
"Samantha, he's coming!" I feel her arms trying to shake me awake.
"Owww," I moan, tears in my eyes from my head injury. I try to sit up, and in the darkness hear the door unlock. She grips onto me tightly, fearing for her life. "You promised to let her go!" I scream, seeing the door pull back and a figure staring back at me.
I take in a deep breath, trying to steady my fears and protect Eva. The figure moves towards us, and in the darkness I freeze. My eyes are wide with fright, but I know my options are limited. I could try to escape, but how far can I really get? I could barely manage to stand up earlier.
I see my gun, poised in his hands. "Stand up!" his voice bellows out as he pulls me to my feet. I groan out in agony and protest, as I'm shuffled out and into another room. I glance around with squinted eyes, trying to suck in the pain and see where I am. I feel the gun lodged against my back. "Try and run and I'll shoot you and then your friend," he chides, pushing me down to the floor onto my knees.
We're in an abandoned warehouse, or so I figure. There isn't much open around here, which is probably why they couldn't find Eva. Even if they looked from building to building, she was buried away in the basement of some building.
"You promised to let her go!" I remind him forcefully.
"I didn't promise anything," he points out, using my gun to smack me where the blood has dried to my face. I groan and fall to my stomach in agony, with no power or breath left in me.
"What do you want?" I cry out, my hands holding my head.
"Acceptance---it's what I've always wanted of your kind."
"Our kind?" I repeat, turning my head to glance into his dark, lifeless eyes.
"Flirty, likes to tease. Come on, tell me that doesn't describe you."
"You want acceptance?" I repeat, gaining my voice and some of my strength back. "Then try earning some respect, not kidnapping two women!" I shout back at him.
"Respect?" he repeats with a dark laugh. "You don't know what respect is. Sleeping with your boss, who's married! You don't honestly believe he loves you. He's just looking for someone to fill a void."
"Aren't we all?" I choke out. "Let Eva go; she's of no use to you," I tell him. "I'll do whatever you want."
He laughs, waving the gun around as he paces in front of me. "You honestly believe I'm going to let her go. You've fought me all along. Why now would you give in?"
"To save her life."
"I'm saving her," he answers, "from the loneliness."
"Let her choose her own life!" I eye him angrily. "Let her make her own decisions. Let her go!"
"You want me to let her go?" he repeats, cocking off the safety of the gun, "I suppose I could waste a bullet." His grin is dark and full of death.
"No," I shake my head, ready to plead for her life and do anything to save her. I'm afraid of what that might entail, but what other choice do I have?
I hear the door rattling and Eva pounding against it. "Leave her alone!" she shouts and he looks at me and laughs.
"Should I take her advice?"
I suck in a breath, knowing if it's not me, he'll hurt her. "No," I tell him, biting back the bile rising in my throat.
"Good," he whispers, moving closer as his eyes watch my lips. I feel dirty under his gaze and want to hide myself under all the imaginable clothes one could put on. His hand moves to my face, fingering up over the dried blood and bruise that he inflicted. His mouth moves to come down and capture mine. I wince in horror and feel tears trickle down my eyes, begging for this not to happen.
I hear doors shifting and pull away, glancing to see Eva nowhere in sight. Light is coming inside, and I turn around to see Jack with his gun drawn.
"FBI!" he shouts, his gun ready to fire. I feel dirty hands holding me close, spinning me around as he lodges the gun against my forehead.
"Take a step closer and I'll kill her."
"The FBI doesn't negotiate."
"Even for a loved one?" he questions in a dark laugh.
I close my eyes, unable to stand the sight of the fear etched on Jack's face. I can't see him in pain because it will only cause me more. I have to shut my eyes for I fear having them open will only keep him from firing his gun. I can't look at him, I can't distract him, I can't do anything but feel the gun lodged to my temple as tears fall from my eyes.
"Please," I whisper, begging this to be over. Begging to either be dead and feeling no pain, or to be alive and with Jack. I can't imagine living without one or the other. If I should die, Jack might eventually move on-- he has his children. I, on the other hand, would have nothing.
I hear footsteps from behind and out of the corner of my eye, I see Danny and Vivian with their guns drawn.
"It's over," Jack tells him. "Let Samantha go."
He grips the gun, turning it from me onto himself. Vivian runs over to stop him, but it's too late. He pulls the trigger and his body falls to the ground in a heap. I hear Eva's screams of fright from the basement. Martin manages to unlatch the door, helping her out, while I stand dazed and slightly out of it.
Jack moves towards me and pulls me into his arms for a kiss filled with more passion than I've ever experienced. My body shivers from the cold, since the air inside the warehouse is not much above the temperatures outside. Someone drapes a warm blanket over my shoulders, as Jack puts his arm around my shoulder and guides me outside. "Eva," I whisper, glancing back to see Martin helping her to the nearest ambulance. "Come on." Jack takes me over towards the paramedics and has me sit in the ambulance bay where they quickly examine me.
"I'm fine," I tell them, although I feel rather out of it. "I just haven't slept much," I offer as they eye the cut on my forehead.
"You're going to the hospital," Jack tells me, not taking 'no' for an answer.
"Don't leave me," I whisper, feeling tears in my eyes as he squeezes my hand.
"Can I ride with her?"
"Are you immediate family?"
"Yes," I answer, never letting go of Jack's hand as I'm placed onto a stretcher and transported to the hospital.
I close my eyes, too tired with sleep to comprehend what's going on. When I finally awaken, I see Jack at my bedside, his hand latched to mine.
"Will Eva be all right?" I question, feeling my stomach tense at the thought of her not pulling through.
"She's in better health than you." The nurse enters the room, having heard my question from the doorway. "You have a mild concussion, so we'll want to keep you here for observation. Eva will be released by tonight. The doctor is prescribing an antibiotic for her hand," she tells me, stepping out of the room and leaving Jack at my side.
"I can't believe you," he shakes his head. "Do you know how concerned I was?"
"I'm sorry," I offer.
"Sam," he blows out an annoyed breath, "you could have easily been killed in there. Why didn't you call for backup? Why didn't you go to the hotel?"
"He called me," I answer. "He knew things, so he had to have been watching me." I chew nervously on my lip. "I did what I thought you'd have done, if it would have been your girls," I answer. "Forgive me?" He nods his head with a sigh. "How did you find me?" I question.
"An officer was canvassing the neighborhood and saw your car parked illegally. He was going to write up a ticket when he noticed your badge open and left on the front seat. He called me, asked if there was something going on in his area. That's when we went looking for you. You weren't too far from your car," he tells me, squeezing my hand affectionately.
"I thought you'd never come," I tell him.
"And lose one of my best agents?" he teases with a smile. "I don't think so." A small smile forms on my lips as he tells me, "Get some rest."
"I love you," I whisper, glad that things ended the way they should have.
"I love you too," he answers leaning down to give me a soft kiss.
The End.
Epilogue
With all that's happened, neither Jack nor myself cared that everyone around saw the kiss in the warehouse. Martin was there, offering his support as a friend and he came to apologize for his behavior at the diner. I told him it was my own fault---for not telling him sooner what was going on, and for having little faith that we would still be able to remain friends. His hands went to my shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze as he told me he would hate to end our friendship. He was, of course, disappointed that I was with Jack, but I promised him we wouldn't make things strange for him, since it was still against Bureau policy.
Since Martin and I were on better terms, Van Doren had no choice but to let me continue working the Missing Persons Unit, so long as the knowledge of the relationship between Jack and myself didn't fall into the wrong hands. We'll make sure to keep things covert until the time comes when we may want something more permanent to develop.
Jack's daughters, Hannah and Kate, are still trying to come to terms with the divorce. Hannah's managed to get along well with Eva, since the girls came over one night, when Jack was on a case and Maria had to work late. Why did I get stuck watching his kids? I offered, since I wanted them to like me. It may not have been the wisest decision I made, but Eva certainly smoothed things over.
Eva finally found herself a boyfriend, and in a few months is planning on moving out. She hasn't said yet whether she'll be moving in with him, but it wouldn't surprise me.
In the end, things have worked out for the best, and maybe one day soon we'll all live under one roof. Until then, I can only imagine what might await us and only hope and dream of good things to come.
