Chapter 3
"Steve, it's not your fault; you held back to save us!" Rick told him, seeing the guilt-ridden look Steve gave him. "I could have made an effort, only I saw the grip Fairchild had on Laurie, I was afraid he would have hurt her before I could get to him!" Steve worried, pacing up and down.
"He's right, Steve, it was three against one, plus if Fairchild was willing to kill one woman, he wouldn't have stopped at harming Laurie!" A.J. added, getting up from the bed they were sitting on.
Looking at the two brothers, Steve smiled, "Thanks guys. I think I've held back a little too long this time though. This killer needs to be taken out now! I think we need to go on the offensive! Where are the other "Guests"?"
"On the other side of the house, it's four other detectives and Grant Winslow, he used to be a good guy; only he's got this attitude. If you're thinking any of these guys could help; he's the only one who might not be scared to do so!" Rick offered.
"Why don't I pay him a visit, at least he could go for help while we get Laurie!" Steve said, Agreeing, Rick and A.J. promised to wait for him at the entrance to the house. First pulling out the door lock so the two Simons could get out,
Steve then went to the window. He was ready to jump to the next balcony when he saw two figures in the distance. Using his bionic eye, Steve focused and saw it was Fairchild dragging Laurie by her chains through the hedges. "Rick, I see Laurie, that animal has her and he's taking her into the maze." Suddenly he saw the secret entrance the maniacal millionaire used to get into the center.
Rick abruptly grimaced, "Laurie's telling us not to come, she's lost track of the path and says she won't be able to help us find her! He hurt her somehow."
"She twisted her ankle, Rick, she'll be ok. I just saw where he took her in and how we get back out! Don't try to go in alone, ok!" he warned, seeing Fairchild hitting some buttons and setting up a trip wire with explosives. "He's putting out booby traps!"
Shaking his head, A.J. reluctantly grinned, "Steve, just when I think I've seen it all with your bionics, you surprise us again! Just be careful, pal!"
Touched by his friends concern, the big man patted both on the back then balancing himself, jumped over to the next ledge, then let himself back into the building. Amazed at the size of the leap the Colonel made, Rick left the window and the two brothers quietly exited the room. Sneaking outside, first A.J. then Rick ran to the garden entrance and waited for Steve.
As the fog started to lift, Rick tried to focus on Laurie, knowing she was afraid out there in the middle of that nightmare trap. "Sweetheart, we're coming for you, Steve went to get help, I'll be there soon."
Chained to a post in the center of the garden, Laurie heard his reassurance, and pictured to him how she wanted him, needed his arms around her. "Darlin', I'll be there, I won't let go this time, not ever!" he told her. A.J. elbowed him, "Hey Romeo, tell Juliet we're coming in, we'll be there in a few minutes!" Rick looked up to see Steve approaching them with a sheepish Grant Winslow.
"Before you say anything, Simon, I owe you an apology." he told Rick. "I should have intervened before this. I saw Fairchild hurting your wife, there's no way I could stand by and let him kill her or you two!" The older Simon looked at him, then extended his hand. "Welcome back, my friend!"
Shaking hands, Winslow walked as far as the maze with them, then hightailed it to the landing, where Towne had hidden a boat. The plan was for Winslow to make it to the mainland, then lead the police back to the "game".
Waiting until the guards had gone past, Steve led the brothers to the secret passage he had spied from above. Keying in the code he'd seen punched in, a section of greenery parted, letting them inside the seven-foot high hedges. As they wove their way around, Steve occasionally would go ahead to make sure the path he had memorized was the correct one.
As the threesome got near to the center, they suddenly heard the sound of yelling, then of dogs barking. "He must have discovered we were gone, Steve, maybe you'd better go ahead and we'll lead them astray!", Rick told him, fearful that the animals would get to the center before them.
"Not on your life, it's just through here." the big man said, reaching up and ripping a section of hedge down. Rushing into the center, they saw Laurie slumped against an iron post, held upright by chains. Calling her name, Rick saw her open her eyes, then try to stand upright.
Steve got to her first, pulling the gag out of her mouth then ripping the chains off her. Collapsing into her husband's arms, he held her while the big man broke the iron cuffs off her wrists and and ankles. "Thank God you made it!" she gasped, then looking past them, cried "Look out!"
Glancing past her, the men saw three large dogs come through the hedge, then one of them charged the group. Getting in front of his friends, Steve grabbed the dog as it leapt toward them, then threw it over the green wall. As the second dog came their direction, Steve took a length of the chain then catching the dog in mid-attack, put the chain through its collar and wrapped it super-speed around the pole. The third dog didn't even try, but put it's tail between its legs and ran.
Suddenly they heard Towne's voice, "Guys, Laurie, are you all right!" Rick yelled back that they were ok, as Laurie hugged first Steve then A.J. As Rick caught her up in his arms, he kissed her, saying, "We'll go to the hospital first, darlin' so they can look at your ankle."
"Yes, Rick!" she sighed, exhausted, then put her head against his shoulder as he carried her out of the maze. As they made their way through the garden, they caught sight of both Towne and Abby with Fairchild's henchmen. "Towne, did you get him?" A.J. asked, not seeing the millionaire.
"Yeah, Abby got him. He tried to sneak past our perimeter, but she busted him. He keeps grinning though, saying he's going to get the last laugh." the former detective told them, puzzled.
Setting Laurie down on a bench near the driveway, Rick said "I'm going to grab A.J.'s and my stuff from upstairs, sweetheart. I'll be right back." She lifted her face to his and kissed him, "Don't forget your tweed hat, Rick, you look so cute in it!"
"Cute? Laurie, dogs are cute, guys are dashing, debonair, brave..." "And you are all those!" she beamed. Laughing, he ran into the building as Grant Winslow sauntered over to her. "Mrs. Simon, I have to tell you how pleased I am you're safe, Rick's a lucky guy!"
"Thank you, Mr. Winslow, I'm just glad he has such a good friend in you, taking a risk like you did to save us!" she smiled at him. Looking at his jacket, she noticed a faint smudge, like lipstick, or ..." "Mr. Winslow, did you hurt yourself, it looks like you've got blood on your sleeve." she asked, then a cold sensation came over her.
"Why no, Mrs. Simon, but you shouldn't be out in this damp, let me take you
inside until Rick's done gathering his things." he grinned. As he picked her up, she shook her head, realizing he wasn't what he seemed. "No, Mr. Winslow, I promised Rick I'd stay out here!"
"Come now, Mrs. Simon, I don't bite! As a matter of fact, I have a lot of good points about me. We'll go somewhere private where we can discuss them!" he insisted. Taking her forcibly back into the mansion, she tried to struggle with him, saying, "No, I don't want to go with you, put me down!" As she started to call for Rick, he put his mouth over hers, muffling her cries. Panicked, she mentally called for her husband, as he took her up the staircase. She heard Rick and A.J. calling her name, then she jerked her mouth away from his, calling "Rick, help me!"
"So I'm not good enough for you, Mrs. Simon, well if I can't have you, no one will!" he snarled, madness in his eyes. Sobbing, she wriggled against his painful grip as he carried her out of the stairwell and toward the balcony.
"No!" she cried, realizing it was her nightmare come true. She saw over Winslow's shoulder that Rick and A.J. were coming then panicked; he was almost to the ledge.
Twisting in his grasp, she managed to hit him in the face, causing him to drop her to the floor. Snarling, he faced Rick then went to grab at Laurie, saying, "She's going over the edge unless you back off!" Pulling his gun, Rick yelled, "Keep away from her or I'll shoot!" Winslow pulled his own weapon then aimed toward Laurie, only for Rick to fire first.
Almost in slow motion, the detective went backwards, then hit the balcony and plummeted into the water. Rick gave a glance towards the moat, then holstered his weapon and went to his wife's side. Picking her up in his arms, he held her tightly as she sobbed out her fright. "Sweetheart, I'm sorry, I didn't know, he fooled us. Darlin', you're safe, he'll never hurt you again!" he comforted her.
"Rick, darling, it was my nightmare, it was awful!" she hiccupped, trying to calm down. "I know, Laurie, but it didn't come true, I promise, I'll never let you go!" he soothed, kissing her bruised face. He stroked her cheek, feeling her shaking stop.
Looking in his eyes, she saw his fear and worry, and she put her face next to his. "Better, my angel?" he asked, kissing her hair. She nodded, managing a watery smile. "Yes, my love, just hold me." she said. A.J. brought her some water to sip, then helped Rick bring her down the stairs.
As the three Simons made it to the bottom, Abby came over and embraced Laurie. "Honey, are you all right; did he hurt you?" She shook her head, "He tried to stop me from calling for help by, by putting his mouth over mine, it was awful. I was so afraid, he was trying to get revenge on Rick by killing me!"
"It's all right now, Laurie, we'll get you to the hospital. Rick, the boat's ready!" Abby told him, as Rick carefully carried her to the landing.
Nestling her head against his shoulder, Laurie looked up at Rick. "Darling, the next time you and A.J. decide to have a weekend adventure, promise me one thing!"
He smiled down at her, "Anything, darling!"
"Use our backyard!"
"Steve, it's not your fault; you held back to save us!" Rick told him, seeing the guilt-ridden look Steve gave him. "I could have made an effort, only I saw the grip Fairchild had on Laurie, I was afraid he would have hurt her before I could get to him!" Steve worried, pacing up and down.
"He's right, Steve, it was three against one, plus if Fairchild was willing to kill one woman, he wouldn't have stopped at harming Laurie!" A.J. added, getting up from the bed they were sitting on.
Looking at the two brothers, Steve smiled, "Thanks guys. I think I've held back a little too long this time though. This killer needs to be taken out now! I think we need to go on the offensive! Where are the other "Guests"?"
"On the other side of the house, it's four other detectives and Grant Winslow, he used to be a good guy; only he's got this attitude. If you're thinking any of these guys could help; he's the only one who might not be scared to do so!" Rick offered.
"Why don't I pay him a visit, at least he could go for help while we get Laurie!" Steve said, Agreeing, Rick and A.J. promised to wait for him at the entrance to the house. First pulling out the door lock so the two Simons could get out,
Steve then went to the window. He was ready to jump to the next balcony when he saw two figures in the distance. Using his bionic eye, Steve focused and saw it was Fairchild dragging Laurie by her chains through the hedges. "Rick, I see Laurie, that animal has her and he's taking her into the maze." Suddenly he saw the secret entrance the maniacal millionaire used to get into the center.
Rick abruptly grimaced, "Laurie's telling us not to come, she's lost track of the path and says she won't be able to help us find her! He hurt her somehow."
"She twisted her ankle, Rick, she'll be ok. I just saw where he took her in and how we get back out! Don't try to go in alone, ok!" he warned, seeing Fairchild hitting some buttons and setting up a trip wire with explosives. "He's putting out booby traps!"
Shaking his head, A.J. reluctantly grinned, "Steve, just when I think I've seen it all with your bionics, you surprise us again! Just be careful, pal!"
Touched by his friends concern, the big man patted both on the back then balancing himself, jumped over to the next ledge, then let himself back into the building. Amazed at the size of the leap the Colonel made, Rick left the window and the two brothers quietly exited the room. Sneaking outside, first A.J. then Rick ran to the garden entrance and waited for Steve.
As the fog started to lift, Rick tried to focus on Laurie, knowing she was afraid out there in the middle of that nightmare trap. "Sweetheart, we're coming for you, Steve went to get help, I'll be there soon."
Chained to a post in the center of the garden, Laurie heard his reassurance, and pictured to him how she wanted him, needed his arms around her. "Darlin', I'll be there, I won't let go this time, not ever!" he told her. A.J. elbowed him, "Hey Romeo, tell Juliet we're coming in, we'll be there in a few minutes!" Rick looked up to see Steve approaching them with a sheepish Grant Winslow.
"Before you say anything, Simon, I owe you an apology." he told Rick. "I should have intervened before this. I saw Fairchild hurting your wife, there's no way I could stand by and let him kill her or you two!" The older Simon looked at him, then extended his hand. "Welcome back, my friend!"
Shaking hands, Winslow walked as far as the maze with them, then hightailed it to the landing, where Towne had hidden a boat. The plan was for Winslow to make it to the mainland, then lead the police back to the "game".
Waiting until the guards had gone past, Steve led the brothers to the secret passage he had spied from above. Keying in the code he'd seen punched in, a section of greenery parted, letting them inside the seven-foot high hedges. As they wove their way around, Steve occasionally would go ahead to make sure the path he had memorized was the correct one.
As the threesome got near to the center, they suddenly heard the sound of yelling, then of dogs barking. "He must have discovered we were gone, Steve, maybe you'd better go ahead and we'll lead them astray!", Rick told him, fearful that the animals would get to the center before them.
"Not on your life, it's just through here." the big man said, reaching up and ripping a section of hedge down. Rushing into the center, they saw Laurie slumped against an iron post, held upright by chains. Calling her name, Rick saw her open her eyes, then try to stand upright.
Steve got to her first, pulling the gag out of her mouth then ripping the chains off her. Collapsing into her husband's arms, he held her while the big man broke the iron cuffs off her wrists and and ankles. "Thank God you made it!" she gasped, then looking past them, cried "Look out!"
Glancing past her, the men saw three large dogs come through the hedge, then one of them charged the group. Getting in front of his friends, Steve grabbed the dog as it leapt toward them, then threw it over the green wall. As the second dog came their direction, Steve took a length of the chain then catching the dog in mid-attack, put the chain through its collar and wrapped it super-speed around the pole. The third dog didn't even try, but put it's tail between its legs and ran.
Suddenly they heard Towne's voice, "Guys, Laurie, are you all right!" Rick yelled back that they were ok, as Laurie hugged first Steve then A.J. As Rick caught her up in his arms, he kissed her, saying, "We'll go to the hospital first, darlin' so they can look at your ankle."
"Yes, Rick!" she sighed, exhausted, then put her head against his shoulder as he carried her out of the maze. As they made their way through the garden, they caught sight of both Towne and Abby with Fairchild's henchmen. "Towne, did you get him?" A.J. asked, not seeing the millionaire.
"Yeah, Abby got him. He tried to sneak past our perimeter, but she busted him. He keeps grinning though, saying he's going to get the last laugh." the former detective told them, puzzled.
Setting Laurie down on a bench near the driveway, Rick said "I'm going to grab A.J.'s and my stuff from upstairs, sweetheart. I'll be right back." She lifted her face to his and kissed him, "Don't forget your tweed hat, Rick, you look so cute in it!"
"Cute? Laurie, dogs are cute, guys are dashing, debonair, brave..." "And you are all those!" she beamed. Laughing, he ran into the building as Grant Winslow sauntered over to her. "Mrs. Simon, I have to tell you how pleased I am you're safe, Rick's a lucky guy!"
"Thank you, Mr. Winslow, I'm just glad he has such a good friend in you, taking a risk like you did to save us!" she smiled at him. Looking at his jacket, she noticed a faint smudge, like lipstick, or ..." "Mr. Winslow, did you hurt yourself, it looks like you've got blood on your sleeve." she asked, then a cold sensation came over her.
"Why no, Mrs. Simon, but you shouldn't be out in this damp, let me take you
inside until Rick's done gathering his things." he grinned. As he picked her up, she shook her head, realizing he wasn't what he seemed. "No, Mr. Winslow, I promised Rick I'd stay out here!"
"Come now, Mrs. Simon, I don't bite! As a matter of fact, I have a lot of good points about me. We'll go somewhere private where we can discuss them!" he insisted. Taking her forcibly back into the mansion, she tried to struggle with him, saying, "No, I don't want to go with you, put me down!" As she started to call for Rick, he put his mouth over hers, muffling her cries. Panicked, she mentally called for her husband, as he took her up the staircase. She heard Rick and A.J. calling her name, then she jerked her mouth away from his, calling "Rick, help me!"
"So I'm not good enough for you, Mrs. Simon, well if I can't have you, no one will!" he snarled, madness in his eyes. Sobbing, she wriggled against his painful grip as he carried her out of the stairwell and toward the balcony.
"No!" she cried, realizing it was her nightmare come true. She saw over Winslow's shoulder that Rick and A.J. were coming then panicked; he was almost to the ledge.
Twisting in his grasp, she managed to hit him in the face, causing him to drop her to the floor. Snarling, he faced Rick then went to grab at Laurie, saying, "She's going over the edge unless you back off!" Pulling his gun, Rick yelled, "Keep away from her or I'll shoot!" Winslow pulled his own weapon then aimed toward Laurie, only for Rick to fire first.
Almost in slow motion, the detective went backwards, then hit the balcony and plummeted into the water. Rick gave a glance towards the moat, then holstered his weapon and went to his wife's side. Picking her up in his arms, he held her tightly as she sobbed out her fright. "Sweetheart, I'm sorry, I didn't know, he fooled us. Darlin', you're safe, he'll never hurt you again!" he comforted her.
"Rick, darling, it was my nightmare, it was awful!" she hiccupped, trying to calm down. "I know, Laurie, but it didn't come true, I promise, I'll never let you go!" he soothed, kissing her bruised face. He stroked her cheek, feeling her shaking stop.
Looking in his eyes, she saw his fear and worry, and she put her face next to his. "Better, my angel?" he asked, kissing her hair. She nodded, managing a watery smile. "Yes, my love, just hold me." she said. A.J. brought her some water to sip, then helped Rick bring her down the stairs.
As the three Simons made it to the bottom, Abby came over and embraced Laurie. "Honey, are you all right; did he hurt you?" She shook her head, "He tried to stop me from calling for help by, by putting his mouth over mine, it was awful. I was so afraid, he was trying to get revenge on Rick by killing me!"
"It's all right now, Laurie, we'll get you to the hospital. Rick, the boat's ready!" Abby told him, as Rick carefully carried her to the landing.
Nestling her head against his shoulder, Laurie looked up at Rick. "Darling, the next time you and A.J. decide to have a weekend adventure, promise me one thing!"
He smiled down at her, "Anything, darling!"
"Use our backyard!"