(Chris' POV)
It wasn't too long until Ace and I reached the dirt road that cut through the forest, the one Ace said he had seen the red Mercedes.
Only there was no Mercedes.
"It was here!" Ace defended himself. "I swear on my mother's good name, it was right here. I almost hit the fuckin' thing!"
"Well, I know your mother's good name doesn't mean much to you –" Ace shot me a murderous look, and I continued quickly, "– But I believe you. Look." I shone the flashlight down at the road, where there were tread marks and even faint footprints.
Ace walked up beside me and stared down. He pointed to a different mark. "Look's like somethin' was dragged…" Realizing what he just said, a look of half-hidden horror came upon his face. He grabbed my arm roughly and started walking. "My car's still here," he said. "We're gonna chase that motherfucker. This road only goes one way for awhile. No turn offs or nothin'. We'll catch that bastard."
I tore myself away from Ace's grip hopping into the passenger seat and buckling up the seatbelt. Ace didn't bother, just thrust the keys into the ignition and hit the pedal. We raced down the road, keeping our eyes wide and searching the road for any sign of that car. I tried to block out the thoughts my imagination kept conjuring up, but they continued to race through my mind like wildfire.
What if we can't find them? What if he's hurt her? What if we're too late? What if he's killed her?
I pressed the palm of my hand against my forehead, and blanked out the untamed thoughts. She'd be fine; we'd get her back, the police would arrest her father, and Callie and her mother would be able to live the rest of their lives knowing they were safe.
But when we came upon the wreck, I began to think I was wrong.
We were still driving on that road when the air began to thicken with grey smoke. Eventually it became impossible to see anything at all from the car, even with the bright headlights, and Ace pulled over carefully. We got out and walked up the road, trying to peer through the heavy smoke, and trying to not breathe in a lot of it. Coughing, we finally saw an orange shape.
When we moved closer, we saw it was actually a car on fire. I felt my stomach pitch, and it seemed to drop all the way to my toes. Oh god. What were the chances that it wasn't her father's car? What other car could have crashed here in this same time frame? What if Callie was still in the car when caught on fire?
Ace looked at me and I could tell he was thinking the same thing. The smoke was getting so bad that Ace and I had to cover our mouths and noses with our shirts, but I could still make out what he said to me.
"She might not be in the car," is what he said. "Look around on the ground, but don't get to close to that car."
I nodded, trying to keep my cool and assure myself that she was still alive. My eyes searched the ground as I moved quickly, looking for anything to tell me my Callie was still alive.
We'd gotten to the road ahead of the flaming car when Ace yelled out. Jogging over, I looked at his feet, where I thought he might have found her. Instead of a girl of sixteen, I saw the mangled body of a deer. Ace had tripped over the body, but had managed to keep from falling onto it. Shaking my head, I gestured to him that I was going farther up the road.
Now it was my turn to stumble in the darkness and smoke, my arms wind milling as I regained balance. Kneeling to the ground, I tried to feel around for what it was, and shine my flashlight through the smoke. I touched something warm and pulled my hand back in surprise. It felt like there was something wet still on my hand, so I shone the flashlight closer to my hand.
It was blood.
Reeling backwards in disgust and surprise, it took me awhile to fully understand what that meant. Either Callie or her father was right in front of me…or it could be another dead deer. But whatever it was, it was still warm, and injured. I crawled back and looked close, swishing the smoke away.
And there it was. Callie's body was huddled up a foot or two away from me, and she didn't look very good. Her eyes were closed, with purple rings around them, and she was so pale. Hastily I checked to see if she had a pulse.
...Yes. It was there, but faint. I also checked to see if she was breathing, because it didn't look like it. Again, the answer was yes but very shallow and raspy.
"Ace!" I yelled as loudly as I could, uncovering my mouth. "Ace! She's over here! And she's hurt!" I coughed profusely and quickly raised my shirt back up.
Ace quickly appeared through the smoke at my side, staring down at the girl cradled in my arms. He took her gently from me, and he carried her back to his car, past the burning car, with me following closely behind. I knew it could be dangerous to move her, but the fire and smoke was getting so bad we couldn't want for an ambulance. Ace would have to drive all the way back and get them, and then they'd have to get out here. By then both Callie and I would have died from smoke inhalation.
Ten minutes later we were out of the forest, speeding to the hospital, and coughing as if we had consumption. I was in the backseat with Callie, who was still unconscious. Once we were on our way, I checked for where the injury was and found the worst of them by her ribs. I peeled off my sooty shirt, wishing I had something better, and turned it inside out, where it was cleaner. I tied it tightly around the wound, keeping pressure on it.
Oh god Callie. You better not die on me. You can't-you just can't! I coughed again, preventing a sob I knew was probably on its way. I couldn't cry now; not in front of Ace, not at this crucial moment. Once Callie was safely in the hospital, and Ace was out of sight, then I could the last couple hours built up emotions out of my system.
I kept checking Callie's breathing and pulse regularly, as her blood continued to seep through the makeshift bandage and onto my hands. Not a moment too soon did we get to the hospital and let the doctors rush her into emergency surgery. I phoned Callie's mother, and the rest of the gang still waiting at Vern's house. When I was done with that I let payphone dangle from its cord and slid down the wall to sit on the cool floor.
(Callie's POV)
My head felt like it weighed a hundred pounds and that there were white-hot firecrackers going off in my skull. Waiting for the pain to subside, I tried to open my eyes, but they remained shut as if they had forgotten their function. Finally they opened, revealing stark white walls all around me. As my eyes roved around the room, I also noticed a beeping machine on the left of me, and that I was on a hospital bed. When my eyes moved to the right, I saw Chris sitting in a chair beside me reading a magazine. He hadn't noticed I was awake by the looks of it.
I decided to try sitting up, so I slid my arms up and tried to support myself on my elbows, The minute my stomach started to curve, it felt like someone had shoved a hot fire poker into it. With a moan of pain I slid back into a laying position.
Chris had heard me, and thrown aside the magazine. He moved his chair closer to the bed and put one hand on mine and the other stroking my forehead. "How are you feeling?" he asked, concern in his troubled eyes.
"Not too bad, I guess," I replied, my throat a little sore and raspy. "My head hurts, and my stomach." I looked around the room again, and then to the IV sticking out of my hand. "What happened? What am I doing here?"
Something flickered in Chris' eyes, and I got the feeling he didn't really want to talk about it. But he did. "You remember being taken by your father?"
I nodded, remembering that part. He continued. "Well, you were in a car accident. Your father hit a deer, and the car caught on fire afterwards. You got out of the car before that, we found you up the road."
I shut my eyes, watching the night replay itself like a video in my eyelids. "I cut myself free with a shard of glass," I said slowly, "and climbed out the window. And then a piece of glass from the window got stuck in my side…" Keeping the blankets on my lower half, I pulled the hospital gown up to just below my chest. There was a stitched cut there, right where the piece of glass had been embedded in me. But there was also a bandaged area to the right of that, in the very middle of my abdomen. What was that from? I looked at Chris, curious and confused.
Chris looked uncomfortable, but I doubted it was because my stomach was bare. "Maybe I should get your mom up here and tell you…"
I looked at him closely. "Please just tell me what that's from," I asked, pointing to the bandage.
He swallowed, glancing at the door, still wondering if he should go get my mom. "That piece of glass ruptured your spleen. They had to make another incision… to remove it."
My face blanched and I stared at him in horror. I had been in surgery? I no longer had my spleen?
Chris hugged me gently, being very careful of my injury. When he drew back, he cupped my face lightly and said, "I'm going to go get your mom. She's just down in the cafeteria. If you need anything in the meantime, you just press this button-" he gestured to a red button beside the bed, "and a nurse will come. Okay?"
I nodded my head, attempting a little smile for his sake. When he left, I felt everything crash inside my head. The enormity of everything just bore down on me, and I felt very overwhelmed. I didn't even know if my father was dead, or still out there…
My mother rushed into the room minutes later, Chris staying near the door while she embraced me tearfully. We had a long talk, and I was informed of many things. First off, I would be able to live a healthy life without my spleen, although there's always the chance of future complications. I'd be able to leave the hospital the day before school started, and it would likely heal completely within a month. Then my mother told me what I had been wondering all the while.
"Your father was knockedunconscious after the car hit the deer. The police brought in specialists from Portland, and they found remnants of human flesh and clothing, but it seems he managed to get out of the car."
I think that's about when my heart stopped beating. However awful it sounds, thatI should wish a person dead, I had hoped he would be. That would mean having a real life, not just living in a reality of endless cat and mouse chases.
My mother's eyes held mine, and the next thing she said restored some hope in me.
"But they also say he couldn't have gotten far with such terrible wounds. They've got patrols out in the area searching for him."
"Do they know then?" I asked. "Do the police know everything?"
My mother paused for a moment and nodded. "They had to do tests with the evidence they found in the car. That led to background checks, and then they knew our history. I had to tell them everything."
I breathed in deeply, composing myself. I looked her straight in the eye. "Are we leaving? You said he's not for surely dead."
My mom hugged me close to her, and tears filled my eyes and overflowed. "Oh Callie-cat, the police are out there. They'll catch him dead or alive. We're not going anywhere."
She and I talked for a little while longer, and I told her and Chris my part of the story, the one they hadn't heard yet. I asked her what my father had meant about the "money" when I was finished.
Her reply was, "Oh honey, he's not really mentally stable. It could've meant anything, or nothing at all."
But I'd seen the look in her eye, the one that tipped me off that she knew what it meant. Or at least more than what she told me. I dropped it for the time, but I wasn't going to give up on it. Fate wasn't about to allow it anyway.
"Could I have a minute with Chris, mom?"
She complied, giving me another kiss and backed out of the room. She stopped at the doorway saying, "I'll be down the hall in the waiting room. I'll let everyone else know you're okay."
I nodded gratefully and she left. Chris walked up to the side of the bed and took my hand again. I squeezed it hard, and reached my other hand up to the side of his face. "So you found me?"
Chris nodded, leaning into my touch. "Ace, too. We used his car." Chris' voice started to crack then. "I thought you were dead, Cal."
"I'm sorry," I whispered, running my fingers through his hair, "for putting you through that. It must have been horrible."
He smiled wryly. "Who are we talking about here? You're the one that was kidnapped."
I grinned back. "Yeah, but you had to find me there all bloody and stuff. We're both going to need therapy."
"I don't think so," he said. "As long as I still have you, I'll be fine." He bent down and I brought his face close to mine for a kiss.
Right in the middle of it, a young man with blond hair and a leather jacket burst into the room. Chris and I jumped (well, I didn't jump, but jerked away. I was lying down) away from each other, startled.
Ace calmly lit a cigarette, despite all of the non-smoking signs, and stood at the foot of the bed. "So who wants to tell me what the fuck happened last night?"
A/N: Whew, finally done that chapter! Just in time too. I leave for camp in exactly 20 hours. Yes, unfortunately I'll be gone and unable to post another chapter for at least two weeks. Maybe another week, because my friend is staying at my house after that and I'm not sure if I'll get time to write. But I can write it down on paper whenever I have the inspiration and then type it up when I get back. So I hope ya'll enjoyed this chapter! I would have left it when Callie goes into the emergency room, but then it would have been much too short and you'd be left with a cliff hanger for a few weeks. I couldn't think of a good title for this chapter.I liked the last bit with Ace, I thought it was really in his character. But that's just me! Review and tell me what you think!
MidnightBlue88: I'm glad it affected you the right way! And I barely studied at all for my exams…I went to the beach instead…But I'm pretty sure I did okay on them. Thanks for the review, I hope you'll wait patiently until I get back!
Screaming666: I don't mind spiders. I don't like the ones that jump really far though. And wolf spiders…that stems from a traumatic childhood experience…lol. But I have always wanted to see those spiders the size of dinner plates. I can't remember what they're called! They live in Africa. My friend used to pull legs off daddy-long-legs and leave the body squirming on the ground…Isn't that cruel? Anyway, glad you liked the last chapter, hope you like this one!
Get A Room: Thanks! I'll make sure I read the chapters of your story I missed, when I get back (I haven't had much time to read any fics!). Please review again!
StormShadow21: I still love your reviews! They're so funny! I LOVE Hayden Christensen! He's soooo hot! He's also the main reason I watch Star Wars. Or Life as a House. Ever seen that one? It's good. I wish I had dreams about him! I think I did once…but I don't remember it! Now review again so I can laugh! …Although it'll be two weeks until I can read it…Oh well!
Calamitychicken123: Haha, hi again! Yeah, Ace is a pretty awesome character. I think there's a lot more to him than the movie let on, and the book for that matter. He can be a nice guy! Bye!
ViCioUsKiTTie: I hope you're satisfied with this chapter! I think it tied up a lot of things, so you won't be left on the edge of your seat while I'm gone. Well, maybe if you really like my story! Anyway thanks!
Chocolate Pudding1: Haha don't worry I don't tend to judge people by their profiles…all I really noticed was the name I think! And yeah, I do have a livejournal…But I only wrote in it once! And that was half a year ago…But my username is darkceleste, you can check it out if ya want, and maybe I'll update it sometime! Thanks for reviewing! Bye!
Snykurz: Giant flying bunnies! Oh no! Well you don't have to worry this time, no big cliffhangers or anything. Don't hesitate to review again, and threaten me with giant flying creatures! It works! Well, except when I'm going to be away, like this time. See ya next time!
Icy-dropletz: Wow if you felt the pain, I must've described it well! Or maybe you're just empathetic. I love how Ace is in my fic, he's still got the moody, dangerous side, but another sweet angle. I'm still LOVING your fic!
Tracia: Thank you! I'm glad you really like it, and I hope to read another one of your reviews! Bye!
Dawnie-7: I love new reviewers! I'm really flattered you think the plot and everything is good! I'm one of those writers that always afraid that it's too cliché, so I like hearing good things about it! Thanks! Hope you review again!
Will the police find Callie's dad? Will Callie ever find out what the deal was about the money? Find out in the next chapter! Once again,I'm gone for a few weeks, but I'll do my best! Bye!