Thanks to all who have been reading this and patiently waiting for my updates. My next chapter is in the works already. Don't give up on this yet. Enjoy chapter 5!
5. Escape?
The second story of the hotel was dark and dusty. Nancy could hardly see the wall she was leaned against. The only thing she could hear was the voices of the men downstairs. They sounded as if they were arguing about something. Nancy tried to find comfort in the idea that if the men came upstairs, they could hide in the darkened rooms.
"I tell you, somebody knows about us! I saw that kid talkin' on the phone. He had to have told someone. That has to be why that no good cop has been snoopin' around here. I say we get rid of those boys, tonight!" one of the men bellowed.
"No. We need more time. The two know too much about our operation. If your girlfriend hadn't screamed loud enough to draw attention, then there wouldn't have been an investigation! We have to make their deaths look like an accident. Now let's get some sleep. We have some work to do tomorrow."
Nancy froze when she heard the sound of heavy footfalls on the stairs. They had to hide quickly. Nancy grabbed Frank's hand and led him farther down the hall. Nick, George, Joe, and Tracy followed Nancy's lead.
"We have to split up. If they catch us all together there won't be any hope of escaping them. At least if we are apart, we know that someone will come looking for any of us that don't get out." Nick whispered.
"That's true, but what are our options of escape now? How many of these doors are locked?" Joe replied.
"Unless they changed the locks recently none of these doors lock now. All the original locks rusted a long time ago." Tracy spoke up.
"Then let's go. Everyone meet at the pickup." Nancy instructed. "And good luck."
The group broke up into partners, each team picking a different room to hide in. Frank and Nancy quickly made their way to the end of the hall and opened the last door. Inside Nancy rushed to the window while Frank blocked the door with a small end table.
Nick and George had headed toward a room close to the stairwell. The window faced the front of the building. The porch roof was directly below the window. Nick quickly forced the window open and helped George climb outside. He followed soon after.
Tracy and Joe had chosen a door opposite of the stairwell. There was an old set of stairs outside the room, leading behind the building. They had a clear escape. All they had to do was get to the stairway before the kidnappers got to them. Then they could reach safety.
Nancy opened the window, ready to climb out, when she noticed the missing boards in the roof. There was no way of escape through the window. Nancy gasped and turned back to Frank.
"The roof to the porch is gone. We can't get out."
"What? We have to get out. Those guys could come in here any minute. If they catch you here, I don't even want to guess what would happen."
"Then what are we going to do? It's too late to run for a different room. They would see us for sure."
Frank walked quickly to the window. He leaned out precariously and looked up. A slight edge of the roof hung over the window. Frank twisted his body at an odd angle in an attempt to reach the roof's edge.
"Frank, are you crazy? You could get yourself killed!"
Frank made no attempt to answer while he stretched as far out of the window as he dared. He had to make sure escape was possible. He had to get Nancy out of danger. The kidnappers wouldn't hesitate to kill her too, if they thought she was a threat.
Finally, after several tries for the edge of the roof, Frank found the hold he needed. Carefully he pulled himself the rest of the way out the window until he was hanging over the ground. Frank breathed deeply and began to swing himself from side to side.
Nancy waited anxiously while she watched Frank struggle to climb onto the roof. She hoped that the others were having an easier time finding an escape route then her and Frank. Nancy gripped the sill, still thinking about the others, as Frank managed to swing up to the roof.
Nick held George's hand tightly. The old porch roof was slightly unstable and weak with age. One wrong step and the whole roof could collapse under their feet. Carefully, Nick tested each plank as he led George across the roof. If they could just make it onto the roof of the building they could climb down the back stairwell and be free.
George held her breath with each step she took. She trusted Nick but the boards beneath her were a different matter entirely. She could only follow in Nick's exact footsteps and hope that Nancy and Tracy had found an easier escape.
The edge of the porch's roof was just in front of Nick and George. A few more steps then they would have to climb the side of the building. George took a deep breath and tried to calm her wild nerves. Nick looked back at George and smiled a small, grim smile.
"I guess we have to play Spiderman now."
"Let's just hope that we aren't seen as we climb. The publicity Spiderman gets, I can do without."
Nick raised George's hand to his lips. Then he turned and began to climb the wall, using the rough wood and holes as hand and foot holds. George quickly followed the path that Nick had taken, careful to avoid the weakened boards.
Tracy rushed over to the window and looked out. The stairway she remembered was still there. Although now it seemed extremely ancient. Tracy shook her head. The stress was getting to her. She had climbed these same stairs a thousand times or more. Still, when the only chance of survival is a set of stairs from a hundred years ago…
Joe grabbed Tracy by the shoulders, pulling her from her trance. Joe knew the thoughts that were going through her mind. In his own thoughts Joe saw the stairs collapsing, burying them in a broken pile of rubble. But they had to try, or face the kidnappers. And Joe would do anything to save Tracy the trouble of dealing with those men.
Joe forced the old window open and climbed through. The stairs seemed steady enough. Smiling in satisfaction, Joe reached his hand in to help Tracy. Joe knew that Tracy didn't really need his help but was still glad when she accepted the gesture.
Nancy was nervous about climbing through the window. If she fell she would have several fractures or breaks at the very least. Steeling herself for the task ahead, Nancy pushed all thoughts from her mind and leaned out. She almost had hold of the roof when the door opened behind her.
Tracy and Joe had reached the edge of the town when Nick and George caught up to them. Joe watched expectantly behind George. He was waiting for Frank and Nancy to jog up the slope toward them. After a few moments passed without a sign of either Frank or Nancy, Joe became worried.
"Has anyone seen Frank and Nan?" Joe finally asked. Everyone answered negatively.
Three hours and fifteen minutes had passed since Mitch had received that call. It irritated him that he had been so careless. Whoever had called had said that they were coming out, which meant trouble in his mind. He didn't need some nervous busybody getting in everybody's way.
Mitch was pacing in front of his cluttered desk when the door to his office opened. Mitch looked up at the officer standing in the doorway, ready to give him a lecture on the importance of privacy. Instead, the officer began talking almost immediately. He quickly explained that the young woman Mitch had spoken to earlier wanted to see him, and she wouldn't take no for an answer.
Mitch sighed and motioned for the officer to show the girl in. He wasn't sure what he was expecting, but he wasn't expecting what he saw. The woman was a few years younger than himself. She was average height with short curly hair.
"My name is Bess Marvin." The woman spoke calmly. "I know of at least three people in danger, possibly five. I want answers, and I'm not leaving until I get them."
Mitch groaned inwardly. I hate my job, he thought as he took a seat behind his desk. He motioned for Bess to choose a chair opposite him. This really was going to be a long, miserable night. Mitch sighed, at least she's pretty. Bess listened silently while Mitch began to explain the night's events.