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Chapter 9.
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'Scary news, scary thoughts'
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As Doug got the news from Captain he was seriously frightened about Tom. Fuller said that Hanson managed to get to the meeting place and got know everything they needed to catch Guardian, but unfortunately his presence there was revealed and he himself recognized. Although the young cop managed to flee, Guardians' dogs hunted him until they found Hanson calling for help to Chapel and destroyed the call box he was in.
Now Penhall was looking at the knocked down and damaged box and he was terrified. Concluding from the remains of the box the car which hit it wasn't in full speed. That fact let hold up the hopes that the attackers didn't mean to kill. But still the impact could make much hurt to the person being inside. Doug partially was relieved because they didn't find much blood, there was hope Tom wasn't seriously injured. But the most unbearable was that his best friend disappeared. When they arrived on the scene he wasn't there. They searched every building and corner in the University area. Dennis checked Brotherhood dorms and Judy was calling every hospital and hostel around in case Tom was there. Doug hoped that if Hanson wasn't badly hurt he would contact with the Chapel till now and if on the other hand he was injured he couldn't go far away during last hour. He just had to be somewhere here. That uncertainty was driving the young officer more and more frantically worried with every passing minute.
"Doug?" Judy came up to the officer and grabbed his arm tenderly. "Captain says we should go back to the Chapel. We can't help here any more... Doug?"
Penhall didn't move. He couldn't, so he just remained standing still unable to force himself to leave place where his best friend was being not further than sixty minutes ago. Maybe when they will try again they will finally find Tom somewhere cursing Doug and the rest of the team for delay.
"Doug lets go." Judy urged. She also was worried about Tom, she wanted get to Chapel and start to do something to find him as quick as possible.
"No, I will stay here and look for him again." Doug opposed.
"Doug!" Fuller approached him circling the remains of the call box and joined him. Behind silently trailed Booker and Ioki. "There is no point of staying here" he started, but when he saw Doug shaking his head stubbornly he continued factually. "If Guardian... killed Tom" Captain felt cold shudder going down his back at that words "we should have find his body till now. But you know he didn't do that – you've seen the call box. Guardian needs him for something. Now we have to use all our power to get know where he is keeping him."
Doug closed his eyes and embraced himself protectively against Captains words. He felt black despair soaking slowly into his soul and mind. He knew Fuller was right but he was scared to death to admit this. The very thought that his best friend was at the mercy of Guardian and what that guy was able to do to Tom turned painfully his stomach upside down.
"Doug?" Fuller asked gently but urgently. "I know you are worried, so are we. Just let us start work. Please!"
Penhall turned his head towards Captain shocked by his pleading tone. Then he looked at Judy and then Harry and Dennis. He could see in their eyes worry caused by the same question arising in their minds: to what horrible acts will resort a man who with cold blood had beaten, raped and stabbed Michael Cooper and killed similar way many more before?
"Let's go!" Doug said finally and rushed to his car abruptly impatient to start doing something to find his friend before Guardian will touch him.
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Somewhere
First thing he felt as he slowly made his way towards consciousness was cold. It was overwhelming him and while later his body started to shiver in a response to that unpleasant feeling. Tom made a move to fold his arms around chest trying to trap vanishing warm but he managed only to invoke pain in his back and chest. With groan he woke up entirely and opened his eyes. First he just stayed like that for several minutes lying limply and looking dully ahead. He tried to get to himself and comprehend in his surroundings. He was lying down on the cold, lumpy stone floor. He could feel one of the tiles pinching into his already throbbing in pain right side he was on. It became clear to him he wasn't in hospital and in any known place, and concluding from the pain in his body he wasn't dead too. Where was he then?
Within several minutes the memory of last events before he lost his consciousness started flow back to his mind causing his body thrill. He remembered Guardian, the meeting, run for life and impact with the car.
He didn't remember what happened after the accident, certainly he didn't remember being moved from the scene but it became obvious to him he had to be kidnapped. Surprisingly they didn't kill him before but Hanson was certain there was death sentence hanging above his head. After all he knew Guardian secrets now. He was in great danger. He had to get out of here... Tom raised his head. Wherever it was.
Tom sat up with effort and tenderly checked his injuries first. He was relieved as he found out the blow to the call box didn't cause any serious damage to his body. There weren't any broken bones and deep bleeding wounds. He was just very painful, especially on his right side and back. Under tattered t-shirt and jeans there were lots of bruises and abrasions going along his right calf and further up from thigh through hip and up his chest. His right leg was a little numb from the blow and probably he twisted his ankle, for it was stiff and puffed up.
After he finished the examinations he turned himself on all fours and struggled up on his feet. It was time to check his surroundings precisely. To his dismay it wasn't easy to walk. The injuries caused much pain and his right leg wasn't good support due to sharp pain in his hip weakening all limb. Tom pressed hard his hand to the hip and limped awkwardly towards the closest wall, leaned against it and looked around.
He was in some chamber like room with stone walls and with no windows. It was lightened brightly by a single bare bulb hanging down the high ceiling. In front of him there was big and solid wooden door. On his right side there was big iron bar put instead the wall, parting the chamber in two rooms. Although Tom was sure every possible ways in his prison leading outside were locked down he couldn't help but force his painful body to move and check them anyway. The wooden door didn't even move a single inch. And the bar on the other end of the room was locked from outside with the padlock. Tom sighed and looked mechanically behind the bar. The room on the other side was empty and bare as the one Tom was in. The only furniture there was old stone altar in the middle of the room and old and dirty sculpture of angel standing next to it. With another sight of resignation Tom cast last gaze around the room and surprised noticed in the far corner on his right there was a passage with narrow steps behind. If only he had skeleton key or at least piece of wire he could try to open the padlock, and see where the steps were leading, but without them it was just another obstacle not to overcome. Feeling his hopes melting down Tom hobbled back to the wall he was standing before.
Clearly it was some kind of chapel or old church. Tom started to fear it was the place where Guardian was going to arrange his ceremony. If it was true, his friends didn't have chance to find him here. At least not in next several hours. At present nobody knows the location of Guardians hiding place. The thought made his head spinning. He was left on his own. He was left alone with Guardian.
"Oh God" he whispered as the realization came to him and then never known before fear started fill his body causing him shiver slightly. He will die. He knew for sure Guardian will kill him, and Tom couldn't prevent this in any way, just wait for it.
As a police officer he had met lots of dangerous people, he was put in many dangerous situations, often threatening his life. Many times he faced one eyed herald of death in form of outlet of gun aiming at his head. But always he felt he had some sort of control over it and mostly everything happened so quick he didn't have time to think about danger and consequences. He never considered he could die. But now was different.
Now he had time. His head started to show him pictures of him being killed, being dead. It became so true and inevitable, so close.
First time in his life Tom started to feel unsure about his future and totally helpless. He didn't want to die, he was too young and had so many things to do, to learn, people to meet... He felt tears of despair forcing to his eyes. He thought about his mother, she will break down. He hoped Doug and Ioki will take care over her. Suddenly he felt deep sorrow he won't have any more opportunity to argue with them or listen to Doug's complaints over the paperwork. And Judy... Words couldn't express what he felt about her. He loved her, but truly couldn't tell if as a lover or as a fiend. That feeling confused him. After she was raped, and then they spent night together, they got closer to each other although they never did it again. They never talked about that night or their feelings to each other.
Tom sighed deeply. He just couldn't bare the thought he won't see them again. The life will go on but without him. He slid down the wall, then bent his knees and embraced them with his arms. He remained in that position looking dully into the space before him until he heard somebody turning the key in the door in front of him.
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