Chapter 3: The Nightmare Begins

(Three Weeks Later)

It was 6:30 pm the usual time that Ashley closed up her store. "Mrs. Karovan, I'll be leaving now," Laura informed.

"Okay, night, Laura," Ashley answered.

"Night."

Laura left the shop and Ashley got up from her desk and went out to the front to check on her orders that came in that day. She suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. She looked over her shoulder to see Todd standing there. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Came to get what I want," he replied.

Ashley got in a fighting stance, ready to take him on. However, her eyes widened when four other men came in. "Ricky, John, Terry, and Michael? What are you doing?" She asked.

"Heard you weren't giving Todd the welcome he deserves," Ricky replied.

"What? Am I supposed to give myself to him even though I'm married and trying to have a family?" She demanded.

"Exactly," Michael replied.

"You five are disgusting. You're the same as you were in high school," she hissed.

"Well, if you just listen to me now, there won't be any trouble," Todd stated.

"I'm married, Todd. I'm supposed to love, honor, and cherish him. Not commit a sin by sleeping with someone else," Ashley insisted.

"Well, too bad, you're going to," Todd answered.

Ashley backed up and she struck out, hitting Terry in the face. She did a side kick, hitting John in the chest. She did a jump front kick nailing Ricky in the chin. She screamed when Michael grabbed her around her waist. "LET ME GO!" She screamed. Ashley elbowed Michael in the side, making Michael let her go. She went to run for the door, but then all four of them grabbed her. "LET ME GO! LET GO OF ME! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" She screamed.

"She's all yours, Todd," Terry commented.

"Put her in there," Todd instructed.

"NO!" Ashley shouted.

She struggled against them as they put her in her office. "Keep watch," Todd instructed.

"You got it," Michael answered.

Ashley backed up against the wall with tears welling up in her eyes. "Please, Todd, I'm begging you not to do this," she insisted.

"And I told you that I'll get what I want the next time I see you," he answered.

He went at her and Ashley struck out with her nails, dragging them down his left cheek, and drew blood. He hissed in pain and he punched her. Ashley tried to run, but he grabbed her arm. There was no escape, she was trapped. "ANDROS!" Her mind screamed. Then darkness claimed her when Todd threw her up against the wall.

Andros was in his lab giving KO-35 some results of tests he was running over the past four years. Just then, his phone rang. "Hello?" He answered. There was a slight pause on the other end of the line.

"Is this Andros Karovan?" A voice asked.

"Yes," Andros replied.

"This is Dr. Herald Langdon calling from Angel Grove Memorial Hospital. We just had a young woman brought into the emergency room by the name of Ashley Karovan. Do you know her?"
"Yes, what's wrong with my wife?"

The doctor was quiet on the other end. "Mr. Karovan, I need you to come to the hospital ASAP, I'll explain everything there," he informed. Then he hung up. Andros felt his heart stopped as he placed the phone back in the cradle. He grabbed his jacket and quickly went to the hospital.

Dr. Langdon was standing in the waiting room when Andros came in. "Are you Andros Karovan?" He asked.

"Yes, are you Dr. Langdon?" Andros answered with another question.

"Yes."

"What's wrong with my wife, doctor? Why was she brought to the emergency room?"

"You might want to sit down."

"No! I'm not going to sit down. I don't want anything. I want to know what's wrong with my wife. Tell me what's wrong before I start busting heads."

Dr. Langdon let out a sigh. "Mr. Karovan, your wife was found unconscious in her office at her dress shop. It's hard for me to tell you this, but your wife has been sexually assaulted," he informed. Andros suddenly felt his knees go weak and he sat down before he fell down.

"Is there any permanent damage done to her?" He asked.

"Not so far," Dr. Langdon replied.

"Can I please see her?"

Dr. Langdon and led Andros to Ashley's room.

Andros entered Ashley's room and his heart shattered at her appearance.

Her left cheek was bruised, she had a cut on her forehead, and her bottom lip was swollen. From her shoulder down to her wrists, she was bruised.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he sat next to her bed and gently held her hand in his. "Ashley," he whispered. Ashley slowly opened her eyes and she looked over at him. "Hey, Ash," he murmured.

"Andros, what…" she trailed off.

Her eyes grew wide in horror. "Oh, no! No, no, no, no," she repeated over and over. Andros sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her into his arms. "I tried, Andros, I really tried. I'm so sorry," she sobbed. Andros rocked her back and forth trying to calm her down.

"It wasn't your fault, Ash, it wasn't your fault," he answered.

He kissed the top of her head. "Todd did this didn't he?" He asked. Ashley just nodded her head.

"It was him, he had four of his friends there to back him up so he could do this to me," she replied between sobs.

Andros felt anger grow in him. "He'll never touch you again, Ashley. Never ever again," he assured her.

After about an hour, Ashley had fall asleep in Andros's arms. Andros set her back against the pillow and stood up. He looked at his injured wife and felt his blood boil. He looked out the window, his body shaking with anger. His eyes were filled with fire. Andros looked back over at Ashley. "He'll pay," he whispered. He grabbed his jacket and stormed out of the hospital room.

Andros entered his Megaship. "DECA, main viewing screen," he instructed. The viewing screen came on. "Search for Todd Gregory," he instructed.

"Acknowledged," DECA answered.

Andros watched as they searched for Todd. "I'll kill you, Todd. I'll kill you for doing this to her," he whispered angrily.