Chapter 16.
"Be quite Cordy!" Willow shushed, as the three crept threw the hospital. Visiting hours had ended about 20 minutes ago and if they didn't want to be thrown out then they needed to be quite. Of course with Cordelia in five- inch heels that was hard to do.
Oz dumped Wesley in one of the swivel chairs and sat down at he computer next to her; while Cordelia kept watch. Willow couldn't help but thinking how funny Cordelia as a watchdog was. A small smile crept on her lips, Oz noticed and raised an eyebrow.
Turning on the computer Willow by passed the security; a few times she had needed Oz's help. He was good at this kind of thing just like her. And in a matter of minutes they were into the police and hospital files.
"This isn't good," Willow swallowed, her throat felt suddenly dry. She hit print on the computer, waiting for the tray to fill with the information. She had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. They just might be in a little over there head.
"Someone's coming!" Cordy hissed at bit to loudly before moving towards them. Her heels clicking as she moves, a real James Bond.
"Time to go?" Oz smiled, taking hold of Wesley and leading the way out the other door. Willow picked up the papers and followed after her lover. Cordy after that, leaving one heel behind her
**** Angel pushed the gas pedal a little lower to the floor of the car. He was pushing seventy-five on the roads of town, cutting off traffic and swiveling around those in his way. He had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that Buffy needed him now more than ever, that if he wasn't there something horrible would happen to her.
His fingers tightened on the wheel and the pedal went a little farther down on the floor of the car. Just a few more minutes.
**** WECOLME TO SUNNYDALE. The sign read, as Faith passed the intersection.
**** Her heart was pounding, her palms sweating so bad she might drop the pot before the door opened. The door opened, she stopped breathing, waiting, hoping and terrified of what might come. She'd beaten him before; she'd won at his sick and twisted game. But then she had had help. Now was different, now she was on her own. Now she just might not make it. Buffy knew that, it was reality. Hank was crazy, willing to do anything to win, to hurt, and to kill. She honestly didn't know if she could pull the trigger. She'd tried to once before, with him standing right in front of her, drunk as a skunk. But she couldn't, she couldn't kill him, couldn't become what he was. Because there would be no turning back after that. She swallowed past the lump in her throat, waiting for the door to open a bit more. It did. She slammed the pot down on the back of his head, he dropped. The gun spun out of his hand and landed a few feet away on the cold floor. Carefully Buffy put the pot down and grab the gun. Running was the best option, getting as far away from him as possible, slowly she made her way to the door, limping. Buffy looked back one more time as she tried the first stair lending to freedom, a groan came from the man on the floor, the man that had haunted her dreams and plagued her life for 17 years.
Fear edged threw her and she began to climb the stairs. Sweat broke out on her forehead and her ankle began to throb even more as she took the steps.
Just a few more stairs; Buffy thought.
"YOU STUPID FUCKING WHORE. YOU REALLY THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE ME!" His voice screamed from the below the stairs.
Buffy glanced back over her shoulder, but kept going, she was weakening, the stairs becoming more difficult to manage. But she kept going, she wanted to live, wanted to see Angel, wanted to be happy, wanted to tell someone she love him.
Buffy heard a gun click. It wasn't the one in her hand. A shot rang out. Hitting the wall a few feet from her head.
Another shot sounded again. Getting closer to her.
She kept climbing the steps until she got to the landing, her breath was hard and uneven, and her body hurt all over.
Turning left Buffy squeezed in-between several broken down machines; and made her way to the back of the wall. There she squatted down, and check the gun in her hands for ammo.
Empty. The bastard was playing another game with her. To see how far she would run, before he over took her.
"Come out, come out, my baby girl." His voice sang, echoing off the walls. A chill ran through her. Setting the gun quietly on the ground, she pulled the knife out of her coat, and began crawling along the wall.
"I'll find you, you know that don't you Buffy. I've always been able to find you. You can never escape!" Hank slammed his hand down on an old machine. Hoping to scare her.
But she was already terrified. And he knew that.
**** "Willow?" Angel answered the phone, as he took on another turn.
"Slow the bloody hell down mate!" Spike wince as the came to close to a mailbox.
"Shut up Spike," Angel said, "What do you have Wills?" he asked his baby sister.
Silence consumed the car for a few minutes, the speed of the car increasing as the conversation continued.
Angel slammed the phone shut and stared ahead down the road.
"What is it mate?" Spike asked carefully, he knew that look. He had seen before, the day that one of Willow's old boyfriends had hit her. Angel had gone nuts, beating the shit out of the guy. Landed the other guy in the hospital for a week or two. Only he knew about it, since he was the one who had pulled him off. They both knew better than to tell Doyle.
Doyle would have gone after the guy with a gun, and then both Angel and Willow would have been up in an orphanage.
"Hank Summer has been heavily medicated, since he was committed to an insane asylum a few months ago. He's become addicted to it, having serious rages with out it. He escaped about a month ago by managing to get out of a straight jacket; and then stabbing a doctor threw the temple with an eight- inch needle. Killing the doctor instantly. The police have labeled him criminally insane and a danger to the public." Angel spoke in a flat tone. Showing no emotion at all. But in side he was terrified, he might lose her and there was nothing he could do.
**** Buffy stopped breathing and moving as his footsteps came closer to her. He was trying to get her to run. To give away her position.
"Your making this hard on yourself; you know. Just one bullet that 's all it will take to kill you. If you come out now it will be over and done with fast," Hank fairly purred by her hiding place.
Buffy could hear the smile on his lips and he spoke. She wasn't about to come out; she wanted to live too much to give in like that. He moved away from her, walking around in circles, looking threw the machines. She started moving again, towards the door that was on the opposition wall.
It was her only chance, to get away. He'd be waiting for her, she knew that, but it didn't matter. You had to gamble a little to get what you wanted.
"Damn it you little bitch!" he swore, moving farther from the door, "You were always a pain, always messing my plans up."
Buffy rolled her eyes as she continued to crawl towards the door. Sure he ruined her life for 17 years, but that didn't count for anything.
Crouching down Buffy raised her hand to the doorknob; turning it she heard a click. She could still hear him talking, calling her all sorts of horrible names. He seemed far enough away, but then you could never really be sure when you gambled. It was the chance you took.
With her back to the wall, Buffy began to straighten up, opening the door slowly, so that the creaking of the rusty hinges wasn't all that bad.
"I told you, you could never escape me," Hank chided from his perch a few feet away. A satisfied smile on his lips.
"Just one little bullet. Lets see if it kills you," He sneered, raising the gun.
The panic was getting higher in side her, she could run; but how far would she get before a bullet got to her.
He could hide among the machines, so could she, but he knew them better than her. And he still had four bullets in that gun.
She had to get him in the open, where he had no place to run, where she could see him coming, where she stood a chance.
"I'm not ready to die just yet!" Buffy spat back at her father, swinging open the door she turned through the opening. Closing it firmly behind her.
She could hear the sound of the bullet hitting the metal door. A bullet meant for her, just like they all were.
Three shots left in the gun.
Hank frowned as his daughter disappeared threw the door. Damn bitch, he would get her.
**** Angel pushed the peddle down farther, they were about too minutes from the factory. Two minutes and he could save her.
*** A thousand water drops seeped across her body. She was standing in the icy wet pain of winter. A knife held in her hand and her short golden hair throne in her face. She was standing face to face with her worst fear. Standing there looking at the man who had ruined her life, who gave her nightmares for years since it had all began. Now she was done running. Now she would finish this once and for all. The madness, the dreams, the agony that she had gone through all would end tonight.
The downpour of rain blurred her vision, but she could see him well enough to fight.
To die; to live. Whatever hand fate dealt her.
Buffy wiped her eyes, she must be seeing things.
The light to the left of Hank was getting closer, moving towards them.
But what was it?
A car, a car was getting closer to them.
"Be quite Cordy!" Willow shushed, as the three crept threw the hospital. Visiting hours had ended about 20 minutes ago and if they didn't want to be thrown out then they needed to be quite. Of course with Cordelia in five- inch heels that was hard to do.
Oz dumped Wesley in one of the swivel chairs and sat down at he computer next to her; while Cordelia kept watch. Willow couldn't help but thinking how funny Cordelia as a watchdog was. A small smile crept on her lips, Oz noticed and raised an eyebrow.
Turning on the computer Willow by passed the security; a few times she had needed Oz's help. He was good at this kind of thing just like her. And in a matter of minutes they were into the police and hospital files.
"This isn't good," Willow swallowed, her throat felt suddenly dry. She hit print on the computer, waiting for the tray to fill with the information. She had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. They just might be in a little over there head.
"Someone's coming!" Cordy hissed at bit to loudly before moving towards them. Her heels clicking as she moves, a real James Bond.
"Time to go?" Oz smiled, taking hold of Wesley and leading the way out the other door. Willow picked up the papers and followed after her lover. Cordy after that, leaving one heel behind her
**** Angel pushed the gas pedal a little lower to the floor of the car. He was pushing seventy-five on the roads of town, cutting off traffic and swiveling around those in his way. He had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that Buffy needed him now more than ever, that if he wasn't there something horrible would happen to her.
His fingers tightened on the wheel and the pedal went a little farther down on the floor of the car. Just a few more minutes.
**** WECOLME TO SUNNYDALE. The sign read, as Faith passed the intersection.
**** Her heart was pounding, her palms sweating so bad she might drop the pot before the door opened. The door opened, she stopped breathing, waiting, hoping and terrified of what might come. She'd beaten him before; she'd won at his sick and twisted game. But then she had had help. Now was different, now she was on her own. Now she just might not make it. Buffy knew that, it was reality. Hank was crazy, willing to do anything to win, to hurt, and to kill. She honestly didn't know if she could pull the trigger. She'd tried to once before, with him standing right in front of her, drunk as a skunk. But she couldn't, she couldn't kill him, couldn't become what he was. Because there would be no turning back after that. She swallowed past the lump in her throat, waiting for the door to open a bit more. It did. She slammed the pot down on the back of his head, he dropped. The gun spun out of his hand and landed a few feet away on the cold floor. Carefully Buffy put the pot down and grab the gun. Running was the best option, getting as far away from him as possible, slowly she made her way to the door, limping. Buffy looked back one more time as she tried the first stair lending to freedom, a groan came from the man on the floor, the man that had haunted her dreams and plagued her life for 17 years.
Fear edged threw her and she began to climb the stairs. Sweat broke out on her forehead and her ankle began to throb even more as she took the steps.
Just a few more stairs; Buffy thought.
"YOU STUPID FUCKING WHORE. YOU REALLY THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE ME!" His voice screamed from the below the stairs.
Buffy glanced back over her shoulder, but kept going, she was weakening, the stairs becoming more difficult to manage. But she kept going, she wanted to live, wanted to see Angel, wanted to be happy, wanted to tell someone she love him.
Buffy heard a gun click. It wasn't the one in her hand. A shot rang out. Hitting the wall a few feet from her head.
Another shot sounded again. Getting closer to her.
She kept climbing the steps until she got to the landing, her breath was hard and uneven, and her body hurt all over.
Turning left Buffy squeezed in-between several broken down machines; and made her way to the back of the wall. There she squatted down, and check the gun in her hands for ammo.
Empty. The bastard was playing another game with her. To see how far she would run, before he over took her.
"Come out, come out, my baby girl." His voice sang, echoing off the walls. A chill ran through her. Setting the gun quietly on the ground, she pulled the knife out of her coat, and began crawling along the wall.
"I'll find you, you know that don't you Buffy. I've always been able to find you. You can never escape!" Hank slammed his hand down on an old machine. Hoping to scare her.
But she was already terrified. And he knew that.
**** "Willow?" Angel answered the phone, as he took on another turn.
"Slow the bloody hell down mate!" Spike wince as the came to close to a mailbox.
"Shut up Spike," Angel said, "What do you have Wills?" he asked his baby sister.
Silence consumed the car for a few minutes, the speed of the car increasing as the conversation continued.
Angel slammed the phone shut and stared ahead down the road.
"What is it mate?" Spike asked carefully, he knew that look. He had seen before, the day that one of Willow's old boyfriends had hit her. Angel had gone nuts, beating the shit out of the guy. Landed the other guy in the hospital for a week or two. Only he knew about it, since he was the one who had pulled him off. They both knew better than to tell Doyle.
Doyle would have gone after the guy with a gun, and then both Angel and Willow would have been up in an orphanage.
"Hank Summer has been heavily medicated, since he was committed to an insane asylum a few months ago. He's become addicted to it, having serious rages with out it. He escaped about a month ago by managing to get out of a straight jacket; and then stabbing a doctor threw the temple with an eight- inch needle. Killing the doctor instantly. The police have labeled him criminally insane and a danger to the public." Angel spoke in a flat tone. Showing no emotion at all. But in side he was terrified, he might lose her and there was nothing he could do.
**** Buffy stopped breathing and moving as his footsteps came closer to her. He was trying to get her to run. To give away her position.
"Your making this hard on yourself; you know. Just one bullet that 's all it will take to kill you. If you come out now it will be over and done with fast," Hank fairly purred by her hiding place.
Buffy could hear the smile on his lips and he spoke. She wasn't about to come out; she wanted to live too much to give in like that. He moved away from her, walking around in circles, looking threw the machines. She started moving again, towards the door that was on the opposition wall.
It was her only chance, to get away. He'd be waiting for her, she knew that, but it didn't matter. You had to gamble a little to get what you wanted.
"Damn it you little bitch!" he swore, moving farther from the door, "You were always a pain, always messing my plans up."
Buffy rolled her eyes as she continued to crawl towards the door. Sure he ruined her life for 17 years, but that didn't count for anything.
Crouching down Buffy raised her hand to the doorknob; turning it she heard a click. She could still hear him talking, calling her all sorts of horrible names. He seemed far enough away, but then you could never really be sure when you gambled. It was the chance you took.
With her back to the wall, Buffy began to straighten up, opening the door slowly, so that the creaking of the rusty hinges wasn't all that bad.
"I told you, you could never escape me," Hank chided from his perch a few feet away. A satisfied smile on his lips.
"Just one little bullet. Lets see if it kills you," He sneered, raising the gun.
The panic was getting higher in side her, she could run; but how far would she get before a bullet got to her.
He could hide among the machines, so could she, but he knew them better than her. And he still had four bullets in that gun.
She had to get him in the open, where he had no place to run, where she could see him coming, where she stood a chance.
"I'm not ready to die just yet!" Buffy spat back at her father, swinging open the door she turned through the opening. Closing it firmly behind her.
She could hear the sound of the bullet hitting the metal door. A bullet meant for her, just like they all were.
Three shots left in the gun.
Hank frowned as his daughter disappeared threw the door. Damn bitch, he would get her.
**** Angel pushed the peddle down farther, they were about too minutes from the factory. Two minutes and he could save her.
*** A thousand water drops seeped across her body. She was standing in the icy wet pain of winter. A knife held in her hand and her short golden hair throne in her face. She was standing face to face with her worst fear. Standing there looking at the man who had ruined her life, who gave her nightmares for years since it had all began. Now she was done running. Now she would finish this once and for all. The madness, the dreams, the agony that she had gone through all would end tonight.
The downpour of rain blurred her vision, but she could see him well enough to fight.
To die; to live. Whatever hand fate dealt her.
Buffy wiped her eyes, she must be seeing things.
The light to the left of Hank was getting closer, moving towards them.
But what was it?
A car, a car was getting closer to them.