Damsel in Distress
"Emma?"
"Emma!?"
Regina's eyes flickered open and the light from her living room chandelier pierced her temples. Her head pounded and when she opened her mouth, her cheekbone ached from where a heavy hand caught her across her cheek. She moaned and tried to stand up but felt glued to her chair. Her head rolled forward heavily, her brunette hair falling in her face as she examined her wrists, tied tightly to the arms of a chair. She tried to move her feet, but with no avail. Her ankles had been tied too.
A rough, calloused hand grabbed her under her chin and whipped her head back, the light glaring directly into her eyes and she tried to blink away the pain that pierced through her eyelids.
"I told you, you shouldn't have hit her that hard." A growling voice spoke. He let her face go and her head fell back forward. She felt like her brain was crashing into every wall of her skull with every inch her head moved.
As she became more conscious of her situation, she writhed her wrists to try and loosen up her ties. The rough rope rubbed her wrists raw, but she continued nonetheless. She could hear two men talking from the kitchen. The growly voice speaking stern to a smaller, less insistent voice. She could only pick up on pieces of their conversation.
"He said not to touch her. She is not…"
"He also said get the job done."
"The job is to…"
She could hear them rattling through her cabinets. They sounded like they were looking for something. Suddenly the voices stopped as Regina heard the front door open and shut and every creak from the hinges and slam magnified her headache. She whipped around despite the pain, praying to God it wasn't Emma walking in the door. To her surprise, it was another man, this one not dressed in the black garb that the man who hit her was wearing.
"She still out?" The new man asked plainly.
The two other men emerged from the kitchen so Regina could get a better look at them all. The larger of the two men spoke in the same growly voice. "She's comin' to, yeah. If Theo here wouldn't have hit her so hard, we could have been gone by…"
"Shut up, Tony!" The smaller one swatted at him. "You know you would have done the same thing. She wasn't supposed to see any of us…"
The door man rubbed his temples and Regina went wide eyed as a pistol reflected in his hand. "God, would you two shut the fuck up already."
The men went silent and the gunman headed in her direction. Regina continued to try and get a hand or a foot free in her bindings but it was no use. Her heart pounded blood through her temples and her chest as the gunman crouched a few feet from her.
He waved the gun at her. "Hello." He said with an oddly happy tone. "My name is Mickie. What's yours?"
Regina remained quiet. He was strikingly handsome all things considered. A fresh looking haircut, similar to the one Daniel used to come home with, and a long brown jacket that set nicely over his shoulders over a deep blue suit. His ensemble was finished by freshly shined shoes and black gloves. Regina eyed the gun nervously squirming in the chair.
Mickie stood up and addressed Theo and Tony. "Is she deaf?" He asked them.
They looked at each other confused. Theo answered, "No, boss. Don't think so."
Mickie took a closer step and he used the end of the gun to lift her chin. Regina could feel the cool metal on her skin and she tore her head away from it. He looked back at the other two men. "Doesn't seem very welcoming, eh boys." They all laughed together and then in an instant Mickie was in her face and the laughter went silent. "Listen, sweetheart, it's your lucky day." His hot breath crawled across her cheek. Their lips mere inches apart and Regina could smell the last cigarette he had smoked. "We're not here for you. Just tell us where the money is, and we'll be on our way."
Regina ripped her face away from him. "I don't know what you are talking about." She finally managed through her teeth.
Mickie stood up and scratched his temple with the end of his gun in thought. "Well that's just damn unfortunate boys. What on earth are we going to do about that?" Mickie waved his gun around in her face. "What should we do with you?" He leaned down toward her face again, but before he could get too close Regina hocked back and spit in his face.
He stepped back instantly wiping his face on his jacket. "What the hell, lady!" He pulled the gun up to her. Regina smashed her eyes shut, waiting for the end but Theo's large body hustled over and stepped between Regina and the gun.
"Mickie, you can't. We can't finish the job if she's dead."
Mickie huffed and dropped his arm back down to his waist. But in a swift move he pointed the gun up to the ceiling and pulled the trigger three times. BANG! BANG! BANG!
Theo and Tony ducked down as Regina's ceiling rained down from the shots. "Mickie! Are you trying to wake the whole fucking neighborhood?"
"Just letting off some steam." Mickie twitched his shoulders and shed his jacket, laying it casually on the couch and taking a seat. He pulled out his packet of cigarettes and popped one in his mouth, lighting it with so much ease and casualness that it made Regina sick.
"What do you want from me?" Regina finally asked as Theo moved and stood behind her. She continued to twist and turn her wrists subtly hoping to lose them. It felt like she was making progress but it could have just been her imagination.
Mickie took a long breath of his cigarette and blew up high up in the air. "Glad you asked, sweetheart. As I said we're here for the money. And we're not leaving until we get it." He took another breath and this time blew the smoke in her direction.
Regina coughed. "I don't know what you are talking about. I don't have any money for you. I don't even know who you are!" She pleaded.
Mickie leaned up on his knees. "Oh, well guys," He looked between Theo and Tony, "that's that then. We got the wrong house. Let's pack it up and get a move on I guess." Micki didn't move, and suddenly burst out in laughter.
Regina wiggled in her seat harder.
"Let's see…" he continued. "And stop me if I'm wrong." He cleared his throat. "Regina Mills, 37 formaly Regina… fuck I forgot. Oh well. Husband Daniel Mills… opps or should I say ex-husband, or actually I should say deceased. Car accident 2 years ago, messed up your brain huh? Current relationship status, dating Emma Swan." He paused for a moment, and Regina could only imagine the nasty thoughts running through his head. "Tsk tsk, naughty girl." He stood and continued. "Emma Swan, 35, one son, Henry Swan, 9th grade, basketball player, and… arsonist?" He glanced at her.
Regina twitched in her chair. "You leave them out of this." She said through clenched teeth.
Mickie smiled evilly. "Oh, sore subject?" He laughed. "Good to know."
"Just tell me what you want from me?"
"We want the MONEY!" He looked over at his accomplices in confusion. "God, dense this one." He finished his cigarette and put it out directly on her coffee table and flicked the bud at Regina. She drew back in disgust. "You see, sweetheart, Daniel, God ye Rest his soul," He held his hand to his heart and jokingly stared at the ceiling, "borrowed some money from our boss, and it's time to pay up. Since he clearly can't, then that debt falls on next of kin which just happens to be… you." He drug out his last words just to tease her.
"I have no idea what Daniel was doing or borrowing. I don't know anything about the money."
Mickie chuckled. "Well you see, that doesn't matter. What matters is we are owed money, and you are going to get it for us one way or another."
Regina stayed quiet for a minute, but she could tell Mickie's impatience was growing thin.
"Tony!" Mickie shouted when his patience had run out. "What room was the boy in at the hospital?"
Regina jerked hard in her chair. "No, please. Leave them out of this please!" She pleaded.
Tony pulled out a notebook and flipped through some pages. "219, boss." He answered.
Regina's wrists were numb to the rawness and she struggled hard to get out of her ties. Tears began to burn her cheeks. "Please." She pleaded quietly again, the word barely able to come out. She felt like the wind had been knocked out of her at the thought of harm coming to Henry or Emma because of this.
Mickie sighed, with what might have been a small hint of compassion. But everyone in that room was too smart to believe that. "Now, sweetheart, I consider myself a fair man. And I believe in giving someone a fair chance. So, here's what I'm gonna propose." He slowly paced the floor in front of her. "I'm hungry. So I'm going to go into the kitchen to make myself a sandwich… if you don't mind of course?" He smirked at her. "...and when I come back, we'll reevaluate whether or not you have the money. Otherwise, Tony here is going to pay a little visit to young little Henry."
Before Regina could protest too loud, she felt a thick cloth wrap around her head and pulled back into her mouth. Her hollers were instantly muffled and she eventually stopped trying. Theo stood watch behind her while Tony peaked out the door to keep watch, and Regina could hear Mickie rummaging around in the fridge and cabinets. She had never been more terrified in her life. Her wrists burned and ached, and every time she moved now she felt the rope getting closer and closer to drawing blood. She had to get out of here. She had to protect Henry, and Emma. If these guys were here, who knows what crazy monsters were sent after them.
Emma's foot slipped suddenly and her heart shot up to her throat. She squeezed her eyes and gripped harder onto August's leg. "Easy there, I'd rather not lose my leg." August whispered jokingly.
"Yeah well I'd rather you lose your leg than me break my neck from falling off this roof." Emma snapped back.
"Aww, thanks sis." August called back sarcastically.
August finally reached the window and lifted it up higher so they could slide in. He went first, and then he helped Emma through. They tiptoed quietly to the door. August peeked down the hallway to check the coast was clear. The last thing they needed was to run into someone upstairs. Once he was satisfied they stepped lightly out into the hallway, their senses heightened to their surroundings. They could hear clanging and banging coming from the kitchen and when August peeked downstairs, he only saw two men in the living room. One was standing behind Regina, on guard, and the other kept watch out the window to make sure no cops showed up at the door.
"Mickie, it's getting rough out there. Cops everywhere." The man by the door spoke up, peeking out under the blinds.
Emma stepped up to look, August holding a finger up to his lips for her to stay quiet. Emma needed to see Regina, needed to see she was alive and okay. She finally caught sight of her, tied to the chair, and Emma's heart instantly broke. How helpless she felt while Regina was tied up downstairs. It took all she had to not bull rush them all and save her. But she knew that would be stupid. And she couldn't help Regina if she was dead.
"August we have to do something." Emma whispered.
August thought for a moment. Emma watched as the third man emerged from the kitchen with a plate of some kind of food and headed back to the couch. She leaned farther around the corner to try to get a better look at him and hear what he was saying, but as she did she leaned too hard on the railing and it creaked under her. August jerked her back instantly out of sight, shoving her silently down the hallway to the guest room. "Fuck." Emma whispered.
"Mickie, it's getting rough out there. Cops everywhere."
Mickie emerged from the kitchen with a two layer sandwich on a plate while Tony's comment barely seemed to phase him. He sat down casually on the couch when a noise from upstairs caught all four of their attention.
"I thought you idiots said you check the house?" Mickie cocked his gun.
Tony and Theo looked at each other. "We did."
"Well one of you better fucking go up there and see what that was. We don't have time for heroics from some stupid savior." Mickie took a giant bite from his sandwich. Theo glared at Tony who had originally been in charge of checking the rest of the house, and Tony reluctantly pulled himself away from the window and headed to check it out.
August wrapped his hand around Emma's mouth as they listened to the heavy feet stomping up the stairs. They listened carefully as the man entered into the master bedroom at the top of the stairs. August began to search the room for a weapon.
"Shhh." He warned her, and removed his hand. "I gotta find something heavy. Stay here." She nodded.
August searched for as long as he felt comfortable rummaging around but came up short. Guess he'll have to do this one the hard way. He stood at the edge of the guest bedroom door as the man kicked open Henry's room, slowly heading down their way. After he inspected the bathroom and rummaged through the medicine cabinet, he started for the guest room. Emma kept her head low behind the bed. When the man took a step across the threshold, August lunged out wrapping his arms around the man's neck and covered his mouth to keep him quiet.
The men wrestled for a moment but the intruder quickly passed out from the pressure around his neck. Emma rose up from her hiding spot and the two of them examined the unconscious body on the floor.
"Umm, I'm not here to question your abilities," She whispered. "But that seemed really easy." She nudged the body with her foot.
August scratched his head. "I actually agree with you. But, there's no time. Let's figure out how to get downstairs."
"Mmmmm." Mickie licked his lips and sucked off what was left of the mayonnaise on his fingers that had dripped down his hand. "Ms. Mills, you make an excellent host."
Regina rolled her eyes.
"Now, sweetheart, I'm getting a bit impatient. So let's try this one last time. All I need is the fifty thousand dollars and then we'll gladly be out of your hair here. So, for the last time you can either tell me how you're going to get my money, or, Tony here is paying a visit to the hospital." He waited a moment, but not long enough for Regina to come up with a plan. He eyed Tony and nodded his head. Tony headed for the backdoor and as Regina began to protest, he pistol whipped her.
"Henry!" Emma started to head downstairs but August ripped her back.
"Emma, stop. There are police at the hospital. SHIT!" His eyes went wide and he threw Emma across the hallway as the previously unconscious man lunged at them. His weight pushed August back to the edge of the stairs. Emma jumped up and wrapped her arms around the man but when he fell back he pinned her between him and the wall, knocking the breath out of Emma and she released him instantly. Before August could regain his balance, the man shot toward him and in an instant they both went tumbling down the stairs.
Regina gasped as the commotion started upstairs and she spotted Emma and August tumbling with Tony.
"What the fuck!" Mickie spun around as the two grown men came tumbling down the stairs, a young blonde woman chasing after them. Mickie raised his gun to the trio, but Regina acted swiftly leaning her chair far enough over to fall and catch Mickie behind his knees. The gun went off but was too high to hit anyone important.
Graham and the other deputies spun around toward the house quickly when they heard the gunshot in the house. The straggling neighbors who were watching all ducked instinctively. Graham began shouting out orders as he ran toward the house.
"Get everyone out of here! David with me!" The two men sprinted to the garage. He knew going through the front door would just end in a possible blood bath, so they needed to get a hold of the situation from a different direction.
"Emma, the gun!" August's muffled shout under the man on top of him registered quickly and Emma hopped over them and darted for the drawer in the foyer.
"Hey!" A voice shouted.
Emma turned toward Regina and her captor just as another shot went off, lodging in the wall mere inches from Emma's head, and Mickie had Regina out of the chair blocking his body with hers and the gun pointed directly into Regina's cheek.
"Emma." Regina managed, but Mickie shook her hard.
"Shut up!" His face was red and his hair a bit tussled from falling to the floor after Regina fell against him. "This is over. Someone here better get me some money or I will put a bullet in her head!" He spit over her shoulder.
August and the other man stopped wrestling as Mickie regained control of the situation. August had a busted lip, and Theo didn't look too good himself. Theo crossed in front of Emma and retreated to the opposite side of the room.
"So, which one of you is going to be?" Mickie eyed Emma and August.
"Look, we don't have to do this. Let's settle this a different way. No one needs to get hurt." August's calm but breathy voice tried to settle the room. He inched closer to Regina.
Mickie smiled evilly. "Oh, we got a tough guy over here. He wants to settle it the right way. That's so nice. It's almost sad." Mickie laughs, the gun wavering next to Regina's head. Her eyes glued on Emma in terror.
Out of the corner of Emma's eyes she saw movement come from the kitchen. The door leading to the garage peaked open and Graham's head poked through, catching Emma's glance. Graham nodded at her in assurance and slowly and silently made his way into the kitchen, David not far behind him. For a moment, Emma felt a twinge of hope.
In a flash, everything happened all at once, but Emma felt like she was in slow motion. August lunged, Regina ducked, and Mickie hit the floor, his body covered by Graham. Theo tried to flee, but Emma ripped open the drawer and drew the gun August had given her, pointing it directly at his head. It was all Emma could do to not pull the trigger. To end that man in her foyer. It wasn't until David approached her carefully and put his hand on the gun. Emma's eyes blurred with tears but she easely lowered the gun down.
Regina sprung up with August. "Henry! He sent someone after Henry!" She half screamed.
"Go!" Graham shouted at August. "We got this!"
August headed for the door, Emma quick on his heels and they sped off back through town to the hospital. When they got there, the fire alarms were blaring and flashing through the windows. The officer that was supposed to be stationed at the door was gone and August shot a worried glance at Emma. They rushed into the hospital following only the sound of the fire alarms blaring and the flashing lights.
They both darted off the elevator once they reached the second floor. The nurses station was empty and Emma could hear the rock music still playing in the nurses headphones on the desk, but no nurse plugged into them. As they rounded the corner, the nurse sat on the floor against the opposite wall to Henry's room. She looked almost asleep, and as Emma and August approached her they could see an empty syringe in her right hand. August peaked cautiously into the room and sprawled out on the floor in front of Henry's bed was the man from the house. August turned back to the nurse as Emma pushed past him to get to Henry, who had his head squeezed between two pillows trying to bear the alarms.
"Mom!" Henry sprung up as soon as Emma hit the door and he winced as she wrapped him in a bear hug. "I don't know what happened. The nurse stuck him with something."
Emma gripped him tighter. "It's okay now, Henry. Everything's gonna be okay."