CH 3 of 5 TODAY ...

Warning: If you don't like the content skip to the next chapter … Happy ending in sight.

(12/7/2019)

CHAPTER 68

Continued …

Jack was sitting in the mess hall at lunch when an announcement came over the speakers.

"Sergeant Thornton. Report to the office."

Surprised, Jack stood from the table where he sat with some of his squad members.

"Sounds important Thornton."

"It's unusual, I will give you that."

He dumped his tray of food off on the counter on the side and headed straight for the office.

"Sergeant Thornton here" he said addressing the officer sitting behind the office desk.

"There's a call here for you. Major Gowan is waiting on the line."

Jack was confused for a moment before he was handed the phone.

"Major?" Jack spoke into the mouthpiece.

"Jack?"

"Yes, sir."

"This isn't exactly a work call, Jack. There's been a situation at the elementary school."

"Okay ... what type of situation?"

Jack didn't bother hiding his confusion although he immediately thought of Elizabeth and his daughters.

"A man took a hostage at gun point. The majority of students are out and safe but he still has a hostage."

Immediately Jack felt everything come crashing down. There is only one reason why his Major would be personally making this call.

"Tell me that it's not Elizabeth." Jack's heart was pounding so loud he could barely hear through the phone.

"I'm sorry, Jack, but it is. So far she appears okay but ..."

"Can I leave here?"

"Yes. Jump on a domestic flight if you have to. Shane is on the school premises, he identified her and the whole team is trying their best to get her out unharmed. Don't panic just yet."

"I'm leaving now!"

Jack hung up the phone and ran towards the hangar.

Shane peered down the main school corridor and it was quiet and dark. The only light came from the classroom doors scattered along the length of the corridor after it was decided to shut off the power. They had been told that the gunman was toward the other end of the building but they were still ready in case he appeared.

Shane led the way, edging along to Elizabeth's classroom. He had been in this corridor many times before and he was almost certain that his daughter had been in this classroom last year.

As he reached the door, he opened it slowly before sliding inside followed by three other members of his squad. He checked the room over and had yet to see any movement in the dim light.

Shane scanned the room and after seeing no threat, he put his gun away before moving toward the back of the room. Only then did he hear a noise.

"Hello?" he called out softly. "We're trying to find Mrs Thornton's students. My name is Shane. She sent us to come and get you."

He crept toward the direction of the sound and when he rounded the corner, only then did he see the students huddled in the corner.

"There you are. It's okay."

Shane slowed his actions down and removed his helmet slowly.

"We're not going to hurt you. Is everyone okay?"

The students were terrified and didn't know what to do but he saw a few of them nodding.

"I have a daughter that goes to school here. Her name is Sophie and she is in the same class as Mrs Thornton's daughter Halley. They are waiting outside with all of your teachers who are all worried about you. How about we go out and see them?"

A little boy nodded and moved forward. Shane held out his hand.

"Okay, buddy. Go stand over there and we need to count all of you before we get out of here."

One of Shane's officers had already removed a window panel with the help of officers from the other side and they had climbed through, getting ready to move the children through the window rather than move back down the corridor.

After the first student moved, the rest followed quickly behind. As they were lifted out of the window they were counted and the room was swept before the last of the squad left out the window with Shane following at the back. One of the little girls had decided he was the safest option and didn't want to be separated from him, so he carried the small girl back to the evacuation area with her clinging to his neck.

"All 18 children accounted for. That's everyone out, except for Elizabeth" Molly told him.

He radioed the information through to his staff sergeant.

"The hour is almost up. The gunman should appear soon. SWAT just arrived and are being briefed" was the reply. "Squad _ report back."

"Yes, sir."

Shane waved at his crew and they made their way back along the school perimeter.

There had been no flights departing that day from the hangar so one of Jack's squad members had driven him toward the domestic airport. Jack had called ahead, explained the situation and the airline held a flight for him. As soon as the car slowed, Jack was out the door and running.

An airline attendant had waited with his ticket which he quickly received with a hurried thankyou and then he was running again for security. They rushed him through and finally he had taken his seat on the full plane as the crew readied the plane for take-off.

Jack had let out a sigh of relief as he collapsed in his chair. He had made it. He was going home. What he would find there scared the hell out of him though.

Elizabeth still sat on the floor of the classroom when all of a sudden the gunman left his view point at the window and stalked over to her.

"That's it. Time's up."

He yanked Elizabeth to her feet and pulled her toward the front doors of the school. He threw her out, still holding her arm as and she felt the gun pressing into her lower back. The sudden emergence into the sunlight blinded her for a moment before her eyes adjusted.

"Where is he? Where's my son?" the man yelled.

"He is on route."

"That's not good enough. I gave you an hour."

Elizabeth glanced around and could see the military were now standing with the police as well. For a minute she was hoping to see Jack before she remembered there was no way that he would be here. Her eyes filled with tears as she thought of him.

"You do realise that I have a hostage. Maybe I should rough her up a bit until you take me seriously."

Although the man wasn't thinking straight in some ways, he did manage to keep Elizabeth close to him and used her to block him from the police. His grip was strong on her arm and she knew she couldn't pull away from him. Right now she was disposable to him so she didn't want to risk anything that could put herself in more danger.

The gunman pulled her back towards the school and then she caught a glimpse of an army officer that looked like Shane close to the fence. Elizabeth pointed at the classroom she was likely being dragged back to before he disappeared from view and she was plunged back into the darkness of the corridor.

As soon as they were back through the doors, she was shoved back into the classroom hard and she stumbled into the teachers desk where the edge hit her stomach. She caught herself before falling to the ground. But when she turned he was in her face, punching her in the side of the face. Elizabeth fell down to the floor and then she saw a boot coming for her stomach.

"No. Please!" she screamed. "No! I'm pregnant!"

Her pleas made no difference. She rolled slightly to avoid direct impact and ended up with a kick in the side. She groaned but saw he was lining up to do it again. Her hand blocked his foot and she heard her wrist crack at the impact. Then as he lined up for another, she froze when she heard a gun shot. The man fell to the ground beside her, releasing the gun. Elizabeth scrambled for it, grabbing it with both hands. He let out a loud groan beside her but he remained incapacitated.

As soon as the shot went off, Elizabeth heard movement outside the room before police officers swarmed into the room. To Elizabeth's relief it was the SWAT team. The gunman was surrounded and someone took the gun out of Elizabeth's hand.

Elizabeth then had arms on her. An officer was in front of her talking but all she could do was groan. Moments later an army officer appeared by her side and as he removed his helmet she saw Shane more clearly.

"It was you" she said.

"Elizabeth! Tell us where you're hurting!"

"He kicked me, Shane" she sobbed through her tears.

"In the stomach?"

"I tried to stop it."

"Where else?"

"My face. My ribs."

She felt his warm hand on her arm. "It will be okay. We're getting you out of here."

"The girls?"

"All safe. And Jack's on his way home."

"Jack?"

"Yes, he's coming."

Medics swarmed the room with a stretcher in tow. Elizabeth was eased onto it carefully and covered with a medical blanket. She could hear Shane telling them her information but she couldn't hear him clearly.

"Elizabeth Thornton … four months pregnant … hit on the face and kicked in the abdomen … cradling her wrist … hostage for 90 minutes ... husband on route from interstate."

Elizabeth felt the cold overwhelm her and she was now shaking uncontrollably. Jack. She wanted Jack.

"She's going into shock. We need to move now."

The rest was a blur as everything happened around her. There were faces everywhere and then Elizabeth was rushed across the school grounds and loaded into an ambulance. The sound of the sirens overwhelmed her and then all she saw was black.

Shane was in a police car following behind the ambulance. He pulled out his phone to call Katy.

"Hi sweetie."

"Shane. Oh my goodness. Did you hear what happened?"

"I did. I've just left the school. Are you on your way?"

"Yes, I'm already there. One of the other parents called me. I'm with Sophie and Halley right now."

"Good. Well, you'll need to take Halley and Grace home too."

"Okay" Katy said slowly. "Why?"

"Elizabeth was involved in the incident. I'm following the ambulance to the hospital."

Shane heard her gasp. "Oh no."

"Look she's hopefully going to be okay but you'll need to get the girls or at least make sure Viola knows."

"Okay."

She heard her relaying part of the information to Halley. "We need to find your sister. You'll have to come home with me until we hear from your mommy."

There were voices in the background that she couldn't pick out.

"Ah Shane. Apparently the Thornton's have a safe word."

"What? Halley knows us."

"I know but I think she's just really freaked out with everything that's happening. Can you ask Jack while I go and find Grace?"

"Yes, I was about to call him. I'll let you know."

"Bye Shane. Love you."

"Bye. I love you too, Katy."

Shane got off the phone and immediately dialled Jack's number. It went straight to voicemail so he figured he must be on his way. He texted Katy to let her know just as the police car arrived at the hospital. Shane jumped out of the car and raced into emergency to wait.

At the school, Katy was flustered. She had Phillip in his pram, Candice and Eve holding onto the sides, Sophie clinging to her side while Grace and Halley were holding each other's hand, confused as to what to do.

Katy understood the need for a safe word but right now it had paralysed the girls. The teachers who were watching over the children were happy for Katy to sign both of the Thornton girls out knowing Elizabeth and Katy were close but now they refused to move.

"I'm going to call your Aunt Viola, okay. Will you speak to her?"

Halley nodded slowly.

Katy pulled up Viola's number, which she had saved in her phone. She didn't think she'd ever called Viola but since Oscar and Sophie had been in the same class together last year, they were acquainted with one another.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Viola?"

"Yes?"

"This is Katy Cantrell. Are you at the school?"

"Yes, I just arrived."

"Good. Can you come and find me? I have Halley, Grace and Eve with me. I'm standing beside the childcare."

"Alright. I will just get Oscar and I will be right there."

Katy hung up and relayed the information to Halley and Grace.

Within ten minutes, Viola appeared with her two children.

"Goodness, Katy. This is all just horrible!"

"It sure is."

"Why do you have Elizabeth's kids?"

"No one told you?"

Viola froze. "Told me what?"

Katy glanced at the children who were watching her. She moved closer to Viola so she wouldn't be heard.

"Elizabeth was involved in the situation. She's been taken to the hospital."

Viola began to panic and Katy put her hand on her arm trying to calm her down.

"Shane said she's okay so far but he will call when he has more news. Apparently, Jack is on his way home but Shane's not exactly sure where he is at this moment."

"I need to get to the hospital" Viola said hurriedly.

"Look the girls don't want to go with me after everything that's happened. They just want their Mom. Apparently Elizabeth had a safe word. Do you know what it was?"

"Yes. Hang on a minute."

Viola frantically pulled up her text messages, her finger shaking as she tried to find the one Elizabeth sent.

"Here it is. Purple fairy unicorn."

Katy sighed. "Thank goodness. Can you convince them to go with me?"

Viola nodded before moving towards her nieces. She dropped to her knees in front of them.

"Are you both okay?"

They nodded slowly and Grace lent forward to give her a hug, tears were now rolling down her cheeks.

"I want Mommy."

"I know sweetie, but she had to go to the hospital. But Daddy is coming home and you'll all be together again soon. In the meantime, I need you to go with Katy. I'm going to go to the hospital too and make sure she's okay."

"Can we come?"

"Not yet, Halley. I'll go make sure she's okay first, alright? Then either your Dad or I will come and get you. But I need you to be big and strong and go with Katy now."

"She doesn't know the safe word."

"Yes but you're Mommy told me." She leant forward and whispered it to them and both Halley and Grace smiled.

"You know it" Halley said.

"Yes. Your Mom told me the other day. Now I'm telling you, your Mom would want you to go with Katy right now. She is too sick to tell you herself and your Daddy isn't answering his phone. But we know Katy. You've been to her house many times before and Mommy and Daddy are very good friends with them, aren't they?"

"Yes."

"So they are safe, don't you think?"

"Yes" Halley said and Grace nodded in agreement.

"Alright then. That's decided."

"How about we go to Abigail's and get something to eat then?" Katie asked.

"Can I have icecream? Mommy says icecream always makes you happy" Gracie said sadly.

After seeing her expression, there was no way Katy couldn't deny her. "Of course. Come now, lets go to the car."

Viola helped Katy to the car with all of the children and helped them into their seatbelts.

"Lucky you have a big van, Katy. I would have never fit everyone in my car."

Katy smiled. "Thanks Viola."

"No worries. I better get going. I will let you know any updates."

With that Viola left in a hurry to get back to her own car. She buckled her two children in and as soon as she got into the driver's seat, the reality of the situation sunk in. Tears slipped from her eyes as she turned the car on and began dialling her husband's number.