Chapter Eight: Feint

There was a loud bang at the door. Turner and Banes could hear it clearly even though they were on the floor above. They looked at each other, confused. No one ever called here unless they had been told to.

"Who the hell is that?", Turner asked.

"Turner, I'm standing right next to you, how am I meant to know who it is?", Banes quipped.

"But no one ever comes here!"

"I know that Turner! If you can't say something intelligent then just shut up!", Banes said nastily.

Turner opened his mouth as if he was about to retort but glancing Banes' face, he thought better of it and the man fell silent.

"It'll just be an advertising call", Banes said, "They'll go away if we ignore them"

But the knock sounded again. The two men stood silently while the banging on the door grew louder and more frequent. On the seventh time the bang sounded, Bates decided he best do something about it. Either this advertiser was very persistent or someone really wanted to see them. He shoved a small blade from the sideboard into his pocket and made his way downstairs towards the door. He removed the latch and opened it cautiously.

Leaning against the door frame was Troy Bolton, his eyebrow raised, "Took your time", he said nonchalantly and made his way into the house, "I want to see her"

...

Gabriella had locked herself in the bedroom of the home she shared with Troy. She desperately took all of the furniture she could get her hands on and blockaded the door with it, praying that he couldn't get in. She crouched in the corner of the room, staring at the door. His footsteps approached. There was a loud bang. The door shuddered.

BANG! It began to creak.

BANG! The hinges groaned and a crack appeared down the centre line of the door.

BANG! Splinters of wood flew towards Gabriella as she cowered on the floor.

BANG! The top set of hinges were blown and the door creaked open.

BANG! The door collapsed.

Staring at her was Troy Bolton. Her boyfriend who she loved. His blue eyes had turned to red as he threw his head back and laughed demonically. This wasn't the Troy she knew. He was a monster. He was going to get her. She huddled herself further away into the corner, away from the boy that she once knew and loved as he approached her.

BANG!

Gabriella woke with a start. She looked around for the monster in the darkness before realising that she was still alone in the basement and that she had just woken from a deep sleep. The dream had shaken her and she reached to her forehead to wipe the sweat from her brow. Although the dream had been terrifying, it was over. Not like the nightmare she was living.

BANG!

Gabriella was confused. She was sure that her dream was over. Why was the banging persisting? Before she had time to question the fact any further, she heard heavy footsteps running down the stairs as either Banes or Turner rushed to the front door and pulled it open. A man's voice spoke incoherently before a second set of footsteps walked on the floor above her, over the a room in the house. She heard conversation.

She ignored what was going on over her head and decided to lose herself in thought. It was only when the voices seemed to be directly above her that she began to pay attention, she listened carefully. If she strained hard enough, she could hear the conversation. It did not take much effort for her to realise who the new visitor was.

...

"Are you sure you don't want us to come down there with you?", Turner asked.

"Leave the boy alone, Turner", Banes snapped, "He'll be fine".

"I just want to talk to the girl alone", Troy looked at both of them in the eye and emphasised the final word he had spoken. They both appeared to understand. Despite this, Turner turned to face Troy, suddenly suspicious.

"Why do you want to talk to her?", he asked.

"Hmmm?", Troy was caught off guard by the question.

"Why do you want to speak to Ms Montez?", Turner repeated.

"I have some things I need to say to her"

"And why is it so vital that you are alone?"

Troy glared at him, "Because what I wish to say is no business of yours"

"But. . ."

"Turner!", Banes snapped suddenly, "If Bolton wants to talk to the Montez girl alone then that is absolutely what he will do. He has done us a great favour in assisting us with her kidnapping. The very least we can do is heed such a simple wish"

Turner fell silent at Banes' word.

"I'm sorry about my collaborator, Bolton. He is quite dim at the best of times", Banes said to Troy.

Troy nodded, "Apology accepted. Now if you don't mind", he raised his eyebrows and signalled to the hatch. The two men nodded and made their way upstairs, leaving Troy alone. He opened the hatch.

...

Gabriella had heard the conversation. She heard the hatch open. She heard someone climbing down the ladder. She heard them approach her. Even as a hand rested on her shoulder, she kept her back turned to Troy, refusing to look at him.

"Gabriella?"

"What?", she snapped.

"Gabriella, look at me", Troy was whispering.

His voice was just how she remembered, soft and loving. It was not how it had been last time she had seen him. It made her remember how much she adored him which until now, she had managed to block from her thoughts. Suddenly, she stiffened, she remembered what Troy had done, what he had said to her. She was not going to fall again.

"Gabriella, please?", Troy sounded like he was begging. He sounded like he might have been crying.

She could resist no longer and Gabriella turned around to face him. Troy was sat cross legged in front of her, his head bowed, his hands in his lap. He looked forlorn, despairing. Her heart gave a leap at how vulnerable he looked. He glanced up at her and caught her eye and she noticed that a tear was shimmering on his pale face.

"Gabriella", he choked her name out before reaching towards her. She leant away from him, unsure of how to act. He let his hand fall to the ground between them.

"Why are you here?", she asked him, confused.

He took a moment, swallowing heavily before he finally spoke two small words, "I'm sorry".

He looked her in the eye and her heart was touched. Her feelings came rushing back to her and she couldn't deny her love for him. She flung her arms around him and they collapsed onto the floor together in a pile, hugging as tightly as they could. They stayed there for a long time, locking lips occasionally and whispering that they loved each other. Finally, they sat up, facing one another.

Gabriella spoke through her tears, "Why did you do it, Troy?"

"What?", he replied, "Gabriella, you can't still think that of me?"

"Huh?", Gabriella was confused. He told her that he was responsible for her kidnapping. He told her that he didn't love her. How could he be taking it back?

"Gabriella, everything I said last time, I didn't mean it. I swear to you I didn't mean it. I love you"

"Okay, I accept that but that doesn't change the fact that you did this to me!"

"Gabriella! I didn't!", he whispered, exasperated, "I swear to you, I have not been involved in this in any way!"

"But you said. . ."

"I said I was to get in here! I found out where they were keeping you and I knew that I had to get you out. I said what I did to get here and rescue you, Gabriella!"

"Why would they believe you?", she asked, still not sure whether to believe him.

"I told them that I was the counterpart of the leader of their crime gang and that it had been my idea to kidnap you. It was my superior that was relaying information to them about what to do but because I had connections with your family, I could help them out!"

"Oh. . ."

"I swear, Gabriella, it was all a lie"

She paused for a second, "But what about all of the stuff you told me? About the van and the phone calls? How you proved that you were involved in it?"

"I made it up, Gabriella. I remembered the things that had happened and I turned them around so that it made it seem like I really was involved with those guys!"

"And what about when you got beat up? Where are the injuries?", she asked.

"It's dark in here, a little makeup goes a long way. Touch my arm", he whispered and held his arm out to her. She felt along it and could feel the obvious bumps and gauges in her skin from where he had been pummelled by Turner and Banes. She gasped, realising that he had been telling the truth.

"I'm so sorry, Gabriella, I had to lie so that they would believe me. If you had any idea that I was messing them around then they might have found out. I wish I didn't have to but I promise you, it was all lies, I love you always have!"

Gabriella nodded as tears started to pour down her cheeks. She was so relieved. Troy was here, he was with her and he was going to rescue her and most importantly, he still loved her. He gripped her hand tightly.

"Come on, let's get out of here", he said quietly.

The couple stood up shakily together, holding on to each other desperately. They made their way across the basement to the ladder leading upstairs. Midway across the room, Troy stopped and turned to Gabriella, holding her shoulders. Although it was dark in the room, her eyes had adjusted to the lack of light and she could just about make out his face. He kissed her passionately on her lips for a moment and then looked her in the eye.

"I love you, Gabriella"

"I love you too", she whispered.

A loud voice suddenly punctured the darkness, "Oh what a lovely scene!". A light flicked on and Troy and Gabriella squinted into the light surroundings. As they became adjusted to it, they took note of a figure leaning against a wall, next to a door, his finger poised on a light switch to the right of his shoulder. Banes' had heard everything they had said. He brandished a knife.

"It seems such a shame to do this"

Troy and Gabriella clung to each other.