Hey everyone! Finally back with an update. Had myself a touch of pneumonia, but I'm getting better. At least, I hope so. Anyway, I know this chpt isn't as long as most, but please bare with me.
Tidus and Yuna and arrived at the apartment building where the unknown murders had taken place. Was this maniac still inside? Did Lenne escape with her life and if so, for how long?
The dynamic duo slowly approached the darkened building, which almost seemed to be deserted because of the lack of activity inside. Tidus neared the doorway where he saw a bloody hand. He stopped, holding out his hand to stop Yuna from proceeding onward in front of him.
"Stay behind me." Tidus said with sternness in his voice as he withdrew his gun and the entered the building. Yuna withdrew her gun as well and then stepped inside behind where they found two officers dead.
"Ohh, my- -"Yuna gasped.
Tidus knelt down beside then and checked their pulse, however, none was found. "Damn. They're gone." He then stood up and looked at his partner. "If something should happen while we are in here, get yourself out. Understand?" Yuna nodded her head as they then proceeded onward. "Which floor is Beclems's apartment on?"
"It's on the third floor." Yuna said.
"Why couldn't it have been first floor?" Tidus complained.
"Wouldn't be as much fun now would it?" Yuna said with sarcasm in her voice.
"You're not funny, agent." Tidus said.
"Well, you're not exactly Mr. Comic Man of the year, you know," Yuna teased back.
"Yeah, yeah." Tidus said in defeat as the proceeded towards the stairway to head for the third floor, however, as they approached the doorway, a loud clanging noise is heard somewhere off in the distance and the duo stopped dead in their tracks.
"Did you hear that!" Yuna asked
"I'm afraid so." Tidus said. "Stay behind me."
"Gladly." Yuna said. "I can enjoy the view while I'm behind here." She said in thought.
After proceeding to the third floor, Tidus slowly edged his face around the corner and looked down the hall where three closed doors dwelled. There was one door on each side of the hall and one at the end.
"Which room is Beclem's?" Tidus asked
"The one at the end of the hall." Yuna said
"Figures." Tidus said. "Let's move. Stay close and keep your eyes open."
"Stop telling me how to do me job!" Yuna teased. "Just because I'm a woman doesn't make me feeble minded and weak."
"No." Tidus agreed. "It just makes you more vulnerable to criminals."
Yuna's mouth just dropped open as she watched Tidus step around the corner. "No. Being a woman only makes me more vulnerable to you." She whispered.
"Did you say something?" Tidus pondered.
"No. It was nothing." Yuna said as she followed Tidus down the dark hallway.
A strange eerie silence filled the third floor as Tidus and Yuna headed towards Beclem's apartment. It was as if no life was even in existence there. Was there anyone alive on the third floor at all?
"This is creepy." Yuna said as she kept a constant look over her shoulder.
Each step they took meant one step closer to their destination. What lied behind that closed door was a complete mystery in itself. Who was alive and who wasn't were only a few of the biggest questions at hand here.
"Let's check the side doors first." Tidus suggested. With a nod of Yuna's head, they proceeded to the door on the right. Tidus leaned his ear against the door and listened briefly for any kind of a noise, however, when none was heard, he quickly flew the door opened and took aim. He retrieved his flashlight, turned it on and started shining it around the room. Seconds later, he came across a grossly scene lying in the middle of the living room floor.
"Ohh, my goodness!" Yuna said as she turned her head away.
Tidus walked over, knelt down beside of the dead body and checked for any sign of life within, however, there was none.
"Is he- -" Yuna trailed off.
"I'm afraid so." Tidus said as he approached Yuna, looking back at the dead body, He then sighed. "Come on. We've still two rooms to search." And with that said, they proceeded to the room across the hall.
With caution, Tidus and Yuna stepped back out into the hallway and headed for the other room. Tidus grabbed the doorknob, slowly turned it, and then eased it open when suddenly. . .
"MEOW!" a cat shrieked as it ran out the door, nearly scaring the duo to death as they gasped, but then quickly signed in relief when they realized what it was.
"Damn crazy cat." Tidus said as Yuna gave a small giggle. "Let's move."
Upon stepping inside, Tidus shined the light around the room, however, didn't see anything. Therefore, they decided to check the entire apartment. Yuna headed for the kitchen as Tidus checked the living room and the bathroom, however, nothing or no one was found. So, they left the room and prepared to enter Beclem's apartment.
The door was swung open rather suddenly as Tidus bolted around the corner and aimed at anything visible to his eyes however, no one was there. Nothing but silence filled the entire room.
Yuna stepped forth as she kept her gun up in defense as she went to check things out in the dining room and the areas surrounding them. Tidus headed for the bedroom and the areas around it. Tidus slowly entered the room as he shined his flashlight and observed everything when he then discovered Beclem's dead body lying in a puddle of blood. He cringed at the sight and quickly stepped out of the room. He then turned and entered the bathroom only to find the shower curtain pulled. With great caution, he walked towards it, took a deep breath and quickly pulled it back. He sighed quickly when he noticed that no one was behind the curtain, however, as he turned around, he was greeted by a knife wielding maniac that was screaming hysterically, which jumped at him and knocked him clean to the floor when suddenly, his gun was accidentally fired.
Yuna gasped when she heard the gun go off and headed for the bathroom as she called out Tidus' name.
Tidus had a tight grip on his attacker's hand as he got a close view of the knife that was nearing his throat, however, he managed to overpower his attacker and forced them to drop the knife where he then threw them off just as Yuna entered the room and took aim.
"Stay down!" Yuna ordered as she stepped in front of Tidus who stood up and looked at who had attacked him, however, as the attacker looked at them, Yuna lowered her gun. "Lenne!"
Lenne instantly broke down into tears at who stood before her. She had unknowingly tried to take out one of her friends.
"What happened to you!" Tidus asked as Yuna grabbed a towel from the towel rack and wrapped it around her.
"That. . . freak was here!" Lenne cried. "He killed Beclem. He then raped and tried to kill me as well."
"What!" Yuna shouted.
"He could still be here in this building." Tidus said as he then took off.
"Tidus, what are you doing!" Yuna yelled as she went after him.
Tidus was heading straight for the front door, that is, until Yuna stepped in front of him and blocked the doorway.
"Get out of my way, Yuna." Tidus demanded.
"You're not going out there, Tidus!" Yuna said sternly. "No without backup!"
"This guy could still be here, Yuna! He killed five people on the third floor alone and who knows how many others. He raped Lenne and tried to kill her and threatened to do the same to you!" Yuna's eyes went wide. "Yeah, that phone call was from him threatening you."
"I don't understand." Yuna said.
"I don't either, and I'm not gonna stand around here pondering it either. I'll just find him myself and beat it out of him!" Tidus said as he started to force his way around Yuna until she stepped in front of him yet again and grabbed his arms.
"Tidus, no!" Yuna begged. "Don't put yourself in that type of danger! You could hurt if not killed! And I won't just stand back and let you take such risks!" She slowly let her hands glide down his arms to the tip ends of his fingers as he looked at her. He then grazed the bottom of her jaw line with his finger.
"Alright." Tidus said. "You win."
Tidus suddenly gasped and yelled out in pain as he fell to his knees. Yuna called out his name as she tried to break his fall when she then noticed that a knife had been into his back. Yuna looked up only to see Lenne standing before her. . .