WHEN THE HEART STOPS BEATING - PART TWO
Chapter 5 - Retribution
"Jules, I'm not arguing with you. It's done, you're plane leaves at four - so hurry up and finish packing." Sam turned and walked out of the bedroom "I'm going to make some tea, do you want some?"
"No I don't want a cup of tea, nor do I want to go and see my dad. Why are you doing this Sam? I don't want to leave you here on your own". Jules sounded angry, but she wasn't angry at Sam she was afraid for him.
Sam came back into the bedroom his tone softer "You know why Jules; the phone calls during the night the text messages on our phones, and what happened yesterday. Coulson wants me dead but more importantly he wants me to suffer and the only way he could do that was if he did something to you or Natalie".
"I can understand you are worried Sam, especially about Natalie because she is not SRU and she doesn't know how to defend herself but I do. I am a well-trained officer and I can look after myself."
"Jules he put you in a box and left you there to die. It was sheer luck I found you. I can't take the risk of him getting to you again. Natalie is already back with mom and dad at the base and now you're leaving and then I can concentrate on catching Coulson. I know you usually win every argument we have Jules; but not this one, you are not winning this one; you are too important to me."
"I can't leave you to handle Coulson on your own; you are important to me too Sam. I couldn't bear it if he hurt you again". Jules was pleading with Sam to let her stay.
"I won't be on my own, I'll have the team; they will have my back. If you stay, then I will just be worrying about you all the time and I need to stay focused and alert. You know I'm right Jules, please do this for me baby". Sam gently took her in his arms and kissed her sweetly on her mouth.
Jules knew he had won the argument the moment he kissed her. It did make sense she knew that, but she loved Sam and couldn't bear to think of him handling this alone. He was right though, the team would look out for him. She trusted them implicitly - they would keep Sam safe.
"Ok, Ok, I'll go, but you have to promise me Sam Braddock that you will remain in one piece. If anything happened to you….."
"Nothing is going to happen to me Jules, you cannot get rid of me that easily, you promised to marry me remember?"
Yes she did. She looked at the ring that Sam had placed on the third finger of her left hand. She smiled remembering last Friday, when she had almost knocked him over as she threw herself into his arms. The proposal had been perfect and a complete surprise. They had the day off and had decided to hike to their favorite camping spot. They had been sitting round the fire, drinking beers and feeling totally relaxed. Jules head was resting in Sam's lap and he was playing with her hair and stroking her face. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?" Sam asked.
"A little" Jules teased and then added "I have never loved anyone the way I love you and I have never felt so loved. You are my whole world Sam."
Sam then got up.
"Where are you going?" Jules asked a little annoyed that her cushion had been taken away.
"I need to get something" Sam said and went inside the tent. When he came out he had the sweetest simile.
"What?" Jules asked.
"You are beautiful, do you know that Jules? You are beautiful inside and out and I want you to be my wife" Sam asked still standing by the tent.
"What did you say?" Jules asked sitting up to face him - not quite believing what Sam had just said.
"Will you, Julianna Callaghan" Sam said walking slowly towards Jules and continued "do me the honor of becoming my wife? I adore you. You are my world and I want to spend the rest of my life loving you".
"Yes, yes, yes of course I will" Jules said jumping up and running straight into Sam's arms nearly knocking him over in the process.
The ring was exceptional. Jules could not quite believe how beautiful it was. It was perfect; white gold with one solitary diamond. Pure, simple and elegant.
They sealed the deal in the most perfect way possible under the stars by the fire.
"So you're going, no more arguing?" Sam's voice bringing her back from her sweet memory.
"Yes, yes I'll go". Jules looked at the ring and twisted it around with her thumb. She had an anxious feeling in her stomach; she was worried for Sam.
"Come on, let's have some tea." Jules said as they both walked downstairs.
Two hours later Sam and Jules were at the airport.
"I don't want to go Sam, please let me stay with you" Jules pleaded one more time.
"You have to go Jules; I need you safe and off Coulson's radar. Only our team and Holleran know you are going." Sam pulled Jules to him and held onto her. He didn't want her to go; he would miss her like crazy, but he had to keep her safe.
Sam felt uneasy as he waved Jules off. A thought flashed across his mind that it would be the last time he would see her; and then the thought was gone. Sam waited until the plane was in the air before heading back to the car park and back to finding the man who wanted him dead.
The calls and texts had started a week before. The first call had come in the early hours of Sunday morning to Sam's phone. Coulson was on the other end of the phone telling Sam he was going to put him through unspeakable suffering before he killed him.
The second call was made the following evening to Jules's phone. Coulson said the same to her more or less although he was a little more graphic in what he was going to do to her while making Sam watch. Jules had responded in her inimitable way telling Coulson she couldn't wait to put a bullet in his head. But Sam had noticed her hand was shaking when she put her cell phone on the side.
The calls became more frequent and more ominous. Coulson had obviously started to follow them both as when he called he knew where they had been and what they had been doing.
The final straw came when Sam came home from work early to find their neighbor's cat on their bed. His throat had been cut and had a note pinned to his collar. The note said simply 'You're next'.
Brian Coulson had managed to kill the neighbor's cat, get inside their house and get out again without tripping the alarm and without anyone seeing him. Unfortunately, Coulson was a well-trained ex SRU officer and knew how to surveil his targets and enter any building alarmed or not because that was what the SRU officers were trained to do.
Sam had called Greg and Ed. They both agreed Jules and Natalie needed to be away from the situation. They all believed Coulson would use Jules to get to Sam and possibly Natalie and they needed to keep them both safe and out of the picture. Jules had already suffered at the hands of Coulson and Sam was not about to let her go through anything else.. It had been agreed not to tell the other teams about this latest development and only Holleran knew Jules would be taking some leave.
Spike had already driven Natalie to the base to be with her mom and dad. And now Sam waved his fiancée off to be with her dad and to be safe. Coulson, Sam thought as he drove back to the SRU, it's just you and me. Sam knew that this would end with a death and hoped it would not be his own.
"Did Jules get off OK?" Greg asked Sam as soon as he had walked into the briefing room. Sat around the table were his teammates; his family.
"Yeah, but it wasn't easy getting her on the plane; she is one stubborn woman" Sam said jokingly.
Greg could see the relief on Sam's face; he had two less things to worry about, Natalie was back home with their mom and the General and Jules was safely ensconced in Medicine Hat with her father. The team was going to protect Sam as best they could but they knew Sam was going to be the bait to lure Coulson out and that was worrying everyone, especially Ed. Ed with his tactical head on was worrying about the logistics of keeping Sam safe. There were going to be times when Sam was going to be on his own. This was no ordinary criminal. He was a trained SRU tactical officer, not quite as good as Ed, but good enough. He was up against Sam, an ex-Special Forces operative with skills of his own.
Spike handed Sam a cell phone. "Thanks Spike but I already have one of these". Sam said looking at the phone.
"This is no ordinary phone Sam, this is just for you but you have to make sure you keep it on you the whole time. I can track you through this phone. Also if you get into trouble, just press and hold any key and it will send a SOS message to every one of our phones with your location. No need to press send or call, just press and hold down for a few seconds."
"Cool" Sam said suitably impressed "I feel like James Bond".
"This is serious Sam; he nearly succeeded to killing you before. We are all trying to make sure he is not successful a second time". Greg's tone was serious and Sam knew the Boss was worried for him, worried that he may not survive his next encounter with Coulson.
Things remained very quiet for the next couple of days. There were no phone calls, or texts and everyone hoped that Coulson had decided to leave Sam alone. Sam knew it wasn't the case; Coulson was toying with him and trying to lull him into a false sense of security. He wanted Sam to let his guard down and when he did, Sam knew that would be the time Coulson would strike.
Spike was missing Natalie. He had got so used to the loudness of her that her absence brought a deafening silence. The apartment was too quiet. He used to love the quiet until he met Natalie. She was loud and talked too much and he adored her.
The doorbell rang - Pizza, about time Spike thought and headed for the door.
Sam was watching a documentary on the Vietnam War when his phone rang. It was Spike.
"Hi Spike, what's up?" Sam answered.
"Hi Sam, nothing's up just missing Natalie, and wondered if you wanted to share some pizza and beers over at my place".
"Why not, I'm kind of at a loose end with Jules away I'll be over in ten". Sam said as he switched off the TV and picked up the keys to the jeep.
When Sam reached his old apartment he found the door partially opened. Sam immediately became suspicious until he heard Spike call from the kitchen telling him he had left the door ajar and to come in.
Sam walked into the kitchen. "Spike what the hell...". Sam found Spike tied to a kitchen chair with a device strapped to his chest.
"I'm sorry Sam" Spike said bowing his head in shame. He knew he had led Sam into a trap that would most likely lead to his death. He had no choice. Coulson had kidnapped his mother. Spike had spoken to her; she was scared but unharmed. Coulson said his partner would keep her safe provided Spike did as he was told.
Sam then felt a barrel of a gun dig into the back of his neck and knew it was Coulson.
"Well hello Sam" Coulson said digging the gun deeper into his neck. "Be a good boy and get on your knees"
Sam complied.
"Hands behind you back" Coulson ordered again. Sam hadn't been able to get to the phone to alert the others. They were on their own, and in deep shit.
The flexi cuffs were pulled tight cutting into the flesh on Sam's wrists. Coulson placed flexi cuffs around Sam's ankles. He was at the mercy of Coulson. This is not going to end well Sam thought.
"Why don't you let Spike go, you have me now; you don't need anyone else" Sam pleaded with Coulson.
"Can't do that, you see Spike is my insurance policy" Coulson said placing a gag back over Spike's mouth. "I think you know I'm going to kill you Sam, but Spike will be OK provided I get away and input the code to disarm the bomb. Kind of ironic don't you think, a bomb disposal tech with a bomb strapped to him?"
Without warning Coulson struck Sam's head with the gun. Sam fell to the side, unable to stop the onslaught which was about to commence. Coulson kicked Sam in his back and side alternating between his left and right foot. The steel capped boots doing their job well. Sam could see Spike looking on helplessly as the attack continued for a good five minutes. Coulson only stopped because he was exhausted.
"Do you have any idea how much I fucking hate you Sam Braddock - Special Forces, best sniper, best tactical. Everyone listens to you Sam; they want to know what you think about everything. No one was ever interested in what I had to say; No - it was all about you Sam - the fucking golden boy of the SRU. Well, who's better at tactical now? Seems to me I was better at tactical this time, hey Sam."
Sam couldn't answer the pain had made it hard for him to breathe. But Sam knew it wasn't over; he was preparing himself for round 2.
Round 2 was far worse than round 1. Coulson had recommenced the kicking with renewed vigor, but this time he concentrated his efforts and his steel capped boots to Sam's abdomen and ribs.
Sam tried to remain conscious; he knew once he succumbed to unconsciousness, it would be over. Coulson would have won and Sam would be dead. He wasn't just worried for himself; Spike had a bomb strapped to his chest and the rest of the team had no idea what was going on.
Just as Sam thought he couldn't take any more, Coulson stopped. He removed Spike's gag and left.
"Sam, Sam, talk to me Sam" Spike was pleading, hoping Sam would, could answer him.
Sam coughed and blood spurted out of his mouth. He hated the metallic taste of blood. He felt sick and he could barely breathe.
"I'm good Spike" Sam said coughing up more blood.
Spike knew his friend was in serious need of medical attention but they had bigger problems: Coulson had told Spike he could detonate the bomb remotely from up to a ¼ mile away; his mother had been kidnapped and they needed the team a.s.a.p.
"Can you get free?" Spike asked
"Don't think so Spike, can you?"
"I've been trying but the cuffs are too tight".
"How long do we have before the bomb goes off?" Sam asked.
"I have no idea the timer is on the front and I can't see it from here; it may not matter though because the bastard can detonate it remotely. He's got my Ma Sam. Coulson left me no choice. He told me to call you and get you here or she would die. I've no idea where she is or even if she is still alive, I'm sorry Sam, I'm so sorry." Spike was desolate. They were out of options. Coulson had won again.
"Spike it's OK - we'll find a way to get out of this" Sam reassured Spike but Sam did not think there was any way of getting out of it. He hoped they wouldn't have to wait too long before the bomb exploded. Why prolong the inevitable.
Neither spoke for a good five minutes. Both were contemplating their lives and their imminent deaths when Sam heard footsteps.
"Did you hear that Spike?" Sam whispered. He hoped it wasn't Coulson back again for round 3 because Sam knew he wouldn't survive round 3. Hell he still might not survive round 2 between the internal bleeding and the bomb strapped to Spike's chest.
Sam thought he was dreaming when he saw her walk into the apartment.
"Shit, Sam. What the hell happened?" Jules asked rushing over to his side. She cut the flexi cuffs before checking on Sam's injured body. The almost black bruising an indication that Sam was bleeding internally.
"Go check on Spike, there is a bomb strapped to him". Sam said. He could barely breathe now, each breath more painful than the last. Sam was struggling to remain conscious, but he knew his job was not over yet. He took out the phone Spike had given him and pressed and held down a key on the phone. He didn't have the energy to call and speak to anyone. The team would get the SOS with this location and they would be there shortly.
"Jesus Spike, how did this happen?" Jules asked as she examined the device.
"Long story; how long is left on the timer Jules?" Spike asked.
"It looks like 4 minutes - can it be diffused?"
"I think so" Spike answered "Can you talk me through it?" Jules asked
"Do you want to try?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"You could run" Spike said then added "You'll need a small screwdriver and a pair of cutters. They are in the drawer next the sink".
"Got them" Jules said "what do I do first?"
"Remove the outer cover, carefully Jules, gentle hands and then tell me what you see" Spike said
Jules gently undid each screw then as carefully as she could removed the outer cover exposing wires of differing colors each going to a different location. Jules' hands were shaking and she finally took a breath.
"There's lots of wires here Spike, Red, Yellow, Blue Green and Black all going to a different place."
"Ok, Ok, think Spike" Spike said trying to imagine the circuitry from Jules's description. "Where's the battery and what color wire is going into the battery?"
"The battery is on my right hand side, it looks like the black, red and yellow wires are going to the battery".
Spike didn't speak for a few seconds. "Spike" Jules said "What do I do; which one do I cut?"
"One will disconnect the battery and stop the timer; the other wire is for the remote detonation. The other will detonate the device. There's no way of knowing which one is which" Spike said
"Spike, there is less than 60 seconds. What would happen if I cut the wrong wire?" Jules asked
"If you cut the wrong one - it will trigger the device instantly" Spike explained.
"OK, that's not good, so what you are saying is pick a color and pray?"
"Basically" Spike answered.
"30 seconds, any suggestions, guys?"
"We're out of options Jules, just cut one" Sam told her.
"OK, here goes" as Jules took the cutters.