First Date

These good fellows don't belong to me but I promise when I'm done to pick um up, dust um off and with a kiss on the cheek return them safely home.

"When the world says "Give up,"
Hope whispers "Try one more time."

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Chapter 20

Roy backed out into the road and stopped. Why? His brain was telling him he had to get back to the ranch because that was the only place that Carter or anyone for that matter knew how to find him. What if they had already found something out and he was running around the coastline of California with no rhyme or reason? Of course sitting in the middle of the road was stupid too. Just what he needed was for someone to come flying around the corner and slam into the back of him. Lot of help he'd be then.

Another deep breath. He felt lost. They were gone and he no longer knew what to do. Looking over to the gravel parking lot he felt drawn to the beach below. It seemed like he was supposed to be here but then this was a special place to her and after their first date it was to him now. Resigning himself to an irrational decision he pulled back into the little lot and turned off the engine.

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Adler climbed over another rock and stumbled again. It was infuriating to him every time he lost his footing, every slice of his skin bringing pain that only seemed to fuel his fire. Silently he stepped out onto the sand. He stayed low against the rocks and scanned the small beach area looking for three figures. Johnny was almost right in front of him getting back to his feet then moved forward. He was talking to her and only then did he see Kanda step out of the shadows with the little girl in her hand. She was smiling.

Smiling! "What a lovely smile my dear," he whispered to himself. Remaining in the shadow of the dark rocks he worked his way around towards the cliff wall obscured by the darkness of the hidden moon.

"Johnny, we have to get moving," she called to him as she headed towards him. She knew that her brother was about at the end of his endurance but just a little more and they would be up the cliff. Something in her said that safety was up there. If she could get Johnny to just make it a little farther they would be okay but down here put her at the very edge of her nerves.

The movement that came up behind her was fast and swift leaving no time for her to react, no time to even let out a scream. His arm wrapped around her throat so tightly that it effectively cut off any ability for her to cry out. At the same time she was knocked forward by him, Jenny's hand was knocked out of her own. Terror swept through her as his voice whispered in her ear.

"Hello again my love." She could only gasp for air as his grip tightened on her throat and her heart sank as there was no way for her to warn Johnny as she watched him get closer.

Johnny would have walked with his eyes closed if it was possible, his head was throbbing again. He knew that Kanda was right; they had to keep moving no matter how completely drained he was. Just a little further. He looked up to smile at her, still amazed at her excitement over finding this place but when his eyes met hers he froze. Someone was with her.

Adler.

Oh God, he had her. "Please….don't," he fumbled over his words.

"Don't what?" The man smiled back to him. "Why don't I share with her what you did to me fireman?"

"Don't hurt her," Johnny begged.

"We are beyond that dear brother," Adler said as he took the gun hand and brushed his fingers against her cheek. "She betrayed my love." His grip tightened further and her knees buckled under her as the air flow to her lungs was becoming minimal.

She begged Johnny with her eyes. She wanted him to get away, to take Jenny and run but just as she thought she would pass out he loosened his hold allowing some precious air to rush into her starved lungs.

Adler was now pushing her forward, "This is our dilemma my dear." They moved closer to Johnny. "What am I going to do with all of you now?" Now only a few feet from him.

Her heart panicked, Jenny? Where was Jenny? She had been knocked back from her hand, where did she go? With no ability to look she prayed that Jenny would hide and have a chance of getting out of this alive.

"You can let her go and take me," Johnny was saying.

"Hmm…" Adler hummed in her ear.

"Johnny NO!" She cried out only to be greeted with the closing of her airway again. Relax she told herself. Shallow breaths….you can do this.

Jenny had backed up against the rocks of the cliff, into the shadows and crouched down. That man was here again and she was so scared. Her daddy, she just wanted her daddy. Where was he? Why hadn't he found them? The man had her Kanda but she was afraid to do anything. She was too little, too scared. She would wait for them to come and get her. To take her home.

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Roy opened the car door and stepped out into the cool night air. The crashing of waves out in front of him reminded him of the last time he was here. If he hadn't been afraid for her very life right now he could get lost in the memories of his time here with her. His feet moved towards the edge, but not too close. Nothing much would take away his dislike of heights.

The grip on his stomach was still there and once again it was threatening to send him heaving again. Without thinking he stepped to the edge. Closing his eyes he swallowed it down, not again, he just didn't have the energy to go through that again.

Opening up his eyes his eyes followed the clouds as they moved away from the moon flooding the beached area as if a flashlight had been turned on, illuminating the area and drawing his attention down below.

He froze.

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Adler was almost to him and he had no idea what to do but he was absolutely sure that time was running out for all of them. He silently assessed the man's injuries. They could be used to his advantage. The deep gash in his leg was bleeding heavily, his hands were majorly cut up and there was a large cut across his chest that was bleeding. Unfortunately he was so focused on them with rage and adrenaline coursing through his body that he seemed oblivious that he was even hurt.

He watched the color of Kanda's face turn from light red to dark red. He had to do something. The he saw her eyes but she wasn't looking at him. What was she looking at?

She didn't know why she looked up, but she did. She shouldn't know who the dark figure was, but she did and her heart soared. She might never know how or understand why but he was here. He had found them. But as her movements caused the grip to only tighten her world was starting to grow dark and this time she didn't think he would give her a second reprieve.

"I don't want any of you to cause me trouble again," Adler was screaming now. "This was planned out. This was supposed to have worked!" He was no longer even aware of Kanda locked in his arm or that her weight was becoming more for him to hold as he strangled the very life out of her.

"You're killing her!" Johnny yelled back. "I thought you loved her?"

Adler stopped for a moment and looked at her. Johnny took that moment to look up and see what Kanda had been so focused on. His heart leapt into this throat. He must be hallucinating. There was no way. How? But the figure was now moving down the path towards them and Johnny suddenly had another life to fear for. If Adler turned around he would see him and Roy would be an easy target, stuck on the side of a cliff with nowhere to go or hide. The fall alone from there would kill him.

Johnny had to distract Adler enough to give Roy time to descend and just enough of a release on Kanda for some lifesaving air. Adler was close enough, Johnny estimated. Taking a deep breath and steeling his body for the discomfort to come he took a chance.

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It was like he was in a dream. They were right there in front of him but before joy could surge through him he realized that something was wrong. There were three adults. He couldn't see Jenny anywhere and panic coursed through him. Stepping onto the path he began to work his way down as quietly and quickly as he dared.

He remembered the rocky path and chose his foot placements carefully. Not only did he want to keep from falling he tried to keep from kicking loose rocks down below. As he got closer he realized that the stranger had Kanda and by the look in Johnny's eyes her life was in immediate danger. Johnny looked terrible too as Roy quickly assessed him from a distance. His head was bandaged, blood on his shirt, his movements revealed pain that someone else might miss but not Roy. He knew his partner like the back of his hand.

Johnny was planning something and his glance to Roy told him that somehow he was included in this secret plan. But this wouldn't be the first time that the two best friends had worked with no words even needed between them.

As Roy got towards the bottom of the slope he heard a noise and looked to the left. His heart about jumped out of his body as he saw his Jenny hunched down and hiding. Jenny. But he knew she mustn't move. Putting his finger to his lips he passed her a 'Shh' along with placing his hands over his eyes. Their long time symbol of hide and seek. She pushed back against the rock but her smile for him was all he needed to know she was alright.

He was still quite a distance from the trio and knew he had thick deep sand to slow him down. As much as it killed him he had to wait for Johnny to make the first move.