Just for the record, I'm not sure if there is a drug that would have the following affect on Carla, but I sure there will be some nasty one out there.
Usual disclaimer applies.
Chapter 17
I could see everything that was going on, I could hear everything that was going on, and I could certainly feel everything that was going on too. But I couldn't move, and I couldn't speak. Somehow the walking, talking part of my brain was switched off, but I was still all too aware of what was happening to me.
Belivanis was kneeling in front of me pulling my skirt up. This was no easy task as the skirt was so tight fitting. He was clawing at my legs and I could feel the pain as he scratched my skin raw. My head was pounding and my lip stinging. My stomach felt on fire and when I breathed it was agonizing. I'm sure he had broken or at least cracked a rib when he kicked me. I was sitting on the floor leaning against an armchair. Belivanis pulled my legs so that I slid down lying flat on my back. Once again he tried to get my skirt up, this time by ripping the rest of the split up to the waistband. He reached for his belt buckle and I prayed for the first time in my life. I closed my eyes to block out the sight of what was about to happen, as this was the only part of my body that I had any control over.
I waited, breath held, for the inevitable, when suddenly I heard a yell, followed by a crashing sound. I opened my eyes to find Ranger standing over me. He knelt down beside me and carefully pulled me to an upright position.
"I'm so sorry Carla" he said gently. Then he got up and walked over to where Belivanis was lying, he must have been thrown across the room and was now lying among the table and chairs at the other end. Ranger looked down at him, then gave him a swift kick in the genitals.
Then Bobby and Lester were in the room. Bobby looked at me, then to Belivanis, then went to help Ranger get some cuffs on Belivanis. Not that he needed any restraining. Bobby somehow managed to get a kick to the head in. Belivanis was not looking good.
Lester came over to me and crouched down beside me. "Fuck Carla, what did the bastard do to you?" he asked concern written all over his face. "Carla" he said gently shaking me. I couldn't answer, I could only move my eyes to meet his. I couldn't pull my skirt down, or try to fix my corset. I felt so exposed and vulnerable, but at least now I was safe. But the emotion that was so overwhelming me was anger. Where the fuck had they been?
Lester was still shaking me and calling my name when Bobby came over and knelt down beside me. He gently took my face and looked into my eyes. "She's been drugged Les, she can't move, but she can hear us" he said. "Blink Carla, you're okay now".
I blinked at him. What I wanted to do was punch him in the face for leaving me for so long.
Ranger had just got Belivanis to his feet when Lester lunged at him. He punched Belivanis, who fell to the ground, then he started kicking him to the face and torso. Ranger tried to pull him off but it was Tank who managed to restrain Lester in the end. He had just appeared in the doorway with Hal. They both looked down at me with a mixture of pity and shame. I wanted to shoot them both.
"We've found some girls in another room Ranger" Tank said once Lester had calmed down enough to let him go. He came back to sit with me. "We're gonna have to get the cops involved now".
"Get this bastard downstairs" Ranger ordered. "Les, you stay with Carla till I give you the all clear to move out". Get me out now, I don't want wait for any fucking all clear. Look at the state of me?
Everyone left the room, roughly dragging Belivanis with them. Lester gently picked me up and carried me over to the couch. I thought he was going to lay me down but he sat down and sat me on his lap, my head resting against his chest, my legs stretched out across his thighs onto the couch. I noticed one of the heels was broken on my new shoes. I couldn't remember that happening. My thighs were bleeding where I had been scratched and my thigh highs were history.
I could hear Lester's heart beating. It was going too fast. I felt so small lying there against his muscular chest. At 5 foot 9 inches I haven't felt small for a very long time. I felt so safe and warm lying there I could have stayed there forever.
Lester tried to pull my skirt down as well as he could but it was pointless as it was so ripped. He gently hugged me to his chest and tenderly stroked my hair from my face. I was doing my best to stay angry at him but was failing fast. Not that he would know how I was feeling, I still couldn't communicate anything.
He gently lifted my face up towards his own "Can you hear me Carla?" he asked.
I blinked in response. He laid my head back down onto his chest and resumed stroking my hair. It felt so good, and I just wanted to sleep. But what did he want me to hear?
"We were right behind you, all the way, when he pulled into this industrial yard. We know it well, and cos it's so small we knew he would see us if we followed right in, so we held back for a minute. We were just going to head in when the limo came tearing back out the gate. We thought he had made us, so Ranger followed the car, and ordered the other team to search the yard, in case they had dumped you". Lester swallowed hard then continued.
"We caught up with the driver, but only found your tracker, the chain completely snapped. Ranger called Hal and ordered them to start searching the buildings, while we persuaded the driver to take us back to where he had left you. It didn't take that much persuasion, once we introduced him to Tank. It could only have taken seven or eight minutes from when you entered the yard, and look at what he's done to you".
I wanted to tell him it had started in the back of the limo, but of course I couldn't. And I was losing my anger every second he spoke. I was still furious, but not quite as apoplectic as I was minutes ago.
Lester didn't say anything else, just held me. I was just drifting off when the sound of gun fire rang out from outside the room. Lester carefully laid me on the couch and jumped up to investigate, gun drawn. He came back quickly and lifted me up.
"I'm gonna have to go help the guys, but I'm not taking you with me. I'm going to put you down here, but I'll be right back for you, I promise" he said looking me in the eye. He had walked round to the back of the couch and laid me down gently on the floor, I assumed so that any more bad guys coming into the room wouldn't instantly find me. Who the hell was shooting? Was there more bad guys out there? Lester looked at me for a few seconds before leaning down and planting a kiss on my cheek, then he was gone.
I don't know how long I had been lying there, it could have been minutes or hours. I think I might have fallen asleep. I could hear people moving around but no one had come back for me. I tried to move but still couldn't. I tried to shout but still had no voice. Where was Lester? He promised to come back for me. I was cold, but had no way of warming myself up. I was also dying of thirst.
I heard footsteps, then voices in the room. I tried to call out but of course I couldn't. I wasn't sure of the voices but one of the them could have been Zero. But I couldn't be sure I had spoken to him so briefly.
"Les said she was in here" the voice said. I am in here, I'm down here I screamed in my head. Why wasn't Lester coming for me himself. Had he been hurt, or worse? Why don't you idiots look around some more?
The footsteps and voices disappeared and I lay there for another indeterminate length of time before I heard more footsteps in the room. This time they were coming over towards me. A shadow cross over the lamp on the side table and strong arms pulled me up and lay me back on the couch. I looked up to see me rescuer. It was Joe Morelli!
He looked at me with concern as his eyes scanned my body. He took off his leather jacket and covered me with it. "You must be Carla?" he said gently. "That's a good right knee you have there, I hope Steph doesn't decide she wants babies any time soon" he laughed. He had a nice laugh, and a friendly smile. He had a faint scar on his right eye which made his eyelid droop ever so slightly. It all added to his rugged good looks though.
I managed to smile at him. Hey I could move something else. The drug must be wearing off. I still couldn't understand why he was here, and Lester wasn't.
"Lets get you out of here." He took his leather jacket off of me and helped me to get my arms in, before zipping me up. He then gathered me in his arms and lifted me up. I didn't think he would be able to take my weight, he wasn't as big as the Merry Men. But he seemed to manage just fine. He carried me out the room and down the stairs. There was no sign of any Rangemen but there was a few uniformed officers around and police tape everywhere. We went outside and I was blinded by blue flashing lights. I moved my head into Joe's chest. Yes another part of my body of co-operating.
Joe took me over to a jeep and placed me carefully in the passenger side. He ran around to the driver side then leant over to belt me in. He reclined the seat slightly and rested my head on the head rest so I could get comfortable. Then he started the engine and headed away from the mayhem.
"Lets get you to hospital" he said.
"No!" I croaked, surprising myself. Thank God my voice had finally returned.
"What?" Joe said looking at me "You need treatment, you've obviously been drugged, and you have other injuries" he looked worried. He probably thought I had been raped with the state I was in.
"Bobby" was all I managed to say.
Joe looked round at me, taking his eyes of the road for a long moment. "You want to go back to Rangeman?"
I nodded my head. I didn't want to go anywhere near a hospital. I hated hospitals.
Joe looked like he was wrestling with his decision. "Are you sure Bobby can help you?" he asked finally.
I nodded my head again. I wasn't completely sure but he seemed to be the one with the medical knowledge at Rangeman. He had been a medic in the army I was told. I had so many question I wanted to ask Joe, but my throat was sore and my mouth felt like sandpaper.
"Water" I managed to croak. Joe rummaged around under his seat and came out with a half empty bottle of water. He pulled over and opened the bottle. I tried to take it from him but my arms still weren't co-operating. Joe held the bottle to my mouth and helped me drink. I finished the bottle and felt much better.
"Thanks" I said my voice sounding more normal. Joe started up the engine and we were on our way again.
"How did you know my name?" I asked. I wanted to know everything. Like where was Lester?
"I spoke briefly to Manoso after they called us in. I had followed them from the club anyway after realising what they were up to. He told me your name and that you were working for him. He said you knew Steph, my girlfriend".
I nodded. "I met her last night, or actually I met her yesterday, we went shopping".
"Go back a second, you were with her last night? Where?" Joe asked slowing the jeep down to a crawl.
"At the Club Ice Blue" I answered.
"What where you doing there last night?" he asked slamming on the brakes.
I looked at him. He looked really angry. I don't think I had to tell him why we were there last night. He wasn't stupid.
"You're telling me that Steph was supposed to get Belivanis last night?" he shouted.
"It didn't happen last night though. You'll be glad she couldn't make it tonight then." I said. I wasn't bitter that it had been me and not Steph. I think she might have drank the whole glass of champagne then things would have turned out a whole lot worse for her.
"Neither of you should have been asked to do that. Have you done anything like that before?"
I laughed and shook my head. "I work in retail, this is a whole new experience for me". Not one that I wanted to repeat.
"What happened to Lester?" I asked him, wanting to change the subject.
Joe started the car up yet again and we moved off. "He's been shot, but he's okay" he added quickly. "He was wearing a vest so there's just some bruising, but Bobby wanted to take him to hospital to get checked out" he looked over towards me. "I heard him asking one of the goons to go back in for you, how the hell they missed you I'll never know".
I looked out the window trying not to think about what could have been. The drug would have worn off eventually and I would have been able to walk out of there. But where would I have gone. Surely someone would have come back in if Joe hadn't found me when he did. That was just another thing to add to my list of complaints I would have for Ranger.
"How did he get shot? What happened back there I didn't think there was anyone else in the warehouse."
"We don't know that yet, but somehow some of Belivanis's associates turned up. You'll find out the details later Carla, you need to rest just now. I'll get a statement from you tomorrow." Joe turned into a street I recognised so we were nearly there. "I still think you need proper medical attention." he said.
"I'll be fine, if Bobby thinks I need to go to hospital he'll take me" I said.
We turned into Haywood Street but the Rangeman building was in darkness. I looked at the clock on the dash. It was 3.30am. There was a lot of missing chunks of time tonight.
"Doesn't look like anyone's back yet. There was a whole mess that needed sorting back at the department." Joe parked just across the street. I realised I had left my bag in the back of the limo, so I didn't have a key fob, or a phone to try contact anyone.
"They have a housekeeper and a caretaker don't they? I could try and rouse one of them".
"No" I shouted. I didn't want Ella or Louis seeing me in this state. Ella would just worry, or worse, she would give Ranger a telling off. That would be something though, but maybe for another day. Joe just gave me a look.
"Ella's my godmother" I explained. "She doesn't need to see me like this". Joe just shook his head.
We sat for a few moments in silence. Although my voice had returned my limbs still weren't wanting to co-operate, I could only make slight movements but it was improving all the time. Whatever drug I had been given me was wearing off fast.
"How you doing?" Joe asked.
"I'm so tired, but I need to have a shower, get some clothes on, and some painkillers" I said. "Apart from that I'm just peachy" I added trying a weak smile.
Joe laughed softly and shook his head. "You're as bad as Steph. How long are you over here for?" he asked.
"I'm not sure, I haven't made any definite plans" I said.
"Well when you're fit enough, you should come to Pino's with me and Steph. Their meatball subs and pizza's are the best".
"I know, Steph has already introduced me to the subs, and the guys got me a pizza. But that would be great, thanks. I haven't been anywhere else but the mall." I yawned and almost screamed at the pain in my chest.
"Look honey, you need a hospital, we don't know how long these guys will be away for" Joe said
"I'll be fine Joe, I think it's just cracked ribs or something."
"It's the something I'm worried about" he muttered.
Just then the street was lit up with headlights as an SUV turned into the street and onto the Rangeman driveway.
"Stay here" Joe ordered as he jumped out the car and ran over to the vehicle. Where the hell did I think I would go? I had a broken shoe and legs that didn't work!
I watched as Bobby got out the car. I think it was Hal who was driving and he took the SUV into the garage. Bobby took up a defensive stance as Joe started waving his hands around. Bobby suddenly took off towards me at a sprint. Shit I was slumped against the door, and would fall out if he opened it suddenly. I braced myself for more pain but I felt myself falling into strong arms. I hadn't realised I had shut my eyes until I heard Bobby asking if I was sleeping. I opened them and looked up into Bobby's anxious face. I gave him a pathetic smile and was rewarded by a huge smile back.
"We've fucked up big style tonight babe. Believe me heads will roll". He carefully scooped me up and carried me over towards Rangeman. "Morelli says you don't want to go to hospital, you sure you okay with me taking a look at you?".
I nodded. I was exhausted again and it was becoming an effort to stay awake. I could hear Joe coming up behind us muttering to himself.
"I can take it from here Morelli" Bobby said. "Thanks for getting her out safe, we owe you one".
Joe just laughed under his breath. "I'll be back tomorrow for that statement Carla, give Steph a call when you're ready."
"What do you need a fucking statement for Morelli, hasn't she been through enough?" It was Lester, who was climbing out the back of the SUV stiffly, holding his chest. He came over to us and Bobby passed me over to him. I felt like a sack of potatoes, being handed back and forth.
"You're hurt!" I said to Lester "Put me down".
"I'm fine Sweetness" he said holding me close.
"Take her to the medic room, I'll deal with this" Bobby said glaring at Joe.
"Don't go closing fucking ranks with this" Joe shouted. "Yeah you got your result, that bastard is behind bars tonight, but the bottom line is Carla was assaulted tonight. Badly. Are you honestly saying you're gonna let him get away with it" he said glaring back at Bobby.
Bobby looked over at Lester, who was standing with me waiting for the elevator. Lester looked down at me. "It's your call" he said quietly.
Part of me just wanted to forget the whole thing. Hopefully they had enough on him to put him away for a long time. But Joe was right, why should I let Belivanis get away with what he did to me, just because I was doing a job.
"Would I have to go to court?" I asked Joe.
"It might not come to that, it depends on you're statement and whether they want to call you to give evidence. Hopefully there will be enough evidence stacked against him and he'll plead guilty.
"And if there isn't? I asked.
"Then you'll go through hell" Lester said to me. He turned to Morelli "They'll see the way she's dressed, that she was trying to lure him away on her own. His defence will just say she was asking for it" he spat.
"Easy Les" Bobby said looking at me. "Just get Carla upstairs. She can decide tomorrow when she's had some rest".
Lester, myself and Bobby entered the elevator. I looked at Joe, a look of resignation on his face. "I'll call you tomorrow" I said. He looked doubtful, but gave me a smile anyway.
"Look after my jacket" was all he said.
Please review. Carla will join Steph in a happy dance!