Part 24
- Ewen's Rental Car -
Ewen got back in the car, setting the package on the seat between them. He shoved the key in the ignition and threw the car into reverse. "I'm very sorry, Elizabeth, but you need to get the things out on your own." He looked around her at the road, crossing it quickly and taking the onramp back to the highway. "I'm very sorry, but we have to keep going."
She barely moved in the seat, one hand covering her belly she reached the other into the bag and withdrew a bottle of water. "So thirsty."
"Yes, yes... please, Elizabeth, drink the water. We have to get back on the road to Port Charles..." he looked sideways at her, wondering if the dark shadows he saw on her face were a product of the shadows in the car. "Who should we contact when we get there? Do you have any family?"
"Grams..." Elizabeth gasped out the word as her water bottle fell to the floor, "ow!"
- Dr. Fortner's Mercedes -
The further he went on the road... the more convinced that he was heading in the right direction. Ewen would take her back to Port Charles. The poor sod was like him in many ways, but Ewen always had that 'knight in shining armor' complex. He wanted to be a good guy and save the girl from the dragon.
Laughing to himself in the darkness of his wrongfully appropriated vehicle, Craig gripped the wheel a little tighter and wondered if it wasn't Ric Lansing that had been the dragon. He, he surmised was more of an evil wizard, but the end game was still the same. He was going to get the girl.
- Hartford Critical Care and Clinic - Room 213 -
Jason couldn't stand the wait and headed toward his car. Something deep down... in that place where he could feel her heart thundering... told him to get back outside. "Talk to me, Spinelli!"
"I'm working on it, Stonecold. I have all the security cameras in PC hooked up but you're out of state and out of state is like out of mind... at least my laptop's mind and really when you think about it-"
"Dammit, Spinelli... talk later, type faster."
Jason pushed through the front doors and weaved his way through the milling patients and staff. They were all preparing to go back inside as he climbed into his SUV. "Come on, Spinelli... I need to know where to go."
Spinelli mumbled something beneath his breath, followed by a chip-like crunch and a gulp of liquid. "I'm almost there..."
- Ewen's Rental Car -
"Oh no... please." Elizabeth's frantic voice rose to another level of panic. "I'm not... it's too soon."
Ewen gripped the wheel tighter and wished that the car could go just a little faster or they'd come across some kind of law enforcement officer... a police escort, while ironic, would really help at the moment. "Just breathe, Elizabeth, breathe."
"I'm trying... why," she gasped, "isn't Ric here?"
There was fear in her voice and when he could catch sight of her eyes... they were terrified. "It will all be fine... just wait and-"
"Wait?" She squirmed in the seat and pressed both hands over her middle. "This doesn't feel right."
"How was it before?"
"Before?" Elizabeth gasped in pain and missed Ewen's cringe.
He was terribly flustered and had slipped. 'THIS' Elizabeth had never had a baby... 'THIS' Elizabeth was pregnant for the first time. "It will all be fine, Elizabeth... we're," he looked out the window, "only about an hour outside of Port Charles and-"
A flash of headlights in his rearview mirror blinded him for a moment.
- Corinthos Coffee SUV -
Jason continued on the road, listening as Spinelli rattled on.
"I have car in a mini-mart parking lot. Someone got out and comes back with a bag full of something and gets back in. Hey," Spinelli offers a quick thought, "maybe they're just getting snacks... see, Stonecold, I'm sure everything is great and-"
"They get back in the car and go where?" Jason's eyes are glued on the road ahead.
"Uh... he got back in the car and they're back on the road to... hey, they're heading toward Port Charles!"
"And the men? Cody? Where are they?"
The crunch of a chip echoed in Jason's ears.
"They were nearly to the clinic when I figured out where your fair love was headed, so they've turned around and are coming up behind you."
"Faster." Jason ground the word past his clenched teeth. "Need to go faster."
- Ewen's Rental Car -
"Faster." Ewen mumbled beneath his breath. "We need to go faster." His arms locked straight, his leg pressed down on the gas pedal, Ewen willed the car to go faster as they swerved around an 18 wheeler in their way."
"Ow... careful!" Elizabeth, through her pain, called out a warning as their car narrowly missed a mini van in the land on her side of the car. "Please... watch out!" Her fear turned to pain as another twisting pain in her belly pressed her back against the seat. "I need help... pull over... call an ambulance!"
Ewen looked back in his mirror at the car following just behind them. "I can't, Elizabeth... I wish I could explain everything to you... but just understand that if we stop now.. if we pull over..." he looked at her even though her eyes were fixed on her belly and she couldn't see the earnest expression in his, "it's not going to be good for either of us."
- Dr. Fortner's Mercedes -
Craig had to laugh a little. The psychiatrist could certainly drive fast... too bad for Ewen, though, that he'd rented a run of the mill four door sedan. A Mercedes, a vehicle of superior construction and ridiculous power, had no problem keeping up.
Shifting, Craig pressed harder on the gas pedal.
Keeping up wasn't the issue any more... he didn't have to look in the mirror to see the wide Cheshire-like grin on his face. He was stalking his prey and in a few moments, he was going to catch the two little mice up ahead.
- Ewen's Rental Car -
Ewen looked into the rearview and paled. The headlights were gaining on them and he had already pushed the pedal to the floor. The traffic had thinned and he wished it hadn't. More traffic meant witnesses. More traffic meant cell phones. More traffic meant safety.
- Dr. Fortner's Mercedes -
The bumper of Ewen's car was so close, Craig could almost read the name of the rental car company from the bumper sticker.
Anticipation thrummed through his veins. He lived for moments like this... having someone he wanted just out of reach... the chase was exhilarating. It meant that when he finally had them in his grasp. He was going to enjoy it.
A lot.
- Ewen's Rental Car -
"I need to you brace yourself." The words were out of his mouth before he could even comprehend the horror that was gaining on them. "I need you to know something, Elizabeth." He looked down at her, but her eyes were closed as she leaned back against the seat. "I need you to know that I'm sorry for everything... that if I had it all to do it again... I wouldn't..." looking out the window he saw the abandoned gas station up again and the car behind them that was picking up speed. He knew he had to fix it... give her the command that would give her back all of her memories. "Elizabeth, I need you to look at me and hear what I have to say."
She struggled to lift her head toward him, every cell of her body seemed to be twisting in on itself. Still, she heard the urgency in his voice and she turned to look at him... meet his eyes with her own. "Wh... what is it?"
"Elizabeth, I-"
They both snapped forward in their seats as the car spun. They'd been hit from behind and Ewen struggled to keep control . He grabbed the wheel tightly and turned the car right before impact.
- Mile marker 215 -
Craig left the Mercedes running... lights off. He reached into his waistband and withdrew his gun. He had no idea of Ewen was armed. He wouldn't put it past the man, but at this point all he wanted to do was put a bullet in Ewen's over educated brain and...
He faltered a step. Then what? What we he going to do about Elizabeth Webber?
Craig shrugged. He'd figure all that out later... if she was still alive.