Chapter 64
"I should have known." Jeff said as he slowly drove past the house. He couldn't believe that he had driven past it just this afternoon. He had even marveled at how it stood out and he didn't think anything of it. He pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned off the light. Jeff opened up the trunk hoping to find something he could use. He grabbed the tire iron and softly closed the trunk.
As he headed towards the house, he looked around trying to become more familiar with the surroundings. Looking at the house he realized getting in wouldn't be easy. There were bars across every window and after circling it he was surprised to find there was only one door. He wondered what contractor would actually build a house with one door. He peered through a back window, but saw nothing. They must be somewhere up front.
Jeff put the crow bar against the bar of the window but it wouldn't budge. He paused to think of the best way to do this. He couldn't just barge through the front door. Shane would know the minute he tried to get in. There had to be another way if he just focused, but all that changed the minute he heard Jessica scream. He ran to the front door and put the crow bar against where the lock was.
"Somebody help me!" He heard her yell and with all his strength and rage Jeff pulled at the lock loosening it. He wedged the crowbar in deeper and threw his full body against it. He felt the door give way and Jeff came barreling into the house. He took one look at Shane on top of Jessica, her body exposed and ran at him, hitting him with the bar before Shane had a chance to react.
Jessica laid there motionless, sobbing uncontrollably. Jeff tried to cover her as best he could before attempting to lift her up and take her out of there. Somehow, Shane had regained his composure, and seeing Jeff touch her, he hit him from behind knocking him away. The two of them went at it throwing punches back and forth at one another. Jeff got in several good hits backing Shane into a corner. As he swung at him again, Shane ducked and hit Jeff right in his still wounded ribs. Jeff fell to the ground in pain.
"Aw, looks like someone's still healing." Shane taunted and kicked him. "You know you're not looking so well, maybe you should have listened to the doctor, stayed in the hospital far away from here." Jeff grabbed at his torso trying to protect it. Shane kicked him again and Jeff cried out in pain.
"What's wrong, Jeff? You thought you'd just walk in here and save the day, didn't you? Sorry, this time the hero doesn't get the girl. She's all mine now." He went back to Jessica and pulled her to her feet. He held her trembling body against him, allowing Jeff to get a good look at her. Her cheeks were tearstained and red where Shane had repeatedly smacked her. Her shirt was in shreds leaving her in just her undergarments and she had a pair of handcuffs hanging from her one hand. But what was the worst thing for Jeff was the look on her face. The fear and trauma of what Shane had done to her was there in her eyes. She looked broken. It was more than Jeff could take. Using that anger he lunged at them, being careful not to hit them with such force that Jess would be hurt.
They both fell to the ground and Jessica crawled away to the corner, giving Jeff another chance to assault Shane. But what Jeff hadn't realized was that he had knocked him towards the gun. Shane quickly grabbed it and pointed it towards him.
"Well, well, well, look at what I got. Surprised?"
"No, I knew you had it." Jeff said, his eyes darting between the gun and Jessica who had stopped crying and was now staring intently at them.
"Yea, sure you did." Shane said sarcastically. "That's why you came in here with no back up except for a little crowbar."
"Meg told me." Jeff said and Shane's swagger broke for a moment. "She fessed up and told me everything, the FBI too."
"It must have come as a shock to you. Meg helping me out; setting you up. I mean come on, she helped me take Jess; she even gave me this gun."
"I got over it. So Meg gave you a gun, big deal. Your dad gave me the crow bar."
"He wouldn't do that. He wouldn't try to help you."
"How do you think I got here? He told me where you were. He sent me here." Jeff looked to Jessica and their eyes locked. He motioned for her to make her way to the door and she moved ever so slowly. All Jeff had to do now was keep Shane distracted. "We had some great conversations, Vince and I. He told me about you guys growing up and all the expectations he had for you. He told me how disappointed he was in you."
"That's not true." Shane said.
"Sure it is. You let him down. He even said he wished you weren't his son." Jeff watched as Jessica moved even closer to the door. She was almost there.
They all froze as they heard a commotion outside. Panicking Shane looked to the door and noticed just how close Jessica was to escaping.
"No!" Jeff yelled as Shane lunged toward her. He tried to reach her first but at that moment Matt and Vince barged in giving Shane the jump. He pulled Jessica up using her as a barricade between him and them. Jessica shook in fear as Shane barrel of the gun into her back.
"Stay back!" He yelled at all of them wrapping his free arm around her holding her as close as he could.
"Shane, you don't want to do this." Vince said. "Let Jess go."
"No!" Shane said. "She's not going anywhere. She stays with me."
"You don't want to hurt her." Matt told him. "Just put the gun down and we can figure this out."
"There's nothing to figure out. Jess goes wherever I go. Don't you babe?" To prove his point he took the free cuff that had been dangling from her wrist and closed it around his own. "See? We're inseparable." She looked to the other three in panic.
Jeff felt a stab in his heart when he watched Shane attach himself to Jess. This was the worst thing that could have happened. He couldn't think of a way to attack Shane without Jessica getting caught in the cross fire. Not to mention that Shane now had the gun pressed firmly against her. Out of ideas even he turned to Vince to do something.
"Shane." Vince started.
"I don't want to hear it." He yelled at his father. "Now, we're going to walk out of this house, and none of you are going to try to stop us. Understand?"
"I'm not going to let that happen." Jeff moved closer to them. Shane pressed the gun harder into Jessica until she screamed in pain and Jeff stopped.
"Don't come any closer!" He threatened. "Move aside." He started to push Jessica to the door but Jeff refused to move. Keeping a firm grip on Jessica, he pointed the gun at Jeff.
"Jeff," Matt cautioned.
"He's not taking her."
"Still trying to play the hero?" Shane laughed. He raised the gun higher, pointing it at Jeff's head. "I'm going to enjoy this."
"No!" Jessica said. She turned to face Shane as best as she could. "Don't."
"Then tell him to move." He told her.
"Jeff." She begged him but he shook his head. "Please." She looked to Matt imploring him to pull his brother away as they all heard Shane cock his gun. Matt had no choice but to drag his brother out of their path. Jeff tried to shake him off but he held him tightly.
"Good boy." Shane and Jessica walked slowly towards the door.
"What are you doing?" Jeff yelled. "Don't let him take her! Jess!" Shane laughed as he pushed Jessica out the door.
"Now don't do anything stupid." He warned her. He went to guide her down the steps when he heard sirens approaching. Jessica let out a sigh of relief as she saw the first car pull into the driveway. "Get back in the house." He ordered and pushed her back inside quickly shutting the door as best he could.
"Shane McMahon!" A voice called from outside. "This is the FBI, come out with your hands up."
Now what, Shane thought to himself, as he held on to Jessica even tighter.
