Hope you're enjoying the story. It's still been on my mind, but I haven't worked on it as much the passed weekend. Our sweet dog, Chloe passed away on Friday and we're still very, very sad. But here's the next chapter.


Howard Lance was grimacing in pain, clenching his injured shoulder. It hurt unlike anything he'd ever felt. Jeff White however, continued to speed through the city, trying to avoid the cops. A handful did chase them for speeding and reckless driving but White was used to hiding and soon the police lost them. They kept scouring the area though. "Hey, man! I need a doctor!" Lance cried in pain. "I need help!"

"No!" White bellowed back. "We can't do that."

"Listen, man. I need help and I need it now! What good am I to you if...if I can't..." Lance gasped, losing his voice as the drilling fire in his shoulder seared his breath.

"All right, all right." White growled. "I know a place. But I have to put the car out of sight."

"And what if someone finds her in the back, huh? How's that gonna look?" Lance panicked.

"Just shut up and do as I say or you're not getting help at all!" White warned. He parked the car in some trees away from the streetlights, in some nearby woods. Then he dragged his moaning partner three blocks away to a small urgent care facility. They were in a very rural neighborhood, so he wasn't very worried about being spotted. Once Lance had been treated and stitched up, the two thugs headed back to the Hurst. They approached it cautiously, keeping a lookout for cops. They slowly entered, but no guns were pointed at their heads and no loud voices bellowed in their ears demanding them to raise their hands. White rubbed the sweat from his face. He'd so been expecting to be staked out. "So far, so good." He breathed in relief.

"Let's not try something that elaborate next time." Lance moaned. "That was too close for my comfort. If you suggest a wild scheme like that again, you're on your own." White smacked him.

"Makes no difference to me." He huffed. He wouldn't admit it, but his partner was right: their last maneuver had been too close. They reached their dwelling and opened up the back of the Hurst. Sue wasn't on the gurney, she'd been rolled and tossed about from all the speedy curves White had made escaping the police. White rolled his eyes. "Come on. Give me a hand." They dragged Sue out then carried her inside by her arms and legs. She was still unconscious.


Inside the dark prison, Lucy raised her head when she heard voices, the same sinister voices that she loathed. She could hear their footsteps approaching. She'd heard them several times already in the passed two days, but she suddenly felt a flutter of extreme dread race through her body. She prayed she was wrong, but she was afraid of seeing that door open. She straightened her face into a scowl to stay calm, but it was such a struggle.

The door opened, Lance flicked on the light switch and sure enough...Lucy felt very queasy: they'd done it! They'd really done it. Her worst fear had come to pass, they'd kidnapped Sue! She was unconscious, with a mangled face marring her delicate features, and a white bandage wrapped her around her head. The two thugs roughly dropped her onto the hard floor and Lucy jolted in fear for Sue's injuries and anger at the ruffians for deliberately treating her friend so recklessly. "Oh, Sue!" Lucy cried, then her eyes flashed dangerously. "Let her go, you scum!" She demanded. "Listen, White! Do what you want with me, I don't care! But LET HER GO! I mean it!"

"So now you're putting up a fight, huh?" White smirked. His evil plan was working. He walked right up to Lucy and slapped her hard across the face. She bit her lip hard to keep from crying. "You opened you loud mouth again, sissy." White glared. "Well, maybe this will teach you a lesson." And with that, he stepped back toward Sue and kicked her in the side. Lucy was furious.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" She hollered with all the hostile strength her lungs could muster. "When I get out of this rat's nest I'll see to it that the FBI makes you sorry you ever saw my face." She snarled. White pffted with his lips.

"You and your friend aren't going anywhere. You'll never get out of this place...alive." He sneered, and punched Sue's already injured face. But she was out like a light and never knew what hit her. Lucy's blood ran cold and her eyes went instantly from fire to ice. Though her feet were tied to the chair, she managed lung forward and at least ram herself into White as she collapsed face down on the floor. White stumbled over Sue, and when he stood back up, he was grinning sickeningly. Lance pulled Lucy back up to an upright position.

"You mess with my friend, and you're gonna wish you'd stuck to armed robbery, you snake." Lucy growled, her usually bright and cheerful face clouded over dangerously in dark revenge. White's eyes narrowed creepily and aimed to slug Sue again. "DON'T!" Lucy hollered at the top of her lungs. "Do what you want with me, but leave Sue alone!" Lucy pleaded. "Go ahead, hit me!" White turned and slapped Lucy again, then he kicked Sue's side again. "STOP IT!" Lucy screamed. Her protests weren't doing any good except making White gloat. Maybe if she shut up he'd leave Sue alone, but on the other hand, this scoundrel beat women whenever he felt like it, so why should he stop now? And there was no way that Lucy was going to sit by idly while her best friend was mauled!

"You want your friend to be alive?" Lance sneered in Lucy's ear, "then shut up and do what the boss tells you. You open your mouth, he'll hit her again. Got it?" And with that, White kicked Sue's shin though Lucy hadn't said a word. Then the two thugs grabbed Sue and took her out of the room, then turned off the light, leaving Lucy alone in the dark.

Lucy was thankful that Sue wasn't conscious, otherwise she would fully feel the effect of the vicious blows White had afflicted her with. But then she wished Sue was awake so she'd know that she wasn't alone. Lucy was so mad, desperate, and terrified. Where were they anyway? She had no clue. She didn't have her phone, she had nothing for her friends to trace. And Lucy just knew that White was going to beat Sue to a pulp out of his already beyond logic frustration, cruel delight, and fight for control. And there was nothing she could do to stop them! "Oh, Jack!" Lucy screeched in anger mingled with fear. "Bobby, Dr. Sloan, where are you guys?! Get us out of here! You've got to get us out!"