"You know Tony…" Michelle started to say as they sat in their 4x4 waiting for the security gates to open up. "I had a good time tonight." Smiling pleasantly as she placed her hand on his thigh.
"It was kind of nice, wasn't it?" He stared at her, she looked so peaceful and angelic. He took his hand off of the gears and ran it across the side of her cheek, brushing her silky brown hair behind her ears.
"What?" She blushed, her hand indistinctively moving up to grab his,
"Just wondering how I was lucky enough to win you."
"Not once but twice." She reminded him.
"I'd better make sure I keep you this time. Third time might not be so lucky."
"And how do you plan to do that?" She teased.
"Hmm." He scoffed, his attention momentarily taken away by the screech of the gates as they started to open wide enough for the car to drive through. "Give me a minute and I'll show you." He kissed her on the cheek then placed his hand back on the gears. Selecting first gear he grabbed the steering wheel and proceeded to apply a little pressure to the accelerator. They coasted through the large white gates and past the eight foot high brick walls covered in green climbing plants native to the area. There wasn't much of a lawn, just enough room to fit two cars safely inside the gates. Tony stopped the car under the veranda, pulled the handbrake on and reached down to undo his seatbelt. Michelle reached into the back of the car and grabbed their jackets and the briefcase she had left in the car from the morning. As she got out of the car Michelle dropped the briefcase and the documents went everywhere.
"Damn it." She said leaning down in her tight skirt to try and pick them up.
"Hmm." Tony smiled as he watched the frustrated look on her face. Even angry she was a remarkable sight. "Do you need a hand?" He asked pushing down the lock on the door before he started to close it.
"You know Tony…"
"We told you you'd be sorry." The masked gunman told him as he felt the pistol pushed into the back of his head.
Michelle was cut off by a wave of sheer terror as she looked up from where she was squatting on the concrete driveway she came face to face the barrel of a pistol in a black gloved hand. Her heart was racing.
"Michelle?" He asked making sure she was all right.
"Tony?" She asked questioningly. He could hear the panic in her voice.
"You and I need to have a little talk." The gunman told Tony.
"Let her go. This is between you and me."
"She's coming with us. My boss wants a word with you."
"We're not going anywhere with you."
"Refuse and I'll give your girlfriend here a new face lift." The first informed him as Michelle's attacker drew out a knife and traced the edge of its blade around her face.
"All right." Tony felt trapped, why hadn't he seen this coming? "Just take it easy." Tony warned, promising to do as he said. Tony could see Michelle on the other side of the car, her eyes wide with fear as she watched him argue with the gunman, waiting for him to get her out of this mess. "Let her go and I'll go with you."
"Enough."
"Show me your hands." The gunman said, tying them behind his back with a piece of twine.
"Okay. Okay." Tony said getting down onto his knees and nodding for Michelle to do the same.
"Tony?" Michelle cried out, The gunman holding her tighter and resting his knife on her stomach.
"Shut her up." The gunman ordered as the second placed a gag on her mouth. A tear rolling down her cheek.
"You keep your hands off of her." Tony warned.
"We warned you." A shoot rang through the air as the guy behind Michelle fired his gun. Michelle's heart raced as she closed her eyes then opened them again to see she was unharmed, trying to stay calm but sobbing from the fear.
"NO!" Tony begged as he was cold cocked for calling out. Michelle winced with pain as the gun was pressed into her temple, the barrel still hot from recently being fired.
"Damn you." Tony yelled as they tried to gag him too. "What do you want?"
"Jeremiah Delton."
"He's not here."
"We know." The gunman chuckled, "Get her in the van." The anger in Tony intensified when he saw Michelle being pulled around like a rag doll. He had her by the hair and she was kicking and screaming trying to break loose as they dragged her towards the waiting vehicle. Her eyes on Tony, still on his knees with the gun to his head. The gag came loose in the struggle.
"Tony!" She cried out.
"Michelle." Tony reached back, grabbing the pant leg of the second gunman and pulled him off balance. As he fell forward Tony grabbed him, pulled him closer and head butted him, grabbing his gun before spinning around and firing two shots to the left of the attacker who had Michelle. The first attacker got to his feet and moved in to grab his gun back, Tony fired the gun, his hands still tied behind his back, and shot him, dead, then re aimed. Michelle looked at him, knowing if she kept still he'd have a clearer shot.
"I said get your hands of my wife. NOW!"
"You wouldn't dare." The gunman taunted him.
"Michelle?" Tony looked at her, she knew what he was thinking. Michelle stopped struggling, kicked backwards connecting with his groin and kicked her head to the side. Tony's shot hit him in the shoulder and he dropped to the floor unconscious dropping Michelle in the process, her body landing hard against the concrete floor, her hands tied in front of her so she couldn't break her fall. Tony snapped his bindings, brought his hands around to the front and approached them. Michelle pushed herself into a sitting position and pulled her gag clear from her chin. "Michelle?" Tony kept his gun trained on the unconscious gunman as he knelt down. Michelle wrapped her bound hands around his neck, holding him tight.
"Oh my god Tony." She cried, "I thought I'd lost you."
"I know. Me too." He said looking her over. She had a graze on her chin and a small bleeding wound above her left eye. Damn it. Why did his actions always put her in danger like that? He kissed her on the forehead, brushing her hair out of the wound then started to undo her bindings. As her hands were freed, she shook them to loosen them up. Tony noticed the momentary distraction in her eyes. "What's wrong?" He asked grabbing her hands to check them closer. As he held them out he she drew back her left wrist instinctively.
"I think it's broken." Tony told her, worried
"It's nothing, just a sprain." Michelle said bravely as the turned to see the second gunman fleeing on foot. Tony wanted to give chase but he couldn't just leave her here.
"What did they want?" Michelle asked.
"I think I have a good idea but first I need to get you to a hospital."
"I'm all right." She went to protest,
"No arguing. I made a vow to look after you and I intend to keep it. Wait here, I'll be right back" He told her as he went to grab the first aide kit from the car. He pulled out a bandage and started to splint her wrist, winding the bandage up and down as he gently held it up. She didn't say a word, or even flinch even though it must have hurt. He admired her bravery. "Are you all right?" He asked, noting there was nothing he could do for the wound on her temple from the barrel of the gun, It would heal on its own in time. "Ready?" He smiled comfortingly as she nodded the affirmative and he helped her up, escorting her back to the car. Her hip hurt from connecting to with the concrete and she was favouring her left side. Tony lifted her shirt to have a look and as he traced his hand over the area around her hip, his palm pausing over her abdomen she wondered if he could sense it. How could she tell him now? He'd be beside himself and knowing Tony he'd do something dangerous, not to her, never to her, but dangerous to himself.
"Hey wait up."
"Do I know you?"
"Just transferred in. You're in my physics class right?"
"I'm not sure."
"I was hoping you might be able to catch me up."
"I don't know. I'm awfully busy."
"Please. I'll owe you."
"All right."
"Let's cut through here." He said, "This guy showed me yesterday, It's a short cut.
"Ok."
Darting between the buildings and the trees at the rear of the university they raced to their next class.
"Slow down." The new student said, bending down to tie up his shoe.
"What did you say your name was again?"
"Jacob, Jacob Shinning."
"Nice to meet you Jacob." He said extending out his hand.
"You too Jonah." He said, pulling out his pistol complete with silencer and shooting him point blank. He pulled the body into the bushes and covered it over. Then dialled the number given to him. "It's done." He reported and hung up the phone.
Tony drove as fast as he could through the deserted streets, Michelle sat beside him in the passenger seat holding her arm against her chest, each bump in the road a painful reminder of the break under the skin, not that she let it show. "Hold on sweetheart. We're almost there."
"It's not that bad. Honest." She lied trying to calm his fears.
"I'm so sorry Michelle." He shook his head like it was all his doing.
"This isn't your fault Tony. We both decided to take this job remember."
"I should have seen this coming."
"Something happened with Delton today? Didn't it?"
"Not now." He concentrated hard on keeping the car on the road and making sure they weren't followed.
"Tony" Michelle wanted to know, needed to know.
"Hang on." Tony stopped her as he looked into his rear view mirror.
"What's wrong?" A hundred scenarios going through her thoughts.
"I think we're being followed."
"Is it them?"
"I don't know." He said turning against the red light on the next intersection and watching the cars behind him. Michelle kept an eye on the passenger side mirror. The car behind them kept going straight, Tony relaxed a little. "It must have been nothing."
"Are you sure?" Michelle asked, clueless as to what was going on.
"Yeah." He said unconvincingly. Michelle could see the worry in his eyes and she kept an eye on her mirror. Tony continued on down the side ally, he planned on doing a sweep around the block and back onto the main road. "How's your arm?"
"It's fine. How's your head?" It was still bleeding a little from where he was pistol whipped.
"Nothing a few aspirin couldn't cure."
"Everything will be all right Tony." She said, reaching for his free hand and holding it tight.
"How can you be so calm?"
"Because I have you." She encouraged him, "As long as we have each other we can survive anything." She smiled.
"You're beautiful, you know that." He said lifting there hands and kissing hers. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"I'm not going anywhere." She promised. "You know Tony…." Michelle decided she had to tell him. It wasn't great timing but it was to big a secret to keep it from him. He'd find out soon enough anyway.
"Michelle!" Tony yelled as he reached out and pulled her in closer to him. Michelle closed her eyes as the bright lights came towards her at an alarming rate. She turned into Tony's embrace as he extended a hand out in front of her and held her tight against the seat. The force shook everything inside the car around and spun the car around 3 times before pinning their car between their attackers car and the wall. With no time to hesitate Tony pushed Michelle's head down into her knees as the bullet travelled through the glass window of the green land cruiser and into the passenger window before slamming into the side of Tony's seat. "Michelle?" Tony panicked.
"I'm ok. I'm ok." Michelle reported.
"Hold on." Tony took his hand off of Michelle and grabbed the wheel tight as he applied full pressure to the accelerator. The green land cruiser whirred to life and gave chase. Tony sped through narrow alleyways and narrowly missed the dumpsters that lined the streets.
"Tony." Michelle screamed.
"I know." They'd hit a dead end, "Damn it." Tony quickly reversed the car back but he had lost crucial time. As they left the alley the green land cruiser reappeared ahead of them, blocking them in. Tony made a quick left and made it out onto the highway. Michelle was hanging on tight, trying to help him navigate.
"What do they want?"
"I think Delton is crooked." Tony told her.
"Delton is behind this?"
"No. I don't think so, but somebody wants him out of the way and we came here to prevent it."
"So now they want us too?" Michelle shook her head, "What are we going to do?"
"We'll let the authorities know what we know as soon as I have you out of here. Hold on." Tony tried to make a hard right, and just as he made it out of the turn, the car came up on their left and collided full force with Tony's door. The force of the impact sent their car flying through the air where it flipped twice before landing back on its wheels. The car was a wreck, dinted beyond repair, the roof caved in towards them. Tony sat unconscious, his head resting on his left shoulder as a stream of blood trickled down from a cut above his right eye. Michelle woke up first, her chin on her chest. She tried to move but the pain in her hip and her wrist was excruciating.
"Tony" She whispered, as she placed a hand on her abdomen, the seatbelt had pulled tight against her in the accident and she was tender. Wincing from the pain she lifted her hand and felt her head. It was aching. As she looked at her hands she noticed the blood, her hair was wet above her ears from where her head had smashed against the glass window. "Tony." She screamed again as she looked across and saw Tony unconscious. "Oh god no." She undid her seatbelt and tried to shake him. "Sweetheart wake up."
"Michelle." He mumbled.
"Yes Tony. Oh god." She cried trying to take off his seatbelt.
"I'm fine." He said still groggy. He took a look around, it was a mess. Michelle still stroked his hair trying to bring him around. "Oh my god. Michelle." He said with panic as he noticed the blood on her hand.
"It's nothing. I hit my head, that's all." She said, cringing from the pain in her arm and in her abdomen.
"I need to get you out of here." He snapped into action. "Can you move?" She asked him.
"Uh huh." He grunted, "You?"
"I think so." But as she instinctively pushed her hands against the seat to spin herself around and reach the door she let out a cry of pain.
"Oh god." Tony tried to start the car, he had to get her to hospital fast. The car chocked a few times but nothing. Petrol leaked from underneath. "Damn it. Hang on." Tony told her as he tried to open his door but it was caved in. He smashed the remaining glass from the window and crawled through it then walked around to Michelle's side of the car. He tried opening her door but it was jammed shut. "Watch out." He said as he knocked out the remaining glass. "Here." Tony reached in and Michelle wrapped her good arm around his neck. Tony picked her up as carefully as he could and pulled her through the window before resting her on the ground below. He used a piece of shirt he'd ripped off and applied pressure to her wound. "We can't stay here." He told her, looking for options as
"We can't be more than three blocks. I can make it." Michelle insisted standing up. She was still a little woozy. Tony placed a hand around her waist to keep her steady. He'd carry her if he had to.
"Aggh." Michelle winched in pain.
"What is it?"
"I don't know?" She told him as she lifted her shirt,
"Oh god Michelle." Tony looked around frantically for another solution as Michelle applied pressure to the gash on her right hip. "Wait here." He told her. Fear filled her as she tried to steady her breath. She had to keep it together for Tony.
Michelle froze when she heard the gunshots.
"Tony!" She screamed, but as the engine of the green land cruiser came to life she turned around to see Tony back by her side.
"Come on." He said helping her over to the car and into the passenger seat. "I'm getting you out of here." The driver of the land cruiser lay on the road, two shots to the chest. Tony speed away from the scene without looking back. His eyes fixed on Michelle. She didn't look good.
"Is it done?"
"He thinks it was Aakash like you instructed."
"Is he dead?"
"No. He took out the two men I sent."
"You underestimated him."
"It won't happen again."
"Pray that it doesn't."
The closest hospital was little more than a run down factory. Tony came to a screeching halt in front of the main entrance. He helped Michelle out of the car and carried her straight to the nurses station. "Help, somebody help. My wife, she's injured." The room was filled with locals, most with open wounds and gunshots.
"Please." He grabbed a nurse. "We were in a car accident."
"I'm sorry sir, you'll have to wait your turn." The nurse continued with her duties,
"No god damn it. I want to see a doctor. NOW!"
"Don't take that tone of voice with me sir." She said, ignoring Tony and escorting another patient to a nearby cubicle.
"Listen to me." Tony pulled out his gun. "Please. Just help my wife."
The nurses started to panic a little. One looked at Tony, and then at Michelle. Michelle draped almost lifeless in his arms. The main nurse, now more focused took the time,
"There's no need for that sir." She said puling out a patient file. "What's her name?"
"Michelle." He told her, "Michelle Dessler."
"A car accident you said?"
"We were attacked at our home. I tried to bring her in but they chased us. The car flipped over, I'm not sure how may times."
"Was she conscious?"
"Yes. She passed out about a minute ago. Please. You have to help her."
"We will sir." The nurse took her vitals and made notes in her charts. "We're you injured?" The nurse asked as she saw the cut above his eye.
"Don't worry about me. I just need you to look after my wife."
"Follow me." The nurse said leading them to a nearby cubicle.
"Tony." Michelle mumbled as she came tu.
"Michelle. Sweetheart. I'm here."
"Tony..."
"Just take it easy sweetheart." He said chocking back tears, "What's taking so long?" Tony asked looking around for the doctor.
"The doctor will be with you in a moment." The nurse said as she put Michelle's chart on the bed and walked away.
"I'm fine." Michelle said, sitting herself up as she pulled herself together.
"You're not fine Michelle, you passed out. I've never felt so helpless…."
"Are you all right?" Michelle asked Tony.
"Don't worry about me. It will all be ok. Once we're through here we'll pack our bags and go home. I promise."
"Did they follow us here?"
"I don't know. I don't think they'll cause a scene here but we don't know how far this goes."
"Shh." She said warning him to watch his voice, there were ears everywhere.
"Take these." The nurse returned with a few pills. Happy to see she was awake again,
"No Thankyou." Michelle didn't want to take anything.
"What are they?" Tony asked.
"For da pain." The nurse said with her broken English.
"You should take them." Tony insisted, he could see she was in pain.
"No Tony." She said turning her nose up at the pills, "I don't want any pain killers."
"I don't understand. Why not?"
"I don't know what they are." The nurse was looking at her, confused by the language barrier, "I'll take some Tylenol when we get home I promise."
"Michelle what's going on?" Tony was confused too and the nurse tried to give her the pills again.
"No."
"Michelle?"
"Tony." Michelle didn't want to tell him like this, she wasn't even sure, how did this get so out of hand? Michelle instinctively placed a hand over her stomach which was really starting to ache.
"Baby?" The nurse seemed to understand what Michelle was trying to say and took the pills away, smiling.
"Michelle?" Tony was completely clueless.
"I'm not even sure…" Michelle tried to explain before he got his hopes up, but it was too late. Tony finally figured out what was going on. Shock started to set in when he realised how much he could have lost just now.
"You mean…. you're… we're…?" He looked at her carefully for any evidence that he was right.
"I took a test this afternoon…."
"Oh my god Michelle." Tony pulled her close and kissed her then pushed her away a little and kissed her forehead. "Are you okay?"
"You're not angry?"
"Sweetheart, I could never be angry with you." His hands cupping her head as he stared into his eyes.
"But I should have told you, I didn't want to say anything until I was sure especially after last time and the timing isn't so great."
"Don't worry about that now." Tony smiled reassuringly, "Let's just make sure everything is all right then I'll take you back home. I promise" The nurse was still watching, captivated by the drama of it all, she was barely sixteen herself.
"Ms Dessler." The doctor was straight to the point, obviously in a hurry,
"Yes. Doctor…?" Tony answered for her, but was pushed out of the way.
"Dante. Now please I have many patients to see."
"Of course."
"I believe you've been in an accident?" The doctor asked annoyed, Michelle was clearly not a critical patient compared to those still outside in the waiting room.
"We were attacked in our house. She was thrown to the ground and she's broken her wrist."
"And her tongue?" The doctor quipped, Michelle looked at Tony and smiled,
"Don't mind him doctor, he's just worried." Michelle smiled at him, trying to help him keep his cool.
"You're a lucky woman." The doctor quipped again.
"I think so." She blushed, then winced as the doctor pressed at the wounds on her face.
"The nurse mentioned a car accident?"
"The people who attacked us they ran us off the road on our way here. Look doctor, my wife might be pregnant…" Tony answered for her again.
"Let's just calm down a minute and have a look shall we." He took her wrist and it was clear straight away that there was a break. "We'll have to set this for you." The doctor saw the scratch on her right cheek. "Do you mind?' He asked, checking her over. When he lifted her left arm, she winced in pain. "Tender?"
"She has a gash on her left side from the accident, and she landed on it during the attack." Tony told the doctor, anxious to make sure everything was all right.
"It's ok." She promised as Tony watched every movement the doctor made as if he was a threat.
"Let me see." The doctor lifted up her shirt and dabbed his fingers over the area around the wound. "It's quite tender. Did you give her any pain meds?" He asked the nurse.
"I didn't want to," Michelle told him. "Not until I was sure."
The doctor smiled at her. "Ok." The doctor looked at the wound on her hip again and then at Michelle. "Any cramping or muscle spasms?"
"No." Michelle told him.
"What's wrong?" Tony stepped closer.
"How did you land when you fell?"
"Mainly on my side, my hip made contact with the ground first."
"But not… how do you say….face first?"
"No."
"And were you wearing a seatbelt in the accident?"
"Yes."
"Why?" Tony asked concerned. "Look doctor. What are the chances….?"
"Why don't you lie down on the bed and I'll have a closer look." Michelle didn't speak, she just did as she was told but she was glad when Tony stepped forward and grabbed her hand. The bruise was very tender, and the doctor pressed quite firmly as he pressed into her abdomen.
"Doctor. Please if something is wrong just tell us." Tony insisted, reading Michelle's worried expression.
"I'm just erring on the side of caution." The doctor informed them.
"Am I loosing the baby again?"
"You've had a pregnancy before?"
"Um a little over a year ago." Michelle responded, the pain of it all brought back to the surface. "I miscarried at eleven weeks." The doctor called for the nurse and gave her a list of tests to run. Michelle felt herself loosing control. She couldn't go through this again, not like this.
"It will be okay." Tony tried to assure her, "I promise."
"Ms Dessler I'm going to admit you for a few hours."
"Is she okay?" Tony asked, praying for a good answer.
"The cut is only superficial but the bruise is very… deep… I'll run a few tests and if everything checks out then you can take Ms Dessler home."
"Am I going to loose the baby?"
"Not if I can help it." The doctor assured her, "You just rest and I'll put a few stitches in the wound on your hip. I'll set your wrist for you too so you can be more comfortable but your hip will be sore for a week or so but I'd like you on bed rest for the next week just in case."
"Whatever you say doc." Tony promised him as the doctor left to grab a few supplies.
"Oh god Tony…" Michelle started to break down.
"Hey. None of that. The important thing is to stay positive." He tried to consol her.
"I know, it's just that we deal in worst case scenarios everyday.." Her voice betraying her strong composure.
"Everything is going to be fine." He promised her firmly, still holding her hand, "I'm not going to let anything happen to you or the baby." Tony promised.
"What about Delton? Do you think they'll follow us here?"
"As long as we stay here we are as safe as we can be. The first flight out isn't until seven o'clock tomorrow morning." He said, kissing her on the forehead, "Try and get some rest Sweetheart. We'll be back home before you know it." Tony stepped back so they could put a few stitches in her wounds. It was going to be a long night.