"It's Stutter." He said to the distinct voice on the other end of the phone.
"Did you take care of Delton?" The man asked.
"He's left. I don't think we'll be hearing from him again."
"And Aakash?"
"Dead."
"That is a shame."
"If I may impotent."
"Yes?"
"I have a solution to your problems, my contacts can get us in contact with another dealer."
"And what would you ask for in return?"
"The same deal Delton got."
"I think we can come to some sort of arrangement."
As Chloe and Michelle sat chatting outside they were interrupted by the front door chime. Michelle looked longingly at the front room.
"Are you expecting anyone?" Chloe asked, concerned by the unexpected visitor.
"No." Michelle replied honestly.
"Stay here."
"But."
"Don't argue." Chloe barked as she went to see who it was. She looked out of the window but she couldn't see anyone, then she looked down and saw the tiny package on the front step. She opened the door carefully and took a closer look. It was a long stemmed rose in a clear box. How bizarre Chloe thought as she knelt down to pick it up.
"What is it?" Michelle asked, wondering what was taking her so long.
"I told you to stay back." Chloe scolded her.
"Just tell me Chloe."
"It's a rose." Chloe said looking around to see who left it.
"A rose?"
"Quick." Leaving it on the doorstep and closing the door.
"It doesn't make any sense."
"I know." Chloe agreed as she took another look out of the window.
"Look. I don't need to be ordered around in my own house."
"Yes. You do."
"How dare you?" Michelle looked at her disgusted as they stood in the kitchen arguing.
"I know you don't mean that so I'm going to forget you said that."
"Yes I did."
"As I said."
"Damn you Chloe." Michelle said storming into her bedroom to grab her coat. She couldn't take this anymore. She had to go and find Danny for herself.
"Where do you think you're going?" Chloe asked following her in.
Deterred by the knowledge she wasn't alone, he decided to take a different approach. He crept around the back of the house and climbed up onto the decking. The two women inside were busy arguing and they hadn't seen his approach. He stepped closer, ducking behind the large potted palm as they got closer then disappeared down the hallway.
"Michelle." Chloe grabbed her by the arm to slow her down.
"Take your hands off me." She said, with her usual I'm going to kill you stare.
"No."
"What do you want from me?"
"Look Michelle I know you've had a pretty horrible day and all but Jack brought me here for a reason. You're not thinking straight."
"Don't you start." Michelle warned her.
"Fine. Then don't listen to me. You want a reason not to do what you're thinking of doing fine." Chloe said opening up Michelle's shirt.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Reminding you." She said, pulling off her bandage. The pain was sharp but short, Michelle instinctively placed her hand over her womb, "Did I make my point?"
"I hate this. I should be out helping, not sitting here like some cripple."
"Here." She said giving her back the bandage, "How far are you going to get with that broken hand anyway?"
"You don't understand." Michelle cried.
"I know I may not seem like the kind of person who would have a relationship but I have you know. I know what it's like."
"You're right. I'm sorry. I hate this." Michelle said again, sitting down on the edge of her bed, her head in her hands.
"Jack will get him back." Chloe told her.
"But what if he can't? I can't loose him Chloe. Not like this."
"I'll get you a glass of water." Chloe wasn't sure what else she could do, hugging her felt way to personal. She grabbed a glass from the pile of dishes she had just washed and turned on the tap. She wasn't qualified for this, everyone knew she wasn't a people person. What was Jack thinking? She turned of the tap when the glass was full and went to give it to Michelle.
"Don't move." The unfamiliar male voice told her as he held her from behind. He grabbed the knife from the bench and held it to her throat.
"Where is she?"
"Go to hell."
"Struggling just makes it more interesting."
"Creep." Chloe said, kicking him backwards into his groin then turning around and smashing the glass into his head. She tried to kick him again while he was down but he grabbed her ankle and spun her around forcing her to land hand on the floor. He stood over her, licking his lips pleased, as he went to plunge the knife into her chest. Chloe kicked out again, his legs buckling out from under him.
"What's going on?" Michelle asked as she came to see what all the noise was.
"Run Michelle." Chloe pleaded with her. Michelle watched, helpless as Chloe fought for her life. "Go." Chloe yelled again as he picked her up by the throat and held her suspended in the air. Michelle ran to the bedroom, reefed open the draw and grabbed her gun. "Good." It was still loaded. She took the safety off and ran back to the kitchen.
"Let her go Jacob." She ordered, her gun aimed at his head. He dropped Chloe, who hit her head as she fell back to the floor with a thud.
"You know this guy?"
"He works for Mr Lee at the corner store."
"You don't have the guts to pull that trigger."
"You were at the store. Think again." Michelle's finger twitched as he stepped closer. "It was you wasn't it? You told them we were there?"
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"Who do you work for?"
"Give it up lady. You're not getting out of here alive." He taunted her. As he stepped closer to Michelle Chloe grabbed a butter knife and drove it into his leg.
"Bitch." He screamed as he pulled it out and went to retaliate. As the knife got closer to Chloe's throat Michelle pulled the trigger. Jacob fell forward and landed lifeless on the floor.
"Is he dead?" She asked.
"Stay back." Chloe yelled as she moved closer to check.
"Just tell me." Michelle felt like she was going to jump out of her skin.
"He's dead."
"Good." Michelle said, a hint of vengeance in her voice. "Tony!" Michelle panicked, if they tried to kill her then maybe they tried to kill him to. What if they were successful?
"You don't know that." Chloe echoed her thoughts. "You have to think positively." Chloe reminded her. Chloe looked at the body on the kitchen floor, she couldn't leave it there, not for Michelle to look at for the next several hours. She stood up, grabbed a towel to clean up the blood and picked up one of his legs.
"What are you doing?" Michelle asked.
"Do you really want him to stay here?"
"Let me help."
"Not a chance."
"Chloe. You can't do it by yourself. He's too heavy."
"Fine." Chloe knew she'd never be able to do it on her own. Besides, she was only putting him in the garage around the corner, and it's not like they were going to be lifting him. "But take it easy." Slowly they made it to the garage. The put a tarp over him, cleaned up the blood then went to fix up the mess in the kitchen.
Michelle was pacing back and forth in front of the kitchen windows, one hand on her mouth and another on her hip.
"I could make some tea." Chloe offered.
"What if something went wrong? Oh my god." She said looking at Chloe.
"I'm sure Tony's fine Michelle. He's a very resourceful guy."
"Maybe I should try to call him again." Michelle reached for the phone.
"NO!" Chloe insisted, "I'm going to make us some tea and you are going to sit down and look after yourself."
"I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to him? I love him so much." She said, grabbing her shirt around her waist as she sat down. Chloe fumbled around the kitchen, making the drinks as Michelle watched the phone. As she handed her the drink she insisted that she take a sip. "This doesn't feel right. I should have gone with him."
"But you're pregnant." Chloe thought aloud. "We have to be realistic here."
"You think I don't know that?" She snapped at Chloe.
"I mean he has Jack and Chase with him, and lets face it Michelle they have more field training than you do."
"Why hasn't he called?" Michelle just kept watching the phone. The silence was overwhelming. "Can't you get in contact with them or something?"
"I already tried. It didn't work." Chloe admitted, "Tony will be back. They always come back."
"What do you think their chances are?"
"Who?"
"Jack and Tony"
"Oh. They're the best at what they do. If anyone can make it back the can."
As the phone rang, Michelle was as white as a ghost, she couldn't bring herself to answer it. What if it was bad news. Chloe took the call as Michelle watched, her breath held as she twisted her ring around her finger. "No. I'm sorry." Chloe answered then hung up. "It was just a telemarketer." Michelle's heart sank. "I told them to rack off."
"Oh god. I don't know how much more of this I can take." Michelle ranted.
"All right Michelle that's enough."
"Excuse me?"
"I know you love Tony but you are much better than this. If Tony comes back he's not going to be happy if he sees you like this. He told me to keep you safe but you're not making this easy, did you think about that? He gave me one job to do and I'm failing it."
"I'm sorry."
"I know you're scared, and I don't blame you. But what if he is dead? Are you just going to give up living?"
"Chloe that's enough."
"NO! You need to hear this." Michelle shook her head and walked away, Chloe backed off, hoping she'd said enough to make her see sense. Anger was a good distraction for grief.
"Oh my god." Michelle gasped as she made her way to the front door.
"Michelle?" Chloe watched as she ran to the
window, she looked outside but there was nothing, it must have been a car driving past that she'd heard. "Damn it." How much longer could she go on like this? Admitting defeat she turned around and headed back to her seat.
As the front door opened Michelle looked up, and then told herself to stop getting her hopes up and looked back down at her tea. Tony walked into the kitchen first, followed closely by Jack and Chase. "Michelle." Tony stopped to look at her, she looked tired, not unlike his own unkempt appearance.
"Oh god." She smiled, cocking her head as she giggled with intense relief. She got up from her seat and ran over to him, Tony met her half way and grabbed her in his arms, holding her tight, taking in the smell of her hair, the touch of his hand on her cheek. "I'm sorry."
"Are you ok?"
"I'm fine." He promised
"Delton?"
"You don't need to worry about him anymore." Jack told her as they looked on. Chloe was glad to see they were all relatively unharmed.
"Danny?" Michelle asked.
"Right here. I'm okay sis." Danny entered the room behind them. Michelle went over and hugged her brother, then stood back to stand by Tony.
"I thought I told you to take it easy." Tony scolded her.
"I couldn't help it. I didn't know if you were alive or dead."
"Oh sweetheart. I told you I'd never leave you."
"I love you."
"Oh god Michelle. I love you too."
"Thank you, again, thank you." Danny shook Jack and Chases hands.
"You're welcome." They said, almost embarrassed.
"Congratulations." Chase stepped forward, as Tony let her go and stood beside her, his arm around her waist. He wasn't letting her go any time soon. "Tony told me the good news."
"Thank you. Chase." She shook his hand, then leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "Thank you, all of you." Michelle knew there were no real words to truly thank them for what they had done. For putting their lives on the line for a fight that wasn't there's. Michelle couldn't stop smiling as she held Tony's hand tight.
As the night grew darker and dear friends sat out under the stars sharing a fine meal and reliving better days, recent events seemed so far away. Michelle poured Jack another glass of wine, then went inside to get another bottle.
"Excuse me." Tony said, following her inside. She looked like an angel in her long white cotton dress, they way it swirled around her as she moved. He imagined what she would look like as their child grew, her beautiful belly protruding outward letting the world know their child was on its way. As she reached in to get a new bottle, Tony placed his hands around her waist, trying to imagine what it must feel like. "I missed you." She whispered.
"I missed you too." He said kissing her neck as he pulled her hair back off of her shoulders. "I'm sorry I had to go."
"You had no choice. I understand that."
"They were threatening your life. I couldn't rest till I knew you were safe."
"And now?"
"I'm all yours. You're wish is my command."
"Whatever huh?"
"You should be resting."
"I feel better than I have in ages."
"We do have guests." He blushed
"But you said…"
"Hmm." He scoffed, biting his lips as she spun around to face him. He went to protest but she reached up and kissed him. "That's cheating." he grinned.
"Uh huh." She said, kissing him again. Their lips locked as they kissed each other with intense passion. His hand still on her belly, he traced a finger across the cotton of her dress.
"What does it feel like?"
"It's a weird feeling." She told him, "I haven't felt anything yet, but it's like I can sense it."
"I can't wait to meet her."
"Her now?"
"Mmm." He blushed.
"What if she's a he?"
"That's all we need. Another stubborn Almeida. No, I think one renegade in the family is enough."
"And she can't be a renegade?"
"No. She'll be an angel, just like her mother." He said, pushing back her hair to let the light fall on her face.
"She it is then." Michelle agreed, kissing him back. Their guests outside could wait right now all she wanted was to be with her husband. She knew he wouldn't take her to bed, and she didn't blame him for being cautious, but there was nothing wrong with a little fore play.
- 10 -