Title: 500 Minutes
Chapter 6 – Betrayal!

It all happened so fast for Spike, he was sure his heart rate was in critical. David had turned to focus on Joe, the knife carefully slipping from his sleeve into the open palm of his hand. He wasn't about to warn one for the other, in truth he didn't care; he needed the distraction to focus on what he had to do. His slightly trembling fingers grab the phone and starts to text 9-11.

He hears Annabelle's warning to Joe and then hears Joe utter an angry cry just as his call connects. He puts it on mute and quickly dims the screen before placing the phone back on the table just as David turns around to face him; Joe's body falling to the floor on his left, the knife with freshly dripping blood hanging on the right.

Oh damn he saw…Spike's mind races in a panic as his eyes fix on Joe's fallen form, a pool of blood from the deathly injury forming around him; Annabelle glaring at David in hatred.

"You idiot! We needed him."

"He's dead! Get over it and don't yell at me Annabelle. Now Spike," David slowly walks up to him, forcing Spike's throat reflexes to automatically swallow. "Do you see what happens to those that don't listen to me?" He comes and stands right before Spike, glaring down. Then without warning, his vice-like grip seizes Spike's freshly wounded arm and jerks him painfully forward.

"I'm not a man to test."

"I um...see that."

Spike's lips stifles a painful gasp as his eyes want to water as he looks up at David with a heavy frown. Oh god that hurts, his mind agonizes in silent misery.

"You will of course give me a few minutes to…" David looks past him to the cell phone sitting only a few inches away. "You know I had my back turned for a few moments. Did you by any chance use the phone Spike?"

"No," Spike answers, praying his tone would come across as sounding firm.

"Are you sure?" David's fingers press into Spike's open wound, forcing his face to wince and his whole body to tense.

"P-pretty sure," Spike slightly stammers, trying to keep his firm composure and push past the pain. "Ah...okay."

"Did you?"

"No."

"David, don't be stupid. You ruin his arms or hands and we'll never get what we came for!" Annabelle hisses.

David's angry grip remains on Spike's chewed up flesh a few seconds longer, sending shockwaves of searing pain down his entire sweat clad frame.

"Never argue with a woman," David's hand releases and Spike exhales audibly. "You have five minutes to recover Spike and then we get busy."

Spike yanks his arm free, his left hand automatically resting on his right arm, his mind trying to think away the fresh pain that was still dancing around his weary frame. He quickly glances at the phone for a few seconds before turning to watch David and Annabelle starting to drag Joe's lifeless body a few meters away, a crimson stain following the lifeless corpse.

"You should be planning your strategy Spike," David states gruffly. "Pity you have to wait for me," David snickers from the shadows.

Come on guys…hurry, Spike's mind utters as he turns back to the table before him and the computer. He presses a button and of course it was locked; waiting for David to get their and unlock with his password. If he had time he could possibly reboot the system and try to manually override upon startup. But as David's heavy footsteps are heard heading back in his direction that plan was moot.

"Be with you in a minute Spike."

Spike looks at his watch and frowns. When did he place the call? It seems like only seconds ago but in reality it was minutes. Did his team get the call? Were they on their way? They would have to be. How could he stall? Spike hears David coming up behind him and automatically cringes when David's heavy hand clamps down on his tense shoulder.

"Let's do this shall we?"

XXXXXXXX

"Okay got a live 9-11 call from a cell phone. Caller texted 'Spike' and it's been live but silent for the past five minutes," Winnie's voice breaks into the sordid discussion about David and Annabelle.

"I'm on it," Troy pipes up, Greg anxiously hovering over his shoulder for any results.

"Troy do you have an address for us yet?" Ed asks impatiently.

"A few more…ah lost it," Troy growls.

"Damn it," Wordy curses.

"What?"

"The call was disconnected on their end."

"Come on we are out of time," Wordy groans.

"They still might need him…" Ed starts.

"Yeah and what if he's already tried and that was his last attempt at…" Wordy's tense tone is interrupted by Greg.

"Guys, we'll make it," Greg tries to assure them. "Troy did you get anything in time?"

"I got a location. Toronto Island Airport," Troy relays.

"Let's move. We'll get the details on the way," Ed's commanding voice directs the team. "Wordy, we'll make it."

"We better," Wordy replies with a frown as they get into the service elevator. But in his mind he knows the call was ended and not by Spike. What did that mean for his friend? Whatever it was, after hearing what David was capable of he knew it wasn't good.

XXXXXXXX

"Do you really think me stupid! Now give me the damn phone!" David hollers as he tries to get the phone away from Spike's grasp. After sustaining another painful hit to his arm, Spike's right hand loosens and the phone clatters to the floor, a few feet away from the right wheel of the wheelchair.

Annabelle quickly scoops it up and then looks at the phone face. The call was ended but there was the log. Spike had called for help. Now she was torn.

"Who did he call?"

"No one," Annabelle replies, forcing the wince on Spike's face to morph into a confused frown. Why did she help him? What was her real game?

"Let me see that," David huffs as he storms up to Annabelle, just as her nimble fingers had cleared the call to 9-11. She knew it was only a matter of time now before his team would arrive and in truth she had wanted out long before this but until now no one had afforded her the opportunity to get the help without alerting David. Spike was that chance. She could only hope it wasn't too late. Five years ago David had come to her with a plan to get rich quick and then retire comfortably on a tropical island. She fell for it; all his lies and all his lines. But what she didn't know was who David really was or the hold he'd have over her. And it wasn't until she was in too deep and few grisly deaths behind her that she knew he owned her soul. Getting out wasn't going to be easy and she did suspect she'd die but maybe in death she'd find the peace she never found in life. She knew she'd be leaving behind loved ones, but it was better than rotting in jail. She had failed in life, maybe in death she'd find solace. She had found not much honor in life, maybe in death she'd be redeemed. She had to help Spike, even if it meant buying hm a few minutes.

"See it's dead."

David's eyes narrow at her as he slams the phone to the floor and smashes it with his foot. "Just like he'll be ver soon. Now let's get this over with," he takes the gun and places it in her hands. "When this is over you know what to do."

"I don't want to kill him."

"I don't care what you want. Do it or you I make a call and you'll be sorry!"

"David…"

"Cross me Annabelle and I'll cut you right now and let you bleed out!"

"I want…"

"I know what you want and you'll get it as soon as the money is transferred. And when that is done, I'll get the plane ready and you'll kill our computer genius here. Or you'll both end up like Joe right now!"

"Now you are threatening me? You twisted bastard!" Annabelle argues back as she holds her ground and both of them trade hate-filled glares for a few tense seconds. In the meantime, Spike's fingers had worked the waist restraint as loose as he could, so that if he was wheeled away at least he'd have given himself somewhat of a fighting chance.

"Move!"

"Don't yell at me again," Annabelle snatches the gun from David's fingers and pushes past him, heading for the table where Spike was waiting. "Just hurry," she whispers as David nears them.

"Okay Spike, you have…" David looks at his watch as he logs in. "Well no time at all really. Now get BUSY!"

Spike looks up with a frown. Is he serious? But when David's hand reaches into the inner pocket and pulls out the bloody knife, Spike quickly turns to the front of the computer and starts to type away. "Okay...getting busy," Spike states wryly.

"That's better."

While David and Annabelle were distracted his mind had finally formulated a plan to use the same path he did to hack into the training room; a false entryway into the Federal Reserve that he used in his class. He had told himself that if he just stalled as much as he could, by the time he reached the end of the training program, his team would be here and this nightmare would be over.

"Looks simple enough," Annabelle mentions.

"Right well looks can be deceiving, don't you agree Spike?"

"Yeah this isn't simple," he replies in a small wry tone, his eyes looking up at Annabelle for a few seconds and then back down.

"Ah she really got to you didn't she? She's very good in bed as well. You know she can talk the talk and walk the walk if you know what I mean," David snickers in his ear, causing Spike to pause on the keyboard.

"That's enough David."

"Time is of the essence Spike."

"Trust me I'm not in a hurry to die," Spike counters with a snip to his tone.

"Well we all die sometime, you get to die making me rich and happy. Now move. If I have to say it again, your leg gets a new space for a kneecap. Understood?"

Hurry guys, Spike's mind calls as he clears through the second training exercise firewall. He was going at a steady pace to make it look legitimate but hopefully slow enough for his team to arrive before he was dead. But what was Annabelle's real story? What did David have on her that would force her to do his murderous bidding.

XXXXXXXX

The drive toward Lakeshore Avenue and then onto Lakeshore that would take them onto Toronto Island was spent mostly in silence, Wordy and Ed getting small bits of added information about David and what other atrocities he was guilty of.

"Spike's smart, he'll find a way to stall for time."

"Yeah if he can," Wordy frowns. "I wanted this for him you know; a girl he could really connect with. The next morning when he came in with that smile…it was so real. I mean Spike's a happy go lucky kinda guy but that smile…damn it Ed, why didn't I…"

"Continually beating yourself up over this isn't going to help either of you. I know we all want that for Spike, for him to have a chance at what we have and it will come. This time…wasn't it."

"I still prefer Oprah," Wordy smirks, forcing Ed's lips to partially twist upward as well.

"I guess love makes you do stupid things," Sam mentions to Jules in a low tone.

"Love? You believe this was love at first sight?" Jules counters.

"Sounded like it at first from what Wordy told us. Why is that bad?"

"Are you kidding?"

"No, I meant love at first sight?" Sam asks with a serious expression. Jules holds his gaze for a few seconds longer, no words needed as they both knew the answer.

"Lets just get to Spike before it's love at first sight is written on his tombstone."

"Always the naysayer," Sam chuckles.

"Okay guys sirens off. We want to get the jump on them without this turning into a hostage situation," Ed breaks into the off-side discussion. "Troy can you tell us which part of the island the call originated?"

"North east. Near the airport itself. Look for the black van. If they were planning on taking a private plane out of there, there are a few private terminals to choose from."

"Copy that," Ed answers as they come to a fork in the road. "Sam, Jules take the left. All eyes looking for the black van. No one moves until we are all at the same place."

Hold on Spike, we're almost there, Wordy's mind utters in haste. He looks over at Ed who exchanges a worried look but no words were offered. Their friend wasn't safe yet and time was rapidly running out.

XXXXXXXX

"I think you are deliberately stalling!" David shouts down as Spike reaches the end and tries to show them he can't go any further. David's fist with the gun with the silencer still wrapped in his fingers slams down hard on the desk, forcing the keyboard and mouse to slightly jump. "Now Spike…I am losing my patience."

"I tried to tell Annabelle…"

"You said you could do it! We both heard you! Were you that desperate for female attention?"

The question inevitably stung and Spike feels his fists tighten on the table. "I was drunk and you know when you are drunk you say things that..." his voice rattles off in haste.

"Can you get me my money or not!" David's angry voice demands in his left ear.

"I can um…try one more thing," Spike's eyes shift to the left and then back to the front once more.

"Good, do it! Fail me this time and you will die."

XXXXXXXX

"Winnie any flights out of Porter Airlines leaving the island and heading for somewhere either overseas, tropical or to south America?" Greg's voice is heard over the headset.

"First priority to those without extradition agreements to Canada."

"Like the Cayman Islands?" Wordy queries.

"Anything," Greg replies. "There's a lot of places to cover on the island."

"Copy that. Hold on a minute," Winnie's tense voice is heard.

"Greg, Spike has accessed his training exercise from class," Troy mentions. "But you guys gotta hurry."

"So at least he's stalling them," Wordy mentions.

"Spike, will do what he can. Now we gotta get there before David does what he can," Greg reminds him. "Or Spike runs out of time."

"Okay got something. There are two private flights leaving in one hour to the Cayman Islands," Winnie informs them.

"Winnie send the building addresses to the team."

"We're close…" Ed's voice trails off as he sends instructions to the Sam and Jules on which building to take, Greg now en route. Wordy's eyes close sharply as he continues to search for the black van. Spike had figured a way to contact them and stall for time; those small snippets put his mind at ease somewhat. But he was sure that he probably also had endured something nefarious at David's murderous hands. But to what extent? And now that Spike had stopped with the training exercise and no more calls were made were they already too late?

"I see the black van," Wordy's voice is heard, prompting Ed to quickly veer in the direction toward it, giving the location to the rest of the team.

"Copy that," Sam's anxious tone is picked up. "Jules and I will be there in two."

Hold Spike, were almost there buddy.

XXXXXXXX

"I think he's intentionally stalling for time!" David growls as he pulls the knife and presses it against Spike's thigh, threatening to slice into the live giving femoral artery. "Where is my money?"

"Joe was right!" Annabelle's angry voice is finally heard, forcing David to turn around and see her pointing the gun at her.

"Put that thing away."

"You keep saying my money. How many damn plane tickets do you have David?"

"Annabelle…"

"How many!" She demands in anger just as she cocks the trigger.

"You are a terrible shot! Now put that away. If you want to go then fine, I'll kill him and we'll leave here already."

"Where to?"

"Somewhere tropical."

"That wasn't the deal."

"The deal has changed," David hisses sharply.

"Okay then fine, Spike lives."

"He knows who we are! No one has ever lived to tell on us, or do you forget our deal?"

"You changed it and so can I. I'm not going with you David."

"Bloody bitch," David growls under his voice as his eyes remain trained on the woman before him. "Never trust a woman."

XXXXXXXX

Just outside Ed and Wordy quietly get out of the black SRU SUV and rush toward the front door, passing the black van, both their guns ready for action.

"Do we have eyes yet?" Greg inquires as he pushes the gas pedal a bit lower to the floor.

"Not yet boss but we hear shouting. Sounds like tension inside is escalating," Ed answers as he looks at Wordy, both of them nearing the front door.

"I doubt we'll have much time to bargain with," Wordy adds.

"Talk to me guys," Greg insists.

Each of them take a side of the building but with no windows at their height it was impossible to see where Spike was and what condition he was in.

"Sounds like a man and woman. But we got no eyes and can't see or hear Spike," Wordy relays to the team. "We have to go in now."

"We're almost there," Sam informs Ed and Wordy. "I see you guys."

"We're going around the back. Sam, Jules you cover the front," Ed directs.

"Copy that."

"Remember guys, they got Spike and we don't know in what condition he's in. We take this carefully."

XXXXXXXX

"You are in this just as deep as I am Annabelle."

"He can't get our money, so why don't we just leave! Where is my ticket?"

"It's in the plane." David huffs, his anger growing stronger.

"You show me," Annabelle demands.

"Are you…" David pauses as he looks at Spike and then rushes toward him, seeing him fiddling with the waist restraint and finally getting it loose. "Oh no you don't," David growls as he wraps an arm around Spike's neck before he can escape and drags him out of the chair, Spike struggling to remain upright. He slams Spike onto the table and quickly pulls out a pair of handcuffs. Spike's leg kicks out but David's speed was too fast, trapping his wrists behind his back and rendering him his prisoner once more.

"Now you'll die a…well it was supposed to be slow and painful but how about just quick and painless?"

"You don't have to do this," Spike states in haste.

"I want to," David hisses as he remains in a dead heat with Annabelle.

"Stop this David!"

"Your play my dear. Me or him?"

"I want my damn ticket!"

"Then come and get it from me," David challenges as he cocks the trigger.

"You let him go first."

"Fine."

XXXXXXXX

"Okay I was finally able to open the last file," Troy's voice breaks out onto the headset. "I found the connection between Annabelle and David."

"What is it?" Greg asks in haste.

"Boss, Wordy and I are at the back door and about to enter," Ed's voice relays the same time as Greg's question.

"She's his wife…"

"What?"

*bang*

A/N: Okay so first off I did struggle with team action stuff a bit and hope it sounds okay and not cheesy! Lol I'm a better angst than action writer I think. But hope it wasn't lame. So who do you think got shot? Is this ordeal over for Spike yet? What else will the team learn? Hope you are all liking it so far and stay tuned for a bit more to come! Please review before you go and thanks so much!