Chapter 16

Turn around or not to turn around is the question. Kailey looked at the brothers, then Mr. Hardy. Where is the Mrs.? Oh she's in the kitchen, but she couldn't be seen from the hallway.

Joe looked at Frank, the steady man in a situation such as this. Frank took a quick look at his father. Fenton looked at his wife dialing the phone in the kitchen then back at his son. The man with the gun, Brandon, had his eyes purely fixated on the young girl in front of him, anticipating her movements.

Strategy, the best ever was needed at that particular moment. One wrong move could turn a civil situation disastrous.

Frank analyzed the situation. His mother was safe. Could he fly faster than the bullet and knock Kailey down. Then his father or brother would tackle the wacko and ask questions later. The only one seemingly in real danger was Kailey. Frank glanced a second time at his father who was observing the man and trying to get Kailey's read on the situation. He noticed she was a bit of an impulsive person and not completely uncomfortable in a perilous situation. Is that good or bad?

Joe's heart was pumping faster, adrenaline needed to be reserved, at this moment he had to remain calm. There was no easy way to get Kailey out of harms' way before that gun went off. His mom really wouldn't appreciate a bullet being embedded in her nicely wallpapered hallway. Anyways, Joe tried to lock eyes with Kailey whose eyes darted between the Hardy men.

Soon enough he was looking into a girl taking in the situation, not at all panicking. She had the look of concentration on her face, like she was trying to solve a puzzle. Before Joe could interpret more of her facial features the middle-aged man spoke.

"Kailey, just turn around and come with me. I didn't want to have to do this, but you just weren't listening to my suggestions before."

Frank thought that the man was more concerned with her being intact. So shooting anything vital would be out of order, maybe actually hitting her in general would be futile. He'd have to then take care of her and couldn't travel far under the radar. Not like he's going to get out of here that easily.

Joe noticed that Kailey was deciding whether or not to answer and was looking past him to his father. Not wanting to draw attention to their silent conversation, Joe looked at his brother. His face seemed to say that he was forming a plan. Joe chose to keep a watch for the police and Kailey's quick decision.

Brandon spoke again, "Come on. I don't want to hurt you or them, but if you don't listen to me I might have to."

Let's see how Kailey responds, thought Frank, he's really laying it on thick.

Kailey took a deep breath and stared at Mr. Hardy before she said, "Okay," and began to turn around.

Brandon was still directly at the door. He had one hand with the gun directed at Kailey, while the other was behind him, groping for the doorknob. Kailey was halfway in between. The gun barely wavered as she finally turned her back completely to the Hardy family.

"Okay what?" Brandon inquired.

"Okay I'll come with you."

Brandon nodded and said, "Good choice. Now come on, we're wasting time."

"Hold on, now unless you want me to freeze to death before we get to wherever we're going, I need to put on my shoes and coat."

"Okay, well then put them on," the man added, "But you have to stay in my line of sight and I'm remaining right here. Freezing wouldn't help my cause."

"Right," Kailey agreed and took a tentative step forward. "My coat and boots are right over there, on the back of the chair, you see?"

"Yes, proceed," Brandon ordered.

The gun is still on her, but he had admitted to not wanting her in a bad condition. It's now or never, right? Frank put his foot forward, getting the attention of the gunman.

"Don't any of you think about doing anything heroic," Brandon declared, waving the gun around to emphasize his point. "Stay right there, I'm not afraid to use my weapon."

The Hardys nodded their heads in acknowledgement. Kailey quickly brought the boots and coat into the hallway and began dressing in layers.

Not thinking anything of it she simultaneously took her phone out of her pocket so she could sit comfortably on the ground. It balanced vicariously at the edge of the table holding the home phone.

"Come on," Brandon urged Kailey, as she fumbled zipping up the boots and fixing the coat. Instinctively she reached for the phone, but he let out a screechy scream of, "NO! Leave it! Let's go!"

As Kailey got about an arms-length away and Brandon had lowered the weapon significantly, there was the blaring of a cell phone. It was the slight distraction that was needed.

Many things occurred at once. Kailey approached Brandon while he looked at the teetering and falling cellular device. It only took an instant to knock the gun out of his hands. Then she let punches rip. She received only a few that were mostly to the stomach, leading her to buckle over to catch her breath.

At that time Frank pulled her off to the side as Joe gave him a good punch in the jaw, while Mr. Hardy grabbed the gun. He took charge, clicking the safety.

"Stop," Fenton demanded. Joe backed away, next to Frank and Kailey. Brandon lifted his hands above his head in surrender and remained back against the front door. Quickly glancing at the teens, he stayed focus on the criminal, and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yes" was the mutual response.

Looking at the man he directed his next question, "Who are you?"

"I'm a friend of her father.." Brandon began.

Kailey cut him off, "You're no friend of his. You're a traitor. And have been for a while."

The volatile man made a slight movement insinuating advancing on the family. Mr. Hardy wasn't a fool and didn't want anything to happen under his roof, so he put his foot down.

It was a large step that closed the once wide space between the detective and the perpetrator. The gun barely wavered, aimed at the criminal's heart. There was a bulge in the man's overcoat, Fenton noticed. He needed to decide the best way to approach the situation without letting his guard down or getting his sons in the line of fire. If one of them went to pat that down, they could very well be held as hostage. But how long could this trapped and cornered game play out?

Brandon saw Fenton's glance at his disproportioned figure. He's going to get defensive, he thought and his aim probably isn't a force to be reckoned with.

The shrill of police sirens outside broke the intensity building in the hallway of the Hardy house.

Two things happened at once. Brandon turned around and reached into the folds of his coat. Mr. Hardy shouted no and took another step forward, directly behind the criminal. As the man tried to face Fenton, Mr. Hardy forgot he had a gun and laid a punch in his gut.

Frank and Joe stepped defensively in front of Kailey towards their father who shouted, "Stay back!" They did as they were told.

Weapons forgotten, the two grown men engaged in a fast-paced fist fight. Mr. Hardy seemed as though he was prevailing, but then Brandon kicked his kneecap, causing it to bend in an awkward position. Fenton fell to the ground. Brandon took this opportunity and dove for the gun.

Seeing the perp reach for the armed weapon, most likely ready to aim at the kids, Fenton regained his fighting composure and sprang towards the gun with a small burst of energy.

Both men had a hand on the gun. It waved around freely. It seemed more than likely someone was going to shoot an eye out, so the teens ducked down.

Outside the police could be heard on the megaphone, "Please come out with your hands up Mr. Mackrel. We will come get you."

"Over my dead body," Brandon muttered, finally slipping Mr. Hardy's grasp off the fully loaded weapon.

He held it firmly in his hand and grinned.

In the next few moments, time stopped as a shot was fired and Mrs. Hardy screamed bloody murder.

A/N: Thanks for the review and favorite! Please review this chapter! It's almost done :( I still don't own the Hardys (I can't remember if i've added that lately). I hope you enjoyed the way this chapter was written.