Thirteen


Nancy wasn't sure how she managed to do it, but she must have dozed off during the nightmarish drive with Wesley. It was either that or focus on the fact that she was getting further and further away from her home and Frank. If she did that, she knew she would have been nothing more than an emotional mess. It was important for her to keep her emotions in check, refusing to give Wesley any sense of satisfaction.

And by God, was he satisfied.

It was hard to miss that fact. Even under the comfort of sleep, Nancy could feel the satisfaction coming off of him in waves. The few times he'd tried to say something to her, Nancy feigned sleep, pretending that she couldn't hear him. After all, pretend was a much better than reality.

At least when she pretended, she was still with Frank, safe and sound at home. Not trapped in a car with the monster that'd haunted her dreams for the past three months. And certainly not headed to God knows where in which death would be imminent.

"You can stop pretending to be asleep, Nancy," Wesley's voice cut through her subconscious. "We're home."

Nancy's eyes fluttered open as she realized the car finally came to a complete stop, the engine making a clicking sound as it cooled down from the long drive. Her eyes darted all around the car, ignoring the fact that Wesley was turned in his seat to stare down at her. Darkness surrounded her on all sides, only the faint sliver of moonlight coming from a small window behind the back windshield.

Garage.

Closed off from the outside world, with no idea where she even was. Even if my some miracle, she happened to get away, Nancy would have no idea which direction to go. Which was the exact reason Wesley had left her tied up in the position she was in now. Her whole body felt as if it was on fire from her arms being pinioned above her head to her feet being tethered in an awkward position. She honestly couldn't remember the last time she had been so uncomfortable.

Nancy's stomach rumbled as the long forgotten aroma of Chinese food wafted through the car. How long had it been since she'd run into the diner to grab some dinner? Had Frank and Joe even made it back to River Heights? Did they realize that she was missing?

Wesley chuckled as he opened the door, causing Nancy to blink rapidly at the sudden light flooding the interior of the vehicle. "Sounds like someone is hungry? How about we take the food in and have dinner with the others?"

Others? Nancy almost forgot that Wesley had taken another girl. What was her name? Ellen?

Ella.

But he said there were others…just how many others were there?

Before she could ponder it anymore, the door at her feet opened and Wesley slid inside. Nancy thought he was going to free her feet first, which would give her a chance to kick him. It was almost as if he knew of her intention, leaving her feet tethered to the seat as he stretched across her body to unlock her wrists from the door.

Before she could lash out at him, Wesley gripped her wrists and cuffed them behind her back, smiling when he saw her heated glare. "You don't really think I'm going to give you the opportunity to get away, do you?"

Nancy grunted through the tape as he pulled her to a sitting position.

Sliding out of the car, Wesley bent down and unlocked the cuffs around her feet, putting them into his pocket before lifting her to her feet. He chuckled as she stumbled, her legs working overtime to regain circulation. "Careful there, Nancy. I wouldn't want to see you get hurt."

Once again, Nancy could do another more than let out another angry grunt.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Would you like to say something?" He didn't wait for another grunt as he ripped the tape from her face.

Nancy let out a cry, pinpricks of pain burning along the lower half of her face. She was pretty sure he took away the first layer of skin. She flexed her jaw back and forth, working some slack into her face before swallowing against the dryness that had settled in her throat.

"Better?"

"Bite me," Nancy muttered as he gripped her upper arm tightly before grabbing the bag of take-out from the car.

"Maybe for dessert," Wesley whispered into her ear as he pushed her towards the door leading out of the garage.

Nancy couldn't help the shiver that ran down her spine as he nipped at her ear lobe. It was clear that Wesley was much more dangerous this time around than the last. While every instinct at her screamed to fight back and try to get away, she knew it would be hopeless, especially with her hands cuffed behind her back and the tingling in her legs as they still worked to get circulation.

"Oh, and in case you think about screaming for help, forget about it. We're surrounded by woods and the nearest neighbor is at least half a mile away." He gave her arm a squeeze as he opened the door and pushed her inside the house, locking the door behind them. "We have the place all to ourselves."

"Except for the other girls you have imprisoned."

"Well, there is that…" Wesley gave a dark chuckle as he flipped on the light switch, the room illuminating into a brilliant glow.

Nancy couldn't help the gasp that escaped her lips as she took in the room around her. She was standing in a dining room that opened up into a massive kitchen. The walls were painted a warm teal, the countertops made of black granite. Stainless steel appliances gleamed, not a single fingerprint visible on the shiny surfaces. She imagined if she looked around the rest of the home, she would find it as normal and spectacular as the kitchen.

This is not the kind of home a serial killer should be residing in. She expected something a little more run-down and odorous.

Not clean or meticulous, the smell of lemons filling the air.

It was so misleading that it actually terrified her.

She glanced out of the corner of her eye to see Wesley staring at her expectantly. It was almost as if he was waiting for her approval, for whatever strange reason.

"What do you think?" Wesley asked softly as he guided her to one of the high-back barstools, lifting her arms over the back so she was secured to it. He began moving around the kitchen, taking out a serving tray and placing it on the counter.

"Who did you have to kill in order to get this place?" Nancy couldn't help the contempt in her tone.

If she expected him to get angry at her question, he disappointed her by chuckling. "This place actually belongs to me."

"And you're stupid enough to come here when every law enforcement agency out there is looking for you?"

Wesley pulled out three plates along with cloth napkins and silverware, placing it on the tray. "My name isn't listed on the deed. I worked for the FBI for many years, Nancy. I've learned a thing or two about keeping secrets."

"They'll figure it out eventually."

"They're certainly more than welcome to try." Wesley smiled at her as he placed three water bottles on the tray. "I'm good at what I do, Nancy."

Nancy knew firsthand what he was good at—inflicting pain and terror on others. As if in response to her thought, the area on her stomach where the spider had bitten her began to tingle, causing her to shudder.

Wesley came around the bar and unlocked the cuffs from around her wrists, freeing her from the chair. Then, he grabbed the bag of Chinese food. "Pick up the tray and walk ahead of me. Attempt anything and it won't be you who pays for your transgressions. I have two unwilling victims below who will suffer. Understand?"

"Yes," Nancy said, swallowing down the lump in her throat. Wesley knew exactly how to get her behave, knowing she wouldn't care if she got hurt. But if there was a chance an innocent person was harmed because of her actions, she would never be able to forgive herself.

Picking up the tray with both hands, Nancy began walking forward, Wesley steering her in the right direction with a hand on the small of her back. Her heart pounded in her chest with each footstep, her body working hard not to recoil from his touch.

"Where are we going?" Nancy asked softly.

"My playroom." Gripping her arm, he pulled her to a stop as they came to a door that was secured with a deadbolt. Pulling out a set of keys from his pocket, Wesley unlocked the door and pushed it open. While the stairs were enveloped in inky darkness, the bottom portion of the room was bathed in soft lighting. The powerful scent of cleaning products cut through the air, making Nancy gag. It was as if Wesley had found every cleaning fluid in the world and poured it into the room.

Flipping a switch, the wooden stairs were illuminated with light. Keeping a steady hand on her arm, Wesley nudged Nancy down the stairs, their footsteps echoing loudly as they descended. Nancy only began to make out the features of the room when they were halfway down the room, noticing the six large steel cages that took up two walls.

And two of those cages were occupied by young women.

Only one of the prisoners was awake—a young woman with long red hair that hung in tangled sheets over her shoulders and bright green eyes. She was wearing a flirty dress that was covered with grime, but other than that, she appeared relatively unharmed. Nancy also didn't miss the glare she leveled at Wesley and a sense of pride washed over her.

The girl was a fighter. There was no mistaking the gleam in her bright eyes.

The other woman was in the cage across from the redhead, lying on the mattress and making no indication that she'd heard them come into the basement. If Nancy didn't know any better, she would say she was drugged.

"Did you miss me, Ella?" Wesley asked, pulling Nancy to a stop only to take the tray from her hands and place it on the table.

"Ella Jacobs?" Nancy asked, remembering the name Frank had told her belonged to the missing girl.

"You know who I am?" Ella asked, her eyes locking on Nancy's.

"Everyone is looking for you."

"There will be plenty of time for the two of you to get to know each other," Wesley said, heaping food onto the plates. "In fact, I plan for the two of you to become very close."

"Why?" Nancy asked, ignoring the way her stomach rumbled at the sight of the food.

"Because I think it will be beneficial to the two of you and interesting." He handed a plate of food to Nancy, along with a bottle of water. "Bring that over to Ella. There's a slot at the bottom wide enough to fit the plate and water."

Nancy knew exactly what he meant by interesting. He wanted them to develop a bond before he ripped it apart. It was perhaps one of the cruelest things he could do.

Taking the food, Nancy walked over to Ella's cage and lifted the slot Wesley indicated. The other young woman looked at her uncertainly, but Nancy merely gave a slight nod of her head, indicating it was okay to eat. She wasn't sure if Wesley regularly drugged Ella's food, but she wanted the girl to begin to trust her.

If Wesley wanted them to get close, then they would. And Nancy would turn it right around on him. She could already tell by looking at her that Ella was a fighter. There was a fire inside her that burned deeply. She was just biding her time for the perfect opportunity, even though she knew there may be no chance for her to make it out of there alive. She would go out fighting.

Just like Nancy would.

Stepping back from her cage, Nancy stood up as Wesley came towards her with another plate of food and a bottle of water. Handing the items to Nancy, he gripped her arm and led her to the cage beside Ella's and unlocked the door. Nudging her inside, he closed the door and locked her in.

"Unfortunately, our other guest is still out of it," Wesley said, smiling at them. "I'll leave the two of you to eat and get to know each other."

Nancy almost couldn't believe what she was hearing as she placed the items on the ground. He wanted them to eat and get to know each other. And if Ella's condition was any indication, he had been feeding her regularly. What kind of game was Wesley playing?

"What kind of crap are you trying to pull, Wesley?" Nancy asked, gripping the bars of her cage tightly as she glared at him.

Wesley's expression was amused as he turned to look at her. "Whatever do you mean, Nancy?"

"Giving us food and then leaving us alone so we can talk."

"Would you rather I just take one of you and kill you now?" He smiled when Nancy remained silent, striding up to her "I didn't think so."

Wesley reached a hand in and cupped one side of her face before it moved to grip the back of her neck, jerking her face close to his. Anger clouded his eyes, almost making them appear a darker shade of blue. "Don't question what I do, Nancy. It would turn out to be a fatal mistake on your part."

Letting go of her, Wesley walked to the staircase, his footsteps pounding on the stairs as he ascended. A few seconds later the door closed behind him, the sound of the lock being thrown into place echoing in the basement.

Nancy let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding, her body shivering as fear consumed her. Wesley was so much more unpredictable than he'd been before, switching from hot to cold without any notice.

"Are you okay?" Ella asked softly.

Jumping slightly, Nancy turned her head to see the other girl staring at her with concern in her eyes. Nancy reached up and absently rubbed the back of her neck where Wesley had gripped it. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

Nancy nodded, giving her a shaky smile. "Yeah, I'm good. I'm Nancy, by the way."

"Ella. What happened to your head?"

"What do you mean?" Nancy asked, reaching for her forehead. She winced as her fingers came in contact with a bump and a stickiness that she could only assume was blood. "Oh. My head decided to get up close and personal with some pavement. The meeting went a little rougher than I would have liked."

Ella smiled slightly as Nancy's attempt at humor.

"Are you okay?" Nancy asked the other girl.

"He hasn't hurt me, if that's what you mean."

"Good." Nancy nodded towards the food that Ella was picking at. "How often does he feed you?"

"Two times a day for the most part," Ella answered. "Sometimes three. Aren't you going to eat anything?"

Nancy shook her head. "I lost my appetite."

Ignoring the food, Nancy grabbed the bottle of water and took a long sip, letting the cool liquid soothe her parched throat. While she drank, she let her eyes trail over every inch of the cage, looking for any weak points she could manipulate to get out of her prison. The bars seemed to be welded into the top of the steel roof of the cage. She made a slow circle around the perimeter, paying close attention to the corners.

"What are you doing?" Ella asked, watching her.

"Looking for a way out."

"There isn't one," Ella answered miserably. "What makes you think you'll be able to find one?"

Nancy couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face. "I have a little bit of experience with these sorts of situations."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm a private detective."

"Seriously?"

Nancy nodded as she pulled at one of the corner bars, only to be met with resistance. "You have a lot of people looking for you, Ella."

Ella nodded sadly as she sank down onto her mattress. "They won't be able to find me."

"Not if you give up." Nancy let out a sigh at her despondent look. "I know it doesn't seem like it, Ella, but there is a chance for us to get out of this alive. I'm not going to let Wesley hurt you."

"How are you going to stop him?"

"I'm not sure yet." Nancy tried the remaining bars, but found they also held strong. The only way out of the cage would be to pick the lock but she didn't have anything to use. "What about the other girl over there?"

"I don't know who she is."

"How long has she been here?"

"A day or so," Ella answered. "He keeps coming in here and injecting her with something every few hours."

Nancy let out a heavy sigh as she sat down on her own mattress, popping a piece of sweet and sour chicken into her mouth. Her stomach seemed to sigh in appreciation as she finally gave it what it craved. Soon, she found herself eating more and more until her plate was almost empty.

"Nancy, can I ask you a question?" Ella asked after they had been quiet for a few minutes.

"Sure."

"Do you know him?"

"Wesley?"

Ella nodded.

"A little better than I care to," Nancy admitted.

"How?"

Nancy leveled her gaze at Ella, knowing she wouldn't do her any favors by lying to her. The other girl deserved to know the truth. "He nearly killed me three months ago."

Ella opened her mouth several times, but no sound ever came out.

"I meant what I said to you earlier, Ella," Nancy said, scooting to the edge of the cage so she was closer to her. "I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that Wesley doesn't hurt you. Even if it kills me."

As soon as she said the words, Nancy knew there was truth in them. She would do anything she could to ensure that Ella made it out of here alive.

No matter what.

Even if the price was her own life.


Thank you so much to everyone who is reading and reviewing!

Alicia Hardy (Don't you just hate waking up to weird sounds in the middle of the night? For the past couple of nights, my neighbor's dog has come into my yard and barked right underneath my window, making me think something is there!), Caranath (I think Nancy can't help but to infuse a little bit of hope, no matter how small it is…), Michelle Gallichio (I'm loving Ella, too! And I hope I keep providing a distraction for you!), SC15 (Can't say what's going to happen to Wesley…just that he will definitely be inflicting lots of terror and pain…), MinecraftDanny (I plan on making it as creepy as I can! Please tell your sister not to be jealous!), Lady Emily (Believe me…I know how much you love some Frank! Almost as much as me!), Cupcake (Nope, I'm still alive and kicking! Wesley has nothing on me! And I'm glad you could get to know me a little better…I'm not that scary, right?), max2013 (I hope you're not too nervous to read on…but I would understand completely if you didn't want to), and FreshKicks (That's me…sneaky as can be! And no dying on your part...I can't deal with that kind of guilt!)

Frank and Joe coming up in the next chapter along with some violence from Wesley.

I apologize for any mistakes and let me know what you think!