Thank you kind reviewers, I hope to see more from you and anyone else who is reading.
Still a few more chapters till the end though... I hope you are enjoying the ride.
Chapter 24
"Hold on." James jogged and fell into step with her as they walked down the dark corridor. "You think we should reduce the amount of coffee that we drink?" He asked suddenly.
"Are you asking that because you keep on running to the bathroom?" Megan asked. "You think it's the caffeine?"
"What else could it be?"
"You should have developed some immunity to the affects by now." She laughed and then motioned towards the cafeteria counter. "You want some or not?"
James shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, I'll get some muffin as well." He joined her next to the empty counter. "It's very quiet in here, don't you think?"
"It's the middle of the night, James. Where's the radio by the way?"
"Left it in the ambulance, they know my phone number in case they need me." He pulled out his cell phone, waving it in front of her face. She rolled her eyes and turned towards the empty counter again.
"Excuse me?" She called. "I could have sworn I saw Marie here a few hours ago."
"What can I do for you?" The tall employee materialized in front of them and Megan startled. "I thought the place was empty." She smiled. "Two coffees to go and a chocolate chip muffin, please."
He nodded his head. "Coming right up."
He disappeared in the back room for a moment and Megan and James shared a look and then shrugged their shoulders. James sat down on one of the chairs and Megan approached the counter, taking the muffin he handed her and handing it to James. The man disappeared in the back again and Megan frowned when she noticed a strange movement behind the counter. She approached further, eyes widening in realization, recognizing a pale hand that peeked from behind one of the cupboards. She held herself in place, refusing to rush forward and check, instead she turned towards James.
"James?" She whispered and he raised his head, his eyes widening at the sight of her. He stood and followed her gaze, his mouth opening in astonishment. He shook his head when she walked behind the counter, kneeling in front of the woman who sat there, gagged and bound. She realized the mistake she did when she saw Marie's eyes widening and simultaneity heard James warning. She managed to turn enough to see something moving towards her before it slammed into the side of her head and she lost her balance and her consciousness for a moment.
When she opened her eyes, there was a gun pointed at her. "Drop it." the order was meant for James and she heard the cell phone falling to the ground.
"47 Washington." The call was heard again and Jack shook his head.
"It's not like James at all." He frowned. "Tara, ask someone to trace them."
"They were heading towards the cafeteria ten minutes ago but I'll check and see if they're still there." Tara said, turning on her earpiece. "Myles, do you copy?" She frowned when she received no reply.
The sudden loud ringing startled them both and Sue frowned. "What is it?"
"Someone activated the GPS on James' cell phone." Tara said, her fingers flying over her keyboard. "The signal is down. It's here, but I don't know where."
"Myles, do you copy?" Jack tried again before communicating to the other agents in the hospital. "I want traces on Paul, Meyer and agent Leland, now!"
"He has to be around the cafeteria somewhere." Sue spoke. "Some hospitals have surveillance cameras for security measures."
Jack nodded his head. "Let's get inside; I want to see what's going on." He picked up his cell phone again. "D. we have a situation in the hospital."
He made them sit down next to one of the walls, the cafeteria now locked and the doors sealed with tables and chairs. Megan winced when she turned her head to look at the agent who lay unconscious on the floor. She relaxed some when she counted his steady breathing but the bleeding gash in his head was serious. She didn't even want to see how the side of her own head looks like. A movement in front of her startled her and she was pulled to her feet by the man who held them captive.
"Always care for others more than herself." He sneered, his face inches away from hers. "Why won't you worry about yourself instead of meddling with things that aren't your business?"
"He's bleeding." She said quietly. "He could die."
He arched an eyebrow. "And you really think I mind if he lives or dies?"
"What do you want from us?" James asked. "Why are you keeping us here?"
The man whirled around, facing him. "You really don't remember, do you?" He then turned towards Megan, reaching his hand to touch her hair. She flinched away from his touch and he pulled her forward, forcing a scream from her mouth as he pulled her hair. "You reminded me of her so much but now, I can't really see any resemblance at all…I should have ended it when I could. I shouldn't have wasted the time." Megan swallowed hard as his eyes narrowed as he moved the gun from her forehead down her throat and lower, tracing her curves until he finally stopped at her lower abdomen. "You know, she was pregnant as well…maybe that was the reason I hesitated…" He played with the trigger and smiled when she shuddered, releasing his grip on her hair and pushing her to the floor.
"What do you want?" James repeated his question, his hand moving to support his friend as she tumbled to the floor.
"It's been five years. I was too upset back then to finish what I started, it wasn't planned enough, but now…it will soon be over…"
Bobby slammed the door and headed inside the emergency room. Frustration in his features, he tried hard not to snap at Jack. It was no one's fault. They were just being played at…again. He cursed fate for letting Brian Ford break into the apartment tonight of all nights. For a few happy, reliving moments, he thought they finally got him and he allowed himself to think about everything that could happen afterwards. He could finally concentrate on her; she won't be in danger anymore.
The perfect illusion seemed to end the second he found out who the burglar was. Those few moments could have been the crucial ones and now they were both gone. They never thought he would strike at the hospital. Did it mean that he was desperate? Or simply too smart?
"Someone has returned from the dead…" Jack told him and he frowned.
"Perry?"
"The cafeteria doesn't have any cameras but one of our agents climbed through the ventilation system and managed to place an optic fiber above the room. Our sight is very limited but we did see Megan and James, they seemed fine. We also saw who holds them, He looks like Grant Perry."
"Jack." Sue hurried towards him, holding a piece of paper in her hands. "Tara found more information about Stanton, I just read it and something was familiar." She showed him a paragraph and Bobby leaned behind her to take a look. "Stanton was in the same unit as Grant Perry. Tara dug a little deeper; apparently, Perry saved Stanton's life."
"What are you saying?" Bobby frowned.
"They were both snipers. Perry never officially finished the course, there was an accident." She said quietly.
Bobby raised his eyebrows. "He might have covered Perry's tracks, it's all too convenient. We should have suspected it in the first place." He whispered.
"I want someone to find Stanton. We have a lot to talk about." Jack said. "Make it top priority."
Bobby turned to Tara, touching her shoulder. "Myles is there too." She said quietly and he was surprised at the pain he saw in her eyes. He blinked when he suddenly realized that he wasn't the only one who might lose someone. The realization was humbling and he squeezed her shoulder. "We'll get him, Sheila, don't worry." His words sounded hollow even to his own ears but she nodded her head. He turned to his friend. "Do we have any information on Myles' condition?"
"Someone is down on the ground, we suppose it's him and we assume Marie White is there as well." Dimitrius said, his eyes turning to look at Tara before he averted them.
"Why would he do it, it doesn't make sense." Tara spoke. "It's against everything he did so far."
"It gave him the element of surprise." Jack said.
"Maybe he wants to talk." Bobby speculated. "Something happened to him five years ago that made him go crazy and try to kill them, maybe he just wants to get it out…"
"Or maybe he's planning the grand ending." Sue spoke softly. "He wants others to be there and watch when he'll finally finish what he started all those years ago."
"You think you can get in there?" Jack asked and Bobby nodded his head.
"Not a problem, I'll get him to talk."
"Get a team with you, I'll try and sneak in on the back, there's a storage room with a back entrance, it's our best shot inside. If that won't work we'll head towards the ventilation system."
Bobby nodded his head. "Let's go."
Jack pursed his lips. "You can handle it?" He asked one last time.
Bobby nodded his head. "I can handle it. Let's get them out of there."
Jack only smiled and nodded his head. He turned to Sue, moving his hand to linger on her shoulder. Bobby averted his eyes, turning to send an encouraging smile towards Tara who set up her laptop and communication center at the nurse's station. Sue smiled at him and pursed her lips. "Be careful." She whispered.
Jack caressed her cheek, desiring to kiss her but aware of the people around them. "We'll get them out in no time, Sue. I'll see you soon."
"I'll keep an eye on Tara." She smiled and he nodded his head, calling for Bobby and Dimitrius to join him. SWAT team members all followed them, heading towards the cafeteria.
Tara breathed deeply and sent a faint smile towards her friend. She cleared her throat and spoke in her earpiece. "All units, this is SAM1 you're clear to go at your own time."
Megan winced, trying to suppress the cry of pain as he held her tight, pressing her already bruised ribs while aiming his gun towards her head. "Remove your vest; put it on the floor with the others."
Bobby obeyed quietly, avoiding any eye contact with Megan and focusing on the man with the gun. He dropped the heavy vest to the ground and raised his hands in the air, a gesture of surrender. "Let her go now." He said quietly and watched when the man removed the gun from Megan's temple but kept his arm around her waist, using her as human shield.
He allowed him inside the cafeteria, Bobby wasn't sure why but he did and he had every intention to take advantage of the situation. He had a small camera in the collar of his shirt and although he carried no earpiece or weapon the clear, inside pictures might help the SWAT team in breaking in. He detected Myles on the floor; he was awake but kept a low profile, when Bobby caught his gaze he shook his head a little, wincing. Bobby understood. Myles was in no shape to help him. James seemed alright and he supposed Miss White was alright as well. Megan was…he swallowed when he finally made eye contact. She was terrified; he saw it in her eyes before a false facade of bravery settled on her features.
He averted his eyes again, focusing on Grant Perry.
"Mr. Perry…can I call you Grant?" He asked pleasantly, smiling when he hesitated and then nodded his head. "What exactly are you trying to achieve in doing this?"
"Achieve? I'm only finishing what I started five years ago." Perry hissed. "My life ended because they had to get involved. I came home one day to find them inside, filling her head with nonsense about a shelter and a better life. I saw them when he handed her a card… She convinced my wife to go to the shelter. Do you know what happened afterwards?" Bobby shook his head, waiting for him to continue. "I came home to find that she left…she left me and took my future away…"
"Why did your wife killed herself?" Bobby asked, taking another step forward as Perry's eyes turned unfocused a little.
"Killed herself? She didn't kill herself!" He exploded, shaking Megan a little. "She came back to pack some clothes, I waited for her." He grinned. "She hid in the bathroom but I could always find her…" He trailed off, his eyes bright as he kept on smiling. "Imagine my delight when I saw the paramedics that arrived at the scene…it was only fitting that you will pay for what you did, she was dead and everything was your fault!"
"You killed her." Megan mumbled her eyes wide. "You killed her…" She struggled against him. "Sick…bastard…"
"Feisty one, eh? You didn't struggle too hard back then, do you remember? Do you remember begging me to let you go? You were afraid of me, you told me you were pregnant, do you remember?" His voice was filled with glee as he shook her. "Such loveliness you were. You were scared when you woke up, you saw him on the floor beside you and I sat and watched as you begged and you cried…"
"Stop it…" She hissed, struggling to break free from his grasp.
"You didn't understand why I was doing it, I told you to stop interfering with other people's lives and you said you'll do anything as long as I won't hurt you but then the time for listening was over, your cell phones wouldn't stop ringing and eventually the sound of your voice became so annoying I just wanted to shut…you…up…"
"Shut up already!" James rose from his position on the floor, his palms clenched tight as he tried to control his anger.
Megan swallowed, closing her eyes and willing the memories to stop for a moment. Her mind seemed to be filled with images from the moment he pointed his gun at her face. The entire scene was familiar, her head pounding, the gun pointing at her crumpled form, the stench of his mouth as he spoke to her. Everything stirred the memories her mind seemed to forget and she couldn't focus, having trouble recognizing the present from her memories.
"What are we doing now, Grant?" Bobby's voice broke through her haze and she blinked. "There is nowhere for you to go, the cops are covering every inch of this hospital." SWAT members were finally inside the room, sneaking around, Jack and two more snipers quietly took their positions.
"I have no intention to run away. I'm here to finish what I started five years ago. I don't mind shooting her right now." He mumbled and Bobby snorted, raising his eyebrow.
"Why did you let me in then?" He asked. "If you kill them now, no one will listen to your story. No one will understand the way they destroyed your life. Where were you all those years?" He asked, trying to distract him.
Perry's eyes darkened. "I had a lot of time to think about everything that happened." He whispered, nodding his head and suddenly freezing completely, his eyes widening. He glared at Bobby and gave a cry of anger as he pushed Megan to the ground, aiming his gun at her as she crushed to the floor.
"Jack!" Bobby shouted, knowing the game was over. He rushed down, not allowing himself to think about what might happen if he couldn't make it on time.
Megan stumbled, her head still dizzy as she tried to move her hands forward and block her fall. She closed her eyes when her palms made painful contact with the floor, screaming when someone fell on top of her, pain and blinding panic making her struggle against the weight that settled above her. She froze when she heard two shotguns resonating around the room.
The silence was deafening and the man who held her captive under his body seemed to grow heavier with each passing second. She recognized his scent; she recognized the arm that held her head firmly under his shoulder. She couldn't bring herself to speak to him; her mind seemed to process just one thing as her eyes grew heavy. He didn't wear his vest. The realization was frightening, paralyzing and she couldn't face it.
His voice startled her. "Megan?" He groaned. "Meg?"
Her eyes opened and he lifted his body away from her, helping her to settle on her back. Her voice shook when she spoke, her eyes bright with tears. "Bobby? I thought…" He was pale, he was in pain but he smiled down at her.
"I'm alright…the vest caught the bullet. I'll have a nasty bruise in my back. I might need a massage." He teased.
She burst into tears and he pulled her closer, nodding his head towards Jack and signaling that they were both alright. "I thought…you didn't have any vest." She mumbled, her tears hot against his neck.
"I have another one." He pulled down the collar of his shirt to reveal the vest that was hidden under his sweatshirt, hissing as he moved. He moved his hands on her back, making sure that she was alright. She was shaking and he held her tight, smiling at the realization that it was over. "You know what?" He asked, holding her chin and raising her head so that he could see her eyes. "I think we will get out breakfast from the deli around the corner." That caused another burst of tears but she nodded her head against his chest and he sighed with relief, holding her close.