Checking her watch, Danielle cursed that she would never make it to Wordman Avenue, Corner Flatman on foot in time as she eventually blocked the lane for an approaching scooter.
"Stop", she shouted at the driver, who appeard to be a Teenager.
"I need your scooter, it's an emergency", she let him know.
"Sure thing, and I need a million dollars, it's an emergency too."
The approximately 18-year-old, who didn't seem to take her seriously, was about to re-start his engine when she reached for the pepper spray inside her bag.
"Get off", she hissed at him more menacingly than she had intended.
"Hey, alright, calm down." In a defensive gesture, her counterpart got off the vehicle, putting a safe distance between him and the spray still aimed in his direction.
"You´ll find your mashine at Wortman Avenue, Corner Flatman", she let the suddenly scared looking boy know, before disappearing at far too high a speed in the opposite direction.
If I'm lucky, the kid will call the police and they'll catch Cardiff and his people in the act of whatever they're planning to do to me. If I don't make it, this hopefully will avoid more potential victims at least, she mused.
Approaching one of New York's major hubs through the increasing traffic, it was a race against time; a race that led her to a self-imposed doom. She hadn't lied to Finch. While she had survived more than she had lived in the past 16 years, leaving that insignificance behind would barely make a difference. Her thoughts leapt back to her parents, whom she called once a year from a random payphone to reassure her safety. Eventhough she had never said a word or given any other indication that it was her on the other end, it was her mother who would, starting in the third year of her calls, regularly let her know that the both of them loved and missed her.
I'm sorry that I won't be able to call anymore. I miss you as much as you miss me.
Swolling the lump in her throat, she ignored the angry honking of several cars that she stole the away the right-of-way rule at an intersection.
Glancing sideways at the watch on her wrist, she made sure she was on time.
Seven minutes, I have seven minutes to end this madness - to save the person who is danger because of me.
Even if Finch's theory was correct and it was a nothing more than a trick intended by Cardiff, she wasn't willing to take the risk.
I´ve lived in constant fear for so long. Fear for my family, fear for my friends, fear for my own life, which was nothing more than a farce anyway. It's time to put an end to this, she resumed, feeling a sudden peace.
Perhaps it had actually taken John and Mr. Finch to come to the realization - a strange duo, that eventhough she barely knew anything about, she would be forever thankful for.
Danielle slowed the pace of the rattling vehicle when she spotted the two men she recognized from her first kidnapping attempt near the agreed meeting point. Ignoring the alarm bells inside, she took one last breath before she parked the scooter heedlessly on the side of the road before she walked with a confident step towards those who nodded to follow her towards the auto repair shop.
They had passed the shops entrance, which seemed out of service. In general, the hall did not appear as if it would have been busy with any car repairs lately.
"So what now? I thought you were about to bring me to your Boss", Danielle grounded out more confidently than she actually felt. Although the thought of facing the person who had stolen her life made her crumble inside, she knew it was her only chance of keeping John safe.
"You can't wait to meet him again, do you?" The obvious Mexican, whose accent reminded her of a bad taco commercial, gave her a disparaging look. "Don't worry, he's on his way", he let her know. "In the meantime, however, there is something to be clarified between us."
"What do you mean?", she asked with an honest confusion.
"My partner and I particularly don't like being interrupted in our plans but since your Bodyguard isn't around right now, I think it´s just fair to teach you the lesson."
Signaling his ally, he grabbed Danielle from behind in a clamped hold.
"We'll just say you tried to attack us", the Mexical let her know with a malicious grin before he backed out to punch her face full force.
The involuntary pain that caused her to fall sideways disoriented, was stopped only by hitting the floor as the person who had been holding her apparently released his grip.
"Not enough?" the Mexical asked while she watched his foot withdrawn like a slow motion sequence; a kick that was probably intended to serve her stomach area. It was the slashing sound of three pistol shots that made her heart skip beat but at the same time brought her senses back with the speed of a catapult. In an involuntary reaction, she dodged one of the heavy bodies that, unlike his partner who cried out in pain, hit the ground next to her with a thud.
"Next time you need proof that Cardiff is bluffing, you better keep your cell phone on receive."
"John." Not sure if his name left her mouth more of a question or a statement, he knelt down beside her with a steady gaze.
"Are you okay?", he asked, helping her up with a supporting grip under her arm.
"Beside an upcoming violet, I am - because of you", she let him know.
"How did you know where I am?"
"Thank Finch. But first we should get out of here."
Danielle shook her head.
"No, I can't run away forever", she stopped her savior. „When Cardiff kidnapped me at age 17, I vowed never to be a victim again. In doing so, I seem to have repressed all those years, which actually never stopped me from being exactly that."
For a moment, her counterpart looked at her with an uninterpretable glance before he eventually put his hands on her shoulders.
"You won't have to run away anymore. I promised you to end this and I'm keeping my promise. But you have to trust me for that", he let her know emphatically.
Taking a moment, Danielle didn't know why she thought to recognize a deep sincerity in his eyes. Perhaps for the first time ever she felt a real hope to end this nightmare in her favor.
"All right", she decided, her gaze fixed on the assailant who was clutching his knees next to his dead pal, whimpering. "Let's get out of here."
"Mr. Reese, are you all right?", Finch, who had followed the scene via the existing connection, asked in concern.
"We're okay, Harold. However, it seems like we're being watched."
They had made their way back outside when John spotted Cardiff along with two of Sanchez' men. Glancing down the opposite direction, he figured that Danielles tormenter had obviously anticipated a disruption and thus stocked up his crew accordingly.
"Seems like we could need your help. If Sanchez' men open the fire here, a bloodbath of bystanders will be unavoidable", he informed his partner.
Scanning the street for a way out, he grabbed Danielle's hand.
"This way", John nodded in the direction of a building close to them.
"We'll try the back exit of the laundry", he let Harold know.
"No, Mr Reese. It´s a dead end. I did some more research. The store is run by one of Sanchez' negotiators. The entire back office area is probably used for his business."
John closed his eyes, mentally going over his options.
"Then you have to find another route for us. Anyway, we can't stay out here."
Following Danielle inside, he looked past the reception area into a part of the hall where Hispanic-looking women were apparently busy cleaning hospital linens.
"There's a fire escape on the first floor that connects to the building next door", he heard Harold's voice, who had apparently gained access to the building's blueprint.
"Thanks Finch", he let his partner know, as Danielle signalised that they were running out of time.
"We have to get to the first floor", he nodded towards the stairwell.
"So that's how it works."
"What is working how?"
Taking the top step of the middle landing, he looked back at the Danielle in confusion.
"If you get your butt saved by the same person twice, you end up running for your life hand in hand", she stated matter-of-factly.
Visibly irritated by her statement, John paused for a moment when he eventually realized the still tight grip of his fingers around hers. Admittedly, he hadn't even noticed the faux pas, which he hadn't committed before. Professional distance or if necessary a short touch to calm a victims nerves, was a rule he always lived by. In this moment, however, he strangely felt embarrased to not have even noticed as he crossed a line.
"It's okay", she seemed to have figured his uncomfortableness. If you're about to be shot side by side, you may act uncommon", she stated with a gallows humor.
"It won't come to that", he assured her.
"The fire escape is to your left", Finch informed John over the still-lasting connection.
"Left", he let her know back in focus as they hurried down the hallway past what appeared to be rooms that had once been used as staff quarters.
"Oh oh", Danielle exclaimed first.
"We have another problem here, Finch", John said, his eyes directed to the ceiling about his bad luck.
"What's the matter, Mr. Reese?"
"The fire escape is inaccessible unless you´d like the thrill of a free fall experience."
John's gaze fell on the sign, which read "Do not enter, unstable escape route" in large letters.
"And I thought it couldn't get any worse than the wobble outside my apartment", Danielle confirmed his theory with a frown.
Hearing voices approaching from the stairwell, he looked around.
"So what now?", she asked, looking back and forth between the window and the door.
"Looks like we need another escape route."
"You mean after the back exit debacle and the Mikado fire escape? I don't want to say anything, but we're running out of options unless opt for sliding down the old laundry chute."
John frowned. "Why not?"
"You are kidding."
"Do you have a better idea?"
Glancing back down the hall, she thought to see the shadows of Cardiff's approaching crew.
"A weird dream - this can only be a weird dream", she stated to herself. Closing her eyes for a second, she climbed onto the ledge of the shaft that led John and her down just a moment before Sanchez´ men stormed into the hallway."