I know it's been over a year, but I'm going to try and finish this story before the end of the year. Fingers crossed. I'm going to wrap this story up in only a few chapters maybe 3 more. Hopefully it won't seem too rushed but I am kinda running out of ideas for this story and the storyline is kinda you like this chapter. Please read the trigger warnings! This chapter is basically after the previous.
TW: Mentions of child endangerment, kidnapping, violence, death
Emma was sitting on the bed in the far corner, she knew that if she made a sound the mean men outside would come in. Unfortunately Emma needed to use the bathroom and there wasn't one in the cabin bedroom. Emma jumped off the bed and went to the door, knocked quickly but quietly.
The door swung open and Emma jumped back to avoid getting hit. The man towering over her sneered, "What!? I thought I said no sounds!"
Emma's lip quivered, "But.. I gotta use the bathroom."
The man stared at Emma for a few more seconds and noticed her switching from foot to foot. He growled but grabbed Emma by the shoulder and led her to the bathroom. Emma ran in and tried to close the door before the man slammed his hand into the door, "Make it quick."
Emma nodded and closed the door when the man moved his hand. Emma quickly use the bathroom and took in her surroundings. Emma noticed the small window but it was up way too high for her to reach. When she looked around the bathroom tiles were dirty and cracked but there didn't seem to be any holes. Emma stomped her foot in frustration, the bathroom was always the best place to hide and the best way to sneak out.
As Emma's foot came down again on the floor she head a small rattle. Emma looked around trying to see what made the sound. Emma knew she needed to hurry so she quickly stomped again and walked towards where the rattling was. The she saw it, a small vent.
Emma crouched down and pulled, the vent was loose like in her old foster home, but didn't come off easy like that one. Emma remembered that the vents in her old foster home were the best hiding places cause the adults couldn't fit and they lead outside or at least away from the angry daddies.
Emma pulled hard again and the vent popped off. Just as Emma was going to see if she could fit someone banged on the door, "Hey Brat! You got 1 second to finish before I come in there!"
Emma quickly put the vent back and went to the sink. Emma opened the door and the man grabbed her shoulder again. Emma turned her head and watched as the other man in the cabin closed the bathroom door.
Emma was pushed back into the bedroom where the man slammed the door shut again. Emma quickly went back to the bed and curled up. She wanted to go home. She wanted her Mommy.
Regina was distraught, she couldn't stop the tears and she couldn't listen to all of the places the towns people checked and couldn't find Emma.
Rumple had been taken to the sheriff's station both for accessory to kidnapping and child endangerment but also for his own safety. Avery, Regina, and Henry were all at the sheriff's station working with Graham to map out where these guys might have taken Emma.
Avery told them who Ritchie was and how he had taking product of his. Everyone listened when he said that Ritchie was dangerous. Regina then turned around and looked at Rumple. She walked over the the cell bars ignoring the calls from the sheriff, "How could you Rumple? We have our differences I know, but this? How could you stoop this low? What were you even planning? What were you thinking?"
Rumple looked at Regina then back at Avery, "I played my hand incorrectly. I assumed this Ritchie character was only interested in the money. My thinking was if I could clear up Avery's debts then he and Emma would be free to go anywhere they choose. I was just trying to help Avery get his daughter back."
Avery then stomped forward, "Get my daughter back!? I had her! Everything was fine! You just didn't like that I didn't need your help! You took a gamble, and not with money but with my daughters life! Your granddaughter! Ritchie is insane, and cold and I have never seen him show mercy." Avery then leant in so Regina didn't hear, "He could kill her with no remorse. If we don't find her soon or agree to whatever sick demands Richie is going to make we could lose her for good."
Rumple clenched and unclenched his fists, "I understand. Please let me help. I won't interfere. I know all the properties in the area, I can tell you if they are inhabited or not. Please let me help."
The sheriff nodded and brought the map of the town over. Rumple looked and pointed at three different locations, "These three. They are vacant, recently renovated so no tenants yet. None of them have neighbors and they all are fairly deserted."
Regina looked at Graham, "We need to split up. Henry stays here in case anyone calls the station with information."
Henry wanted to argue but saw the look on his mom's face and decided against it.
Graham wanted to argue but knew it was the best option. You two go here, I'll go to the one on the outskirts of town, and I'll call in a deputy to take the third."
Graham sighed and went to the vault, "I don't want to give you one of these but I feel it would be foolish for me not to."
Graham then handed Regina a gun, a few extra clips, and a radio. Graham reasoned Regina was licensed, a good shot, and the mayor. Regina nodded at Graham and took one of the holsters before securing the weapon.
Regina and Avery quickly went to Regina's SUV headed towards the first cabin. Graham left Henry with a radio and clapped him on the shoulder before heading out, "We will find her."
Emma sat on the bed as the sun went down, she didn't move and didn't make a sound. The room was getting dark and Emma didn't like the shadows being cast on the walls from the moon and the tree branches.
Emma sighed and squeezed her eyes tightly closed.
Without realizing Emma fell asleep. She was sleeping until the sounds of loud bangs woke her up. Emma screamed and shrank back into the corner. The bangs ended and the door burst open. Emma screamed again as the big man from earlier grabbed her and tucked her under his arm. She tried squirming to get away but the man held her tighter, definitely leaving bruises, as they ran out the back door that she just realized was there.
The two men were cursing and running further into the woods. Emma was bouncing even with the mans tight grip on her. When they finally slowed down the man dropped Emma to the ground with little care. Emma hit the ground and smacked her cheek on the ground.
The man stood over her and pointed in her face, "Don't even think about running." He then moved his jacket to the side showing Emma the gun he had tucked there. Emma knew that guns could hurt people, she knew that she wasn't supposed to touch them, she knew that the man with the gun wasn't good like Graham. Emma shrank back and pulled her knees to her chest again, hoping to disappear into the wooded background.
The man then smirked and patted Emma on the head, "Good."
Graham and Regina's both arrived at the cabin tires screeching. Graham jumped out and drew his gun.
Deputy Jones had radioed in that the third cabin seemed to have activity. There was a van matching the description Avery gave, as well as multiple fresh footprints.
Henry made sure Graham and his mom heard the message. Henry was on the radio when Deputy Jones yelled for back up at the third cabin. There were shots fired.
Both Graham, Regina, and a one of the towns search parties rushed over. What they saw was a empty cabin with Deputy Jones bleeding on the ground by his cruiser.
The towns people loaded him into the car and drove him to the hospital while Graham checked the cabin. Regina and Avery both went in and looked at the dirty cabin and the shell casings. Regina gasped and held a hand over her mouth. Avery turned to look what she had seen. Blood. Regina sobbed behind her hand as Avery shook his head and roughly rubbed his hands through his hair.
Graham came over and put his hands on Regina's shoulders, "Hey. Look we don't know who's blood that is. It's probably one of those assholes. From the looks of it Emma was in the bedroom. We found a blonde hair in only that room and the bathroom."
Regina nodded, "We need to find her!"
Graham agreed, "One of them is injured, they are in the woods, in an area they are unfamiliar with. We have the dogs on their way to try and track a scent. They have a head start but we have the tools to catch up. We are getting Emma back."
Emma remained pressed against the trees while the two men huddled together. The temperature was dropping and Emma was getting cold. She brought her arms around her body a little tighter trying to fight the shivers. She forgot how it was to be outside when it got cold.
The two men cursed a lot and one was bleeding. The big mean one looked back at her and scowled.
Emma shrank even further. She wouldn't dare ask for food, water, or maybe a jacket. So Emma laid on her side and curled into as tight of a ball as she could.
Soon the big man was shaking Emma awake and pointed the gun at her, "We need to move the cops are close. You're to stay with me. Got it."
Emma cried but nodded her head.
Emma didn't see the other man but figured he was getting a head start, like Henry sometimes gives her when they race.
Emma could hear dogs barking but didn't know where they were coming from or where they were going. Emma could also hear water.
They were moving quickly and the man was holding Emma super tight again.
Then they stopped moving. The dogs were closer and so was the water. The big man shifted Emma to the front of his chest and pointed the gun at her again. Emma squeezed her eyes closed and cried. She couldn't hear much with all the barking and the water. But the peaked her eyes open and saw Graham holding his gun, "Graham! Graham!"
Then the dogs and Mommy and Avery showed up. Mommy was saying something but she couldn't really hear, "MOMMY!" Emma tried to reach out but the big man squeezed tighter and pointed the gun harder. Emma winced.
Emma didn't know what was happening but one second she and the big man were standing next to the water, she could see Graham yelling, but then the next second she was falling. She was expecting the ground again but this time she was getting wet. She saw Mommy run towards her with her hand out but she was too far away. Emma kept falling until she made a splash. Emma wasn't a great swimmer but she flailed her arms and remembered to kick her legs.
She could see the grass but every time she tried to go towards it the water would push her further away. She had water in her mouth and nose and was coughing but the more she coughed the more water got it.
Her arms were getting tired and she couldn't breathe, she was scared. Emma went under the water again and flailed her arms to get up again but it wasn't working. Emma cried and screamed for her Mommy for help.
With the dogs tracing the scent Regina, Avery, the small group of townspeople, and Graham were well on their way to finding Emma.
Just up ahead the dogs were barking and their handlers called out, "We got a body over here."
Regina's palms were sweating and her heart clenched. She repeated 'not Emma. Please not Emma' in her head over and over again until she reached the group of people and dogs.
Regina pushed her way through the crowd and sighed in relief, one of the lowlifes that kidnapped Emma. Some of the men stayed behind to wait for the coroner to come to take the body while the rest of the group followed the dogs again.
The dogs led them deeper into the woods but also near the local waterfall. The falls weren't very big and were popular in the summer, especially amongst the teens who jumped off the cliff. The water was deep enough for the diving, but one needed to be a decent swimmer in order to not be pulled under by the strong rapids.
Regina was right behind Graham when she nearly ran into his back. They were right in front of the waterfall and Regina could barely hear the dogs constant barking of the roar of the water.
Regina could see Emma squirming and trying to reach out. Regina couldn't take the look on Emma's face and went to go around Graham but Avery's arm grabbed her wrist. She looked back at Emma and cried. This monster had a gun pointed at her head. Her baby! Regina looked at the towns people all stunned motionless. Avery's hands were clenched in fists, but he didn't take a step. Lastly Graham was standing with his gun drawn trying to find a clean shot that wouldn't harm Emma but there was none.
Regina could hear Graham yelling to let Emma go, but the man he just smirked and I made Regina's heart stop. Before anyone could even blink the man was jumping off the cliff taking Emma with him. Regina took off as fast as she could but even with her hand extended she couldn't reach Emma.
Regina fell to the ground and scrambled to the edge, thinking maybe Emma grabbed onto the edge. Graham was calling for backup and the towns people were running down the side of the cliff and calling for an ambulance.
Regina was about to jump over the edge when, Avery threw his jacket to the ground and jumped. Regina gasped and ran to join the townspeople at the waters edge. Regina watched as Avery bopped up and looked around. Then he dove under for what seems like an eternity before rising to the surface and gasping for air. As he reached the surface he called out for help, "Help! She's not breathing! Help Me!"