"Thank fuck for that," several women said in unison. She let out a long breath. The women released her hands. "Are you ok?" Sarah murmured.

"Yeah," she answered. "To be honest I'm not sure how I feel right now. Yes I'm glad he's dead but… wow." Rick's hand squeezed her shoulder again at that moment. "You alright?"

"Yes," she nodded. "So that's how executions go." She couldn't deny she was glad when the guards opened the witness room doors and they all stood up. Rick took her arm and she could hear several women sobbing quietly. Sarah stepped up on her other side and told her some were hugging and shaking hands, there were even a few small smiles. She understood, Derek Julian Chancer certainly would not be missed.

They all walked out of the witness room and towards the waiting vans. This time Samantha sat behind them and Rick and Sarah sat beside her. As the van pulled away everyone aboard was silent. Maybe like her they were trying to digest and get their heads around what they'd just seen. Sure they knew they were witnessing an execution when they'd got their acceptance letters, but actually seeing a man die that was different.

They reached the gates and she heard the sound of members of the media setting up microphones and cameras for the press conference. "Do you want to stick around for this?" Rick asked her.

"Not really," she said truthfully. "They're not going to say anything we don't already know. He sat down, spoke his last words and died. That's it."

"Oki doke," Rick squeezed her arm. "You sure you're alright?"

She nodded. "Yeah, that was just… intense. I'm just… glad he's gone I guess, as bad as that might sound. His last words though, whew that was some evil shit. Even in his terror did you hear the venom in his voice?"

"Bleh," Sarah said dismissively. "That's all he had left though, words. He probably wanted you to think and feel like that so don't let him win! He's dead, he can't hurt anyone ever again!"

"Well said," Rick agreed.

"Lovely to meet you guys," Sarah said hugging her again. "Very best of luck to you."

"You too and again I'm really sorry about Andrea."

"Thank you, I'm sorry for all you went through as well. Take care."

"God bless you both," Samantha said, also hugging her. "I'll be praying for you."

"Thanks." She wasn't religious but she appreciated the kind words. "I'm so sorry about Rachael Sam." The two women shook hands with Rick and then she heard them walking away.

"Excuse me," said a male voice suddenly just outside the gates. "Danielle? Rick?"

"Chris Leach?" Rick said. Danielle turned in shock.

"Hello Chris, did you just witness that?"

"I did," Leach said dryly. "I was at the back. Good riddance. It's nice to see you both again. How are you?"

"Good," Rick said.

"I want to thank you so much again for your help in my rescue," she said sincerely and before she could think about what she was doing she stepped forward and hugged the crime lord. "I am so, so grateful."

Leach didn't respond to her embrace for a second then returned it. "It's the least I can do. I'm so sorry in my turn that I let money rule me and let it go as far as it did."

"I'll say what I said that night, you've made up for it now."

Leach snorted. "I don't think I could ever make up for it completely but thank you."

"What are you doing now?" She asked him.

The crime lord sighed. "Trying to start an honest life for myself and that means finding a job which as you can imagine is… difficult. All the money I made in my crime career I'm trying to return to its rightful owners as I cannot keep it with a clean conscience."

She turned to Rick in shock. First Michael Myers and now Chris Leach had been changed by meeting her? It was almost beyond belief. Rick must've known what she was thinking because he squeezed her hand. She wondered again what the hell was so special about her that she had changed both the hearts of a silent serial killer and a top crime Lord, but she guessed she would never know. "What happened to the fake nurse who assisted him that day?" She asked Leach after a moment.

"She's in prison, said she felt guilty and wanted to serve her time as punishment for her actions."

"She did?" She could hardly believe her ears and some of the anger she'd felt towards the unknown woman softened a little. If that was true then she couldn't remain completely angry at her. "Did Adam control her too?"

Chris Leach laughed out loud. "Hell no! She's not a woman men can control more like she controls them! She's huge! She doesn't take shit from anyone least of all men!"

"That makes me forgive her even more," she said with a small grin. "Fair play!"

Chris Leach chuckled. "Oh and before you go one final thing," he said, before stepping forward and lowering his head so her hands came into contact with his ears. She gasped in shock and Chris and Rick both laughed.

"How did you know?" She asked.

"Honestly?"

"Yes."

"Adam told me about your love of ears once, needless to say he wasn't… exactly complementary about it. Also your love of…" he started whistling softly. She felt affection for the most unlikely person at that moment, Chris Leach and she hugged him again as she felt his ears.

"Well?" Leach chuckled. "Ah that tickles! Where do my ears stand in your ear rankings?"

Rick laughed out loud. "We asked her the very same thing. I got normal, my colleagues got small and cute!"

"You have nice ears Chris," she muttered and although she was blushing was also laughing. She felt all the tension from what she'd just witnessed leaving her as she did so.

"Well good? I think?" Leach smiled at her and hugged her again. "I'll say what I said that terrible day. Take care you hear?"

"You too Chris, very best of luck in your new life."

Leach shook hands with Rick and wished him well, the guard smiled and returned the wishes. They'd just started to walk away when she thought of something she desperately wanted to know. "Mr. Leach? Chris?"

The crime Lord turned. "Yes? I told you I'm Chris to you."

She smiled. "The late Derek Chancer blurted out to us while trying to save his own… now ended life, that the iPod he had that you'd programmed would kill someone if they entered the password incorrectly three times. How?"

Rick smiled a little. "I told Dr Loomis to take that part seriously, 'Chris Leach is a genius' I said, 'he can programme anything."

Leach blushed a little. "Thanks. The iPod would electrocute them funnily enough. They would see a message in red on the screen saying the battery level was low and it needed charging immediately. They'd plug it in while still holding it and…"

She and Rick both whistled. "Jesus," they said together.

"A 50 thousand vault current would be activated worked by an internal battery concealed in the device. It would then vibrate once and reset in the… deceased person's hand asking for the password all over again."

"Fuck me," Rick breathed. "I stick to what I said, you're a programming genius Mr. Leach."

"Thanks," Leach said softly. "But now I intend to put my 'programming genius' to… better use."

"You could make millions if you do," Rick said. "Best of luck to you!"

"Thank you for answering my question." Chris Leach smiled and walked away.

Within five minutes they were back in the car, Martin driving them back towards the airport and the return flight to Smith's Grove.

"Fuck I'm tired all of a sudden," she yawned. Rick squeezed her hand.

"Are you surprised? We just saw a man die! That type of thing is very mentally sapping, even if we hate the individual involved."

"Hmm," she agreed softly, leaning her head back against the window. The next thing she knew they were at the airport. She'd fallen asleep.

…

Pronounced dead at 06:08PM, went completely smoothly. His last words when you hear them will tell you all you need to know. She's fast asleep in the back. R.

Rick sent this text to both doctors work cell phones, Nigel, Joanne and Michael. Then he slumped back in the passenger seat feeling suddenly exhausted himself. What he'd said was true. Seeing a man die really did take it out of anyone. She had requested the back seat this time saying it was because she could use the USB ports to charge her iPhone, but Rick's suspicions had been proved right of her real motives. While it was true her phone was indeed on charge, she was now fast asleep. Reaching forward, Rick plugged in his own. "You both ok?" Martin whispered as they hit the highway back towards the airport. "How did it go?"

Rick ran a tired hand across his face. "Just about like you'd expect," he whispered back. "When the curtains opened he was strapped in, he spoke his last words, they put the hood and cap on him and the three executioners pressed their buttons at the same time. Bam! Took about thirty seconds."

Martin nodded. "Good riddance."

Rick smiled a little. "Everyone in there said the same thing. I think about twenty women all said 'thank fuck for that' at the same time when we were told he was dead, Pronounced at 06:08."

"Piece of filth," Martin breathed. "I don't normally like to say that about my fellow man but him?" He pulled a face. "You know I was the driver who drove him in that day? Fuck man I heard what happened to you, I'm so very sorry. I was gone by that point or I would've…"

Rick smiled at the other man. "Hey we're good, I know you would've. Guards got the situation under control really fast once they arrived though."

"Didn't a radio malfunction or something?"

Rick smiled grimly. "Yeah but these things happen. I'm just glad I'm alive to tell you about it."

"Me too Evans," Martin gave him a one handed thumbs up. "You're a good man and guard and don't you forget it."

"Hon?" Rick called softly half an hour later as they finally reached the airport. "Time to wake up."

She stirred. "Shit, I fell asleep? I'm so sorry, talk about rude!"

"Now don't be so silly young lady," Martin said sternly. "I think I'd fall asleep too after seeing what you just did."

She smiled at him and they shook hands, before heading towards the private plane where James was waiting.

But as they walked towards the gate they were to depart from, the sound of loud chanting reached their ears. "CHANCER SHOULD HAVE LIVED! MORE WOMEN SHOULD HAVE DIED! CHANCER SHOULD HAVE LIVED; MORE WOMEN SHOULD HAVE DIED!"

"For fuck's sake," Rick almost growled. She felt herself tense a little. She didn't have to see it to know they were blocking the gate. "Misogynistic protesters," her friend said quietly but she could hear his anger. "They're blocking the gates, doubtlessly knowing women would've flown in for the execution."

"Is that legal?" She asked apprehensively.

"Misogyny? No. But that doesn't mean they'll stop it as very sadly you know only too well. The protests? Yes hon sadly they are but we need to find a way to get you safely past them. Remember what I told you? Your safety is my number one priority in the face of trouble."

She reached out and pulled him into a brief hug. "I trust you Rick Evans," she said calmly. "With my life." Rick felt absurdly touched by her uncompromising trust and vowed to himself he'd get her past these bastards if it was the last thing he did. He started looking around. "Where the fuck are the police?"

"I thought it wasn't illegal?"

"The protests aren't, but they're blocking the gate! That is!"

"You're going to tell me I'm the only woman left here to get past them aren't you?"

"That makes no difference," she could hear his anger and determination. "I'll get you past these twats if it's the last thing I do!"

"Let's hope it's not," she said quietly.

Rick pulled out his radio which also had a phone feature linked to Smith's Grove, so no matter where he was in the country any transmission would also be heard within the HC ward. "Hey! I need some police here please? There's a group of misogynists protesting against the execution and women, I need to get us past them!" Of course, he didn't know that Michael and Nigel were sitting with the two doctors and had just heard his words. At that moment two of the protesters saw them and began approaching. Rick cursed. "Hon, I never want to give you an order, but please…"

"I'll do whatever you tell me Rick," she said instantly. Rick felt pride shoot up in his heart. "Plus you didn't call me Sir, I noticed. Nice one! Get behind me!"

"Ugly cunt ain't she? What did she do to get poor Mr. Chancer killed? She wasn't one of his victims though, shame! MORE WOMEN SHOULD HAVE DIED!"

"I'd still fuck her," another said. "MORE WOMEN SHOULD HAVE DIED!"

"Get out of our way," Rick said, his voice so calm but menacing she shivered. "Let us through."

"No chance big boy! You think you're so cool Mr. security guard! You try to take us we'll take you to the ground!"

"I'm warning you, move!" More men were approaching them now, they were surrounded.

"THIS IS AN EMERGENCY ALERT," Rick shouted into his radio and she had never before heard genuine panic in his voice. "WE'RE SURROUNDED! GET HELP HERE CODE 1!" "STAY DOWN!" He shouted to her and she obeyed immediately. This man or Jack she wouldn't hesitate. "DON'T MOVE!"

Her eyes suddenly erupted with pain as she smelled the unmistakable odour of tear gas. Rick had just used his spray canister, which had been in a specially designed flight storage bag on the plane. One of the men stumbled back coughing and clawing at his face.

"You two need some help here?" Said a familiar voice. She gasped in shock clutching her streaming eyes. It was Chris Leach once more. "I… Mr. Leach," one of the men stammered. Leach grabbed the megaphone one had been leading the chant through.

"THIS IS CHRIS LEACH! GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE AND LET THESE TWO PASS! YOU DON'T, YOU'LL REGRET IT. YOU'LL ONLY GET ONE WARNING!" Rick had put his radio on continuous transmission when the trouble started, so Smith's Grove had heard the whole thing and still were.

"Mr. Leach Sir," one of the men said, fear obvious in his voice. "We… they told us we…"

"FUCK WHAT CULSHAW SAID!" Leach yelled. "HE'S IN PRISON AND SO WILL YOU BE IF YOU DON'T GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE NOW, I WON'T STOP THE POLICE TAKING EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU! TO PROTEST FINE, BUT TO DELIBERATELY BLOCK A WOMAN'S ACCESS? A BLIND ONE NO LESS? YOU misogynistic, SORRY EXCUSE FOR MEN! I'M WARNING YOU!"

That was when Chris leant down and lifted her into his arms. She was still coughing violently from the tear gas and her eyes were streaming. The men seemed to part for him like the sea as he carried her through them, scattering as if death itself was pursuing them. The odd shouts of "FUCK ALL CUNTS, I WANT TO RAPE THAT BITCH" REACHED HER EARS, but Chris said "ignore them, it's alright."

Rick was just about to speak when she did and he let her message be carried back to Smith's Grove. "That's the…" cough. "The… second time you've saved potentially my life Chris."

"Hey don't talk now, that stuff's nasty. Just let Rick and I get you out of here. As for aiding you, hell I don't want Michael Myers as my enemy thanks!" She chuckled through coughs. "You're more than welcome. Rick, you ok?"

"Those motherfuckers," Rick almost snarled. "Jesus Christ! They had us surrounded! Oh fuck me," he finished and she didn't have to see them to know another group was approaching.

"I've got an idea," she whispered in Chris's ear. When the group reached them she took the megaphone from him.

"OK LISTEN UP YOU MISOGYNISTIC BASTARDS," Her voice was strong and Rick felt a rush of pride. Damn, she was more of the guard than he was! "I WOULD ADVISE YOU TO GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE, LIKE NOW! BEFORE YOU START THROWING INSULTS AND SAYING HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO FUCK ME AND ALL THE REST OF YOUR PREJUDICE CRAP, PERHAPS YOU SHOULD LOOK AT THIS!"

Chris saw her open a locket around her neck and saw a picture of Michael Myers holding her in his arms within it. One of the men looked and stumbled backwards in horror.

"FUCK ME! THE CUNT'S GOT A PICTURE OF HERSELF BEING HELD BY Michael FUCKING MYERS! I'M OUT OF HERE GENTS! SORRY BUT I WANT TO LIVE!"

At first it seemed as if the men didn't believe him, but another had snapped the tiny picture on his phone clearly enough to be seen. The group took one look at it and soon they were running literally for their lives.

"Fuck me," Rick said. "You're more the guard than I am! Damn you've progressed so much I don't know you anymore!" She was touched beyond words to hear he was close to tears. "I'd have protected you to the death, but you just protected me!"

Chris smiled gently and laid her back on her feet. She swayed a little and he took her hand. "Here," he pulled a dress shirt out of his bag. "Take that shirt off it's got tear gas all over it. Take this and at least you'll have something clean to get home in."

"I can't," she protested weakly but he firmly pushed it into her hands. "Take it!"

"How will I get it back to you?"

"We'll worry about that some other time. Just take it."

"It won't kill me if I put it on the wrong way three times will it?"

Both men burst out laughing. "Just get changed," Chris Leach said when he could speak. "It's a damn shirt!"

"You never know with you," she said in mock suspicion. "It could be anything!"

"Get on with you," Chris gave her a playful shove. Snickering, she walked a little distance away to change.

"Thank you Chris," Rick put a hand to his forehead, his voice shaking a little. "Fucking twats!"

That was when the first police cars shot past them towards the scattered men. Rick glared after them. "Thanks for fucking nothing! Where the fuck were they when we needed them? Jesus Christ!"

Leach snickered. "They're cops, what do you expect?" Rick nodded to him.

She pulled off her white shirt, gas was all over and inside it and she doubted she'd ever wear it again. She pulled on Leach's shirt and then put her suit jacket back on. This angered her. Not that Rick had to use the gas, but that it'd been necessary in the first place. He'd done it to protect them and she knew that, but that white shirt had been a present from her adopted mother!

"Beautiful," Rick and Chris said in unison as she re-joined them. "Oh look and you're still alive, see? My shirt's not a disguised grenade!" Leach laughed. At this she couldn't resist a small smile.

"Shut it, now can we please, please, just get the fuck home?"

…

"You did get something to eat or at the very least drink, right?" She asked James as they finally reached the aircraft.

"You're a sweetheart," the pilot squeezed her hand. "Yes I did, Smith's Grove gave both drivers and I a voucher to get some food at the airport while I was waiting. But thank you for your concern."

"She's one kind woman this one," Rick hugged her as he and James helped her up the high step into the aircraft, one on each side. "Just in case you hadn't worked that much out for yourself!"

James smiled. "Thanks Rick, but I had. He closed the main passenger door then knelt in front of her seat and laid his hand on her arm. "You ok? How did it go?"

She shrugged. "He sat down, spoke his last words and died."

James chuckled. "Well that's certainly… an honest and blunt way to put it."

She smiled tiredly back at him. "Sorry, I'm so tired. It was ok I mean nothing appeared to go wrong, went smoothly from what I can tell. I met Sarah Goodall and Samantha Lever who lost their daughter and sister respectively. Really lovely women, they both insisted on helping me during the electrocution. Squeezed my hands when it started, told me what was happening and so on."

James nodded sadly. "Yes, I heard about those two cases, the sister… Rachael? Was only 19 wasn't she?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "I hope all the victims can rest in peace now and their families have closure.

"Well said as do I," James and Rick said together.

"I mean I guess it's never fun to see a man die… but shit if anyone deserved it he did." Rick reached into his bag and she heard the rustling of a packet.

"Here," he said. "Two of Jerry's white chocolate cookies. He packed them specifically for us to bring just as he said he would. I think we need it after what just happened. Group of misogynists blocked our exit, that's why we're a bit late. Sorry James. If you can smell tear gas it's because I had to spray it!"

"Idiots," James scoffed. "They don't know what they're missing. A good woman in a man's life is the best thing he could wish for."

"Well said," the other two said together.

"Thanks," she took them with a grateful smile. "On one condition. James you have to have one of these, they are absolutely divine!"

James chuckled. "In that case thanks, I will." He took one and bit into it. "Oh wow, you're not kidding! You're talking about Jerry Wyatt?"

She nodded. "The young Irish guy."

"Yep that's Wyatt. Really nice bloke and my God! If he makes these I'll fly him to Australia if he wants!" She and Rick both laughed and James raised an eyebrow. She told him about her conversation with Jerry that morning and her reference to Australia when talking about how cold Illinois is in winter. James grinned. "Yeah, I'd go to Australia if I could."

"He was pronounced dead at 06:08PM," she said after a moment. "Just in case you were wondering."

"Good riddance," James said finally standing. "Ok kids, we ready to hit the road… or perhaps I should say air?"

"Yes dad," they said together and James laughed. "Enough of that you two."

"Yes dad," they said again before starting to laugh in earnest. It felt so good to her. Soon they were clutching each other tears rolling down their faces. Possibly it was pure relief that Chancer was dead and the whole thing was over. James smiled at them before entering the cockpit. When they'd finally regained their composure, they buckled their seatbelts and prepared for the flight home.

…

"Ross," she said to the driver who was driving them back to Smith's Grove after they landed, it was just coming up to 10PM. Could you turn the radio on a sec please?"

"Of course," Ross said. He and Martin both knew where they'd been just as James had. He turned it up and they heard the familiar theme tune of the 10PM news.

"Good evening this is Nick Rhodes," said the voice of a news reader. "Our top story this evening. The 29 year old rapist and woman killer Derek Chancer, responsible for the deaths of forty-two women from within Haddonfield and all over Illinois was executed in the electric chair this evening, at 6PM inside Illinois state prison. In front of a packed room full of members of the victim's families, the killer had this to say before he died. Warning: this content is disturbing."

"I hope someone else can continue what I started. Women deserve to die and be raped; I do not regret a single thing I did my only regret was being captured, and that you bastards now have what you doubtlessly see as a victory in executing me. I may have murdered bitches, but you are now murdering me. You think that by killing me you've won but I can assure you you haven't. There will be more men who think like me, more men who want to kill women so executing me solves nothing! All I can hope for now is that the next man to follow in my footsteps doesn't end up where I'm sitting now! Fuck you bastards, die every single one of you!"

Hearing his recorded voice repeating the very words she'd heard only around three hours ago made her shiver. She knew Sarah Goodall had been correct in what she'd said to her, 'bleh, that's all he had left though, words,' but it didn't take away her statement either. 'Even in his terror did you hear the venom in his voice?' Hearing it again now she could still hear what she'd heard when hearing it live from the witness room. Hatred, anger, misogyny right to the end.

"Needless to say there was very little sympathy for him from anyone present. Marie Sanders was our witness for Haddonfield Radio in the witness room and sent this report.

"Total silence ingulfed the witness room as the just turned 29 year old killer from Haddonfield was seated in the electric chair. He only glanced through at the witnesses once before the hood was placed over his face. The skull cap then followed, being strapped to his head. Even during his last statement his eyes remained straight ahead, not looking at anything or anyone. His last words made it clear to everyone hearing them that he had no remorse for his actions. No one as much as coughed while we waited for the pronouncement of death, which came at precisely 06:12PM, Chancer having been pronounced deceased at 06:08PM. While the witness room was completely silent however, people outside the gates cheered and waved flags with his victim's names and pictures on them, or ones with slogans such as 'chancer's last chance is over!' It was almost a party atmosphere, the same as has been seen in previous executions of notorious criminals. Doubtlessly everyone within Haddonfield and outside it will sleep well tonight, knowing Derek Chancer is no longer alive. Live from Illinois state prison, Marie Sanders, Haddonfield radio."

"Yes I don't think Marie is wrong there, Derek Chancer certainly won't be missed. Maybe Haddonfield will be safer for its residents now, just as it has been since after Michael Myers in 1978."

She didn't see it of course but just knew she and Rick were smiling at each other at these words. "How apt," she breathed in his ear. "You haven't got a clue Haddonfield radio." Rick hugged her tightly.

"Ross Please, can we just get home? I've had enough drama for one day."

"Don't you worry," Ross said warmly. "I'll have you back home before you know it. Just relax and you'll be home in no time."