In the ten minutes after Rick left...
Ten minutes after the detective had departed, Kate double-checked that the apartment door was securely closed, and the deadbolt clicked into place. Her mind wandered to the detective and the ongoing case of the murdered homeless man, wondering if they would ever catch the ruthless killer who had struck fear into the hearts of the city's residents. Quickly tidying her cluttered living room, putting away her coffee mug, and straightening the couch cushions, she headed to the bathroom to freshen up. As she sat on the toilet, she noticed a cell phone on the edge of the sink, partially hidden by a towel.
Finishing up, she flushed the toilet, stood, and picked up the phone, its screen dark until her touch brought it to life. It wasn't hers, and when she swiped the screen, a photo of the detective with a young girl, likely his daughter, appeared. The pair looked happy, smiling on a sunny day at the beach. Kate placed the phone in her kitchen junk drawer, amidst the takeout menus and broken appliances, knowing Rick would return for it once he realized his mistake.
Angel crouched before the apartment door, his slender lock pick set glinting in the dim light that filtered through the peephole. With practiced, steady hands, he worked on the front door's supposedly secure deadbolt, his fingers moving with a precision that came from years of experience.
"Remember, we need to make this look like an accident. No signs of forced entry, no signs of struggle. We're in and out, quick, clean, and quiet," Julio instructed, his voice low and serious, laced with a hint of warning. Angel nodded curtly, his focus fixed intently on the lock's intricate mechanism. Within moments, the satisfying click sounded, and the door swung open with a slight creak. He smirked slightly to himself; the added security measures, the ones the owner had likely paid a premium for, had proven little challenge for his skills.
At the kitchen counter, Kate sorted through her disorganized spices, planning a simple but comforting dinner of pasta and meatballs. She didn't notice the front door creak open or Julio enter with his towering gang members, their heavy footsteps masked by the running faucet, not that she could hear them anyway. Only when the man's muscular arms wrapped tightly around her waist and lifted her did she react, pushing against the counter with all her might using her legs. But she was too late; they dragged her to the kitchen table slamming her into the chair. Julio needed information and he thought it would be better if they talked first before he killed her. Because that's the way this was going. She was going to die after they found out what they needed to know.
Kate's mind spins as fear grips her. These men exude an aura of danger, and she can't begin to fathom how they managed to track her down. She focuses intently on Julio, trying to decipher his lips as he speaks.
"I have a couple of questions for you," he says, his voice firm but controlled.
Impatience gets the better of Angel, one of Julio's burly gang members. "Boss, she saw us kill him!" he blurts out, his voice raw with frustration.
"Shut up, Angel. Can't you see the lady has a disability?" Julio snaps, his tone icy. The rebuke silences Angel, but Kate can see the barely restrained aggression in his eyes. Even after being chastised, Angel still thinks they should eliminate the woman and be done with the potential threat she poses.
Julio raises a finger, signaling his first question. "Are there any copies of this video?" he asks Kate, his gaze piercing.
Kate looks at him, not fully understanding the question, but her mind races as she tries to buy time knowing full well what he means. The longer she stalls, the longer she'll stay alive. Each passing second feels like an eternity.
"No," she responds finally, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Good. That's good," Julio says, a hint of approval in his tone. "Now, one last question: did anyone else see the video?" He presses on, his eyes never leaving hers.
Kate stalls again, her mind scrambling for an answer. But it proves to be a mistake. Julio's expression darkens, and she realizes he assumes she has shared the damning video with someone. Technically, she did, but she took about fifteen seconds before answering, "No." The lie weighs heavily on her conscience.
Julio knows she's lying. He turns to Angel and says something in a low, urgent tone that makes Kate's blood run cold, though she can't read his lips. Whatever the plan, it bodes ill for her. A chill runs down her spine as she realizes her time may be running out.
Before she can do anything about it they are grabbing her and throwing her violently onto the bed and pinning her down, their grip unyielding. They rolled up her right sleeve, exposing her skin, and then Julio stood in the doorway, a gleaming syringe clutched in his hand. Things were about to take a dark and dangerous turn.
A quarter of the way back to the precinct, Rick's hearing aid beeped loudly, signaling a low battery. He instinctively reached for his phone but realized it wasn't there. He'd left it on Kate's bathroom sink. He berated himself for the stupid oversight, a detective forgetting his phone, but he would have to return for it. At the first break in traffic, he made a U-turn on Sheraton Avenue, heading back to Kate's apartment, a sense of unease settling in his stomach. Something still felt off about the situation with her, a nagging feeling he couldn't shake.
Rick floors it, his unmarked cruiser screeching to a halt in front of Kate's high-rise building, screw the parking spot he can't waste any time. The tires squeal in protest as he slams on the brakes. He's barely stopped before he's bailing out, the transmission grinding like it's about to give up. He sprints through the entrance, his heart pounding in his chest like a jackhammer. He takes the stairs three at a time, his footsteps echoing off the cold concrete walls. By the time he reaches the eighth floor, he's only a little winded. He eases the heavy hallway door open, peeking out to get his bearings. Kate's apartment is at the far end of the dimly lit hall, the only sound the soft hum of the flickering overhead lights. He takes a deep breath, trying to compose himself, and starts down the hall, his gut twisting with anxiety.
As he approaches her door, he sees a man standing in the open doorway, a smirk on his face as he talks with someone inside. Rick slows his pace and puts his hands in his jacket pockets trying to act nonchalantly as he walks by, just another guy heading home from a long day at work.
The man barely gives him a second glance, too interested in whatever's happening inside. Rick catches a glimpse of at least two other guys in the apartment, their shadows cast on the floor like vultures circling their prey. But he keeps moving, his mind racing with possibilities. He doesn't dare draw attention to himself, not yet. He makes it to the stairwell door at the end of the hall without anyone stopping him, a small victory. Even with his hearing aids adjusted to their highest volume up, he can just barely hear the door to Kate's apartment click shut behind him, the sound echoing in his ears.
He takes the stairs two at a time till he reaches the fire escape, his footsteps clanging off the metal. He pops open the window, wincing at the screech of rusted hinges. He slides out onto the narrow metal landing, his heart in his throat. It's a tight squeeze, but he manages to pull the window shut behind him, leaving only a crack open. Now he's face to face with the fire escape ladder leading up to Kate's bedroom window, a sheer wall of brick looming above him. He swallows hard, trying to play out the next few seconds in his head like a chess match. He'll only get one shot at this.
He backs up as far as he can, wedging himself into the corner of the railing. The cold metal digs into his back as he takes a deep breath, visualizing the room layout, the position of the bed, and where Kate should be. He pictures her curled up on the bed, unaware of the danger lurking outside. On three, one… two…
He sprints the two steps to the window and launches himself through the glass, the shards exploding outward. He lands hard on the floorboards, rolling onto his shoulder to absorb the impact. The room erupts into chaos, the sound of shattering glass and startled cries filling the air. The syringe drops out of Julio's hand, and Kate lets out a startled cry, her eyes wide with fear. Rick's already moving, scrambling to his feet and snatching the gun from the bedside table. He puts a round into the first guy with barely an aim, the silencer muffling the shot. The guy goes over, taking a chair with him, the wood splintering under his weight.
Rick swings the gun towards the second man, but he's already moving, a look of surprise on his face. Julio picked up the syringe hoping to finish off the woman, and he charged at Rick like a bull, his face twisted with rage. Rick sidesteps at the last second, using the guy's momentum against him. They both go down in a heap, Rick ending up on top of the man, his knee digging into the guy's chest. He swings a wild punch, but the guy blocks it and sends a counterpunch into Rick's ribs. Rick grunts, the wind knocked out of him but manages to pin the guy's arms. He's about to headbutt him when a third guy launches himself at Rick's back, a blade glinting in his hand.
Rick notices the knife at the last second and rolls into it in one swift move. He redirects the blade to the guy with the syringe. It's a shallow cut, but it gives Rick the opening he needs.
He heaves himself to his feet, hauling Kate up after him. They make a run for the door, but Rick knows that it's not an option because the other gang member is guarding the doorway to the apartment. The only other option he has is to go back out through the window to the fire escape and descend. He doesn't dare look back, just keeps hauling Kate through the bedroom, her hand clenched in his. They hit the window at a sprint, Rick half dragging Kate behind him. Once they are out on the fire escape they take the stairs in a hurry, Rick afraid of the pursuit he knows will be coming. They continue up the stairs. They don't dare stop till they're safe, but for now, they've got a head start.
Julio frantically searches for the gun Angel had clutched mere moments before. Whoever that man was, he'd shot and wounded Julio's right-hand guy, his most trusted lieutenant. For that, he would pay dearly. Ernesto, posted at the door, flung it open. "What the hell's going on?" he asked, having thought he heard gunshots, though he saw nothing. His brow furrowed in confusion.
"Get that son of a bitch! He's headed down the fire escape with the girl!" Julio bellowed, pointing wildly towards the window. Fury and urgency warred in his voice.
Rick and Kate made it to the sixth floor before spotting an open window, a desperate escape route. They jumped through it without hesitation, their hearts pounding in unison. The hallway beyond was pitch black, the air thick with the scent of drywall and sawdust, making it hard to see a hand in front of their faces. They knew Julio would be hot on their heels, fueled by rage and a desire for revenge, so they sprinted the length of the unfinished hall. A partially built apartment, its drywall only half-installed, provided a potential hiding spot, and they ducked into the recessed doorway. Standing opposite each other, they compressed themselves into the shadows, trying to seem smaller, holding their breath. Rick waited, knowing trouble would find them soon. He glanced down, spotted Kate's foot protruding into the dim light, and gestured for her to pull it back. She did, silently, barely making a sound on the dusty floor. By the time Julio burst through the window and rounded the corner, their hiding spot remained undiscovered, a tiny pocket of safety.
Julio radioed his lobby team to watch the elevators, guessing that's how their quarry would descend, trying to flee the building. It was then Rick tried the door behind him, surprised to find it unlocked, a small stroke of luck. He pushed it open just as Julio turned around, his gaze scanning the hallway like a predator.
Julio proceeded down the hall, gun at the ready, his senses on high alert. As he advanced, he thought he heard a noise, a faint rustle, and he halted, his head cocked. He looked back the way he came but didn't take a step in that direction, unsure. Rick saw his chance and motioned for Kate to cross over, to join him in the relative safety of the apartment. With Julio's back to them, he wouldn't notice their move, too focused on the threat ahead. Once inside, Rick locked the deadbolt, a flimsy barrier against the danger lurking in the hall.
Another of Julio's men opened the door, and Julio nearly shot him, his finger twitching on the trigger.
"What the hell?" he snarled, lowering his weapon at the last second.
"I almost shot you!"
Having lost the trail of the man and the girl, Julio decides to check in on Angel. He raises the radio to his mouth and alerts him that he'll be heading back upstairs. His voice is tight with frustration and concern.
They both separate and Julio heads back up to the eighth floor, his mind racing with strategies and next moves.
Kate and Rick are in the dark about what's unfolding outside the apartment they've taken refuge in. The only sound is their ragged breathing and the creaks of the unfinished building. Rick sees that Kate is on the verge of panic, her eyes wide and her chest heaving. He uses sign language to calm her down, his hands slow and soothing. He uses his hands to tell her to breathe normally instead of hyperventilating. He gestures for her to lean back against the wall and put her hands on her knees. She starts taking deep breaths to calm herself, her body slowly relaxing.
Meanwhile, Rick glances out the window and sees that there is no help in sight at all, just the rooftops of neighboring buildings stretching out. He removes the silenced gun from his waistband, ejects the clip, and realizes with a sinking feeling that he has no more ammunition. He removes the silencer only because it is harder to conceal. Well, at least maybe he can bluff with an empty gun and pretend they still have a bargaining chip.
He looks over at Kate and notices that she's not coping well, her face pale. He approaches her and without scaring her he puts his hands on her shoulders, offering what little comfort he can. Then he puts his hands to her neck making her look directly at him. Once she has, he signs to her that everything will be okay, trying to project confidence he doesn't feel.
She nods and wonders how. These guys were going to kill them. How could they escape this nightmare?
Julio makes it back down to Kate's apartment and sees Angel lying on the floor clutching his left shoulder. He was bleeding profusely, a crimson stain spreading through his shirt, but he was smart enough to put pressure on it to stop the bleeding. His face is ashen, his eyes clenched in pain.
"Angel, how are you doing?" Julio asks, kneeling beside him. His voice is firm but laced with worry.
"I was shot! I need a hospital man can't you see that?" Angel rasps, his voice strained. Sweat dots his forehead.
"You know damn well that that cannot happen." Julio snaps, though he knows Angel is right. Hospitals meant questions, and they couldn't afford that.
Angel just looked at him with a pissed-off look. He couldn't believe that he wouldn't bring him to the hospital. Couldn't he see that he was in pain?
"If I bring you to the hospital they will ask questions. How am I going to explain how you were shot? But I have an alternative." Julio said as he pulled his cell phone from his back pocket. He dials a number and the second it connects he says the following words,
"I need the medic now. Track my phone and get them here ASAP." He hangs up, looking at Angel. Help would arrive soon, but would it be soon enough?
Ernesto met up with Jim down in the lobby and wondered if this was all going to fall apart or not. Because from his point of view, it looked like his boss was losing this battle. He walks up to Jim and sees that he has almost everything covered with security cameras. He can see the elevators, the back exits, and the front entrance. Everything but the fire escape. If anybody goes anywhere near these entrances or exits they will know exactly where they are. A sense of unease settles in his stomach.
"Good work. I'll take point here. You cover the fire escape." Ernesto orders thinking he'll have an easy job, a chance to redeem himself.
"The fuck you will! I put this plan together and I'm staying right here. You take the fire escape and if you give me any shit about it, I'm going to go to the boss." Jim snaps, Reaching for his gun. Ernesto frowns, but Jim's resolve is clear.
Ernesto at least has the decency to look guilt-ridden.