(AN) Hello and welcome to the next chapter of Straw Dogs: Reimagined; hope you all enjoy.
In this chapter, the third act truly begins as David, Amy and Karen return to Trencher's Farm with Henry.
Disclaimer: I don't own Straw Dogs; all characters and locations are owned by their respective owners.
Chapter Six
David slowly walked closer to Henry and knelt down next to him.
"You killed him!" cried a horrified Karen.
"No I haven't, I don't think," said David nervously. "I-I think his arm's broken," he said to Amy before checking for a pulse, "He's still alive. Quick, help me get him into the car.
"Shouldn't we phone the police and ambulance?" suggested a confused Amy.
"No signal out here," replied David. "Once we get back to the house, I'll phone for help."
Together, the couple helped Henry to his feet and escorted him to the car. After placing the young man in the back seat, the trio hopped back into the car and David drove off.
After returning to the farmhouse, David and Amy helped Henry inside and laid him down on the sofa. Henry let out a soft groan before opening his eyes. "W-what happened?" he asked in confusion.
"I accidentally hit you with my car," explained David sheepishly. "What were you doing running out into the road like that?"
"I-it's J-Janice," muttered Henry in a distressed manner. "I think I've killed her."
And with that, the young man began rocking back and forth while clutching at his temples. Amy instinctively went and sat next to Henry before wrapping her arms around him in a hug. "Hey, it's okay, Henry." she said soothingly. "What happened?"
Henry didn't answer; instead continuing to rock back and forth. Amy looked up at her husband.
David went over to the phone and tried to ring the police, but he got no reply, he then tried the local doctor, but had no luck there either.
"Try the Bistro," suggested Amy, "Harry can get somebody."
David nodded in understanding.
Over at the Bistro, Tom was speaking with Tim and Kate while drinking.
"Rest assured, Mr Hedden, the police are doing all they can to locate your daughter and Mr Niles," assured Kate gently, "The best thing you can do right now is to go and be with your wife and other children; they'll need your support."
"You think I'm just gonna sit here while that bastard is doing God knows what to my daughter!" growled Tom furiously. "No, no: when I learn where Niles is, I'll kill him with my bare hands!"
"Don't even think about it!" warned Tim firmly. "Just be thankful that John isn't pressing charges for your physical assault on him!"
"Save it!" spat the drunk.
At that point, Charlie, Scutt, Cawsey, Bobby, Phil and Bertie entered the pub and walked over to the trio.
"Still no sign of her," informed Charlie. "The whole village is out looking; except for Amy and Mr Sumner."
"I noticed them heading out of the church," snickered Chris before smirking at Charlie. "Somebody got under their skin."
"Oh shut up!" hissed Charlie.
Harry was standing behind the bar when the phone rang. The middle-aged man walked over and answered. "Bistro." he said curtly.
"Yes, hello, this is David Se-Sumner speaking," came David's voice from the other end of the line. "Listen, can you send the local doctor and the police up to Trencher's Farm, please? I've got Henry Niles up here: I accidentally knocked him over."
"I understand," replied a slightly bewildered Harry. "Don't worry, I'll get help."
Harry ended the call and put the phone down, he then walked out from behind the bar and went over to Tom and the others. "That was David," he informed them. "Henry's up at Trencher's Farm."
"What about Janice?" demanded Tom through gritted teeth.
"I don't think she's with them." said Harry sympathetically.
Tom nodded in understanding before getting to his feet and turning to Phil. "You know the way to Trencher's Farm; you can take me and the boys."
Phil, Charlie, Scutt, Cawsey, Bobby and Bertie got to their feet; all of them filled with a sense of purpose.
"Now hang on a minute, we'll have to come as well," insisted Tim as he and Kate stood up. "You can't be taking the law into your own hands: let me and Gallighar deal with it."
"Not a chance!" spat the drunk venomously. "You lot didn't put Niles away or deal with him when you should have! It's time that we did the job you should have done!"
"Need we remind you that Charlie and Scutt are still under investigation for their assault on Amy," pointed out Tim. "You shouldn't be going anywhere near the Sumners."
"They'll behave themselves; won't you boys." said Tom in a dangerous manner.
"Of course." promised Scutt.
"This is for Janice." pointed out Charlie.
And with that, Tom and the others stormed out of the pub in single-file; all ignoring Kate and Tim calling out to them.
As they headed for Phil's car, Scutt was thinking about how he'd get at Amy. He had of course been lying when he promised to behave himself: if he got the opportunity, Scutt was going to have his twisted idea of fun with Amy.
At the same time, Charlie was thinking about how he could use this opportunity to kill David, make it seem like an accident and then convince Amy to come back to him.
Phil's car rolled up into the farmyard, followed by Cawsey and Bertie on a bike. Charlie, Scutt, Tom, Phil and Bobby hopped out of the car. As one, the group of seven made their way over to the house before stopping just outside the porch.
"What's the plan, Tom?" asked Charlie curiously.
"You lot get in there and drag Niles out here so we can get some answers!" explained Tom darkly. "Hopefully Amy and that husband of hers won't be too difficult."
"Don't worry, that husband of hers is a complete pushover," remarked Chris before giggling. "He'll hand over Niles."
And with that, Charlie walked over to the front door.
David and Amy were currently cuddled up together on the bed when suddenly, they heard a light knock at the front door.
"Now who could that be?" asked a confused Amy.
"I'll go check." said David.
The maths teacher walked down the stairs, unlocked the front door and opened it. David was surprised when Charlie suddenly entered, followed by Scutt, Cawsey, Bobby, Bertie and Phil.
"Hey, you can't just walk in here!" cried David in shock.
"We just want to see Niles." stated Bobby as he and the others walked over to the sofa.
"Wake up!" snapped Scutt before slapping Henry across the face, "Come on; wake up you!"
"Hey, what's going on?" asked Amy as she and Karen came rushing down the stairs. The girls then noticed Charlie and Scutt. "What are they doing here?"
"Don't worry, Amy, we just want to get answers out of Niles!" leered Charlie.
"Hey, careful now, you'll break his ribs!" cried David as he got in front of the sofa; preventing Chris from slapping Henry.
"Sorry, sir," apologised the rat catcher before taking on a slightly more agressive tone, "but he'll get more than just a broken rib if he doesn't say what he did to Janice Hedden."
"Please, it was just an accident." pleaded a terrified Henry, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Ah, so you did do something to her," explained Scutt before glowering at the young man. "What have you done with Janice you dirty pervert?"
"Leave him alone!" cried a horrified Karen. "He's done nothing to you."
"Stay out of this you gobby brat!" barked Cawsey.
"I saw him and Janice walking away from the church," explained Bobby apologetically before turning to the others. "Come on, guys, if he doesn't know anything, we should just leave him."
"Bobby's right," agreed David. "Maybe something else happened to Janice and Henry was running to get help."
"You don't know what he's like!" snapped Charlie angrily. "He hangs about with little kids. Come on, Amy, you agree; right?"
"I never agreed with you," replied the blonde. "Henry was cleared of any wrongdoing! And most of you are complete hypocrites: Charlie and Scutt; you forced yourselves on me and you, along with Cawsey bullied my husband!"
"And you murdered my cat!" barked Karen, pointing a firm finger at Cawsey.
"You're siding with your husband and that pervert over us!" spat Bobby in disgust, "Come on, Amy, you've known us for years."
"I thought I did!" growled Amy darkly, "But now I see that you're all a bunch of horrible people, so I'm only going to ask once: get out!"
"Not until we've taken Niles outside and had a chat with him!" snarled Cawsey.
"You heard her!" said David in an attempt at a brave voice.
Charlie and the others seemed to understand. As one, they all exited through the front door. As Bobby exited, he turned to the Sumners. "I'm sorry about them," apologised Bobby. "A-and I'm sorry I didn't warn you about what Charlie was going to do."
"It's okay," said Amy. "You were scared and that's understandable."
Bobby smiled before exiting.
David quickly raced over to the front door and locked it.
Amy heaved a sigh of relief. She hadn't been comfortable with any of those men being back in the house, but she had decided not to let them see her fear.
"What do you think they were planning on doing with Niles?" questioned Amy shakily."
"I think they were planning to beat him to death," answered her husband darkly. "Even if he has done something to Janice, killing is never the answer, unless in self-defence."
"I understand." said Amy.
Outside, Tom was angrily pacing up and down. "Those idiots!" he barked furiously. "They don't know what they're playin' at; protecting Niles like he's innocent!"
"And I don't get what Amy sees in that husband of hers!" spat Charlie furiously.
"I want Niles!" barked Tom as he stopped and cocked his shotgun. "I'm goin' in!"
The drunk then marched up to the front door and began ramming the barrel of his gun into it.
Inside, David, Amy and Karen were looking at the front door in concern.
"You can't get in!" hollered Amy. "That door can withstand anything!"
"What about the back door?" said a concerned David.
Amy raced through to the kitchen and saw the back door begin to open. Thinking quickly, the young blonde pushed back against it and succeeded in slamming it shut; Bertie crying out in alarm as he fell over. Amy then quickly locked the back door.
Back in the living room, David was currently locking the windows; ignoring Tom from outside as he continued to shout threats. The dark haired man then saw Cawsey pop up at the window and rattle on the handle.
"Hey, stop that!" cried an annoyed David, "If you don't stop right now, then I'll press charges!"
Cawsey simply giggled before vanishing from sight.
Everything suddenly seemed to go quiet. The maths teacher began to relax, thinking that these men would just leave when suddenly, a rock came flying through the living room window, sending glass tinkling to the floor.
"Call 9-1-1!" cried David in alarm.
"999." corrected Amy as she ran to the phone.
The young blonde dialled 999 and waited for a response, but all she could hear was a dead tone, smashing glass and the angry voices from outside. Amy put the phone down and turned to her husband with a terrified expression. "No response," she said in a frightened manner. "Oh, David, what are we going to do?"
"I don't know." replied David.
"Well we can't just leave Karen and Henry down here," pointed out Amy, indicating Henry. "Let's put him upstairs in the attic."
David nodded in agreement.
Together, the couple helped Henry to his feet and led him upstairs.
After helping Henry into Karen's bedroom, Amy looked down at Karen. "Stay in here with Henry," she said gently. "Don't come out, no matter what you hear; understand."
Karen simply nodded.
David and Amy exited the bedroom and shut the door. The young blonde sat next to Henry on the bed.
Upon reentering the living room, David began trying to think of a way out of this that wouldn't end with him and Amy being killed or him having to take on Tom and his friends, but he couldn't think of anything.
"David, Amy!" came a familiar voice from outside. "It's Sergeant Scott! Evans and Gallighar told me what's been going on."
The husband and wife looked at each other with expressions of relief.
David went over to the front door, unlocked it and then opened it, allowing Sergeant Scott to dash inside. The dark haired man quickly slammed the door shut before turning to face the sergeant.
"Glad you made it through enemy lines." joked David.
"I've seen worse," remarked Scott. "Sorry I didn't get here sooner. The phone lines went down thanks to the storm; had to drive slowly."
"Good thing you didn't break your neck," replied David. "Those lot are going nuts."
"David, Janice is missing, Tom is out of his mind with worry and drunk," explained the sergeant.
"That's still no excuse for their behaviour!" retorted Amy firmly, "You need to deal with them!"
Quite suddenly, a rat came flying through the window and landed at Amy's feet, making her yelp in alarm. Cawsey could be heard laughing.
"Don't you know I breed em as well!" cried Chris in delight, "That stinking cat of yours was eatin' them, so I had to deal with her!"
"I KNEW IT!" shouted Amy furiously.
The young woman tried to run out the front door, but David quickly wrapped his arms around her chest and held the struggling blonde back. "It's not worth it!" he cried in disgust. "Let Sergeant Scott deal with them."
Amy simply began sobbing into David's shoulder. The dark haired man gave her a hug and gently rubbed her back while making hushing noises.
"Don't worry, I'll deal with them!" said the police sergeant firmly.
Sergeant Scott marched out the front door and towards the group. "Being a bit stupid, aren't you, Tom," he remarked sternly. "Chucking things through people's windows; you ought to have more sense."
Tom and the others simply glowered at the sergeant.
"Tell them that I want that Niles, or I'll go in and get 'im!" threatened Tom in a dangerous manner.
"You give me that bloody gun and get the hell out of here; now that's an order!" barked Scott firmly.
"What about my Janice?" asked Tom furiously. "Wasn't one of yours, it was my Janice!"
"Listen, Tom, we don't want any trouble here; do we?" said the sergeant calmly.
"There wouldn't have been any trouble if you'd put Henry Niles away!" snarled the drunk as he walked towards the sergeant, "YOU LOT WERE QUICK TO ARREST VENNER AND SCUTT!"
"Damn you, Hedden, give me that gun!" snarled Sergeant Scott before suddenly grabbing Tom's gun.
"Damn you, Sergeant; LET GO!" yelled Tom as he attempted to wrench the gun away from the sergeant.
The two struggled with the gun for a few moments before a loud and unmistakable bang suddenly went off. Sergeant Scott screamed in pain as he was thrown backwards before falling to the ground with a thud.
"NO!" shouted Amy in a distraught voice as she and David stood by the living room window in shock.
Tom and the others slowly walked towards the sergeant's unmoving body. Tom knelt down and rolled Scott on to his back.
"Dad, what have you done!" cried a shocked Bobby.
Tom looked up and saw David and Amy staring out the living room window in horror.
"Wasn't reckoning on anybody getting killed, Norman," said Tom as he turned to face Scutt. "They've seen us kill the major. Now we need to get in there, silence them for good and kill Niles."
Everybody except Bobby nodded in understanding.
Back inside the living room, the young couple looked at each other with horrified expressions.
(AN) And that's a wrap on this chapter of Straw Dogs: Reimagined; hope you all enjoyed.
In the next chapter, David and Amy fight back against Tom and co.
Until then, this is TimeLordMaster108 signing out.
