Pawns & Enemies: A Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys Mystery

16. Frank

  Hi. No, I'm not dead. Neither is Joe. Voila! We had an impeccable act and fooled Kyan. I just worried that we also fooled Nancy.

 We had no idea where Kyan had taken her after lying frozen on the floor with our eyes closed, much less if she was alive. She gave me such a scare when Kyan drove off with her and then we got her back only to lose her again. When Kyan took her, again! Now Joe and I are determined to get her back for good. Except we had wasted precious time laying on the ground playing possum. 

Joe and I split up. Joe takes to the stairs to take down Kyan and see if he can find Nancy and I run to Ned's car to dial for help. I call 911 and tell the operator Kyan address and our situation. Hopefully, the River Heights PD is just as prompt as the Bayport PD. The operation promises to send a squad car and ambulance. I am not sure we are in need of EMS services but I wasn't about to argue. 

I decided to check around the house after hanging up, to see if Kyan had an escape route. I started walking the house's perimeter, praying Joe and Nancy were safe. Nancy had become the crime-fighting sister I never had, though I am not sure if I see her as an older and younger sister. We had our problems and differences but no matter what I was going to protect Nancy at any and all cost. 

I hear a female shriek. Not a scream, but a heart wrenching, blood pressure rising shriek from the depth of her heart, nothing like the screams I heard earlier that lead me into a trap. It didn't even take a second to realize it was Nancy. I ran in the direction of the shriek. Nancy, Nancy, be okay. If Kyan killed you, he will pay with his life. I got Nancy into this mess in the first place and she wouldn't be here otherwise. I turn the corner and see her.

 An unconscious heap on the ground. I sprint and fall on my knees at her side. I cannot tell if she's breathing. I check her pulse and feel a slow pump. She has a huge cut on her head and a few on her legs and shoulders. Her hands are raw and cut and two of her fingers look like they are jammed and swell like they are broken. I don't move her, afraid of hurting her more as I begin CPR. After a few mouth-to-mouths, her breathing flows evenly. I hear sirens far off in the distance. Come here faster, my mind commands them. I hear a noise from above my head. Kyan had opened a window.

    "I told her I'd seek revenge for your wrongdoing," he cackled. Apparently, he didn't think twice about my being alive. "Now that I've killed her I am ready for you." He pulls out his gun and is about to aim when he crumples to the ground with a bang. Joe steps up to the window. 

    "Don't villains even realize the amazing power of frying pans? Like, dude, hello, cast-iron?!" He waves the frying pan up and laughs. 

    "Come on down, Rider and help me with Rapunzel. She fell from her tower." I shout back. Joe's eyes land on Nancy and he mouthed out her name. 

    "I'll be down as soon as I tie up the criminal." He disappears from the window and I turn back to see Nancy begin to stir.

    "Nance!" I whisper. I fully expected her to fall into unconsciousness once again because of blood loss but amazingly her eyes flutter open. She smiles up at me, a cut oozing blood onto her cheek. I was speechless. She had been through so much, lost so much blood and had still woken up and smiled. She started to get up but collapsed in her weak state. 

    "Ugh!" she coughed. She was slipping consciousness. 

    "Don't try. It's alright." I reassure her. She smiles again. Joe had run up and skidded, slipped and almost landed on Nancy. I caught Joe before he hit Nancy. He blew his hair out of his face. Not even a 'thank you'. 

    "Thanks," Nancy croaks. 

    "She speaks!" Joe gasps. 

    "Of course! Now she's conscious, dummy," I exasperate. 

    "Oh," Nancy sigh as she loses consciousness. 

    "Nancy, Nancy." Joe grabs her hand. "Squeeze if you can hear me." 

 She remains completely still. The sirens are coming closer as Nancy keeps slipping away and I pray that they get here in time. 

    "Come on, Nancy, come on, hold on." I request urgently. She couldn't come through. Her breathing slows. It gets slower and slower and I have to lend over and give another mouth-to-mouth to keep her alive. She breathes stronger but she is still losing the fight. 

   "I'm sorry, Nancy," I whisper. 

   "Me too," Joe breathes. He looks like he's crying and I reach over to hug him. We had only known her for a little over two days and she was already like family. I barely noticed the cops show up. Joe left me with Nancy and went to show them to Kyan. I stayed behind, occasionally giving her CPR to no avail. Her color was draining from her face when a police officer appeared beside me and took over. The ambulance with lights and sirens pulls up as I stand and I watch numbly as they load Nancy inside. I decide that I have to ride with her. Joe will understand. I sit in the back of the ambulance and as we pull away I call George and tell her the news. She promises to call Mr. Drew and meet us at the hospital. I keep praying for Nancy to hang in there. Hang on, Miss Drew.