CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Two bullets. Two seconds.
That was how long it took to end this torture. The sound of the gun being fired made my ears ring.
"Hannah!" I heard Nathan call.
I was scared to open my eyes but I knew I had to. When I opened them, I saw John on the ground, motionless. The other man was also on the ground a few feet away from us but he wasn't dead. Nathan had shot him on the knee so he couldn't move.
"Run, find a phone," Nathan ordered not taking his eyes off of him. He had the gun pointed to his head, ready.
I nodded as I stood up and ran to the back of the garage. I went through the mysterious door they always disappeared to and realized that it was an office. I looked through the desk with shaky hands until I finally found a phone. I dialed 911.
"My name is Hannah Collins," I said as soon as they answered. "I was kidnapped. I have no idea where I am but please send help."
"Okay, ma'am, please try to stay calm," the operator said on the phone. "Is there anyone else with you?"
I nodded. "Yes, my bodyguard. He's hurt. Please, you gotta send an ambulance quickly."
"Okay, I was able to get your location with the cell phone. "Are you in a safe place while officers get there?"
"I-one of the kidnappers is still alive. Please hurry," I said as I looked around the office. It was really messy with papers scattered everywhere, half-eating food, and trash on the floor. There was something on the desk that caught my eye. I reached for the delicate gold necklace that was by the laptop. It caught my eye because I had seen that necklace before. It had the same, small crystal hanging from it. It belonged to my mom. He must have stolen it. That meant he had been in our house. I put it in my pocket and then headed back to the garage.
Nathan was still pointing the gun to the man whom I still had yet find out his name. He was on the ground, clutching to his right knee but he was looking at us with amusement. As if he was part of some inside joke.
I looked at Nathan who didn't take his eyes off of him. "Help is on the way," I said breathless. I looked down at his abdomen and saw that he had bled through the cloth. "Oh, Nathan."
"I'm okay," he assured me but I knew he wasn't. He looked even more pale than before and he was sweating. I knew he would pass out any second and I hoped the police would arrive by then. I wanted to ask him why he didn't kill the man but it made sense. He wanted to know who he was. Probably wanted him to pay for this and for the massacre he had caused in Miami. At least those victims were getting justice.
I looked around the garage and noticed that there was a garage door. I stood up and looked for a button to open it so it would be easier for the police to find us. I finally found a remote and pressed on the button to open the garage door. It screeched as it pulled open.
I almost cried when the fresh air began to come into the garage. It was dark outside and I wondered how late it was. Was my family sleeping? Had they been notified that I was okay? Were they on their way here?
It wasn't long before I finally heard the cry of the ambulance and police cars. I walked back to Nathan. "They're here," I said as I touched his shoulder.
His arm was beginning to shake and I knew he was tired but he didn't move. He just nodded.
I looked at the man as the red and blue lights illuminated the garage. He grinned at me. "This nightmare is far from over, darling," he promised me as officers began to flood in.
"Put your hands in the air!"
As soon as the officers came into the garage, Nathan put his arm down and allowed himself to collapse. I sat there and watched everything move in slow motion. The cops clasping the man's hands behind his back and pulling him up. His dangerous smile as he looked at me. The cops inspecting John's body on the ground. Paramedics placing Nathan on a stretcher and rolling him outside.
"Is he going to be okay?" I asked the officers.
"They're going to everything they can, miss," one of them said. "Can you please give me your name?"
"Hannah, Hannah Collins," I said as my eyes followed Nathan out of the garage.
"I got her," the officer said into a radio. "Miss, why don't we go outside? We need to ask you some questions."
I nodded quickly and followed him outside.
By then, the garage was filled with cops examining everything and it wasn't until then that I felt relief go through my body. It was over. Outside, it was cold and dark but I didn't care. I didn't think I would ever be able to go outside again. The cop had me sit down on the back of an ambulance and a paramedic placed a blanket on my shoulders. Then she began to examine me. I couldn't tell where we were. There were a lot of cop cars and ambulances to see my surroundings but I thought we were in a neighborhood. I thought I could make out houses and businesses which meant this wasn't a deserted place which was good. It was why the cops had arrived here quickly.
"Ms. Collins? Are you alright?" The cop asked me.
"Can you please call my dad?" I chocked out was the tears ran down my cheeks. I felt like a little girl but I didn't care. I just wanted to see my dad. I wanted him to hug me and tell me that everything was going to be okay.
He nodded. "Your family has been contacted and they'll be here soon."
I nodded. "Okay."
"I need you to answer some questions for me, okay?"
I nodded again as the paramedic measured my blood pressure and then checked my heart.
"Did you know either of these men?"
I shook my head. "I had never seen them in my life."
"Did your bodyguard shoot that man?"
I looked at him. "It was self-defense! You can't charge him for that! He was trying to save us!" I cried.
The cop nodded. "I know, miss, I know."
I shook my head as I cried. He stopped asking questions, probably realizing that I wasn't emotionally stable for an interrogation. I didn't know how much time passes before I finally saw my dad. He was looking around until he spotted me. He ran to me and embraced me in a hug which made me cry even harder. He ran his hand through my hair as he held me and I cried onto his chest. He kept whispering, "It's okay, you're okay."
He was proof that this was over. I was going to go home. After pulling away, I noticed Nick and Rachel and then hugged them. My mom was also here. She was looking around, distracted.
"Where's Nathan?" Dad asked after a moment. "Did he-"
"No," I interrupted him. "He was shot, dad, he saved me," I reached for his hand and squeezed it. "Please, he can't die. We have to go, please."
"I'll go check on him. You need to go to the hospital to get checked out," he said.
I shook my head. "I'm fine-we need to make sure Nathan is okay."
"Miss, you have an injury on the back of your head that will need a few stitches," the paramedic jumped in when my dad looked at her.
I sighed. "Fine, but take me to the same hospital they took Nathan."
Dad nodded. "Don't worry about anything, honey. Everything will be okay."
I let the paramedic lady lead me to the stretcher they had inside the ambulance and sit down. Dad came in the ambulance with me while the rest got back in the car and said they'll meet us there. Dad held me as the ambulance began to move. It wasn't long before my eyes closed involuntarily and I feel into a restless sleep.
Two days. We had been there for two days.
It felt like an eternity but it had only been two days. This was good news. That meant Nathan had a chance.
His name was Steven Powell. He was a salesman and he had no family except for John who had been his cousin. Before this incident, there had been multiple suspicions of John using his business to cover his real business in selling drugs and after what they found, they confirmed those suspicions. They were yet to find the reason Steve did this to me. That's what the police officers told my dad.
I was in the hospital with needles connected to an IV. My vision had finally cleared up but I still felt exhausted and a bit disoriented. Mom and dad were in the room, along with Colton and my little brother Derek.
"Hannah, how are you feeling?" Dad asked after the doctor had checked up on me.
"Better," I said. "How's Nathan? Is he okay?"
"They had to do surgery to take out the bullet but he's already out and the doctors said he's going to be just fine. He just needs bed rest for next few weeks."
I wanted to ask him if he was awake and if I could see him but I didn't. He was going to be okay, that's all that mattered right now.
"Thank God, you're okay, Hannah."
I half smiled at my brother, Derek. "You're really here."
I hadn't seen him in so long. It was so good to have him here with me. Derek was tall with a fit body. He had short, brown hair and blue eyes. He had a perfect nose, jaw, and just a good face. He was a model for a reason.
"Of course I am," he said as he leaned in to kiss my cheek.
It was a miracle. My family was complete. Mom was sitting on the couch going through a magazine. Nick and Colton were chatting suspiciously about something and Rachel was sitting next to me, reading a book.
Dad reached for my hand. "I've never felt so useless in my life, I'm so sorry sweetie."
"Dad, it's okay," I said trying to comfort him. "I'm okay...thanks to Nathan."
Dad nodded. "I will owe him for life."
"Do you think I can see him?" I asked trying to sound casual. Rachel looked up at me curiously. She had secretly been giving me more detailed updates. Apparently, Jared was here for Nathan which made me feel slightly better. At least he wasn't alone.
Dad frowned. "I don't think that's a good idea."
I reached for his hand and squeezed it. "Dad, please, I just want to see him and make sure he's okay. I owe him that much and more."
He studied me. "I'll go get the nurse."
I smiled. "Thank you."
"Yeah, yeah," he said then turned and walked out of the room.
I looked at Rachel and she winked at me.
Dad came back minutes later with a nurse and a wheelchair. I thought it wasn't necessary but he helped me onto the wheelchair and then pushed me down the hall. Nathan's room was only a few doors down from mine. I noticed that bodyguards filled the hospital hallway which meant my dad was still a little uneasy. When my dad pushed me into his room and I saw Nathan, I wanted to burst into tears. He looked so pale. His cheeks seemed swollen and bruised. He had a tube that went into his nose, to help him breathe. He eyes were closed. He wasn't moving. His skin was as white as paper.
"Nathan," I whispered as I wheeled the chair closer to him. "Are you sure he's going to be okay?" I asked my dad.
"The doctors assured me he would be," my dad said behind me. "Of course, he'll need a lot of rest and won't be able to work for a while. If he still wanted to work..." his voice trailed off.
I sat there in silence for a moment, wishing my dad would get out so I could kiss him. I wanted to say so many things to him. I wanted to tell him that I was sorry-he was here because of me.
But most of all, I wanted to apologize because I hadn't been brave enough to tell my dad or anyone what he really meant to me. I didn't know why but I couldn't bring myself to tell my dad the truth.
I wasn't brave enough.
I knew it like I knew that I didn't deserve Nathan.