24:
The gun pressing into my head sent shivers down my spine. I didn't want to die. Not at this point in my life. I had too much to live for; my son, my parents, and my Jarebear. I had made too many sacrifices to just succumb to death now. I still needed to get Danny and myself out. I still had a role to play. I knew that much.
I knew ultimately, that in order to play that role, I needed to be alive.
"Put your hands behind your back," the voice spoke. A sound so chilling it turned my body to stone. The kind of voice that halts every movement as well as every thought.
"Do I have to repeat myself?" he says, this time his lips linger over my earlobe.
"No." Shaking my head, I place my hands behind my back.
I feel a sharp jolt of pain before realizing he is using barbed wire to bind me. I groan out from the prickly wire that stings my flesh. It hurts like hell.
"No sudden movements or noise." The taunting man orders.
I nod. Although I want to do the complete opposite I can't. If agreeing to this will spare my life longer then so be it. We start walking down a corridor. This isn't our house, just a place Hunt Electrical Inc. reserved for the annual company dinner.
As we walk, I notice his breaths are shallow. I've experienced that enough to know he is nervous. Maybe I could talk him out of this. I've done that with Ian so many times I've lost count. That's how he was able to get better. Our therapy sessions have played a huge part as well.
"Look, you don't have to this..." Whatever this is. I try to turn to face him; to get a clear visual. But he pinches my arm tighter.
"Keep moving," he emphasizes his thick, foreign accent once we make it outside.
I'm in shock, and not only because of the snow, ice and cold. But the people I see knelt on the ground. My heart accelerates when I realize who they are. And just as I am restricted by a weapon, so are they. Two men stand with artillery aimed at my parents.
"What is this?" I ask quickly. "Why are my parents here?"
"Walk over there," is all I receive as a response.
"Please," Shaking my head, I continue staring at my parents. Both of them have aged ten years in the two years since I've been gone. It's dark outside so I can't see much. All I know is they're kneeling with their heads leaning towards the snow.
I open my mouth to call out to them but the punishing gun slams into the back of my head. "No noise," his heavy accent is foreign to my ears, but the heightened anger and vigor in his tone is very familiar. "Just walk." He finishes, still standing behind me. I can hear my own heavy breathing as his fingers graze the trigger.
I close my eyes, trying to prevent sobs. But I can't prevent anything. I'm not afraid of dying anymore. I'm afraid of what will happen to my family.
My scream pierces the tense air when I'm pushed so intemperately that I end up hitting my head on the hard leather car seat. I cry out from landing on my sensitive stomach. I'm about five months into my pregnancy which means any force would be harmful to the baby.
"Don't...please don't hurt them," Tears pour from my eyes as I try to move. But I can't. So he pushes the rest of my body inside for me. I jump from the slam of the car door.
My eyes are closed while I silently plead. For what? My life? No. I plead for my parents' lives and my little boy's safety.
Last time I checked on him he was watching his favorite superhero movie with Mandy.
I hear the roar of the engine and soon, the car rolls into motion. My fears heighten which causes more panic to stir in me. I try to lift myself up but it is difficult because of these binds. So I listen to his phone call. My brown pupils strain to see in the darkness, while my ears strive to hear his words. After listening to him for who knows how long, I decide to count the remaining seconds that pass. About thirty minutes later we're pulling over.
The cold air whips my face when I'm pulled out of the car and forced to stand. I have no jacket, only strapped, open toed heels and a long sleeve, forest green gown. I'm freezing.
"Why'd you lie to me, babe?"
I recognize that voice. The voice of a man who commands attention from an entire room of people. The same voice that has frightened me and enticed me at the same time. The same voice that is desirable to my body yet dangerous to my heart. I can only imagine what is next to come.
"My parents have nothing to do with whatever point you're trying to prove," I speak up. For the past few months I've been complacent. Simply agreeing instead of arguing. But now that he has bought my parents into this, he has hit a nerve.
With a handsome, daring closed mouth smile, he shakes his head in amusement. I watch him exhale then slowly say,
"Why did you lie to me?" he pauses. "That's all I want to know."
No matter how slowly he speaks, my main focus is on my parents. "I don't know what you're talking about." My eyes search the perimeter but I don't see them.
"Huh, that's funny," his forest green eyes dig deep into mine as we stand face to face in the snow. "Because I could have sworn you did."
I grunt when he grabs my sore, bleeding wrists from behind, then pulls me forward. His body heat seeps into my freezing flesh, warming me up in a way. I shiver when he breathes a harsh sigh into my neck.
#
We walk until we're inside of a warehouse. From the broken windows, cobwebs, and lack of cleanliness it's clear where we are: an abandoned warehouse. The darkness of this place combined with the presence of Ian Hunt gives me an un-fleeting sense of foreboding.
"I'll give you one more chance." His back is to me while he digs through a duffle bag on the floor.
Clearing my throat nervously I say, "I already told you I have no idea what you're talking about."
I watch him; carefully analyzing every move he makes. He turns to me with an evil glint in his eyes. I watch him load the gun as if he has practiced this a million times. My eyes water when he looks at me. His jaw tenses at my continued silence. He exhales sharply before lifting a gun.
"You'll know the right answer to give me after I do this."
Just as quickly as lightning strikes the ground a shot is fired. My frantic eyes search around for the target. Heavy breathing resonates across the dark building. I hear a cough before the sound of a body hitting the ground echoes through the old building.
My heart races when I see what- who, Ian is pulling behind him. The image of my father's dead body comes into view. I weep as I run to him. Crashing down beside him.
My hands are still tied behind my back so I use my upper body to lean into him.
"Dad!" I call out. "Wake up!"
I ignore the sight of the blood and the smell of it. All I can see is my dad; the man who raised me, loved me, showed me how to ride a bike. He taught me how a guy should treat me. He was my track coach before I even joined the team.
"You ready for round two?" Ian says casually.
I'm still sobbing with my eyes closed. Still grieving over the death of another loved one. Another death I've caused.
Opening my teary eyes, I look around the room. The body that was once in front of me is nowhere in sight. The smell of copper is heavy in the air and another wave of dread blankets over me. My dull irises remain fixated on the crimson drenched concrete. It haunts me.
"Ava!" A voice made of all things sweet like honey calls my name.
"No..." I whisper to myself while trying to stand. My legs are wobbly which makes it harder for me to get up. And unlike my dad, she's not only tied down, but tied to a chair.
Ian calls my name then points the gun at the person in front of him. I scramble up, blood dripping from me, and run over to my mom.
"Don't! Don't kill her! Please don't-"
He hushes me, placing one finger over my trembling lips. The room is dim but there is one light looming over us. I see it in his eyes. The evil intent. The predator. The man who has brought me to my knees, begging him to stop.
"Ava babe, why are you talking to your ex?" He questions with furrowed eyebrows. His lax aura seems to be ignoring my panicked state completely. He is unaffected by my pleas and my tears.
"Please, please, please." It's hard to focus on what he wants from me. Especially when all I want is to get his gun away from my mom.
He begins to count, "One...two-"
"I just wanted to know if he was okay!" I shout before he can get to three. My words pour out like water from a faucet.
With a heaving chest, I pull on my restraints. I need to get free. I need to get my mom out of here.
"Hey, calm down," He bends down to my eye level. His hand extends and with a gentle touch, he caresses my cheek.
"It's not over yet, babe. I just have a few more things to take care of."
Bewilderment is prevalent in my eyes as I watch him withdraw a tape recorder from his pocket. Oh no, Alec.
He pushes the button and it plays.
We listen for a few minutes. We listen to Alec relaying Jared's message to me. It was about how much he loved me. I responded by saying how much I still loved him too. It ends with me agreeing to keep my act up until Jared could come get us.
As time stands still, so does Ian. He is quiet. Extremely silent among us.
There are so many things I could say but somehow they'd all be unwanted in this situation. So with a heavy heart I allow my silence to speak louder than I ever could.
"You have to learn..." Is all he says.
I watch his movement. In one quick motion the gun is in the air. I sit up just as quickly to block my mother. But Ian moves quicker. His arm wraps around my body, pulling me into a hug. The next thing I hear is the devastating sound of the bullet firing. My scream overpowers my thoughts when I hear her fall backwards.
"Just...don't lie to me," he sighs again. Rocking us while I cry in his arms. I try to pull myself away from him but he just holds me tighter. "-because I hold life and death in my hands."
He's right. Despite my hatred for him he is right. He held my life in his hands at one point in time. He thought I had fallen for him. Thought that what we had was perfect. I was alive once. But now I am dead on the inside. And what he doesn't realize is that it's all because of him.
***
Authors note:
So many things are happening now. So many pieces of this puzzle are starting to fall into place, right? Some of you were starting to think she loved Ian. Do you think Ian's actions to prove his point were a bit extreme? Or, do you think this isn't even real? Perhaps a dream? Tell me what you think. If you have questions just ask me and I'll be very happy to answer.
Also, thank you guys so much for your patience. Sometimes I want to give up because my mind is constantly busy. But then I look at the comments and that inspires me to keep going. So thank you!
- N.K. xoxo.