Christopher's POV
After the phone call ended with my uncle, Alexander and I were only an hour or so away. We'd have the element of surprise, which hopefully ultimately meant that we'd be able to get my love back without much of a fight, not that we wouldn't be able to handle it. We would. Alexander had a black belt in tai kwondo and karate. I knew how to shoot a gun deadly and knew how to kill a man in several different ways, just using a paperclip. Alexander taught me the latter. He knew how to kill a man using almost anything. Since he was an ex mob member, I wasn't surprised. We stopped at a hotel twenty minutes away from Oklahoma City and got a hotel.
Once we got to the room, Alexander unpacked his computer stuff and started a trace on the phone my bastard uncle had called me with while I ordered a pizza. After the pizza hard arrived and we both had a slice, he told me that he was just half an hour away from where we were staying and was able to pull up a blue print of the house.
"On the main floor, it opens up to a living room. Past that, it splits into a dining room-slash- kitchen, which has a backdoor halfway between the two, and the other side is an entertainment room," he explained. I nodded and started checking the guns, making sure they would be ready for action. "Off to the side of the entertainment room is the master bedroom, which has a connected bathroom. The bedroom across from that is the smaller guest bedroom." I nodded, picking up and loading another gun.
"There is a basement, where she is most likely going to be. The stairs for that are behind the dining room. The garage door is also in that area. There is another set of stairs for the basement in the TV room as well, leaving us two places to get in and two places to escape." I tucked one into the waist band of my pants and since I was wearing a hoodie, I put another in there. "I don't know if its just your uncle or if he hired more help. Either way, we need a plan." I sighed, but sat down, just ready to go and get her back. Alexander gave me a weird look.
"What?" I snapped, my anxiety, fear and exhaustion getting to me. He shook his head but pierced me with his bright, knowing blue eyes.
"Maybe you should rest," he suggested, half heartedly. He already knew the answer to that one.
"Hell no!" I growled at him. He looked like he was about to object again. "If this was Samantha out there, do you really think you'd rest too?" He sighed, glaring at me as he did so.
"That's not really fair."
I cocked an eyebrow. "It isn't?" I scoffed. "This is the love of my life we're talking about here! I'm not going to take a bloody nap when she's just a half hour away from me!"
"Ok, ok," he growled out. "Fine, here's the plan then."
*
Once the plan was made, Alexander drove. We stopped at a convenience store since I needed caffeine. I grabbed two monsters, paid and then left. Wordlessly, I handed one of them to Alexander when I got in and we were off again. Then entire ride was spent in anticipation and anxiety. I was worried that Charles would do something to her. I checked the time. We were 10 hours ahead of schedule but it still didn't ease my worry. Our surroundings were snow ridden and it was only then did I realize that it was almost Christmas. I checked my phone. It was Christmas Eve. All I want is her, I prayed, Please let her be ok. Alexander stopped and I looked up.
"Why did you--" I started to ask, but he cut me off.
"His house is right there," he said, pointing at a house two doors away.
On the outside, it looked fit for the holidays. Cheery red and green lights were strung around the roof. There was a dark green wreath with a bright red bow and Christmas ornaments on the light green door. The shutters were covered in icicles and the bushes were covered in snow, as was the rest of the yard. There were big open windows overlooking the yard, a nicely decorated Christmas tree on display, the red, blue and green lights glittered around the white and random decorations while strung popcorn interwove itself in between the emerald branches of the tree. There was no movement inside, that we could see anyway. From the outside, no one would guess that a mad man had the love of my life hostage in the basement.
"Let's go," I said.
Alexander left the car idling, with the heater running, while we stepped out. Wordlessly, I took out a gun and Alexander tossed me a pair of gloves before donning on his own pair. I slipped them on and we shared a look before splitting up. I took the back while Alexander took the front. Before I hopped the fence, I saw Alexander crouching before the shrubs called bushes before lunging for the steps that led to the door.
I took one look at the fence before me before I gripped the top and used the momentum to throw my legs up and over it. Easily over the side, I gripped my gun, holding it up and using my other hand to steady it as I cautiously made my way towards the back door, an eye out for neighbors and windows. Seeing none, I crept up, cringing at the sound of my shoes against the snow, half afraid the loud crunch sound would give me away.
At the door, I paused. After hearing no movement, I opened the door, thankful the door didn't announce my presence while I slipped in. The kitchen was empty as was the dining room. It was quiet. Almost too quiet. It was freaking me out. Christmas cookies were on the table and two cups of hot chocolate were on the table. I slowly walked towards them and gingerly touched the side. They were still warm. So either someone just left or they were hiding. Keeping my gun up, I heard Christmas music playing from the basement. My jaw clenched and Alexander came into view. He pursed his lips, placing a finger to them before he pointed down. I nodded and motioned that I'd take the closest way, while he took the stairs that were in the entertainment room.
We moved in unison to go to our decided stair way and soon I reached the door. I opened it, peering down into the shaded and dimly light stair case. The stairs were made of concrete and I eased my way down, glancing between the stairs and the cracked doorway, that left a shred of light on the stairs. Too quickly for my tastes, I reached the last step, and slowly lowered my gun to peer in between the door and the wall.
Charles was humming Christmas songs, dressed in a green Christmas sweater with a tree decorating the front. It reminded me of the one from How The Grinch Stole Christmas. A bit ironic if you think about it. He was moving back and forth between the table that he'd set up, dressing the table for dinner it seemed like. A small ham and other traditional Christmas dinner foods were on ther was well. He stopped, seeming like he was musing over something.
"I forgot our hot choco," he said. He turned to someone.
"I'll be right back dear."
He patted something and he left. Savanna was placed in a chair, A feeble excuse of a blanket wrapped around her and a hand cuff kept her tied to the chair. My blood boiled as I saw a busted lip and bruised cheek that had not been there before. He hurt her. I bit the inside of my cheek as the bastard walked past me and up the stairs.
As soon as I thought he was out of sight, I burst through the door and ran towards Sav. I slid on my knees and came face to face with her defeated one, the gun falling forgotten from my hand and skidding to God knows where. Tears fought their way forward as I caressed her cheek. Her head snapped up and her eyes went wide as she saw me. Tears started to spill from her face as I held a finger to my lips. She nodded, biting her own busted one, and I fumbled for a paperclip. I found one in my jeans pocket and began to work on her handcuff. She fidgeted as I worked. It took me longer than I wanted for me to be able to get it undone, but I did and I scooped her up into my arms, relishing the feel of her against me. There was no way in hell I was ever going to let her go again, I thought as she wrapped her arms around my neck, clinging to me.
"I love you," I breathed out before I turn around.
"How sweet," Charles said, a gun pointed at me. My entire body froze, but my grip on Savanna tightened. My jaw clenched and blood lust flowed through my veins. He's taken so much from me. Sav whimpered in my arms and my red vision was able to dim for a moment.
"Charles," I growled out. He laughed.
"Not 'uncle' anymore," he sneered. He shook his head. "I guess not. But honestly Christopher, did you honestly think I didn't know how close you were? I had people alerting me of your whereabouts the entire time I was on the run with your girl."
"If you knew then, why come all the way here?"
He shrugged. "I like it here." I rolled my eyes, scoffing. "It's true. The winters remind me of home." I resisted the urge to say something sarcastic. "But more to the point-" he motioned with the gun to sit. I stepped forward, and he cocked the gun. I swallowed and did as he motioned for me to do. "I'm glad you're here. Sign over the account and we can move on."
"It's not mine to sign away, Charles, and you know that."
He stormed up towards and put the gun up to my temple. "I know for a fact that the next of kin has the legal write away the account. I did my research," he growled. I smirked.
"Go ahead, shoot me, you'll never get the account either way," I snapped. He frowned, then smiled evilly. He moved the gun to Sav's head, whose eyes widened and pinned me to my place. My heart pounded in my chest.
"Then I'll just shoot her then," he said, stoically. I had to swallow and lick my lips before I could speak. I nodded first.
"I'll do it," I breathed out. "Just take the gun away from her head." My eyes swiveled on him, begging him not to do it. He nodded and took a step back.
Right into Alexander's gun.
"Ahh, Alexander," he murmured, dropping the gun. Alexander kicked it towards me and it skidded right at my feet. "I should have known you would have come too. My nephew's bitch, huh?" Alexander didn't say anything as he cocked the gun. I stood up and set Sav on the chair. Before we left I had to do something.
"Why did you do it?" I asked, my fists clenched at my sides. He had so much to explain to me.
"Ahhh, where shall I start? Your mummy? Your sister?" he mocked. My eyes widened. "Oh, you thought she just killed herself?" He laughed. "You stupid naive boy! She loved you, but a little booze and my persuasion were enough to convince her to end her life instead of going to talk it out with you!" He started laughed. Alexander kicked the back of his knees, causing him to fall.
"You bastard!" I snapped, wanting to wring his neck. I reached forward to do so but Alexander's glare stopped me. I shoved them in my pants pocket before I continued.
"Your mum was actually killed by me of course, after your parents faked their car accident. I wanted to see if my brother would give me the money after, but of course he didn't. And when I found out he had a loving, wealthy son, I had to go after him too!" he said, his eyes flickering to Sav, who coughed pathetically behind me. I'd have to get her to a hospital soon.
"Why didn't you leave her out of this?" I asked.
"I knew it'd be the easiest way to get to you." His eyes glittered with the black hole that was his soul. "It worked. The fact that your child actually survived was just another way I could fuck with you." My eyes widened while my heart lept into my chest. Our baby...was alive? Joy flooded through me. I heard a sob and I knew it was Sav, celebrating the survival of our little girl. "I paid the doctor off to tell you that the baby was dead. It's being watched over as we speak."
I nodded. "Alexander, finish it."
"For my godchild, anything," he said. I heard the gun click.
Then everything slowed down. Charles backed his head into the gun, causing Alexander to twist the gun to the side and giving Charles the opportunity to elbow him in the stomach. Alexander grunted while I went for my gun in the back of my jeans and Charles grabbed his head and slammed it into the concrete, effectively knocking him out. I didn't have time to feel bad about my friend as I got my back up gun out, my blood pounding in my ears and my only intention was to protect Savanna, and pointed it at my 'uncle' as he pointed one at me. I made sure my body was firmly in front of my love's as I faced someone who murdered two fourths of my family. Hatred was not the strongest word I could use to describe how I felt for this monster, this inhuman being, in front of me.
"I wish I could say I'm sorry, nephew," he spat at me.
Two gun shots simultaneously went off, forever determining the rest of my life and his in this Oklahomian house on Christmas Eve.