Suspended (part 5)

“God…” Hayley breathed, the word coming unbidden to her lips. It wasn’t a curse: it was a call, a pleading. “Help.” Please, God, save me. Please. She thought, a silent mantra, in the last few moments before he had his way with her. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll do something God.

She held her breath, silently praying for a miracle, as he slowly descended down on top of her. And then a thought flashed into her mind, a single word: fight. She jolted as the meaning of the word sank in. Ok, she thought, I will. But it was already too late, and she felt him press himself inside her. It’s over. An agonizingly familiar pain began to wash over her.

But that single word impressed itself again in her mind. Fight. Could she? It was worth a shot wasn’t it? Mustering up all the strength she had, she pulled her arms down, the fabric around her wrists straining against the pressure. She stole a glance at Greg to see if he noticed, but he seemed totally oblivious, grunting and leering at her body like some kind of disgusting animal. She turned her attention back to her wrists, trying to not let the pain and humiliation that tore through her distract from her goal of freeing herself. She felt the fabric give, and her right hand jerked down. Greg looked up, surprised at her sudden movement. He whipped his hand out to her wrist in an attempt at restraining her, while simultaneously, Hayley grabbed for the knife. Her fingers slipped around the warm metal handle and felt a surge of power flow through her. She pressed the tip of the blade against his neck, and he stiffened in surprise

“Get. The fuck. Off me.” Hayley said with more confidence than she had ever before displayed. “Now.”

“Okay.” Greg responded, surprise evident in both his voice and mannerisms. He leaned his upper torso back several inches, and moved himself out of her. They were now both sitting up in the bed, facing each other. For several seconds both stayed still, neither one willing to move first.

“So what are you going to do now?” Greg taunted. The longer Hayley did nothing, the more he began to gain back his confidence in the situation.

“Just shut up!” Hayley seethed, and pressed the blade deeper into his neck.

“If you say so.” Greg said, a tight smile on his face.

Although his flesh was taught against the metal, she had not managed more than a small scratch in his skin. A drop of blood began to slowly form around the tip, giving Hayley a renewed sense of control. She searched his face intently, surprised to find not even a trace of fear etched in his features. He seemed almost annoyed, in fact.

As she wondered at his expression, she suddenly felt a hand seize hers and force the blade from her grip. She cried out in pain, as Greg twisted her fingers back. “You have more spunk than I first thought, I’ll give you that. But no one beats me. No one.”

And with that, he struck her hard against the face. Hayley held her right hand up to her face to protect from the subsequent blows, her left hand throbbing in pain. She couldn’t be sure at the moment, but it felt like at least one of her fingers was broken. In any case, there was no way she could use it for any meaningful capacity any time soon.

“Is that so?”

Suddenly Greg’s hand jerked back, the knife disappearing from his hand. Hayley looked up to see Brennan holding the knife, half on and half off the bed.

“What the…” Said Greg as Brennan swiftly, he plunged the knife into Greg’s lower back. Hayley screamed as Greg’s eyes partially rolled into the back of his head, a look of utter panic and pain on his face. He slumped over Hayley, who panicked and frantically scooted backwards. She could hardly believe how fast everything had occurred. One second she was being beaten by Greg, and in the next instant he lay on the bed bleeding with a knife in his back.

Hayley sat frozen in place, her mind racing, her body numb. Greg groaned and shifted his weight so he was positioned on his side.

“Oh, god, now he’s going to get the sheets all bloody.” Said Brennan matter-of-factly. “Here, hand me a pillow.” Brennan said as he kneeled down by his jacket and started rifling through the pockets.

Hayley stared at him, incredulous. How could he be so calm? Finding her voice, Hayley spoke. “Why?”

“To muffle the sound.” Brennan answered distractedly.

“Of what?” Asked Hayley, as her mind raced with all the horrid possibilities.

“Him.” Brennan said as he gestured towards Greg’s prone body, and pulled out a black 9mm Beretta. “I don’t have a silencer.”

“Oh my God, you’re not going to…” Hayley’s voice trailed off, unwilling to finish the sentence as the realization of his intentions became clear. “Where did you get the gun?”

“The cop. I lifted it off him before I got back in the truck. And it’s a good thing too, because it’s certainly going to come in handy.” Brennan checked to make certain the chamber was loaded and cocked it, and then proceeded to walk up to the bed. “Besides, what choice do we have? He’s seen what I look like.”

“You don’t have to kill him though. You didn’t kill the cop.”

“Yes, and now we’re wanted. I just spared the cop for your benefit, anyway.” Brennan reached past Hayley for the pillow and as his hand grasped the yellowed fabric, he abruptly stopped, his mouth gaping open.

“Brennan!” Hayley screamed.

Greg had managed to pull the knife out of his back, despite the loss of blood and had struck Brennan hard into his right side. Brennan groaned in pain and slumped forward onto Hayley.

“You both are more trouble than you’re worth. I guess I’ll have to finish you off before I can start in on the girl.” Greg’s face was plastered with a look of pure pleasure as he obviously contemplated the impending death of both Brennan and Hayley. Brennan gasped again as Greg jerked the knife from his flesh and prepared for another strike. He brought the knife down aiming for Brennan’s lower back, hoping to pierce his kidney, but just as he neared his target, Brennan shifted to the side. Greg missed, only managing to reopen his earlier gunshot wound.

“Hell no. You’re crazy if you think I’m going down that easily.” Brennan quickly grasped onto the hand that wielded the knife, hardening his grip and slowly increasing the pressure until Greg lost control of the knife and it changed owners once again. Brennan flipped the blade and thrust the tip into Greg’s gut, swiftly turning the blade as he did so. He took a sharp intake of breath and shuttered in pain.

Hayley sat frozen, sickened by the sight, but afraid to move for fear of being noticed and attacked herself. She knew the theory didn’t make much sense considering her close proximity to the fight, but she seemed somehow unable to make herself move, the witness to a grisly wrestling match.

Not willing to give Greg time to react once again, Brennan swiftly pulled out his Beretta and without so much as a flinch, pressed the weapon against his chest and released the trigger. The shot rang out loudly in the room, followed by an unearthly silence. The room stood quiet, paused in time.

Knock, knock, knock.

Brennan shot Hayley a look, suspicion etched in his features. “Who is that?” He hissed, the bridled anger evident in his words.

Hayley shook her head in response, not willing to use her voice and have whoever was at the door hear her.

Knock, knock, knock.

“This is Officer Hannedy. Open up.” The voice was loud and deep, and it sent an icy chill down Hayley’s spine. “I’m coming in on the count of three. One.”

Hayley pushed herself off the bed and grabbed the blanket that had been previously dropped on the floor.

“Two.”

She wrapped it around her body, a protective barrier to guard against the fear that now gripped her, and leaned down against the wall farthest from the door with her knees pressed as close to her chest as she could. Her heart pounding, she felt a wave of nausea course through her body and her stomach clenched.

“Three.”

Brennan also moved away from the bed and trained his weapon onto the door, his arm outstretched.

The door swung open, and Brennan shot at Hannedy, barely missing his head by a few inches. Brennan cursed and ducked down behind the desk beneath the front window. Hannedy also swore and fired his own weapon, the bullet whizzing off before striking an unknown wall in the room. He doubled back and crouched by the edge of the doorway.

“Officer requesting assistance. Shots fired. Suspect is armed and dangerous. I repeat, armed and dangerous.” The officer practically barked his update into his walkie talkie. Brennan offered another shot through the doorway, and Hannedy responded with a bullet from his own gun.

Hayley shrieked at the loud noise and what they implied, and buried her head into the covering of the blanket. “Please don’t shoot!” She pleaded, the fear and trepidation beginning to overwhelm her.

“Are you ok, ma’am?” Called Hannedy.

“I-I think so.” Hayley called back.

“Shut the hell up, both of you.” Brennan shouted then doubled back towards where Hayley sat crumpled up next to the wall.

“Brennan.” Hayley whispered, her eyes half closed. Sharp pain began to run lightning bolts through her abdomen, causing her to flinch at the intensity. “We have to get out of here.”

“I know. I didn’t plan for this to happen.” Brennan whispered back angrily.

“I think something’s wrong with the baby.” Hayley said as tears began to involuntarily form behind her eyes.

“Ma’am? Don’t worry, we’ll get you out of there real soon, ok.” Hannedy shouted to her from the doorway.

“Ok.” She answered, trying to concentrate on verbalizing the thoughts that were forming in her mind.

“I’m going to get us out of here, Hayley.” Brennan softly declared as he began to move towards the door.

Hayley grabbed hold of his arm, briefly stopping him. “I don’t think your way out is the best idea. Let’s just surrender, ok.”

Brennan looked at her like she had just declared herself the next queen of England. “Are you kidding? They’re going to put me away for life for sure. I’ve already spent time in prison. I promised myself I wasn’t ever going back and I’m not changing my mind now.” Brennan turned his attention back to the door and shot again, this time almost striking his target.

Hayley heard the whine of sirens as several police cars pulled into the parking lot. She heard the crunch of gravel and the slamming of doors and knew it was all going to be over soon, but she also knew Brennan was going to just keep on shooting until he ran out of ammo, or they just shot him. Looking quickly around her she noticed the Gideon’s Bible lying on the night stand by the bed. She grabbed it and struck Brennan as hard as she could over the head with it. He groaned and dropped to his knees. She pushed him forward, causing him to lose his balance. She kicked the gun out of his hand before he could regain his hold on it, just as an array of officers appeared in the doorway, all fully armed.

“Halt!” Shouted one of the officers. “Put your hands behind your head.”

Hayley looked up and felt a sudden wave of pain shoot through her abdomen once again, causing her to crumple to the floor. The world around her began to blur. Her head was pounding and she felt something warm between her legs. She realized with a sense of dread that she was bleeding. She felt her heart tearing as she realized she was losing her baby. “No…” she mumbled, as the world continued to swirl around. She heard a lot of yelling and noise, but couldn’t differentiate who was saying what. She struggled to stay conscious, opening her eyes wide, but her vision clouded with dark spots that began to take over until it turned completely black.

Author's note: nope this isn't the end, just so you know. :)