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Haunted by the Past - Chapter 31 - No Way To Go
By: RampageSports Date: April 11, 2016, 8:57 pm
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Author's Note: The Spenser, Hawk, Susan Silverman, Vinnie Morris
and Ives characters belong to mystery novelist Robert B. Parker.
Mr. Parker is one of my favorite authors, and his work is a
major influence on the the way I write. Whether I even come
close to mimicking his style is open to considerable debate, but
I have chosen to use his characters in this story as something
of an homage. My goal is to handle them as lightly as possible
and to maintain them as Mr. Parker created them. Any failure on
that front is completely my own.
[hr]
Haunted by the Past - Chapter 31 - No Way To Go
Steph and Emma saw me coming and stood as I shuffled into the
room, pushing my little IV pole in front of me. I looked past
them, and got my first look at Danni.
She looked exhausted and pale, but her eyes sprang to life when
she saw me, and a little smile played at the corners of her
mouth. For someone who had resembled a popsicle the last time
I'd seen her, she looked pretty terrific.
Steph paused and squared in front of me, seemingly holding on
the right moment for whatever she planned to say. I waited —
splendorously attired in my flimsy hospital gown and damn near
useless little slipper booties — for the expected remark.
"Let's just have it, Steph," I said.
Her expression tightened into exaggerated disappointment.
"It's no fun," she said. "You make it too easy."
I laughed, and we embraced for a moment. Then, I pulled Emma
into it, too.
"Who's running the show, anyway?" I asked.
"Officially, it's Emily, but I think it's more of a team
effort," Steph said.
"Brit, Leesh, Aly and Ash have been stepping up," Emma said,
"but it's really been everybody."
There was a crack to be made about Britney and Elisha being in
charge of anything, but I was too proud of my little
organization to ruin the moment.
Steph and Emma went into the hall, leaving Danni and I to our
private reunion. I couldn't help but smile as I watched them
go.
"We have a good team," Danni said.
"We have a great team," I responded.
I turned and took a conspicuous moment to observe my stable
leader.
"You," I said as I sidled up beside the bed, "look like sh*t."
"Hey, I had a rough day," she protested. "Some crazy redhead
pushed me into a frozen river."
I thought that summed up the situation pretty accurately.
"How do you feel?" I asked.
"Tired," she said, "but not too bad, considering. You?"
"Alright, I guess. Better, now that I know everyone's okay."
"You heard about Meghan?"
I nodded.
"Did you see her? Up on the bridge?" I asked. "She looked like
a god damn superhero."
She shook her head.
"I don't even remember how I got out of the water."
The statement hit me so hard, I actually flinched. I tried not
to let my face betray my emotions, but Danni read my mind
anyway.
"This was not your fault," she said.
"Can we not talk about it?"
"No," she said, "because I know what you're thinking."
Despite my effort to put on a brave face, I was an emotional
wreck. Between Meghan and Danni, I really couldn't take it.
Knowing they were safe and relatively healthy was wonderful.
Knowing how they'd gotten here was killing me.
So, at that moment, I was flat out incapable of having this
conversation. I grabbed Danni's hand and gave a firm squeeze,
trying to somehow make her able to see what I was feeling.
"I'm begging you," I said. "Can't we just spend a few minutes
being happy to see each other?"
The implication hung in the air... that there was a time when I
thought this moment would never happen. My saying it out loud
seemed to catch her off guard, and she swallowed the dismissive
reply she'd been preparing.
She eyed me carefully, struggling with the impulse to continue
to push her point but wondering if it was safe to do so. She
quickly decided it wasn't and tried to change direction.
"Nice outfit," she said.
"Thanks," I smiled. "You look pretty good, too."
"Aww, this old thing?"
I laughed as I dragged a chair up next to the bed. Then, I
folded my hands on the mattress beside her, laid my head on top
of them, and just looked at her. I watched her smile. I
watched her eyes. Then, I watched a little sadness cloud those
eyes, and I quickly realized the reason for that sadness was me.
Without knowing it, I had begun to cry. Not open weeping or
dramatic sobbing. Just a soundless tear, followed a short time
later by another, and then another still.
Danni touched her hand to the top of my head.
"You really didn't know how this one was going to turn out, did
you?"
"It's worse than that," I said, wiping my face with my hand. "I
was sure I did know how it was going to turn out. When I gave
it up on the dock, I was sure we were all going to die."
"But, we didn't."
"No," I said softly. "We didn't."
"So, we get another shot at this."
"More like Powers gets to take another shot at us."
We both took a moment to grapple with the idea of going through
this again.
"What other choice do we have?" she asked.
"None," I lied. "None at all."
I stayed with her for most of the day. Occasionally, we'd get
an update on Meghan. Nothing we heard was cause for wild
celebration, but all of the news was positive.
As it got later and later, it became evident Trish was going to
keep us overnight, if only to be sure we'd stay out of trouble
for a little while. She claimed it was for 'observation,' but,
since we were taken off the IV and had our monitoring devices
removed, I don't know how the hell anyone was going to observe
much of anything.
We had to go home eventually, though, and we weren't going to do
so in our hospital gowns. So, in preparation, Hawk and Emma
went back to Danni's to get us some clothes, and to take care of
the dogs.
Actually, the delineation of duties was quite clear. Gathering
the clothing was Emma's job. Not letting Winzig eat Emma was
Hawk's job.
We were finally able to see Meghan for ourselves early in the
evening. She was tired and sore from her ordeal, but we got the
chance to thank her for saving our lives and to cry a little bit
together.
I was getting really good at the crying thing.
All the while, I kept telling myself that I couldn't put my
friends through this, again. This thing had to end, and it had
to end without anyone else getting hurt.
I made up my mind about what I needed to do, and late that
night, after they dimmed the lights, I made my move.
I dressed quickly, then peeked down the hall. To my right was
the main waiting area. I could see a few cops scattered about,
and I could hear Spenser and Pat's voices in the mix. Since
Hawk rarely spoke, it was impossible to know if he was there or
not.
The elevators I needed to get to were past the waiting area,
down a short hallway that went left. That made getting out of
here without being noticed seem impossible, but I knew better.
To my left, was a corner of the hospital. Windows looked out
from both angles, and there were a few soft benches where you
could sit and look out at the world. The area was dark now,
since the patients were theoretically asleep.
Around the corner, there was a short hallway that connected with
a long service corridor of janitorial closets and supply rooms.
That corridor would also lead me to the elevator bank, albeit
without the precarious trip through the crowded waiting area.
When I was sure no one was looking, I went left, toward the
windows.
"Going somewhere?" a voice asked as I rounded the corner and
prepared to disappear.
There, in the shadows beneath the windows, was Danni. She was
fully dressed, and had obviously been waiting there for some
time.
"How did you know?" I asked.
"Because I knew you wouldn't let it drop. You think this is
your fault, so you would have to do something. So, I tried to
imagine the most outrageously stupid thing you could do, and
here we are."
"I still don't want to talk about what happened," I said.
"That's fine," she said. "We'll have a different conversation.
Like, where the f*ck do you think you're going?"
I didn't say anything.
"You're going to find Powers," she answered for me.
"I don't have to find him," I said. "I know exactly where he
is."
"Right," she said. "So, why not just go get him, all by
yourself? That's your plan, right?"
"Look, Danni... I can't let you come with me. It's..."
"Oh, I'm not going with you," she said, "because you're not
going anywhere."
"Excuse me?"
"What the f*ck is wrong with you, anyway?" she continued. "We
have cops, detectives... whatever the hell Hawk is... all these
people trying to protect us, and we still almost got killed
today. So, your solution is to try and handle it alone. That's
brilliant."
Though our tempers were flaring, we kept our voices low as we
went back and forth in the empty hallway.
"I can't keep playing by these rules," I protested.
"This has nothing to do with rules. It's common sense."
"Look, I can't take this anymore!"
"So, you quit."
"No, I..."
"Yes," she countered. "Meghan is hurt. We almost got killed.
You think it's all your fault, so you're going to handle it.
Even though you have no chance at succeeding."
"I don't think that's true."
"Sure, it is," she said, "but you don't need to worry about
that. Because, if you end up dead, the problem's still solved,
right?"
"That's not..."
"Please," she said, "don't lie to me."
She was right, of course, and I'm sure she saw it in my eyes.
"What am I supposed to do?" I asked. "Wait till someone does
get killed? Is that when I say enough is enough?"
"And if you're dead, what does that accomplish?" she asked.
"Then, all of this was for nothing."
I felt defeated, yet determined. What she was saying was true.
This was most likely a suicide mission, and that really wasn't
an idea that thrilled me. But, the alternative was
unacceptable. No one else was going to get hurt because of me.
Not again.
"I have to do this," I said resignedly.
Danni shook her head.
"I'm not going to let you," she said firmly.
"What are you gonna do?" I asked. "Are we going to fight it out
right here in the hospital?"
"That's up to you," she said steadily, "but I'm not going to let
you leave."
I shook my head angrily and tried to stride past her. She put
her hand on my chest to stop me.
"Take your hand off of me," I said coldly.
"You're not leaving," she said, pronouncing each word sharply
and distinctly.
I reached for her wrist, but she caught me with her other hand,
fluidly turned me over her hip and tossed me to the waxed tile
floor.
I rolled right to my feet and sprinted at her, shooting in
before she was ready and slamming my shoulder into her
midsection. She folded in half as I knocked her off her feet,
and I came up in the mount position. I slammed two fists into
her face before she got her hands up, but she got hold of my
wrist on the next strike and pulled me across her body. She got
her arm around my throat and started to squeeze, but I was too
firmly planted for her to change my angle the way she wanted.
With both hands latched on my head, she had no way to defend
herself as I started to pound away with my right hand.
Realizing she wouldn't be able to take the punishment long
enough to finish me, she started to work her way out from
underneath. Quick, jerky motions allowed her to improve her
position gradually, and she eventually got her knees up into my
chest. Another twitch of her body, and the soles of her feet
were flat against me. She kicked me off, and I skidded into a
collection of spare bedside tables that were lined up along the
wall. The tables slammed together, and a number of them fell
over with a thunderous crash.
Not much chance that went unnoticed.
I sprang to my feet — my guard up in front of me. Danni was
already standing and set in her stance.
She should have pressed her opportunity, but she chose to wait
on me. I noticed a red mark beneath her right eye as I studied
the grim determination on her face. I also noticed the sadness
sitting just below the surface.
I looked at my own fists... up and ready to hurt her some more.
To hurt my friend... whose only crime was trying to keep me
alive.
What the hell am I doing?
I swallowed hard and let my hands drop. Then I fell to my
knees.
"Danni," I said, sounding as if I was shocked to find her there
when I came out of my rage.
She dropped out of ass-kicking mode, and came over and knelt
down beside me.
"I can't..." I mumbled.
She put her arms around me.
"I know," she said.
"I don't what to do," I said.
"Not this," she said. "You can't give up."
"Maybe you can let us help," I heard Spenser say.
We both looked to where he stood at the end of the coriddor,
with Hawk and Pat beside him.
"I can't keep waiting for him to come for us," I said. "I can't
let this happen, again."
"Then let's go get him," he said.
I stared blankly at him, partly wondering if I'd heard him
right, and partly wondering if he was messing with me.
"Powers made his play," he said. "Now, it's our turn."
I studied the group some more, and my Sesame Street past came
flooding back to me.
One of these things is not like the others...
"You're on board with this?" I asked Pat.
"Officially?" he said. "No way. Officially, I'm not even
standing here."
There was an emotion on his face I didn't often see from him. A
subdued anguish that was just enough to knock him off from his
usual steady and controlled self.
"There's an officer... my officer... lying in a hospital bed
because someone tried to kill her. Someone has to answer for
that, and finding the shooter isn't going to cut it. I want
Powers."
"You have an entire police force," I said. "Why not go get
him?"
"First of all, there's no evidence," he said. "Second... I'm
not sure I can control this. If the others know who did this,
there's going to be a lynching. I don't mind that so much, but
I think a lot of good cops are going to cross a line that cannot
be uncrossed."
"And this is better?"
"As you said, you're friends can do things I can't. This is a
situation that calls for that."
"What if there's still no evidence?"
"That can be handled."
Speaking of crossing lines.
"Don't look at me that way," he said. "A cop has been shot.
The rules have changed."
Even from ten feet away, I could see his eyes were wet, and I
knew that meant his decision had already been made.
Unequivocally.
"I'm going with them," I said.
Pat's eyes rolled automatically.
"I know," he sighed.
"And I'm going with you," Danni said.
Cue one eye roll for me.
"I know," I sighed.
She bumped me lightly with her elbow. I smiled without looking
at her and returned the favor.
With the minor skirmish behind us, Richelle and Danni were
together again... and we were ready to put an end to this sh*t,
once and for all.
"When do we go?" I asked Spenser.
"First thing in the morning."
I stood and extended my hand to help Danni to her feet. We
picked up the scattered tables, then headed back to our rooms.
"You know, you really are an idiot," she said as we walked.
"Care to cite some specific evidence, or was that just a blanket
statement?"
"Where were you going?" she asked. "You have no car."
I stopped mid-stride as my eyebrow went up involuntarily.
"Huh," I said. "Why didn't you mention that sooner?"
"Needed some exercise," she said with a shrug.
[hr]
Character Reference
HTML http://s19.postimg.org/x7gm9w22n/Richelle_100x120.jpg
Name: Richelle Winterfeld
Nickname(s):
Background: Owner of the RSI stable, former underground fighter
HTML http://s19.postimg.org/9av3z511b/Danni_100x120.jpg
Name: Danneel Harris
Nickname(s): Danni
Background: RSI stable leader, reigning DEF welterweight
champion
HTML http://s19.postimg.org/dsafuiy67/Stephanie_100x120.jpg
Name: Stephanie McMahon
Nickname(s): Steph
Background: RSI's fighter development coordinator, former SCQ
super heavyweight champion
HTML http://s19.postimg.org/cj46pxcov/Emma00x120.jpg
Name: Emma Watson
Nickname(s): Dr. Watson
Background: Reigning FAC featherweight champion, training
partner and romantic partner of Tiffany Mulheron
HTML http://s19.postimg.org/j5quj3udb/Emily_100x120.jpg
Name: Emily VanCamp
Nickname(s): Em
Background: Reigning ESL lightweight champion
HTML https://aade768506dacb303a01a361d3dc0d27209a5ec4.googledrive.com/host/0Bz8YsEjMxOhMMXhVcF82aG5SXzA/Britney_100x120.jpg
Name: Britney Spears
Nickname(s): Brit, Queen B
Background: Team leader of Britney's Brutal Beauties, DEF
middleweight contender, training partner and close friend of
Elisha Cuthbert
HTML http://s19.postimg.org/q3qdbb33z/Elisha_100x120.jpg
Name: Elisha Cuthbert
Nickname(s): Leesh
Background: Team leader of Leesh's Lethal Ladies, DEF
middleweight contender, training partner and close friend of
Britney Spears
HTML http://s19.postimg.org/h5wgmgvwf/Ashley_100x120.jpg
Name: Ashley Tisdale
Nickname(s): Ash, Tiz, Blondie Girl, Sharpay
Background: ESL bantamweight contender
HTML http://s19.postimg.org/s96w0l2f3/Aly_100x120.jpg
Name: Alyson Michalka
Nickname(s): Aly, Hellcat
Background: Team leader of The Aly Cats, FAC light heavyweight
contender
HTML http://s19.postimg.org/lhcc3d4zj/Trish_100x120.jpg
Name: Dr. Patricia Leone
Nickname(s): Trish
Background: Head of the RSI medical staff
HTML http://s19.postimg.org/kmg56h1fj/ORourke_100x120.jpg
Name: Patrick O'Rourke
Nickname(s):
Background: Major with the New Jersey State Police, family
friend of Richelle's
HTML http://s19.postimg.org/bwegrvukf/Meghan_Taylor_100x120.jpg
Name: Meghan Taylor
Nickname(s):
Background: New Jersey State Police Detective, works for Major
O'Rourke
HTML http://s19.postimg.org/e0pn1hhfj/Gavin_Brown_100x120.jpg
Name: Gavin Brown
Nickname(s):
Background: New Jersey State Police Trooper, works for Major
O'Rourke
HTML http://s19.postimg.org/zdkkf918f/Vince_Jordan_100x120.jpg
Name: Vince Jordan
Nickname(s):
Background: New Jersey State Police Trooper, works for Major
O'Rourke
HTML http://s19.postimg.org/5ul2pzr7j/Tramp_100x120.jpg
Name: Tramp
Nickname(s):
Background: Richelle's dog
HTML http://s19.postimg.org/6rw3cls3j/Winzig_100x120.jpg
Name: Winzig
Nickname(s):
Background: Danni's dog
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