Catching Fire

by T. N. King

  “Okay,” Chance spoke again. He let out a sigh.

  Morgan stared hard at him. “What?”

  “Look…it might not be bad news.”

  Morgan’s stomach knotted up, his chest grew tight, as he was afraid to ask, “What might be good news?”

  Chance bit at his lip. “They found her car.”

  Morgan slid closer in the seat toward him. “Her car?”

  Chance nodded. “But she wasn’t in it.”

  Morgan let out a breath. “So, why don’t they check the area to see where she went? She could have parked it and walked to a hotel or—”

  “No.” Chance cut him off.

  “No? What kind of detectives do you have working for you? If they can’t—?”

  “They found her car in a ditch.”

  Morgan’s eyes rounded. “A ditch?”

  Nodding, Chance slyly slid over to the far side of the seat.

  Morgan knew the next thing Chance would say would make him lose it. He knew Chance well and knew when he was hedging. “And?” he asked with his heart in his throat.

  “The windshield was broken, her tire had popped and…” His voice faded away.

  Morgan leapt across the seat and cornered him against the glass. “And WHAT?”

  “There was blood on the steering wheel.”

  Morgan sucked in a breath “B-blood?”

  Chance nodded. “Now dude, just stay calm, ok?”

  Morgan moved back away from him. “Her blood?” He felt sick.

  “They don’t know but we figure—”

  Morgan turned his glare to him. “YOU FIGURE?”

  “Okay, now Morgan. Keep your head together man. They didn’t find her body!”

  Morgan sat up straight and rigid as he felt sweat trickle down his neck in a limo with full blast air conditioning.

  “O-okay…” Chance shook his head in self disgust. “Bad choice of words, but it is good news that she wasn’t…umm. She wrecked the Cooper and maybe got a ride?”

  Morgan slowly shook his head as his heart hammered in his ears. “God dammit!” he shouted.

  The window between them and the driver rolled down. “Sirs, are you ok?” the driver asked in concern.

  “NO! You fucking idiot, we are NOT okay!” Morgan shouted, as he wanted to rip the whole car apart, driver included.

  Chance lunged forward and hit the window button. “Just drive okay? Get us to Exit 20, as fast as you safely can.” The window shut.

  Morgan sat back. “FUUUCK!” He pounded the seat with his fists.

  Chance shook his head. “Well, you are taking this better than I thought,” he tried to joke.

  The Limo sailed down the highway, but it didn’t move fast enough for Morgan. Images floated through his mind. Ellie’s smoke smeared face as she gazed up at him from the pavement after he’d given her CPR. The innocence, the pure soul that shone from those baby blues. Then her face as she stood at the top of the stairs in a diamond dress. The way her face looked and her eyes deepening to cobalt when he made her come.

  He remembered her just yesterday, angry, her eyes that cobalt color. The way he had wanted her again. He knew he’d never get enough of her. The luster and urge, yearning for her had never worn off like with other women. No, it just grew, got deeper. Better, stronger. He’d already admitted to himself and to her that he loved her.

  The woman that completed him, made him human. He couldn’t lose her like this.

  If he lost her from the relationship it would drive him mad, but to lose her from this earth? His muscled body was rigid, his heart pounding. He couldn’t take it. He knew he couldn’t.

  “Buddy?” Chance interrupted his personal journey through hell.

  He glanced up and saw the limo had stopped. He sat forward breathless and looked out through the window.

  Her little Mini Cooper that he’d bought her months back sat tilting on a huge rock down at the bottom of an incline. It wasn’t a ditch, it was more like a cliff. Morgan opened the limo door and rushed down the slope as fast as his legs and feet could carry him.

  “Morgan!” Chance yelled.

  He never even had a chance to trip as he was at the bottom next to her car in like a blink of an eye. He wrested the bent door open and looked inside. There was the blood on the steering wheel. He gaze roamed around the inside of the car. No bag. Then a glint from the last of the day’s light shone on something. He reached in and grabbed her cell phone.

  “Morgan,” Chance asked from behind him.

  He scooted out of the car and raised the phone. “She never goes anywhere without her phone.”

  Chance looked troubled and if Morgan didn’t know better… he looked scared too. “Well, then she was upset because of the crash and—?”

  “NO!” Morgan yelled. “She packed bag, didn’t your guy say this?”

  Chance nodded.

  “So, she grabbed her bag but left her phone and…” Morgan swung his gaze down to the floorboard. “And she left her laptop.”

  Chance was dialing his phone. He looked flustered after a minute. “Dammit.”

  Morgan looked from the car to him. “What?”

  “My first guy won’t answer. The one who was tailing her.”

  Morgan sighed. “Where was she going?” he suddenly asked.

  Chance swung his gaze up. “What?”

  “Where was she going? This is the road to New York.”

  Chance looked confused.

  “Was she coming to see me?” Morgan shook his head. “No, she was avoiding me.” He tapped her phone. “Yes, here are the five texts I sent her. She read them too.” He looked around. “Where are you, Ellie?”

  CHAPTER SIX

  “Okay, just calm down,” the man spoke.

  Ellie was panicked. She was blind—or almost blind as she could see fuzzy images around her. “Calm down? I’m blind!”

  There was movement around her.

  She tilted her head. “Who are you?” she asked again.

  “I-I was driving by and saw your wreck.”

  Ellie knew better. This was the man who was following her. But who was he? “Do you have my phone?” she asked.

  “Phone? No. I grabbed the bag you had in the backseat, is your phone in there?”

  She shook her head. She couldn’t remember. Did she have her phone on the passenger seat, like always when she drove? All of it was still fuzzy. Her body trembled. She was helpless in a room with a man who was stalking her. Ellie knew better than to confront him. Look what had happened with Hillborn. He was not easy to confront and the next thing she knew she was nude and chained up. Her body felt cold and clammy as memories of that assaulted her now.

  Oh, god. I managed to keep them at bay all this time but…

  Then it came in clear as if it happened yesterday. As if it were happening right this minute as she was helpless. Helpless like she was this moment. Her own muffled screams echoed through her head as Hillborn’s body rubbed up against hers. His hands all over her skin, in places only Morgan had been before. “I will make you scream with pleasure. Pleasure I will give you…”

  Ellie felt like throwing up as she swallowed hard. Again, she rose up. Panic was interfering with her common sense and she tried to move forward across the carpeting below her bare feet. Why were they bare? Where were her shoes? She needed to run. What if this guy was like that? Or what if Hillborn had hired him? And right this minute Hillborn was on his way? Dammit, I need to get out of this room!

  “Please tell me who you are,” she spoke to the faceless form of the man who brought her here. “Cause if you don’t? I’m going to flip out, and start screaming.”

  “What?”

  “I need to know your name. I need to know why you were following me or I will start screaming.” She moved away an inch at a time, afraid she’d given it away now. He could attack her and tie her down at any minute.”

  “I-I won’t hurt you. I was hired to…” His voice fell away.

  “Oh crap! Hired?”
Ellie turned and headed away from his voice with her arms out in front of her, her hands reaching out to make sure she didn’t collide with anything.

  He grabbed her up from behind and she opened her mouth to scream. His hand came down over her mouth, stifling it. His strong arms and body dragged her back.

  NO! She shouted in her mind. If that happens to me again, I’ll die. I will die! She started to fight will all her might. As Hillborn’s voice echoed in her terror filled mind, “You are mine now.”

  Morgan and Chance got back into the limo.

  “So what now?” Morgan asked.

  Chance was again on the laptop. “I’m getting her car towed. Then have my guys go over it.”

  Morgan felt his stomach roll again. “What? Like it’s a crime scene?”

  Chance’s key tapping halted and he swung his gaze up. “Look, Morgan. We will find her. I just know my other guy knows where she is.”

  “Have you checked the hospitals?”

  Chance rolled his eyes. “I did that before we even got into the damn limo.”

  “Then what? We call the police?”

  Chance shook his head. “Morgan, you are in enough hot water. We can’t have the press—”

  Morgan was across the seat and grabbing him up by his lapels before Chance could even blink. “Fuck that! This is about Ellie’s life, you asswipe!”

  “Let go of me,” Chance seethed.

  Morgan let out a breath and released him.

  Chance straightened his suit as his phone rang. He picked it up and gazed at the number. “Yes!”

  Morgan watched him closely as he answered.

  “Yeah?” He listened for a moment. “It’s about damn time.” He paused again and listened as his eyes widened. “What? Why did you do that?”

  Morgan grabbed the phone from him. “Who is this?”

  “It’s Williamson Mr. Hunter. I’m with Ellie.”

  “Where, just tell me where!” he seethed.

  “Off exit 23, Motel 7. Room 121, But—”

  Morgan tapped the window. “Head to exit 23, NOW!” he yelled at the driver and tossed the phone back to Chance.

  Chance brought it up to his ear. He sat and listened for a moment and his face paled.

  Morgan turned to look at him seeing his distress.

  Chance spoke into the cell, “Okay, well we will be there in ten minutes, Don’t do anything else.” He tapped his phone to end the call.

  “Is she hurt?” Morgan asked suddenly realizing his friend looked upset. He mentally kicked himself for not even asking Williamson.

  “There are complications,” Chance replied quietly.

  “Complications? What the fuck does that mean?”

  Chance sighed. “It sounds like she was traumatized, that’s all I know.”

  Morgan narrowed his eyes at him. “From?”

  Chance seemed to swallow heavily. “She awoke and became hysterical.”

  “Yes?” Morgan shook his head. “No. Ellie isn’t like that.”

  “I know, so we don’t know what’s going on really.” Chance avoided his intense gaze.

  Morgan got a bad feeling about this as his relief in finding her had turned to fear in his gut. “What did he say Chance?”

  “We have arrived,” the driver called through the com.

  Morgan nearly jumped out of the car and looked around. He spotted the room and headed over.

  “Morgan!” Chance yelled at him in a desperate tone.

  Morgan ignored him and pounded on the door to room 121.

  “Morgan, wait!”

  “Why Chance? I need to see her. I need to know she’s okay!”

  “Well, that’s the thing…Williamson said—”

  The door swung open to reveal Williamson. His face was covered in scratches and his nose was dripping blood.

  “What the fuck?” Morgan roared and swept past him.

  “Wait!” Williamson called after him. “She…”

  Morgan stopped just short of the bed and stared down at a pale Ellie, a purpling bruise glared on her forehead and a bandage had fallen half over it. Blood trickled down her cheek. She was tied up and her mouth was duct taped. Morgan felt instant rage and fear. He turned to stare at Williamson standing at the door.

  Chance knew in an instant what was going to happen now. “Run,” Chance hissed at the detective. “Run NOW!”

  Williamson looked terrified. “I-I had to, she was screaming and I…” He stared at the thunderous expression Morgan wore and did what his boss said. He took off through the doorway and ran across the parking lot.

  Morgan had his fists clenched. “What the hell happened to her?”

  Ellie looked asleep but then she bolted upright suddenly.

  Morgan stared at her breathless at the sight of her looking like this.

  Chance came further into the room and halted as he too, stared at her. “Oh, my god.”

  She looked like someone from a horror movie. Her face was smeared in blood and she looked almost translucent her skin was so pale. Her hair had blood clotted into it in clumps; her shirt was ripped and stained with more blood.

  Morgan shook all over. He stepped forward and took the tape gently from her mouth.

  “NO! Get away from me. Don’t touch me!” she screamed as she scooted back. “You won’t get away with this again!”

  Chance and Morgan stood like statues.

  “Ellie?” Morgan whispered as he found he could barely speak.

  “No, that isn’t going to fool me either! You have taped us, and took videos! This time if you touch me, I’ll kill you! I mean it!”

  Chance sighed from beside Morgan. “Ellie… it is us, Chance and Morgan.”

  She shook her head and didn’t even seem to see them standing there right in front of the bed. “You’re a liar! You almost destroyed me and Morgan. I won’t let you do it again!”

  “What is wrong with her?” Morgan whispered.

  “Oh, I can hear you. I can.” She scooted around on the bed as she struggled with the ties at her wrists. “I know you taped those voices. Please don’t hurt me. Please?”

  Morgan felt like death inside. He couldn’t fathom what he was seeing.

  “Okay, we need to handle this carefully, Morgan,” Chance warned in a low voice.

  Morgan didn’t really hear him. He felt tears gather in his eyes. He had never cried in his entire life, never before. But this? This—he just couldn’t… He sat on the bed and gently grabbed Ellie by the arms.

  “OH!” Ellie shouted and fought to get out of his grasp. “I won’t let you! I’ll die first. Let me go! Morgan? Morgan!” she called out desperately as she literally dissolved into tears, weeping and whimpering. “He just kept fucking me. He made me like it. Morgan won’t want me now. Just trash! Trash!” She curled up into a ball as close into a fetal position as she could and wept loudly.

  Morgan never felt so low in his life. He never felt such grief and guilt. She had this bottled up inside, and he didn’t want it to come out, cause he couldn’t handle it. Now, look what it had done.

  “Hey!” someone called from the open door.

  Chance looked over.

  Two cops stood there, taking in the entire scene. Ellie tied up and looking like someone had abused her, crying like she had been abused.

  Morgan carefully sat on the bed next to her, staring at her.

  Chance shook his head. “This shit is going to take a lot of explaining.” He raised his arms up in the air.

  The cops took their weapons out and pointed them at Morgan. “Step away from the bed!”

  Morgan didn’t seem to hear them as he hung his head.

  “Morgan!” Chance called. “Snap out of it.”

  The two police officers entered the room.

  “Look.” Chance laughed a little while looking uncomfortable to say the least. “It’s not what it looks like,” he tried to explain to them his arms in the air still.

  “Yes, we hear that one a lot. Down on your knees, hands behind yo
ur head.”

  The other cop aimed his weapon at a seemingly unaware Morgan. “I repeat, step away from the victim!”

  Morgan finally seemed to hear the man as he turned his head and stated quietly, “She’s my girlfriend and was in an accident. She needs an ambulance.”

  The one officer grabbed Chance’s wrists and cuffed him. “You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used—“

  “Didn’t you hear me?” Morgan stood up and shouted.

  Chance stared at him as the other office stepped closer to Morgan. “Look guys, please don’t shoot him. This is his girlfriend and we just found her. He’s in shock!”

  The two cops seemed to pause.

  Morgan reached into his vest for his cell. “If you aren’t going to call, I will.”

  “Morgan?” Ellie sat up and gazed around.

  Morgan turned to her. “Yes, Ellie it is me. You are safe.”

  “I woke up. Some guy had me and Hillborn was coming…” Her voice faded away.

  “Everyone, stay where they are. Sir, take your hand away from your jacket.” One of the cops stared at Morgan. “Please raise your hands.”

  Morgan turned back to the cops. “She needs help, can’t you see that?” he shouted.

  “Yes, but we need you to calm down. Hands up.”

  Morgan looked livid.

  “Oh shit,” Chance muttered as he saw Morgan’s angry expression.

  “Morgan! Where are you?” Ellie cried out.

  Morgan turned to her and stared at her face. “I’m right here.”

  “Where?” she asked.

  The men in the room all looked confused.

  “I-I can’t see,” she whispered.

  Morgan stumbled back a little in shock as he realized what she was saying.

  “Morgan, I’m blind.”

  Chance lowered his head with a sigh.

  Morgan rushed to her intending to grab her up and carry her out of here if these useless cops wouldn’t help her.

  “FREEZE!” one of the cops shouted at him.

  Morgan ignored it, stepping to the bed, and lowering his body to scoop her up. “Ellie, it’s me okay. I will get you some help—”

  The cop fired at Morgan as a loud pop boomed in the room.

  Morgan felt a sharp pain.

  Chance raised his head and gasped as Ellie screamed and Morgan went down.