Being Chased

by Harper Bentley

  "Good. Now go take out the Larson girl and when you hear back from Ephraim, do the Cooke girl."

  "Got it." Brady walked out of the office to the basement door as he pulled his gun out of his waistband in the back, checking the magazine.

  ****

  Liam walked outside around the house looking for Josh, cursing quietly to himself, making a list of all Josh's limbs that he was going to break once he found him. He'd already checked out the kid's car, but it was locked and the hood was cool, so he hadn't used it. He was about to head back inside when he felt something hard stick against his back.

  "Hold it right there, asshole," Gunner warned. He'd moved out of the barn to get in position around the house.

  Liam turned quickly, moving his arm up under Gunner's, effectively knocking the gun out of his hand and landing the base of the palm of his other hand to the side of his head, which pissed Gunner off but good. Dude was going to get his now. Gunner slammed his fist into Liam's left jaw, hearing it crack, and saw the guy drop to a knee, then jerked his own knee up under Liam's chin, knocking him onto his back as Liam uttered a loud "Oomph!" Though both men were about the same size, Liam's fighting skills were no match for Gunner's. Liam tried getting up, but Gunner had already retrieved his gun, pointing it at him ready to blow the guy's head off at the least little movement.

  Hank and Oz had made their way to the back of the house and watched as Gunner laid the guy out. Oz moved in, telling Liam to put his arms out and turn over slowly. He pulled the gun from Liam's back waistband as the man lay on the ground, then told him to lock his fingers behind his head.

  "What's going on inside the house?" Hank asked him.

  "Fuck you," Liam spat.

  Gunner and Oz both raised an eyebrow at Hank, knowing this guy on the ground must have had a friggin' death wish.

  "I'm only going to ask one more time," Hank said in a cool and calculating voice that made Oz shudder.

  "I'd talk to him, dude, unless you want your organs to be permanently displayed on the outside of your body," Oz said.

  Liam huffed from where he lay but started talking fast when Hank knelt beside him, flashing in Liam's face the huge hunting knife he'd drawn from its sheath on his belt.

  "There are two girls downstairs. When I came out here to look for the little prick, Brady was going down, probably to take care of them," Liam said through clenched teeth, spitting out a glob blood.

  "Fuck!" Talking into his mic, Hank said, "Chase? Get in there now!"

  ****

  There was a crash as the front door was kicked in by one of Felix's stooges. The Boss was known for her cool, but that had actually rattled her some.

  "What the fuck do you want, Felix?" she asked as he walked inside. She was acquainted with him having dealt with an associate of his. Two of his men flanked him and Josh brought up the rear. When she saw Josh, the glare she shot him could've obliterated a small country with its intensity.

  "We want a cut, Maggie."

  She laughed. Like that was going to happen. "Oh, Felix. You’re such a dreamer."

  "Look, bitch. You either let me in on it, or you're dead and I get it all." His face didn't belie his words. He was dead serious.

  "We've done all the legwork here and you think you're just going to waltz in here and take it away from us? I don't think so." She smirked. She'd slowly opened a drawer in her desk, intending on pulling out her gun.

  Felix nodded almost imperceptibly, and before Maggie, aka the Boss, knew what had happened, one of Felix's men had her flat against the desk lying face down, one arm cranked behind her back.

  "Sure. Strong arm the woman, you pricks." She rolled her eyes, but the panic was starting to set in especially when she felt the excitement of the man who was holding her down, his hard cock prodding against her ass. She definitely did not want to be raped.

  "And now?" Felix asked.

  "Alright, alright. God, let me up, you Neanderthal."

  The guy let her up but not before thrusting himself against her to let her know his offer still stood, stood rather long and thick, at that. She pursed her lips, wishing either Liam or Brady were there to beat the shit out of this stupid Guido.

  "So, what are your terms?" Felix asked.

  "What do you want, Felix?"

  "Fifty percent."

  "What? Are you crazy?"

  "Anything but, my dear."

  "That's just not possible, Felix. Ephraim gets a cut, too. If we give you fifty percent, our cut goes way down. Not happening."

  "Tell you what. You call Ephraim right now and have ten million wired to my account, and we'll walk out of here like nothing ever happened. If not, well, I think you'll find my powers of persuasion can be quite… entertaining."

  Maggie had heard about Felix's "entertaining" ways before and she wanted no part of them. One of Felix's former "clients" who'd made the stupid decision to cross him had been found dead, choked to death on his own testicles.

  "Let me get Brady and Liam in here and we'll all talk, okay?" She tried walking out of the office, but Boner Guy stepped in her path, a sneer on his face that made her shudder.

  "Call them," Felix advised, wanting everyone where he could see them. He was already on edge because of the other group that had shown up. He’d heard of this Murphy guy and he’d said they weren't interested in the money. Good thing because Felix wasn't about to share any of it. Too bad he'd already decided no one was walking out of there alive except for him and his crew.

  Maggie picked up her cell and dialed, praying that her men would answer.

  ****

  "Chase! Oh, God, I can't believe you're here!" Tears ran down Julia's swollen face as she leaned against the door.

  "I told you I'd come for you, baby," he said from the tunnel.

  "How'd you know where to find me?"

  "The bracelet I gave you. It has a tracking device in it."

  Julia glanced down at her wrist in disbelief. Man, he was so smart. He’d saved her life. "I can't get the door open! It's stuck!"

  "I know. I'm waiting to hear from my dad before I do anything. Are you okay?" It was all he could do not to bust the damn thing down himself, but he didn’t want to blow the operation.

  "Yes, I'm good." She looked at Sherry and shook her head, not wanting to tell Chase about getting hit. She knew it'd just add fuel to the fire. He'd find out soon enough.

  "Sit tight. As soon as I hear something, I'm getting you out."

  "Who all's here with you?"

  "My dad, your dad, Gunner, Quaid and Oz."

  "Is Allen alright?"

  "He's fine, Julia. He's so worried about you." Julia started crying again. She wanted so badly to believe him but found it hard to do so. "Baby, he loves you so much, Julia. He really does." Chase had his forehead against the door as he talked to her, feeling her pain.

  The upstairs door opened and Julia and Sherry both froze in fear.

  "Chase, they're coming!" Julia hissed at the door before she led Sherry away from it, through the mess of junk and back into the room.

  And a big thank God Chase got the go-ahead from his dad just then because he was going regardless. He rammed his shoulder against the door hitting it once, but it barely budged. It didn't help that he had to crouch down, either. He hit the door again, then a third time, finally getting the thing opened on the fourth hit. He burst into the room, instantly pointing his Glock at the big guy. Problem was, Big Guy held Julia in front of him, his gun barrel against the side of her head. Sherry stood stunned watching the scene in front of her.

  "Oh, I don't think so, lad. Put the gun down and we'll all be no worse for the wear," Brady said, his dead eyes staring down Chase, daring him to make a move.

  "I don't think so, fucker." Chase held his Glock at the end of his outstretched arm, aimed straight between Brady's eyes.

  Chapter 27

  "They're not answering. Brady's downstairs. Why don't we go down and see what's holding him up?" Maggie thought if she could get Felix and
his men downstairs, Brady had a gun and could hold them off until Ephraim could get the funds transferred. Then they could leave after Brady offed all of them. Sounded like a damn good plan.

  Felix narrowed his eyes at her, wondering what kind of bullshit subterfuge she had waiting for them downstairs. He looked at the heavily armed men to his side and decided, what the hell? They could handle it.

  Maggie led them to the basement door. She opened it, motioning them to go first.

  Felix chuckled. "I don't think so, sweetheart. Ladies first. After you." He swept his hand toward the stairs.

  Maggie rolled her eyes but went ahead and took the lead, smiling smugly at Felix. Bastard.

  "Well, what do we have here?" Felix's men drew their guns upon seeing Chase and Brady in a standoff. At another subtle nod of his head, one of Felix's goons grabbed Maggie from behind and held a gun to her neck just under her right ear.

  "Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" she said in a huff. "Felix, call off your idiot. Now!"

  "As soon as we figure out what's going on, gladly," Felix answered. He was assessing the situation, thinking how he could capitalize from it.

  So, there they all stood—Chase with his gun pointed at Brady's forehead; Brady's gun against Julia's temple; one of Felix's goon's with his gun at Maggie's neck, his other goon’s gun swinging around at all of them. A veritable gathering of good times. Riiiight.

  "Chase? What's going on down there?" Hank said into his mic. He'd had Oz use flex cuffs to bind Liam to the gas meter, which took care of that little problem. Gunner had taped Liam's mouth shut too, making sure to mess up a couple times, having to rip the duct tape off and start again. Needless to say, Liam wouldn't need to shave for a few weeks. Paid the fucker back for getting a hit in on him.

  Clicking on the mic but keeping his gun on Brady, Chase answered, "We've got a fucking party going on down here. Eight total including me."

  The crooks all looked at Chase like he was a lunatic who was talking to himself.

  Felix's man who was covering everyone with his gun muttered, "Every year they get just a little crazier." He shook his head.

  "Hang on, son. We're coming in." Hank told Oz to go with him then instructed Gunner, who’d been locked in the barn, to go through the tunnel.

  Chase finally allowed himself to look directly at Julia, having been holding his eyes steady on Brady's dead ones. When he saw her bruised and swollen face he just about came unglued. "Who the fuck did that to you?" he snarled, the fury in his eyes tipping the needle just past this side of sanity.

  Julia motioned her head and eyes back toward Brady and she couldn't help feeling a little sorry for the jerk at that moment because upon seeing the lethal glare Chase was giving him, she knew Brady's days were numbered.

  "You hit her?"

  Brady sneered. "Yeah, I hit the bitch. What are you gonna do about it?"

  The sheer look of rage on Chase's face would've made Hannibal Lecter cringe in fear. This bastard was a walking cadaver, that much Chase knew for sure; all he had to do was wait for the right moment to make it happen. "You're dead," he said coldly with finality, his eyes looking into Brady's with almost the same lifeless demeanor.

  Brady glared back, having been in this same position numerous times, having come out unscathed. Kid didn't scare him one bit.

  There were footsteps on the stairs and Hank and Oz appeared, guns aimed and ready, pointing at the imbroglio at the bottom of the steps as they made their way slowly down. At the same time, Gunner came in through the tunnel door, his gun at the ready also.

  "What the fuck is this?" Maggie said, greatly put out by what was going down. She just wanted her due, wanted to take the money and run, and all these assholes were screwing it up.

  The tension in the room was thick. Angry glares were cast from person to person, as each knew better than to trust the other. Oz had made his way toward Chase, his gun aimed at the man holding Maggie, and Hank had positioned himself behind Felix. Gunner kept his aim on Felix's other man, the one moving his gun around from person to person, not knowing which to land on. Eeny meenie miny moe!

  Brady laughed as he looked around at everyone then back at Chase. “What’s wrong, bodyguard? Lose the body?”

  Chase glared at the guy, his gun still trained between Brady’s eyes.

  “You know she’s dead, you little shit. Only way this can end.” Brady pulled the hammer back on his gun theatrically, the click filling the room loudly, ready to pull the trigger.

  Felix’s off man, not being able to handle the intensity of the situation, turned to run, accidentally slamming into Chase.

  For a split second, everyone was shocked and unmoving at the sudden melee, as things seemed to move in slow motion.

  "Here!" Chase said, tossing his gun to Gunner then grabbed Felix's guy from behind, his hands going around the guy's hands on his gun and with awesome dexterity shot Brady right between the eyes. Brady dropped like a sack of potatoes. A big, ol’ two-hundred and fifty pound bag of spuds. Thud!

  "Go!" Chase yelled at a gaping and gasping now-free Julia who grabbed Sherry's hand and ran through the tunnel door.

  Chase had disarmed Felix’s man who stood astonished at what had just happened before turning to run up the stairs with a cry. Gunner hit him over the head with Chase’s gun, knocking him out before tossing the gun back to Chase who now held one weapon aimed at Felix and one at the man holding the redhead. Everyone continued standing stock still, ears ringing from the sound of the shot, the previous incident having occurred so quickly they were still somewhat shocked.

  "The rest are for you to decide what to do with," Hank told Felix from behind him. "We've got what we came here for. We're out." He continued holding his gun on Felix as he slowly walked around toward the tunnel door and nodded at Chase, Gunner and Oz to leave.

  The man whose gun had shot Brady was coming to, befuddled, trying to figure out how he'd been used as a human shield and a killing machine all at the same time. He wasn't even aware that people were leaving the room until he looked up to see Hank backing into the tunnel door, tailing the others, his gun still aimed on them all.

  "Wh-what just happened?" he asked, looking at Felix.

  "Shut the fuck up, you moron," Felix replied. "Now to decide what to do with the rest of you."

  ****

  Quaid grabbed the girls as they came out of the tunnel in the barn and took them quickly down the drive and to where the car was parked. When Allen saw them, he left the car immediately.

  "Julia! My baby girl!" he said as he grabbed Julia in a hug.

  Julia's brow wrinkled as he held her. Baby girl? Um… yeah. "Hey, Allen."

  He grabbed her more tightly, squeezing all the breath from her as she stood stiffly wondering what had come over him. "Oh, Julia," he choked out then started sobbing.

  "Allen. Can't breathe," she wheezed. He loosened his grip on her, pulling back, but still held her by the shoulders looking at her as tears ran down his face. "Allen, I'm okay. Really."

  "I was so worried about you. If anything had happened to you, I'd have died." He embraced her again.

  Julia decided right then and there that the end of the world must be near because she knew people only acted the way Allen was acting when some apocalyptic event was about to take place. That or he'd finally lost his mind. She looked at Sherry as if it were the latter.

  "I know I haven't been a good father, but I want to rectify that, honey. I love you and I want to be a part of your life."

  The rest of the men rushed up just then.

  Upon seeing him, Julia yelled, "Chase!" and ran into his arms.

  He held her tightly for a few seconds then pulled back to look down at her. "Are you okay? Other than what that asshole did to your face?"

  "Yes." She turned and looked at Sherry who gave her a smile. "We're okay."

  "Let's get out of here," Hank said. "Not sure what's going to happen in that house and we need to distance ourselves."

  On the drive b
ack, Sherry called her parents to let them know she was coming home. Hank had told Gunner that they’d need to speak with them so they could talk about keeping things quiet. Chase had killed a man and Hank didn't want it getting to the media. Besides, the bullet wasn't from Chase's gun, so it would be a group of criminals' word against theirs if it came to that, so Hank was confident that what had happened on the farm would stay on the farm.

  ****

  When they got back to the apartment, the first thing Julia decided she’d do was take a long, hot shower. On the ride back, she'd fallen asleep leaning against Chase in the backseat, his arm possessively around her. Oz had driven the car, Allen sat in front and Sherry sat in back next to Julia. Hank and Gunner had ridden with Quaid, who’d followed.

  They’d arrived at Sherry's parents' house and Hank and Gunner escorted her to the door after she’d given Julia a big hug, thanking her and everyone for what they’d done to get her home safely. She and her parents had cried at their reunion, Mr. and Mrs. Larson more than grateful to the men for saving their daughter. Hank had asked to come inside where he asked them not to contact the authorities, and before he left, he gave them a CEP business card, telling them he would very much like to talk to them a bit more at their earliest convenience. They agreed readily, just happy to have Sherry home. Oz drove the car to Cooke Tower then rode back to CEP with Hank, Gunner and Quaid.

  Julia had asked Chase to stay in her bedroom while she showered. She'd been rattled to the core from what she'd been through and found that every little thing frightened her, so she didn't want to be alone for too long. Allen hadn't even argued about her asking Chase to be in her bedroom. As a matter of fact, once they'd gotten inside the apartment, he’d shown nothing but concern for her, hugging her tightly, and telling her again that he would've died had anything happened to her.

  Hearing him talk that way just made her uncomfortable. She wasn't used to seeing him so emotional. She'd grown used to living with C-3PO Allen, Mr. Robot himself, who did the same thing every day void of any emotion whatsoever. It was going to take some getting used to if he was actually going to begin behaving like a human being, capable of actually feeling things.