“We have to get over there now!” Nick yelled, worrying what Adam might do to Melissa.
“Calm down Nick, you aren’t going anywhere till you calm down.” Officer Garner stated to the young man.
“How am I supposed to calm down? Adam is going to kill Mel, we have to stop him.”
“Darrell, is there any other way to get into the warehouse besides the way you mentioned?”
“No, that’s why Adam picked the place. Only one way in and only one way out.”
“That’s going to be a problem.”
“Why?” Mr. Barnes asked growing anxious.
“Adam is obviously worried about getting caught, so if he sees us he might hurt Melissa. Since we can’t sneak up on him; we need to figure out how we are going to get Melissa out safely.”
“I have an idea.” Jonathon said looking over at Darrell.
Melissa watched Adam pacing back and forward, mumbling something to himself. She knew he was worried about someone recognizing him. She was starting to worry about what he would do to cover his tracks.
She had to think of something, a plan of some sorts. She needed to survive, so could go home to Nick. She had to keep Adam talking, till help arrived if they ever came.
“Was it your plan to kill me?” She asked finally getting up the courage.
“What are you talking about?” Adam continued to pace.
“The GHB, the amount I was given was a lethally dose. The doctor that took care of me told me that I wasn’t meant to wake up from it. Did you want me to die?”
Adam stopped pacing and looked at her. “No, I didn’t want you to die. Darrell was only supposed to put enough in your drink to knock you out, not kill you.”
“Well, your partner almost killed me. I was unconscious, my body was failing. They had to shock my heart to get me back.”
“I know.”
“How did you know? Were you there at the hospital?”
“No, I sent Darrell to find out any information he could.” Adam sat down and took a deep sigh. “I would have killed him if you had died.”
Melissa couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Was Adam really concerned about her? No, he couldn’t possibly care; look at what he has done. Still, her curiosity got the best of her.
“Why would you care Adam?” Adam looked at her, but remained quiet. “Don’t you want me dead?”
“No, I don’t want you dead. I want you to…I want you to. Just forget it!” He once again stood and started pacing.
“Adam, you want me to what?”
“What does it matter now Mel?”
“It matters to me. I want to know what you were going to say. What did you want?”
Adam stopped and mumbled an answer, but she didn’t hear him.
“What?”
“I SAID I WANTED YOU TO…to love me like you love Nick.” He lowered his voice.
Melissa was blown away. Adam was in love with her, she never thought he had cared for her, let alone loved her. “Adam, are you in love with me?”
“And if I am, what would it matter? You are in love with Nick.”
“You could find love Adam, but not like this. You can’t make someone love you by hurting them.”
“That wasn’t the reason behind what I did. I did it because you hurt me and I wanted to hurt you.”
“I understand that and I’m sorry for hurting you.” She fought back her anger, feeling sick to her stomach apologizing to him.
Adam turned and looked her. “Do you mean that?”
“Yes, I mean it. I didn’t think you cared about me at all. Adam I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
Adam touched her cheek with his hand. “You better not be playing me Mel. If you are, I have no problem killing you.” He grabbed and kissed her with force. She unwillingly let him, hoping she had gained some of his trust.
“BOSS, I’M BACK!!” Darrell yelled entering the warehouse.
“I thought I told you to stay at the beach house?”
“Don’t worry they don’t suspect anything.”
“Good, once things calm down I’m taking Mel and leaving.”
“That might be a problem boss.”
“I thought you said they didn’t suspect anything.”
“They don’t, but that officer has been digging into your phone records. He knows that you have been calling one number constantly, my number.”
“He doesn’t know it’s you, does he?”
“No, but I get the feeling he will eventually. That’s why I came; I think you better step up your plan and quick.”
Adam looked over at Melissa, still tied up in the chair.
“Don’t worry boss, I’ll watch her.”
Adam smiled at Darrell and then walked over to Melissa. “Soon we will be together and no one will stop us.” He kissed her again. Adam headed up the stairs and entered one of the rooms.
Darrell walked over to Melissa and kneeled down to her. “You two look pretty close, did I miss something?”
“Go to hell Darrell!”
“Is that how you treat the person who is here to save you?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m getting you out of here.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“You should because all your friends and Nick are outside waiting for you. Your parents even flew down to see you. You don’t want to disappoint them, do you?” Melissa wanted to believe that Darrell was telling the truth, but he had lied so easily before. However if there is a slight chance that he was telling the truth, she had to take it.
“Untie me!” She whispered quietly.
Officer Garner and ten other officers waited outside to see if their plan worked. Nick, Julie, Jonathon, AJ, Jeni, Howie, and Alyssa waited impatiently, hoping this nightmare would be finally over. Mr. Barnes grasped his wife’s hand giving it a squeeze, praying that his daughter was safe.
“What is taking so long?” Nick asked getting worried.
“Try and stay calm Nick.”
“Officer Garner, that spy camera you asked about is all set up.” Another officer stated.
“Great.” Officer Garner reached into his car and pulled out a laptop.
“What’s a spy camera?” Mrs. Barnes asked.
“We need to know the situation inside of the warehouse and that camera will help us.” He flipped open the laptop and turned it on. “We’ll be able to see inside without Adam knowing.”
Footage came on the screen, but it was blurry and it wasn’t a constant feedback. Finally the camera showed Darrell and Melissa.
“She’s okay!” Mrs. Barnes said as tears fell down her face. “Our baby is okay!”
Nick took a deep breath, feeling relief that Melissa was okay. But she was still in that warehouse with that psycho. “Angel.”
Everyone continued to watch the footage….
“Quick Darrell, he will be coming back soon!” Melissa pleaded with him as he worked on the ropes around her hands.
“I’m going as fast as I can.”
“How are Nick and my friends?” She knew this wasn’t the time, but she was worried about them.
“You can see for yourself once I get these knots undone.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“I realize I couldn’t leave you here with Adam. He isn’t in his right mind, he completely obsessed with you.”
“You just realized that!? You knew that from the beginning!”
“Right now isn’t the greatest time to fight with me!”
“Well I can’t help it. I just can’t believe you are so willing to help me, unless you…you got caught!” She turned as much as she could and looked at him. “You got caught didn’t you?”
“Yes, I got caught and this is part of my deal, so don’t blow it!”
“I knew it!” She stated facing away from him. All of a sudden she couldn’t feel Darrell working on the ropes. She looked at him and saw a blood spot on his chest.
“Darrell? Oh my god, Darrell!” He collapsed to the floor holding his chest.
“Damn it, he has been shot. We have one down! We have to enter now! Get ready to enter the warehouse on my count.” Officer Garner replied to the other officers.
“WAIT OFFICER GARNER!” Julie yelled to him. “Look!” Officer Garner looked at the footage on the screen.
They saw Adam pointing the gun at Melissa as he checked Darrell’s pulse.
“Is he…” She couldn’t finish the sentence as tears fell down her face.
“Yes, he’s dead.” Adam looked over Darrell’s body as if he was looking for something.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m checking for a recording device. I heard your conversation with Darrell. We aren’t alone anymore.” He stopped once he was happy not finding a device. “Do you remember me saying that you better not play with me?”
Melissa didn’t say anything; she didn’t even shake her head.
“I have no problem killing you.” It was coming down to this, she had to do it now or it was never.
“Then do it Adam. Shoot me! Put me out of my misery, because being here with you is torture!”
Adam stood up and pointed the gun right in front of her face. “Don’t tempt me Mel; I am really pissed off right now!”
“I’m so scared Adam! You don’t have the balls to shoot me! You aren’t a real man; you had to get Darrell to do your dirt work!”
“Shut up Mel or you’ll be sorry.”
“I’m already sorry, sorry that I ever met you! That I wasted my time on a pathetic asshole like you!”
Adam felt his anger consume him completely and then he hit her, making her fall to the ground. Melissa didn’t move as blood came out of her mouth.
“DO SOMETHING!” Nick yelled wanting to run into the warehouse and beat the life out of Adam.
“Get up honey, please get up!” Mr. Barnes replied as he watched his daughter laying on the ground helpless.
Officer Garner grabbed a megaphone and started talking to Adam.
“Adam, this is Officer Garner. I would like to talk to you.” Adam approached a boarded up window and peer out. He saw over ten officers outside with their guns up.
“I DON’T WANT TO TALK TO YOU. YOU BETTER LEAVE OR MEL IS DEAD!”
“I can’t do that Adam. What can we do to convince you to let her go?”
“NOT A DAMN THING! SHE IS MINE!”
Melissa could hear yelling and slowly open her eyes. She spit out the blood from her busted lip. She saw Adam near her yelling at someone. She knew she had to do it something; she quickly wiggled her hands free of the rope. They were loose enough thanks to Darrell. She looked over at his dead body, not too far from her. She took a deep breath and then focused on getting out of there. Once she was free she moved onto her freeing her legs.
“Officer Garner, you should see this!” Officer Garner and everyone watched the screen. Melissa quietly walked over to Adam carrying the chair she was tied up to. She swung the chair at him and Adam fell to the ground. A struggle began between them for the gun.
“What the hell are you doing?” Adam gritted fighting her.
“Fighting back!”
Suddenly the screen went blank. Officer Garner hit the laptop, hoping it would come back on. Then they heard it, a shot was fired.
