Second Heartbeat

Brian watched in horror as he saw Stormy being held down by one man while another grunted on top of her. She was screaming for help at the top of her lungs when the man who was holding her down hit her across the face.

“Turn it off” Sydney whispered. “Please, turn it off” she said as tears fell from her eyes.

“No!” Jimmy shouted. “Pause it, Matt” Matt looked at Jimmy confused and Jimmy walked closer to the television.

“I know that place,” he said

“What?” Brian stood and walked over to him. “Where is it?” he asked.

“It’s the laundry mat that I used to live in before I moved in with you guys. It’s abandoned now.”

Brian was half way to the door when Matt grabbed him and stopped him.

“Jimmy and Johnny stay here with the girls and do not let Sydney out of your sight. Zacky go get Brian’s guns and meet us outside.”

Brian tried to pull away from Matt, but Matt wouldn’t let him go. “I have to help her!” he yelled.

“You are in no condition to drive!” Matt said dragging him out to the car and shoving him in the passenger side.

When Zacky came out and got in the car Matt sped off in the direction of the laundry mat.

When they reached their destination they turned the lights off on the car and slowly pulled up along side the abandoned building. Each one chose their weapon and the exited the car. They walked over to the side of the building and looked in the window. Brian saw Stormy sleeping on her side in the corner. There wasn’t an inch of her that wasn’t bruised of bleeding. He took off to find a door and Matt grabbed him.

“I know you want to help her, but they’ll kill you if they see you coming” he warned.

Brian agreed and they all walked and found a door. When it opened they went inside as quietly as they could and set off in search of the room that held Stormy.

“Split up. Brian you take the right, Zacky take the left. I’ll take the one straight ahead.”

They nodded and went off in their own directions. Zacky found his door and hid in the shadows when one of the goons walked out. The man sat in a chair in front of the door and Zacky slid up behind him and hit him in the back of the head with his gun knocking him out. He went inside the room, but it was empty.

Brian found his room and opened the door. He took off his jacket and ran over to Stormy to cover her with it.

“Stormy?”

“Stormy wake up”

She opened her eyes, but didn’t have the strength to keep them open. He reached for her so he could lift her, but the sound of a gun being cocked behind him, stopped him from doing so.

Matt walked through the door of the room that was straight ahead and came face to face with Laura.

“We’ve been expecting you” she said matter of factly.

He started to walk forward when one of the two thugs shoved Brian into the room.

“Got the other one,” he said shoving him over by Matt.

“Good. Now that the gang’s all here, lets discuss the matter at hand, my daughter.” Laura lit a cigarette when the second of the two guys walked into the room.

“One of them hit me over the head and knocked me out!” he said.

“Shut up you big baby, I’m the one doing the talking” Laura sauntered over to Brian and stopped in front of him. “Pretty thing that Stormy, isn’t she or should I say, wasn’t she?” she laughed.

Brian was seething with rage, but the gun pointed at his back stopped him from acting on it.

“Now as I was saying, I want my daughter and one of you, you can decide which one is going to tell me where she is”

Matt spit in her face and one of the guys hit him in the back of the head. She wiped the spit off her face with her sleeve and turned her attention to Brian.

“Tell me, if you had to choose between my daughter and your girlfriend who would you save?” she asked

He looked at her knowing what she was getting at, but couldn’t answer. He wasn’t going to give her what she wanted.

“Oh, have you gone mute just like Sydney?” she asked. “The way I see it, you do have a choice here. You can tell me where Sydney is or I can kill your girlfriend right before your eyes.”

He balled his hands into fists, but still didn’t say anything. “have it your way” she smiled.

“Get me the girl” she spoke to one of the thugs and he nodded leaving the room to go get Stormy.