Chapter 17
I immediately dropped back down into a prone position as Shannon hurriedly complied with the man's request. As she stood up, the view of him became clearer. He was dark-haired, middle-aged, and holding what appeared to be a silenced 9 mm pistol pointed at Stacy's head. My heart sank.
"Get me another one of my beers, Stacy," ordered the other man. She then stood up—revealing this second man to be blonde-haired and also middle-aged. Shannon was visibly distraught as the dark-haired man lewdly wrapped his right arm tightly around her chest—holding her close. He held a bottle up to her mouth and asked, "Drink?" She turned her head away in disgust and he laughed. Stacy had returned and handed the blonde-haired man his beer.
"Kyle, please… let my daughter… go," she pleaded with her voice trembling.
"I like your daughter right where she is," Kyle replied. "If I had known there was a young woman here this beautiful, I would have paid a visit much, much, sooner!"
The men continued eating and drinking. I noticed that they were eating alone. Stacy and Shannon had not joined them. As I lay there, I could feel my mind fading. The maddening thirst was affecting my ability to concentrate. I knew I didn't have much time left before serious, possibly irreversible damage was done to my body. The blonde-haired man remarked to Stacy, "That was a fine meal, woman. You sure know how to cook."
She stood up and again pleaded, "Dwayne, please! Tell Kyle to let my daughter go now."
"No. We haven't had our dessert yet," he replied.
"All I have right now is ice cream," Stacy replied.
Dwayne and Kyle grinned at each other.
"After all this time, you still don't get it," said Dwayne mockingly. "The two of you are today's dessert!"
Stacy collapsed into her chair with a loud gasp of despair. Kyle leered at Shannon and said, "We were told you might still be a virgin. Is this true?"
Shannon's complexion blanched in an expression of fright. He laughed and said, "I guess I'll find out shortly now, won't I?"
Dwayne also laughed and said, "Your mission PO1 Sloan is to relieve this girl of her virginity!"
"I guarantee its successful completion!" he replied enthusiastically while grinning wickedly at Shannon. He continued, "Why are you looking so upset, beautiful? You should be happy! You're going to have my baby!"
Stacy hysterically screamed, "NO!" while standing up, lunging for Shannon, and attempting to free her from Kyle's grasp. Dwayne shoved her hard back into her seat and shouted, "SIT DOWN!" She began to sob loudly. Shannon began to repeatedly gag and then she vomited onto the table top. The men glanced at each other in surprise and then broke down laughing. In between laughs Kyle remarked, "She isn't even pregnant yet and already she has morning sickness!"
"Oh, by the way," added Dwayne mockingly. "The Chief told us to make sure we use your bedroom so that it would be a nice family experience!"
I stared down at the floor in disgust, now having seen and heard enough. I was shaken to my core. Whoever these men were, I wanted nothing to do with them. I wanted to get far, far away from them and as fast as possible. Scott was right. There are vile, wicked people in this world. As I turned to crawl back to the garage my conscience immediately reprimanded me.
You're not going to abandon Stacy and Shannon to be raped by those men, it challenged.
Stacy admonished me to mind my own business, I countered. They treated my offer of help as a joke. Let her boyfriend come to their rescue. I continued to crawl away.
Whether or not they treated you right makes no difference, replied my conscience. You're their only hope of rescue.
Scott taught me self-preservation, I argued. He would approve of my actions right now.
Scott wanted you to do some good in the world countered my conscience. These wicked men will triumph if you leave and do nothing. Do you or do you not care for those girls?
I stopped to consider that question. After a moment I answered, I do. I do genuinely care for them.
Then climb out of that cave of self-pity you're trying to hide in and help them!
But what can I do? I thought while staring down at the floor. I can't fight, and I have no gun. Maybe… maybe I should just call the police. But I remembered how emphatic Stacy had been about the police not being able to help them. What if these guys are police; corrupt cops on the take? My head was throbbing. My stomach was nauseous. My body was trembling. My eyes drifted to the tattoo on my right arm; "Your mind is your greatest weapon." A minute later I had formulated a rescue plan.
However, there were so many things that could go wrong with the plan that I wondered why I was even bothering to attempt it. Foremost was the fact that if these two men were indeed Santa Barbara police officers, the plan would fail outright. I would probably be killed. You're slowly dying now anyways, I thought. Better to die honorably trying to save people you care about, than to flee like a coward thinking only of yourself. This brought me back to the gravity of my physical condition. I've got to drink something. I've got to get fluid into my body. I started crawling in the direction of the bathroom. It was only a few feet away and just around the corner. I forced myself up to a standing position and as I did, the bathroom door opened and a third man came walking out! Or stumbling out would be a more apt description. He was clutching his groin, softly moaning, and walking sort of bow-legged—all gimpy like. He hobbled over to the kitchen while not even noticing me standing there. I quickly ducked down and carefully retreated back to the den. When he neared the dining room, I heard Kyle and Dwayne exclaim, "Rico!"
"You've got to take me to the hospital," Rico pleaded in a thick Hispanic accent.
"She kicked you that hard?" asked Kyle.
"Like a caballo!" he groaned. "I think I'm ruptured!"
They roared with laughter. I smiled and thought, Good one, AJ! Way to go girl!
Refocusing back on my plan, I realized I needed to access the internet. I also needed my smartphone. I had plugged it into a wall charger this morning but I could not remember where, no matter how hard I tried. While crawling over to the computer desk, I spotted it in the wall outlet next to the floor lamp. Apparently, fortune was smiling down on me and this boosted my morale. I heard Rico say, "I'm not going to sit around here listening to you guys have all your fun. I'm going to go wait in the car." He got up and limped towards the front entrance while I ducked down behind the computer monitor.
"Don't you want to hear them scream?" challenged Dwayne.
"No," he replied while hobbling out the front door.
That last comment once again, helped me comprehend the severity of Stacy and Shannon's predicament. It also triggered Stacy to once more plead for Shannon's release.
"We had an agreement!" she sobbed.
"Yeah, about that," replied Dwayne. "The Boss said you broke it. Therefore, your daughters are now fair game!"
"Please," she implored. "I'm begging you Kyle! Don't do this to her. Let her go! She doesn't deserve this… Please… I'll do anything you want… anything!"
"You know I like it when you beg, Stacy, and you will do anything I want. But we’ll be the ones who decide what your daughter does or doesn’t deserve. And she’s too beautiful and desirable to simply let go. She's as gorgeous as you!"
"LET HER GO YOU MONGRELS!" Stacy screamed.
I could hear scuffling and then someone being repeatedly slapped!
"Shannon shouted, "MOM, NO!"
Both girls now wept loudly and uncontrollably. It was both heart-wrenching and unnerving to have to listen to all of this. These men were not going to show any compassion or mercy. They seemed incapable of it. In fact, their response was to viciously taunt and mock her. "Do you know what you are, Stacy?" asked Dwayne. "You're a whore! You've always been and always will be, nothing but a whore! And do you know want to know something else? Starting today, we're going to make your daughter here into the exact same thing; nothing but a whore like you."
My fists clenched in anger. I loathed those men and I
wanted nothing more than to see them severely punished for their behavior. My plan must succeed! I finished with the computer. I stood up to move toward the stairs that led to the second floor. The room started spinning, and I fell back into the chair. I attempted it again, and this time I slowly collapsed onto the floor! Crawling over to the stairway, I paused to glance down at my watch. Timing was everything in my plan. I started to quietly move up the stairs and then I promptly passed out! I awoke with a start and in a panic. I glimpsed at my watch. Forty-five seconds had elapsed and I could now hear the men in the dining room talking about going up to Stacy's bedroom. I again tried to move up the stairs, but it felt like my mind was becoming detached from my body. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion.
What seemed like an eternity could only have been a minute or two as I finally made it up to Stacy's bedroom. Pausing by the bed, I laid my smartphone on top of her comforter. I stared at the bathroom door and I immediately felt elated; here was a source of water! I lunged forward, pushing the door open and stumbling over to the tub while collapsing just short of it. I lay on the carpet gazing at the tub, unable to reach it. I can't go on, I thought while staring up at the ceiling. You must, my conscience replied. Suddenly, it seemed as though I was now floating outside of my body while staring down at it as I lay on the floor! I closed my eyes and focused my will on the goal of crawling over the side of the tub. As I concentrated, I found myself actually doing it! With a thud, I landed inside of it. After reaching above my head, I turned on the spigot and cold, life-saving water began to gush out. I guided my mouth to the source and I began to drink heartily and greedily. I turned on the shower and let its spray wash over me. I was in liquid heaven! I kicked off my shoes. Next, I pulled off my socks and my shirt while writhing in the refreshing, cold, fluid. Now revived somewhat, I attempted to stand up. A powerful, sickening, feeling wrenched my stomach and I violently puked up all my precious water onto the floor! Then, I heard the bedroom door open. I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around my waist. I grabbed a second towel and began drying off my hair as I opened the bedroom door and I wobbly stepped into the room. The scene that I was confronted with drove a spike of fear through me from head to toe!
I finally had a clear, unobstructed view of these two men and what I saw now terrified me. Scott had as a supplemental course in psychology, taught me "profiling," with an emphasis on recognizing those individuals whom he considered to be dangerous. Military veterans who had retired from the service but who were still using the training that the government had invested in them—particularly in the knowledge of how to kill—were at the top of the list. He once told me, "The more times someone has killed, the more their conscience becomes seared. They become immune to remorse and killing to them becomes like eating, drinking, and sleeping—simply a routine."
The two men standing before me fit this profile. Kyle stood about six feet three inches tall and weighed, I estimated, between 230 to 240 pounds. Dwayne stood about six feet five inches tall and weighed around 250 pounds. They were wearing short-sleeved dress shirts, dress pants, and dress shoes. I could tell from their physiques that they were muscular. Both of them were wearing black shoulder harnesses that contained silenced 9mm pistols—Kyle's being a SIG-Sauer P226, and Dwayne's being a Beretta M9. Each of them had tattoos on their arms that displayed a colorful rendering of the branch and military units they had served in. These men were mercenaries, bodyguards, or hit men. Kyle was holding Shannon's left arm, and Dwayne was holding Stacy in the same way. As soon as they saw me, both men in unison let go of the girls while instinctively reaching up and putting their right hands on the stocks of their guns. After a few seconds they relaxed their grips, and then they went back to holding the girl's in the previous manner.
"Who… are you guys?" I asked weakly.
At the sound of my voice, Shannon, whose head was drooping towards the floor, slowly raised it to look up at me. Her cheeks were glistening wet and when I looked into her eyes, I saw an expression of such complete and utter hopeless despair that I began to feel emotionally overcome. Courage, Lance! I thought. Steel yourself! Stacy had been quietly sobbing the whole time with her head also sagging and she too raised it at the sound of my voice. Her face was covered in pink welts. Upon seeing them, I became so angry that it instantly drove the fear from my mind!
"Who are you, kid, and what are you doing in here?" asked Dwayne.
"My name is Rock, Lance Rock. The girl that this big ape has his paws on is my fiancée, Shannon. The woman that you're holding as if you own her is my future mother-in-law. My father is an officer in the Santa Barbara Police Department. He and my mother are on their way over here to join us for dinner tonight."
Kyle's right eye twitched and his face became slightly contorted during my response. Dwayne stood there momentarily digesting what I had said and then he replied, "I'm sorry to have to tell you this kid, but there were plans made that I guess you and your family were not aware of. You're going to have to get dressed and leave. You and your family will be eating alone tonight. Please… accept my apology."
I quickly glanced down at my watch. I needed to stall for more time. "Like I said, my name is Lance Rock and my father is a police officer. I also plan on studying Law Enforcement when I go to college and I'm going be a police officer too—just like him. I noticed you're both carrying concealed handguns and in this state you need a permit to do that. Do you mind if I examine yours?"
Dwayne chuckled and while shaking his head, said, "If you can see them, then I guess they're not really concealed now, are they smart—" and then my smartphone rang, startling him.
I picked it up off the edge of the bed and answered it. What I heard was, "Thank-you for using I.E.T.'s courtesy cell phone calling service. The time now is 2:45 PM." What they heard was me saying, "Hi dad…You will be? That's great!" And with nervousness in my voice I remarked, "By the way dad, there are two strange men in Mrs. Muller's house." I then gave the physical description of Kyle and Dwayne while stating that they were both armed and that they appeared hostile. Next, I described the make and model of car they were driving. Finally, I also gave the license plate number of the car, which I had memorized. "I'm frightened, dad," I continued. "I don't know who these men are, but I'm glad you're going to be here in 10 minutes. See you in a bit." And then I hung up.
Dwayne now stared at me with his mouth hanging open in astonishment! He slowly glanced over at Kyle. After a few seconds, he released his grip on Stacy and said, "Let's go. We're out of here."
Kyle was glaring at me intensely as he replied, "I'm not going anywhere. I'm not buying this story you're trying to sell us, kid. You're telling us you came in this house without us knowing about it, and then came up here and showered too? And doing all this while we've been down stairs eating? I'm not buying that story for a second." He held up Shannon's hand and asked, "If she's your fiancée, where's her engagement ring?"
"Any bozo knows you don't wear jewelry while swimming," I sarcastically replied.
I could feel the room starting to slowly spin around me. Kyle's facial expression became bent with rage. He made an attempt to lunge at me but Dwayne grabbed his arm and restrained him.
"Let's go!" Dwayne ordered again.
"No!" replied Kyle with his eyes burning holes in me. "I want this girl and I want her right now! This smart-mouth punk kid's bogus story is not going to stop me from having her."
"Well, Mr. Ex-Navy Seal Team 6," I calmly remarked while watching him slowly spin around me. "I'd say you've got three choices. We can all wait here until my father shows up in eight minutes, you can leave right now, or, I can dial 911 like this," I remarked while dialing a number on my smartphone.
"Now!" ordered Dwayne, and he pulled out his gun and placed it up against Kyle's head.
"There are two kinds of people in this world, punk," remarked Kyle threateningly while pointing his finger at me. "Those with big mouths like yours, and those who shut big mouths up. I don't care if your father is a
cop. If I ever find you on the street, I'll teach you a lesson in respect that will have you begging me for death!" He released his grip on Shannon while letting out the vilest string of cursing and profanity I had ever heard in my life! Then he furiously strode out of the room.
Dwayne sarcastically remarked, "Congratulations on your engagement. Enjoy your dinner and your future career in Law Enforcement." And with that, he too, turned and then exited the room. I waited until I heard him close the front door. I staggered over to Stacy, put my arm around her, and then comfortingly said, "Everything's alright, Mrs. Muller." Next, I stumbled over to Shannon and said, "You're okay, Shannon. They're gone. You're safe now." I went to put my arm around her but the room went dark as I felt myself dropping to the floor.