The Beast And His Belle

Chapter 33

"So, I'll pick you up at five at your father's?" Jackson restated their plans for the evening as a celebratory dinner out with Belle and her father. Julien had hardly ever enjoyed the luxury of going out to eat due to the large crowds and noise levels of the restaurants. Belle was so touched at Jackson's idea and gratitude towards all her father's efforts that he wanted her to convince Julien to come along and Jackson planned to close the entire restaurant down for just the three of them. He also had another secret surprise up his sleeve that he had yet to share with Belle.
"Yes, five o'clock. I'll see you then," Belle reassured him with a kiss as he headed out the door.
"I love you!"
"I love you too!" They called out to each other, both with giddy smiles.

The weather was horrible with a storm off the coast hitting the city. Terrestrial rain down poured since mid-morning shortly after Jackson left for his meeting across town. Belle stood outside the Merryweather Mason school tucked dryly underneath an umbrella as she carefully escorted every single student into their parent's loving arms.
"Bye-bye now! I'll see you Monday! Have a wonderful weekend!" Belle said sweetly waving off the last student with a smile until something, or someone caught her eye. She noticed the familiar silver-gray well-groomed haircut that hid underneath a grungy baseball cap. He kept his head down low and his hands in the pockets of a baggy janitor's uniform, walking briskly with no covering against the cold hard drops of rain.

Belle's heart sank and she quickly looked down at her watch; realizing she needed to leave that moment to be at her father's on time for dinner but she couldn't help look back at the Mason Enterprises building once more. She knew Marcel was up to no good being there and she needed to find out what he was up to. Without thinking more of it, she grabbed her coat and made a run for it from the harsh hailing rain over to the building next door.

Taking the elevator up to the last floor of the towering skyscraper, she made sure her shoes wouldn't squeak due to the wetness against the posh marble floors. She walked through the office seeing everyone casually emptying out for the day; it seems Marcel had gone unnoticed or maybe he was careful and took the stairs, not to be spotted. Slowly walking down the hallway she heard rustling coming from Marcel's office.
"Fuck!" She heard him curse as she slowly opened the door to find Marcel hovered over his computer.
"What are you doing here?" Belle spat with disgust.
"Well, well. You couldn't have shown up at a better time." Marcel straightened out taking off his baseball cap and soaked janitor's outfit from his walk in the rain. True to Marcel's form, he sported a rich sophisticated-looking business suit underneath.
"Trying to steal more money from Jackson, are we?" Belle accused crossing her arms over her chest. Marcel released a chuckle before making his way around the desk and standing in front of her with his hands in his pockets.
"I've only spent my entire life giving everything to this company and never being recognized for anything! So I'm taking what should be mine! To hell with prison! At the very least I should get paid what I deserve and to be able to live the rest of my days comfortably!"
"You put Jackson through hell! Degrading him, pushing him around like a puppet when he had the power to bring this company way above what you have done! And on top of that, You have been stealing from this company! You deserve nothing but to spend your life rotting in prison! I won't let you get away with this!"
Belle whipped open his office door, shouting, "SOMEONE CALL SECURITY!" gaining the attention of the few stragglers still packing their things. Without Marcel hidden underneath his baseball cap and janitors outfit, their mouths dropped open in shock, and one employee reached for the phone on their desk to buzz security at the main lobby.
"DON'T YOU DARE LAY A FINGER ON THAT PHONE!" Marcel spoke loud and slowly but it was the click back of a gun that got everyone's attention and dreaded silence filled the office. Belle felt the barrel pressed to the back of her head and her insides froze.
"No one is calling anyone or going anywhere!" But little did Marcel know or anticipate that someone else in the office had gotten to the phone and buzzed security. The elevator doors dinged open revealing two security guards.
Seeing Marcel holding a gun to Belle's head instantly they drew their weapons. Marcel reacted quickly, aiming the gun at one of them and firing. The guard was hit right in the gut, dropping his weapon as he fell back holding his stomach as he quickly bled out.
"DROP IT!" Marcel shouted to the other guard who still had his gun tensely drawn on Marcel.
"I SAID DROP IT OR I'LL SHOOT HER!" He positioned Belle in front of him like a shield, pressing the hot barrel harder into her temple as tears streamed down her face. The guard lifted his hand up in surrender slowly crouching to the floor dropping his weapon and kicking it away. Marcel subtly huffed from deep in his throat and just as the guard straightened out again, Marcel aimed and fired a no-kill shot wounding him in the thigh and he fell to the ground of the elevator doors.
"Look at what you've done, Isabelle!" he pushed Belle to the side no longer needing a shield as he collected the weapons off the floor.
"Now, getting back to the purpose of me being here! Jackson changed the computer codes and I can't get in! And since you're here, you are going to call your lovey-dovey and get me the password. Then I'm going to walk out of here and become untraceable!"
He nudged her towards his office but her feet stayed cemented to the floor as she glared at him.
"No!" Belle spat and he turned himself around.
"Let everyone in here leave and I'll do it." Marcel rolled his eyes at her kindness but she wouldn't back down.
"You have wounded people and they could die if they don't get help! Let everyone in here go and I'll get you the password!" She could tell Marcel was thinking it over before he let out a grunt.
"Fine! You heard her! Everyone get the fuck out! NOW!" he shouted making everyone jump from their seats and dash towards the elevators; the capable ones grabbed the security guards and helped them and Belle watched the last of them disappear as the elevator doors closed. Hearing the click of the gun to her head again she slowly turned towards Marcel who was filled with evilness and hate.
"Let's go! We don't have much time now!"

He walked Belle back into his office and he pushed her into the leather tufted seat that swiveled in front of the computer. Marcel poured himself a drink and sat on the couch still guarding her with his gun.
"I was saving this for a most victorious day," Marcel mumbled to himself bringing her attention to him as he pulled out a thick cigar.
"I guess the time has come. It's now or never." Bringing it to his nose as he breathed in its scent before lighting it up and puffing out smoke.
"Call him!" Marcel demanded waving the gun at her and she picked the phone up off the receiver.

Jackson had been all the way across town that day and the foul weather conditions made the cities cell phone service spotty. She called and called until finally, his phone rang and he answered it with a smile.
"Hey beautiful, I'm sorry this weather today has delayed me but I'm on my way to your father's now."
"Jack," she mumbled out on the other line and his heart dropped hearing her fear.
"What's wrong? What is it?"
Belle looked over to Marcel casually puffing his cigar and he prompted her to keep talking.
"It's Marcel. He's here and he wants the new password to the accounts. He's armed."
Jackson's body froze over with fear hearing Belle's panicked voice and he only thought the worst.
"Fuck! Did he hurt you?"
"No," Belle whimpered with the flashes of the security guards getting shot in front of her.
Marcel rose from his place on the couch and walked over to the phone, pressing a button to put the call on speaker.
"Hello, Jack!" he said with a snicker.
"If you fucking touch her let alone hurt her I swear to fucking God!"
"Relaaax Jack! Just give me what I want and no one has to get hurt!"
"Take whatever you want! Just don't hurt her!"
"The password?" Marcel asked.
"It's...beautiful rose flower," Jack answered on the other end making Belle choke up, praying she will be able to see her true love again.
"Aww, ain't that sweet," Marcel mocked before his tone turned serious.
"Don't involve the cops or she dies!" he said as he picked up the phone and slammed it down on the receiver.
"Belle! Belle!" Jack cried from the other end that went dead as Marcel hung up the call. He was a raging beast slamming his fists in the backseat and ordering the driver to drive faster to Mason Enterprises. He'd die if anything happened to Belle, his beautiful rose flower and he was determined to do anything necessary to get her out of there safely.

Once the car finally pulled up to the building nearly half an hour later, the sky was dark with rain clouds and his heart shattered again seeing a swarm of red and blue flashing lights of police vehicles, ambulances tending to a bloody body only realizing it was the buildings security guards when he quickly ran closer. Jackson stormed over to a black SWAT truck with the force getting suited up with weapons and pitching a tent to stay dry from the rain.
"You can't be here! You need to tell your men to stand down!"
"Sir?"
"I'm Jackson Mason! My uncle is Marcel! He has my wife! He's armed and has my Belle! He said he'd hurt her if cops were involved!"
"Sir, we were called when he released everyone else from the building. We're trained to handle hostage situations like these."
"No! I can't risk it! He can't hurt her! Let me go in there!"
"We can't do that, Mr. Mason. You could only make the situation worse! Once we get him in our sights we can take him out!" The officer said and almost on cue another guard from the force pointed out smoke hazing the windows from inside the building.
"No! You won't get a clear shot! You could hurt Belle! I'm going in there!"
"Sir," the policeman called out, "He could hurt you!"
"I don't care about me!" Jack shouted as he never looked back, rushing into the building.