The Grabber

Second Round

As Al stepped out of the parked van, he took a glance around the area as he opened the back doors. He reached inside to grab his grocery bags. Just as he was about to close the doors, something caught his eye. He furrowed his brows as he looked at the item in the back of his van. He sat the grocery bags aside as he reached for the item. It was Andrea's backpack. He must not have noticed it when he abducted her. He looked at the backpack as he held it. He took another glance around the area before grabbing the rest of his things and closing the back doors.

...

He locked the front door as usual when he entered his home. He dropped Andrea's backpack onto the couch as he brought his other items into the kitchen.

When he had finished putting his groceries away, he glanced at the calendar as he passed to see the date. He nodded to himself as he looked at the backpack on the couch. He pursed his lips in thought for a moment before finally walking over to sit. He relaxed himself a bit as he finally caved and grabbed her backpack. He carefully opened it to look at the contents. He paused as he saw one of the items. He reached in to grab it.
"She kept them," he said to himself as he looked at the sunglasses he had given her. He looked at them for a minute before setting them to the side. As he poked through the rest of the bag, he would sit the items on the coffee table. Books, pencils, erasers. He paused as he saw a notepad. He slowly pulled it out, debating whether to look inside or not. He slowly opened the notebook, looking at the first page. School notes. He turned a few pages, looking at each one. He passed some drawings and other school notes. Finally, he came to a page that made him pause. They were still school notes, but they stopped rather abruptly. Beside the unfinished notes was a drawing of a magician's hat, much like Al's. He slowly turned to another page to see a drawing of a bouquet of black balloons. Confused, he continued to turn pages until he saw one titled 'Abracadabra'. He read over the page
"These are the notes," he said to himself as he sat up slowly. He read the notes Andrea had written about him. Everything was spot on. He wondered how Andrea had discovered all of this, but didn't think that he was the Grabber until it was too late. As he finished reading the page, he turned to another. "How did she figure this much out?" He ran a hand through his hair as he stared at the words. The words that slowly made him feel more angry. He finally ripped the two pages put of the notebook and crumbled them; throwing them across the room. He sighed as he sat back, leaning his head back to stare at the ceiling.

...

Andrea leaned against the wall as she held the phone to her ear. Her eyes were closed.
"Please," she whispered. "Come on." She looked up and dialed the number again. "I need to get out of here," She sighed as she tried again. She heard nothing but static as she continued to listen through the phone. "Michael?" She pleaded. "Anyone?" As the static continued, Andrea released a huff of frustration as she finally hung up the phone rather harshly. She sat herself on the bed as she held her head in her hands. She needed to find a way out. She couldn't stay here forever. Now that she knew more about Al and his story, she feared that he may never let her go, or worse. As the lights flicked on, Andrea looked over at the door. The door opened with a creak that Andrea had grown used to. It opened wide enough to reveal Al with the bottom half of his smiling mask.
"Happy birthday," he sang. Andrea slowly perked up.
"That's today?" She asked. She hadn't been able to keep track of what the days were.
"The thirteenth," he responded. He slowly walked closer to Andrea. He nodded for her to come closer to the edge of the bed. Andrea slowly scooted closer, keeping her eyes on him. He revealed something he held behind his back. As he sat beside her, he offered it to her. Andrea slowly took the small plate that held a mini cupcake. "No candle. You might try to burn me with it." Andrea looked up at him.
"A candle wouldn't do much. Why bother?" Al looked back to the cupcake on her small plate.
"Store bought," he finally said. "Never been a baker. It's safe." Andrea slowly picked up the cupcake and lifted it to her mouth. She kept her eyes on Al as she licked a bit of the frosting off the top. She didn't like him being this close. She didn't trust him.
"Big eighteen," he nodded as he looked at her. "Gotta be exciting."
"Should it be?" She asked as she took a bite of the cake. She wasn't about to turn down food. Not while it was rare to be fed here.
"I would think so," Al responded. "You're an adult now." Andrea finished the cupcake with the final bite as Al slowly took away her plate. It was as if he didn't want to scare her with sudden movements. "You can do all kinds of things now."
"What are you doing.." she asked as she noticed his hand reaching to his pocket. She tried to move herself away. "Al, what are you-" In one swift motion, Al stabbed Andrea's thigh with a syringe. "Gah!" Andrea shouted from the pierce of the needle. Al quickly placed his hand on her back as he injected the mysterious liquid. Just as quick as it was inserted, he pulled the needle away and let it fall to the floor. Andrea began to feel light-headed. Her body slowly became weak.
"Just a little help," he spoke in a calm low tone as he looked at Andrea's fading focus. "I needed something out of you, but I couldn't do it on my own." She wanted to move away, but her body was too weak. Her head started to droop as she tried to look at Al. "You're too stubborn."
"Help.. from what?" She spoke as her body gave way, causing her to lean against him. Al chuckled as he helped to lay her back.
"Sodium thiopental. You're smart. I'm sure you know what that is."
"How did you.. get that? It's not meant.. for whatever this is." Al lowered himself to her as he spoke with his gaze on hers.
"I have my ways of getting what I need," he simply spoke. "And right now, I need the truth. You're gonna tell me just how you found out all of that information about me. I want to know now." Andrea couldn't even hesitate her response as she kept her light-headed gaze strong. The chemical was quickly affective.
"I observe people. It's what I do. I knew Bruce a little. I knew Robin a little. I learned more about the others. Best I could, anyway. That's it." Al hastily removed his mask.
"That is not it!" He gritted. "What you had written is exactly what you'd find in a goddamn police report! How the fuck did you find all of that?"
"My friend," Andrea breathed. "Her parents are cops. I got to ask questions. My friend asked questions. That, on top of all my other findings, we just... pieced it all together. Well, I did." Al lowered his face closer to Andrea, who was too dazed to move.
"You're telling me that other people know?" He asked. "They know about this shit?"
"No," Andrea partially lied at the sound of his raised voice. Al sat up at he sighed in frustration. "All they think.. is that I was just curious.. about it all. They don't know about.. my plans." Andrea watched as Al seemed to rub his face with irritation.
"The police aren't allowed to give up that kind of information to anyone. You're lying."
"I'm not-"
"Don't make me have to persuade you," he sighed as he stood to walk over to the other side of the bed where she laid.
"I'm not, I'm being seri-" she hushed herself as Al placed a knife to her throat. He slowly kneeled down to look her in the eyes. She stared back into his cold stare.
"You wanna tell me the truth? Or am I gonna have to make you a bloody mess?"
"Al, I-"
"Truth or bleed," he sighed as he shook his head nonchalantly. "You're choice." He put a little more pressure on the blade to her throat.
"Okay, okay," she gasped. "I read the case files.. on you."
"How?" He asked as he kept his gaze and blade strong.
"I was with my friend one night. After you took Robin. Her parents were at the drive in. She let me into their office to find the file on The Grabber. I write down everything that was there." Al hesitated for a moment, then finally removed the blade.
"Good girl," he said as he did so. He stood with his gaze on Andrea as he placed the mask back on.
"How long am I gonna feel like this?" She asked. She didn't have the strength to lift herself up. She slowly moved her head to watch as he headed to the door.
"You'll be fine in about an hour," he said as he looked at her from the doorway. "Just rest until then." Andrea raised her head enough to watch him take one last look, almost as if debating on another action, then turn to leave. As the door closed with a thud, she dropped her head with a sigh.
"Son of a bitch," she whispered to herself. She couldn't believe she was drugged again. She closed her eyes to try to sleep the drugs away. She couldn't think straight. She couldn't see straight. She could hardly feel right. As she began to drift off, she slowly started to forget the entire event.