Exhale

Freedom at a Cost

Derek's POV

"What do you mean, stay here? She's my wife damn it." I say. "No. Derek you're not a cop. You need to stay back, just in case." Peter tells me. I look at him through squinted eyes. "Just in case what?" I ask. "You know what. Now stay here, I'll be back." He says holstering his gun and heading out.

I wait in the police station and call my mom, "Honey what's going on?" She immediately asks. "Well, they traced an old property back to his family. It's an old horse farm, Peter's going with a team and checking it out now." I tell her and try to listen to the radios behind me.

"Stay positive, honey. I'm sorry I have to be out of town." She says. "It's fine mom, Ryan and Liv have the kids. Now I have to wait on word from Peter. Mom, if they don't find her alive, I don't know what I'm going to do." I say to her choking a little bit as I say the words. "You can't think like that Derek. Now just pray and stay positive, sweetie. I love you, my plane is boarding now." She says.

I know she wants more than anything to be here with me but I urged her to go to Rome. I love her and as much as she thinks I need her, I was beginning to feel smothered. "Ok, mom. I love you too. Have a safe flight." I say and hang up.

Maggie's POV

If he takes me out of town or out of state, I fear no one will ever find me. I made him so angry earlier. I'm now tied up outside the barn, to a ladder with my arms stretched above my head, at least I'm outside. My legs can barley hold my body up, I'm so weak. I can see him in his house just beyond the gigantic willow tree, looking at me. I look over to the left, nothing but tree line.

I close my eyes and imagine myself running through them, branches cracking beneath my feet. I open my eyes when I hear the cracks of branches behind the tree line. I squint to look closer, when I see at least six men in camouflage with guns. Then I see a familiar face, Peter. He gives me a smile and I return it with tears streaming.

Thank god. I look back at the house when a door slams. William comes walking out, I see a gun tucked in front of his pants. "So where are we heading to?" I ask. "We aren't going anywhere. It's come to my attention, that you're more trouble than you're worth." He says pulling a knife out and cutting me free. I drop to the ground.

"Are you letting me go?" I ask looking up at him. "Not a chance." He says pulling the gun out and pointing it at my head. I flinch and look back out at the tree line, no one's there. Was I imaging that? Am I really going to die here today? I look back up at him. He hits me with the butt of the gun, "DON'T FUCKING LOOK AT ME!" He shouts. I look at him still, "You wanna kill me then you better look me straight in the eyes, you coward. I want my face to haunt your dreams, you son of a bitch!" I scream at him.

He cocks the gun and I stare at him, the nose of the gun pressing against my forehead. "William Johanason! Put your hands up now." A deep voice shouts from behind him. He half turns and I look behind him, seeing Peter and his swat team. I exhale and close my eyes quickly.

William jerks me up by my arm and puts me in front of him, holding the gun to my head. His arm clings tightly to my shoulder as he wraps it across my chest, nearly choking me. Peter looks at my face and I see the pain in his face. I hear the echoes of their radios, No clear head shot. I look at peter and nod.

"You shoot me, you shoot her!" He shots at them. "I'm a pretty good shot, Knight Creeper." Peter says to him, gun still drawn on him. I feel William tense up behind me. He's the Knight Creeper? It all makes sense now.

Peter casually taps his right shoulder twice and nods to me. For some reason I know what he means, he's going to take a shoulder shot. I move my head to the left, and BANG. William releases me stumbling back several feet. Four men move in, shouting at him, Don't move! Gun down! I muster up every ounce of energy I have and start to run to Peter.