From the Shadows

Chapter Nine

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"Bound to your side, I'm trapped in silence. Just a possession. Is this sex or only violence that feeds your obsession?" Apocalyptica feat. Cristina Scabbia- 'SOS (Anything but Love)'.

Lila was disappointed in herself for losing control so easily. She glanced down at the bloodied and unconscious man at her feet. She hadn't anticipated that he would try to fight back. The cricket bat hung down by her leg. His knee was twisted the wrong way. She carelessly slung the bat to the side and used all of her strength to pull the chair into an upright position. Spencer was out cold. Pressing two fingers to the side of his neck, she was relieved to feel a strong pulse. The wound on his temple continued to ooze, sliding down his skin from under the blindfold. Guilt wracked her stomach. His left wrist had doubled in size. Lila turned on a dime to her kitchen. She tugged open the freezer door and retrieved several ice packs. She gently placed one between his cuffed wrists. Another two were tucked into the sides of his knee. She pressed another one to his head.

"I'm so sorry, Spencer."

Spencer bucked as he came to. The pain that spread throughout his entire body was intense. He had lost the sensation in his broken wrist. Median nerve injury following fracture of the distal radius is a common complication in 2-7% of cases... His knee throbbed. His head was pounding. He felt like he was one giant bruise. He could feel the bitter cold from the ice packs around his knee and his wrist. He whimpered. Spencer hated showing signs of weakness. This woman had completely lost control, subjecting him to a savage beating with a wooden bat. She held an ice pack to his head. He remained still and silent; not that he had permission to speak with the tape over his mouth.

"I'm sorry, Spencer. I didn't mean to lose control like that. Why did you fight me? Don't you want to be with me?" Spencer twisted his head away, "Why? I-I thought you liked me? Don't you love me?" Spencer grunted and shook his head, a new wave of pain blossoming in his skull. Lila planted a fist into his face, whipping his head back. Blood slithered out of his left nostril and down over the tape. "I know you shouldn't sleep with a concussion, but I need some time away from you." Spencer was too weak to fight her as she grabbed a handful of his hair and yanked his head to the side to expose the vein in his neck. She plunged a needle into his already battered flesh. Spencer's head fell limply against his chest. The blood dripped steadily from his nose onto his shirt.

JJ had never felt more ready to take someone down in her life as she did at that very moment. They had reached Lila Archer's residence in record time. She tightly strapped on her Kevlar vest and swept her golden ponytail out from underneath. The others were poised, ready to go. JJ glanced up at the six story building in front of her. It was a dark and dilapidated building that looked more akin to a drug den than somewhere a former actress lived. Emily approached, tucking her ear piece over the top of her ear.

"Jayje? Your focus is finding Spence. Take Dave and Tara. I'll take Matt and Luke and we'll get Lila." JJ nodded in understanding, her pools of blue focussed on a window on the sixth floor. I'm coming to get you, Spence... JJ withdrew her glock and held it in both hands. She slowly climbed the stairs. Six floors, two flights of stairs per floor. Twelve flights of stairs to reach her best friend. It felt like a lifetime to reach the sixth floor. Matt tugged a small tool out of his pocket as pushed it into the lock on the front door of the targeted apartment. He gave the tool a few squeezes, then nodded a silent indication that the door was unlocked. The group crept through the dark hallway. Emily used two fingers to indicate to the corridor to the left. She flicked on her flashlight and disappeared into the shadows with Matt and Luke on her tail. JJ continued forward. She froze at the sight before her. Blood was splattered all over the floor. Spencer was unconscious in the chair, his breaths shallow. She heard yells and a crashing from the direction that Emily had gone. Spencer's trousers pulled tight over his swollen knee. Fresh puncture marks in his neck bled steadily. His face was coated with dried blood. She dropped to her knees and pressed two fingers to the side of his neck. Her heart skipped a beat at the slow pulse beneath her fingertips. She gently tapped him on the cheek.