Liar - Ethan Landry x Reader/OC

Chapter 8: It never works!

TW: Mentions of attack and blood

We were all sitting in the van with Kirby while Sam and Tara were walking around in the park, Detective Bailey hovering around them to make sure they remained safe. Kirby's typing away at her computer, prepping to trace the call that Sam would hopefully receive from Ghostface, if luck was on our side today.

"We're really doing the phone tracing thing that never works in the movies? It'll be all, 'keep him talking, Sam, two more minutes, we've almost got him,' and then he hangs up just before you can get a lock!" Mindy spoke to Kirby from the back seat sassily. To say she was on edge ever since the sleepover would be an understatement.

Ethan opened his mouth to comment but I shot him a look and he chose to munch on his Cheetos instead. Any comment from Ethan wouldn't have gone well with Mindy. She was convinced Ethan was Ghostface, and at this point, he could've been killed by Ghostface himself and Mindy would still think its him.

"I can trace a call in fifteen seconds." Kirby responded, pride in her voice before taking a sip from her soda she got at our pit stop at a convenience stop.

Mindy blinks before formulating a response, "Well-, but you've got them out there as bait-"

"Because the killer usually calls from somewhere nearby-" Kirby replied, cutting Mindy off, before Mindy cut her off with another critic.

"And you think they're safe because it's broad daylight in a public place-" Mindy started, but Kirby wouldn't back down and cut her off again.

"I'm right here, and so is Bailey, God, you are so-" Mindy cut her off again. Instead of a conversation it was more like an argument, so i resorted to resting my head on Ethans shoulder. He kissed me on the forehead in return. Sleep hadn't been on my side since the first attack, so I figured I could attempt to get some in the comfort of my friends.

"This is exactly how our Uncle Randy died. College campus. Broad daylight. Yanked into a van. Stab stab-stab. No more Randy. And for Christ's sake Nicole, fraternizing with the enemy still?" She aggressively spoke. Kirby didn't respond, knowing she had a solid point, and I just kept my eye closed.

"Mindy, I promise I'm not Ghostface! How many times do I have to tell you?" Ethan responded; an upset look on his face. The accusations hurt him more than anyone would ever know. They were right, but it still hurt.

"You are such a bad-" Mindy started before Kirby cut her off, radioing Sam.

"Hey Sam - stay frosty out there." She spoke smoothly.

After a few moments we hear Sam's voice through the radio.

"You're going to die, you know." Sams voice rung through the van, eerie silence following before Ghostface spoke out.

"No, YOU'RE going to die, Samantha. Choking on your own blood while I hack up your sister." I tensed up as Ghostface's voice rung out. Every time I heard his voice, it sent me spiraling into a sense of fight or flight. Ethan sensed the change in my body language and wrapped his arm around me, pulling me closer to him tightly, a gesture I greatly appreciated.

"Unless we find you first." Sam spoke firmly, masking any fear that could've been prevalent in her voice.

"For a mastermind, you're not very bright. Waiting for me to call, desperately hoping I'm nearby so the police can grab me." He taunted through the phone, "But I'm not nearby. I'm about to visit an old friend of yours. Be seeing you, Samantha."

The call ends there, a million thoughts racing through my head. An old friend? Sidney, perhaps? It couldn't be Sidney though; Sidney was far away from New York and in hiding.

"Did you get him?" Sams spoke through the radio.

"Yes! Geolocation coming through right now!" Kirby replied, her focus on her screen intensifying, "...He's on the Upper West Side. He's not even outside, he's in an apartment..." Kirby finished in a confusing tone.

"On West 96th?" Tara questioned through the radio.

Kirby paused before answering, "How did you know that?"

That's when it clicked in my head. The only person we knew that wasn't with us. "Gale." I answered, looking up at Kirby dead in the eyes.

I quickly hop outside of the van, shoving Ethan off of me when he tried to hold me back, and ran off in the direction of Sam and Tara. I see Sam, Tara and Bailey marching off to a police car and hear them yelling.

"It's fifty blocks away and we don't even know if this is real, we need to take a minute-!" Bailey yells at Sam.

"We don't have a minute!" Sam yells back, as I catch up to her, panting from the distance I ran.

"Nicole where-" Sam started before being cut off by the sound of an engine starting.

"Get in!" Tara yells at us, and we quickly hop into the car.

"Should we use the sirens?" Sam questions, and I smile.

"If we're stealing a police car, why not embrace the full experience?" Tara replies, turning them on. As the alarms are blaring, we hear the muffled yells of Detective Bailey as we speed off.

"I'm a police officer which means you're not allowed to steal my car!" He shouted with no avail.

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"Hey fuckface!" Sam shouts at Ghostface as we barge through the door.

Sam and Tara run at Ghostface while I block the opposite exits. Sam grabs a gun lying on the ground and fires two shots at them, both missing. As Ghostface runs to the exit nearest to me, I pick up a vase off a table and throw it at them. Unfortunately, it didn't faze them, they continued to run at full speed at me knocking us both down in the hallway with enough force to cause us to fall down the first few stairs.

I open my eyes and groan in pain, slowly trying to push myself up off the ground, but realize there's a body on mine. Ghostface, lying on top of me. I let out a scream as he quickly gets off of me and runs down the rest of the stairs. I attempt to get up, but wince in pain and stay down. I hear fast paced footsteps and see Sam peeking through the doorway.

"Shit! Nicole are you okay?" She asks, concern heavy in her voice as she runs down the steps to me. As she helps me up, I wince a bit in pain.

"Yeah- my body's just a bit sore from falling down those stairs, but hey- we almost caught 'em." I reply, attempting to brighten the mood, smiling softly, "Wait...where's gale? How is she? Is she fine?" I ask, suddenly becoming overwhelmed, realizing the extent of the situation we were in.

"I don't know," Sam began, helping me back into the apartment, "The paramedics are almost here, hopefully she can hang on a little longer."

As we reach Gale, I see her on the floor with Tara next to her, tears in her eyes.

"He didn't get me... Tell Sidney... He never got me..." Gale muttered out as her eyes fluttered closed.

"Gale-" Tara inquired, shaking her lightly, panic finding its way into her eyes.

"Hey. Stay with us! Hey!" Sam shouts, leaning down to her level.

All of the sudden paramedics burst into the room.

"Out of the way!" They shout, quickly making their way to her and starting their work to save her.

"Gale!" Sam shouts, trying to grab on to her as Tara pulls her away.

"We've got a weak pulse, get the back board." The EMT woman says as they get her ready to move to the ambulance, while another ushers us down to the lobby.

I just hope Gale makes it; I'd hate to lose another friend.

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A/N: Shorter chapter, but I do like it still. Even though it's bland it's probably one of my favorites I've written! Don't forget to vote and comment!

Published: 5/1/24

Word count: 1315