About Time

Chapter Nine - I'm Not Giving Up

Ria glanced at the time in the corner of her computer screen. 9:45 pm. She, Loker, and Foster had done absolutely nothing. Cal had taken the contact camera out and thrown it across the room. They were watching Cal hit his handcuffs against the metal pole they were cuffed around. He'd been doing it for the last two hours. Well, she and Foster were anyway. Loker was staring at Dillion, who wasn't taking his eye off the three of them. She had no idea what was keeping him from killing them.
Out of the corner of her eye, Ria could see Foster looking a little nauseous.
"Foster, you okay?"
"Just peachy."
"Will you two shut up?" Dillion asked.
"Why are you still here?" Loker asked. "Don't you have something better to be doing than holding a gun to our heads? Just shoot us and be done with it."
Ria shot him look telling him to shut up.
"Well, it wouldn't be fair if I didn't give Lightman and Reynolds a chance to escape. They have until 2:00 tomorrow afternoon."
Gillian groaned. She felt horrible and could feel another wave of nausea coming on. Dillion wouldn't let her leave, there was a trash can beside the chair she was sitting in. She didn't want to sit here until 2:00 tomorrow just be shot anyway. Why couldn't he just shoot her now?
"Well, if you're giving them a chance, shouldn't you let one of us have a chance to go find them?" Ria asked.
Gillian thought Dillion was just going to shut Ria up right then.
He got in her face.
"You think you can find them?"
"Wouldn't hurt to try."
He stood up and pointed at Eli.
"You, go. If I see any cops they both die. Understand."
Loker nodded and ran out. Gillian hoped he had some idea where he was going.
"Dr. Foster, pull up the cameras at the entrances."

Cal was trying to get out of his handcuffs. He was repeatedly hitting them against the pole.
"It's no use, Lightman. I've tried."
Cal ignored Reynolds.
"Lightman, give it up!"
Cal stopped and looked at Ben.
"I'm not going to give up, mate. I have people to live for. I've got a daughter who has no idea where I am, a pregnant Foster at the office, along with Loker and Torres. Those three probably have your boss pointing a gun at their heads. So no, I will not give up."
He resumed hitting the chain of his handcuffs against the pole.
"And you're. Not. Cal. Lightman." With each word he hit the pole with as much force as he could. Finally, the chain snapped.
"You don't know half of the situations I've been in, mate. This doesn't even make top ten."
Cal got up and tried the door. Locked of course.
"Lightman."
"What?" Cal exclaimed, sounding a little exasperated.
"Did you say there's a pregnant Foster at the office?"
"Yeah, mate. It's complicated."

Gillian saw Cal finally break his handcuffs. She was beginning to feel a little sliver of hope that maybe things would work out after all. He tried the door only to find it locked. He went to work on Ben's handcuffs instead.
Dillion didn't see any of this. He was too busy watching her and Ria and the computer with the cameras in the office. Gillian wondered what Eli was doing. He left two hours ago.
"Who is that?"
Gillian was drawn out of her thoughts by Dillion pointing at the computer.
"No. Please no."
It was the camera that showed the front entrance. Opening the door was none other than Cal's daughter, Emily Lightman.
"You!" He barked at her. "Go get rid of her!"
Gillian jumped up from her chair and left the lab. Emily was heading to Cal's office.
"Hey, Gill!"
"Emily! What are you doing here?"
"I came home from school early to surprise Dad. I was waiting at home but then he never showed up. I came to see what's taking him so long. He's never this late."
"Your dad had to leave this afternoon to go work on a case. He shouldn't be more than a few days."
"He always calls when he goes out of town -did he get sent to Afghanistan again?"
"No. Just Boston."
Emily narrowed her eyes.
"What aren't you telling me?"
"I...I can't tell you. Just go home. Please."
"Why?" Emily demanded.
"Em, do you trust me?"
"Of course I do."
"Go home."
Emily realized that Gillian was terrified of something or someone in the lab.
"Okay."
She gave the older woman a hug.
"I don't know what you're so scared of but stay strong okay? I'm going to get you out of here." She whispered into Gillian's ear before turning and walking back out of the door she came in.
Gillian walked back into the lab and sat down, sincerely hoping Emily wasn't about to do something stupid.