Stay Away

Chapter 23 - Revealed

Stephanie stepped though the open, or rather, kicked down, door. Chris followed her out.

"What's the plan?" Asked Steph.

"We have to contact your husband. Or at least Nate. There's a phone in his office." Chris explained. "He should be out right now, and your husband killed his friend, so we should be okay. We only have a limited amount of time though, so hurry." He held up a chunk of rubble which Stephanie ducked under.

"It's just over here." Chris walked up to a door and pushed it open. "There's the phone! I'll call, but you have to talk." Chris grabbed the phone on the desk and dialed Nate's number. As it rang, he passed it to Stephanie, but she hesitated.

"It'll be fine." He nodded.

Meanwhile...

Matt was crying on the wicker chair. "God, the turtles!" He cried.

"Please, just shut up." Nate dragged his hands down his face, annoyed. "It's been an hour!" Matt cried louder. "Please, send me a sign. Is this my fate?" Nate asked no one in piticular.

Then the phone rang. Nate got up. "You are truly a merciful god." He picked up the phone. "Hello?" There was heavy breathing on the other end. "Um... hello?"

"Nathan?"

Nate gasped. "Stephanie!" Matt instantly stopped crying. He jumped up and took the phone.

"Stephanie?" He asked.

"I know that voice from somewhere. You're my husband, aren't you?" She asked.

"Apparently. You have amnesia, too?" Asked Matt.

"What... what do you mean, too? You can't remember me?" She asked.

"How sad." Steph and Chris looked behind them.

"You." Chris growled.

"Yes, me. Now, hang up on your husband." He said. But Chris lunged forward, attacking him.

"Tell him were you are!" Yelled Chris.

"What's going on?" Asked Matt.

"I don't have much time. I'm at the old red room location." There was a gunshot. Stephanie whipped her head around. Chris stepped back, holding his chest. There was blood pouring from it. He fell back, dead.

"No!" She screamed. She ran over to his body and tried to stop the bleeding. The man hung up the phone and pointed the gun to her.

"It really is tragic. You two used to be so perfect. Now, he's forgotten about you completely." He chuckled. "I was carless. I should have killed him a long time ago. So I'm not making that mistake again." He grabbed Stephanie by the arm, picking her up and dragging her to the office chair.

"Let go of me!" She yelled. But it was really in vain. She had one hope at this point. Hopefully, whoever her husband was would take the bait.

"You used to be stronger than this, Stephanie. When he was in danger, you gave up everything to save him. You were feirce, tough, angry. You were invincible. But now-" He pulled her over forcefully. "Now you're weak. And to be honest, I prefered you that way."

He shoved her into the chair, tying her wrists behind her. But then she noticed something. The phone hadn't been hung up. At least not on their side. "Someone help!" She screamed as a last attempt. But the man slammed the phone down.

Matt stepped back. "That was her. That was Stephanie." His eyes went wide. "And she's in danger." He grabbed the keys and went to the door, but for some reason, Nate was standing in the middle of the room, a look of shock on his face.

"Nate?" Asked Matt.

"I never thought he would go this far." Said Nate.

"Who? What?"

"Cristina was right, this whole thing is personal, it's about you and Stephanie. But... I never knew he was capable of this." He said.

"Who is he?" Asked Matt.

"You can't remember him, but his name... is Jason."