“Hey Bunnie.”
His arm pulled her close, her head pressed against his chest, heart fluttering at his familiar warmth.
She looked up slowly at his face. Her voice croaked. “Klaus.”
“Yeah, it’s me,” he said, stroking her hair.
Unable to hold it in any longer, she hugged him tightly and burst into soft cries, her tears soaking his black shirt. Only heaven knew how scared she was.
“Hey, it’s okay. Don’t cry. I’m here now; everything will be alright,” he coaxed, his voice soft and gentle as Morticia struggled to control her sobs.
From a shadowed corner, Jamie emerged. His eyes shifted to the entrance; he had heard the chain clacking earlier-a sign she was close.
“Morty,” he called softly, but dread laced his tone. “I’m not gonna hurt you, okay? I just want to be with you. Was that too much to ask? I want to take you to our home. Peaceful. It has the water view you love. The air is calm and lovely.
Just you and me. Do you know how sweet that will be? I’ll treat you like a queen, give you whatever you want. I’ll raise our children like they mean the world to me. And of course…” He let out a dark chuckle. “I’ll k! ll whoever comes between us.”
A sigh came from behind him. “Bullsh! t. I almost puked hearing your nonsense.”
Jamie paused, surprise flashing across his features. He hadn’t expected them to find him this quickly.
Effective.
Jamie turned to see Vincent, massaging his fingers and neck, making gentle cracking sounds. His eyes were cold, boring into Jamie.
Jamie chuckled, tightening his grip on his gun. “If you’re here, does that mean Klaus is here too? No wonder I can’t hear Morty anymore.”
Vincent was not in the mood for chit-chat; he pulled out his gun, ready to shoot, but the lights suddenly went out.
Two gunshots followed.
Morticia flinched at the sound of the gunshots while Klaus looked back.
“What was that? Did he kill someone? Jamie has a gun; who else is here with you?” she questioned.
“Vincent is dealing with him at the moment, and I need to help him,” Klaus said.
“Vincent is here too? Oh God.”
“He’ll be fine. Trust me. I need you to get out of here. Take our car and leave,” he said, handing her the car keys.
“What about you guys? I’m scared. Please, you shouldn’t get hurt!” she shook her head.
Klaus held her face gently. “Listen, Bunnie. Trust me. Okay? We’ll be back before you know it.” She finally nodded in agreement.
“Follow that way; you’ll find a passage that will lead you out,” he ordered, and she quickly obeyed, heading in the opposite direction.
Klaus pulled out his dagger and moved to find Jamie. Unlike Vincent, he rarely used a gun. He preferred to feel his enemy’s blood spill beneath his hands.
Morticia sighed in relief when she found the exit Klaus had mentioned. She ran toward it, but the door shut just as she reached it.
“What… no, no, no!” she panicked, trying to open it.
“Morty.” She froze, hearing the familiar wicked voice again.
Morticia turned to face Jamie, who was now aiming a gun at her.
Vincent cursed under his breath, chest heaving as he wondered where Jamie had run off to. Jamie had shot as soon as the lights flickered out, and Vincent had barely dodged it. Now, he was nowhere to be found when the lights returned. Vincent wondered why he had hesitated when aiming his gun at Jamie.
“Where is he?” Klaus asked.
“I lost him,” Vincent replied. “That as$hole knows every nook and cranny of this place. This is an automated house. He messed with the lights and disappeared.”
Klaus clenched his jaw. “I should have taken Bunnie out of here myself. I shouldn’t have left her. He’s after her and probably waiting for us to trap us.”
Vincent’s eyes widened. Klaus was right.
“Find Jamie, and I’ll go back to Bunnie,” Klaus said, and they both parted ways, only to see the door Morticia was supposed to go through shut, leaving the keys he had given her on the floor.
“Fuck,” he mumbled.
—
“Where are you going? I thought we were heading to that building. Isn’t that where Morty is?” Rhea asked Valerie, who was heading in the opposite direction.
“Heading in is a death wish. I’ve got a plan; can you stop whining?” Valerie replied, walking into the empty tall building across the street.
“I just don’t understand what you’re planning to do.”
“I’m going to take down Jamie and help Klaus and Vincent in any way I can.”
They climbed the stairs and reached the rooftop. Rhea was trying to catch her breath while Valerie pulled out her equipment from her bag.
“I’m glad I brought this,” Valerie said with a smile, holding her scanner and a long gun.
“What the…?”
“Shhh,” Valerie hushed Rhea, setting up her equipment. The lens could reveal where figures were hiding, showing their shadows and what they were currently doing.
After studying the building and its shadows, Valerie ordered, “Call Klaus, Rhea.” Rhea quickly did as she was told.
Klaus, who saw the call, wanted to ignore it but picked up, knowing it could involve Morticia.
“Rhea, I’m in the middle of something…”
“Yeah, I know you’re busy. This is Valerie, and I’m your eyes right now…”
“Sienna’s sister…”
“Don’t ruin my mood with her name. Let’s get to business…” Valerie explained Morticia’s condition.
Jamie had her again.
Morticia groaned as Jamie pushed her to the floor. Her body felt weak, like water. She hadn’t eaten all day, and her eyes were heavy from lack of sleep and crying. She just wanted to get out of there.
“This house belongs to my grandfather. I inherited it from him since I’m the only Hanson heir. The house is automated; though it looks creepy, doesn’t it?
You really think you can escape me that easily? Tsk… I knowingly waited for your brother, and Klaus. If I don’t kill them right here, they won’t stop. And the moment I feel I can’t beat them… I’ll k! ll you and myself. If I can’t have you, no one can,” Jamie said, and Morticia’s heart raced.
That meant Vincent and Klaus were in trouble.
Before Jamie could shut the door of the room, Klaus barged in, slamming the door onto Jamie’s face, making him stagger to the floor.
How the hell did Klaus find him?
Jamie tried to shoot Klaus, but Klaus kicked the gun and remote from his hand.
Jamie attempted to punch Klaus but only hit air. Klaus grabbed his arm, delivering several punishing blows to Jamie’s face, then slammed him down to the floor.
A loud cry echoed through the room, reverberating off the walls. Klaus had broken his arm; Jamie’s spine felt like it was splitting in two.
Klaus held Jamie’s shirt and pulled it up.
“You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this moment, wimp. To k! ll you.” Klaus delivered another punch, then another…
Just then, Vincent entered the room, his eyes widening in horror as he saw Morticia’s bruises. He rushed to her first.
“He hit you?” His eyes flashed with a fury Morticia had never seen before.
Klaus, hearing this, felt his anger intensify. He returned to punching Jamie hard.
Vincent wanted to kill Jamie, but not with his sister watching.
“Klaus,” Morticia called, her voice strained. “That’s enough… please.”
“What?” Klaus growled.
Vincent paused. “Let him go, Klaus.”
Klaus frowned. “The hell?”
Vincent looked at him, as if communication silently.
Klaus eventually returned his gaze to Jamie, who was barely breathing, his blood staining the floor.
“We’ll take him to the cops, okay?” Vincent said to Morticia. She nodded, her breath ragged. Vincent reached to help her up, but she fainted in his arms.