"You're doing it again P."

"What?" I played innocent and Cece sighed.

"Glancing at the clock. You look like that rabbit from Alice In Wonderland."

"Gee, thanks." I rolled my eyes.

"I'm just saying," she lifted her hands in mock surrender, "If you're so worried, call him then."

It was past noon, the next day and I was on the edge of my seat wondering why Will hadn't called or texted yet. I cringed at the desperation emitting off me. Only it wasn't entirely desperation, there was worry in the mix. I woke up feeling antsy but alloted it to Runo's pending arrest. Anyone would feel excited. On the other hand, though, Will had to know I wouldn't sleep past noon or even eleven. He should've called or sent a text already. I groaned at my thoughts—a mixture of desperation and paranoia.

"I don't want to look desperate," I grumbled.

Cece scoffed, "because you're so cool right now. You know he's probably just busy with legal matters right now."

"He wouldn't go without me. He promised." I said and Cece sent me a pitiful look. "Don't look at me like that, you're going to make me get all emotional."

"I'm turning back into my show." She said and did just that.

"I think I'm going to call him," I announced after a while.

"Good for you." She gave me a thumbs up.

I lifted off the couch, got my phone and went into my room. Hand in my mouth, I waited for an answer after dialing Will's line. I didn't get one; not after the second or fourth try. I worried my bottom lip. Maybe he was just busy and caught up in everything. Even with the stark possibility, the antsy feeling from this morning still wouldn't let and had only increased. Getting into bed, I laid down but any form of rest was futile. I only managed six seconds more before getting out and grabbing a pair of sandals.

"You're going there?" Cece asked seeing me enter the living room again but this time with a swing bag over my shoulder.

"I called and he didn't answer. My anxiety is on another level. I think I should go."

Worry showed on her face now and she sat up from her reclined position. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, it's probably nothing." I shrugged but my words weren't half-convincing.

"Be careful and call me."

I nodded and went out the door. The rest of what we'd discussed at Will's last night had been simple. Runo's case would be handed over to the FBI and handled accordingly. There were also some international crimes he'd been involved in which would be dealt with by INTERPOL. In essence, he was done for. There was no escape for him.

I hailed a taxi which went straight to Will's apartment. In the complex, I waved at the fair receptionist as usual but three steps past her desk stopped. There was no chirpy 'hey there' or 'hello' in response. The seat behind the desk was empty. No, the entire lobby was empty. This place was always fairly packed on weekends.

I took unsure steps towards the elevator but even from a few feet away could tell it was out. I looked around again. The elevator was never out. The antsy feeling doubled as I headed for the stairs on jelly legs. My phone buzzed and I promptly opened the text. My heart dropped in relief when I saw the sender.

From:

Dnt come.over

Like the relief had come, it dissipated. Something was very wrong. My anxiety levels skyrocketed. I started dialing a number while rushing up the stairs.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Mark, is Will with you?" I breathed out.

"Nah, he's home. He should have been here a while ago though. I thought you two would come together."

"Mark, I think something's wrong. I'm at Will's right now but the entire place is empty, the elevator's out and he just sent a weird text telling me not to come over."

"Where exactly are you?"

"The stairs,"

"No, no, that can't be safe. Leave there now, Ophelia. I'm going to call the guys."

"What if-" my voice was dismayed.

"That's why you can't. I'm going to call FBI and the detective. They'll bring back up. We'll be there soon. Ophelia, leave there please."

"Mark I ca–" a loud bang froze the rest of the words on my lips. A gunshot. That was definitely a gunshot.

"Ophelia! Was that a gunshot? Get out of there now!" Mark was shouting but my phone had already fallen out of my grip and I was running up the stairs even faster now.

This was probably foolhardy. I was likely running up to my doom but Will was up there. The thought propelled me but a few flights more, a hand clamped around my mouth and a body pressed against my back drawing me down and under a staircase. The scream lodged in my throat died when I was abruptly turned around and saw Will.

"Oh my God," I fell on his chest and he held me. "Wh—"

"Shh," he placed his finger against my lips and looked up the square hole the stairs made then shifted us more out of sight.

"What's happening?" I whispered on the verge of tears. My hands wouldn't stop shaking either. Will held my hands within his.

"Runo." He said confirming my fear. "He's here and vengeful."

"But he should be getting arrested right now."

"Word must have got to him." He glanced up again and I noticed the cut on his brow.

"You're bleeding." I gently traced the area around the wound. "How did you escape them?"

"Sheer and narrow luck," he held my hand again, "we have to get out of here. Where's your phone?"

"In my pocket—" the words faded when I remembered it falling. "It's down, maybe three flights down. I called Mark and he should already be calling back up."

"We don't have much time. Let's get out of here." He said and we made a run for it down the stairs. My feet burned but there was no stopping.

"There it is!" I whispered when I spied my phone hanging on the edge of a stair. "Mark must be going crazy right now." I continued and quickly picked it.

"Dial him back."

I tried to do so as we continued descending the stairs in a rush but my hands were now clammy with sweat and I was desperately working to keep the phone from sliding off my fingers.

"Shit," I cursed.

A bang sounded right above our heads and a scream left my lips this time. A bullet lodged into a railing a few feet from us. I looked up and saw a man two flights away pointing a gun at us. Will dragged me as another bullet came down.

"Don't stop running Ophelia!"

'One more,' I kept chanting as we ran down the last stairway. The door that led to the lobby finally became visible and I pushed harder all the while still trying to dial Mark.

"Ophelia? What the hell's happening?" Mark's voice broke through the intermission as the call went through.

"Mark Call the cops!"

"We are on our way but there's traffic on this side so the other team might reach you first. Are you two okay?" He rushed out.

"No," the phone fell from my hand as we passed the door and a hand clamped my neck in a chokehold. A huge leg stamped on my phone crushing it completely. I whimpered as the hand tightened.

"Let us fucking go," Will was in a similar chokehold and might have been able to free himself if he wasn't thrown to the ground and held down by an extra burly guy.

"You should've joined me when you had the chance, no?" The voice was cold and mocking and belonged to a face I'd only seen behind a screen or on paper. Runo's face was well weathered and even as he smirked, his mouth seemed to be etched into a permanent scowl. This was the face of a hardened criminal. And he had us in his clutches. I shivered and the brute holding me tightened his hand till I was choking and gasping for air. Tears flowed out of my eyes as I struggled for my life.

Runo pivoted and I could make out dark and soulless eyes focused entirely on me before my vision went blurry.

"Easy boy, word on the street is the missus is pregnant with his bastard."

The brute released me and I crumpled to the ground breathing in a waft of air. Runo knowing about my pregnancy made me sick all over. The brute lifted me again holding me in another chokehold and I whimpered as my supply of air was cut off again.

"Leave her alone! Your fight is with me!" Will glared at Runo then the brute holding me. His eyes spoke a different language with me. I'm sorry I put you in this situation. Everything will be okay.

I tried to nod but couldn't.

"We would have been good partners, you know?" Runo returned to Will and bent down.

"Fuck you." Will spat and Runo grinned. He signalled to the brutes holding him down and they lifted Will to his knees. He attempted shrugging them off but they had more momentum.

I knew what was coming before it happened. Violence. Runo punched Will square in the jaw then flexed his fingers. There was no visible mark on Will's face but his jaw tightened. I winced and watched in horror as Runo continued to hit him till he was bloodied all over.

"Stop it!" I screamed in tears. "Please stop it."

"You're going to jail then hell next." Will's head was falling to the side yet he managed a smile.

"You're going to hell with me, maybe your girlfriend and bastard can come along too."

"Don't you fucking touch her."

Runo punched him in the gut and Will keeled over in pain but still tried to hold his head up. Runo collected a gun from one of the brutes and abruptly walked to me and replaced the man holding me in a chokehold. I vainly attempted to fight him off but he pointed the gun at the side of my head.

"Should I burst out her brains or stomach first?" He traced the gun down and used it to lift the hem of my shirt, placing it directly against my belly.

Bile rose in my throat and my eyes burned with more tears. The panic in Will's eyes must have equalled mine. I'd never felt so scared or been at the mercy of a gun. All it required was a pull and it'd be over in an instant. I shuddered as the cold metal moved back to my head.

"Not enough bite now? Where's that bite you used to fuck me over! Where's that bite you used in fucking exposing me! You and I, we could have been good partners. You had the skills and a good head and what did you use it for? Fucking justice. Well, I'll show you justice today." There was a rage in Runo's eyes as he seemed to break the mocking streak he was on moments ago. It was time for vengeance. He clocked the gun and I started praying.

"Pleas—"

"Your fight is with me!" Will yelled.

"Police, freeze!"

The chain of events that happened next seemed to go in slow motion. Runo pushed me away hard and I lost balance and fell on my arm attempting to protect my belly from taking the brunt of the fall. A sharp pain ran through my wrist and head with my landing.

The sound of a snap reached my ears but hardly registered as the deafening sound of gunshots overpowered. I turned and found Will doubling over holding onto his chest. Runo's face turned blue and he fell over too.

"Ophelia!" Mark was in my line of vision but I could barely see him.

"Will—" I croaked.

"An ambulance is here, stay with me!" He was yelling but I was already drifting. My head lolled to the side and the last thing I saw was Will sprawled on the floor in a pool of blood.

***