He'd heard Kat cry out, and the sound infuriated him so much that he forgot about the searing pain in his head, it was replaced with utter and uncontrollable rage and fury. How DARE she hurt Kathy! She'd had nothing to do with this! Crys's problems were with him! Kathy shouldn't be made to suffer for what he himself had done. Damn her!
At this last thought Josh slammed his fists against the back of the chair, infuriated...
...and felt something break! Yes! The combination of his sweat and the force he had just hit the chair with were enough to make the rope snap. He was free!
Crystal had been gone awhile, and he knew he didn't have too much time if she had been off the phone long enough to torture Kat, he bent forward, and worked the knots on his ankles as fast as he could. She hadn't taken as much time as with his hands, and soon he was standing, peeling the layers of tape from his mouth, spitting out the panties which were covered in more than just his own saliva. She was going to pay all right... starting right now...
Stiff from what seemed like hours in bondage, Josh rounded the corner, ready to look Crystal right in the eye and put an end to this stunt of hers...
Instead, he came face to face with the barrel of a gun.
***************************************************
"This weapon is fitted with a silencer, no one will hear the shot that kills you, and you'll be dead before you hit the floor. You'd be wise not to make any rash decisions, me bucko." Andre Portier said calmly, finger resting on the trigger of his Glock.
"And a rash decision would be?" Josh quietly replied.
"Biding your time with sarcastic remarks is a good example, don't you think?" Portier said, pressing the gun harder against the boy's temple. "Now, slowly, move over next to your pretty little gal and get on your knees.
Seeing no other immediate choice, Josh obeyed, walking and kneeling down beside the still bound and gagged Kat. Well at least she was alive and conscious, that was something, after giving her a reassuring look, he turned his attention to Crystal and the man with the gun.
"Running with a crowd of a higher caliber nowadays eh, Crys?"
"Well dear, you what they say, its not the size of the gun, its how you handle it, and believe me, Andre hear handles it very well."
"Maybe you'll get a first hand demonstration later on my young friend, what do you say to that?"
"I look forward to it. I should warn ya though, you better be as good as you say, you won't get another chance."
"Cockiness doesn't become you, young Hunter, let me help with that."
The shot was dead silent, as the man had said it would be, and the bullet landed mere centimeters from Josh's wedding tackle.
"That wasn't a mistake, chum, it was a warning. You won't get another, understood?"
Eyes still lodged on the bullet that had nearly made him a born again virgin, Josh nodded his head and fell silent, remaining still except for his thoughts...
The first of which being "Out of the frying pan, into the fire..."
***************************************************
"First we need to resecure the boy, PROPERLY this time," he replied, looking at her for the first time, "then you and I are going to have a little chat."
As the man Crys has called Andre shifted, Josh took the once chance it looked light he might have, and lunged forward, still half kneeling, knocking over the man and knocking the gun from his hand. Grabbing it he bolted for the door, yanking it open and running into the cool night.
After a moment he heard a scream, but only slowed briefly as he realized it wasn't Kat, nor was it coming from behind him, but rather in front of him. Craning his neck as he ran he saw it source...
His neighbor two doors down was staring at him, and it was then that a thought managed to break thru his adrenaline ravaged brain...
"Shit! Still naked....!" He didn't have time to focus on this as he flatfooted to the next block, where he saw a patrol car parked and ran toward it. The doors open and the officers got out...
.....and drew their guns!
"DROP THE WEAPON!" one of them yelled and fired a warning shot into the air.... The second half of the emerging thought broke thru the Adrenal barrier in Josh's mind....
"...still naked...and carrying a gun..." He slowed as he approached... "Thank God look officers I need your help you see..."
"DROP THE FIREARM AND PUT YOUR HANDS ABOVE YOUR HEAD!" Josh looked confused, as he rightfully was.
"What? Oh, yah, the gun...here ya go" he said as he held it out to the cop who snatched it from him after a moment and yanked Josh around and pulled his wrists behind him.
"What the hell are you--??"
"You have the right to remain silent...anything you say or do..."
'And here I was thinking couldn't GET any worse' Josh thought as he listened to the cops emotionless recital of the Miranda rights as he was cuffed and put in the back of the squad car.
'Out of the frying pan and into the fire indeed' he said sourly as the door shut...