No Return

by Nolon King

  Chapter 49 - Jasper Parish

  “I said drop it,” Anders repeated.

  “Come on, man. You’re really going to let him kill a child and a cop?” Jasper still gripped the AR-15, knowing he was flirting with death.

  “Drop it.”

  Jasper lowered the gun, then carefully set it on the floor.

  “I knew you’d come here,” Anders said, before ordering Jasper down onto his knees.

  “Come on, man. You’re better than this.”

  Anders laughed. “Says the man who kidnapped my wife and child?”

  “I wasn’t going to have them hurt.”

  “Yeah, whatever. Put your hands behind your head.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “I’m taking you back to Madam Pandora. She has some questions for you.”

  “I’ll go. But, please, don’t let him butcher them. Jessi’s just a kid. Come on, Anders. You’ve got a daughter. You can’t—”

  “Shut up! Get your hands behind your fucking head.”

  He was getting to the man. Jasper had a flash of Anders losing it. Snapping and taking a swing. He just had nudge him a little closer to the edge, but not so far that Anders emptied the gun into Jasper’s head.

  “How’d you feel if it was your little girl down there? Getting raped by that—”

  And that did it. No father wants to imagine his child being raped. The image was too much. Anders swung with the butt of the gun. Jasper anticipated, dodging just as Anders was about to connect with his skull.

  He reached out, grabbed the gun, then wrenched it upward, crushing Anders’s fingers in the trigger guard and forcing him to release it.

  Jasper went to fire, but Anders moved too quickly, somehow knocking the pistol from his hand and sliding to Jasper’s left.

  When Jasper dove for the weapon, Anders rushed him, kicking the gun into the kitchen as Jasper fell to the ground.

  Anders kept running, putting himself between the fallen gun and Jasper.

  He had a blade in his left hand, his right fingers likely still in pain from being crushed with the trigger guard.

  Their gazes locked.

  Anders swung and missed.

  Jasper backed away, scanning his surroundings. To his left, an island with a rack of pans hanging just over his head. He reached for the closest one.

  Anders thrust the blade toward his gut.

  Jasper fell backward, just missing the pan, his adrenaline pumping so hard that he didn’t know if he’d been stabbed.

  No time to look. Anders was coming again.

  Jasper dodged, leaning on the island and leveraging himself to the left, quickly maneuvering to the opposite side, reaching up as he went and grabbing a heavy frying pan.

  Their gazes locked again.

  Jasper was right on top of the gun but had no time to bend over and grab it.

  He kicked it back instead, now a loss for them both.

  It was a frying pan versus a knife.

  Jasper took a defensive stance, waiting for Anders to take another jab. “Last chance to walk away.”

  “Fuck you.” Anders moved in.

  Jasper swung, hitting the back of his hand, hard. Somehow the fucker managed to hang onto the blade. He moved in for another jab.

  Jasper dodged it, narrowly, then smashed the pan into Anders’s jaw.

  He fell backwards onto the floor.

  Jasper threw the pan at his face, then dove for the gun.

  Anders raised his arms to blunt the impact. Then he leapt up, coming at Jasper again with the blade.

  His hand closed around the pistol’s grip as Anders moved in fast.

  Nine times out of ten, given the choice between a knife and a gun in close quarters, the blade won hands down. Speed was almost always on the cutter’s side. But this was the tenth.

  Jasper raised the pistol and fired four shots in rapid succession.

  Anders kept coming, and his blade sunk into Jasper’s gut as he fell on top of him.

  Anders, though hit, was still trying to end Jasper’s life.

  He twisted the knife.

  The gun was trapped between them, Anders’s weight pressing down on him as he kept twisting the blade into Jasper’s stomach.

  Pain and adrenaline battled as Jasper struggled to bring the barrel of the gun up just enough to—

  He emptied the clip into Anders. The man finally stopped moving.

  Jasper shoved the dying asshole off of him then looked down at the front of his body, covered in blood, the knife sticking out of his gut.

  “Fuck.”

  Chapter 50 - Mallory Black

  Dodd kept his gun as he ordered Mal to lie on the bed and slip one cuff around the bed post and another around her wrist.

  He’d cleaned her off and given her another dress to wear. This one was pink with what looked like bloodstains peppered across it. Mal suggested that she didn’t need it. He corrected her.

  “No, I like the slow reveal.”

  Ah, a rapist who doesn’t like to rush into things. How nice.

  Still, it might afford Jessi more time to free herself from the knot. And if she could do that, maybe she could get the knife or the gun. They were both lying on the table behind her. Mal would elongate this rape if it meant giving Jessi a chance to save them.

  She locked the cuff onto her wrist.

  Paul checked it, tugging at it and the one attached to the bed post.

  “Good.” He smiled, then glanced over at Jessi before turning back to Mal.

  “Now, let us begin, Ashley.” He stood over the bed, looking down at Mal, licking his lips. “Whose been a naughty birthday girl?”

  Fuck, I don’t wanna play this game.

  Everything about this man repulsed her. His pervert’s glare and missing teeth, the erection he kept fondling through the silk robe as he eyed her up and down.

  “I’ve been a naughty girl,” Mal said.

  “Been a naughty girl, what?”

  “Daddy.”

  He smiled.

  She wondered if this was all some fantasy acting out what he wanted to do to his own daughter. According to his ex-wife, he’d never touched Lily, though he had taken photos. Maybe he’d been waiting for her to turn ten, too.

  He reached down, squeezing her breast through the dress. “Ah, look who’s growing up. Such a sweet little girl. Have you been wanting Daddy to touch you?”

  Mal nodded. “Yes, Daddy. Please, touch me.”

  He traced his hand down her stomach, and as he did, she took a chance to look behind him, where Jessi was opening her eyes.

  Good girl. Now untie the rope.

  Mal’s heart began to race at the prospect of Jessi getting free, but there was a fear swelling inside her of what Dodd might do if he caught her. He’d threatened to rape her with a knife.

  Would he really do it?

  She had to keep him distracted. And play his sick game.

  “Touch me there, Daddy,” she said, taking her free hand and putting it on his to guide it down.

  He rubbed Mal through her dress. She closed her eyes and moaned, “Oh, Daddy.”

  “Oh, Ashley,” he said.

  She could take him looking at her like a piece of meat. She could take him touching her most private of areas. She could endure almost anything, but when her daughter’s name came out of his fucking mouth, she wanted to sink the claw end of a hammer into his skull.

  She reached down, stroking his cock.

  It was hard, and touching it sent shivers of revulsion through her.

  She imagined him forcing himself inside her daughter and wanted to vomit again.

  Play along. Not much longer. Just do this until Jessi can get free.

  But would Jessi be able to shoot Paul?

  The pistol was a Smith & Wesson .45 with an external safety. Mal wasn’t sure if the safety was on or off. And the chances that the girl knew how to fire the gun were probably nil. Even if the safety was off, would she have what it took to pull the
trigger? And even if so, would she be able to hit him?

  If Jessi didn’t fire, or worse, fired and missed, what would he do to her?

  The more Mal thought about it, the worse the scenarios that played out in her head.

  She might have to disable Dodd herself. But she was dizzy, and the world was still in slow motion. She wasn’t sure if this was the normal effects of heroin — he’d given her a lot — or if it was laced with something else. But she was afraid to make a move that would get them both killed.

  She’d give Jessi a chance. And if she froze or failed, Mal would figure something out.

  Mal looked up at Dodd as he lifted her dress. As the bottom went over her chest, it gave her some cover to take a look over at Jessi. She was clawing at the rope and seemed to be making progress.

  But the more she made, the more Mal was afraid that she’d make a noise and attract Dodd’s attention.

  “Lick me, Daddy,” Mal moaned, spreading her legs.

  “Okay, Ashley,” he said, going down on her, pulling her underwear aside.

  She couldn’t see his face, nor feel him against her. But if she could get him to go down on her, she might be able to get him in a leg lock and buy Jessi time.

  She glanced over and saw her slip free of the rope.

  Yes!

  Mal’s heart raced as Dodd licked her legs, biting them softly, then harder.

  “Ow!” Mal cried out without meaning to. The last thing she wanted was for Dodd to stop and sit up, and maybe notice Jessi freeing herself. “More, Daddy.”

  He bit her again.

  Hard.

  She gritted her teeth, enduring the pain.

  She wondered if Dodd was drawing blood.

  Jessi slipped off the bed, slowly.

  She made her way to the table.

  And grabbed the gun.

  Mal locked her legs around his head. “Now!”

  Dodd screamed, trying to push her off of him.

  “Shoot him!” Mal yelled.

  He punched her hard, repeatedly, in the ribs.

  She tried to fend him off, twisting, writhing to keep his head inside her leg lock.

  Then he bit her leg so hard that she had to let go.

  Mallory screamed.

  Dodd leaped up, then turned and froze at the sight of Jessi aiming the gun.

  “Get away from her!” Jessi shouted, the gun shaking in her hands.

  Mal didn’t instruct her to shoot him, afraid that she wouldn’t be able to. Better to use the fear that she might shoot him. That was the only way to make this man obey or stand down.

  “Back up,” Mal ordered.

  He turned to her, laughing. “She’s not going to shoot me.”

  “Yes, I will!” Jessi shouted, fire in her eyes. “You killed my Daddy!”

  The gun was shaking wildly. Though it wasn’t particularly big, it looked giant in her hands, and her arms looked spindly trying to steady it.

  So much could go wrong.

  Mal had to take control of the situation. “Get on your knees, Dodd!”

  “Fuck you,” he said starting toward Jessi.

  Jessi pulled the trigger.

  Nothing.

  “It’s a fucking prop!” Dodd stormed towards her.

  Jessi dropped the gun and grabbed the knife from the table.

  Mal struggled to free her wrist from the cuffs — she didn’t even care if she tore her hand clean off — to get between them.

  Dodd kept coming.

  Jessi grabbed the blade.

  She went to jab at the monster. But he stepped aside and shoved her. Hard.

  Jessi fell backward at an unnatural angle, her head cracking the table as she collapsed to the ground.

  He stared at her.

  She wasn’t moving.

  Blood pooled beneath her head, turning her blonde hair red and sticky.

  Mal screamed, her heart shattered.

  Dodd held the blade, then looked down at Jessi’s body. “Why the fuck did you have to do that? I wasn’t gonna fucking kill you!”

  He cursed more, hitting himself in the head several times as he screamed “damn it” repeatedly.

  His plans had just gone to shit.

  Dodd turned, looking at her with pure hate. “This is your fault.”

  Then he came at her, blade in hand, ready to end Mallory’s life.

  Chapter 51 - Jasper Parish

  Jasper left the knife in his gut. He didn’t dare remove it and risk leaking to death.

  He was looking for the basement, staggering, when he heard the woman’s scream.

  Only when he reached the door did he check his ammo. One bullet in the chamber, then he was empty. He hadn’t thought to search Anders for another magazine.

  He thought of going back, but there wasn’t time. He looked at Jordyn, coming up behind him. “Should I get bullets?”

  “There’s no time. He’s going to kill her.”

  Jasper burst through the door, hoping like hell he could get Dodd to stand down with just the threat of shooting. He was in no shape to fight.

  Dodd was on top of Mallory, holding a knife to her throat.

  “Stand down!” The yelling took effort, and he was losing blood fast, dizzy and weak.

  Dodd turned. “You again? What the fuck is your deal, man?”

  Jasper steadied his aim. “Get off of her.”

  “Shoot him!” Mal shouted.

  When he wanted to shoot the bastard, Mallory fought him. Now that he only had one shot and might very well miss, she wanted him to take it.

  Jasper yelled, “Get off of her!”

  Dodd stayed put, blade to her throat, straddling Mallory.

  As Jasper stepped into the room, he saw Jessi bleeding to death or already dead on the ground.

  He wanted to put a bullet in the bastard right now. But if he missed or the shot didn’t incapacitate him, then he might slit Mallory’s throat as one last act of defiance before leaving this world.

  “Get off of her now, or I will kill you.”

  “I’m not going back. And … you don’t look too good, buddy.”

  “You’re either going back or you’re going under. Your choice. I don’t care.”

  “You may as well kill me,” Dodd said, staring at Mallory.

  Jasper continued toward them, the gun shaking in his hand.

  And then he fell.

  Chapter 52 - Mallory Black

  Mal shrieked as Jasper fell to the ground.

  No!

  Dodd hopped off of her, still holding the knife, and went over to Jasper, now lying motionless with his face on the ground.

  Mal hoped he was faking. Maybe when Dodd went for the gun, Jasper would flip over and blast him, ending the monster once and for all.

  Dodd picked up the gun, laughing as he turned to Mal. “Well, looks like the cavalry ain’t coming to save you this time.”

  Jessi was dead.

  Now Jasper was gone, too.

  And Mal was beyond caring if she died. A part of her just wanted the pain of living to end right now.

  “Do it,” she said.

  “What?”

  “Kill me like you did my girl. Then, at least, I can be with her.”

  Dodd stared at Mal, then shook his head. “I asked you to kill me last time, but noooo, you had to arrest me. You should have fucking killed me! Then none of this would’ve happened. I wouldn’t have been raped, and they wouldn’t be dead. But you couldn’t do it. You had to be the hero.”

  “Fuck you.”

  “No, Mallory. Fuck you. And now I’m going to make you regret your entire pitiful life. I’ll kill you, but only after you’re begging for death. Only after you feel what Ashley felt.”

  Dodd started toward her.

  “Fuck you! No wonder your wife left. She saw you for the coward you are! A worthless chicken shit pervert who wanted to fuck his own daughter.”

  “You shut your mouth,” he said, aiming the gun at her.

  “Is that it, that why you
want me to call you Daddy? You thinking of your precious Lily?”

  “Don’t you mention her name!”

  “Ah, that’s it, isn’t it?” Mal laughed, long and cruel. “Why didn’t you rape your own daughter instead of taking mine? Was she too slutty for you? Is that it?”

  He fired a shot.

  Mal closed her eyes, waiting for the end.

  And then the gun clicked.

  She opened her eyes.

  Dodd was out of bullets. All he had was his knife.

  But Mal had her feet and one arm.

  “Come on, fucker,” she dared him, squatting on the bed and waiting for him to make a move.

  She would either die and finally join Ashley or find a way to escape.

  He started toward her, eyes full of hate.

  “You fucking c—”

  A thunderous explosion.

  Chips flew from the drywall to Mal’s left.

  A high-pitched scream flooded Mal’s ears as she looked for the source of the gunshot.

  Lucia, standing in the door, aiming a gun at Dodd.

  He turned around. She fired again and hit him in the knee.

  Dodd fell. Lucia stepped into the room, her gun still on him.

  Mal yelled, “Get the keys. They’re on the table.”

  Lucia stepped around Dodd, past Jasper and Jessi, staring at them with tears welling in her eyes.

  She found the keys and threw them to Mal.

  Mal opened the cuff, freed herself, and went to Lucia. “Thank you.”

  Lucia handed her the gun.

  She turned it on Dodd, lying on the ground and writhing in pain.

  Mal was about to pull the trigger when she heard a gasping behind her. She turned to see Jessi moving, her eyes blinking.

  “Mal?” she said, her voice weak.

  “Jessi!” Mal turned and went to her, looking at Jessi’s head to see the damage.

  There was a big knot, and blood, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as she’d thought. Her eyes could barely focus, and her speech was slurred as she looked up and saw Jasper.

  “He’s … he’s dead?”

  Mal went to his body and turned him over. Jasper groaned. He shouldn’t be alive. He’d lost a lot of blood, and the knife had come loose from his stomach. “Jasper?”

  He groaned again, opening his eyes, seeing Mal and then looking at Dodd. “Kill him.”