by Iris Bolling
"Mr. Dunning, please, sir, get back."
Myles saw the employees who worked in the area and waved to them. "Come in here. Now."
Lynn, Sean, Sonya and Annatasha all ran to him.
Cainan appeared. "Myles, you okay?"
"Yes. AnnieMarie?"
"I don't know."
"What's going on?" Cainan asked as the others ran into the room.
"I don't know," Myles repeated. "I can't get past the guards to see." He glanced at his employees. "I want all of you to go into my office and stay in the safe room with Mrs. Vasquez until we can figure out what's going on."
"Here." Sonya ran over to the conference room table. "This should help."
She pushed a button on the intercom panel. The doors on the wall cabinet opened to reveal six computer monitors. Myles' eyes widened. Where in the hell did that system come from? Then it hit him, the wires Chrystina was talking about. But why was this security system in Mitch’s office? he wondered.
Sonya pushed another button to activate the monitors. The monitors all came to life.
"This is the reception area in the lobby," she said, then pushed another button. The picture from another monitor came into view. "This is the hallway by the elevator on this floor."
"Is that Mr. Mitchell?" Annatasha asked.
They all stared at the monitor as the man holding the gun turned towards the camera.
"That is Mr. Mitchell," Sean confirmed.
"Everyone in the safe room," Myles ordered.
"I'm staying with you," Cainan declared.
"I'll take the women," Sean offered, then walked through the adjoining door to Myles' office.
"What is he doing?" Cainan asked.
Myles watched as Cainan quickly glanced from one monitor to another as if assessing every detail.
"I have no idea," Myles replied as he followed Cainan’s moves. "Look that's Chrystina standing in front of the elevator. What floor is that?"
"That's the basement," Cainan replied.
Myles looked to see where Mitch was now. He was standing right by the elevator.
"The executive elevator is an express," Cainan stated. "If she gets on it, she will walk right into Mitchell."
"We have to stop her," Myles said as he reached into his pocket for his cell phone. He dialed her number. To his surprise it rang in the room. He turned to see her cell phone was on her desk. "Oh hell."
"Call the maintenance department," Cainan suggested.
Myles grabbed the phone and pushed the button for maintenance. It rung once, twice....
"Maintenance, Larry Taylor speaking."
"Larry, this is Myles Dunning. I need you to go to the elevator and stop Ms. Price from getting on it."
"Excuse me, sir?" Larry asked, somewhat confused.
"Larry, stop Ms. Price from getting on the elevator, now!" Myles insisted.
"Yes, sir, yes, sir, I got you."
Myles watched as Chrystina stood there positioning the boxes on the floor and balancing the ones in her hands. Another gunshot rang out. Both Myles and Cainan turned towards the sound. It was a lot closer this time. When Myles turned back, Chrystina was gone and Larry was running towards the elevator doors, which were now closed.
"Damn it," Myles declared. "We have to stop that elevator. If she steps off she will be directly in his line of fire."
"We can stop it," Cainan declared. "There is an elevator service room at the end of the hallway. If we can get security to pull Mitchell in this direction, we can use the hallway exit from this office to get to the service room."
"Isn't that door locked? Only maintenance would have a key to it."
"Or someone who knows how to pick a lock." Cainan smiled.
#
Chrystina had kicked the last box into the elevator and pushed the button when she thought she saw someone running towards it. With boxes in her hand she couldn't push the button to hold the door open.
"Oh no, sorry," she called out not sure if the person could hear her. She leaned against the back panel. What a day it had been. It felt good giving Pam Green the news about her promotion. The look on the woman's face was priceless. Chrystina smiled at the memory. What a way to start her new position. She was going to have to find a way to thank Myles for allowing her to be the one to break the news. With the positions coming open, it would be great to start each day giving someone great news.
"That's it," she said out loud to herself, then searched her pockets for her phone. She didn't have it.
"Oh, man." She was disappointed. "Okay, we will start a 'good news' trend at the office. Hmm." She smiled. "That will be fun."
Suddenly the elevator jerked. Chrystina fell backwards, spreading her arms to brace herself until the elevator was motionless.
"Okay," she said slowly as she stood straight. She kicked the boxes out of her way and pushed the button to the eighth floor. Nothing happened. She looked up at the floor number.
"We came this close," she chuckled as she saw the number seven. She reached for the elevator phone and pushed the emergency button. The phone rang once, twice, three times. Nothing.
"Okay," she said, patience still in check but about to go haywire. She pushed the emergency button again. Nothing. Then she heard a thump and felt the elevator move.
She looked up, nerves getting a little shaky. Then there was another thump. Maybe someone was up there.
"Okay," she said. "They know the elevator is stuck and someone from maintenance is there to open it. Yes, that's it."
The panel, in the top of the elevator, was pushed to the side. She looked up, not believing what or whom she was seeing.
"Myles? What in the hell are you doing on top of the elevator?"
"Babe, I'll explain later," he said as he jumped down into the car beside her. "Right now we have to get you out of here." He bent down. "Climb on my shoulders so I can lift you up."
"What?" she laughed. "I'm not climbing on your shoulders."
She had barely finished getting the words out of her mouth before Myles wrapped his arms securely around her thighs and hauled her upwards.
Chrystina let out a scream while holding on to Myles' shoulders. "Maybe you can carry me wherever you want," she laughed.
"Chrystina, give me your hands."
She then looked up to see Cainan. She looked into Myles' eyes. That's when she saw something wasn't right. "What's going on?" she asked in a serious tone.
"Let's get you out of here and then we'll talk about it." He pushed her further up until she could reach Cainan.
Cainan pulled her straight up through the opening. "It's a good thing I started exercising," she joked.
Cainan laid flat on top of the elevator car then reached down for Myles. Pulling him up was more of a struggle. Chrystina held his legs down to keep him from being pulled inside the car as Myles climbed along the walls of the elevator car until he was able to haul himself up by his elbows.
They closed the emergency door on the elevator.
Myles pulled her into his arms, kissed her temple and just held her.
"It's okay." She rubbed his back to comfort him. It wasn't clear to her why he needed that, but she knew for a fact Myles needed her comfort.
"We need to climb back up," Cainan said after clearing his throat.
Myles pulled away. "Yes, let's go."
"Umm, excuse me?" Chrystina looked around. "We're climbing where?"
"Back up the shaft." Cainan pointed. "It's a half of a floor, Ms. Price. We can make it."
"I'm going to be behind you, babe. No worries. I got your back."
"I know there is a good...really good explanation for all of this."
The fear was clear in her eyes now, as she looked down the side of the elevator car. The pulley wires and nothing. Seven floors of nothing were between them and the basement.
"Don't," Myles said as she started to bend further to see over the side. "Let's just move up."
Cainan grabbed the mounted steel ladder then climbed up
until he reached the service room door. Chrystina followed, with Myles trailing behind her.
#
William turned to the sound of the scream from inside the elevator. The security officer's walkie talkie sounded.
"Live shooter. I repeat, live shooter. Follow emergency 2 procedures. We have two down in Risk Management. Get medical assistance up here right away."
"Police are on site. On their way up now," the security officer responded back.
"Mr. Mitchell, sir," the chief security officer called out. "Please put your weapon down, sir."
"We do not want to harm you, sir," another guard called out.
William looked around a bit flustered.
"Wait." Elaine stepped out of her office. "Please let me talk to him."
"Ms. Jacobson, please go back into your office, ma'am."
"William." Elaine stepped towards him, placing herself between him and one of the security guards. With her hands up she looked at William, pleading. "Please, William, will you give me the gun. I don't want anything to happen to you."
"Elaine?" William was confused.
She continued to walk towards him as the guards called out for her to move out of the line of fire. Elaine knew some of the employees were watching. She had to make it look good for them. Yes, she wanted to be the heroine in this scene. Wanted the employees to tell Myles how she brought down William. Let him be beholden to her for saving his employees. As for William, she knew he would never shoot her.
"William, I want you to give me the gun."
"I haven't killed Myles yet," William explained. "You know what I have to do."
"William," she called out before he could say more. "I'm going to protect you. I will not let any of them hurt you. I'm going to be your shield."
It took him a minute, but then he understood. William reached out and grabbed Elaine. He put the gun to her head. "Any one of you comes closer and I will shoot." He began backing up towards the hallway entrance to the stairwell. He kicked the door open then closed it.
"Hit me on the head, William, then take your private exit."
"I don't want to hit you, Elaine."
"Do it now, William, and go. Get out of here. Don't go to your house. You understand?"
William brought the butt of the gun up then slammed it on her temple. She fell to the floor blocking the door. He turned and ran down the stairs.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
"What do you mean he got away?" Myles yelled as security officers surrounded the office.
"Everything was happening so fast. The minute he pulled Ms. Jacobson into the stairwell, we tried to get in. Her body was blocking the door."
"Surround the building," the police officers who had just arrived ordered. "Mr. Dunning, what can you tell us about this man?"
Chrystina and Cainan ran down the hallway checking employee offices one by one. Cainan stopped where Elaine was with an officer.
Screams and loud chatter erupted as Chrystina made her way to the Risk Management area.
One male employee was sitting on the floor leaning against the wall with blood running down his arm. An officer was working to stop the bleeding.
"Jacob," Chrystina called out as she walked by. "You're going to be okay?"
"Yes, ma'am." The pain was clear in his response.
She then ran towards the crowd of employees standing in the entrance to her old office.
"Please let me get through."
The crowd made way and Chrystina's knees all but buckled.
"Oh my God," Chrystina cried out. "It's Pam." She ran and kneeled beside the officer who was working on the woman who had just taken her place.
"This should have been me," she said to the officer. "Not her. Please don't let her die. Please don't."
"We're going to do all we can, ma'am. If you can give my partner her information that would be helpful," the officer said without stopping his movements to help Pam.
The officer spoke into his walkie talkie. "Female, approximately late twenties. Gunshot wound to the left shoulder. Unresponsive. Slow pulse. Substantial blood loss."
"EMTs on site," a response came back.
"Her name is Pamela Green. She's twenty-nine, with two boys. Her husband died in Iraq a year ago." Chrystina spoke softly. "Her boys need her. Do you understand me? You will not let her die."
The officer looked at Chrystina. "No, ma'am, we will not."
Chrystina nodded her head, certain the officer got her meaning.
#
Myles pushed through the crowd. He immediately ran to Chrystina's side.
"Myles," Chrystina cried up at him. "It's Pam. Myles, it's Pam."
"I know." He picked her up so the officer could work.
"How is she?" Myles asked
"She's losing a lot of blood. We need to transport her to the hospital," the officer replied.
The EMTs entered the room taking over the care for Pam.
"We have to go with her," Chrystina cried as tears streamed down her face.
Myles turned to one of the employees. "Call Larry Taylor in maintenance. Have him to meet us in the front."
"Yes, sir." The employee ran off.
The EMTs were moving Pam out towards the foyer, with Chrystina and Myles following behind.
"Everyone, please listen up," a British accented voice called out. "What has happened here today, is shocking to say the least. You are shaken. I will ask that you check on your co-workers to assure everyone is accounted for. Anyone who needs medical attention, let's make certain they get it expeditiously. Tellie your loved ones. They will hear of this on the news. Assure them you are fine. Any employee who feels they need to go home, you are free to do so. Mr. Dunning is granting liberal leave. Those who are in vital positions, you know who you are, please man your stations."
Myles recognized Jonathan Michael when he turned the corner. He held his hand out. "Myles Dunning."
"Jonathan Michael. What in the bloody hell kind of operations are you running here, Mate?" the calm, but alert man asked.
"A hectic one at the moment. That's a hell of an impression you made. Taking charge of a volatile situation wasn’t in the negotiations."
"All in a day's work." Jonathan nodded. “How many injured?"
"Three, from what I can tell.” Myles exhaled. “Two shot, one hit in the head."
"That would be Elaine Jacobson?" Jonathan raised an eyebrow.
"Yes." Myles noticed the look in Jonathan's eyes. "Do you know her?"
"We've spoken. Let's get the employees settled down. We can chat later."
Myles turned to Cainan. “AnnieMarie?”
“She was out of the building. She’s on her way back now."
Myles nodded. "Have security do an office by office check on employees as we secure the building. I want every employee accounted for within the hour."
Chapter Thirty-Eight
"Darling, life is not the same without you." Winnie sat on the bench next to Hep's grave, the mound of dirt from the burial still evident. The headstone had just been set that morning, finalizing the tragedy of his passing.
"The children are coming along-AnnieMarie a little slower than the others. I don't know what the issue was you had with Cainan Scott, but AnnieMarie loves him the way I love you. Please find a way to send her a sign. She is hurting inside. I don't want to see her shrink away from being all she can. You know like I do, without that special love in her life, she will dwindle away. I've watched Cainan and I believe his love for her is just as deep." She sighed. "This is hard without you," she said as she looked out over the grounds.
“It seems Walker has gotten into some trouble. Gary and Michael are handling him, for now. It’s the only way to keep Myles from killing him.” She smiled. “He doesn’t have your calm exterior when it comes to Walker. If it were up to him, Myles would let Grace's FBI friend lock Walker up and throw away the key. Speaking of Grace…” She inhaled then continued. “I don't know if you remember the young man Grace introduced us to dur
ing college. His name is Jonathan Michael. He is from London, England. Well, it seems the two are meeting up in New York. Grace Heather isn't saying much, but she is excited about seeing him. I think he may be the one to settle her wild behind down." She sat forward resting her arms on her thighs.
"Speaking of settling down. Myles and Chrystina, finally, are together." She laughed. "How many nights did you and I fall asleep laughing at those two. I wish you could see Myles with her. It's as if the sunlight made an emergence through the fog. I see nothing but bright days and loving nights ahead for them. All I have to do is find a way to let Myles know it's okay for him to move back out of the house. He works all day at the bank then rushes home to check on me. I know it's that darn Daisy making him think he needs to be in the house with me." She shook her head. "Between Daisy, Jerome and AnnieMarie, I'm not alone in the house. I'll find a way to convince Myles to find a home with Chrystina and start a family. Now, that would make me happy." She smiled. "Of all the ways we thought it would happen between those two, you will never guess what finally did it. This thing with Mitchell at the bank." She sat back and exhaled.
"I might as well get it out. First, I will say Myles has been causing quite a stir at the bank and in the financial world. You would be so very proud of him, Hep. It's as if you are channeling your spirit into him. The employees love him for making the transition easy on them. Each issue thrown at him, he has met the challenge with the kind of grace you always used with the employees." She shrugged her shoulder. "Well, with the exception of William. I'm afraid he had to let William go. As you know William always pulled behind the back deals with clients along the years. Well, he did it with Myles. This is the one area you and Myles certainly differ. While you handled the situation and kept documentation, Myles took action. It's clear he does not feel the same loyalty towards William as you did. I know." She smiled. "William was responsible for giving you the greatest joy of your life." She giggled like a young schoolgirl. "You said that thirty years ago when you hired him. It still warms my heart to know you put up with so much from him because of me. Anyway…" She shook off the melancholy feeling that was about to take over. "About Myles and Chrystina. It seems William attempted to sway the executives from Hershel Automotive from connecting with Myles. Some way Chrystina found out about it and was able to get Myles and the Hershel execs together. You will be happy to know they signed with Dunning. After the deal was made public, Myles' plan was to demote William, allow him to retain his title; however strip him of any executive power. Of course Chrystina did not agree with his decision and she let Myles know it. Apparently William did not appreciate Chrystina's take on things and attacked her in front of Myles." Winnie laughed. "Hep, you really need Marie to tell you the story. But, she said Myles went across that desk like a linebacker after a fumbled football. He grabbed William by the throat and would not let go. Said it took her, Chrystina and two security officers to get him off William." She laughed out loud until tears were falling from her eyes.