Into The Rabbit Hole

by Khardine Gray

  “I was terrified,” she retorted. “And since you know us all so well, you should understand. You saw first-hand what Ben is capable of. I was terrified for my children.”

  He stopped and considered this, but didn’t look like he’d be changing his mind anytime soon.

  “But you did nothing, you just stayed with him, even when you suspected he was doing all wrong. You stayed.”

  “I gave you my answer. Before Runway, I had nothing, I waited until I built up a name for myself and a successful empire, and then my plan was to leave. That is the truth. The only confirmed thing I knew that Ben did was falsify documents in the oil rig disaster. But I couldn’t prove it. Everything else I had no idea on.”

  His eyes turned colder and his face harder. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to watch your mother die, and in such a cruel way? Jackson Donovan shot her multiple times. Ben told him to kill her.”

  She shook her head. “There are no words to express how sorry I am. I didn’t know he was capable of murder.”

  Until now she was still shocked. That hadn’t sunk in yet, and most likely never would because she couldn’t accept it. For her own sanity it was better to forget. If she had the chance. Right now, her life stood in a balance between walking away and this chasm.

  “You’re still going to die, Regina. I will not have mercy on you. Now jump or I’ll shoot you dead and you will fall.” His words were ridged, harsh, abrasive.

  There was nothing human left in his eyes.

  It was hard to think of him as Aaron when she’d known him as Richard for the last two years that Taylor had dated him. He’d shown so much respect for her. It was hard to believe that this same man wanted to kill her now.

  “Jump!” he screamed, making her bones shiver from the cold terror that gripped her soul.

  “Let her go,” a voice she knew all too well sounded from the space behind Aaron.

  It was Ben.

  But she couldn’t see him.

  He came. Regina’s heart started pounding within her chest at the possibility of hope. Hope to survive this madness.

  “Well look who decided to show,” Aaron said with a smile. “Full of surprises, aren’t you Ben?” Aaron turned with the gun and searched the area. “Where are you then? Scared to face me like the monster you are?”

  “Drop the gun.”

  Regina looked but she couldn’t see him. She did, however, hear the distinct click of a gun. Ben had the shotgun he used to use for hunting when his father was alive. That click sounded like it belonged to it. She only remembered because she hated hunting and they’d taken her along on one trip.

  “No. I’m not dropping it. Come out from where you are, coward,” Aaron balked.

  Footsteps sounded and then Ben emerged from the darkness of one of the passageways. He held the shotgun in position. The sight of a much bigger gun seemed to throw Aaron.

  “Here I am,” Ben replied.

  “You came.”

  “She’s my wife, of course I came.”

  Regina looked at him, surprised by his words.

  “Don’t you mean ex-wife? You got divorced this morning,” Aaron taunted.

  “I was married to this woman for over thirty years, you don’t wrap that up in one morning.”

  Regina was looking at Ben, but not once did he look at her. She never expected him to say anything close to that and it struck her that she really didn’t know him. She didn’t recognize this side of him, had never seen it.

  “How touching.”

  “Let her go and drop the gun.”

  “No, I won’t.” Aaron had that angry look on his face. “You bastard, you had my mother killed and ruined my life. You had my grandmother committed to a mental institution and, when I tried to tell the police what you did, you paid them off. No one believed me.”

  The more the story unfolded, the worse it revealed. Damaging any good she may have seen in Ben.

  “I can’t apologize to you, because what I did was pure evil, but I will ask that you let Regina go.”

  Aaron shook his head vigorously. “My mother for your wife. A life for a life, killed the same way!” Aaron yelled. “But you first.”

  In the split second that Aaron pulled back the trigger, Ben fired the shotgun and the bullet blasted the gun out of his hand. Regina jumped out of the way and ran towards the lift shaft where she hid.

  Poking her head out, she saw Aaron lunge towards Ben. Ben could have shot him, but she understood that he wouldn’t. Instead he struck him on his head with the gun.

  The blow produced a nasty gash but didn’t slow Aaron down. He managed to knock the shotgun out of Ben’s hands and the two ended up on the ground, punching each other. Regina was surprised that Ben could give as much as he got. He was over twenty years older than Aaron but fought like they were on the same age and level. The shotgun lay a few paces away from them, and Regina wondered if she could make it over to them and get it.

  It was an option she would aim for if she could. Something fell out of Aaron’s pocket and she realized it was the bomb.

  Shit, she’d totally forgotten that he had been carrying it and it was probably the worst idea in the world for them to fighting like that.

  She had to get that, too, and move it away from them. In her mind, she could just imagine Aaron grabbing it and setting it off, killing them all. All of them. She didn’t know if Wade had gotten to the girls, and Brian, she didn’t know what had happened to him.

  On that thought, Regina made a move and ran over to them.

  She managed to grab the bomb and rushed over to where the shotgun was, to get that, too, but stopped when she saw how close they were to the edge of the chasm.

  “Ben, stop!” she cried.

  Ben looked over at her momentarily, blood running from his nose. Aaron hit him again and again, and with one swoop, grabbed him, moving them to the edge.

  “Ben!” she cried once more, moving to go and help him.

  “Stay back, Regina!” he yelled. “Stay back.”

  She screamed as the area they’d been fighting on shuffled and started to crumble away, very much like the ground did on the passage she’d been walking on with Brian.

  “Be—”

  Her voice left her as she watched them both go over the side, falling away with the rubble as it crumbled beneath them. She couldn’t even scream, or breathe.

  Adrenaline moved her closer to the edge despite the danger.

  She searched for Ben, but it was too dark to see down the depth of the chasm. Regina hadn’t realized just how deep and far down the drop was until just now, being this close to it. It was bottomless.

  Ben went over the side, and died.

  Her years spent with him had been a true depiction of a nightmare. She wished to never see him again, but she didn’t want him to die. She never wanted him to die.

  A hand suddenly shot up from the darkness and gripped the edge of the rock that jutted out.

  Her heart pounded again as she thought it could be Aaron. Another hand came, and when Ben’s head surfaced as he pulled himself up, she cried out in relief and rushed to help him.

  She set the bomb down, away from them, and assisted in his last effort to save himself.

  It was instinct that made her hug him. Tears ran down her cheeks from the relief and the sudden thought that this was over.

  He hugged her, too, and pulled away so that he could look at her.

  “Are you okay?” he asked. It was the first time she’d ever seen concern in his eyes for her.

  “Me? I’m fine. Are you okay?”

  His face was bruised and bloody. He looked far from okay, but at least he was alive.

  He nodded and pulled in a deep breath.

  “You came for me,” she stated.

  “Of course I came. Damn it, Regina, the question is why did you come? You should have let the police handle it.”

  “He said he had you, and he was going to kill you.”

  He looked at her with pain i
n his eyes. “And so you came for me? After all I put you through? I deserve what I get.”

  “Yes, but not on my watch.” She looked at him sternly.

  He offered a weak smile.

  A ticking sound brought their attention to the little bomb on the ground.

  Ben bent down and picked it up. “Shit.”

  “What is it?”

  The pained look in his expression told her that she wasn’t going to like what he had to say.

  “The bomb just went live. It says ten minutes.”

  He tried to press a red button, she guessed to disable it, but the bomb was still ticking.

  He looked over at her, stared long and hard into her eyes, then moved over. And to her greatest surprise, he kissed her.

  The action stunned her so much it paralyzed her and she couldn’t move. Then he moved back and, before she could say a word of protest, he ran to the lift shaft and sealed himself in, locking the door from the inside.

  “Ben, what the hell are you doing?” she yelled, running over to him.

  He put the bomb in his pocket and pressed the elevator on to start it up.

  She held onto the bars, trying to pry the door open, but he’d secured it.

  “The control doesn’t work, and since I have no idea how to disable a bomb, this will without a doubt go off,” he said.

  “Open the door, Ben,” she demanded.

  “The kids made it out with Brian. If you take that cart over there, you’ll make it to them.”

  The tears came again, running down her cheeks.

  The Ben she didn’t recognize was standing before her in the elevator shaft, ready to sacrifice himself.

  “Open the door, Ben. We can throw the bomb into the chasm and it will be okay.”

  “We don’t know that. I need to take it as deep down as I can get. Make sure it gets a far away as possible. It’s a bomb, Regina.”

  That made sense. It did, but she was still searching her mind for another way.

  “Ben.” She said his name softly.

  “The time is going, please go. I’m sorry you had such a terrible life with me. I was an awful husband, and I should have allowed you to leave me and be with Brian. It was selfish. Forgive me.”

  “Yes, now please come out of there. There has to be another way. You can’t die on my watch.”

  “No, this is on my watch. Go, Regina. For heaven’s sake, don’t let me do this in vain.” He pulled the bomb out and took a quick glance at it and frowned. “Eight minutes. Go!” he yelled and, before she could protest, he pressed the down button and down he went. Away from her.

  She stood there for a second and panic crippled her, and then she straightened as her mind took her body.

  She thought of her family, and her love for Brian. She thought of Ben and what he was doing, and that made her move to the cart.

  She jumped into it and started it up. It looked old but worked fine.

  It came to life and started moving along the track. Within minutes she came out into the fresh night air and saw lights beaming ahead of her.

  She saw Brian first. Then Wade, Chloe, Taylor, and Wes. They were all looking on as the cart pulled up.

  When it stopped, she jumped straight into Brian’s arms and he held her close to his heart, where she felt safe.

  But they weren’t safe just yet. The bomb had yet to go off.

  “We need to get back. Far from here,” she cried. Detective Fray and two officers approached them. “There’s a bomb. Ben has it. It’s set to go off any minute.”

  “Mom, what do you mean?” Wade asked. “Where’s Dad?”

  “He and Aaron had a fight and Aaron died. The bomb he carried must have gotten damaged and we couldn’t switch it off. If there are any officers in the cave, you need to call them back now. They have about two minutes before the place blows.” She was talking so fast her mouth couldn’t keep up with the words that were flowing from her mind.

  Detective Fray got on his phone immediately and sent a message to the squads that surrounded the area.

  “Everyone jump into a vehicle and drive as far north as you can.”

  No one hesitated. They moved in an instant. Wade took Chloe on his bike and Regina and Brian went with Wes and Taylor. Regina’s car was on the opposite entrance to the mountain and would most likely be destroyed.

  About a minute later, a sound shattered through the night, piercing the sound barrier as the explosion went off and the earth started to shake. Wes could barely drive against the impact.

  He sped up and blew down the road, past the shaking, catching up with Wade and Chloe, who were ahead and in line with the police vehicles.

  Regina looked back at the mountain and saw parts of it crumbling in the dark. It looked like a massive shadow moving around in an angry cloud.

  “Ben,” she whispered.

  Brian looked on as well, and then to her with sad eyes. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I really am.”

  She closed her eyes and lowered back to the warmth of his embrace, trying to absorb the strength of their love as she broke down.

  Chapter 15

  Taylor

  The last few hours were a shock to her system. Although Taylor knew the whole saga was over and she was safe, she couldn’t feel good.

  Her father, the father that raised her, took care of her, and gave her a good life, was dead.

  Benjamin Vanderville.

  She couldn’t believe it. It felt weird and she felt displaced in time.

  “How are you doing?” her mother asked her.

  “I’m okay.” They were still at the hospital. Had been now for the last five hours. The doctors were running various tests on her and Chloe to make sure they were okay and hadn’t been affected by the gas they had inhaled from the green smoke. They’d also given their statements to the police.

  She felt fine health-wise. Emotionally, not so much.

  “I guess so,” she replied. “He saved us, Mom. Dad saved us.”

  The image of her father’s face after he shot Zeek burned into her memory.

  “I know. I feel… I’m lost for words, my dear girl. I tried to find another way to save us both, but he wouldn’t let me.”

  Her mother had filled her in on what had happened during her father’s final moments. Taylor was proud of him. She was proud that he put them first, and that he loved them enough to sacrifice himself to save them.

  Those were the facts, it didn’t do anything to heal the hurt she felt inside, but it was something for her to hold onto forever.

  Brian and Wes came inside the room. They’d just finished talking with the police. Brian smiled when he saw her.

  She’d called him “Dad” earlier. It felt natural for her to do, and she supposed it couldn’t hurt for her to, he was her real father, after all. It wouldn’t mean she’d forget Ben. Just that she was embracing the man who wanted to be a part of her life and hadn’t been able to.

  “They have that hot chocolate you like in the café, with the cinnamon and vanilla,” he stated. “We could go and get some while we wait for Wade and Chloe.”

  “I’d love some…Dad.” She smiled back at him. He held her gaze and she could see the wealth of appreciation deep within his eyes.

  Her mother rested her hand on her shoulder and gave her a grateful smile.

  “Could I maybe meet you and Mom there? I just want a minute with my boyfriend.”

  Wes’ face brightened at that remark.

  “Of course.” Brian gave Wes a curt nod.

  “How about you both join us in a little while,” her mother offered.

  Taylor noted the sparkle in her eyes and felt better. Earlier her mother had cried and looked extremely distraught after the bomb went off, killing her father.

  “Sure.”

  The minute they left her and Wes together, Taylor hopped off the hospital bed and flew into his arms, straight to his lips to kiss him. This was the first moment they’d had together.

  “Taylor, be careful, you sh
ould be resting,” he said against her kisses.

  She reached up and slipped her arms around his neck and gazed into his gorgeous brown eyes, admiring the perfect sculpture of his chiseled face. He brought another smile to her face.

  “I’m okay. I am.”

  “A lot’s happened,” he reminded her.

  “I know, and I don’t think I’ll ever quite get over it.” None of them would. But speaking for herself, she knew that she would have a hard time. It would get easier with time, but it would be hard. To help her, she needed to cling to every ounce of happiness around her. The source of that happiness was holding her, making her forget that her ex-boyfriend was the evil mastermind behind the plot to kill her family. Wes was here, soothing her mind from the loss of Ben. “I just want to be happy with you.”

  “You can have that.” The corners of his mouth lifted into a grin. “I’m really sorry for all that happened.”

  “Thank you for coming. We wouldn’t have made it out, if not for you.”

  “Any time.” The grin turned into one of his dazzling smiles.

  She swore she could look at this man all day long, admiring him and the sexy freckles on his nose.

  “So.” He cleared his throat in that suggestive way that told her he was about to talk about something that would put her right on the spot.

  She already knew why he did it. There was something they needed to say to each other.

  She raised herself up on the tips of her toes and bowed his head to meet her lips. “I love you,” she said into a kiss.

  “My God, I’m in heaven.” He made a show of relishing in her words, but then he fixed his gaze back to her and focused. “I love you, too, Taylor.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Oh, I certainly do, and I have a really good idea.”

  “Let me hear this idea.”

  “I was thinking, that holodeck needs some more research. The Bora Bora hologram was great and everything, but the sand wasn’t right.”

  She started to laugh and it felt good. “The sand?”

  “Yeah, yeah. The color was completely off. We had golden sand but we need white sand. But it’s a specific white. One that can only be replicated if you see it.” He nodded as he spoke.