No Remorse No Regret

by Ian Worrall

  What was he watching me for? She quickly has her answer.

  In her mirrors, a white pickup truck is approaching her at high speed. She speeds up to try and escape, but the truck revs up catching up to her. I’ll run out of gas before they do. She pulls over to the shoulder of the highway and turns off her engine as the truck, a Ford Ranger diesel, stops ahead of her.

  Two men, both muscle heads, get out of the truck and start approaching her as she grits her teeth and sticks her hand in her pocket to wrap her hand around her gun. The one from the passenger side of the truck is carrying a Taser.

  “Hey there, sweet thing, you’re going to be coming with us,” the one from the driver’s side says. “We’ve got a guy in Peru who’s going to pay top dollar for you. You’re going to make us a lot of money.”

  “I don’t think so,” Melissa pulls out her handgun. “It’s the end of the line for you boys.”

  From her bike, she shoots them both once in the groin. They fall to the ground screaming every curse word in the book at her and holding themselves as Melissa gets off her bike. She walks up to the two men, puts the gun to the forehead of the driver and pulls the trigger. The back of his head blows out.

  The other man tries to aim the stun gun at her, but is too late as a bullet enters through his eye and leaves a giant exit wound at the base of his skull.

  She walks over to the truck and finds a cell phone in the cup holder. How did they know where she was and what she looked like? They mentioned some guy in Peru was going to pay top dollar for me. She checks the phone call history and calls the last number that called this phone.

  “Hey, Mark, did you get the girl?” There’s a five-second pause and the voice on the other line comes back again. “Hey, dude, I’m sorry. She left the station, but I got her license plate written down if you want to come back and get it.”

  Melissa ends the call—he set me up—and gets back on her bike starting the engine and squealing her tires in a cloud of exhaust and dust as she heads back to the gas station to finish off this new risk. At the edge of the entry to the gas pumps, she takes out her mobile phone and turns on the CCTV blocker app. She goes inside and confronts the clerk, pointing her gun at him.

  “Try to make some money off me?”

  He shrugs his shoulders. “This job only pays the bills lady. They just pay me a couple hundred to let them know when a girl comes through here alone.”

  “You won’t be making any more money from them.”

  She pulls the trigger and shoots him in the throat. The bullet severs the spine and he drops to the floor. In the last twenty seconds of brain activity, he observes her taking money from the till, and then she blows him a kiss and mouths the word “Goodbye.”

  Back at her Harley, she adjusts her jacket as she sits on her bike. Her hands slip on her jacket and she looks at her palms, blood splattered on her. Bummer, I’ll have to get a new jacket.

  * * *

  The waitress returns to Colton as he finishes his game, “She’s turned down the last three drinks, bud. If you want to take her home, you better make your move now. She and her friend are planning on calling a cab.”

  Colton upends his drink and leaves the table. He mouths the word “thanks” at the waitress and follows his targets outside.

  He sees the brunette trying to hold up her friend and call a cab on her iPhone at the same time. “Need any help?” he asks.

  The girl stops entering numbers on her phone. “You the one trying to get me drunk?”

  Colton smiles at her. “You seemed lonely at the bar.”

  “My friend’s birthday today. With that freak serial killer out there, one of us had to stay sober.”

  “Can’t be too careful. It never got anyone killed,” Colton says.

  Colton points to his truck. “My truck is over there.”

  The girl sees the university parking permit hanging in the windshield of Colton’s truck. “You work at my school?”

  “That I do.”

  A look of relief comes over her face. He restrains himself from making any noticeable reactions. I’ve got this little bitch.

  “We live in residence.”

  “Great. Come with me. I’ll grab your friend.”

  Colton bends down as the brunette sets her friend down over his shoulder. He stands up winking at her. “I’m Mickey.” He extends his free hand to shake hers.

  “Michelle.”

  “And your friend?”

  “Sara.”

  “I’ll get you both back safely,” he says.

  Colton activates the doors to his truck. Michelle gets in the front as Colton lays Sarah in the back seat, securing her with the seatbelts. As he gets into the front seat, he winks at Michelle again. She yawns as she puts on her seatbelt.

  “Tired, kiddo?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You’ll be home soon.”

  He starts the engine and pulls out of the parking lot on the way to the university. “How are your classes going?”

  “Not too bad. Summer courses aren’t a full schedule like the fall and winter.”

  “At least it’s a chance to enjoy the summer. Of course, we don’t get much winter here.”

  “Yeah.”

  At a red light, Colton checks the rear-view mirror and then the driver’s and passenger side windows. Other than the car at the opposite light, he is alone as he opens the center console of the truck and looks at Michelle, narrowing his eyes.

  “You know that serial killer in the news?” he asks.

  “Yeah, what about him?”

  “I told the cops I would be taking two.” He bends down as though he’s kissing Michelle then presses the stun gun to her neck. She slumps down in his arms unconscious. He continues holding her as the light turns green and the other car drives past him.

  * * *

  In Mitchell’s car, he, Jackie, and Zach wait for the light to turn green. They observe a dark SUV with a man and a woman in it opposite them. The man is bending down to kiss the girl, the light turns green and Mitchell drives past them. Jackie sees that the man is still kissing the woman. The remaining windows are tinted so they are unable to see into the back of the car.

  “Someone getting laid tonight I guess,” Jackie says.

  The two men smile, remembering their youthful days.

  “How many times have the police narrowly missed catching a serial killer?” Jackie asks.

  “What do you mean?” Mitchell asks her.

  “Well, wasn’t Dahmer stopped at a traffic stop with a body in the trunk? Ridgway almost got caught on a traffic ticket.”

  “It happens, unfortunately,” Zach says.

  “I’m just thinking it would be pretty bad if we were close to the guy and didn’t realize it,” Jackie says.

  They pull into the parking lot for Danny’s Dance and Pool Hall, one hour from closing. The cop bar had closed an hour ago.

  * * *

  Colton continues holding Michelle as the light turns green and the other car drives past him. Colton puts the stun gun in the cup holder of the truck and turns left. I promised the pigs two in one night and I got two while they’re all in the donut shops. Wait until they read the letter I send to them this time. At the next red light, he searches the girls’ purses, finds their mobile phones, and tosses them out the window.

  * * *

  Melissa checks her watch. Just another hour until home, need to come down from the adrenalin of shooting those three. No Hail Mary prayers for these ones. The first two were self-defence, and the other guy won’t be able to sell any more women. Surely God you will forgive me these ones, won’t you?

  It will be great to get a little rest before seeing Danil again; a hot shower and good food. The operative word here being good. Gas station sandwiches aren’t exactly haute cuisine. She will be home earlier than she expected, so more time to herself. Maybe make some use of the TV. I’ve overheard people saying, “How to Get Away with Murder” is a good show. Should be interesting to see how a
ccurate it is. Of course, anyone in an actual job portrayed in the movies and TV is never accurate. But who cares. It’s entertainment.

  * * *

  Colton is tapping on the steering wheel as the garage door seems to take a year to close. Michelle starts to wake up from the effects of the stun gun. Colton zaps her again hoping she doesn’t die before he has his fun. He gets out of the truck and slides the bolt into the track of the garage door. Back to his truck, he takes a pair of zip ties from out of the center console and makes his way over to the passenger side of the truck. The friend, Sara, is still passed out in the back.

  After securing Michelle’s ankles with a zip tie, he fastens her wrists behind her back. He puts her over his shoulder, taking her out of the garage and into the house, squeezing her backside as he carries her.

  It’ll be great to have twice the fun for the next couple of days as I am looking for the ones who got away.

  Walking through the hallway, he hums a nonsensical tune half dancing and half walking to the song as he carries Michelle. He gets to the dungeon and enters, flipping the switch. The dark sound-proofing foam on the walls soaks up not only the sound but also the light. The window is also covered up with the foam. He told the store clerk where he bought it that he is a drummer and didn’t want to disturb the neighbors. It was a sensible precaution as the screaming of his victims would surely draw attention.

  He puts her on the floor, securing her to a leg iron bolted to the floor. This item was bought off eBay, sold to him with no questions asked. He kisses her on the forehead and whispers in her ear, “Your clothes are coming off soon, my little sweetie.”

  He closes the door to the room and starts making his way back to the garage. How will I secure Sara? If only he had won the eBay auction for the four sets of leg irons, or had the foresight to buy a backup pair in case this one breaks. Use the handcuffs for now until I find something better.

  Back in the garage he closes the passenger side front door after grabbing two more zip ties. He opens the back door and Sara is still passed out. He checks for breathing and a pulse. She’s still alive, for now. Taking her by her shoulders, he drags her out and lays her down on her stomach. He first secures her ankles, learning from the times when he got kicked in the face. After securing her wrists, he pulls her to her feet and takes her over his shoulder. This one’s a little heavier than Michelle, but she’ll be a good workout.

  Closing the vehicle door behind him, he hears the unmistakable rumble of an engine rattling the garage door. A Harley. Prefer the Kawasaki Ninja bikes myself.

  Leaving the garage, he starts humming his song to himself again as he dances while carrying the woman to her last bedroom. As he enters the room, Michelle is waking up, trying to struggle to get herself free.

  When she sees Colton carrying her friend, she starts crying. “Why are you doing this?”

  He shrugs as he drops Sara to the floor. “It’s fun.” He blows her a kiss. “Be back in a minute.”

  He closes the door behind him. Two minutes later, he returns with his handcuffs and a pair of heavy duty scissors. Michelle is trying to wake Sara but she’s too drunk. Colton secures one end of the handcuffs to Sara’s left wrist and the other end to the eye bolt in the floor. He sees that Michelle is shaking.

  “A little scared?”

  “Like I’m scared of a man who has to kidnap a girl to have sex with her? Couldn’t get one to willingly do it?”

  Colton lunges at her with the scissors, grabs her hair and roughly pulls her head back. He points the scissors at her chest and Michelle screams out as she tries to back away.

  “You’re scared now, aren’t you?”

  He grabs her hair again and pulls her head further back, putting the open scissors at her throat. “Yes, you’re very scared.”

  “Does it make you feel like a tough guy overpowering a ninety-five-pound woman?”

  Colton starts cutting off her shirt.

  “Like to see how well you’d do against a real man, you coward.”

  “You want your life to go longer than the others, you better shut your mouth,” he warns.

  “I’m going to die here anyway. Might as well go out fighting.”

  “Not before I have my fun,” he says.

  He cuts her pants off and then removes her undergarments. Smirking at her as he unzips his pants, “Get ready for the time of your life.”

  * * *

  Pulling her Harley into the garage, Melissa takes her gun out of her pocket and turns off the bike. She dismounts as the garage door closes. Opening the door from her garage to the living room. she turns on the living room light. She listens to see if she can hear anyone breathing. With no sound coming from the living room, she enters the hallway. As she gets to the outside of her bathroom, she turns that light on and swiftly enters, shoving the door against the wall. No one is behind it. With the gun, she moves the shower curtain. Nothing. She moves out of the bathroom and past the living room, pointing the gun around as she does. The closet in the hallway by the front door reveals nothing.

  She checks out her kitchen. Nowhere to hide in here. Moving out of the kitchen and down the hallway, she gets to the spare bedroom. Continuing her room search, she finds nothing. The last place is her bedroom. Turning on the bedroom lights, she points the gun around the room, but there is nothing in the main room. She checks her closet, pulling the clothes to the side. Nothing.

  Alone and safe at home, she goes into the garage, opens the trap door to the tunnel, and sees a gym bag.

  Two-fifty large is what he still owes her, and it better all be there. Opening the bag, there is money in there, along with several files. My next jobs probably. The money counter will confirm if it’s all there.

  With a glance, she checks through the files confirming that they are her next jobs. Picking up the bag, she climbs up the ladder into her garage. She opens the locker and takes out an electronic money counter before heading back into the living room.

  She turns on her TV and as she plugs in the money counter, the news story on the death of Mike Blauer comes on. The news anchor confirms his death was murder, but the police would give not details at this time.

  Melissa sits down on her couch with the money counter on the coffee table and runs the first stack of bills. It reads seven thousand five hundred dollars.

  * * *

  Sara is regaining consciousness and sees her friend Michelle lying in the fetal position, naked and crying. She tries to reach her before realizing that she’s chained to the floor.

  “Michelle, what’s going on?”

  Michelle sits up still huddling. “The Drowner. He’s got us.”

  “Oh no, and?” Sara starts crying.

  “Yes, he’s already raped me,” Michelle says

  “You’re next, Sara.”

  The two of them look up to see Colton standing in the doorway, his scissors in his hand and a thin smile on his lips.

  Sara tries to back away from him as he gets down on his knees and starts crawling towards her. Colton lifts his right hand off the floor and moves a couple inches forward. “What a fun time we’re going to have, little darling.” Like a cat stalking its prey, he continues this movement toward her. Michelle is struggling to come to her friend’s assistance, but her chain is too short to reach her.

  Colton grabs Sara by the foot and starts to cut her skirt. “You and I are going to have some fun, my darling.”

  “Sara,” Michelle calls out, “you’re going to have to fake the orgasm.”

  “Fuck you, bitch,” Colton yells as he turns and punches Michelle in the chest, knocking her back. He turns his attention back to Sara. He makes a little cut in her skirt and tears it an inch. “I bet I’m better than your boyfriend.” He tears her skirt another two inches and whistles as he feels the inside of her legs. “Your skin is so soft, little sweetheart. It will be a shame when I carve you up.” Then he tears her skirt completely off and rips her shirt off.

  * * *

  Finished coun
ting her money, Melissa slams her beer onto the table. Fifty thousand short. As she changes into her pajamas, she’s breathing loudly through her teeth making the hissing sound when the doorbell rings. Answering the door, she calms herself as the pizza delivery kid hands her a pizza.

  “Fourteen eighty-five, miss.”

  She hands him a twenty-dollar bill. “Keep the change.”

  “Thanks. This is my last one tonight.”

  “Going home to your girlfriend?”

  “No. I don’t have one,” he says.

  “How old are you?”

  “Eighteen. Why?”

  “Still a virgin?” she asks.

  Without answering the kid’s face reddens slightly.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  Putting the pizza down on her hall table, she takes hold of his hand and leads him inside.

  “If you want to lose it, you’ll come with me,” she says.

  The kid allows her to lead him from the front door, closing it behind him. As they get to the kitchen, Melissa turns to him, puts her arms around his shoulders and stands on her toes to kiss him.

  “It’s customary to pick the woman up off the floor and carry her to bed when you’re about to have sex.”

  “OK, since you insist.” I can’t believe this lady just threw herself into my arms. Perhaps it’s true—as one door closes, another one opens. As a pizza delivery driver, that is true as a matter of his work. But one girl breaks up with you, another throws herself into your arms.

  He reaches down, putting his arms under her butt. She wraps her legs around him as he lifts her off the floor. “Last door at the end of the hall.”

  They start heavy kissing as he carries her down the hall. He stumbles a bit as he enters the bedroom almost dropping her on the floor. She lets out a yelp as he recovers and lays her down on the bed and eagerly pulls her pajama bottoms off. He takes a three-pack of condoms out of his jeans pocket as he quickly removes his own pants.