Odd Jobs: Part Three

Matthew

I'm soooo bored. Why did Cody get to go first? That might ruin my chances with Mandy if she decided to fall for him. I bet I could still win her over with my charm, good looks etc. Fiddling with my short spiky hair, I flipped through a random magazine. I think it was about fishing. Gods! how long did it take to give someone a stupid shot? The worst part was the receptionist never came back. Looking at the clock that hung behind the desk, it was already 7:00. Giving up on the mag I sat back in the chair and starred at the ceiling, counting the tiles. 37...38..39. I sat up frowning. Was, was someone shouting? Nah, maybe I was just imagining things. Something to make my wait more exciting. Nope there it was again. Someone was shouting, they sounded pretty pissed. Should I do something? A few seconds of quiet. Then I heard it, as clear as day. A gun shot. Followed by a pained scream. Holy sh@#! I jumped to my feet. Noway was I making this up. That shot came from inside the building. Somebody here was packing! Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap. Either someone broke in right after my bro was taken back there or this place was as shady as it looked from the outside. The blood drained from my face. What if they were shooting at him?
Jogging up to the counter, I hopped over it and grabbed the door knob. Another shot was fired. My heart did its best to jump right out of my mouth. Someone on the other side of that door was getting the s@#% shot out of them. Common sense was telling me to go call the cops. Sadly, I was seriously lacking in that department. The door flew open, I leaped back. My fist held ready for a fight. It was Mandy, she was out of breath and looking stressed.
"What's going on back there? I heard gun shots-".
She waved her hand like she was brushing my question off "It's nothing, nothing. Just some machinery back firing. It's fine".
"I'm not buying that. What the f@#% is going on?!".
"It's nothing to worry about. Just have a seat please" she closed the door behind her and locked it. AND LOCKED IT!!! Yeah, nothing to worry about at all....
"Why you locking the door? Is Cody ok?" stupid question when you heard a gun going off just a second ago. I glared down, practically towering over her. Debating whether our not I should just man handle the key from her. She sensed what I was thinking and deftly shoved the key down the back of her her pants. Crap.
Someone was obviously getting shot up back there and miss pretty here did not want me to see. I shoved her out of the way, ramming my shoulder against the door repeatedly.
"Stop!" she shouted.
I threw myself at the door again, this time the locked snapped off. The door flying open and bouncing off the wall. It lead  to several other doors. Witch one should I search first? Deciding to go with the one on my right, I kicked it open. It was nothing but a broom closet. By the time I searched every room Cody might be-. I shook my head. No he wouldn't. I would find him before that. I turned back to the main room. She was standing right behind me, I grabbed her upper arm hauling her to my level. Letting out a small squeak, she tried to pry my hand open. I shook her roughly "Where's my friend?! Take me to him or I'm calling the cops!" the last part was a lie. Not only did I not have a cellphone, but I didn't even a cent for a pay phone. In this unfamiliar town, I doubt I would find one any time soon.
She looked on the verge of tears. I felt a little guilty, but fear for my best friend was greater. Releasing the hold I had on her arm, I glared down at her. Finally she whimpered and gave in "The last door on your right. I-I don't know what they are doing to him but he's in there".
"What do you mean you don't know!! You f@#%ing work here don't you?!".
She coward on the floor, hands on her head like she was afraid I was going to hit her "I don't I don't! They don't tell me anything!" tears spilled down her face.
Though I felt bad about treating her like this. This was more Codys type of thing, I grabbed her by the arm and hoisted her off the floor. I hated it but I had no idea what the hell I was walking in to I was going to need a hostage. My gut was telling me little missy new more then what she was letting on. I dragged her with me down the long hallway, constently glancing over my shoulder. She protested, struggling to get break loose. I tightened my grip. Every door was tightly shut. Buzzing sounds of machinery could be heard coming from inside. I started to jog, every nerve on edge. The place was nicely lit, there was nothing suspicious that I could see, yet I was getting the creeps. We made it to the last room on the right. I stood a little ways back from it and kicked it open. My foot almost blasting straight through the door as it folded under the weight of the blow. The room was totally dark inside. I groped around on the wall in search of a light. Flick! It clicked on, showing me what looked like a supply room. It was filled with a butt load of boxes and crates. The little b%#ch had lied- "Argh!" I yelled dropping her arm. A deep gash cut across my wrist, blood spilled over my hand. She was holding a small knife, taking one look at me she turned and ran. I ran after her, she had a head start, but my legs were longer. I caught up with her and she swung her small knife at me rapidly. I leapt back to avoid getting my face cut up. She raced up to a random door and slipped inside, slamming it shut behind her. I was half a step behind her, crashing it open before she could lock it. She screamed as the door knocked her off her feet and sent her sprawling on the blood covered floor.
I jumped back, my eyes widening in shock. A huge part of the white floor was smeared with blood. The body of some old guy was shoved in the corner, the blood was coming from a hole that was blown out the back of his head. My heart stopped as I took in the rest of the room. On the opposite wall was more blood, not enough to kill a guy. There was a guy sitting on the floor with a gorey bandage on his shoulder. He was out cold. Three other men stood in the room. I only had eyes for the third one. Cody! He was strapped to some kind of metal chair wearing nothing but a knee length sheet tied around his waist. There were at least a dozen thin tubes attached all over his body. A large purple bruise spread along his cheek. He was staring at me, his expression stricken with horror.
The tall blond guy on his right was holding a fistful of Codys hair with a gun shoved against the side of his head. A bloody bite mark on the guys hand, his eyes snapping with anger. He to was starring at me.
"Let him go" Cody huffed.
I couldn't move, my body locking up in shock and fear. I had half expected to see a body. But there is a huge difference between thinking about it and seeing the gore lying right in front of you. My thoughts ran suddenly sluggish, refusing to accept what I was seeing was real. Wanting to believe this was just a nightmare.
"Sh#t Mandy! Can't you do anything right?!" shouted the white haired guy on the left.
She sobbed "I-I tried he wouldn't listen to-".
"At least you didn't kill him like the last one. We need these two alive-".
"SHUT UP!" roared the gun guy, pointing the gun at me "You! Hands up! Move your ass in here!".
"I SAID LET HIM GO!! You have me, what do you need him for?!".
The blond guy struck him across the face with his gun hand. His snapped back, when he straightened his mouth was bloodied "Not another word out of your mouth snot!".
"RUN!" he yelled at me.
That snapped me out a of my shell shocked fear. I couldn't run. They would shoot me if I did, what would happen to him if I left? I had to do something dammit, but what? They had the weapon. I only had my fist.
"Don't even think about it!" blond guy shouted shoving the barrel of the gun under Codys jaw, forcing him to have his head back, blood dripped from his mouth "You take a step and I pull the trigger!".
My heart raced, I couldn't come up with a single way out of this. The only option seemed to be go along with what they wanted and maybe we would get out alive. Maybe. Probably not.
"You're bluffing! If you wanted me dead, you would've shot me already!".
He was right, the blond guy looked more then capable of murder. That's when it hit me. They wanted us alive, he had literally just said it. Not only that I got the feeling they needed us in as perfect shape as possible. If not, he would've shot me in the leg right about now to keep me from running. He wouldn't risk leaving me whole unless he need me that way. It was a desperate hunch. If I was wrong I would be dead before I knew it. If I didn't do something these sadistic butchers might fill me with holes anyway. It was now or never, Cody had the blond guys attention. Running would give me a chance to get help, wich is what I should have done in the first place. I cautiously took a step back, moving as little as possible. I met my brothers eyes for a second, I could almost hear him egging me on, he was shouting a stream of curses at the blonde guy keeping his attention and earning himself several painful blows. I had one foot on the threshold of the door.
The white haired guy looked up, noticing me "HEY!".
I spun and sprinted out the door. Gun shots fired where I stood half a second ago. I raced down the hallway heading back to the main room. Another gun shot was fired. Cody screamed. I froze. Everything seemed to stand still. No, they needed us alive. They said that. I wanted to turn back. To see with my own eyes if he was gone.
"RUN MATT!" he shouted, pain coloring his voice.
The blond guy came charging out the room, face livid gun still in hand. He fired but the gun locked up. It was out of ammo.
I ran into the main room. This time I didn't stop. Leaping over the counter I raced across the small space keeping me from freedom. I ripped the door open, running out in the night. The streets were pitch black. The lamps closest to the building had blown out, the air hot and muggy. Just like when we first got here there where no other signs of life. Not even any animals. A bullet crashed through the door. Sh#t! He either had a spare gun or was the worlds fastest reloader. My feet pounded the sidewalk, I turned down an alley way. Running as fast as my legs would carry me, my pulse pounding in my ears. My hands sweating with fear, if I could just make it away. Get to a gas station, someplace where I could get help. Anywhere with people, or a phone. I made out the end of the alley onto another street. I didn't stop running, not even after I had put over five blocks between me and the clinic. Not until every breath burned my lungs. I dropped to my hands and knees. Panting so hard it hurt. No matter where I looked there was no one here. No one and nothing. It was a ghost town and I was lost in the heart of it.