"When is somebody going to do something about the body from the prison?" grumbled the medical technician sitting at the desk.

"I don't know. It's been few days. We're supposed to wait for someone from infectious diseases to do an autopsy," replied his equally frustrated partner.

The two men decided to contact the appropriate department. Upon the contact, they were informed that no one had requested the autopsy but someone would be down immediately.

What they found wasn't a man in a prison uniform dead from mysterious causes. They found a greedy man with a bullet in his head.

The authorities were notified and the frantic search began.

******

Kermit arrived at Savannah's house to find her still dressing, as usual. Good thing she's worth the wait, he thought.

"Ok. Sorry for the wait," she said as she finished putting on her earring. She was wearing a short, soft pink dress and those customary high heels. The whole thing flowed around her when she walked. Her skirt did a little flip every time she moved that mesmerized her date. Her hair was long and loose and perfect. "Forgive me?" she asked giving him a peck on the cheek.

"Worth it every time," he answered. Kermit circled his arms around her waist and pulled her close. He gave her a long, slow kiss that took her breath.

Pressing her body even closer to his and running her hands inside his jacket, she whispered in his ear, "What time are our reservations?"

"8:30," he answered, moving his hands down her hips and gently touching her thigh.

"Good. We've got plenty of time," she said as Kermit slowly pulled the zipper down her back.

At the restaurant, they held hands and talked through dinner. Savannah had talked to her mother that afternoon . Mrs. March had complained that Savannah just didn't have enough to say when she called. Well, she'll have news tomorrow, Mother March, thought Kermit.

Kermit decided to wait until they got home to bring out his little surprise. He wanted to do it right. Down on one knee, just the way she deserved it.

While he waited for her to return from the powder room, Kermit pulled the ring out to give it one more look. He knew she'd be surprised. He laughed to himself because he also knew that she would think he'd spent too much money. Savannah had no idea that Kermit's prior profession, though hard on the soul, had been financially rewarding. Until now, the only people he had to spend it on were Marilyn, Mitch, and Jason. Savannah deserved the best and that's what he was going to give her. He was going to marry her and make a family. They would have a home and make fat, pink babies and live happily ever after. For the first time in his life, he actually wanted that life. With her. More than anything.
When Savannah started running the tip of her shoe up his leg, Kermit deduced that it was time to ask for the check. Outside the restaurant, they walked arm in arm toward the car.

"You've got a little ole secret," she said.

"What makes you say that, doll?"

"You've been grinning at me like a teenager all night."

They reached the car and Savannah leaned back on the door drawing him with her. "Well," she said, "if I'm going to get this information out of you, perhaps I'll have to hold you for questioning, Detective."

"Maybe I'm just happy to be with you, dear lady. Or maybe I do have a secret. You'll find out when we get home," teased Kermit as he unlocked her car door.

"Well, you know how impatient I am. Let's hit the road, Green Man."

******

Ericson watched and waited in the darkened parking lot as Kermit opened Savannah's door. Once she was seated, Kermit walked around to the driver's side. He had followed them for hours. He had even sat in the back of the restaurant. Counting the minutes. Watching and waiting for the perfect time. Patience and timing were his most valuable assets. When Kermit put his key in the lock, Ericson made his move. It took him only seconds to reach her door, jerk it open, and grab a handful of Savannah's hair.

Kermit heard her scream and saw his nightmare begin. Ericson had his hand in her hair and a gun to her head. She was terrified and looking to him for help.

"Griffin," Ericson hissed, "so nice to finally met your dearly beloved. Forgive me, I've been out of touch for the past few months. Don't get any ideas. Your know how ...tense...I get around beautiful women." He pushed the barrel more firmly into Savannah's temple. "Toss that cannon of yours onto the backseat."

Son of a bitch! Kermit pulled his gun and deposited it onto the backseat. "How the hell are you here, Ericson?"

"How doesn't really matter now does it, Griffin? What you really want to know is what I'm here for, isn't it? Of course it is," he replied while he dragged Savannah out of the car then into the backseat.

"I'm here for my, how should I put it, pound of flesh. Yours, and maybe hers. Now get in and drive. We're going to your house for a little chat."

Kermit slid in behind the wheel and pulled out of the lot. He could see Savannah's face in the rearview mirror. She was white with fear. Afraid to speak or move. That's good, honey, he thought. Don't say anything. Don't give him anything he can use. Kermit had to think. Hostage situation. No weapon. You're fucked. The only option at the moment was to drive and figure it out when he got there. At least he'd be on his own turf. Always and advantage. Kermit had weapons all over the place. Maybe he could get to one.
He would get to a weapon and blow that bastard's head clean off. Just for putting that look on Savannah's face.

******

"Caine, Skalany , Stenlich. Get in here," called Captian Simms in an unusually intense tone of voice.

They gathered in her office and she gave them the news. Ericson had escaped. Days ago and it had just been detected. The search was underway but it was unlikely that he was still in the country.

Peter spoke up, "Captain, you know where he's heading if he's not here already."

"Detective, this man had access to a great deal of money to finance this escape," Simms said. "Why would he risk returning to the scene of the crime, so to speak, when he could be lying on a beach somewhere?"

"To get even with the one man who blew his big performance." explained Peter. "When Kermit shut down Ericson's computer system, he stopped the deployment devices for the remaining pockets of the disease. He told me about this guy, Captain. Ericson's a walking sewer. What he did here was one of his minor atrocities."

Skalany was already on the phone. Kermit's cell phone and his home phone had busy signals. No one answered at Savannah's house. "I think they have a date tonight. I don't know where."

Captain Simms started delegating. She sent Strenlich to Savannah's home to check it out. She put out an APB for Kermit's car and sent Peter and Skalany to Kermit's house. "Just check it out. If you see anything unusual, call for backup. Keep a low profile. We don't want to spook this guy if we find him."

Simms had little confidence in Peter's agreement to wait for backup.

******

The Corvair pulled into the driveway behind a dark sedan. *Oh, fucking great. A partner.*

Ericson tossed a pair of handcuffs into Kermit's lap. "Put 'em on," he ordered.

Kermit put the cuffs on and got out of the car, not bothering to close the car door after him. They walked to the front door with Kermit in the lead and Ericson's arm around Savannah's throat. Gun still to her head. Ericson shoved Kermit in through the door forcing him to lose his balance and land face first at a pair of boots.

"Kermit!" Savannah screamed and tried to go to him. Ericson yanked back by her hair and slammed her into a chair.

Kermit looked up the pair of legs to see Natalie glaring down at him. "Natalie," he said, "just like old times, huh?" That earned him a kick in the face. His eye felt like it exploded. Even so, he managed a reply, "You keep lying down with dogs like that, you're gonna get fleas."

Another kick. And another. Kermit felt his ribs break. He lay there, silent this time, trying to breath again. Then, he saw an opening. Natalie came at him again, he grabbed her foot with his cuffed hands and flipped her on her backside.

"Griffin!" Ericson yelled. "Aren't you forgetting something?" He ran the barrel of the gun around Savannah's face. A semi-automatic weapon equiped with a silencer. Perfect armament for murder in the suburbs. Kermit froze. Ericson tossed Natalie the keys to the handcuffs as she got up and told her secure Kermit in a chair. This would be his last chance at freedom for both of them.

"Don't even try it," Ericson said, gun still in place.

Savannah was begging them not to hurt Kermit. Natalie looked over at her and said, "Ericson, who the hell is she? You were only supposed to get Griffin."

"Consider her a bonus, dear. Griffin's significant other. Hope you're not jealous. Just think of all the fun we can have?" He was laughing. An eerie, sickening laugh.

Kermit couldn't fight back. Ericson was insane. Without mercy. He would kill her in the blink of an eye. Without warning.

Natalie cuffed his hands behind his chair and tied his feet together. She always was good with ropes, he thought. With Kermit now immobilized, Ericson turned his attention to Savannah. He tied each of her wrists to the arms of her chair. She started to wiggle them. Trying to loosen the ropes. One wrist was already bleeding.

Kermit sat there in silence. Trying to think his way through the situation. Savannah, trying to understand what was happening, demanded, "Who are you and what to you want with us?"

"Oooo, Griffin. A Southern Belle. Well, Precious, I am a former associate of your boyfriend. We dabbled in the arms business in South America a few years ago. Big Daddy Blaisdell refers to me as 'Little Napoleon.' I'm sure it's not intended as a compliment. My crowning achievement was bringing this town to its knees a few months ago with that *mysterious* illness. Could have made a fortune if," he leaned down into her ear, pointed at Kermit and screamed, "THAT BASTARD HADN'T CROSSED ME!"

Savannah jumped. He grabbed her face and turned it toward Natalie. "Griffin also crossed Natalie in the jungle, didn't he Nat? Poor Nat. Griffin screwed her, excuse my choice of words, into giving up some information about a very valuable arms deal we had going with some poor oppressed rebels. Toyed with her affections, then gave her up to the police and shipped my guns to the locals. She spent two years in a South American prison. She seems to hold a grudge."

"Those 'poor oppressed rebels' would have slaughtered hundreds of unarmed farmers. Damn right I gave her up. Sorry I depleted your bank account," said Kermit in mock apology. "As for your 'crowning achievement,'" he continued, "I wouldn't brag about it too much. It failed."

Leaning down into Savannah's frightened face, Ericson said, "Funny how such a bad boy with such disreputable friends is now masquerading as a boy scout. Where are all of your cop friends now, Griffin?"

"At your mama's house," spit Kermit.

Ericson and took a couple of steps toward Kermit and raised his hand. Then, he smiled, turned back toward Savannah and backhanded her across her face. The blow snapped her head to the side and she cried out. A thin trickle of blood ran from the corner of her mouth. The sudden attack had even surprised Natalie. She just stood there watching.

"I'm gonna kill you, you son of a bitch," yelled Kermit. "You stay the hell away from her." He knew it was a mistake the second the words left his mouth. He had reacted and given Ericson the weapon he was looking for to torture him. <God, I'm sorry, Scarlettt.>

Ericson stood behind Savannah's chair and pulled a knife out of his pocket. He reached down to run his fingers through her hair and traced her profile with the knife.

Kermit felt his stomach turn. Savannah was shaking so hard he could see the hem of her skirt trembling. Ericson leered at him and said, "It physically hurts you when I touch her, doesn't it? No need to answer. I can see it all over your face."

He crossed in front of her and crouched beside her chair. Leaning up to whisper something filthy into her ear, he continued his intimidation. He ran the blade down her chest then under the edge of her skirt and up her thigh. She started to sob. Ericson touched her face, an imitation of comfort, and in a disgusting gesture, licked the tears running down the side of her cheek.

Kermit was twisting his wrists. Trying to use the blood to slide his hands free. Kermit was certain Savannah had never known fear. Not fear like this. Bone chilling fear for your life. Or for the life of someone who means more to you than the air you breathe.

He had done this to her. Savannah had opened her sweet, normal life to him and Ericson had slithered in behind him.

"Some big man," Kermit mocked, trying to draw Ericson's attention away from Savannah.

"You can scare a woman but you won't go one on one with me. You want some vengeance, come and get it."

Ericson left Savannah's side and stalked over to Kermit. "This isn't about vengeance, my stupid friend. It's about power. Do you know the power I could have had with 10 million dollars? Lost it because of you. But now, right at this moment, I have complete power over you."

As if to drive home his point, he buried the knife into Kermit's thigh. Twisting it. Then he jabbed it into his left arm. Kermit fought to hold onto to his consciousness. He wouldn't pass out and leave Savannah here alone.

It was Natalie who spoke. "Ericson, you idiot. Lets just kill him and get it over with, dammit. This game you're playing with her is boring. Let her go, dust Griffin, and we can get out of here before we get busted."

Natalie hated Kermit. She wanted him dead. But, truth be told, what Ericson was doing to that girl was making her sick. It took her back to those two years in prison. Sadistic bastards like Ericson had tortured her the same way. Used her body and broken her spirit for fun. Watching him molest that woman was like looking into her past. She was a bad person. She knew that, but what little compassion remained in her wouldn't let her get any satisfaction from seeing it done to someone else. Kill Griffin, yes. But not this woman. She was moving behind Savannah's chair with the intention of releasing her when Ericson turned.

"That's the trouble with women, Griffin. They always backout on you in the end. Just extra baggage, really." With that, Ericson raised his gun and fired. Hitting Natalie right between the eyes. She dropped to the floor. Dead before she landed. Savannah was screaming. Natalie's blood splattered down her arm.

Savannah couldn't stop screaming. The blood running down her arm and the sight of Natalie's head scattered across Kermit's floor was too much. Ericson crossed over to her and clamped his hand over her mouth. "Precious," he said in a level, normal tone, "you're giving me a headache. Now, can you be quiet so we can go on with this little party?" She held her breath and sat silently as he removed his hand.

There was only one option left available to Kermit. For years, he had kept weapons stashed all through his house. A throw back to his mercenary days. There was one weapon within his reach. That is, if his hands were free. A revolver taped under the very chair where he sat. He had to find a way to get to it.

Ericson was pacing between his two prisoners. Taunting them. He stopped beside Kermit and spoke to Savannah. "Griffin always had a way with the ladies. Obviously, you still do, ole boy." He laughed and slapped the side of Kermit's face. "Maybe , it's the shades."
He reached down and snatched off his dark glasses and dropped them onto his own twisted face. Kermit locked eyes with Savannah. Trying to send her any comfort he could. It hurt to look at her. Blood running from the corner of her mouth and despair all over her face.

Ericson returned to his female prisoner and tangled his hands in her hair once more.

"Yeah, women used to throw themselves right at him. Maybe it's that mysterious, hard-to-get thing at work, huh? I'd be careful if I were you," he continued as he ran his hands down her body, "see how poor Nat ended up after their little fling." He grabbed her face and force her to look at the corpse lying beside her. She started to cry again.

Kermit was turning his wheels trying to find an angle he hadn't considered. His luck had run out a long time ago. Maybe she still had some left.

Reaching up to wipe the tears from her face, their captor offered, "Just to show you that I'm not all bad, I'm going to let you go over there and say goodbye to your boyfriend. Would you like that?"

She tried to speak but no sound would come.

"I'll take that as a yes." With that, he cut the ropes holding her wrists and offered his hand in a sickly gallant posture. She was frozen and couldn't move. Ericson roughly grabbed her arm and yanked her out of her chair.

Savannah's heel caught on the rug and sent her tumbling to the floor, catching herself on Kermit's knee. Sobbing and shaking, she grabbed his leg and held on for dear life.
He couldn't touch her. All he could do was watch her torture.

Ericson had stuck the knife in the arm of a chair. His gun was on the table. If Savannah could reach the gun under Kermit's chair, she would have a chance. All he had to do was figure out a way to let her know it was there.

"Now I'm not completely heartless, am I? Well," he smirked, "yes I am, but I do enjoy a good show." Ericson sat down in a chair to stare at them. "Go ahead. Say goodbye, lovebirds."

Looking up from Kermit's knee, Savannah gathered her voice and said, "I love you."

"Me, too, Scarlettt. I'm sorry." He held her gaze, trying to calm her down, if he could. Time was a valuable commodity. They had to buy as much as they could get their hands on. "I'm sorry."

******

When Peter's blue Stealth was two blocks from Kermit's house, he slammed on the brakes and stopped in the street. "He's here," he said.

"How do you know?" asked Skalany , scanning the street for signs.

"Look down there at Kermit's car. He loves that car like a baby. Kermit doesn't get three feet from her without turning on the alarm." Peter's eyes darted around the area.

"So?" asked Skalany .

"The door's open. He'd never leave it that way," Peter explained. "Let's move."

"Simms said to wait for backup."

"I don't think we have time," he said, already moving down the street.

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