Chapter 11

"Are you sure this is where you want to be, Mister?" the cabbie asked as he pulled over across the street from the warehouse, behind Mandy's car.

"If its 2500 East Victory, I am."

"That's it across the street," the cabbie pointed as Jefferson, Jesus and Marco stepped into Jefferson's limousine and sped away from the building.

"Thanks," Mayfield said, handing the cabbie a twenty. "Keep the change."

"Thanks, Mister," the cabbie replied as Mayfield opened the door and stepped out. He waited until the cab turned the corner and was gone and then he walked up to the passenger side of Mandy's car.

Mayfield crouched behind the car and saw the keys on the seat. Not a good sign, he thought to himself. Doc pulled his cellular phone off his belt and opened. He dialed Tommy Jamieson one last time.

"Jamieson."

"Tommy! Where've you been? I've been trying to reach you all night."

"Doc? What's up? Man the commish is hot on this Nirvana thing now. Just got out of a two hour tongue lashing."

"It's Mandy. She's found the honcho of the Nirvana ring. Its Jonny Jefferson."

"No way, man. That guy's connected and got lots of money. What's he doing running drugs?"

"I don't know Tommy. But he's holding Mandy's sister Traci hostage at 2500 East Victory Blvd. Mandy's in there trying to rescue her."

"Where are you?"

"Across the street."

"Don't move, I'll be there in twenty, tops."

"I'm waiting five and then I'm going in. No way of knowing how long Mandy's been in there already. It doesn't look good."

"Be careful, Doc. This ain't cops and robbers. These guys play for keeps."

"Just hurry, Tommy," Doc said, closing the phone and putting it back on his belt.

Mayfield watched the building carefully and soon saw a shadow cross in front of the second floor windows. The shadow stopped at each window and looked out, surveying the street. Doc continued to crouch behind the car until the shadow left the last window. He took a deep breath and sprinted across the street and flattened himself against the wall.

Quickly looking around the corner, Mayfield slipped along the side of the building slowly looking for a way in. He found a door and looked in the window. The lights were on in the corridor. No one was there.

Mayfield took a deep breath and slowly turned the handle, wincing, half expecting an alarm to go off at any moment. It didn't and he slowly eased the door open.

Looking around one last time, Mayfield slipped through the door and gently closed it. Silence greeted him. He slowly walked down the corridor, pausing at each door to look in each room, hoping to find Mandy and her sister.

The corridor dead ended into another corridor. Mayfield flattened himself against the right wall and carefully peeked around the corner to the right. He could see the front door.

He looked left and could see the corridor go into the building further and then turn right. No one was about. There was still no sound but the pounding of his heart and his soft footsteps.

Mayfield quickly slipped down the corridor and flattened himself against the wall just before the corner. Once again, he slowly peeked around the corner. Again there was nothing but a pair of large doors at the end of the hallway.

Mayfield walked quickly to the doors and flattened himself against the right hand door. He gradually searched the room inside through thewindow.

It was a huge bay with concrete floors. As he looked around it, he spotted Mandy hanging from the crane's hook, topless. Part of him enjoyed the view. His breath caught in his throat and he shook his head to clear those thoughts. She looked lifeless hanging there. Her long hair obscured her face.

He searched as much of the room as he could and when he saw no one, he slowly opened the door.

As he stepped into the bay, he spotted Traci's nude body. Her blonde hair lay in a pool of blood. Mayfield frowned as he spotted the dark red hole between her eyes. He knelt beside the body and checked for a pulse. He shook his head when he found none and then surveyed her naked form. "Damn," he whispered as he saw the pooled blood and fluids between her slightly spread thighs.

He noted a pile of clothes beside the naked body. Someone has taste, he thought as he stood.

Carefully he walked over toward Mandy. As he drew near, he followed the crane's cables, hoping to figure out where to go to lower it. He had just spotted the controls when he heard the crane hook creak.

Mandy launched her feet forward and both connected with his unprepared stomach. Mayfield slumped to his knees with a groan, his arms covering his aching stomach.

Mandy wasted no time and kicked the figure in the face as she swung again. She reached upward trying to grasp the cable above the crane hook, but fell back moaning as her shoulders were nearly pulled out of their sockets by her weight.

Mayfield fell backward when she connected with his face and lay sprawled on the floor, stunned for a moment.

Mandy looked at the man on his back before her. "Doc?" she whispered in surprise. "Oh, Doc, I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

Mayfield groaned as he rolled onto his side and stood up. "Well I was," he said, smiling wanely and grimacing as his stomach tightened.

"You're a sight for sore eyes, Doc. Get me down, please. We've got to hurry. They'll be back soon."

"I don't know," Doc winked. "I kinda like you hanging like this."

"Doc!" Mandy blushed.

"Okay, okay, hold your pants on," Doc snickered as he stepped up close to her. He could smell her perfume as her hair brushed his face. He put his arms around her soft waist and lifted Mandy upward. Mandy shivered as his cold hands closed on her sides. The crane hook lifted with her. Her hands were tied too tightly to slip over the hook.

Mayfield swore and gently let Mandy back down. He stepped back and looked up at the hook again. "If you've got any ideas," he asked.