Operation Last Ditch Effort

Chapter 24

                  

Joanie was laying in the bed tossing and turning. She was kicking furiously under the sheets.

"Where is he Marj?" pleaded Joanie desperately.   

Joanie was scanning the room with her eyes for any sign of Julian. There was nothing. She began to pace the floor and pull at her hair as she tried to think.

"Think Joanie. Think. Where would they take him?" she said to herself

Coming to a conclusion Joanie looked up and she had a face of determination. She started to walk towards the stairwell as Sal tried to keep up with her.

"Jo where are you going?" asked Sal

"To find him." She shouted in a fury.

She continued to walk and threw open the doorway to the stairs. She sprinted down the stairs to the lower level. The basement door was locked and she slammed her body into the door trying to force it open. Sal came in behind Joanie and saw her struggling to open the door. He could see the anger in her eyes and knew she was a loose cannon. He bolted down the stairs and helped Joanie open the door. The door opened up to an empty storage space with water leaking from the ceiling the two entered the room.

"AAAAHHHH!" someone screamed

"Did you hear that?" asked Joanie frantically 

Without waiting for a response Joanie moved on following the screams. "AAAAHHHH" The screams grew louder as they made their way through the room. Finally they came to a door and Joanie could hear loud pleads for mercy "Please DON'T!" Then the screaming continued. Joanie panicked and busted through the door with a gun pointed in front of her. In the center of the room there was a bloodied hunched over figure, in a metal chair. One man was standing over the bloodied man with his fist still hanging in the air fixing to throw another blow. The man behind the chair was reaching for his gun when Sal came in carrying his own gun. Joanie spit out "Don't move." She walked over to the bloodied man and lifted his head. She shoved the chair and the man across the room in anger. Boiling with anger Joanie pointed the gun at the man who had been beating the bloodied man. "YOU WHERE IS HE?" she screamed. The man threw his arms in the air and insisted "I have no idea lady."

"Ok so that's how its going to be?" Replied Joanie through her gritted teeth she cocked her gun and put it against the man's temple.

"Please I really have no idea." Pleaded the man now shaking in fear.

The other man tried to move towards Joanie but Sal halted him by saying "You better not."

Joanie quickly removed the gun from the man's temple and shot him in the kneecap. Stunned Sal wavered in his aim on the other man. Joanie continued "Now I asked you a question. Be polite and answer it or next time I will aim a little higher."

Writhing in pain the man held his knee and rolled around on the floor. He looked into Joanie's eyes and only saw darkness. "I don't know." He replied.

"Ok have it your way." Said Joanie before she moved to fire again. Sal seeing that the on the ground was bleeding badly intervened. He lowered his weapon and quickly approached Joanie. Laying his hand on her shoulder he whispered "Jo, I think we need to leave."

Shaking his hand off of her shoulder she spat back "You can leave."

Seeing the desperation in her eyes Sal quickly wrestled the gun away from Joanie.

"What th---" Said Joanie as he took the gun out of her hand.

The second man was moving closer, but Sal quickly aimed his gun at the man before he could move any more. Sal dragged Joanie out of the room kicking and screaming as the second man ran to the aid of his partner. Sal kept dragging Joanie out of the basement back up to the room where Marjorie stood stunned at the sight. He let go of Joanie and locked the door, but before he could sit down she made a run at the door. Sal tackled Joanie to the ground and held her there as she fought him screaming "I HAVE TO FIND HIM. LET GO OF ME."

Joanie shot up in the bed dripping in sweat. She pulled back the covers and stepped out of the room. She made her way to the kitchen and found a glass. Searching the cabinets she found a bottle of liquor. She sat the bottle down and stared at it. Standing in the kitchen staring down the addiction she was fighting not to take a drink. She could feel the itch to pour a small bit into the glass, but she fought an internal battle with herself. If you drink that you are only giving in. What would Julian think this? He wouldn't want you to be doing this, but he isn't here. That doesn't mean you should give in though. But it will help numb my mind and ease my pain. That may be true but what about in the morning? Then you still have to face the pain. Do it. Don't do it. Do it. Don't do it. Do it. Don't do it.

Joanie stood there still staring at the bottle when Sal walked in. She was still in her daze as he spoke softly "Jo, don't do it. It won't bring him back. Fight the pain. Don't just numb it."

Joanie began to cry as she heard Sal speaking. She turned around and Sal was standing right behind her to comfort her.

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