Carol Moncado

Current Facebook Status: ‎- no school for the kids. They get to sleep in. Wishes she could but class then WAY too much to do today!

Currently Playing in the Background: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Choo Choo Express

ACK!  I know I’ve been remiss!  This was going to be Erynn Mangum Week because I’m supposed to be getting a free influencer copy of her new book, but I don’t have it yet.  As soon as I do, we’ll do EMW :).

Last week, Jan was at a conference and we didn’t get to do FFF.  I was going to do it on my own but it didn’t happen.  And this week has been crazy with a sick 9yo [Sinus Infection, pink eye], doc appointments, cookie making and birthday parties!

We actually did this last night and Jan posted hers on her blog last night.  Here’s mine :).  It goes with one from a couple of weeks ago.  I think this is going to be my project for NaNo which starts Monday.  We’ll see…  And yes, I know the pics are of Tony from NCIS and they don’t really fit, but I don’t have much time and I adore him so go with it ;).

They had only met once, but it was a meeting neither would ever forget.

Nick had been stuck at the airport.  He’d met a nice girl on the plane.  She lived in the area but storms in the area grounded any more flights.  There were hotels but they were expensive and he was broke.  Debbie offered to let him stay the night at her place.  One thing led to another and the next thing he knew, he woke up the next morning in her bed.

With her.

He’d continued home.  She’d been asleep when he had to leave, but he’d left his card with a note on it telling her to call him.  She had.  They’d… dated.  Sort of.  They hadn’t actually seen each other again – with him living in New York at the time and her in Chicago, it just wasn’t going to work.  They broke up, such as it was and went their separate ways.

He hadn’t heard from her in well over two years when the call had woken him up.  And now she was telling him that he was a father?

He put all of that out of his mind for the moment.  He needed to concentrate.  Figure out what he was going to do when he made it to the warehouse.  He needed to rescue Debbie and the boy and figure out who to call.  He probably needed to call Dave.

He sighed and picked up his cell phone from the front seat next to him.  “Dave.  I need help,” he said when his brother answered.  “And you probably need the Marshalls or the FBI or something.”  As quickly as he could, he told Dave what he knew and arranged to meet him near the warehouse.  He let Dave believe that he was going to stay outside, but there was no way in hell he really would.

He parked a couple of blocks away and started down the street, keeping in the shadows.  When he reached the building, he was amazed at the apparent stupidity of those in question.

The door was wide open.  Or partially open.

He was just going to scout arount, see what he could see.

But then he heard it.

A scream.

Debbie’s scream.

He entered the warehouse, his sidearm in one hand, a needless flashlight in the other.  A quick peek around the corner showed he was clear.  He ran quietly towards the screaming.  When he reached the main room, he could see them.  They wouldn’t be able to see him as long as he stayed on the catwalk above, but would he be able to help her from there?  They weren’t that far below him.

The first man raised his hand and backhanded Debbie.  She fell and sprawled onto the concrete.  The second man raised a gun.

“You’re going to do it or the kid’s going to die.”

Debbie looked up at her attacker.  She saw Nick behind them.  He knew she did because she relaxed impercebtibly.  The two of you are going to kill both of us anyway.”

Smart girl. There was only two of them.  He moved a bit further to his right.  He had both of them in his line of sight.  He took something out o fhis pocket and tossed it to the other side of the warehouse.

“Go check it out,” Thug One said.

“You go.  I’ve got the gun on her.”

Thug One started towards the other side of the room.  When he was far enough away, Nick made his move.

“Drop it!” he yelled.

Thug Two looked up, his weapon swinging towards Nick.  Nick double tapped his heart.  Thug One was running towards them.  Nick went down the stairs his weapon aimed straight at Thug One.  “Stop.  Hands in the air.”

Thug One wasn’t too smart, Nick decided because he kept coming.  Nick fired two more times, hitting him squarely in the chest.

Debbie scrambled to her feet, tears streaming down her cheeks.  “They’re coming, Nick.  More men are coming.  We’ve got to get Nicky and get out of here.”