Ron weighed the hammer in his hand, turning it slowly like he was admiring a piece of art. The metal head caught the overhead light and reflected it straight into Arron's terrified eyes.
Courtney screamed, "Don't touch him! He didn't do anything!"
Ashley leaned down and whispered in Courtney's ear, "Hush now. You'll get your turn."
Courtney froze, tears streaming down her face.
Jennifer was shaking so hard her chair rattled. Jose—Keith—was bleeding heavily from the leg wound Ron had inflicted, his breaths shallow and uneven.
Arron stared Ron down despite the fear in his eyes. "If you're going to hurt me, just do it. Don't drag it out."
Ron laughed. "Oh, but dragging it out is the fun part."
Ashley clapped excitedly. "Ask him the question, Ron!"
Ron leaned forward, inches from Arron's face. "Truth or hurt."
Arron clenched his fists. "What do you want to know?"
Ron tilted his head. "Who did you tell about John's little side business? Who did you tell about the shipments, the drops, the money? Who else knows?"
Arron's heart pounded. "No one. I didn't tell anyone."
Ron smiled like he'd been waiting for that answer.
"You lied."
He raised the hammer high—
Courtney screamed, "NO!"
—but at the last second, instead of swinging it at Arron's head, Ron slammed the hammer down on Arron's broken, freshly repaired leg.
The crack echoed through the room.
Arron howled in agony, the chair rocking under him. Courtney fought so hard against her ropes her wrists started bleeding.
Jennifer sobbed, "STOP! STOP, PLEASE!"
Ashley only laughed.
Ron pulled the hammer back, admiring the spreading bruise. "See? That's what lying gets you."
Arron's voice was strained and shaking. "I'm… not… lying…"
Ron slammed the hammer again.
Arron's scream echoed off the walls.
Keith—voice weak—choked out, "Stop… you're going to kill him…"
Ron leaned down to him. "Soon. But not yet."
He turned back to Arron. "Let's try again. Who else knows?"
Arron couldn't breathe through the pain. He tried to fight it, tried to stay calm. "I told Courtney… but she already knew…"
Ashley rolled her eyes. "BORING answer."
Ron lifted the hammer again.
Courtney cried, "Please! I'm pregnant! If you kill him, you kill our baby too!"
Ashley paused for only a second. "Not my problem."
Ron swung—
—but the hammer stopped inches above Arron's leg when a loud metallic bang rang through the building.
Everyone froze.
Ron whispered, "What was that?"
Ashley's smile dropped. "We weren't expecting anyone…"
Another bang. Closer.
Jennifer's eyes widened. "Someone's here…"
Keith looked up. "It's Steve."
Ron snarled. "No. We killed John. Steve can't possibly know—"
A third bang.
This one right on the other side of the metal door.
Ashley hissed, "We need to hurry. Finish him."
Ron nodded and raised the hammer high over his head—
The door EXPLODED inward.
Smoke filled the room. Flashlights cut through the darkness.
"POLICE! DROP THE WEAPON!"
Arron blinked through the smoke, vision blurry.
Steve stood in the doorway, gun raised, Jaime behind him with her weapon drawn.
Ron turned toward them, hammer still lifted—
Steve fired first.
Ron dropped.
Ashley screamed, grabbed the nearest knife, and lunged toward Courtney.
But Steve was faster.
Another gunshot rang out.
Ashley collapsed beside Ron, the knife clattering across the floor.
The smoke cleared.
The danger was over.
For the first time in hours, there was silence.
Courtney sobbed.
Jennifer slumped in relief.
Keith closed his eyes in pain but relief too.
And Arron—barely conscious—whispered,
"Katie… where's Katie…"
Steve rushed to him. "She's safe. I promise."
Arron tried to keep his eyes open, but the pain swallowed him. He fainted.
Steve holstered his gun and yelled, "Jaime! Get EMS in here NOW!"
Courtney leaned forward, sobbing into Arron's shoulder. "Please… please be okay…"
It wasn't over.
Arron needed help.
But he was alive.
The hammer had fallen —
but it hadn't ended him.