Lucky approached the opening of the boxcar, silently praying that she would be here. He repeated his words. "Elizabeth, are you in there? Please, I need to talk to you."
"Lucky? Lucky?" He could hear her scrambling to her feet inside the boxcar as she made her way to the edge of the opening.
"Elizabeth? Baby, what are you doing out here all alone?"
She suddenly flew out of the boxcar and caught herself on him, nearly knocking them both to the ground. Her eyes were wild in the moonlight. "Lucky! We have to get out of here!"
He regained his balance and put his hands on both her arms, looking into her eyes, seeing the terror in them, feeling her body convulsing in fear against his. "Okay, sweetie, okay. It's okay. Come on, we can go back to my mom's house or wherever you want. Just tell me where you want to go."
She grabbed his arm and started to run, tripping and nearly falling, pulling him with her as she wailed. "He's here!"
Lucky pulled on her hand to make her stop and look at him. "Who's here, Elizabeth? I don't see anyone else here." Her eyes darted wildly around them and she did not answer him. He grabbed her arms with both his hands. "Tell me!! Tell me who's here, Elizabeth."
"Tom! He's hiding on the other side of the boxcar. He was going to rape me again then he heard you and now he's hiding....Oh God..." She spoke so quickly that her words ran together and were lost in a wail of misery.
"Tom's here?" Lucky felt his blood go cold at the thought of him on the loose again, the monster who had invaded Elizabeth's life not once but twice, and now again. God, we should have killed that bastard when we had the chance, he thought as he ran his had through his hair quickly, and whispered, "Jesus....oh Jesus. Elizabeth, do you think you can run? 'Cause we need to get out of here, and we need to do it now."
"I'm scared, Lucky. We have to hurry." He grabbed her hand again and they began to run, both of them looking back every now and then, expecting to see him gaining on them. Lucky tried to listen for his foortsteps behind them but was unable to hear because Elizbeth was trying to talk as she was running. She was sobbing and out of breathe at the same time. "I don't know how...they said he....they promised....he thought it was funny.....he was going to do it again....he's going to to it again...."
Lucky's voice was desperate. "Elizabeth, I'm not going to let him hurt you again. I promise."
"I don't believe you, Lucky. I don't believe anyone anymore." She stopped running and pulled her hand from his, falling suddenly onto her hands and knees. She did not try to get up; she only stayed there, her head hanging down, her sobs harsh in the darkness.
Lucky knelt down and took her hands in his. "Elizabeth, honey, we have to get away from here. He could be following us right now. It's not that much further. Come on, please, don't give up now. Here, let me help you up."
She screamed almost involuntarily and glanced behind her before she bolted to her feet, beginning to run quickly again even before she was completely standing. Lucky had to run to catch up with her, grabbing her hand as he did, and they kept running until they reached the docks. They stopped for a moment to catch their breath. Lucky leaned over, his hands on his knees to get his bearings, while he looked around them and then said, "I think we may have lost him." Just then they heard footsteps approaching from behind them. Elizabeth looked at Lucky with a wild, panicked look in her eyes as she heard him say, "Shit. Come on, Elizabeth, we have to hurry."
He stopped in his tracks when he heard the voice calling to him from behind them. "Lucky, is that you?"
Elizabeth tore away from him and began to run again, her fear so deep now that she could barely breathe. She slowed down but did not stop running when she heard Lucky's voice.
"Dad, thank, God."
"Lucky, what the hell...."
"There's no time, Dad...." They both took off after Elizabeth and finally caught up with her. "Elizabeth, wait, please. It's my dad, we're safe for now." She stopped and looked at both of them briefly, confused as she listened to Lucky explain toLuke, that he had found her in the boxcar just as Luke had suggested, and that she had seen Tom, that he had escaped and had tried to rape her again.
"Holy Christ, Lucky. Elizabeth, wait up. I'm going to go with you to Laura's. You'll be safe, I promise."
She began shaking her head back and forth and then started running again. "No! No!"
Lucky finally caught up with her again and grabbed her from behind, holding her with both arms around her. She screamed, her nails raking his arms, her heels pounding against his shins...fighting like she couldn't fight before.
"Elizabeth, it's me, it's Lucky. I'm not going to hurt you."
"Let me go! Let me go! Please don't hurt me again...please!"
Lucky continued to hold her for fear she would run away. Luke reached out to touch her arm and said softly, "Elizabeth, darlin', it's Luke and Lucky. We're not going to hurt you. We're taking you to Laura's house. You'll be safe there."
She froze suddenly, staring at both of them...and then her body went limp in Lucky's arms as she sobbed. He held her for a moment, smoothing her hair and whispering to her that they were almost there now and that as long as Luke was with them, they were safe. Finally, with his arm around her, helping her walk, they started toward Laura's house again, Luke following close behind. She was shivering, shuddering, every so often glancing behind them.
He voice was barely a whisper as she spoke. "What are we going to do Lucky? How did he get out? He'll kill us this time....he'll kill us."
Lucky started to speak, but Luke interrupted him. "Elizabeth, as long as Lucky and I are with you, no one is going to hurt you. I don't intend to leave you alone for a minute, and I know Lucky isn't going anywhere. And we'll call the police as soon as we get to Laura's house, okay?"
She only nodded, but the fear did not diminish in her eyes.
When they reached Laura's house she was opening the door as they climbed the steps to the porch. "Lucky, is she okay?" He nodded as he helped her inside the house and Laura saw Luke climbing the steps behind them, her eyes questioning.
Luke closed the door behind him and turned to Laura. "I'll explain everything, but first, do you have anything that would help Elizabeth sleep? I think she could really use some help with that about now."
Laura nodded. "I have something that should help her sleep." She went to the kitchen and returned quickly with a glass of milk which she offered to Elizabeth as she said. "Here, Elizabeth. This is just a mild sleeping pill, I think you should take it and get some rest." Elizabeth stood, staring blankly, arms hanging at ther side, not responding to Laura's offering.
Lucky took the pill from Laura and put his arm around Elizabeth. "Sweetie, will you take this for me, please? I'll take you upstairs to my room so you can sleep and I won't leave you, I promise. Please?"
Finally she looked at Lucky, still shaking from her sobs, and nodded. She took the pill and one swallow of the milk, then handed the glass to Lucky and pushed it away. "He's coming for me, Lucky. I can feel it."
"He can't get to you here, baby, I promise. Come on, let's go upstairs and get you settled." She nodded in quiet resignation as he led her upstairs. Luke watched until they had reached the top of the steps, then turned to Laura, telling her that he needed to make a phone call first and then he would explain the nightmare that seemed to be invading their lives once again.
Lucky sat on the side of the bed in his old bedroom and gently smoothed the hair back from Elizabeth's face, watching her as she slept, tears streaming down his face. He looked to Luke and Laura as they stood in the doorway watching, and nodded, letting them know that she was finally asleep.
Laura touched Luke's arm lightly and motioned for him to go downstairs with her. Once downstairs they sat on opposite ends of the couch. "I wish they'd hurry up and call for Christ's sake. How in the hell long is this poor girl supposed to live though this nightmare?"
"I know, Luke. I'm sure Detective Taggert will call just as soon as he finds out something. He's worked so diligently on this case from the beginning."
"I know. He and I may not get along all the time, but he sure does care about those kids."
"You know, it's the middle of the night, Luke. How is it that they ran into you anyway? Explain that to me will you?"
He looked away from her and laughed bitterly. "I must have some of that Cassadine vampire blood in me, baby. I wander the streets most nights."
"Any particular reason why you do that? Although it doesn't matter, really. I'm just grateful that you were out there tonight when they needed you."
He rubbed his hand over his face and then looked at Laura. "Well, let's just say that I do my best thinking and remembering at night. In fact, I find myself outside this house most nights, just thinking and remembering."
Luke saw Laura's eyes fill with tears as they looked at each other for a long moment. Just as she whispered, "Luke..." and reached out her hand to touch him the phone rang.
Luke jumped and reached for the phone, but stopped when he heard Lucky running down the steps. "Wait, Dad, let me get that, please."
Luke handed the phone to Lucky and watched as he spoke to Taggert, his face registerinig shock, then disbelief as he listened. "You're sure? Cause I have to be absolutely certain of this before I tell Elizabeth..." He listened for a few more minutes and finally said, in barely a whisper, "Thank you Detective Taggert. I appreciate all your help." He hung up the phone and looked at the concerned faces of Luke and Laura.
"What is it, son?"
Lucky pressed his lips together, tears spilling down his face as he looked down at his feet, then back at Luke and Laura.
"Tom Baker is sound asleep in his prison cell."