Ellick "Painless"

Chapter 36- Released

Jake's POV:

I wake up again. I can't stay asleep. Maybe I'm too worried about Ellie. Groaning, I stretch and get up. Slowly, I make my way out of the bedroom and down the hall. Melinda's roar of a snore sounds through the house as I trudge to the hallway where I left Ellie's body.

My feet seem to glue to the floor as my eyes scan the spot where Ellie's body was.

Was. As in it's not there now!! Where did she go???

Panic rises inside me as the possibilities fill my brain. I could go to jail if she got to the police. Who am I kidding, she IS the police!!!

I run around the room frantically searching for her. Maybe she woke up and crawled around then fell asleep again?

After searching the room and not finding her, I begin sweating I'm fright. This is it. My fatal mistake. I shouldn't have given her the antidote, that was stupid!

Maybe Melinda knows something. Unlikely, but I'm becoming desperate.

I race up the stairs and bang on her door.

A loud snore is interrupted by an obnoxious grunt and she swings the door open with as much attitude as I'm sure she can muster at 2 in the morning.

"What do you want, Jake? I was just having the best dream. I was at this hot dog eating contest and I-"

"Ellie! Have you seen Ellie?" I interrupt before it could get any more disgusting.

"Well of course I've seen her. I helped you carry her in yesterday." She answers.

"No you idiot! Have you seen her since I went to bed?! She's gone!!"

"I know that too. I'm the one that got her gone." Melinda looks down, ashamed and hiccups.

"What??!!" I yell at the top of my lungs. "What do you mean you're the one that got her gone??!"

"I'm sorry Jake! I couldn't resist! She seemed like such a fun one to kill, I couldn't hold myself back! I know you wanted to kill her, but I was weak."

"You killed her??? Why would you do that?! You killed Jacobi, it's my turn!" I scream at her.

"I couldn't help it, okay? What's the big deal anyway, she was already gonna die from the poison."

"I. GAVE. HER. THE. ANTIDOTE!!!" I roar in her face.

"Why did you do that?" She asks.

"BECAUSE I WASN'T GONNA KILL HER! I was gonna keep her around, Melinda!!!"

I turn away from her, my hand in my forehead. This woman drives me up the wall. After a few deep breaths, I turn back to her.

"She's dead. That's one less thing for us to worry about. But we need to leave before NCIS finds us." I say.

"Umm... Jake?" Melinda murmurs in a small voice.

This isn't gonna be good. What did she mess up now? She couldn't possibly have done anything that bad. I was here the whole time.

"What?!" I snap.

"I... I thought the Jylinex was gonna kill her so... I just beat her up a bit. I didn't shoot her or stab her or anything. I punched and kicked her, but then I just left her body there."

"WHAT?!?!?" I scream so loud her hands fly to her ears. "Where did you leave her body??"

"In... in the woods." She whispers.

Before I can stop myself, my hand flies out and slap the imbecile across the face.

"YOU RELEASED OUR KIDNAPPED FEDERAL AGENT INTO THE WOODS??????"

"I thought she was gonna die!"

"Well you thought wrong!" I run down the stairs and pull my shoes on.

"Where are you going?" She calls down the stairs.

"To fix your mistake." I mutter as I grab my gun and head out into the woods.

Melinda is so stupid! How did I get stuck with her as my criminal partner?

"Ellie!" I shout into the woods. I don't get a response. Why would I? Why would she answer the man who kidnapped and poisoned her?

"Ellie!" I call again.