The Black Rose Collection

    Knife and machete in hand, Nick was cajoled to the home of Martin and ex-wife Emma again.
    "Go on, Nick," urged Claire. "You know what you have to do."
    "Yes," he replied, grinning, clearly not in control of himself.  He walked up the path and knocked loudly on the door.
    "Who the bloody hell's that at this time of the morning," asked Martin, looking at the clock.  Emma answered with a tired, "Ignore it."
    "I can't," said Martin.  "It might be important."  He went downstairs, after slipping on his jeans and T-shirt.  Emma decided to follow him.  Nick knocked again as Claire and Julie looked on, only visible to him.
    Back at the hospital another check was about to be made, already five minutes overdue, although the nurses and doctor didn't think it would make any difference.  One of them, Nurse Kerry Smith, made her way down the long corridor, fully expecting to find Nick still in his room fast asleep. She pressed her face against the panel of glass and saw the window wide open and Nick gone from his bed.  She rushed in to check that he wasn't in the toilet cubicle.  He wasn't.  Smith then ran from the room and back along the corridor shouting, "He's gone!  Come quick, he's gone!"
    Her colleagues raced towards her.  They heard her cries of "He's gone!" and everyone stood around, not knowing what to do.  Young Doctor Todd tried to calm them all down and thought that the best thing would be to call Doctor Carter out.  Young Kerry Smith had only worked at the hospital for three weeks and was blaming herself for not checking on Nick that few minutes sooner.  Doctor Todd told her that other than sitting right outside Nick's room there was nothing anyone could have done to stop him getting out.  He blamed Doctor Carter and Doctor Baker.  They obviously didn't give Franks a strong enough dose of the tranquilliser.  Doctor Carter approached, as they all began apologising.
    "I don't want to hear it," he shouted, fuming.  "Gross negligence," he said, very angry with the staff.
    He was well aware that Nick was capable of anything and ordered the staff of two nurses and two junior doctors, including Kerry Smith and Steven Todd, to get out and look for Franks before something serious happened.  
    "I don't want an internal inquiry turning into a media circus," he shouted, venting his anger for all to hear.  Carter also told them that if Nick wasn't found quickly there would be resignations all round.  "Now get out there.  Find him, or heads will bloody well roll."
    At the house, just a five minute walk from the hospital, Nick heard the lock being turned in the door.  He smiled at the manic looking Claire and Julie.  Martin pulled back the door and as the entrance widened, Nick – without a word or a moment's hesitation – brought the meat cleaver down and into the top of Martin's head, almost cutting it in two.  Blood shot out like a continuous red fountain.  Nick then plunged the knife into Martin's heart, smiling again at Claire and Julie.
    "Now her, Nick," they called out.  "Kill her, Nick."