by Robin Mahle
“Evening.” Riley nodded politely.
The man offered his hand. “Dennis.”
“Riley.” She returned the greeting. “Nice to meet you, Dennis.”
“And you. I see you already have a drink in your hand. Care for another?”
“No thank you. Appreciate the offer, though.”
“Sure thing. Can I ask you, Riley, what a beautiful young woman like yourself is doing in this place so late at night? And all alone?”
“Just got off shift and needed to relax a little.”
“Oh sure. I’ve been there. What is that you do?”
She had to think fast. “I work at the hospital. I’m a nurse.”
“Oh. I see. Then maybe you could use another one?” Ackerman laughed.
“Are you listening to this, Captain?” Ethan fired off a nervous glance. “She’s talking to a guy named Dennis. That has to be Ackerman. What the hell is he doing there? I don’t like this. We need to get her out of there.”
“She’s fine, okay? She can handle herself. Let her do what she needs to do to keep a lid on what’s about to happen in there.”
“We’re just supposed to sit here and wait for it all to go down?” he continued.
“Cool your jets, bro.” Abrams looked over his shoulder. “We still got ears on our boys in the game. We’ll know before she does if it’s taking a turn for the worse. And if it does, we can warn her. Jesus, man. Take a chill pill.”
Ward placed his hand on Ethan’s shoulder. “She’s doing exactly the right thing here. They’ve got a different bartender working, so no worries about the one you both met before. She’s dressed down and hardly looks like a cop. Let her do her job, Pruitt.”
Decker leaned over the table and viewed the monitor while he appeared to listen intently. “Hey. Hey,” he shot back. “Something’s going on.”
“Put it on the speaker,” Ward said.
“I guess I’m just having a good night, fellas. Beats the hell out of the last time I was here.”
“Shit, that’s Alex,” Abrams said. “Sounds like he just won another hand. Silas is going to start suspecting something here real soon.”
The sound that transmitted appeared to be that of moving chairs and a muffled voice in the background.
“What’s happening? What’s going on?” Ethan eyed the monitors as if he could see through them and inside the room.
“Maybe they’re taking a break?” Decker said. “Sounds like they’re getting up or something.”
“I couldn’t tell the muffled voice, though. Could’ve been Silas calling a break,” Abrams replied. “Nothing from either of our boys at the moment…”
Then another voice sounded.
“Good thing. I need to take a piss.”
“That’s our boy. That’s Jacob,” Abrams said. “Good man. He’s leaving the room.”
Jacob emerged from the back and started toward the restrooms on the other side of the bar. As he strolled through, appearing confident, he locked eyes with Riley. He noticed a man sitting next to her and it took a minute, but he realized who it was. His heart fell into his stomach. A brief look of panic crossed his face and he broke away from her stare. Why was she here and why the hell was Ackerman here?
He made his way to the men’s room and walked inside, standing in front of one of the basins. “Shit. Shit. What the hell’s going on? I hope to God you can hear me. Riley’s out there talking to Ackerman.” The audio was only one-way for fear an earpiece would be easy to spot. “We’re winning our hands. I think that’s why Silas called for the break. He knows something’s up. I don’t know how much longer we can hold on. If Ackerman’s waiting for his men to come out, what then? What the hell is going to happen?”
No one was going to answer. Jacob had to continue on as though nothing had changed. As though he hadn’t just seen Riley talking to a man who instructed his people to kidnap Alex. He inhaled a breath and turned on the faucet, placing his hands in the water. He splashed a small amount onto his face to clear his head, but it didn’t work. “Okay. I have to go back out there. Christ, I hope you guys can still hear me. I need to check on Alex.”
Jacob pushed through the door and on the other side was Silas with Alex next to him. “Oh. I guess I’m not the only one who needed to use the head. Go on in.” He tried to walk around them, but Silas thrust out his hand, striking Jacob on the shoulder.
“You need to just hold tight for a minute. I’ve just had a very interesting conversation with your boy here.” He turned to Alex. “Didn’t I?”
In that moment, the door to the bar burst open. Jacob whipped around and spotted the three men, with guns brandished, rushing in.
“Owensville Police.” Ward held out his badge. “I need everyone to stay where you are and put your hands where we can see them.”
Silas’s eyes narrowed as he peered at Jacob and Alex. “You fucking assholes. Do you have any idea what’ve you done? All you had to do was play the game. Goddamn it.”
Ward continued through while Ethan veered to the right to secure the area and Decker and Abrams took the other side of the bar.
“Silas Levin?” Ward shouted. “The game’s over. Time to come out.”
Riley sat still, her eyes on Ward, but Ackerman in her periphery. She shot a brief glance to Jacob, who shook his head, fear and anger imbued in his eyes.
Levin emerged with his hands up and a broad smile on his face. “Decided to pay me another visit, huh? Couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you folks? I don’t know what the hell I ever did to you people, but you better believe a harassment charge is coming your way.”
Jacob leaned in to Alex. “What the hell, man? What happened?”
“He knows. He knows Ackerman’s men were back there too. Ward must’ve heard me on the wire. That’s why they rushed in.”
“I have to get to Riley. She’s sitting next to Ackerman.” Jacob took slow and deliberate steps out of the shadow of the corridor. He caught her gaze once again and her expression demanded he stop. He continued.
Riley’s shoulders dropped as Ackerman slowly raised from the stool.
“Now what the hell is all this? I come in for a friendly drink and I’m sitting here with a beautiful lady and you people barge in and ruin the night for me?”
Silas turned to the man. “What the hell?”
“I was wondering when you’d realize I was here,” Ackerman replied. “I heard you got yourself this place.” He gazed around. “Not bad. Better than sitting in a prison cell for six years. You should’ve been there with me, Silas. Instead, here you were. And setting up games like back in the old days. You haven’t changed one bit.”
“How the hell?” Silas asked.
“I have people.” He turned his sights to Isaac, who had appeared from the back.
Silas looked at his bartender. “You?” He shook his head.
“Okay, this isn’t a reunion.” Ward still had his gun trained on Levin. “You’d better get the rest of the people out of the back. I won’t ask again.”
Riley’s head grew fuzzy. She knew instantly what was about to happen. “No. Not now,” she whispered. But there was no way to stop it. She gripped the bar top to steady herself. If she drew attention to it, panic would erupt and gunfire would follow. She couldn’t let that happen. In the back of her head, a tingling sensation crawled and she peered at Jacob with a marked fear in her eyes. He had to see what was happening. She shook her head at him. Her breath grew labored and then it came.
“I know what you want to do, but you can’t. Not this time.”
The voice came from a deep place Riley didn’t recognize. She stood inside an empty room, white walls and ceilings, devoid of anything. But a boy appeared. “Nate?” This wasn’t possible. It was her half-brother. “What are you…how are you here?”
“You’re my sister. I knew you were in trouble.” He stepped toward her, his twelve-year-old lanky frame looking a little like a marionette. “If you do anything, he’ll die.”
Jacob rushed to her. “Riley. Come on.” He yanked her from Ackerman and pulled her behind a booth.
Another gunshot erupted. She searched frantically for its origins. “No.” Her eyes landed on Silas who’d returned fire but had missed Decker.
“Hold your fire, Goddamnit!” Ward yelled. His arms flailed as he ducked behind a booth for cover. “Decker! Get down!”
It was Abrams who finally reached Decker and pulled him down. “Stay down, man!”
The gunfire stopped. No one was left standing; all had found cover.
“Where’s Alex?” Riley asked Jacob as they crouched low. “What about the others in the room?”
“Jesus, Riley. I don’t know. I don’t know what the hell is happening right now. You were gone. You…”
“It was a vision. It doesn’t matter. We have to…” She froze. “Do you smell that?”
“What?”
“Smoke. Oh God. I smell smoke.” She raised up. “There’s a fire! Everyone out!”
“Get down!” Jacob yanked her down again.
Ward turned his sights to her. “Shit. I smell it too. Get everyone out. Now!” He holstered his gun. “Abrams, Decker. Get outside. Call the fire department.” He pushed through the bar. “Who’s still in the back?”
Silas peered around the corner from the men’s room where he remained in hiding. “Three others.” He peered at Renee. “Go! Get out!” He rushed by Ward’s side and led him to the backroom.
“I have to go with them.” Riley stood again.
“No. Let them handle it. We need to leave.” Jacob stood next to her. “Please, Riley, we have to get out of here.”
“You go. I can’t. I need to help them.”
Ethan rushed toward them. “You heard the captain. Let’s go.” He grabbed Riley’s arm.
“Stop!” She yanked it away. “Both of you. Stop pulling me! I’m a cop, for God’s sake, and I’m going to help get everyone out. Jacob, you need to go.” She started away.
“Shit if I’m letting you go back there without me.” Ethan followed her. “Jacob. Help get the rest of the customers out of here. Please.”
Jacob watched as Ethan and Riley followed Ward to the backroom. His eyes shifted around in search of Abrams and Decker, but they took whoever they could with them and were outside. His eyes landed on the young bartender. “It’s time to go.”
She threw down her towel and rushed around to him.
Smoke spilled into the main bar area, rising above their heads. “Stay low,” Jacob said. He crouched down and led the way, his hand gripping hers and they started toward the door.
An older man, perhaps in his sixties, was tucked under a table. Jacob spotted him. “Sir, sir, come with us.” He stretched out his hand. “It’s okay. The door’s just ahead. Please.”
The man took Jacob’s hand and crawled out from beneath the table. “Thank you.”
Jacob nodded and led them to the door, which was still open as Abrams and Decker called for help and pushed away any remaining bystanders to safety. He led them through the door. “Step away from the building. Quickly!”
Renee and the older man did as they were told.
“Jacob?” Decker called out. “Is there anyone else inside? Fire department’s on their way.”
“Riley, Pruitt, and Ward. They went back to the poker room. We have to go back inside.” Jacob approached him. “Come on.”
“No. Jacob, you have to stay here. There’s a back exit. They’ll lead everyone out that way. It’s too dangerous.” Decker pointed to the side of the building. “Flames. We can’t go back inside. The smoke is too thick and we have no idea how far that’s spread.”
“No fucking way am I staying out here, man. Are you crazy? Riley’s inside.”
Decker grabbed his arm. “Dude. Of all people, she’ll be okay. I can’t let you back inside. I’m sorry, man. Not going to happen.”
27
The smoke thickened in an instant as Riley along with Ward and Silas reached the door to the backroom. Ethan caught up to them. “How many?”
“Three,” Silas replied.
A bombardment of emotions slammed into Riley as though an enormous medicine ball had been hurled at her gut. “The fire’s inside. It started in there.” She reached for the door handle and gripped it before yanking it away and shrieking in pain.
“It’s too hot in there.” Ward peered at her with uncertainty masking his face.
He didn’t know what to do. Riley sensed his fear, his apprehension. Instinctively, she kicked at the door.
“That’s not going to help,” Silas said.
“How could this happen?” Ethan demanded. “Did you do this?”
“No,” Silas replied. “I wasn’t in…” His expression hardened. “Oh God. Gage. Jesus, it had to be Gage.”
“What?” Ward asked.
Ethan knew exactly who he was. In fact, he’d seen the man in action only yesterday. “He’s crazy. I saw him. The man’s insane. He can’t be in there, though, can he?”
“No. He may be crazy, but he’s not suicidal,” Silas replied. “Where the hell is the fire department?”
“On their way.” Ward examined all possible scenarios as he gazed around. “We have to do something. They’re going to burn…”
Riley could do something. If she wanted to, she could put an end to this before anyone got hurt. “It has to be me.”
“What can you do?” Silas asked.
Ethan and Ward glanced nervously at one another before Ward replied, “No way, Riley. Not a chance. No. We’ll have to figure out another way.”
“There’s no time, Dan. You know that as well as I do. They have a few minutes, tops.” She turned to Silas. “Is that where you store the liquor?”
He peered at his feet and nodded, appearing to understand the implication.
“Dan, when the fire reaches the alcohol, we both know what’s going to happen. No one will stand a chance inside there.”
Silas peered at them as if they were crazy. “I don’t understand. What can you possibly do?”
Riley eyed Ethan and Ward. “Go. Let me take care of this.”
“I’m not leaving you,” Ward replied.
“Me neither,” Ethan said.
“It’s too dangerous. Please. We’re wasting precious time. Take Levin and go.” She eyed Ward. “You don’t have a choice.”
He relinquished. “Come on.” Ward ushered Ethan and Silas away.
“What the hell? Are you serious, Captain?” Ethan tried to pull back.
“Let her do what she has to do,” Ward replied.
“Riley, please don’t! Just wait for the fire department,” Ethan shouted as he was being pulled away.
She put him out of her mind. She had to focus on extinguishing the flames inside. There was still some time. She could feel their pleas for help. Their screams sounded above the flames. “Stand back!” Riley shouted through the door. “Get back now!”
Riley focused on the metal door. Her breath labored again and sweat dripped from her brow. The metal started to dimple, like it’d been hit with rubber bullets. It wasn’t enough and she had to focus harder. The door screeched as it began to warp. Inside, their screams were growing louder. The flames were nearing them. She had only moments to open that door so they could escape.
“Help me,” Riley whispered. “I need your help.” She was calling on Carl, who could no more help her now than he could have helped his own family when they’d been killed in the accident. “Grandpa.” She recalled what her father had said. Grandpa could do these very things and it changed him. But she was doing
this to help, not hurt. This was not out of anger but out of a sense of duty to save those inside.
Riley knew she was alone. Carl couldn’t help her; he couldn’t offer words of wisdom or tell her outright what she should do. People would die if she did not act.
Her eyes bore into the door as it continued to twist and writhe until, finally, a hinge shot away like a bullet. “Come on. Open, you son of a bitch.” The men inside yelled ever louder. She pushed harder. Another hinge flung away, striking the wall behind her like a knife. The door began to yield to her will. “Open!” she screamed with a voice she didn’t know she possessed.
The door flew off completely and slid back, landing in front of the men. Their eyes were wide.
“Run! Come on, run!” she demanded of them.
They were in shock, but their feet began to move and they started toward her. She felt a rush of air get sucked inside and the blaze breathed it in deeply, exhaling a bright yellow flame so tall it reached the ceiling. A side window blew out. Riley couldn’t see behind the flames. “Let’s go. Let’s go.” She helped them through. “Back exit!”
Riley started toward the rear exit. The door was locked. With all the power she could muster, she pushed on the door and it swung open, slamming against the wall on the other side.
“Jesus, lady!” Anton Meisner, the younger of Ackerman’s henchmen, yelled.
But they were out. They were all out, except Ackerman. Riley looked back into the corridor leading to the main bar. “He’s already gone.” The voice came from her head. It sounded like Nate’s. Maybe she was going crazy, like her grandfather had.
The men appeared from around the building. Riley trailed only steps behind. When she emerged, Jacob was hunched over someone on the ground. She rushed to his side. “Jacob? What happened…” She stopped dead. “Oh my God. No. Is he okay? Captain!” She raised up. “We need help over here!”
Ward was in the middle of the parking lot flagging down the fire truck, though the flames would have drawn their attention. He started to jog back alongside the truck. “Hurry. Hurry!”