by Dwayne Gill
The plan had gone smoothly so far. Wayne’s private plane was able to whisk Cane from his house in Florida to Washington with no complications, but the trip back to Georgia had proven tricky. The nearest airport was almost fifty miles away, so the pilot had to obtain permission to land at a private airfield just south of Oglethorpe, which was much closer. The other hurdle was securing a car, but Bowman’s men were able to pull it off in time, purchasing a beat-up truck from someone at the airfield. Considering all the steps taken, things had gone smoothly.
Cane worried about the timing earlier when Lynks had to deploy the EMP, but they’d left Lynks’s mobile center farther down Highway 49 as a precaution. Bowman’s wounded friend slowed them down a tick, but they still arrived at the abandoned factory quickly enough.
He hoped Kristy made it to the safety of Lynks’s van by now. All he cared about was her getting out alive. What he was doing now was extracurricular activity. He wouldn’t consider leaving Amos alive, and he wanted to take his time watching him die.
He heard Amos enter the room, muttering to himself. His footsteps were getting louder, and a moment later the closet door swung inward. Once it opened wide enough, he took aim at Amos’s chest and fired. However, it looked like Amos was expecting trouble before he even opened the door, as he leaned quickly to his right to avoid the worst of the bullet’s impact, which only grazed him.
This surprised Cane, but not as much as what happened next. Amos came out of his parry quickly, lunged forward, grabbed Cane by the jacket, and fell back with him, flipping him out of the closet and toward the middle of the room. Cane rolled into a crouch, but he couldn’t raise his gun in time to get off the first shot. He heard the crack of Amos’s gun and felt a burning sensation flood him, starting with his left shoulder. He still had his gun in his right hand, but he was stunned and injured, and he knew if Amos unleashed a volley of bullets at him he’d be dead.
“Drop your weapon,” said Amos.
He had no other choice. He could try to figure out another route, but he had to be alive to do so. Cane let his weapon fall to the floor.
“Slide it over,” said Amos.
Cane did so, then leaned back on his knees.
Amos laughed. “Cane, you amuse me. You could’ve gotten away. You could be riding away with Kristy, safe and sound. But you couldn’t let it go, could you?” He bent down, picked up Cane’s weapon, and threw it in the closet.
Cane could hear gunfire outside and hoped things were going well. Amos heard it too and walked over to the window, looking out. “I see you brought your friends. I’m sure Daniel’s out there too. That explains a lot. I thought you were the one helping him, but you were here.”
Cane said nothing but grimaced in pain.
“Not used to a real fight, are you? You’ve finally met your match.” Amos aimed his gun at him and stepped forward. “You‘ll die here today.” He laughed, a more maniacal sound than Cane had heard before. He lowered his gun. “I gotta know. How’d you find me here?”
“I know quite a bit, Lieutenant Amos,” said Cane. “I know about Vinson. There’s seven of you working with the Russians. I’m piecing this thing together. And you can thank your buddy Harvey Foster for it.”
Amos’s eyes widened for a moment, but then he smiled. “You didn’t talk to Foster.”
“When’s the last time you talked to him?” asked Cane. “Is he not answering his phone?” Cane extracted Foster’s phone from his jacket pocket. Amos tightened a moment until he saw what it was. “You’ve been calling it all morning.”
Amos laughed. “Oh, well. I didn’t like him anyway. What he told you won’t do you any good if you’re dead.”
Cane shrugged. “I’m not dead yet.”
“I always thought your downfall would be because you thought too highly of yourself,” said Amos. “You went all these years thinking you were the most dangerous man on the planet.” Amos walked toward him. “Look at me. We’re all much worse than you. And… we don’t let girls seduce us and lose focus.”
Cane chuckled. “That’s easy to say when you’re holding a gun. You keep complaining about my bravado, but all you do is talk like you’re a real badass. Well, here I am, Amos. I’m even wounded. Are you gonna execute me while I’m on my knees? Or do you want to kill me with your mighty hands?”
Amos glared at him with anger. Cane knew he pushed his buttons, and if he’d learned anything the past few days, it was that Amos had taken their standoff personally.
“Take off your jacket,” said Amos.
Cane got up and removed it.
“Spin around,” said Amos.
He complied. After making him lift his pants legs to make sure he had no hidden weapons, Amos threw his pistol into the closet with Cane’s.
“Let’s go then,” said Amos.
Cane knew Amos wouldn’t be a cakewalk, especially sporting an injured shoulder. He saw the look in Amos’s eyes; rage consumed him. Cane wasn’t sure why he was so furious, but it didn’t matter. However these next moments played out, he’d accept the outcome, and it sure was better than being executed from a distance.
Amos came at Cane with precision and threw nearly a dozen quick punches, four of which landed, putting Cane immediately on the defensive. The punches were solid, thundering blows that landed to the solar plexus and face. Amos came in again, but this time Cane blocked a right hook and landed a quick jab of his own. Undeterred, Amos threw another flurry of six punches, three of them landing this time, and Cane countered the ones he blocked. It was about as even a fight as Cane had ever experienced.
Amos lunged again with a left cross, and as Cane moved to block it, Amos’s right hand gripped his left shoulder and dug into his wound. Cane felt the pain burn like fire through his whole chest, and he clutched Amos’s arm with both hands, trying desperately to break the grip. Amos took advantage of his preoccupation and kneed him in the groin several times, then hit him three times on his jaw. Cane tried to duck his head, but the blows were like hammers, each one ringing his bell, and he struggled to stay focused. He saw Amos prepare to unleash another barrage of punches, so he lowered his right shoulder and plunged ahead, trying to take Amos to the ground. He couldn’t keep taking punishment.
Amos dropped an elbow onto his shoulder, then again, and Cane fell to his knees. Amos kicked him in the ribs, causing him to roll onto his back, and he could see Amos grinning as he stood over him.
“You’re out of your league,” said Amos.
Cane was breathing hard, trying to push away the pain in his left shoulder. He wanted one last round, and he knew he had to make it count.
“Helen put up more of a fight than you,” said Amos.
Cane knew anger wouldn’t do him any good at this point. It would just be harder to focus beyond it. He tried to block out the words by thinking of Helen, her smile, the times she’d cried on his shoulder, her sincere eyes as she conveyed her unconditional acceptance of him. As these images flashed through his mind, he was overcome with intense grief, the pain so severe that he felt his eyes watering.
He had always wondered, for years, what Helen would think of him if she knew the darkest parts of him. Now he realized that she did know everything about him, and not only did she love him despite it, she also loved him because of it.
He remembered the night Helen said she wished she could’ve seen ‘him’ die, and he’d wondered if she was referring to the Blue Rose Killer or her late husband. What if she was referring to both? Maybe the pain both of them had caused made her fuse the two together in her own mind. They’d become indistinguishable from one another. Now Helen had a new monster to add to the list. Amos. And once again, she’d miss the opportunity to see him die.
Helen didn’t deserve to die the way she had, not at the hands of this man. If she could see Cane now, she’d already be pleased that he saved Kristy again.
But Cane wanted more. He wanted to kill the man that took her life.
Cane was ready; the pain in his shoulder w
as gone, or masked, and he was laser-focused. He wouldn’t die. Not today.
When Amos went in for the next kick, Cane grabbed one leg and swept the other, causing Amos to land on his back. In the same motion, he rolled to his right, on top of Amos, and landed an elbow to his nose. He didn’t stop with one. He threw four more, and while Amos evaded one, the rest hit their mark.
Cane sprang to his feet and found his stance. Amos followed sluggishly, trying to shake off the effect of the elbows. His nose was bleeding, and he wiped it with his hand as he approached.
Amos came in with a right jab, but Cane blocked it with his left and hit him with a straight right. He followed this with a body blow with his left hand and turned it immediately into a right uppercut. Amos staggered back, dazed, but was determined. He came in with a right front-kick, trying to catch Cane off guard, but Cane twisted left to avoid it and then kicked out Amos’s left knee. There was a snap and Amos crumpled to the floor, landing on his knees.
Cane stepped toward Amos and hit him in his throat before he could react, causing him to gag, and he fell backwards. He coughed, trying desperately to catch his breath, but was also laughing between coughs. He could barely speak, but he uttered one last phrase. “This has only begun.”
Unmoved by the vague threat and sick of hearing him talk and grin, Cane bent down over him and grabbed his throat. Amos fought back, but his strength was fading. Cane punched him several times in the face as he tightened his grip and Amos’s eyes became bloodshot. He punched him until Amos’s neck could no longer absorb the blows, causing his head to swing limply.
He didn’t want to kill him yet.
Cane reached into his pocket and retrieved a small, cylindrical object. It was a small C4 charge the size of a double-a battery, and Lynks had equipped it with a remote trigger. Upon seeing the explosive, Amos’s sarcastic grin evaporated. Cane pried his mouth open and forced the charge into his mouth and down his throat. Amos resisted, but he was too weak to offer any real opposition. Cane lifted Amos and carried him to the window facing the front of the house; he could see Lynks’s van out front, waiting for him. The front windows of the house were larger than the ones in back, large enough to accommodate Amos’s exit.
The window shattered outward as Cane launched him out, and Amos bounced on the rooftop and rolled until he reached the edge. He gave one last glance at Cane, and he was teetering on the edge, about to fall off. He was too weak to hold himself up.
“I hope you’re able to see him die, Helen,” Cane said under his breath.
He saw Amos roll off the side and touched his watch, detonating the charge, which echoed through the house.
And then he exited out the front door.
◆◆◆
“Holy smokes,” said Calvin.
Kristy saw it too; a man fell off the roof, and she watched his upper torso and head explode into a cloud of red mist. Maybe it was grief, exhaustion, or the rage she felt deep inside, but it was more of a satisfying sight than she’d like to admit.
“That’s definitely Cane’s work,” said Calvin.
“That happened on purpose?” asked Daniel.
Calvin smiled. “The exploding head? Yeah, big guy, Cane did that on purpose.”
“He must teach me,” said Daniel.
“There he is,” said Bowman.
Kristy saw Cane exiting the front door of the house, just like he said he would, and she cried.
“He looks hurt,” said Lynks. He and Kristy got out, and everyone except the injured followed. Kristy ran to meet Cane on the lawn but resisted throwing her arms around him and hugged him gently instead. He put his right arm around her and squeezed, and she looked up at him.
“That was Amos?” she asked. Cane nodded.
Kristy let the others have their moment with Cane.
Daniel was standing there watching too. “I think I’m in love,” he said.
Calvin laughed. “Oh, great. The two of you were meant for each other.”
They all climbed into the van, not wanting to linger any longer than needed. Cane somehow fit into the back and lay down with his head in Kristy’s lap.
“Calvin, didn’t I hear someone say you knew a doctor?” asked Barkley from the driver’s seat.
“I do, but he’s in Chicago,” said Calvin. “That’s a long drive.”
“I know someone. He could meet us somewhere.” It was Bowman’s buddy, Orlando.
Barkley nodded and pulled out. As soon as the van got moving, Kristy saw a car approaching from the opposite direction. It slowed, and she saw the driver; he was scary-looking and appeared very interested in their departure.
“It’s Rick,” said Daniel.
Kristy felt Cane’s head lift. “The same Rick you had a run-in with before?” he asked.
Daniel nodded. “I’d never forget that face.”
“It’s gonna have to wait,” said Barkley. “We’re a rolling infirmary right now.”
When Daniel didn’t respond, Kristy glanced over her shoulder. He was passed out. She pointed this out to Lynks.
“I think the bullet’s still in his back,” said Lynks. “Hurry, Barkley.”
Home Sweet Home
Friday, 9/15/2028, 9:00 a.m.
Naperville, Illinois
Daniel woke up with a familiar face smiling at him. Taryn. He was trying to shake off the fog and get his eyes to focus.
“Hey,” said Taryn. “I knew you were about to wake up. You kept making weird noises.”
“Every time you see me I’m near death,” said Daniel.
Taryn smiled and leaned down to hug him. He laid his arm across her back.
“How’ve you been?” asked Daniel.
“I’ve been great,” she said. “I have a new best friend. Her name is Jordyn.”
Daniel frowned. “I got demoted?”
Taryn laughed. “She’s my best girl friend.”
“That’s better,” he said with a smile.
Daniel heard the door click, and he glanced over to see Calvin walking through. He was holding an Ecollar, smiling.
“Get outta here,” said Daniel, but Calvin kept walking toward him, holding it out in front.
“It’s the return of the cone of shame,” said Calvin. Taryn giggled.
“Stop. It hurts to laugh,” said Daniel. “How long have I been out?”
“Almost two days,” said Calvin. “That bullet was deep in there, penetrated through your crust and into the mantle. Your vet friend, the one that patched you up last time? He came by to check on you yesterday.”
“How’s everyone else?” Daniel asked, recalling the other injured people in the van.
Calvin sighed. “Emmett didn’t make it,” he said. “Bowman and Wayne are fine, and Hart is lounging by the pool. The Jacuzzi has become a hot spot for the wounded around here.”
“Cane?” asked Daniel.
Calvin grinned. “He won’t sit still. He’s running an errand right now.”
Daniel heard the door again; an unfamiliar girl entered and smiled at him.
“This is Jordyn,” said Calvin. “She’s been here for the past year or so.”
“Hello, Daniel,” said Jordyn.
“I’m gonna go make my rounds,” said Calvin. “I hope you woke up with your appetite. I’m about to throw burgers and hot dogs on the grill.”
That sounded lovely to Daniel. He was starving. Taryn motioned for Jordyn to sit by her, and she did.
“I have to tell you something,” said Taryn, looking at Daniel. “Actually, we have to tell you something.” She put her arm around Jordyn. “Tell Daniel about your dad.”
Daniel listened to the horrifying story about what happened to Jordyn and how she had to fight for her life. He admired her and was enraged at the same time. “How do you know it was your dad that tried to kill you at the hospital?” he asked.
Jordyn pulled a hemp necklace out of her pocket; the kind kids make in art class. The beads on this one spelled the word “daddy.” “Someone found this next
to me in the hospital bed the next day,” said Jordyn.
Daniel felt terrible for her. Both girls had something very much in common: both at some point had a wonderful father, then at another dealt with monsters.
“I know the exact date that her dad tried to kill her at the hospital,” said Taryn.
“Okay,” said Daniel, confused.
“It was July 30, 2024.” Taryn paused. “I remember because it was the same day my dad died.”
Daniel tried to grasp the connection but couldn’t.
“My dad was the orderly on duty that night,” said Taryn. “He saved Jordyn’s life and chased her dad away. Her dad forced my dad off the road, causing him to hit a tree.”
Daniel understood. Taryn’s mom had told Taryn that her dad died in a car accident, and while it wasn’t exactly a lie, it was only a version of the truth.
He looked at the two of them and couldn’t stay angry. These girls now shared a powerful bond that helped both move forward.
“How’d you end up here?” he asked Jordyn.
“After I woke up and was recovering well enough, someone brought me here,” said Jordyn. “They said it was a woman who had been helping me.”
Something seemed amiss. Daniel thought for a second and then looked at the girls. “Could you two help me get out of this room?”
The girls looked doubtful, but once they helped him into a sitting position, he was able to do the rest. “Could you hand me some shorts and give me a minute?” he said to Taryn. She nodded and blushed, then retrieved shorts from a gym bag on the floor and handed them over. She and Jordyn stepped outside until he called them back in.
Daniel had a hard time walking at first, but once he worked out the stiffness, he could get along without balancing on the girls. Good thing, because they looked exhausted after a few feet of walking. His back and shoulder were sore, but the weakness was the bigger issue. Once he had food in his system, he’d feel better.
Everyone was outside by the hot tub and pool, having a good time. Kristy, Barkley, and another girl he hadn’t met sat in lounge chairs. Bowman was on one also, but he looked asleep. Bowman’s two friends weren’t there, but three bodyguard-looking types were standing at various places around the pool, eyeing him. They looked like capable fellows. He didn’t see Cane, but Calvin was standing close to the grill beside Lynks, who was sitting.