Mind (the) Game

by Kelly Shade

  Jane lifted her thumb to show, that she is fine and headed to join her well-doer. Slow but steady she sat on the planks of wood and turned to the worried woman.

  “How long I’ve been here?”

  “Week and a half.” Answered Nancy. “Are you sure you are okay, don’t you want to go back to bed?”

  “No, I spent enough time there, I’m fine.” Said Jane. “Why do you live here?” was the next question Blake was interested in.

  Nancy hesitated for a moment but decided to talk “Let me tell you my story after dinner. The vegetables are ready, you have to eat.”

  Jane agreed even though she wasn’t hungry at all. Her stomach felt like the size of the ping pong ball. But under Nancy’s supervision, she was forced to eat half of the food she was given which took her almost an hour. The sun went down and was replaced by the beautiful full moon which was shining brightly in the sky full of stars. Only the cracking sound of the fire was interrupting the quiet night.

  Nancy finished her dinner, and it was time for Jane to receive answers. But Blake didn’t ask again, she was waiting for her companion to start speaking. And she did, after a while, with a soft voice she began to tell the tale of her life.

  “My name is Agnes Downer, but since I was a kid, everyone called me Nancy. I lived in Fort Worth, Texas. I was in med school when my dad won the lottery, and he and my mum made a company. At the beginning it was a small business for board games, he had many ideas, and together we were creating new ones. My parents loved what we did. But after dad died, twenty-two years ago, my mum, me and my sister decided to go to the next level – to develop video and computer games. My sister had an IT degree, and I had great ideas. We made it, the company grew, but we continued to make board games too, in dad’s memory, mum was in charge of them. We were doing fine. My sister’s husband was our financial adviser, her son was one of the developers, it was a great family business. I was so involved in the company that I made a huge mistake- I never married and never had kids.” Nancy's eyes were full of tears, but she was managing to hold them in and keep talking. Jane couldn’t understand why she was sharing that with her and she was just about to ask, but Nancy continued “Two years later a terrible thing happened. Someone went into my mum’s house and suffocated her with a pillow. I don’t know why, maybe because our company was doing too good and a lot of other small businesses couldn’t sell their products that well, or it was just jealousy… I don’t know. But they blamed me.”

  “They what?” Jane jumped up off of the surprise, but the pain of the stretching stitches made her sit back again and grab hold of the bandage.

  “Yeah, someone set me up. I ran. I had the money, and as soon as the police started suggesting I had something to do with the murder, I knew I had to buy a fake ID and run before they have a warrant for my arrest. I came to Chile because it was the first flight leaving the country and I bought a ticket. At first, I worked as a nurse in a small village for about a year, but one day I saw my own face on the news. They figured out I was in Chile and they were searching for me. I had to hide, I gathered everything I could put in a backpack, took all the money I had and ran. For weeks! Finally, I found this forest. I was tired of running, and I decided to build a house here, away from everyone. Since then, I live here. The furniture I got out of the trash, once in a month or two I disguise myself, and I go to the nearby town to buy some necessities, but overall I gather my food from the forest.”

  “You are telling me you were falsely accused of your mother’s murder?” Jane raised her eyebrows and Nancy nodded in agreement. “And they had evidence and all?”

  “They had enough, and my family history is not very bright. My grandfather was a psycho, he died in prison, he was locked for murder. They assumed it runs in the family.” Agnes made a sad smile and lifted her shoulders.

  Jane was about to say something, but something in this story triggered her memories. Her head started pounding, her forehead was burning, flashes of the near past were blinking in front of her closed eyes, everything was coming back. Jane grabbed her head tightly as if she wanted to squeeze the pain out of it, but it didn’t stop. Nancy put her arm around Jane’s shoulders and stroked her softly. Blake remembered. She remembered everything.

  “What is it, dear? Was it a memory?” Nancy asked kindly, still stoking Jane’s back.

  “Yes. It all came back.” Said Blake firmly. “I have to go!” she stood up, but Nancy held her hand.

  “Whatever it is, it can wait few more days. I will remove the stitches in two days, and you need at least a couple of days more for a full recovery.” Nancy spoke with a grave expression on her face “It can wait.”

  Usually Jane wouldn’t listen, usually Jane would do whatever she wanted to do, usually, Jane would walk away without explaining, but this time Jane didn’t feel like her old self, she felt weak. This time she decided to sit back on the bench and rethink what to do. She had to listen to that woman, she knew she was right.

  The night was warm and pleasant, and Blake didn’t want to go back to bed, but she had to, Nancy was tired, and Jane had to rest. She fell asleep fast, and this time there were no nightmares scaring her awake, she didn’t dream at all.

  The next few days went by better. Blake was getting her strength back, she was able to help Nancy with the cooking, cleaning and gathering firewood. It was so peaceful and quiet at that little shack that Jane was enjoying every second spent there. She knew what is waiting for her when she goes back, and she wasn’t looking forward to it.

  Nancy and Jane drew one of Nancy’s favorite board games using charcoal and a torn box. They played a few times when they had the time. Jane didn’t remember when was the last time she felt so relaxed.

  When Agnes removed the stitches, Jane realized that only they were the reason she couldn’t make certain moves, she was fully healed.

  Blake decided it was time to go, but Nancy didn’t want to be left alone again. She asked Jane for one last night just so they can say a proper goodbye.

  “I didn’t ask you, dear, I wanted to respect your privacy, excuse my curiosity, but since this is the last time we see each other I have to ask- what did you remember?” said Nancy while they were preparing the ‘gala goodbye dinner.’

  “It is not safe for you to know, Nancy.” Casually answered Jane and put the mushrooms, that they gathered earlier, in the hot pan. Then looked straight into the old lady’s warm brown eyes and said seriously. “And I will bring you back to the States. It is not the last time we see each other.”

  “How are you going to make that happen?” Nancy beamed even though she couldn’t believe Jane.

  “Well, I work with the LAPD. I have connections in the FBI, I can find the real killer, and they will drop the charges against you. It is easier than it sounds.” smiled Jane and put the food on their plates.

  “So you believe I didn’t do it, even without reading the file or seeing the evidence. I can’t believe you are a cop!” laughed Nancy.

  “I’m not a cop, and I have a way with people.” Jane winked and grabbed a mushroom with her fork. “I know when somebody is lying to me.” She waved the fork towards Nancy and added with her mouth full “And you are being honest.”

  “I will miss you here!” said Agnes and hugged her.

  “Tomorrow I’ll go in the early morning. So I should walk south-east to get to the nearest city, right?” Jane looked around pointing at the darkness.

  “Yes.” Answered Nancy swallowed her bite and added “Corral is the name of the city. I’ll give you money for the transport. Good thing you had your passport in the pocket.”

  “Well, I always had it with me in case I had to run fast,” Jane admitted. “And I can’t take money from you, you need them more.”

  “Dear, I had a million dollars with me, and I’m spending around four-five hundred a year. I’ll manage!” she laughed, but in the next second, a serious expression took place, and she spoke again “I hope you are not putting yourself in danger again. Yo
u were in a terrible condition when you were brought here, and I don’t think you will have the same luck next time. That man was there by chance, he was hiking when he saw you.” Nancy was worried. After all the time they had spent together, Nancy was acting like a mother with Jane, and now she was concerned like one.

  “Don’t worry, Nancy, I’ll be okay. Believe me, this is not the first time I’m in danger, this is just the worst one. And thank you for being here for me. I appreciate it, and I will repay you, I promise!” said Jane.

  “I think it is time for bed. You’ll have a long walk tomorrow.” Nancy smiled, and they went into the shack.

  The morning was colder than the night. Jane woke up before sunrise and prepared herself for the trip. She couldn’t believe how much time she hasn’t drunk coffee; this was the only thing she missed. At least the only thing she missed and wasn’t angry at, the other ‘things’ weren’t things but people. The people who didn’t care where she was, the people who didn’t try to find her. The ones she called a team.

  Nancy woke up and interrupted Jane’s thoughts about Ryan, Connor, Nick, and Ian.

  “Put everything you need here.” Said Nancy and handed her old backpack and some money. “It’s not much but…”

  “No, I can’t take it. This bag was with you for twenty years, I can’t just take it.” Jane refused but Nancy insisted and they packed it with some food and water. Agnes put some cash in the small front pocket and Jane fixed the huge and heavy backpack on her back.

  “I’ll see you back home!” smiled Jane and walked away. She heard Nancy’s quiet “I hope!” behind her, but she didn’t look back. Blake needed to go home and fix the mess she created.

  Chapter 2

  Riddle me this

  2 Months Earlier

  A week had passed after the explosion in Jane’s house. Her beautiful home was gone. At the place, where it once stood, there was only a pile of rubble. Singed parts of furniture and kitchen appliances were all Jane was left with.

  Although the pool and the garden were untouched, dirt, broken glass and scourged planks were scattered everywhere. Jane saw her pillow torn and floating in the pool, part of a bar stool was stuck in the flower alley, one of the palm trees was broken in half – the shelf, that had flown into it was lying on the ground.

  In Ian’s opinion, the bomb was located in the middle of the kitchen, probably under the kitchen island and the detonator was connected to the security system, that’s why it was activated seconds after Jane typed the code. The bomb squad, which examined the scene, reported that the bomb itself was professionally made. Its main purpose was to inflict as much damage as possible to a wider blast area. Whoever did it was determined to kill Jane and turn her house into splinters in the process.

  Blake was picking one thing after another from the ruins, then dropping all she had in her hands and reaching for something else. That house meant a whole lot to her. She couldn’t stop the overwhelming sadness, which filled her mind, while looking at her destroyed home. And that was the reason she called Ryan Gray to help her find her stuff and to move them to the place she had rented. She still didn’t have permission to clean the whole mess and start rebuilding the house because it was still a crime scene, but they let her pick some things she would need.

  Ryan arrived and parked his car on the street, Jane’s huge garage was destroyed too. He waved at her with a broad smile on his face and moved towards her.

  Jane saw him and lighten up a little. His charming smile had a specific impact on her, his presence always cheered her up, the way he was looking at her made her feel important, appreciated. Ryan was the first person who got under her skin, the one and only who could make her laugh when in a bad mood, the man she trusted the most from the team. Blake never had those feelings for another human being in her life, and she loved and hated those feelings at the same time. She hated the fact that she started to need him by her side, but she loved to have someone like Ryan in her life.

  “Gray, you’re late!” Jane beamed at him.

  “Why? Is this pile of garbage going to run away?” Gray laughed as he approached Jane, his eyes fixed on the ground, jumping over and avoiding debris.

  “What if someone wanted to rob me?” Jane joked looking at the doorknob she was holding.

  “You could use your ninja skills and protect the broken microwave’s honor!” Ryan got back at her, and his expression turned into a little bit more serious one as he asked “So, why are we here? Is there anything that survived?”

  “Well, not in the house,” Jane answered with a somewhat mysterious tone.

  “What do you mean?” Ryan got the drift and looked around the place suspiciously. “Is there some kind of a safe I have never seen?”

  Jane smiled deviously, took his hand and dragged him to the far end of the garden, after the pool and the sunbeds, behind the barbecue. She stopped there, waiting for him to find out why on his own. Ryan glanced around, but there was nothing exciting to see, so then looked down. It took him a few seconds to realize, that there was a small square on the ground formed by a movable grass plot. He reached to it, lifted the corner and saw a metal shaft lid with a handle. Ryan looked up at Jane who was so proud of him. The lines of the square were barely noticeable, and when she met him at first, he probably wouldn’t pay any attention to such a small detail. He was learning how to observe and notice things most people would miss and Jane was glad she was the reason for that.

  “What’s in there?” asked Ryan still kneeling next to the lid.

  “Let me show you.” Smiled Jane and opened the lid. There was another metal cover, looking way more heavy and secure. This one had a touch screen display which lit up in red when Jane placed her thumb on it. Then a keyboard appeared. Blake typed the password with one hand, covering it with the other, so Ryan couldn’t see the code. He rolled his eyes, showing annoyance with all the secrecy, but didn’t say anything.

  The second lid moved to the side automatically after Jane entered the correct password. A dark metal staircase revealed in front of Ryan’s eyes. Jane waved at him to follow her as she stepped on the first step and reached to a switch on the right wall. A lamp turned on at the end of the staircase.

  Ryan went after Jane and closed the lid. There weren’t many stairs and soon enough Blake and Gray were standing together in a small hallway. A door with another display stood at the end of the corridor. Jane hurried to open it and stepped aside gesturing Ryan to walk in first.

  Gray entered the secret room, and his jaw dropped of surprise. It was fully equipped bunker- shelves were covered with different necessities, there was an electricity generator, a metal table with chairs in the middle of the room, a bed in the left corner, a TV on the wall opposite the bed, and a small kitchen space on the right. Ryan could see, straight ahead, the small bathroom through its opened door. There were also two expensive looking paintings above the bed and a small gold-like statue on the table.

  “Cool, huh?” Jane was enjoying Ryan’s amazement.

  “It’s awesome! How did you do it?” Ryan was holding the phoenix statue, examining it from every side. The magnificent bird was with its wings spread, as if welcoming someone. Its dark blue eyes and a silver beak were a nice touch to this amazing piece of art. The statue was heavier, than Ryan expected. He had to ask “Is that made of gold?”

  “Yep, white with yellow gold and blue 5-carat sapphires.” Jane bragged.

  “What’s the story?” Ryan glanced at her for a second and then his eyes went back to the treasure in his hand.

  “That belonged to the person who gave me the house. The Phoenix, the paintings, and this bunker are his. I just made some improvements” Jane said casually and went to one of the shelves which covered the wall next to the bathroom door.

  “What? I thought you bought the place!” Ryan couldn’t hide his jealousy. “Where is that guy?” he asked with pretend calmness.

  “Dead.” Jane answered “Will you help me with this, it’s stuck?” she was tr
ying to move the shelves aside.

  “Was he your husband or something? Who leaves a house like that?” Ryan grabbed the shelf but didn't make an effort to move it, he was still processing the fact Jane had inherited someone’s house.

  Blake laughed loudly. It took her some time to calm down. The suggestion she had a husband was just ridiculous. Ryan was looking at her with a dead serious face which helped Jane stop giggling.

  “It was my mentor’s place. The one who helped me when I ran away from Chicago.” She said, and her smile suddenly darkened. “Don’t really want to talk about it, okay?” she added when Ryan opened his mouth for the next question. Gray nodded.

  “Let’s move this. I need to get some money.” Jane said, and together they moved the shelf.

  Behind it, there was a locked double door almost as big as the wall. Jane put her pinky on the small rectangle display in the middle, and it cracked open. The safe was enormous- as high and as wide as the wall. There were several weapons, some files and a lot of money. The cash was carefully stacked, it covered most of the space.

  “How much do you have?” Ryan asked, his eyes widened and fixed at the neatly stacked hundred-dollar bills.

  Jane was about to answer when her phone rang. She took it out of her jean’s pocket and looked at the screen suspiciously, the caller ID was hidden. Blake picked up and said with her usual business tone which she used when talking with strangers. “Hello.”

  “Jane Blake?” asked a deep, little hoarse voice on the other side.

  “Yes,” Jane said firmly. Ryan glanced at her and lifted his palms up instead of asking who is on the phone, Blake waved with her hand and went to speak in the hallway up front.

  “Michael Morse is alive.” Said the man’s cold voice. “Do you want to find him and bring him to justice?”

  “Yes.” Repeated Jane as firmly as the first time.

  “Ask yourself which country has the Lone star symbol and its people speak like your neighbors. Find the answer, follow the corals and you’ll find Michael Morse.” The man said that as if he was telling a riddle to a child, and hung up.