by Dan Alatorre
Her heart still pounding, Constantine nodded.
“Come.” The doctor got to his feet. “It is time for breakfast, and we can’t be seen here.” He put his hand out and helped Constantine to her feet. “Are you okay, girl?”
Breathing hard, she nodded again.
“Good.” He limped toward the cabin. “You don’t do that again.”
Constantine turned toward the stony edge as the sound of another booming wave crashed into the rocks. Drops of water shot all the way to the top of the cliff.
Trembling, she backed away before turning and running to the cabin.
* * * * *
The doctor sat on the bed, holding a plate with several breakfast pastries on it. A small, metal coffee cup sat at his feet. He held the dish out to Constantine. “Eat.”
Taking a danish, she looked around for a place to sit. She picked the spot on the floor where the blanket had been laid, using it as a cushion. “When did these come?”
“Right when you started your little adventure.” He set the plate on the bed and picked up a croissant, sniffing it. “You are small, but you are not invisible. You are lucky they didn’t see you.”
“I suppose so.” She scrunched up her nose. “But they must have noticed I wasn’t here.”
The doctor set his pastry down and pointed to the small door next to the rear exit. “I told them you were in the toilet.”
Constantine took a small bite of her danish. It had an apple filling and seemed to have been baked recently. It wasn’t hard, or stale-tasting. “I should thank you.” She glanced toward the main house, lowering her voice. “For keeping me from falling just now.”
The doctor bent down and picked up his coffee, taking a sip. The breeze from the ocean pushed his greasy hair around his temples.
“Anyway,” she said, “I don’t wish to appear ungrateful. So, thank you. Doctor . . .”
The surgeon stared out the rear door.
“It does seem curious, though. If you’re going to kill me anyway, why didn’t you just let me fall?”
“No more talking.” His eyes remained fixed on the door. “Eat.”
She took a few bites of her danish. “You don’t feel good, do you? Is it the drugs you mentioned? Did you take something to make you sleep last night?” When he didn’t answer, she finished her breakfast. “If you’re not hungry, I’ll have yours. I’m famished.”
She got up and walked to the bed, reaching for the croissant. The doctor’s hand shot out, grabbing her by the wrist.
He glared at her. “That one is mine.”
“Yes, of course,” Constantine said. “Very sorry.”
He let go of her hand and picked up the croissant, but didn’t eat it. Rubbing her wrist, Constantine walked to the rear door. “How do you know the fence is electrified?”
The doctor looked at her. “What’s that you say?”
“The fence. It has signs on it that say High Voltage, and Cleo said it would fry you if you touched it . . . but as far as I can see, there’s no electricity out here. There are no power lines running to the main house, and there are no utility poles nearby. I suppose a battery system is possible, but it would have to be very large. They can’t have buried a cable in this rocky ground, and I haven’t heard a generator.”
He stared at her from the bed.
“Did you not ever check?” she asked.
Grunting, the doctor got up from the mattress. “Valentin was right. You talk too much.” He brushed past her and walked outside.
The back door of the main house banged shut. “Constantine!” Nicole bounded over the gray stone yard, carrying a plastic shopping bag. “Have you finished breakfast?”
“Yes, Miss Nicole.” Constantine went to the front door of the cabin.
Nicole trotted down the steps, swinging the bag.
“Thank you for breakfast, miss. It was very tasty. I do like apple.”
“Très bien.” Nicole smiled, holding out the bag. “I have brought you some different clothes. They are used, but clean, oui? I think they will fit you.”
Constantine glanced inside the bag. A bright red windbreaker with a white collar sat on top of a pair of jeans. Lifting them revealed a pink t-shirt, socks, and underwear. She looked up at Nicole. “They’re very nice, miss.”
“Let us try on the jacket. I think I guess the right size for you.”
Nicole helped Constantine slip into the windbreaker, zipping it all the way up to Constantine’s neck. The child pranced around the cabin, spinning in circles with her arms out. “It’s lovely, miss! Thank you.”
“Good.” Nicole beamed. “Would you like to go for a walk?”
Constantine raised her eyebrows. “Is that allowed?”
“I am sure a short walk will do no harm. A young girl needs exercise, yes? And Valentin is not here. Come.” Nicole held out her hand. “Walk with me.”
They crossed the stone yard together, hand in hand, only letting go to allow Nicole a chance to take a key from her pocket and open the big lock on the back door. Once they were inside, she re-locked it and they passed through the dingy interior of the main house.
Beyond the house was a tall mountain, green and lush, with a rainbow shining behind it. At the bottom of the slope stood a desert. Small, brown bushes stuck up from the rough gray rocks.
Nicole walked uphill, to the left. “Come on. Time to exercise.”
Constantine ran to catch up with her, taking Nicole’s hand again. She had to take two steps for every one of Nicole’s, but she didn’t mind. After a few minutes, they were at the top of a small plateau. The mountain rose up behind them and the bright blue waters stretched out below, as far as the eye could see. The other islands appeared majestic in the morning light.
Nicole put her hands on her hips, her blonde ponytail waving in the wind. “What do you think?”
“It’s quite spectacular.” Constantine faced the beautiful scenery, keeping Nicole in the corner of her eye. “I might say this island looked like heaven if I wasn’t supposed to die here.”
“What!” Nicole whipped around, grabbing Constantine’s shoulders. “Who told you that? Was it that horrible Doctor Solaine?”
Constantine nodded. “He said he was a surgeon and that he would drill into my legs and cut into my head. He said people would make him do that again and again until there was nothing left of me—and then I would die.”
“Oh, no, no, no.” Nicole hugged Constantine, pulling her close. “Chut, fille.” No more of that talk. I would never let you suffer so.”
“No?”
“Never. There will be a procedure, yes. An operation, to draw some bone marrow and stem cells. But I would never let them continue with their horrible plans. It will never be like Doctor Solaine told you.”
Constantine buried her face in Nicole’s waist. “Oh, thank you, miss.”
“I will save you from that, eh? I know where Valentin has hidden a gun.” She stroked Constantine’s hair. “After the first procedure, they will relax. Then, I will steal his gun and sneak you out. We will escape to this beautiful place together, oui?” She kissed the top of Constantine’s head. “And then I will shoot you, girl. You will not suffer, I promise.”
Constantine’s breath caught in her throat. She held Nicole, terror gripping her insides as she gazed, unfocused, at the crystalline water, forcing her hands not to tremble.
Chapter 31
As Nicole ushered Constantine out the back door of the main house, she heard Valentin’s noisy Jeep approaching.
“Go quick, fille.” Nicole patted Constantine on the back. “To the cabin. There will be lunch soon—and maybe a snack of your fish crackers later.”
Constantine nodded and raced to the cabin, jumping down the steps. When Nicole had pulled the back door of the main house shut, Constantine crept back up the stairs.
The old house had missing boards and falling sections, so she stayed low, crawling over the smooth, gray stone of the yard. Reaching the side of the crumbling hous
e, Constantine got on her knees to peek in the window.
Nicole greeted Valentin and Muddy when they came in the front door. The kidnappers spoke to each other in French.
“The arrangements are now set,” Valentin said. “Tomorrow, as soon as Hollings arrives with the old woman and the two Americans, we will get a call. Then, we take the little girl to a rendezvous point.”
“Okay.” Nicole nodded. “Do we know where?”
Muddy set a large paper bag on the rickety old table.
“They will tell us on the call.” Valentin paced back and forth. “But we are to begin the surgeries tomorrow morning. The adverse effects of the plane flight should have dissipated by then.”
Muddy faced Valentine, frowning. “Dr. Solaine . . . he is too ill to operate on Constantine.”
“Muddy is right,” Nicole said. “That shell of a man is not able to perform surgery. What if—”
“Why do you think we can debate this?” Valentin threw his hands in the air. “It is decided! Mr. Twa insists on having stem cells and bone marrow harvested from the girl before he sells her to Hollings, so that is what we will do. He probably plans to propagate the blood line in a laboratory somewhere.” Frowning, he folded his arms. “Regardless, it is not our concern.”
“It’s not right,” Muddy said. “She’s just a little girl.”
“And you are just a big, stupid man.” Valentin slammed his hand on the table. “Now, do as you are told.” He shoved the bag at Muddy. “Take them their lunch. Make sure the girl eats and sleeps today. Plenty of water and antibiotics.”
As Muddy picked up the bag, Constantine crawled away from the house and ran back to the cabin. She was barely inside when the back door of the main house banged shut.
“You are playing a dangerous game.” Dr. Solaine stepped out from the shadows.
Constantine gasped.
Did he see me spying on them?
“Here come lunch food!” Muddy walked across the stone yard, swinging the bag.
Solaine walked toward her. “What do you think you’re doing, sneaking to the house like that? You risk getting us both killed.”
Constantine narrowed her eyes. “Instead of just me?”
“Watch your tongue, child.” The doctor sneered. “You may end up at the bottom of that cliff yet.”
As Constantine opened her mouth to speak, a giant shadow fell over her.
“You not hurt her!” Muddy yelled. He raced to the feeble surgeon, seizing him by the collar with one hand and lifting him off the ground. “You never hurts her.”
“Let go of me, you idiot!” Solaine grabbed Muddy’s wrists, twisting in the big man’s grasp. The surgeon’s feet kicked in the air.
“If you hurt her, I hurt you.” He dropped the doctor and reached inside the bag, pulling out a cloth napkin. Going to the bedside, he grabbed Solaine’s coffee cup and poured the contents over the cloth. “Are you see?” Muddy shouted, stuffing the lunch bag under his arm. He grabbed the front of the doctor’s shirt and dragged him outside.
Solaine kicked and flailed as Muddy pulled him over the gray stone.
“Cleo!” Constantine ran after Muddy.
“You not hurt her!” Muddy dropped the paper bag and hauled the doctor to the electric fence, lifted him up as he brandished the wet cloth. “You never hurts her!”
Solaine struggled against Muddy’s grip. “Let me go!”
Constantine stood in the yard, her jaw agape. “Cleo!”
Muddy’s face was red, his eyes wide. “You never hurts her!” He hurled the wet cloth napkin into the fence. It exploded in a shower of sparks. “Never! You never hurts her!”
Smoke poured from the napkin as it sizzled on the electrified wires. A small flame burst from its folds.
Muddy grabbed the doctor’s collar with both hands, shaking him. “Never!”
“Muddy!” The back door banged open. Valentin ran across the stone yard with a gun in his hand. “What do you think you are doing?”
Muddy looked up, his eyes wide. “Not hurt Constantine!”
“Help me!” Solaine screamed. “This monster will kill me!”
“We need the doctor.” Valentin pointed the gun at Muddy. “Put him down. Now.”
“Not hurt her!”
“She doesn’t belong to us!” Valentin cocked the weapon. “Put him down. I won’t say it again.”
Nicole burst forth from the house. “Everyone, stop! Stop this now!” Her hand on her lip, she gazed back and forth between the two men.
Muddy glared at Valentin. Narrowing his eyes, he let go of Doctor Solaine and walked forward.
“Cleo!” Constantine gasped. “Stop!”
“Muddy!” Nicole shouted. “No!”
Muddy kept walking.
“Cleo!”
As Muddy got closer, Valentin took a step backwards, kicking the brown bag.
The gun fired. Muddy flinched, a tuft of his shirt pocket popping like confetti. He stumbled sideways, his jaw dropping, then glared at Valentin and took another step forward.
“Keep away from me!” Valentin fired two more rounds.
The giant threw his hands out, blood splattering from his chest. He looked at Constantine. “He doesn’t . . . hurt you.”
The girl clasped both hands over her mouth.
Muddy’s eyes rolled back in his head. He collapsed onto the rusty High Voltage sign, sending up an explosion of sparks. His massive body bounced forward, but the sign snagged his shirt, pulling him back. He slammed into the fence a second time, screaming as smoke burst forward from his shoulders. Reaching out, he clawed the air as his torso convulsed in spasms. He thrust forward again and again, straining and reaching, but the sign held him by his snagged shirt. Muddy grabbed for the buttons of his shirt, his hands thumping clumsily into his chest.
“Help him!” Constantine cried. “Someone, do something. Turn off the power!”
Nicole raced to the girl and swept her up, turning her face away, but Constantine twisted around.
As Nicole carried her to the cabin, Muddy dangled on the fence, his body on fire. His arms turned black, his tongue hanging out of his mouth as smoke billowed upward around him. The shirt ignited, sending flames dancing across his chest and face. He threw his head back, screaming and kicking, reaching again for the snagged shirt, unable to free himself from the fence.
Slumping forward, the shirt ripped, and Muddy fell face-first onto the ground. A small piece of charred, smoldering black cloth clung to the sign. Smoke rose from Muddy’s unmoving body.
Standing in the gray stone yard, gun in hand, Valentin stared at the smoldering corpse. Next to him, the breeze pulled at the brown paper bag.
“He was only getting their lunch.” Nicole gasped. “As you told him, Valentin.” She cursed, spitting on the ground. “He let the doctor go. He was only trying to take the prisoners their lunch.”
Valentin looked at the bag at his feet, the brown paper waving back and forth with the wind. “Take the girl into the cabin.” Valentin walked toward Muddy’s corpse and nodded to Solaine. “Old man, when the body has cooled, you will help me dispose of it.”
“Yes,” Solaine stammered. “Of course.”
“I saved your life just now.” Valentin glared at the frail, wreck of a man. “You could say thank you.”
Backing away, Solaine nodded. “Thank you, sir.”
Valentin bent down and picked up the bag, holding it out to the doctor. “Here is . . . your lunch.”
With trembling fingers, Solaine took the bag and rushed back to the cabin.
Valentin stared at Muddy for a few more minutes, then turned and walked to the back door. Putting Constantine down, Nicole wiped the tears from her eyes and followed Valentin into the house.
When the door of the main house banged shut, the little girl stared at the old man. “I’m leaving here. Tonight.”
“I already told you,” Solaine said. “There is no escape. The fence is death. The cliff is death.”
“I’ll ta
ke the path on the ledge.”
“Then you will finish what you started yesterday.”
Constantine glared at him. “I’m as good as dead anyway. You said so yourself. My Keeper always watched out for me. She taught me how to be aware and how to assess people. I—”
“You are a foolish child, with a child’s foolish optimism.” The surgeon retreated to his corner, stepping into the shadows by his bed. “You will die on the ledge path. It is slippery. It crumbles. I have seen the bodies floating in the surf. And if you get to the bottom safely, you drown in the water. The other island is miles away.”
“I’m an excellent swimmer.” Constantine puffed out her chest. “The best in my class. I could hold my breath for almost three minutes.”
“Then it will take you three minutes longer to drown!” Solaine coughed, wiping his lip with a finger. It came away with blood in it. “If you survive the waves and the currents, you will die of exposure on the other island. It is a desert. The closest people are all the way on the other side.”
“Then I shall have a long walk as well!”
“Until you are captured again, or you die. No one is going to come for you. No one ever comes.” He leaned on the wall, sliding to the floor. “Do you know how many children have cried all night, wishing and hoping for their mother and father to come get them? And no one ever did.”
Constantine looked down. “Hamilton will come. I know it. He said he would.”
“And you think people do what they say in this world?” Solaine scoffed.
She gazed at the frail old man. “I think if you believe strongly in people, they will work very hard to not disappoint you.”
Shoulders slumping, the doctor’s head sagged onto his bony chest. “What makes you think I won’t walk right out this wretched cabin and tell Valentin what you have planned?”
“I think you’re ashamed of the things you’ve done—the things that landed you here.” Constantine lowered her voice. “That’s why you do things to help you forget. But you don’t want to see me die. If you did, you wouldn’t have gone out onto that dangerous, wet, slippery ledge and stopped me from falling.”