Man: Hello.
Syd could hear the footsteps of everyone moving into a different area of the house.
Xander: Who the hell are you?
Man: Sit down. We have a lot to discuss.
Shay: Are you a cop?
Man: No.
Heather: Wait! What?!
Xander: Who the fuck are you then?
Man: A friend of a very powerful man.
Shay: Moreno?
Sydney could practically feel ET stiffen in the back seat. From the corner of her eye she saw him sit up straighter and could hear the breath that caught in his throat. The man either responded silently, or so quietly that Syd couldn’t hear his answer.
Xander: What the fuck does he want?
Man: Something of his was stolen. He wants it back.
Xander: What the hell does he think we have of his? We didn’t take anything from him.
Man: No. You didn’t. But you have access to it now.
Shay: What the hell are you talking about?
Man: Precious cargo. He knows your friend is carrying it.
Heather: I don’t understand. Her voice was thin but firm.
Shay: Mom…I’m sorry.
Heather: What’s going on?
Man: Artifacts were found in Colombia. They belong to a business associate of mine. But they were stolen. Brought to the States. The doctor who stole them…gave them away to numerous people. We know your children have access to one of the people who have an artifact.
Xander: You’re full of shit.
Heather: I still don’t understand.
Man: It’s simple, Mrs. Stockton. If your children do not turn over my associate’s property, we will kill your husband.
Sydney could hear a strangled gasp and she knew it was from Heather. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she was fighting the urge to jump from the truck and run into the house. The electronic locks engaged with a clack and she jumped at the sound. She glanced at Zak. They both knew the lock wouldn’t stop her from getting out of the vehicle. He was just reminding to her that she needed to stay put.
Xander: I’m going to rip your fucking head off.
The man laughed and Syd’s skin crawled.
Man: No. You won’t. And you won’t go to the police either.
Shay: Why is that?
Man: You wouldn’t want them to find the evidence.
Xander: What evidence?
Man: Haven’t you watched any crime shows? Don’t you know how hard it is to get rid of evidence? And how much evidence do you think you’ve left on the bodies?
Heather: Bodies?
Xander: What bodies?
Syd knew he was playing dumb—taking a gamble. But she also knew it was as pointless as he did.
Man: The man called Randall. Remember him? And the three bodies in the Michigan woods?
The phone was silent long enough that Sydney had begun to wonder if the line had gotten disconnected. She wrinkled her brow—how does he know about the bodies? Finally, the man spoke again.
Twenty-four hours. Be back here with your girlfriend. Or we’ll kill your father and turn the evidence over to the police.
Xander: Why do you need Sydney? There are plenty of other hosts.
Man: And she’s how we are going to find them.
Chapter Fifteen
Heather: I’m calling a lawyer.
Man: What good do you think that will do? You don’t have any proof I was here. You don’t have any proof your husband was taken. But we, on the other hand, do have proof that your children and their friends have killed people.
Shay: Calling them people is pretty generous.
Heather: What is he talking about?
Xander: Something crazy…is happening.
Man: And you can tell her all about it. Later.
Heather: I want to know what the hell—
Man: Twenty-four hours. Bring her.
Xander: Sydney doesn’t even have what you want anymore.
Sydney strained to hear the man’s response.
Man: You’d better hope you are wrong about that. Another pause. Tomorrow.
Sydney glanced at Zak and he looked pale. They listened to the man’s footsteps then the distant sound of a door opening and closing. Sydney looked up and saw the man leaving the Stockton’s house. He wasn’t dressed as she would have expected. He should have been in all black. Instead, he was wearing jeans and a sport jacket. He was in his forties or early fifties with a meaty and grizzled demeanor.
Heather: —is going on?!
Shay: Mom
The man got into a dark sedan parked at the curb across the street and drove away quickly. Syd was glad he went in the opposite direction from them. She started to put a hand on the door handle but Xander’s voice stopped her.
Xander: Syd. Zak. You guys drive to the library on Maple. We’ll meet you there soon. Someone is probably watching the house. We don’t want them to see you.
The line disconnected and Sydney growled in frustration. She wanted to argue. She wanted to run into the house and get her friends and their mother and apologize and run with them all. She was also surprised to realize she wanted to chase after the Gringo man. Ram his sedan and when he got out she would run over him with their SUV. She clenched her teeth and fists but Zak’s voice brought her out of her fantasy.
“He’s right. They probably are watching the house. We’ve got to get out of here.” He started the truck and ET finally spoke up from the back.
“They are definitely watching the house. They are too smart to not have been watching.”
“Do you think they saw Xander and Shay get out of the truck then?” Syd glanced around trying to find someone watching them.
“I can’t imagine so,” Zak frowned. “If they did why wouldn’t they have come for us by now?”
“How could they not have seen them though?”
“We should have parked farther away,” ET wiped at sweat beading across his brow.
Zak rolled his eyes. “Little late for that now.”
“Well, either they didn’t see them, or they are waiting on us to do something,” Syd slid slower in the seat.
“Like what?” Zak asked her.
“I don’t know. To go in maybe?”
“I would,” ET, nodded. “If we go in they can take us without anyone seeing.”
Sweat broke out on Syd’s back. “Fuck. What do we do?”
“We don’t go in for starters,” Zak told them.
“Right, Captain Obvious,” Syd growled.
“Let’s just drive away. See what happens,” ET offered.
Zak groaned. “And if they come after us?”
“We deal with it then?” Syd shrugged. “Maybe call the cops and tell them we are being followed?”
“Then we get Richard killed,” Zak snapped.
“Shit. Just drive,” she waved at the road ahead of them. “Maybe we’ll get lucky for once?”
“Right,” Zak mumbled, but he put the truck into gear and pulled away from the curb. He turned around in a driveway to head north. Everyone collectively went silent as they waited. By the time they made it to Maple, a car had pulled onto the road behind them.
“It could be just a normal person,” Syd offered, trying to stay positive even though her stomach sank. But her wishful thinking failed when the car suddenly sped up and closed the distance between them.
“Dammit!” Zak hit the gas and the SUV jumped forward.
They didn’t make it far before Zak had to slam on the brakes again when they met up with traffic that waited at a red light.
“Go!” ET shouted.
Syd turned around her heart dropped to her stomach. “Go around!” she yelled at Zak.
Two men were getting out of the car, one from the passenger side and one from the back. They both wore stocking caps pulled over their faces and held guns, very big guns. They hurried forward and Zak turned the wheel sharply and stomped on the gas. The truck lurched forward and over the curb onto the side
walk. The men hurried forward with the guns raised high. They were yelling but Sydney couldn’t make out what they were saying. She slid low in the seat at the same time ET dropped to the floor in the back. She waited for the rain of bullets, but it didn’t come.
Car horns blared as Zak rocked across the corner of the street and went airborne as he shot over the curb again. He nearly lost control of the truck as the tires barked against the pavement. Sydney dared to raise her head high enough to peek out the window and saw the car attempt to follow them over the sidewalk and around traffic. The men had barely shut their doors when the car roared forward, but the curb was harder on the sedan than it was on their truck. Sparks flew up from the undercarriage as it scraped over the concrete and the car nearly came to a stop before the driver regained control. Syd felt an inkling of hope when the car wobbled and veered to the right. A smile spread across her face when she saw the ruptured tire.
“They blew a tire!” she shouted.
“Are you sure?” Zak tried to see but they had already put too much distance between them and the gunmen.
“Yes!”
ET popped his head up and peered out the spider-webbed back window. “Why didn’t they try to shoot us?”
Sydney realized he had a point. They could have easily opened fire on them. They were so close, and their guns looked fully automatic, there was no way they would have missed. “I don’t think they want us dead.”
“Not you anyway,” Zak glanced at her.
“Then why did they try to shoot you when you left the garage?”
“I don’t think that was the Gringos or the Cartel,” Zak spoke aloud what she suspected.
“Black Suits,” ET muttered.
Chapter Sixteen
Sydney couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was going to attack them again as Zak drove past the library. “Where are you going?”
“I don’t really know. I’m just driving for now. Making sure we aren’t still being followed.”
She couldn’t argue with that. “If the Black Suits aren’t Gringos or Cartel, who do you think they are?” She knew what the answer would be, but needed to hear it anyway.
“Government.” ET muttered from the back seat. His voice matched his body language. He was slumped in his seat and looked defeated.
“But why is the government trying to kill us?” Zak glanced at her.
“I don’t know. Cover up?” After a few moments she swallowed the lump in her throat. “I’m sorry.”
“You need to stop apologizing.”
Ten minutes later they figured they weren’t being followed. “Do you think they gave up?” she asked.
“No,” Zak shook his head. “At least not for long. They probably drew too much attention at the stop light. If they are smart they are laying low for a while.
“Which helps confirm they aren’t cops.”
“I think the ski masks help with that,” Zak snorted humorlessly.
“Right,” she rubbed a hand over her face. “But, my point is, I don’t think we can go to the cops either. It could cause worse problems.”
Zak sighed. “I know.”
Sydney glanced at ET. His eyes were closed, but she didn’t think he was asleep. “I think the media is our best shot.”
“Me too.” Zak turned the truck around and headed back towards the library.
He pulled into the parking lot and backed into a space far away from the road and almost hidden by the building. They texted Xander and Shay to let them know they had arrived. Ten minutes later a black hybrid turned into the lot and pulled into the spot next to them. Xander unfolded himself from the driver’s seat and Shay hurried out of the passenger side. They slid into the back seat crowding ET on either side.
“Why did it take you guys so long to get here?” Xander asked right away.
Zak, Syd, and ET glanced at each other before Syd answered. “We were being watched. When we tried to leave a car followed us. A couple of masked guys got out with guns.”
“Fuck!” Xander grabbed her shoulder. “Are you guys OK?”
“Yeah,” she nodded. "They didn't even fire a shot."
“Goddammit.” Xander leaned back in the seat and Shay leaned forward.
“We told Mom everything.”
“How did she take it?”
“She’s furious.”
“Of course,” Syd shook her head.
“No, I mean she’s furious because we didn’t tell her. And furious this is happening. She’s not mad at you. She wants to meet you.”
Syd jumped when Zak hit her leg with the back of his hand. “Told you.”
“But we need to get you out of here,” Xander leaned forward again.
“Nope,” Syd shook her head
“What?”
“If I run then they’re going to kill your dad. Not going to happen. At least not because I ran.”
“Well, then what do you think you’re going to do?” Xander threw his hands up in the air.
He was getting riled up. She could see it, and normally she, or Shay, would try to diffuse him. But this time, they let him be angry. They were angry too. She considered her options. She couldn’t deal with anyone else getting hurt because of her. They couldn’t go to the cops. What they needed was more time. If they had more time they could try to get the story out to the public. She sighed and braced herself for the argument she knew was coming.
“I need to go with them.”
“Who? The Gringos?” Shay narrowed her eyes.
“Fuck that!” Xander snapped, shaking his head.
Zak and ET were silent and neither one of them looked at her. “Guys, you know this is the best option," she said.
“The hell it is!” Xander grabbed her shoulder.
She ducked out from underneath his hand. “Come on. We need more time. They aren’t going to kill me. They would have shot us earlier if that was their goal. They want me to help them.” She ignored Xander shaking his head. Shay had stopped trying to argue and on some level that hurt a little. She didn’t want to go with the Gringos. She wanted someone to come up with a better idea. “If I go with them it will give you guys time to get your parents to safety. It will give you time to get the story to go viral.”
“And if you can’t do what they want you to do?” Xander gave her a wild eye. He looked like he was about to throw her over his shoulder and carry her off to safety. A part of her wanted to let him.
“You’d better work quickly then.”
“No. I’m not OK with this,” Xander shook his head violent.
“I don’t like it either. But I don’t know what else to do.”
Xander looked at everyone else in the truck. None of them would meet his eye. “You guys are actually OK with this?”
“No,” Shay choked the word out. “But she has a point. It’s our best shot at getting Dad back and finding someone who can help us.” She looked Syd in the eye. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” she tried to force a smile for Shay’s sake.
Xander looked at Zak and ET who didn’t even try to defend themselves. “Bullshit!” he spat the word out as he yanked the door open. Shay and ET flinched when he slammed it shut.
Syd opened her own door and slid out, feeling like she was moving underwater. Xander was leaning against the hybrid by the time she reached his side. “Whose car?” she asked.
“Mom’s.”
Syd took a deep breath. “You know this is our best shot.”
“I just got you back,” he bit the words out. He grasped her shoulders and pulled her close. She didn’t fight him. She just relaxed into the warmth of his chest. She could hear his heart slamming against her ear. When he spoke his voice rumbled and vibrated through her causing goosebumps to break out on her arms.
“I know. You’ll get me back again.”
“You can’t promise that.”
“No. No, I can’t promise that.” She felt like she was sinking and it was hard to breathe. “But you know I—we—can’t let y
our dad get hurt because of this.”
“They might not even bring him back.”
“We’ll work out a plan. But you know this is the best option.”
“No. I don’t know that. Neither do you.”
“Well, you’ve got less than 24 hours to come up with a better one.”
Chapter Seventeen
Not knowing what else to do, Xander, Shay, Sydney, Zak, and ET headed back to Zak’s condo after returning Heather's car. They didn’t think it was safe to return to either Xander or Shay’s apartments and they also assumed the Black Suits or the Gringos would be watching Heather’s place. They figured their best shot was Zak’s since he had the loosest connection to their group.
“Wouldn’t they have ran some kind of search on his license plate when they shot at you guys before?” Sydney asked.
Zak and Shay glanced at each other before Shay turned around with a sly grin on her face. “Well, this truck is registered to Zak’s business.”
“And?”
“And,” Zak grinned. “My business isn’t in my name.”
“How’s that?”
“It’s in a friend of mine’s name. He is using it as a tax write-off somehow. It saves me money.”
“Won’t that send the cops after him?” Xander asked.
“Eh,” Zak wrinkled a brow. “Maybe. I should probably warn him. Maybe he can say this truck was stolen? He has a bunch of vehicles. He could probably, legitimately, claim he didn’t realize it was gone.”
As they arrived at the condo, Zak pressed a button and a garage door slid open. Located in an alley across from his building, the garage was full of dog grooming supplies and equipment. It was oddly normal and Sydney felt herself grab a hold on that tiny bit of normalcy. She took a second to breathe in the scent of shampoo and dog but the momentary reprieve was broken by Zak shooing them out of the garage. They were pretty sure they hadn’t been followed, but they hurried inside anyway.
Zak’s condo was beautifully decorated in lush purple and red velvets and Sydney turned in circles taking it all in. She felt out of place as Xander and Shay made themselves at home. She caught ET’s eye and gave him a small smile. His discomfort showed as well.
Show No Fear (The Dyian Series Book 2) Page 10