Unauthorized Deception

by Lisa Ladew

  Ryker groaned. “You know that even if no one is watching the cameras, they are still taking video and recording it somewhere, right?”

  Brandon’s confident look slipped a little. “Then we break into the little room with the cameras, steal the tape.”

  “What if there is no tape and its automatically uploaded to a cloud somewhere off-site?”

  Brandon’s voice tightened. “Then we wear disguises.”

  Ryker snorted a derisive laugh. “Look at me, dude. I can’t disguise this. There’s about 50 guys in this city as big as me. Maybe less. We hit that place, I go to jail.”

  Brandon stared at him hard, considering. Finally he said, “That’s your problem.”

  Ryker nodded and bit his lower lip hard, trying to keep his cool. “That’s my problem, huh? So you don’t need me for your big plan? So if I go to jail it’s no big deal?”

  He turned violently to Brandon but kept his hands to himself. Barely. “Then what the fuck am I doing here, man? If you don’t fucking need me, why did you do it?” Ryker’s voice sounded strangely evil, even to him. He didn’t think he’d ever been this angry in his entire life.

  Brandon pulled back a bit, but didn’t drop his eyes. He was confident that he had enough hanging over Ryker that Ryker wouldn’t touch him. And he was right. No matter how angry Ryker got, he would not hurt Brandon. Not until … but Ryker couldn’t let his mind go there. It was enough to send him off a giant cliff of crazy into an ocean of insane. He had to keep his mind off of what could be happening to his mother and sister right now, or it would tear his brain in half. He had to keep it together long enough to get them safe.

  Ryker forced himself to lean back in his seat, and take his eyes off Brandon. “You got any other bright ideas, asshole?”

  Chapter 3

  “Turn left there,” Ryker said, directing Brandon down a dark street. “Pull over.” Ryker peered out the window, then pointed to a dark house a dozen yards away.

  “It’s dark.” Brandon said.

  “It is, but look at all the cars. Something’s going on in there. They’ve got the windows blacked out, that’s all.”

  “So what?”

  “So what? So how much money do you need to get your plan going? Because there’s one hundred grand or more floating around in that house right now.”

  Even in the dim light, Ryker could see greed appear in Brandon’s eyes. “A hundred grand, really?”

  “Really. Will that do it?”

  “Yeah. How do we get it?”

  “We knock to be let in. I know the password. We pull our guns and we take the cash. Most of it’s on the table in the middle of the game. If it's not enough we tell people to turn out their pockets, hand over their wallets. They won’t go to the cops because it’s an illegal poker game.”

  “Do they have guns in there?” Brandon asked. Now Ryker saw cowardice overlaying the greed.

  “Of course they have guns.”

  Brandon swallowed. “If we get away, will they come after us?”

  “Of course they will come after us.”

  “Fuck that man, it’s too dangerous.” He looked at Ryker slyly. “You do it.”

  Ryker rolled his eyes. “One guy? They would tear me apart. I need someone to cover me.”

  “We need four or five guys for a job like this.”

  Ryker nodded. That would be better than two. “So where’s your friends? Your uncles?”

  “I told you, man, they all got arrested. The entire Savoy family is in the Federal prison at Worshaw.”

  Ryker held back a grin. “Except me and you.”

  “Yeah, except me and you. That’s why we gotta do this. We gotta spring them.”

  “Is that what your plan is? You’re going to break them all out of prison?”

  Brandon looked at him, a wicked light in his eyes. “Yeah, that’s the fucking plan. But I’m not gonna do it. You are.”

  “How? How am I going to get 40 people out of a federal prison?” Ryker asked, with a sinking feeling that he already knew the answer to that. God Brandon was an idiot. Let’s just say he managed to pull this off. Where would all the Savoys go? They couldn’t go home. The cops would just pick them up again. But that wasn’t his problem. If Brandon hadn’t thought about that, oh well.

  “You’ll find out. As soon as we get the money, you’ll find out.”

  Ryker shook his head and ran his hands through his suddenly short hair. This just got better and better. “Look Brandon, I’ve got some cash. $8000 or so. I’ll give it to you. It’s yours. Is that enough to pull off your plan?”

  Brandon uttered a short, harsh laugh. “Nah. That won’t even cover the explosives.”

  Ryker’s blood chilled. He was right. Brandon wanted him to wire enough explosives to blow a wall off the side of the prison and then the prisoners could just flood out. Ryker’s hands clenched involuntarily again. He couldn’t believe this was happening. This couldn’t be happening.

  He had to at least try to reason with the lunatic. “Look Brandon, there’s no way your plan is going to work. It’s too complicated. We can’t bust into a federal prison like that. They have snipers in the towers. They have security like you won’t believe. We won’t even get close.”

  Brandon turned toward him. “You just let me worry about that. You don’t even know the plan. You don’t have a clue what kind of resources I have. You don’t know squat. So just shut up, and do what you’re told.”

  Ryker clenched his jaw, the muscles there aching. “And if I do, when do you bring Ma and Roxy home?”

  “I told you. As soon as the job is done.”

  Ryker shook his head, pain and fear lodged in his skull. “And how long is this going to take? Anything could happen to them.”

  “They’re safe.”

  “I want to talk to them.”

  Brandon looked at watch. “You can. But not for another 2 hours. I told you that already.”

  “They better be OK, Brandon. If they come back with one mark, one bruise, one story that somebody said one harsh word to them, I’ll kill you. Slowly.”

  Brandon laughed and Ryker almost killed him right there. But he knew he couldn’t touch him. Supposedly, Brandon had a friend who knew a guy in Mexico. Somehow Ma and Roxy were being taken to a house in Mexico right now. If Ryker did everything Brandon said, they’d come back safe and sound. If Ryker didn’t? The threat hadn’t been spoken by Brandon, but Ryker could imagine a dozen possibilities. Each more horrible than the last. Killed. Raped. Sold. And supposedly this would happen even if Brandon just didn’t check in once a day, which terrified Ryker more than anything. Brandon wasn’t the smartest or most stable guy in the world. What if he and Brandon got caught on whatever job they eventually pulled and sent to jail?

  For the thousandth time, Ryker considered just grabbing Brandon, breaking his fingers and arms and legs until he called and told his friend to bring back Ma and Roxy. But Brandon insisted that the friend had been instructed to become suspicious if Brandon seemed under duress, not himself. So either way Ryker lost. He hadn’t had time to puzzle over this yet, but he knew he needed to figure out where Ma and Roxy were. Save them without Brandon even knowing. He needed help. He needed anyone who was smarter and quicker than him. Ivy was the first person his mind flew to. Ivy’s mind was razor sharp. She could figure this out. Or Hunter. God he wished he could tell Hunter. But if Brandon got a whiff of the police looking into it, would he snap and order the unthinkable?

  Ryker spoke, his voice a deadly razor wire. “So what are we doing Brandon? Are we going in?”

  “Nah, this job’s too dangerous. We’re going to pull off the Super Value Mart one. We’ll just have to think of a way to disguise your size. You can wear a robe or something. Bend down.”

  Ryker’s heart beat faster. “But that’s on Thursday. What in the hell are we going to do till Thursday?” And how are Ma and Roxy going to be until then?

  “Don’t worry man. We’ve got lots to do. Practice. Trial runs. Y
ou’ll be plenty busy.”

  Ryker dropped his head into his hands. This was his worst nightmare come true. “What now?” he muttered.

  “Now we sleep. My girlfriend, Dawn, has an extra room at her place for you.”

  Sleep. Ryker curled his lip in disgust and wondered if he would ever sleep again.

  Chapter 4

  Ivy drove for an hour; past Ryker’s apartment, past the police station, past Ryker's gym. Everywhere she drove, her eyes scanned restlessly for his truck. If only she had somewhere to start looking for him. Ryker didn’t have any close friends here in town that she knew of. He’d lost touch with everyone when he joined the army, and none of his army buddies lived here. She knew where his mom and sister lived, but she’d already driven past there once today. Oh well, time to try again.

  She turned on Maple St. and drifted slowly past the house. No cars in the driveway. All the lights were off. The drapes weren’t even pulled and inside the house looked cold and empty. Her phone buzzed repeatedly at her side as her disappointment threatened to swallow her. She looked at the phone. Jen, apologizing. She dropped the phone on the seat and drove on. She didn’t want to talk to Jen right now. She knew she was being ridiculous, but she couldn’t help it. Jen just didn’t know. Jen didn’t know how it had been growing up with a mother who had never gotten over a man leaving her. Jen didn’t know Ivy’s chasm-like fears. Jen knew nothing but the new Ivy. The put-together Ivy. The fake Ivy? She couldn’t deal with the Ivy who still cherished her mother and lived in her mother’s fears and failures. Jen had no tolerance for Ivy immersing herself in those fears and failures, even if it was only for a few days. She didn’t understand it was a matter of survival. That getting over someone was not as simple for everyone as Jen wanted it to be.

  On the road, by herself, Ivy remembered her flash of certainty that Ryker was in trouble, that he needed help. But she couldn’t quite recreate it. Here by herself, she suddenly felt like she was drowning. Like she needed something to hold on to. She wished she could go to her Grandma. But Grandma had died two years ago. She could go to her mom in the hospital. But that would be like grabbing water to keep from drowning.

  Her troubled mind groped for a life vest. Marissa. Marissa knew her. Marissa would make her feel better. Ivy turned right at the next street and headed towards the home of her best high school friend, hoping Marissa wouldn’t slam the door in her face.

  ***

  “Ivy.” Marissa’s tone was cold, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

  Ivy was so knocked over at seeing the friend she’d known since they were in elementary school that she couldn’t say anything at first. Marissa looked good, with longer hair and a mature look on her face.

  Marissa closed the door till it was almost shut, with only her face visible. “What, did you come here to arrest me?”

  Ivy put her hands out, hating to lie but not able to have this fight again. “No Marissa, I— I quit. I’m not a cop.”

  A smile of relief spread across Marissa’s face. “Oh Ivy, that’s great!” She flung the door open wide and slammed into Ivy, sweeping her into a bear hug.

  Ivy hugged her back, feeling on the verge of crying. She heard a sob and almost thought it was her, but then realized it was her friend. She pulled back and looked Marissa in the eye.

  “What?”

  “Ivy, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I was so awful. I never should have acted like that. I just … I just couldn’t believe it. Not after Jeff.”

  Ivy nodded. “It’s OK, Marissa. It’s no big deal,” Ivy lied again. When Marissa had cut her out of her life, Ivy had been devastated. All because Ivy had wanted to become a cop. But even in her pain she had known why Marissa had felt the way she had. Marissa’s brother Jeff had been a small-time dope dealer, and at 19 years old he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and during an altercation, had been shot by the police, dying instantly. She and Marissa had been 16. Marissa had grieved hard. And held a grudge.

  Marissa wiped her face and pulled Ivy inside. “Oh girl, I hate to say it but you look horrible. No makeup or nothing.” She looked close at Ivy’s eyes. “Have you been crying?”

  Ivy grinned. They hadn’t seen each other in almost a year. But Marissa still knew her like a sister. “Maybe a little,” she said.

  “Why, what’s going on?”

  “Just, you know, my boyfriend is having some issues.”

  Marissa pursed her lips like she didn’t believe it. “You’re going out with someone?”

  “Don’t look so surprised. It’s been known to happen.”

  Marissa motioned Ivy to the couch and went to her fridge. She came back with two apricot ales. She twisted the top and handed one to Ivy. Memories flooded through Ivy. She hadn’t had an apricot ale since the last time she’d seen Marissa. Ivy put the cool liquid to her lips and drank. Just like old times. She didn’t quite feel like she was drowning anymore. She drank deeply, suddenly hungry and thirsty.

  Marissa ran to her bathroom and brought out a handheld mirror and some makeup. She propped up the mirror against a lamp and knelt before it, applying eyeliner expertly. “So who’s this guy? And what’s his issue?” she asked.

  Ivy opened her mouth, the name Ryker Wells on her tongue, but she swallowed it. She remembered that Marissa never liked Ryker in high school. She’d always lumped him in with his crowd, the jocks, most of whom were jerks, especially to the punk girls. Marissa had been punk before it was cool.

  “Just a guy. He’s having family problems. So he thinks we need to break up.” Mentally, Ivy shook her head at herself. Lie after lie after lie after lie. How was being here and lying to Marissa any good for either of them?

  “Ouch. That sucks. Did you set him straight?”

  “I can’t get hold of him right now. He’s kind of disappeared.” Ivy felt the lump in her throat reappear suddenly. Her lower lip trembled.

  Marissa broke off what she was doing and ran to her, eyeliner still in hand. “Aw, sweetie, I’m sorry.” She gave her a one armed hug. “Look. No crying. I know what we’ll do. I was going over to my friend Dawn’s tonight. She’s having some people over. I’ll get you all prettied up and you can go with me.”

  Ivy shook her head, horrified. “Oh no thanks. I don’t want to go anywhere. I’ll just go home. I didn’t mean to keep you.”

  Marissa held up a hand. “You aren’t keeping me. Look, you’ll feel better. I know it. You always feel better when we go out. Remember?”

  Ivy nodded imperceptibly. Marissa had always been able to make her feel better, no matter what she was upset about. Marissa jumped up and clapped her hands together. She ran to the kitchen and brought back another ale for Ivy. “I’ll finish me and then I’ll do you. You can wear my black bodysuit too, cuz you sure can’t go like that.”

  Ivy looked down at herself. She was wearing a ratty tank top and stretch pants. Comfort clothes. Like pizza. Did she really want to get dressed up and go out? Even with Marissa?

  Instead of deciding, she took another drink. Her thoughts began to blur pleasantly. The sharp edges of pain around Ryker and his note slipped away a bit. She sighed and leaned into Marissa’s comfy pillows, glad she had come.

  ***

  An hour later, Ivy looked at herself in the drop-down mirror on the back of the sun visor in Marissa’s jeep. Marissa had done her up in a rock-chic, dark eye, with deep red framing her face and cheekbones. Her black hair was spiked in a light mohawk, the very top spilled over to each side instead of harshly standing straight up. She’d been growing out the sides since she knew the police department wouldn’t let her wear them shaved. The effect was unique and softer than she usually wore it, but Ivy had to admit she looked stunning. Marissa had always been a hair and makeup genius. Too bad Ryker would never see her. The thought cut through her slight buzz and hurt her soul. It was like walking a rocky maze in bare feet. There was always something new to slice you up.

  Marissa sped down side streets and pulled in front of a small, one-story house with m
usic drifting out from inside. Ivy heard shrieks and crazy laughter. Marissa grinned and pulled her out of the car. “That sounds like Dawn. You’re going to love her. She’s a character.”

  Marissa pulled Ivy up the walkway steps and pushed the door open without knocking. Fast, sharp, dance music and cigarette smoke assaulted Ivy, like they’d gone to a club instead of someone’s house. She wondered how the neighbors could stand it.

  Inside, the door opened up directly into a living room. The room was dark, but the open kitchen door provided enough light to see by. A couch lined every wall but the one with the door. Couples were making out everywhere and Ivy even saw one woman with her shirt off, a man kissing her gently and tugging on her nipple. Ivy averted her eyes quickly, and immediately regretted coming here. Drug house, was her first thought. If the cops come and I get caught here, I might get kicked out of recruit class, was her second thought.

  The realization that she did still want to go to recruit class, and she could still push on with her life, even though Ryker had left her, hit her in the stomach like a punch. Her legs went rubbery and she grabbed onto Marissa to keep from stumbling. “Bathroom,” she yelled in Marissa’s ear, over the music. Marissa pointed down a hallway and Ivy sprinted towards it on legs that felt as if she was a minute old fawn trying to stay standing.

  Ivy found the bathroom at the end of the hall, and miraculously it was empty. She put down the toilet lid and sat on it, pulling in shaky lungfuls of air, trying to work out a plan. She had to talk Marissa into taking her back to her car. And if she couldn’t do that, she’d walk. This wasn’t the best neighborhood, but she could call Jen, apologize, and keep her on the phone until she was safe.