Love's Cruel Redemption

by C. L. Stone

  “I've never hurt anyone.”

  “You gave us strep throat,” I said. “And you rigged a football game to smoke out the stadium. That was reckless. Dangerous.” I turned, facing a wall of baby food but unable to stop myself rattling off to him. “You told me once the guys were dangerous. Yet you've done far more stupid things that could have killed someone.”

  “You don't know what they're doing to you,” he said.

  “I'm not listening to someone who would go that far to prove some point you haven't made yet. What is it? You want to smoke them out? They've never hidden their faces. They've always been in plain sight. You're the one hiding. Because you know what you're doing is wrong.”

  Silence on the other end. I wasn't totally being honest about the guys. There were times when they were doing dangerous things, and I didn't always know the end result, but it never involved harming other people. All the danger was on them, not others. Despite the couple of times that it seemed like Volto thought he was protecting me, and perhaps he was, it didn't excuse all the other things he did.

  I'd once questioned the Academy and its purpose, but when I compared Volto to what the Academy did, the difference was very clear.

  Eventually, Volto's voice returned. “I want to talk to you. In person.”

  “I think you've done enough,” I said. “Return the Jeep.”

  “I'll bring it back when you talk to me.”

  I considered it for a moment, but Volto had a way of leading me down trails that ended up putting me or the others in more danger. I didn't want to do this now.

  So instead of answering, I hung up, folding the flip. I kept it in my palm, looking at it.

  When my heart had slowed a little, I opened it again, hoping that the act put me back in touch with the girl.

  I put the phone to my ear and listened.

  It was silent at first, but the mechanical voice came back.

  “I'm coming to get you,” he said.

  I hung up again, my heart in my throat. I couldn't reach out to the Academy. He'd cut off the one connection I had. If someone was coming to get me, Volto could interfere once they arrived.

  What now?

  How to Shake a Tail

  Nathan

  Nathan continued to follow North's Jeep through neighborhoods. He sent word once about making a circle through a neighborhood but still being on Volto's tail to Mr. Blackbourne, but he didn't get word back.

  If he didn't respond, it was more than likely because something else was going on and he didn't want Nathan to alter his course.

  With no other indication he should do otherwise, he remained not far behind the Jeep. He adjusted how he was sitting, the leather of the seat squeaking as his pants slid against the material. The air was a little cold, but it kept him aware and focused.

  After a while of following, the clouds above finally broke. Rain came down in a drizzle, and eventually Nathan had to start the windshield wipers.

  “Come on,” he said. “Park it somewhere. Do something.”

  As if Volto had heard him, the car suddenly picked up speed, turning at the end of a cul-de-sac and heading out of the neighborhood. He took the main road, opposite the school.

  It was a long lane with lights above them for about a half mile. The lights stopped, casting both vehicles into the dark, but then looked like they started again a few hundred feet later. There was a median running down the center and the oncoming lane was empty. As far as Nathan could tell, if anything, there were more neighborhoods and eventually they'd hit a main road in an area that had shops and car dealerships.

  “What are you doing?” he asked to his windshield and the back tire of North's Jeep. “Wherever you're going, I can follow.”

  He imagined the others might intercept. Nathan was hoping this ended cleanly. Maybe Volto was looking for a place to ditch the Jeep after he threw his smoke bomb at Dr. Green and the others. Nathan considered letting Volto think he lost him if they got into traffic. Maybe someone could take over pursuit, someone in a car unconnected to them so Volto felt safe enough to ditch it.

  The Jeep suddenly picked up speed. Nathan thought to let him get a distance ahead, but he decided to wait on that until he could get someone to take over. Since Volto knew Nathan was following now anyway, he may as well stay in view.

  The Jeep took turns in the street at a couple dozen miles above the limit. The vehicle leaned to one side, and then the other as he made the turns too fast.

  Nathan kept as close as he dared.

  When he thought they were almost at the main intersecting road, the Jeep made a sharp left. There was a gap in the median that gave access to an unmarked road.

  Volto took that road, following a slope down.

  Nathan made the turn, sitting up, ready. Volto wanted to have it out here? He was fine with it. He already knew he had smoke bombs, and Nathan was ready for one of those. Maybe he thought he could throw one at him and then lose him to turn around.

  With Nathan following, the Jeep went down the slope and crossed a small parking lot. Then the lane continued into a dark area surrounded by trees so close that Nathan thought branches might be scraping the sides of their vehicles.

  What was this place? A development that hadn't been built yet?

  The Jeep bolted forward. Its lights went out. With rain splashing at the windshield, it became nearly impossible to see.

  Nathan still had his lights off. He debated turning the brights on now, since they were alone.

  He hesitated to turn them on, not wanting to kill Volto or hurt North's Jeep by blinding him. Wherever Volto was going, he couldn't turn around here.

  The BMW rocked hard as the lane become more uneven. Nathan leaned forward, peering into the dark, sometimes losing sight of the Jeep simply because it was black and with all the lights off, it blended in. If he stopped, he could crash into him on accident.

  When it looked like the Jeep was speeding up, Nathan punched the gas pedal. He didn’t want to lose him in the dark.

  The Jeep veered off to the right ahead of him, too fast and stopped.

  To not hit him, Nathan turned the car a hard left, and smashed his foot on the brake.

  Not fast enough.

  The car careened down a narrow lane.

  It splashed down into a body of water.

  Shit.

  Panic overwhelmed him instantly. He threw the BMW into reverse and gunned the engine.

  But it was too late. The nose of the BMW was in the water and going down. There was no traction below him anymore. He’d gone full speed down a boat ramp of some sort. Within a moment, water was coming up through the car. In the angle he’d drove the car in, the water was coming up fast.

  He turned the engine off quickly and dove against the door, trying to open it, but water pressure kept it shut. He rolled down the window. Dark water flooded in. He reached for his seatbelt still enclosing him in. His fingers slipped on the button to release it.

  He took one last breath before water went over his head.

  The Illusion of Normalcy

  Sang

  I found a trash can in the back near the meat displays. I dropped the cell phone into it and walked away.

  It wasn't any good anymore. Volto could use it to track my location. I didn’t need him to have the advantage of tracking me now.

  There was no way I'd leave here to go to him. I needed a backup plan of some sort. The woman on the phone had said to keep it on me, but I had a feeling that wasn’t the case anymore.

  I pretended to shop some more as I tried to think what my options were. For a bit, I passed through aisles, examined items, checked prices and labels. I absently put a box of crackers in my basket.

  And then I realized I probably didn't have any money, so I couldn't really leave the grocery store. I would have to check the backpack and hope I found some there, or set the basket somewhere and just leave.

  But what if that’s what he wanted? Volto knew I was here. Was it better to stay where he knew
I was, or try to leave and hope he couldn’t follow?

  He also knew how to manipulate those phones. Whoever I had connected with at the Academy, would they think I'd changed position if Volto messed with the GPS?

  I nervously scratched at the plastic of the basket I was carrying, going over my options. One, stay in the store, pretend to shop. Hope that someone was on the way and that Volto wouldn't dare come while I was in front of other people like this.

  Or two, leave, but I risked running into Volto or the others being unable to find me. Unless he planned on attacking me and forcing me, I wasn't going to get into a vehicle with him.

  The woman had said not to leave. Since this was the last place she knew me to be, I’d stay as long as I could.

  I refined my plan as I backtracked through the store. I needed to take more time here. Hopefully go unnoticed by anyone else until someone got here.

  Wil was still loading a shelf, but his stack of pasta boxes on a little hand truck was almost gone. He paused when he saw me coming around the corner and stood.

  “Hey,” he said.

  “Hi.” I hesitated again. I didn't really have a plan beyond just staying near someone I thought I knew. If too much time passed and no one showed up, I’d ask Wil to call a cab for me to take me to the diner. I wasn't totally sure where everyone else was, but the diner was the one place where I could count on at least one Academy person to be.

  Abandoned

  Nathan

  Nathan’s lungs burned to push air out before he’d fully gotten his legs out of the car.

  When he surfaced, he sputtered out, inhaled. It was the first moment he realized how freezing cold the water actually was. There was barely a breeze, but the cool air was enough to make him see his breath as he exhaled.

  His next thought was about alligators. How active were they in January? He scanned the area, trying not to go into hyper paranoia about feeling movement around his legs.

  The water lapping into his face made it harder to see. Everything around him was shadows, black on black, sometimes barely darker than other places. Rain continued to splash into his face.

  He breathed in sharply, filling his lungs full of air and dove toward what he was pretty sure was land.

  It wasn’t far, and he was soon standing on the ramp the car had dove in from. Once he was there, he kept walking. Alligators would follow him onto land for a short while. He’d drawn too much attention. He knew his survival training enough to get away from a body of water when he didn’t know what was in it.

  But once he walked through the tree line, all was far too dark and he paused. The lake had indicated his only reference between land and water among the shadows. And now, everything looked the same.

  He wrapped his arms tight around his body, the jacket and pants he wore were heavy with water. He wasn’t going to freeze to death, but the clothes were extremely cold and heavy. He wondered if losing at least the jacket would make it easier to be on the move. Rain pelted him through breaks in the trees, some drops much heavier as they collected on branches, combining. There was no chance the clouds would pass and give him enough light to see.

  Now what?

  And Volto. What a psychotic asshole. He saw Nathan fly into the water. The Jeep was gone now. He’d found his escape.

  Nathan hadn’t given him the ability to back off, but he never imagined this. That he’d be this reckless.

  Standing still and thinking about it wasn’t going to get him anywhere. No one knew he was out here. He had to get to the road.

  Nathan pushed a palm through his wet hair and started to follow the lane forward. He couldn’t see around him well, but he used the lane’s ruts and walked along one side. He felt brush by his leg. If he went too far, he’d end up in grass and swerve back until he could walk clearly.

  Soon, he could see an opening at the end and used that as a guide.

  When he caught his breath after the shock, he started to jog. He wiped occasionally at his brow and face to clear what rain he could, keeping his vision clear.

  What about after he got back to the road? What was the next step? No phone. It was unlikely Volto called out for help.

  He’d have to find his own way back, or maybe risk approaching one of the nearby homes and asking for access to a phone.

  But doing so might mean risking those people calling the police. And explaining all of what happened would be complicated.

  He’d lost two vehicles now. Who knew where the Jeep would end up? And Victor...The restoration might take ages. They’d have to fish it out first. He wasn’t sure they’d even bother. Was it fixable after all this?

  He’d need to remember where it was. The lane had been unmarked. It was highly possible the turnoff wasn’t even on a map.

  It seemed to take ages to jog the lane, and his legs were heavy in the wet jeans. He kept his arms tucked around his body the whole time, trying to stay warm. He should have grabbed a phone on his way out. There was a chance it could have still worked, even after being submerged for so long. His case should have been at least water resistant.

  It’s not like he could go back for it.

  Once he passed the trees, he came by the small parking lot, empty except for one small boat on top of a trailer. Nathan checked it quickly, looking for any type of communication, maybe an onboard radio.

  Nothing. A little cooler and an old fishing rod.

  Nathan jumped off the trailer, heading toward the main road. Once he got there, he debated turning right or left. Back toward the school, or the opposite way, which might be shorter for reaching a business of some sort. The rain was coming down, not letting up for him. He tried to remember how far in either direction it was, which way might get him to a public phone faster.

  A car was coming from the left, the lights on, heading toward him. He debated if it could be Volto, and the possibility he might try to run him over.

  The model of the car was different. Not a Jeep.

  Nathan readied a story and waved to the vehicle, daring to walk into the road and try to block it to get the driver’s attention. He kept his hands up, showing distress and need of help.

  The car slowed and stopped several feet short of Nathan in the middle of the road.

  The driver sat behind the wheel, but with the lights bright on his face, he couldn’t see. He guessed the person was debating getting out.

  Just a call, he thought. One call. I don’t even have to get in.

  The driver got out, and Nathan internally groaned the moment he recognized her.

  She braced against the rain with her hand hovering over her eyes. “What are you doing out here?” Erica Lee asked him.

  Caught

  Sang

  I stumbled over what to talk with Wil about. Then I noticed the boxes he’d finished putting on the shelf. “How...did you get the job here?”

  He lifted an eyebrow. “This one? Why? Are you interested in working here?”

  “Maybe,” I said but then nodded. I needed something to talk about to take up time. I forced myself to make conversation. “What’s it like? Is your boss nice?”

  He shrugged. “I guess so. Nicer than my old one.” He paused. “Didn’t you work at that diner?”

  “How’d you know?”

  “Someone mentioned it,” he said. “I thought about applying there. But to be honest, I don’t know how good I’d be at any of it. I can’t hold a tray loaded with plates to save my life.”

  “Me, either,” I said, pretty sure that was true at least. I hadn’t dared tried to wait tables. “I’m usually at the register. Sometimes I seat people if it’s crowded.”

  “That’s something I could do,” he said. He smirked a little. “Maybe we could switch for a bit. See how we like the jobs we’re doing.”

  His kind words eased my nerves a little and allowed me to smile. I clutched the basket. “Yeah. Loading boxes onto shelves seems easy enough.”

  “Yeah, they hire everyone,” he said.

  I realized it might
have sounded rude and then waved my free hand at him. “Oh no, I didn’t mean...” I wasn’t sure how to word it.

  “No, it’s true. This isn’t something I’m doing forever. It’s just closer to everything I need to be near right now.”

  “For finishing up school?”

  “I guess,” he said. “Something like that.”

  There was a pause in the conversation, a little too long, where I knew I should have let him get back to work. The aisle was empty for now, but on occasion, someone with a cart or an employee walked by the ends. I tried to ignore it and drum up something else to talk to him about.

  I fiddled with the handle on my basket.

  “Are you really okay?” he asked. “You look...stressed.”

  Maybe I should tell him. With time passing and the guys not showing up, I worried about what was going on. Did the message not get through? Maybe I should see if he could drive me somewhere else. Just in case...Getting to the diner, I’d be able to reach out to someone.

  And where was North? How long had he planned to be in the back of that truck? What if the woman couldn’t reach him? If he thought he could get back to the Jeep because I was waiting there, then he could run into Volto. The whole situation was problematic.

  I was about to turn away from Wil, second-guessing asking him anything, when he looked closely at my clothes and then at my face. “Sang. If you're in some kind of trouble...”

  I shook my head. “No, no, I...”

  “It’s okay,” Wil said. His face was calm and he was smiling gently. “Look, I’ve got a few personal things, too.” He paused and then looked up and down the aisle, but it was empty for the moment. “Remember when I told you about not being in class? A special school program giving me a half day?”

  I nodded. A short time ago, Mr. Blackbourne and others were working with a Mr. Toma to look in on Wil. When I found him, he gave me his number to check up on him. Only I waited for Mr. Blackbourne and the others to suggest I call. They hadn’t done so yet. Mr. Blackbourne seemed wary of him for some reason.