by Kylie Parker
“Keys.” Marcus urged, approaching the rear exit. Helen pulled them out of her pocket and tossed them over to him. As soon as he reached the doorframe, his normal pace vanished. He began to jump over the few steps that separated them from the parking lot, forcing her to do the same. Heading towards Helen’s pickup truck, Marcus sprinted across the lot, as she struggled to keep up. By the time he had started the engine, Helen was opening the passenger door, panting for breath. The tires screeched and picked up dust from the ground, as he put his foot hard down on the accelerator. Marcus turned left and into the tree-lined, narrow road, checking his rearview mirror.
“Ok, how the hell did they find us?” Helen wondered, her voice squeaky, her legs shaking from the adrenaline surging through her body.
“Traffic cams.” Marcus replied, as she looked out the rear window. “Don’t worry; there’s nobody behind us. Fucking black ops!” He growled, banging both hands at the steering wheel.
“Now what do we do?” She asked, her voice broken as her lips quivered.
“We stay off of I-80 W.” He said on an exhale. “We stay off of every highway. We need to use side roads.”
“Were they really going to shoot us? In broad daylight? In public?” Helen’s voice was riddled with panic.
“No.” Marcus said with a sigh. “Too many witnesses. They wanted to terrorize us. People make mistakes, when they’re afraid.”
“Marcus…” Helen sucked in a deep, cleansing breath, reaching her arm to cup his shoulder. “You said you couldn’t find a way to get out of this. I don’t think so. Go find your father. It’s the only way.”
She expected her suggestion to be met by an angry glare. After all, Marcus had been adamant on the issue. Still, such a thing never came. Instead, he turned to her, with a morose look in his eyes.
“If they know I’m alive, they’ve already camped outside his house,” he explained, his baritone filled with sorrow. “They’re expecting me to do that.”
“Marcus, please!” Helen begged, squeezing his skin in her hand, as she leaned closer to him. “I know it’s dangerous, but you have to try.”
This time, he did not dignify her suggestion with a response. Marcus averted his gaze from her and looked up at the road ahead, heaving a long, heavy sigh. Helen would not force the issue. She took her hand off of him and leaned her back against her seat, as a feeling of desolate helplessness overwhelmed her.
If only you’d take my advice… Yeah, visiting your father would be risky, but is there anything else we can do? God, I’m going crazy here…
25
The sun was about to set in the clear sky, as Helen and Marcus crossed the small town of East Berwick. Even six hours after the incident at the diner, Helen could not find peace. In this dark hour, the young blonde attempted to find hope, but, despite her best efforts, she simply couldn’t. The two of them were on the run, fighting to survive an uneven battle. They had managed to escape their pursuers, but Helen knew that they were up against a much more powerful enemy than they were. It was only a matter of time before they found them again. Despite her poor emotional state however, she couldn’t deny that the traumatic experience had brought the two of them even closer. Helen felt more connected to Marcus and would stand by him, whether he decided to visit to his father or not.
A short while later, they came across a small motel, on the outskirts of Berwick, that looked inviting. Emotionally drained and exhausted, Helen requested that they stop there for the night. Marcus indulged her, but he had to keep her truck away from prying eyes. So, he drove around the building and parked it behind the bushes.
With her suitcases in his hands, Marcus checked them in to the motel. He set them down on the floor, as Helen explored their room. But, much to her surprise, he would not go get his own suitcase. He merely closed the door behind him.
“Marcus, what are you doing?” She inquired, folding her arms across her chest. “Aren’t you…”
“I’ve thought about what you said.” He interrupted her, his voice firm. “You’re right. I need to go see my father.”
Relief flashed across Helen’s face. His short sentence lit a beacon of hope inside her, as she strolled towards him. At the same time though, she recalled what he had told her earlier that day, about the presence of government agents near his father’s house. But, this time, Helen would not allow fear to consume her. Marcus had reached a vital decision, one that could potentially save their lives.
“You’ve just made me very happy.” She said, her voice feathery, a small smile forming on her face, as she lifted her palms to his chest. “What changed your mind?”
“You,” he stated, gazing down into her eyes. “What happened today shook me up pretty badly. I don’t want to see that same fear in your eyes again.”
“Thank you.” Helen whispered, nodding at the same time.
“I’m sorry, country girl,” Marcus spoke in a much softer tone. “You’re going through all of this because of me. Because I…”he paused; “liked you too much to stay away from you.”
“Please, don’t talk like that,” Helen requested, shaking her head in disapproval. “I made a choice. You didn’t force me into anything.”
“You didn’t know the risks back then.” He sighed, raising his hands to her face. “I should have told you sooner.”
“Stop,” she forcefully commanded him. “Now’s not the time to feel guilty, ok? What’s done is done.”
“And if my father doesn’t help?” Marcus wondered, caressing her face. “Then what do we do?”
“We need happy thoughts right now.” Helen smiled, sliding her hands up his chest. “I think he will. What kind of father would turn his back on his own son?”
“Do me a favor.” He said, his voice dropping down an octave. “If you don’t hear from me by dawn, leave this place. Take the first flight out to L.A.”
“What?” She squeaked, surprise written all over her face. “No! I’m not going anywhere without you, you hear?”
“Listen to me!” Marcus almost shouted, flashing an intense glare at her. “You can’t stay in one place for long. They could find you. And I…”
Helen anxiously awaited the end of his sentence, but he couldn’t speak. He bit his lower lip, dropping his gaze down to the floor, as she leaned in towards him.
“What, Marcus?” She whispered. “You what?”
“I’m going to war, baby.” He breathed, as his gaze shot up to meet hers. “There’s a good chance I might not make it out of there alive.”
His words and the tears that had pooled in his eyes made her heart sink. The fear came back larger than before; Helen could no longer resist it. In a split second, it haunted her mind, as she realized that this could well be the last time they saw each other.
“Don’t tell me I won’t see you again, my dark angel.” She spoke in a terrified whisper. “Please, don’t.”
“Dark angel…” Marcus croaked, with a bitter smile on his face.
“Yeah,” Helen affirmed, as a tear toppled over the edge of her eye. “My dark angel lives in the shadows. He protects me. He kept my family whole. I can’t live without him.”
Upon finishing her confession, she tilted her head up, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt. Their lips locked in a long, tender kiss, as he stroked her face. Unable to hold back her tears, Helen ran her hands up the sides of his neck, as he pulled her close. Losing herself in the moment, she ran her fingers through his beard, her hands shaking, as he wrapped his arms around her back. Helen moved her lips to his cheek and kissed him briefly, before attempting to put her head on his shoulder. But, Marcus didn’t allow her to do so. In a swift move, he removed his arms from her back and cupped her face in both of his hands.
“This isn’t goodbye.” He whispered, pressing his forehead against hers, as a tear streamed down his cheek. “I’ve found you once. I’ll find you again.”
“Come back to me.” She said, her voice broken, as he ran his thumbs across her cheekbones. He gave her a
slow nod, closing his eyes, as he eased out of her hold. Helen’s heart pounded in her chest, as she watched him turn around. As much as his leaving hurt her though, she would not take her eyes off of him. She kept her gaze settled on him, as his lazy footsteps led him away from the motel…
Godspeed, baby. Be careful out there. Find me again, like you said. God… I miss you already.
26
Predictably, Helen could not sleep that night. She kept staring up at the ceiling, worried about Marcus, as the incident from the diner replayed in her mind, over and over again. In spite of her fear of losing him, she did not regret her decision to allow him to go to New York all by himself. In her opinion, this was something that he should have done a long time ago. Much to her dislike, she had to admit that Marcus had a point in everything he had said to her that night. Helen could not spend more than a few hours in that motel; she had to keep moving. More importantly however, he was going to war; one that even a seasoned marine like him might not survive.
Minute after minute dragged slowly past. Helen waited for his phone call and prayed for him, in the hope that her “dark angel” as she liked to call him, would communicate with her. Unfortunately for her though, her phone rang just once during that time and Marcus was not on the other end of the line. It was her friend, Olivia, asking how she had been. Seconds into their conversation, Olivia understood that Helen was in a very poor emotional state, but, despite her continuous requests to elaborate, she would not disclose the reason. As a matter of fact, Helen was so upset that she hung up on her friend rather rudely.
The first sunbeams peeking through the window signaled the end of Marcus’s deadline. She tried contacting him, but his cell phone was off. With a heavy heart, Helen called Wilkes Barre Scranton International Airport and booked a ticket on the next available flight to Los Angeles. She was in luck. It was scheduled to depart at 9:45am and the airport was a little over thirty miles away from the town. Helen would not have to rush to get there.
Before vacating the motel room, she gazed at the spot where she and Marcus had kissed the night before, remembering his words:
“This isn’t goodbye.”
I pray to God you’re right. Helen thought to herself. I pray we get to see each other again. My God, yesterday was such an intense day. I was so scared I thought I was going to pass out or something. These past weeks have been crazy: from Shandaken to New York City; to Barbados; then back home; Right after that, L.A.; then, back home, again. Then, you showed up. Now, I have another plane to catch. It’s funny… I thought I’d be excited to go back to L.A., but I’m not. Not while worrying sick about him. The flight’s going to feel like torture and things will only get worse when I see Liv and Michelle. They’ll start asking questions and the last thing I need right now is to discuss yesterday. But then again, I’ve missed them. I can’t just go to a hotel and stare at the ceiling again.
The long flight took a toll on her. By the time Helen arrived in the city of angels, she was exhausted. However, the time that she spent on the plane gave her the chance to clear her mind. She hadn’t gotten rid of the negative thoughts, but she had relaxed enough to realize her need to share her ordeal with her friends. Willing to surprise them though, she would not call anybody.
Cheering voices filled her ears, as she approached James and Olivia’s suite. Apparently, they were in the middle of some kind of celebration, but Helen had no idea about the occasion. And, sadly for her, the person who answered the door was the one she had missed the least: Rick Briar.
“Sweet ass chick!” He cheered, opening his arms. “What a nice surprise!”
“Evening, Rick.” Helen murmured, stepping into the suite.
“Let me help you with those.” Rick suggested, reaching down to pick up one of her suitcases, as a simple glance in the living room confirmed her suspicions. Olivia, Michelle, Gina, James and Rick were celebrating something. They all had tall glasses in their hands, except Olivia.
“Helen!” She said with a grin, striding across the room. “Welcome back, honey!” She added, giving her friend a cordial hug. “Why didn’t you call and let us know you were coming?”
“That’s a long story.” Helen sighed, as Olivia slowly leaned back. “I’m sorry about hanging up on you last night.”
“Nah, it’s ok.” Olivia waved her hand in front of her face.
“So, what’s the occasion?” Helen’s question made her friend’s eyes sparkle with excitement.
“I’m pregnant.” Olivia said, her voice calm and steady, as her smile grew even wider.
“That’s great!” Helen cheered, embracing her friend, as her heart leapt with joy. “When did you guys find out?”
“This morning,” Olivia replied. “I was five days late. The pregnancy test came out positive. I went to the gynecologist. She confirmed it. I’m five weeks pregnant.”
“Tell her about your idea,” James urged, making his way towards them.
“We want you to be the godmother.” Olivia’s suggestion couldn’t have come at a better time. Helen was already happy for Olivia and James, but their idea lit up Helen’s face with a broad, happy smile.
“Thank you,” she said in a sweet voice, hugging Olivia once again. “I’d be honored.”
“The honor’s all ours,” James winked at her.
“Bumming hard, guys; bumming hard,” Rick groaned. “I mean, you could have picked me. It would be like the coolest christening ever.”
“Yes, filled with crude comments on the guests’ butts.” Gina’s voice was reeking with sarcasm. “Congratulations, Helen.”
“Thanks, Gina.” Helen gave her a polite nod. “God, I needed that.”
“Has anybody noticed the elephant that is not in the room?” Michelle said in emphatic tones. “Where is Marcus?”
“He couldn’t make it.” The tension returned in Helen’s voice, as she dragged her gaze away from her friend. “Liv, right after you called me yesterday, he noticed we were being watched. We lost them, but, Marcus thinks –and I agree with him—that we’re in grave danger. He went to New York. He wants to try to reconnect with his father.”
“Ok, I’m confused.” Olivia confessed. “If that’s what he wants, then why do you look so upset?”
“Because: they’re the same people who killed Warrick and his wife.” Helen explained, her voice lowering by the second. “Obviously, he was starting to annoy some very important people.”
“Son of a bitch, I knew it!” James’s stentorian voice rumbled like thunder. “I knew there was something off with this.”
“What are you talking about?” Helen got curious.
“I saw a photo of the crime scene online.” James grumbled. “He was lying on his back, with the gun in his left hand. Warrick loved to play golf. He was pretty good at it. His Facebook profile is full pictures of him celebrating. Guess what. He always raised his right fist, not his left. But, there is some good news. His work didn’t go to waste. Peter has detailed backups of his phone records and his interviews with a few marine officers. According to his research, some people know Marcus was innocent. They just won’t testify, because they’re afraid of losing their jobs.”
“Well, that’s good to know, but…” Helen faltered. “I still haven’t heard from Marcus and it’s been almost twenty four hours since we last saw each other. Has he contacted you?”
“No.” James shook his head sideways, once. “I wouldn’t be worried about him, though. He can take care of himself.”
“That’s true.” Olivia agreed. “Come on, have a drink. We’re celebrating tonight.”
“Ok.” Helen said. Although she didn’t share James’s optimism, she could not say “no”. After all, the newlyweds had done her a great honor. Refusing to celebrate with them was not an option. Helen indulged them, smiling at her friends, but, she was still unable to get Marcus out of her mind. The fact that he had not contacted her yet had added to her anxiety, and, even though she was happy for them, she could not enjoy herself.
&n
bsp; I’m sorry, guys. This may be a little too selfish of me, but, I can’t help it. How can I celebrate anything, not knowing just where in the world he is? Nah, forget about it, Helen. They’re having a baby. This is the happiest moment of their lives. They can’t understand and I can’t blame them.
27
The next morning, Helen woke up with the exact same sense of tension. She checked her phone for incoming messages, but she was bitterly disappointed. Marcus had not contacted her yet. She could suspect his fate; yet, she had no way of finding out more about him. Browsing through the internet somewhat appeased her. There were no reports on any crimes in New York, but still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad had happened to him.
Every hour felt like an eternity. Helen refused to leave her hotel room, checking news websites every few minutes, desperately seeking information. Her attempts to reach him over the phone were futile; she always got his voice mail. In a state of panic, she even called a few police stations in New York, asking if there had been any accidents. The answers that the officers gave her were all negative, puzzling her even further.
By late afternoon, she was starting to lose hope. Olivia and Michelle tried to comfort her, maintaining that his phone could have run out of battery, but they both failed, miserably. Helen could not think of one good reason why Marcus would not contact her. According to her, he would find a way to let her know that he was alright. Her friends understood. Neither Michelle nor Olivia argued with her and chose to remain by her side, until she heard some news about him.
More than twenty four hours after her arrival at their hotel, Helen was so frustrated that the air around her seemed too thick to breathe. Rising from her bed, she began to put her clothes on, as Olivia and Michelle looked at each other in shy relief.
“Ok, I’ve had it,” Helen groaned, pulling up the zipper of her jeans. “I need some fresh air.”