Dead or Alive

by Trevion Burns

  He looked at Violet from over his shoulder. His blue eyes shone under the moonlight as the wind blew his blonde locks into his face.

  “We have to jump.”

  3

  Violet’s mouth hung open as Remy released the handcuff from her wrist. Being linked to him by the cold, hard metal suddenly seemed desirable. If Remy was aware of her stupefied state, he didn’t show it. After freeing her, he laced the open cuff inside of the gun’s trigger guard, locking it with three clicks, then he engaged the safety.

  She wanted to tell him that there was no point trying to hold onto that gun. The moment the gunpowder got wet, it would be all but useless until it dried. She didn’t. She was now more convinced than ever that, while he needed that gun, he had absolutely no intention of using it on anyone.

  Once it was cuffed to his wrist, he reached into the back of the plane and grabbed a yellow box.

  She wondered what it was, but the gravity of the situation overrode her curiosity. “I’m not jumping. There’s no fucking way I’m jumping.”

  Remy tossed the yellow box out of the aircraft, watching it splash in the water. “We’re going to start a rapid descent. When we’re within fifty feet of the water, we’ll jump. That’ll help ease the impact.”

  “There will be no impact because I’m not fucking jumping. This is…” Violet’s words slowed to a stop when, as promised, Remy began quickly descending towards the water until she could see the white bubbles of the waves crashing against the dark ocean waters. It looked like millions of milky dots shattering against a pool of black ink. Her eyes flew back to Remy just as he took her blazer from around his bloody leg. He secured one arm of the blazer to the joystick, and the other to the safety handle on the ceiling. The helicopter immediately stopped falling, and began a slow climb, once more.

  “This should keep it in the air for a while longer. We have sixty seconds before we’re too high to jump safely.” He turned to her. “I spotted a buoy floating about ten feet away. We should be able to make it. I’m going to count to three.”

  Violet almost screamed when he took her wrist. “Archibald, please…”

  “We’re dangerously low on fuel, and we’re hundreds of miles from land. One way or another, this plane will crash into the ocean. You can go down with it, or you can come with me right now.”

  She was horrified.

  “I know you have no reason to believe me… but I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”

  She jammed her eyes shut, then nodded, gripping his arm in return.

  His blue eyes grew serious as he looked at her, the moonlight making them blaze bright in the darkness. “One…”

  “Oh god.”

  “Two…”

  “Oh my god.”

  “Three!”

  “Oh my fucking god!” She released a blood curling scream as Remy fell sideways out of the helicopter, taking her with him.

  The fall was quick. Too quick. They hit the water hard, plunging rapidly into the infinite depths of the dark, freezing abyss. Violet held her breath as the shocking chill of the water surrounded her, and immediately began to kick. When she realized Remy was no longer holding onto her, she slowed her swim and looked down just in time to see his pale hand disappearing in the black expanse.

  For a moment, she contemplated letting him go, letting him sink. With his bum leg there was no way he’d have the power to kick his way to the top. He’d held her at gunpoint for the better part of the day. She should be happy to let him drown.

  But she couldn’t. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever be able to live with herself. Plus, that nagging instinct was back. The one that screamed inside of her that this man wasn’t a killer. This man wasn’t a monster. She couldn’t let him go without getting to the bottom of all this. If Remy was innocent, and she helped him prove it, the things it would do for her career were beyond measure. Even if her gut was wrong, and he was guilty, she’d still have the story of the year on her hands. One that could possibly land her a show of her own, if she played her cards right. That story would be gone completely if the main suspect died before she could even close the case.

  It was decided. Violet rotated, and swam deeper into the water, reaching out just in time to catch his hand before it disappeared into the darkness completely.

  She came above the water with a gasp, holding an unconscious Remy against her heaving chest. She kicked wildly to stay above water, struggling against the weight of the large man she held. The waves slapped at her face as she fought, almost taunting her, and she began to pant. He was at least three times her size.

  She caught sight of the bright yellow buoy he’d mentioned, in the distance, screaming out at her against the starry night sky. It looked to be about fifteen feet away, but she wasn’t sure if she had the strength to make it there while dragging Remy with her.

  Thankfully, he came to, seconds later. His breathing was horse, uneven and ragged. He immediately began coughing violently, swallowing and spitting what seemed like gallons and gallons of water as the unforgiving ocean continued to try and claim them.

  Violet wrapped her arms around his waist when she saw the waves choking him, overpowering him. He’d gotten his head above water, but he clearly wouldn’t have the strength to keep it there for long.

  She supported him against her chest as she began an upside down, backwards paddle towards the buoy. It was slow going, and the wicked waters never relented in its bid to conquer them both as they treaded sluggishly along.

  As they moved, Remy swiped the yellow box he’d thrown out of the plane from the water as they passed it. His breathing was still alarmingly ragged. Violet was reminded of the horrible asthma attacks her older sister used to have when they were kids. He sounded on the verge of death.

  With a heavy heart, she realized he probably was.

  “Are you okay?” She gasped, between kicks. Her legs were quickly growing weak, like pudding, but she didn’t stop kicking.

  Remy didn’t respond, but the relief in his eyes was poignant when they finally reached the buoy. It looked like a ray of sunshine calling out to them in the darkness, bobbing up and down against the rhythmic sway of the waves.

  As soon as they both had a secure hold on the bright marker, they struggled to catch their breath.

  As if their brains were working in unison, they both looked up into the sky at the same time. The helicopter was still moving onward, slicing through the stars. Every once in a while, it would veer off to the left, or to the right, but it didn’t fall from the sky. Violet felt a cosmic connection to that plane. It seemed to be putting up just as much of a fight as she and Remy just had.

  “How is it still flying?” she asked.

  “Auto pilot,” was all Remy could choke.

  Violet’s wide eyes watched as the helicopter finally disappeared into the foggy night sky.

  “It’ll crash soon,” Remy added, pressing his forehead against the buoy when he couldn’t seem to catch his breath. A violent cough escaped his lungs.

  “Don’t talk,” Violet admonished. She noticed that his previously olive skin had gone ghost white, and his eyes were taking on a subtle grey tint, a stark contrast from their usual kind blue. They had to get out of this water as soon as possible.

  As if her silent prayers had been answered, Violet threw her head over her shoulder in shock when the buoy was suddenly illuminated with light. The faint sound of an engine roaring stole her breath as her eyes searched the area frantically. Two headlights were closing in on them in the distance.

  Then, there it was. A speedboat. Coming right for them.

  Violet’s mouth fell. The police had finally arrived.

  Help had finally arrived.

  She looked to Remy, her brown eyes locked with his blue, and she was shocked to realize that she didn’t even want it anymore.

  ***

  But it wasn’t the police.

  “You folks doin’ alright?” The middle-aged man with a full beard trained his large fl
ashlight on Remy and Violet, his kind brown eyes jumping back and forth between them wildly.

  Violet’s teeth had begun to chatter from being inside of the freezing water for so long. She tried to respond, but couldn’t.

  She was grateful when the kind stranger parked the boat as close to the buoy as he could before leaning over the edge and grabbing her arm. He pulled her inside with ease, before reaching for Remy and pulling him in as well.

  The moment the kind stranger took in Remy’s bloody prison suit, the handcuff that was still dangling noisily from his right wrist, and the gun attached to it, he realized his colossal mistake.

  But it was too late.

  “Thank you so much, sir—” Violet’s gratitude was cut short at the sound of the gun cocking next to her. She cut a look at Remy sharply from the corner of her eye in disbelief. Did Remy really have a gun trained at the head of a man who’d just saved their lives?

  With his free hand, Remy retrieved the only red life vest in the boat, and tossed it to the man, who immediately donned it. He understood what was happening, and his eyes remained heavy with regret as he inflated the vest, raising his eyes to Remy’s.

  “Archibald, this man just saved our lives!” Violet cried, now realizing what Remy was going to do.

  Remy’s heart felt shredded. He didn’t want to do this, but there was no other way.

  “In the water,” he commanded.

  “Remington Jacob Archibald!”

  Remy ignored her.

  With hesitation, the man threw one leg over the edge of his boat. “Please don’t do this.” Through his shock, he’d found the will to beg.

  “The water.” Remy’s breathing was still ragged, so the order sounded weak and strained, but it was still clear he meant business.

  With sad eyes, the man lowered himself into the water.

  Chest heaving, Remy held up the heavy yellow box he’d swiped from the helicopter and tossed it into the water. The kind man caught it in unsteady arms.

  “It’s an E.L.T,” Remy explained. “It’s a transmission device. As soon as we’re out of sight, flip the switch at the top, and rescue personnel will be here soon.” Remy gave a quick nod. “And thanks.”

  Violet threw him a look, wondering if he’d seriously just thanked a man whose boat he was about to steal. As she opened her mouth to chide him, her words were stolen from her when he suddenly slammed his foot on the gas, sending the boat flying forward at an alarming speed. She flew back into the soft seat at the rear of the boat, clawing for any solid surface. As she collected herself, holding tight to the side of the boat, she looked over her shoulder just in time to see the man flip the switch on the E.L.T.

  As he faded rapidly into the distance of the dark fog and murky waters, Violet could only pray that help arrived for him as quickly as possible.

  ***

  The moon was high when Remy finally pulled the boat up to an unknown dock some time later. He didn’t kill the engine.

  Violet took in the silent, marshy waters that surrounded them, nothing but wet greenery and trees all around. It reminded her of the small town she’d grown up in, in Louisiana. Her family had gotten the hell out of that town for a reason, and she didn’t appreciate the unwelcome dejavu this area was giving her. Against her will, her heart leapt ever so slightly at their deserted surroundings. Where the hell were they?

  When she looked back to Remy, any small fear she may have felt vanished, quickly to be replaced with anger toward the man before her. “We really shouldn’t have left that poor man back there. That water is freezing.”

  Remy’s jaw tightened. There it was again.

  We.

  Without answering, he lifted his handcuffed wrist, which was still locked around the gun. The key to the cuffs was long gone, so he got to work taking the weapon apart, sick and tired of having it attached to him by those cuffs. He pulled apart only the pieces of the gun that were necessary to release it from the cuffs, and put it back together with ease.

  Within seconds. Violet’s eyes rose to his, amazed at how quickly he’d dismantled and reassembled that weapon. She didn’t ask the questions that danced around in her head.

  Army?

  Marines?

  It had been too fast, too precise. He knew his way around that gun like it was an extension of his arm. Perhaps he hadn’t missed his mark back on the roof. She’d had the distinct feeling that he would never shoot her then, and that feeling was amplified now.

  As he retook the freed gun in his hand, Remy met her gaze and tried to make sense of the look in her eyes. His bad leg shook, sending one terrible shot of pain blazing through every inch of his body after another, but all he could think about was how easily she could have let him drown back there. He couldn’t remember anything that’d happened between the moment he’d jumped from the helicopter and the moment he’d come to, head above water, cradled against her soft bosom. She could’ve let him sink to the bottom. Not a jury in the world would’ve convicted her.

  But she hadn’t.

  Breaking away from the power of her eyes, he retrieved a yellow box from the floor of the boat. Violet’s eyes followed him. It looked exactly like the box he’d left with the man back in the water, except this one was smaller. He set it on the edge of the dock before turning back to her, eyes riveted to the floor of the gently rocking boat.

  Violet’s brown eyes doubled in size as she fully grasped what was happening.

  “Get out of the boat,” Remy commanded.

  Her fingers curled unconsciously around the safety handle she’d been clutching for the entire ride.

  Remy continued to avoid eye contact with her, motioning to the yellow box. “Take this E.L.T, and turn it on when I’m gone. It’s not as powerful as the one I gave the old man, but someone will be here for you soon. No more than a few hours.” He couldn’t meet her eyes. “You’re free, Violet.” When she didn’t move his voice rose. “Take the god damn E.L.T and go.”

  Violet’s chest heaved, and her nails clawed at the body of the boat. “No.”

  Remy’s eyes finally rose to hers. They were now filled with anger. He leaned down until they were eye to eye. This woman was truly maddening. “I’m telling you that you can go, so go. Get the hell out of here. Get the hell away from me, and don’t ever look back.”

  Violet was struck at the forceful tone of his voice. He’d kidnapped her and almost gotten her killed on more than one occasion in less than 24 hours, but this was the first time she’d ever seen any real honesty in his eyes. Any real truth. Her instincts finally read his actions as genuine. He really did want her to leave him, and never look back. He really wasn’t going to hurt her. She’d known it all along, but to have it confirmed sent a feeling so powerful washing over her, it nearly bent her spine.

  “I’m not going anywhere,” she whispered, defiantly. “You’ve terrorized me against my will all day long, Archibald. You’ve treated me like a total barbarian since the moment we met. You no longer get to decide when I do or don’t leave. I decide. And I’m not leaving.”

  “You’ve lost your mind.”

  “No. I’m thinking real clear.”

  “Let me make sure I have this straight.” He motioned to her with the gun. “I kidnapped you at gunpoint, you spent the better part of the day trying to escape me when I needed you most, you got me shot in the leg, tried to steal my gun, and made me damn near crash a helicopter that had both of us inside of it. All to escape me. Now I’m standing here, telling you you’re free to go, and you’re refusing to leave?”

  Violet thought about everything he just said, then nodded. “Sounds about right.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I don’t believe you’re a murderer. And I want to help you.”

  Remy hated the way her words immediately warmed his heart. “The hell you do. You’re just like any other reporter. You think you’re going to get the story of your life out of this…” His words slowed to a stop, and he stood a little taller. “Wow. I just realize
d how I know you.”

  “Had you been wondering?”

  “All day. There was something about your face that was ringing some bell in my head, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. It finally hit me, just now. This is Violet Chambers KLAV, over and out,” he sang, in a high-pitched voice. The corner of his lip curled up, but it fell weakly in mere moments.

  “I don’t say ‘over and out.’ I would never say ‘over and out.’”

  “You’ve gotten many a lonely prisoner through many dark, sleepless nights, Violet Chambers.”

  “If you read half of the fan letters I get down at the station, you’d realize how not surprising that actually is.” Her eyes searched his. It was a nice moment they were having, and she saw the exact moment when his eyes changed.

  “Don’t be an idiot, Violet Chambers.” The smile had vanished, and his voice grew deep and gravely. “Get out of the boat.”

  “Stop saying my name like that. And I’m not getting out of the boat.”

  “Get out of the damn boat before I take you out myself.”

  He could hardly stand on his own two legs, so the threat fell flat. Violet wasn’t afraid. Not in the least. It showed on her face.

  Infuriating woman. Remy’s eyes searched hers before he reached out and grabbed her arm, but Violet pulled back, fighting him. She wasn’t blind to how weak he’d gotten. Back at the courthouse he’d thrown her around like a ragdoll, like it was nothing, now she could feel his struggle. The man was in pain.

  “Stop fighting me. Don’t you understand that I want to help you?”

  “You want to help yourself,” he countered, his breath taking on a soft wheeze.

  They struggled for several long moments until the sound of the boat’s engine coming to a sudden halt froze them both in mid wrestle. They stood, arms linked, hair tousled and eyes wide when the boat at their feet came to a complete standstill.