Tracker

by Adrianne Lemke

  “I’ll go in first,” I said. “I need to get whatever information Sam has before Tony gets here.”

  Sam was a bright kid. If he had heard or seen anything that could be a clue to Jason’s location, he’d be able to tell me. Hannah was quiet and withdrawn, but I knew she’d bounce back once she saw Sam. She wouldn’t show her negative emotions too much in front of an injured child. Hopefully he’d be able to distract her from her fears about Jason.

  The kids seemed uncomfortable in the sterile hospital environment. They sat stiffly, jumping anytime someone came close, and clearly wanting to get out. Despite that, they stuck it out waiting quietly and watching whatever random show was on TV. I didn’t recognize it, but it was a good distraction for them.

  About twenty minutes after we got there Tony Dimartino arrived. I explained what had happened, quickly summarizing the events, removing only the parts about Jason’s abilities. When he had heard the story, he sat with us and waited, staying alert to anyone or anything that seemed out of place. When I saw how vigilant he was, even though I was still there, I realized Dan had made a good choice for guarding my sister and the children. He would keep them safe, and I felt surer of my plans for leaving them.

  It wasn’t long after Tony’s arrival when Sam’s doctor came out. I held up a hand to the others, moving to talk to the doctor by myself first. I showed him my badge and he said, “I’ve been made aware of his situation. I’ll allow all of you to visit, but not all at once. He needs to rest and recuperate.”

  “What are his injuries?” I asked.

  “He has a mild concussion, broken left arm, several cuts and lacerations. He’s in rough shape, but nothing life threatening. There shouldn’t be a problem with you talking to him. The main problem is that he’s been anxious and scared since he got here. I hope there’s something you can do to calm him a bit.”

  “Those kids,” I said, indicating Paul, Ginny and Jeffrey, “are his family. The older boy who watches out for them is missing, possibly in the hands of the man who had Sam. Even knowing that, having his family around him should help to calm him down. It’s possible that he saw what happened to Erin.” I added the last softly, hoping it wasn’t true.

  “Erin?” the doctor asked.

  “Another member of their group,” I explained. “She was murdered by the guy who kidnapped Sam.”

  The doctor stood silently for a moment. “The boy may need counseling when this is all over,” he said. “With that kind of trauma, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is not out of the question.”

  “We’ll take care of him,” Alice said. “If he needs counseling, we’ll get it. May I see him now? I need to take his statement and then meet my partner. We have an abduction to solve.”

  “Of course, let me show you to his room.” The doctor waited for a moment while I told the others about Sam’s injuries and that they’d be allowed to see him soon. I followed the young doctor to the room Sam was in then thanked him and went in.

  “Sam?” I said gently as I walked into the dimly lit room.

  “Officer Alice?” Where’s Jason? Please, I want my brother,” his soft voice pleaded, eyes wide and tearful. He didn’t care that he was giving away what he still thought was a secret. At this moment, he wasn’t a runaway afraid his identity would be discovered, he was just a scared little boy who wanted his big brother.

  “I’m sorry, Officer Alice, I told Mason about Jason and our father.” His eyes widened in fear as I moved to his side and sat down. “He didn’t get…”

  “Jason isn’t with your father,” I told him. “A least I don’t think he is. Your father tried to take him last night, but Jason was able to scare him off. Jason was going to go after Mason to find you. He left my house last night and we haven’t heard from him since.”

  Sam sat up in a panic. “Mason has him! That’s why I’m here now!”

  “Sam, calm down, buddy.” I held up my hands uselessly hoping he’d lie down again. “Dan and I will find him. I need your help to do it.”

  He sat back on his pillow in confusion. “How can I help you find him?”

  “I need to know anything you may have seen or heard that could lead me to where Mason might be holding him.”

  Sam nodded, wanting to help as much as he could. “Just start at the beginning. What happened after he grabbed you and Erin?”

  He flinched back when I said Erin’s name and I cringed. “Erin’s dead,” he said, tears streaming down his face.

  “Yes,” I said. There was no need to deny it, and it would do him no favors to hide from the fact.

  “One of Mason’s people did it,” he said after crying softly for a moment.

  “I heard her… she was so scared and hurt. I couldn’t help her,” he sobbed as I pulled him into a hug.

  “None of this is your fault, you know that right?” He nodded as he wept into my shirt. “Paul, Ginny, and Jeffrey are here to see you. As soon as we’re done talking they’ll come in to visit. When we find Jason, he’ll be thrilled to see that you’re okay.”

  The little boy continued crying for several minutes, but eventually his sobs died down and he took deep breaths to compose himself. Sam’s emotional response made me indecisive about my next move. It was hard to decide whether or not to push him to reveal anything he may have heard or just let him recover in peace.

  “Sam,”—my voice was gentle as I made my decision—“Jason needs your help. If you heard anything that could assist Dan and me in finding him, please tell me now.”

  The little boy nodded bravely and thought for several moments. “He made me tell him Jason’s real name. He wanted to bring our father here to distract Jason. After that he said Jason would come out to find me, and he wouldn’t need me anymore. He had people watching your house for Jason to leave.”

  I interrupted him. “Were they his people or did he pay neighbors or somebody?”

  He shrugged. “I dunno. He just said people you wouldn’t notice.” I nodded and he continued, “He said something about training Jason to help him. That he’d keep Jason prisoner somewhere no one would think to look until he was working for him. He called it ‘the farm’. Is that helpful? That’s all I heard before they knocked me out.”

  “That is very helpful, Sam. Thank you,” I said, giving him a careful hug before I stood to leave.

  “Officer Alice?” Sam called as I reached the door.

  “Yes, Sam?”

  “I also heard him tell one of his men to kill me. But he didn’t. He told me to stay quiet and he shot into the dirt instead of at me. Why would he do that?” he asked innocently.

  “I don’t know Sammy,” I admitted. “Maybe he doesn’t agree with his boss about killing kids. I’ll make sure someone is here to guard you while you recover, okay?”

  Maybe we had an ally within Mason’s group. I would have to check with other precincts and the FBI to see if there were any undercover officers in place.

  He nodded. “Could you have Paul and the others come in now?” His voice was wavering with emotion.

  “They’ll be in soon,” I promised as I left the room. “Get better, Sam. I’ll find Jason for you.”

  TWENTY-NINE

  Jason

  My muscles were still twitching from the shock as I was dragged to a shed near the edge of a wooded area. I didn’t struggle, knowing I would have to pick my moment to strike. Now wasn’t the time. My resolve broke when a tall, skinny man approached me carrying a dog-training shock collar. I pulled against the people holding me, but got my legs knocked out from under me and a knee to the back in response.

  The approaching man ignored my struggles as he, with the help of one of the guys holding me, wrapped the collar around my neck tightly. It wasn’t cutting off airflow, but I felt increased pressure from it as I swallowed convulsively. “You won’t be able to get it off,” the man said with a sneer. “I rigged it with a lock and key. Only your keeper will be able to remove it.”

  “Let me guess,” I said, calling up some false co
urage. “My keeper is Mason?” The edges of the collar dug in as I spoke, and the prongs that were on either side of my Adam’s apple were digging in uncomfortably. It wasn’t something I’d be able to ignore or forget about.

  The man clapped. “The freak can learn,” he said sarcastically. “Keep that up and you might make it out of here alive.”

  I glared at him for the freak comment, but didn’t say anything. Chances were good that the shock from the collar wouldn’t be strong enough to block my abilities completely. Maybe I’d have the opportunity to escape. I would find some other way to get the collar off.

  “Do you have a problem, Freak?” The man had noticed my reaction, but I didn’t give him the satisfaction of a response this time. He stared at me for a few seconds before huffing and leaving the shed. Apparently my lack of response annoyed him. Too bad.

  Once he was gone, the Bulldog and the other guy who’d caught me—the one with the uncanny ability to appear out of nowhere and the odd fashion choice of wearing a collar—pulled me to the center of the room and forced my arms over my head to attach the chain of the handcuffs to a hook securely set into the ceiling. The other thug who appeared once I was chained and the Ghost had disappeared again was almost as big as the Bulldog, but this one was more streamlined. His bulk seemed more muscular, and his face didn’t droop as much, although it looked as though he’d broken his nose a couple times. I dubbed him the Boxer.

  The ceiling of the shed was not too high, so I was still able to stand normally, but with my arms extended above me I anticipated they would get sore very quickly. That was probably the least of my worries right now. The Bulldog and the Boxer stood near the wall waiting and glaring at me. Either one would be happy to kill me at any time. It would be wise of me to keep that in mind. The only thing keeping them from it was their boss’s desire to study me. I shivered slightly, a fact that was not lost on the two thugs who laughed at my discomfort.

  Several minutes passed before the shed door opened again. As Mason walked in, I leaned as far away from him as my bonds would allow and winced in pain as the cuffs bit into already bruised and tender flesh. My fear—at the moment—was unfounded. Mason completely ignored me as he moved around the shed, occasionally speaking softly to the other men. He was examining the shelves and cabinets that lined the far wall of the shed. They looked like tool boxes; I wondered—and feared—what he was contemplating.

  After a couple times around the shed, Mason sent his men outside, leaving me alone with him. He turned to me for the first time. “Do you know what this is?” he asked mildly as he waved a small black box in front of me.

  “I would guess the control for this collar,” I answered, trying to keep my voice steady. Besides a slight waver near the end, I like to think I succeeded.

  “You’re right.” Mason’s raspy voice sounded almost surprised, and despite the situation I rolled my eyes a little. Had he really expected me to not make that connection?

  “And do you know what I plan to do with that collar?” he continued in the same irritating tone as earlier.

  “Keep me from using my powers on you, is my guess,” I responded evenly.

  He continued his walk around the shed and picked up a large knife from one of the cabinets. He fingered the edge before turning back to me.

  “That’s partly correct. But what I’m really trying to do is some training. It is, after all, a training collar. You need to learn when and where you can use your… special talents.”

  My breath hitched as he spoke. Training? That—plus the knife—seemed to be a promise of much pain in my future. He continued his speech about how once I was trained I would be able to help him take over the city with little chance of recrimination. He would use me against anyone he perceived to be an enemy, and I would have no ability to fight him on it.

  “Why are you telling me this?” I inquired softly. “Won’t warning me help me to fight your ‘training’?”

  “I’m telling you because you should know that nothing you do will help. I’m sure you saw as you were brought in that there is no one near here that will save you. There is another man—perhaps you’ve noticed him—who I have used this method on quite successfully.”

  “The Ghost,” I muttered quietly. It had to be. He was the one who seemed the least interested in hurting me, and the only one of Mason’s men I had seen wearing a collar.

  He looked at me thoughtfully. “I’ve never heard him referred to as that, but I think it's fitting. Without knowing what he does for me, you’ve given him the most apt name. Anyway,” he said, getting back to why I had no chance of fighting him. “I have men all over this property who have controls for your collar should you be able to escape the shed.”

  He gave a little grin that chilled me to the bone. “And,”—he held the knife up under my chin—“I enjoy a challenge.”

  THIRTY

  Alice

  After speaking to Sam, I sent the others in to see him. I snagged Tony as he moved to follow them. “Call if you notice anything out of place,” I said. “Mason has already killed one child and ordered another killed. He isn’t afraid to strike at the police either. I'll try to get a few more officers on a guard rotation, but we’re already pushing it with the captain. I’ll let you know when I’m on my way back.”

  The young officer gave a brisk nod. “I will do what I can,” he agreed. “I’ll call you if I notice anything.”

  His face was set, and his eyes showed how serious he was about the task I’d set for him. “Don’t worry, Detective, I’ll keep them safe.”

  After thanking Tony, I headed to the station to meet Dan. He was looking over files and notes when I got there. “Dan,” I said as I reached his desk. He looked away from the paperwork gratefully. I took a breath and jumped right in. “Sam said Mason ordered one of his men to kill him, but he didn’t. Whoever it was warned Sam to keep quiet, and then he shot into the ground.”

  Dan looked at me with shock written all over his face his, eyes wide and mouth open slightly. “We have a possible way in,” he said after a moment. He’d caught on quickly to my theory that the shooter was not truly one of Mason’s men or at the very least that there was someone within his ranks that we could turn—if we could find out who it was.

  I nodded and continued, “I figure we should try to find out if someone has an undercover OP going in Mason’s group. If so, we need to set up a meet. And if not, we should have Sam look through the mug-shot books to see if the guy is in there. If Mason has Jason, we need to find him quickly. Sam said that he overheard one of his men say that he's planning to force Jason to use his ability to help him. Jason won’t do that willingly.”

  Dan nodded, rubbing his hand over his chin thoughtfully. “You’re right. But that also gives us some time. If Mason wants to use him like that, he’s not going to kill him. At least not yet.”

  “He’s going to torture him, Dan!” I exclaimed. “We don’t have time. Jason is strong, but he shouldn’t be put through that. The sooner we find him, the better… For everyone.” Dan looked at me curiously.

  “Can you imagine what he could do with Jason’s powers at his disposal? No one would be safe, and he’d be able to track down anyone he wanted. You saw the house he destroyed, do you really want Trevor Mason to control when and where he uses those powers? We can’t leave Jason in his hands to be broken!” Without meaning to, my voice had risen to an almost yell by the time I’d finished, and Dan raised his hands to pacify me.

  “All right then,” Dan said in an attempt to appease my sudden anger. “Let’s find out if we have a contact.”

  Before we started looking, I talked the captain into letting us use two other officers to rotate with Dimartino. Dan and I would probably work almost straight through until we were able to find Jason, so I called Tony and asked him to bring my sister and Jason’s kids back to my house. One of the other officers would go to the hospital to guard Sam.

  Dimartino called back about fifteen minutes later saying that Paul was
refusing to leave. “Let him stay. Take care of Hannah, Ginny, and Jeffrey. Mendez can bring him home once Howard relieves him at the hospital. I’ll try to get home sometime this evening. You, Mendez, and Howard can set up a rotation that works for all of you. Make sure you let me know what the schedule is.”

  “No problem. We’ll take care of them,” Tony said confidently. “You and Dan get Mason off the streets and I hope you find your friend quickly.”

  “Thanks, Tony. I’ll see you later.”

  That job finished, we spent the rest of the afternoon calling various law enforcement agencies. Most wouldn’t even tell us if they had any kind of investigation into Mason. The FBI at least admitted knowing about his illegal activities, but they gave us the runaround, making us call several different people and wasting hours. When we hit a dead end with our own contacts, Dan suggested that we ask the captain for help.

  “He would probably have better sources than we can dig up,” Dan shrugged. “We’re out of options. If we want help from the FBI, we need to have the captain call in some favors.”

  “Fine,” I agreed wearily. “But just in case this falls through, we should send someone to the hospital with the mug books for Sam to look through. I don’t want to have wasted all this time looking for an undercover agent that doesn’t exist if all it takes is Sam looking at a photo.”

  Dan stood. “I’ll go. You talk to the captain.”

  I wanted to disagree, but it would be easier for Sam to accept Dan’s arrival than a stranger. He waited for my nod, and then went to get the books.

  After waiting a few seconds, rubbing my eyes with a sigh, I headed to the captain’s office. “Sir?” I asked, knocking on the doorframe of the open door.

  He waved me in. “Detective Farrow. How’s the search for your consultant going?” he asked.

  “Actually, sir, that’s what I need to talk to you about. Dan and I have run into a dead end. The FBI admits investigating Mason, but our contacts cannot confirm whether they have anyone undercover in his gang. I was wondering…” I hesitated. Would he call in favors for a consultant he didn’t even know?