by R Arundel
“Did you like your new underwear, Sarah? I picked it. You look good. You really should try the wine, it’s good.”
Sarah remains silent.
“I’ll take that as a no.”
Sal drinks his wine from the plastic cup. He looks over at Sarah. She really is a beautiful woman. She has the most perfect face. She must go to a really expensive hair salon to get her hair that color. A woman like this always does.
He is tantalized by her body. He pulls open her shirt. Her abdomen is flat and smooth. He admires the gentle curves of her skin on her firm abdomen. He can feel the muscles tense underneath. He walks back to his seat and takes a sip of wine. Her legs are long, smooth, and shapely. They gently brush the top of the table. He has never seen a girl like this. Well, only on the Internet. He never dreamed he would be alone with a girl like this in real life. Drinking wine. He takes another sip. He doesn’t want the night to end.
Wiggie will score some rock and not be back until tomorrow afternoon, if not later. No worries, tonight Sal will take his time. Do it proper like. When he finishes, he will kill Sarah, the final climax. Unfortunately, this will be their first and last date.
Sal will then make another call. He will tell Mr. Page he came out of the washroom to find that Wiggie had killed Sarah. Wiggie was too drugged up to know what he did. Wiggie then took off. He knew where Wiggie was, a friend just texted him. Sal will tell Mr. Page where to find Wiggie, and he’ll be dead before sunrise. Who knows, for his loyalty, Mr. Page may even give him a bonus?
At that moment the door bursts open. Sal’s gun is on the table beside the wine. Before he can reach for it, Matthew has Sal pinned, a revolver pressed firmly at his skull. Kofi and Liam have automatic weapons drawn.
They have rehearsed the plan many times and are prepared for anything. With overwhelming firepower and surprise, they secure the scene and rescue Sarah without a single shot being fired.
Matthew uses the same rope that held Sarah bound to tie Sal down. Sarah is so overcome she seems stunned. Liam opens a duffel bag. He brings out new clothes.
Sarah buttons up her blouse. “These clothes are fine. Let’s just leave.”
“I’ll talk to Sarah. Kofi, Liam, search the house for the other one.”
Matthew holds her tightly. “It’s okay. We came back for you.”
Tears slowly flow down Sarah’s face. Her legs and arms ache from being tied to the chair for so long.
“You took your sweet time.”
“What?”
“You took your sweet time coming to get me.”
Matthew laughs. “Yes, we did. But we came.”
“I’m glad.”
Matthew smiles. “You’re staying with me from now on. I give you a simple plan to get back home and look where you end up.”
“Decided to take the long way home I guess.”
Matthew and Sarah hug.
“You’re staying with me from now on.”
“Remember who gets to say what I do with my life.”
“Don’t I get to say what you do with your life?”
“I’ll think about it.”
Kofi and Liam return.
“The house is clear. Just this guy, no one else.”
“There is one more. He must have gone out,” says Matthew.
Kofi says, “He could be back any minute.”
“Take Sarah and go to the car. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Matthew is alone with Sal. Matthew is amazed at how weak this man looks, like an underdeveloped tree. A sapling. It wasn’t given any good soil or water and here’s the result. A stunted, twisted tree.
“When is the other one coming back?” says Matthew.
Sal is silent. Matthew unleashes a ferocious backhanded slap with his left hand. The force of the blow is intense. Sal’s face jerks back. Matthew grabs Sal’s hair and snaps his neck back even further.
He rams the gun into Sal’s mouth. The sound of Sal’s front teeth breaking is like glass cracking. Sal’s blood oozes around the barrel of the gun. Matthew is going to pull the trigger. Sal closes his eyes.
“When is he coming back?” says Matthew.
“I don’t know, man. He’s drugged up pretty good.”
The words are garbled. Matthew forces the gun deeper down Sal’s throat, almost cutting off his breathing.
“I swear, I don’t know.”
Matthew’s hand tightens around the gun.
Sal screams, “Wiggie is out for some rock. He’ll be back tomorrow.”
Matthew puts the weapon in his side holster. He then places his thumb on Sal’s left eye. He increases the pressure. Sal’s face contorts with pain.
Matthew leans in close to Sal and speaks. “In thirty seconds you’re going to permanently lose vision in this eye. Do you understand what I am saying? You will go blind. Then I will move on to the other eye.”
“Please let me go.”
“Who do you work for?”
“I don’t know.”
The pressure on his eyeball increases. His vision begins to fade in and out.
“Not good enough.”
“Mr. Page. But he’s not the boss—we’ve never met the boss. Please stop.”
Matthew releases the pressure. Sal’s vision is blurry, but he can see that Matthew has taken out his revolver. Matthew presses it firmly against Sal’s head. Sal begins to cry uncontrollably.
“Please, I’m sorry. I didn’t touch her. I swear.”
“Who does Mr. Page report to? I’m not going to ask again.”
The bullet is loud. Sal is silent for a second until he realizes he has not been shot. Matthew calmly walks out the door.
***
The members of the car are silent as Matthew approaches. The sound of the shot still rings in their ears.
Liam says, “I’m sorry they got off so light. I wish we could have called the police. Matthew, did you find out who they work for?”
“No, he doesn’t know.”
The car speeds away, leaving the empty neighborhood behind.
Kofi says, “Kidnapping is a crime. We should report it.”
Sarah says, “The real crime is these clothes. Who would match a red blouse with a green skirt?”
Liam, Kofi, and Matthew give a hollow laugh.
“Your jaw is bruised,” says Kofi.
“It’s not bad, not broken,” says Sarah.
Liam wants to be sure Sarah is okay, but he’s unsure what to say. “They didn’t touch you?”
“Relax, nothing happened. I’m fine.”
Kofi says, “You did good.”
The car goes silent. Finally, Sarah asks the one question they all want to know. “Matthew, did you kill Salvatore?”
They all heard the shot.
Matthew smiles, his face relaxes, and his eyes soften. He has morphed back into Dr. Matthew MacAulay, the surgeon.
“He was so scared he answered all my questions. I didn’t have to touch him.”
Kofi, Sarah, and Liam all laugh. The laughter crescendos. Kofi keeps the car speeding down the road. The night seems a little less dark.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Aly Smith has come to hate the hospital. It symbolizes all that is wrong with her life. She hates the smell, even though it doesn’t really smell bad. She hates the look, even thought it’s not that ugly a place. It’s just that it is the hospital. She enters Ryan’s room.
“Hi, Ryan.”
He is definitely getting better. Except for the triangular bandage in the middle of his face, he is almost back to normal. He has lost a little weight.
“Hi, where are the kids?”
“I wanted to talk to you alone.”
With a forced laugh, Ryan says, “This sounds serious.”
“I spoke with your caseworker. Your benefits run out at the end of the month.”
“Talk to Cal, his boss, they can extend them. I still need a face.”
“I’ll try, but for now you need to assume you are leaving here at the end
of the month. You need to make plans.”
“We’ve been doing pretty good. We’ll get by.”
“We have not been doing pretty good. We have no money—we’re flat broke.”
“I can get a loan.”
“You can’t get jack. We have no money. We have nothing.”
“How are the kids?”
“Fine. Ryan, I’ve made a decision.”
Ryan waits for the words he knew were coming as soon as she entered his room.
“I’m taking the kids to mom’s.”
“To visit?”
“No, I need a new start.”
“So you take my kids and go to the other side of the country. What about the house?”
“There is no house. Ryan, the bank’s taking it back. We’re too far behind.”
“When were you going to tell me?”
“Whenever. It ain’t like there was something you could do about it.”
“Thanks.”
“I didn’t mean it to sound like that. I don’t want us to end like this.”
“You’re taking the kids and leaving. How do you think it’ll end?”
“I just can’t do this anymore. I can’t.” Aly runs out of the room.
***
The next day at the old warehouse, they fill Alice in on the details. She monitored their progress with GPS satellites and by tapping into satellite cameras. There were not many in the area and Alice is eager for the update.
Alice says, “I am very happy to see you were unharmed Sarah. We all missed you.”
Sarah chuckles. “Kofi, you better watch how you program Alice. She almost sounds human.”
“She’s better than human.”
Alice agrees. “Well said.”
Sarah says, “Thanks for your concern, Alice. It’s great to hear your voice.”
Matthew says, “I’m going to need to be transplanted. I need to do some work before I go to Karakatura.”
Kofi says, “No problem. Steven Jardine rises again. Do you want to stay transplanted for the Karakatura expedition?”
“Can you guarantee the face in those kind of conditions?”
“You’re right. I’ll transplant you back to your real face for Karakatura.”
Sarah says, “I’m going with you to Karakatura.”
“Good idea. I’ll need an extra pair of hands.”
Liam says, “I’ll stay here for a little, work with Kofi. Then I’m going back to New York, work my contacts, see if I can put this all together. Kofi, how’re the funds coming?”
“Already arranged. A bank in the Caribbean will give Matthew access to the funds he needs. Anywhere, anytime. Anonymously.”
Sarah asks, “How did you arrange that?”
“I own the bank. Alice did the rest.”
Matthew says, “We’re not breaking any banking laws on the island?”
Kofi smirks. “I own the island.”
Liam says, “Well, I think that’s taken care of.”
Kofi says, “I’m going to be at the university, giving lectures, doing university business. I’ll keep in touch with Liam.”
“Kofi, I’ll try not to contact you unless it’s vital.”
***
Caroline is walking down the pathway in Central Park. The pathways are flooded with New Yorkers and tourists.
A young man comes up beside Caroline. “Hi.”
It is very strange, but she is not afraid. “Mom, it’s me, Matthew.”
Caroline cannot understand what the man is saying. Has Matthew sent this man to tell her he is okay?
“Mom, it’s me. I’ve had my face transplanted.”
Caroline does not know what to say. It takes a few seconds for her to understand what he means. “Why doesn’t your voice sound the same, if only your face was transplanted?”
“The mouth and nose play an important role in vocalization and sound. The voice box, or larynx, is the same, but the vocal tract, the area where the sound waves resonate, has been changed. That’s why I sound different.”
Caroline is skeptical. The body is Matthew’s, but the face is a different person. She can see no scars.
“Mom, I’m going to be away for a while. We have almost solved this.”
“Where?” says Caroline.
“It’s better if you don’t know.”
“Right.”
“I just didn’t want you to worry. I wanted you to see that I am fine.”
“Where’s your real face?” says Caroline.
“It’s being stored in a can.”
“What?”
“Don’t worry, as soon as this is over, I will have a reversal. I’ll be the old Matthew.”
“Do you think you should be doing this?”
“We’re making good progress, but it’s more complicated than we thought.”
Matthew and Caroline do not notice the man taking their photos. The man blends in with the crowd. The man is intrigued by Matthew. He is also puzzled. This man is absolutely not Dr. Matthew MacAulay. He and the members of the team in the park have memorized his photo. Should they follow this man? He may be a friend of Matthew’s, giving Matthew’s mother news on him. If so, he knows where Matthew is. The man is ready to call into his microphone to tell the team to apprehend Caroline’s friend, but he hesitates. He has strict orders to stay with Caroline. He thinks about his boss, Jason Cooper. He better follow the orders, no deviation. Play it safe, get the photos.
Caroline squeezes his hand. “Be careful, Matt.”
“Mom, I never told you I appreciated you. I’m proud of you. You’re a great mother, and I am proud to be your son. I just wanted you to hear it.”
Caroline speaks, but Matthew is gone.
***
Matthew has taken a commercial flight into San Francisco. He will take a taxi to meet Liam and Kofi. Matthew lumbers off the plane, he is tired and wants some rest. Matthew rubs his numb face. A thin woman is holding a large baby wearing a purple t-shirt and purple diaper. The baby gives him a puzzled look. The face of Steven Jardine smiles back. Matthew thinks maybe the baby knows his face is not his own. The baby smiles and coos. The woman looks like the weight of the baby will tip her over, she is a twig. The woman scowls at Matthew and turns the baby away from him. Matthew’s eye wanders to the other side of the airport and sees a man wearing a bright blue polo shirt and shorts. Matthew spots a tall, voluptuous woman beside him who seems to be waiting for someone. Francesca. The woman who was in the team that removed the bodies after the botched transplant; Michael’s friend. Francesca gets into a car and drives off. She hasn’t spotted Matthew.
Matthew grabs a taxi. “Follow that green car.”
Taxi driver, “Where is she going?”
Matthew, “Just follow. And don’t get made.”
Matthew puts $200 dollars on the man’s front seat.
The taxi driver glances at the passenger seat and follows the car.
Taxi driver, “I don’t want any trouble. She’s a beautiful woman”
Matthew, “Don’t lose her.”
Taxi driver, “I don’t get involved in domestics.”
The tiredness leaves Matthew’s body and he is filled with excitement. “Go.”
The taxi driver travels at a discrete distance and has no trouble keeping pace with Francesca’s car. She maintains the speed limit and signals all turns.
Within an hour she stops at what looks like an old industrial complex in Palo Alto. The excitement in Matthew builds. He is sure this will lead him to the mastermind, or at least their headquarters. Maybe that man who was leading the cleanup crew in the pizza van is the mastermind. He was definitely in charge that night.
Matthew, “Don’t’ stop. Go past.”
The taxi driver obeys.
Matthew, “Let me out here.”
The taxi stops and Matthew gives the man another $200. Matthew walks back to the industrial building. To his surprise she is still outside. Maybe she is waiting for the mastermind. Maybe it is Michael after all. Matthe
w is very lucky and decides to patiently wait.
Francesca enters the building. Matthew follows. He enters and makes a turn down a hallway. The warehouse is surprisingly well-lit. This has to be the headquarters. Matthews sees his opportunity. She is holding no weapon, but Matthew remembers she carried a weapon in the small of her back and inner thigh on the night the transplant patient died. He will not confront her; he will follow from a safe distance.
She moves deeper into the building. The old clay brick is crumbling in places. Matthew follows her unnoticed. They move through the hallways of the old building. It seems like an endless maze of hallways. He passes metal vats and large iron stoves. Matthew keeps a safe distance. He must follow close enough to see who she is meeting.
At one point he seems to have lost her. He looks around. The central area has hallways leading off in many directions. Matthew pauses, breathing hard. He looks around and sees no one. He considers turning back. Then she appears again and he quietly moves down the hallway. She runs through an iron door. It is solid and heavy. Matthew follows. They are in a large room, Francesca at the far end. She wriggles her muscular hips through a very small iron door. He hears that small door shut with a thud. He turns around and hears the electronic lock on the door behind him hum as it engages. Matthew tries to pull the door open. He throws his body against it. He then runs to the far end of the room. As expected the small door that Francesca crawled through is locked. There is not even a handle to pull it open.
Desperately, he looks around the room. The ceiling height is about thirty feet. The room had many windows, but they have recently been bricked over. He is trapped.
Realization sinks in. Francesca let him follow her from the airport. It had been too easy. That’s why, when he lost her in the hallway, she suddenly appeared. She came back so he could follow her. At the time he felt something was wrong, but the desire to chase overwhelmed his thinking. He’s in an old iron smelting plant. Matthew hears the rumble as the iron furnaces turn on.
The hiss begins as a soft bubbling and grows into a high-pitched singing. Matthew looks high up and sees a metal grate pouring steam into the room. His watch goes off. The temperature is eighty-five degrees. He needs to get out of the room immediately. He tries to climb the walls to see if he can get to the vent. He takes off his shirt and rolls it into a ball, stuffing it behind his back in his belt. He plans to climb the wall and use the shirt to plug the vent. The old brick has some irregularities and he is able to slowly move up. With each step he tries to put his feet into the small cracks and crevices of the brick. His watch beeps three times. Now continuous triple beeps.