Endgame (Book 2): Alekhine's Gun

by W. A. R.

  “I usually take that as an insult but coming from you I will consider it a compliment, Grumpy.” She told him and he merely sighed, suppressing a smile. She cleared her throat then, her smile having dropped and she suddenly seemed nervous. “I do have a serious question to ask the two of you though.” She said, her voice unsure and trembling only slightly.

  Miles furrowed his brow at her in curiosity. “What is it?” he asked and again she shifted on her bottom, her back rubbing against the wall.

  She bit her bottom lip. “What you were both discussing earlier…I would like to ask that if I can’t…if I can’t make it…will you take Chloe with you?” she asked then and for a long, pregnant moment, no one spoke. Truth be told they were unsure of what to say. It wasn’t that they weren’t going to refuse her request, it was just that they were unsure why she would ask that of them. But, Brian’s voice broke the silence after this time, after she had sat nervously with uncertainty hanging over her head.

  “Of course. But, like Miles said, we are getting out of here, and that means all of us.” He told her and slowly she nodded, her eyes betraying her stern demeanor. She opened her mouth to speak, to thank them maybe, or to joke with them some more whenever the door to the room opened. They all jerked their gazes to the door, watching as a tired looking, and even skeptical, Ryder entered the room. Lacy immediately tensed, having not seen the man before, but Miles had never been happier to see someone come through that door. In his hands he held food and water and his eyes skated over single one of them. Miles remembered ow their last altercation had gone. He had refused his help, his kindness. He wasn’t sure why he had, but he did, and he was sure that that was why Ryder hadn’t come into see them. Still, regardless of all of this, Miles was going to show that, despite the logic, he did trust him.

  “Where have you been? You said you were going to be the one taking care of us and then you just disappeared.” Ryder turned his eyes from an observing Brian to Miles, who sat on the floor offering a smile to the tall man that eased into the center of the room, closing the door behind him. The look in his eyes told Miles that he was right about why they hadn’t seen him. Still, Miles’s easy demeanor seemed to ease Ryder’s tense expression and he stepped towards Brian, kneeling. He lowered the food onto the floor and brought his hands up to check the slight swelling on Brian’s face.

  “I was still around, monitoring how they treated you…well, with Justin anyways. Why do you think Justin never laid a hand on you all? He knew I was watching. He may have acted like he was going to, or that he wanted to, but he wouldn’t.” he looked at Brian then. “How are you feeling? You were pretty beat up last time I saw you.” Brian glanced from Ryder to Miles, who nodded, and back to Ryder again.

  “I’m doing a lot better, thanks.” He said roughly and with that Ryder nodded in acknowledgement and grabbed a bottle of water from the floor, opening it and bringing it to Brian’s lips. Brian drank hastily while Lacy sat quietly and watching in worry. Miles sighed.

  “I’m sorry for how I acted last time…” he ground out, hating the apology but he knew that it was well-deserved. The man stuck up for Miles’s people by lying to his own. This was the least that he could do. “…especially after everything you had done. Everything just happened kind of quick…I was angry and confused and I’m sorry.” Miles locked eyes with Ryder, who seemed to watch him, waiting to see if it were all just an elaborate lie to gain his favor. Miles noted how he appeared to be hiding something and that bothered him.

  Ryder smiled then, causing Miles to sigh in relief. “No problem. I get it. That wasn’t why I haven’t been in here, either. I’ve been…busy.” He told Miles, his tone a bit hesitant. Miles narrowed his eyes at the man’s back, studying him and trying to determine why he was acting so…suspicious.

  “No other word from Amber?” he asked, already knowing the answer. For a moment Ryder hesitated, as if surprised by his question. The man swallowed, and Miles could see the wheels in his mind turning.

  “No.” he said finally, before clearing his throat. “Nothing. As I am sure you have heard, we leave in two days.” He said suddenly and he looked around the room, gauging their reactions before lowering the water and speaking to them all. Their faces were all the same, caught up in the element of surprise and shock. “Originally, we were going to leave today, but we had some pressing matters to attend to, so we will leave in two days.”

  “What pressing matters?” Miles bit out, suddenly angry and caught up in disbelief. They couldn’t be leaving. It was too soon, they weren’t ready. They had to leave their hold before this happened. Ryder stood, water in hand, and advanced towards a nervous Lacy. She was hesitant of his actions but she remembered how Brian had drunk without mercy and so, she did the same. Ryder turned to Miles as he let the woman drink.

  “Just some…things I came across that needed attention. Lack of supplies…flat tire, dead battery, etc. So, tomorrow, Lenny and I will be going to the town to get these things.” At this he grinned and Miles felt something hit him. Maybe it was respect mingled with surprise, or maybe it was shock mix with doubt…he wasn’t sure but whatever it was hit him hard.

  He swallowed then. “You’ve been listening.” He replied, more of a statement than a question. He didn’t have to clarify what Ryder had been listening to, as judging by the smirk on Ryder’s face, he already knew. Ryder lowered the water bottle from Lacy’s lips and turned towards Miles. Slowly, he knelt to Miles’s level, glanced at the closed door, and lifted the water to Miles’s mouth. Ryder leaned forward as Miles drank and began speaking in a low voice that Miles could barely hear.

  “Yes, I listened. Now you listen. I can only keep these distractions going for two days. After that we are going. Justin wears the key around his neck, there are about fifteen men surrounding the place, and once you are out if you run to the west from the house, which is that way from the front door…” he paused, turning slightly and facing the front door, pointing, “There will be a blue Camry waiting for you. Your people will be at the Shallow Falls Bridge in Calion in seven days’ time from now sometime shortly after noon. That is where I have been and what I have been doing.” He said, finally pulling back and lowering the water bottle. Miles had a plan, they had a plan; they were going to get out with the help of the enemy. He was overcome with gratitude and relief. Ryder grinned and turned back to Brian and Lacy, both of whom were watching them closely, unsure of what just occurred; completely unaware that this man just gave them a chance…this man just saved them all. “Who’s hungry?”

  Chapter Ten

  One day later:

  Amber stretched out on the floor of her room. Her hands were folded behind her head, and her feet crossed at the ankles. She had gotten used to the smell of death and decay that stuck to her still filth ridden clothes. She glanced up at the window, seeing the morning sun spilling in through the blinds, and she sighed. There was no bed in this room, which only served to ensure that no one wanted to bunk with her. She needed that room alone and she couldn’t have someone, anyone, from their group asking her questions or trying to catch her while she was unaware. Not to mention the guilt that was eating at her about Damien’s situation. She was still so very confused, and the questions she wanted to ask remained on her mind. She sighed once more, hearing the shuffling of feet outside her locked door and the faint, but distinct sound of the back door shutting. She easily sat up and listened some more, wondering who was going out. She hoped it was George, and not Buddy or Rick or even Cassie. Any one of them, she knew, would hurt Damien, try to influence him to answer questions that he didn’t know the answer to. Only she held the answers and there was no way that she could tell them. Still, Damien was off-limits; he was her prisoner while he was with them at that house…not that they would remain at the house for much longer. One day, two days tops.

  She stood and stretched her tired limbs, feeling the exhaustion steadily continue its climb. She had been unable to sleep; sleep eluded her and had for the past week. It
wasn’t any different than before, but still, sleep sounded pleasant and she had not been able to, not that anyone had spoken to her to keep her awake; on the contrary, she avoided them all. They knew something was up, that something was wrong and was bothering her, and they all wanted to know what had happened almost a week before. She wouldn’t answer any of these questions, however, and she wouldn’t allow them to torture Damien to get answers he didn’t have. And so, as she stepped forwards to unlock the door, she shifted her swords on her back, feeling their lightness. She had gotten used to them by then, having trained with Buddy every single day for hours. It was grueling and she had scars to prove it, but he was also angry at her and not understanding what was happening. He felt as if he were missing something, and even so, he didn’t let up. Her sore limbs cried out for attention as she unlocked her door and stepped out into view of whoever was in the living room. Jacob, Elliot, and Cassie looked up at her and for a brief moment, she wished she could tell them but she knew she couldn’t. They would understand later, maybe, that she had done what she thought was right, and she would continue doing so.

  She watched as both children turned from her and continued eating whatever it was they were eating. She sighed then, realizing Damien was probably hungry. It was about an hour past dawn, and everyone had been moving around about a half hour before. She had fed him and given him water quite a few times the day before after that first initial time. This was all done in silence, not a word spoken, not a work written. She wasn’t sure why, but she had continued to return to that barn, at peace with the idea that he could understand her own emotional battles even if he didn’t know what was going on with her. It was odd, considering the circumstances, but the names continued to haunt her.

  Murderer.

  Conspirator.

  Betrayer.

  This was who she was then, and had been for about a week. It didn’t matter anymore; what was done, was done, and she hoped that she had made the right choice. She had to have made the right choice, she could feel it. Still, that feeling, that knowledge, didn’t alleviate the fear that was growing in her belly, gnawing at her good sense. She rubbed the back of her neck absently as she picked up her pace, anxious to leave the scrutiny of the three children. If she were going to tell anyone, it couldn’t be them. They wouldn’t understand until later and Amber knew that. Still, it hurt to see them look at her angrily, as if she were some sort of monster. Hell, she was a monster.

  “Mom?” Cassie called then, making Amber’s heart flood with emotion and leap into her throat. Amber quickly turned to her, seemingly excited that her daughter was talking to her and not with a melancholy lilt to her voice. Cassie hurried up to her and Amber instantly felt her hesitation.

  “What’s the matter Cassie?” Amber asked nonchalantly. She didn’t pry into Cassie’s reluctance and instead waited for the young woman to speak of worries on her own.

  “Katie made some broth for breakfast. It’s on the stove.” She glanced at a folded-up piece of paper in her hand for a moment. “She said to give this to you when you came out.” Cassie told her quickly before thrusting the paper at Amber. Amber studied her daughter curiously for a moment, a sick feeling settling into her stomach.

  “Did she say anything else?” Amber asked as she gingerly took the note out of Cassie’s deft fingers.

  Cassie shrugged, seeming uncertain. “No. She told Elliot, Jacob, and I to not touch the food. She gave us a granola bar.” She shifted on her feet. “I think…I think she left. She had a bag and a few guns with her and she went out the front door. I think she had your keys.”

  Amber’s eyes widened and she felt her heart pick up its pace. “Honey…why didn’t you say anything?” Cassie shrugged again, twisting her fingers together.

  “Because I wasn’t sure.” She looked as if she were going to cry. Amber quickly enveloped her into a hug, feeling her heart pain for Katie and for Cassie. Cassie wrapped her arms around her mother. “I didn’t know. I didn’t know what to do. It happened so fast…”

  “Shhh…it’s alright.” Amber told her comfortingly, easing Cassie’s battered mind. Amber’s hand stroked her back easily, relaxing her just as she had done to both her and Kyle whenever they were small children. Then she asked, “When did all of this happen?”

  “About an hour, hour and a half ago.” She sighed, sniffling and wiping what few tears escaped. Amber sighed as well; it was too late to even try to go after her. There was no telling where she had gone. Cassie felt guilty for letting Katie leave. Hell, Amber felt guilty. Since that day at the meeting point Amber had not seen much of her around, only here and there and even then it was as if the woman was fighting an internal battle. Amber hadn’t paid her much mind since then. She had simply let Katie think and be alone with her thoughts, thinking that that was what she needed. “She just walked up to me, woke me up, handed me the paper and the granola bars, and left. I haven’t seen her since. I didn’t tell anybody…I didn’t know what to say.” Cassie explained and Amber took a step back, her hand rubbing Cassie’s arm and she glanced at the paper in her hand.

  “Let me read this. You go sit down and don’t worry. If she did leave it was something she decided she needed. She will be alright.” Amber told her and Cassie nodded, hesitated as if about to say something else, and then turned on her heel, going back to where Elliot and Jacob resided. Amber stood for a moment, trying to assure and convince herself of her own words. Cassie disappeared around the corner, and only then did she unfold the paper in her hand and reach what Katie had left her:

  Amber,

  I am sure that whenever you get this, I will be gone. I will make this quick because let’s be honest, dragging this out would only cause more trouble than it is worth. First of all, I am sorry for this. If I hurt anyone by doing this…by doing what I have done…I am so very sorry.

  Amber felt guilty then, more so than she had before, and she sighed. Katie was apologizing for doing what she felt she needed to do. Amber had only hoped that they could have worked it out, that she would have seen a reason in the chaos of their lives. Apparently, it didn’t happen that way.

  I have given what you said to me a lot of thought; about leaving the group if I can’t handle the torture and killing that we bestowed on others. There has been so much pain here; not just with what we did but also with what was done to us. I admire you all. It was a difficult decision, but I have decided to try to make it on my own. I believe that would be best. If I stayed, I would inevitably hate myself, I would simply be a burden. I hope that one day I will see you all again, and that maybe by then I will understand why you have done what you have done.

  As I said, I had given this a lot of thought and I knew that if anyone saw me or knew that I was trying to leave that they wouldn’t let me…that they would try to talk me out of it…

  Amber smiled warmly at her words. She was right on that one.

  And so…I had to find a way to keep anyone from coming after me. There was some English ivy growing in abundance on the side of the house. I remember studying some aspects of poisonous plants…

  A frown suddenly marred Amber’s face. She didn’t like where this was going.

  Pour out the broth on the stove as soon as possible. I made sure the kids knew not to touch it, but please understand that I needed to leave. I couldn’t stay…. I mixed in the ivy with the broth. What I put in isn’t fatal, and the side effects may range from fever and convulsions to delirium and hallucinations…

  Amber felt her face pale and her stomach plummet. No…she couldn’t have. She suddenly felt sick. Her hands started trembling making the print harder to read. She said it wasn’t fatal…

  I promise whoever eats it won’t die...it was just as a precaution, to hinder anyone that might think of following me. I couldn’t stay and I didn’t want anyone hurt or lost trying to find me or bring me back. This was my decision…even if it is the last one I make. Again…I am so very sorry. Hopefully, we will all see one another again. Your keys will be in t
he yard by the gate.

  And stay strong…keep doing what I can’t do. I always admired and respected that about you.

  Katie.

  Her footsteps sounded throughout the house as she ran and she immediately wondered where in the world everyone else was. It was quiet; eerily quiet and she raced into the living room where Cassie was. Cassie widened her eyes in alarm at her mother’s sudden appearance.

  “Cassie!” she hollered for her. Cassie immediately stood. Amber’s heart was pounding and worry was like ice in her veins. “Do you know who had the broth?”

  Cassie gazed at her curiously. “Huh?”

  “Who ate it?!” she demanded hastily. Cassie went rigid, realizing that Amber was serious and that something was happening that she didn’t understand.

  “Just Buddy and Derek I think. Everyone else is still asleep.” She said and Amber felt her heart squeeze in her chest.

  She swallowed thickly. “Dump it out now. All of it. Get rid of it, and don’t touch it or eat it. Understand?” she asked and Cassie nodded before rushing into the kitchen to retrieve it. Amber then rushed to the back door. Delirium and hallucinations? Why would she do that to them? In the world the way it was, that was the last thing they needed. She could only imagine what they saw, how they were going to act or react. Maybe, hopefully, they were fine, running only a slight fever. It was a fruitless hope, but until she was proven otherwise she would try to make the best of the situation. She squinted against the sunlight as she stepped through the open back door and onto the back porch. The sunlight was warm on her skin, and the yellow glow illuminated her. She wasn’t sure where to even begin looking, and her blood roared through her body, her nerves on edge. She turned to leave the porch when a sudden noise caught her ears. Had the wind stopped blowing whenever it had, she may have missed it as it was so light but there it was; the sound of something slicing through the air, the high-pitched noise increasing. Immediately her heart began pounding as she looked briefly to her right where the noise resided.