by Pinki Parks
The prisoner might be spared. The door would swing shut when they entered the basement in pursuit of us. If the timing was right, the prisoner still had a chance to walk away.
“I have a pit stop to make. I admit that I like having you as my shadow. You look like you’re in your element.” I watched as Victor wrapped a cloth around a hatchet he had found off the wall for fire emergencies. He took out a lighter and lite it.
“I feel more in control than I have in a long time.” Victor had gone to therapy to help with is tremors. The tricks he had been given in therapy were making me think that I should take a crack at getting my head shrunk.
We moved in silence and there was very little left to say. He was always the one that was the overachiever in the family. I should’ve known that he would be capable of breaking free of the psychological burden he was under.
Victor, the strongest out of all of us, broken. But he had found a way to put himself back together again. He was a testament to those who came back different. Trauma haunts you your whole life. It’s not something that can be shaken easily. But Victor was strong, mentally and physically. I was right there behind him.
We were running through the tunnel both breathing in heavily. We covered our mouths to keep from inhaling anything toxic. We ran along the railway tracks.
We came to a halt when the explosion rocked the tunnel and made dust fall down around our ears.
It meant that this attack was a secondary assault to keep us busy long enough for them to complete their primary goal. I was impressed by how easily they had learned to improve from the colossal failure at my wedding. I took a moment to say a silent prayer. Where’s Bentley?
Chapter 9
Bentley
I knew enough about the effects of drugs to understand that I had to keep moving. A high level of adrenaline would help to mitigate the effects.
I retrieved the gun from the one that was falling into an unconscious state in my arms. I fired into the air causing a stampede to rush for the exit. People started pushing their way through, looking up, trying to figure out what they were running from. I followed staying close to the middle and letting the wave of people chorale me out into the street.
The gunshot got the attention of the local authorities. The sirens in the distance would make those coming after me scatter like blind mice. They wouldn’t want to take the risk of being in a position where they were asked questions they didn’t want to answer.
I had to choose carefully which vehicle I was going to use for my great escape. I didn’t want to ruffle anybody’s feathers or cause them undue stress by taking someone hostage. The ideal solution was to find someplace I could lie low without the owner of the vehicle knowing I was inside. It was a tall order.
I was in the middle of the panic-stricken faces of those having no idea where the bullet had come from.
It was a sad state of affairs to realize that people didn’t even consider that it was the backfire of a car. They were hardwired by today’s media to run for cover when the sound of gunfire reached their sensitive ears.
The police were going to be ineffectual in trying to make sense out of any of it. There was no way they would be able to keep everybody in one place. They just didn’t have the manpower to contain those running on pure adrenaline. The flight or fight instinct was at work.
There were a couple of trucks, but there was nothing that I could hide under. I saw a bunch of used clothing scattered in the back seat of this one vehicle. I had to assume this was some kind of leftover inventory from one of the vendors. I was having this hard time thinking with the drug they had introduced into my bloodstream doing its job.
The backdoor was open. This was the only thing I could think to do.
This wasn’t what I was supposed to be doing on my two-week furlough away from the military. A few days in the hospital was bad enough. Trying to piece this puzzle together was taking one step forward and three steps back. I was no further ahead than I was when I was lying on my back immobile and at the mercy of those around me to keep me safe.
I slipped under the cover of the clothing and arranged them to hide me from discovery. I made enough of an opening so that I could see what was going on outside the window. I huddled in and curled my body to take up as little space as possible.
I heard the key in the driver’s side and the automatic locks becoming disengaged. There was a shift in weight in the vehicle on both sides. One person was hard enough to control. Two made the possibility of them gaining up on me a risk that I was going to have to take.
“Julia, I don’t know why you think I would know what’s going on. I’m as much in the dark as everybody else is. We were having a productive and profitable day until this happened.” It was a man and a woman.
I could see over the seat that he had salt and pepper hair wearing a blue shirt with some kind of design on the back. I couldn’t see the girl and there was no way that I could move to get a better look.
“I don’t mean to be defensive. I was getting good feedback on my jewelry. A few pieces went missing, but the markup on the merchandise is quite substantial. Those with sticky fingers are a small price to pay. I’m positive I would’ve sold out by the end of the day.” I had mucked up their plan to capitalize on the tourists getting more than their money’s worth.
“I’m proud of you. It hasn’t been easy since I lost my job. We struggle, but we manage because we stand together during the hard times. This business is going to have some hiccups along the way. We still have a lot of things on consignment that needs to be sold. I have no doubt the social media blitz is going to help.” He put the car into gear and nudged his way out into traffic.
“Marriage is a two-way street. It was very brave of you to confess how you have been trying to make ends meet by using our credit cards. I was skeptical about bringing you on board my business, but you have turned out to be a partner in life.” I didn’t want to break up the argument, but they were going the wrong way.
“I admit that I wasn’t prepared for all the hard work that went into this business. It’s a good thing my time in the military gave me the strict discipline I was looking for. My work ethic is quite exemplary. I have no problem giving 100%.” He was of the same military mindset.
He might be convinced to help me without the need to get physical and threatening.
“Markus, it has been quite the ordeal trying to do this all on my own. I believe that there’s a reason for everything. Losing your job and the contract in the private sector made it possible for us to spend more time together. I hate to say this, but I felt like we were drifting apart from one another because of the long hours you spent at the office.” It sounded like she was grateful for the opportunity to make their marriage even stronger by working together.
“This is taking forever. I know the island like the back of my hand. Not many would know about the shortcuts that my father used to circumvent the law back in the day. I’m glad he didn’t get caught bootlegging liquor and cigarettes. There were many close calls and I think his time looking over his shoulder played a part in his heart attack.” It was interesting to hear what was going on in their lives.
Nobody truly understood what it took for somebody to get out of bed without living a few days in their world.
They got off the main road and were bypassing the congestion of traffic trying to get away from what they perceived was a gun-toting maniac.
I kept watching out the window for landmarks that would help me pinpoint my location. It wasn’t very difficult to determine I had to be going the opposite direction. I was no longer going to be able to stay quiet. I didn’t want my voice to startle them into having an accident that none of us would be able to walk away from in one piece.
Her perfume was intoxicating. It reminded me of the scent I had sampled. The clothing was an eclectic blend of old and new. Their style mimicked the clothing I was lying under.
“You know your father loved you in hi
s own way. He wasn’t around, but your mother more than made up for his absence. You’ve told me many stories. You’re just upset about the sales. Don’t go off on a tangent now.”
I had to make my presence known.
“Don’t be alarmed.” My voice made him slam down on the brakes causing the car to lurch forward with their seatbelts keeping them from going through the windshield.
“Take whatever you want but don’t hurt us.” She was shaking like a leaf and had her hands up in the air.
“Calm down and breathe. There’s no reason to get excited. I don’t want anything more than a ride. We don’t have to make a big deal out of this.” The gun in my hand was held close to my body to keep them both in my sights in case one decided to try something.
“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that you were the one that caused all the havoc back at the flea market. I’m sure you had your reasons. Do I even dare to suggest that you turn yourself into the authorities? Never mind, I know that hardened look anywhere. Tell us where you want us to take you.” I gave him a street name a few blocks from where I was going to go.
“I heard what you said about the military. I’m glad I’m not the only one who knows what it is to serve this country with distinction and honor.” I wanted him to make him feel like we weren’t so different.
“I thought I recognized the cold and calculating eyes of someone that is used to following orders without questioning where they come from. I shouldn’t trust you, but soldiers should stick together. I might have been sidelined by an injury to my knee, but that doesn’t mean the training disappears.” Markus was a little weathered and his time in the military had certainly taken its toll.
“Markus, you can’t possibly believe a word that is coming out of her mouth. She’s deranged and is using what you said about the military against you.” I had his trust, but she was a work in progress.
We got back on the road and he went across to the other side of the intersection. I was still trying to shake off the effects of the drug. It was a good thing the needle of the tranquilizer didn’t penetrate very deeply to inject me with whatever drug was running through my veins. My clothing had impeded its progress with only the tip piercing my skin.
“I hate to say this, but your wife has a point. I appreciate your understanding, but I don’t want to drag either one of you into my mess. Coming into your lives wasn’t my intention. I had to think fast and adapt to what was going on around me. I promise that neither one of you will come to any harm.” It would’ve been different had I gotten into a vehicle with someone that didn’t know how to stay calm under pressure.
“I’m going on the record to say this isn’t a good idea. Trusting her is only going to get us in trouble with the law. Don’t you see that she’s using you for her own selfish reasons? I think we should call the police.” They were having a heated argument and I was the cause of it.
“Yes. Call the police, Marsha. Why don’t I pull over and so you can call the police so you can turn her in. She’s got a gun!” Marsha didn’t realize I was in control.
“I can’t deny what she’s saying. I know I should tell you what’s going on, but you are better off not knowing. Plausible deniability is your friend. Drop me off at that street and we will never see each other again. It will be up to you whether or not you want to report this. I will say that you are doing the right thing by helping me whether it’s by your own choice or not.” The gun lowered and my resolve was crumbling under the influence of the drugs.
“I don’t believe this is happening. You are letting your connection to the military cloud your judgment. I can see that everything I’m saying is falling on deaf ears. You haven’t heard the end of this.” She was going to put him in the doghouse and he was going to have to jump through hoops to get her to trust him again.
“It’s always the same thing with the military. Don’t ask any questions and keep your head down. I feel I’m doing the right thing, but the price of my wife’s trust is a little high.” Markus was following his military instincts with both hands on the steering wheel.
“I apologize for getting in between the two of you. I’m sure you’ll be able to put this ugliness behind you. I’m still smack dab in the middle of something I don’t quite understand. I have a feeling I know why this is happening to me. Loyalty has become the bane of my existence.” I thought about Commander Riker but being under the influence of the drug made everything cloudy and disjointed.
They dropped me off a few minutes later still bickering like an old married couple. I watched them drive away and I pitied Markus for the trouble I had brought into his life. Will that be me and Pride one day? Maybe when we’re too old to train.
I took off at a sprint getting my blood pumping, pounding the pavement and breathing quickly out through my mouth and in through my nose. I bypassed the main street and stuck to the backyards.
I got to the safe house and I had to verify that it was the place I was looking for. The place was cordoned off with the police and fire department on the scene. Shit.
It looked like a domestic disturbance that turned violent in a hurry. The windows were blown out and there was a thick pillow of smoke rolling in waves in the air. My heart sank in my chest thinking that Pride was inside.
It was going to take some time for them to sort it out. I found a shed and I closed my eyes behind some garden tools. I would wake up refreshed and go over to the safe house under the cover of darkness.
Chapter 10
Pride
The house wasn’t exactly as I remembered it. It used to be vibrant and full of life. It was a shell of what it was when it wasn’t in desperate need of renovations from the ground up. The place was falling apart and we had to be careful where we stepped. The floorboards inside the house were cracking weathered with age and neglect. The furniture was covered with white sheets.
“This place gives me the creeps. I would think we had ghosts from the way the sheets are moving. The window is broken to give the illusion of something that goes bump in the night. I didn’t have a night light in my bedroom for the good of my health. I still believe there are things out there we don’t understand.” Victor had night terrors but he had grown out of them. This was the house we lived in until we were kids. My parents never bothered to fix it up or sell it. None of us had the time nor the need to come back to this place. I guess my parents thought that someday, after they pass, that one of us would take care of it.
“There’s nothing in the dark that isn’t there in the light. This place has fallen on hard times. Windows are broken and there are signs of somebody squatting here.” Bits of discarded food and an old blanket were found in the corner of the room.
“That’s all the more reason to get out of here as soon as possible. This brings back my unhealthy obsession with ghosts. I know what I saw and none of you believed me. The spirit world is real.” Victor was a little shaken, but he had managed to fashion an electrical source by tapping into a neighbor’s home.
“Keep your mind off of it by doing the research I requested. Finding out who issued the contract is paramount. You’ve always been pretty good with a computer. I only use them to check my e-mail and surf the Internet.” I had been privy to what teenage boys would find when they were looking to relieve their sexual frustration.
It was amazing what you could find when you went looking for it. Some were more extreme than others. There was a kinky perversion for just about anything. The Internet was far superior over playboy magazines. It was a smorgasbord of sexual tastes. I was partial to the long legs of an Amazon.
“I don’t know why I let you talk me into these things. Why you ever thought I was technologically savvy is beyond me. It’s a good thing I have a few people I can reach out to. I learned everything I know about coding from the Viper. She makes me look like an amateur and far exceeds most people’s expectations. She lives in anonymity and her IP location bounces around every three days.” He obviously had some
kind of affection for someone he had never met in person.
“You’re betting my life and the life of my wife on what you can find out from someone I have no knowledge about. I trust you to know what you’re doing. I didn’t get much out of our prisoner. He did confirm that the contract could be found on the black web. I’ve heard it is a good place for criminal activity to be discussed without the prying eyes of the authorities.” I was at the window making sure that we weren’t followed, but so far nothing sprung out at me with any kind of concern.
“I’m not sure what the time difference is, but there’s no reason why I can’t reach out to her. Don’t stare when she comes online. Her appearance is a little startling, but you get to understand that it’s just her style.” I was mildly curious, but I wasn’t quite prepared for the vision to greet my eyes.
“I was wondering when you were going to crawl out from whatever rock you slithered under. You still owe me and we both know I have ways to collect. I’m guessing you haven’t contacted me because you don’t have the money.” She had all the rainbow colors in her hair and her face was a mask of different tattoos and piercings.
“I wouldn’t have contacted you unless it was an emergency. You know I’m good for the money. We could make it interesting and go double or nothing on the next game.” Victor never flinched or showed any kind of alarm at the way that she looked.
There were dark circles under her eyes and black lipstick on her mouth. Her eyebrows and lips were pierced. It did make me curious to know what other body parts had been pierced that couldn’t be seen with the naked eye.
The street lamps had come on forming shadows of whatever might be lurking outside. The flaking paint on the windowsill came off on my fingertips floating aimlessly to the floor. The bones were still intact, but the whole place was in desperate need of an influx of cash in the millions to bring it back to the luster it was in the day.