Vision of Sacrifices

by Vincent Morrone

  “Yes,” I said. “The men were watching a football game, stuffing their faces while he was down in that basement without any food or water. Then they said they were going away and wouldn’t be back for a week. Maybe more. All they gave him two pieces of bread with a little peanut butter and two bottles of water.”

  “And the other voice,” Uncle Mark said. “You have no idea who it is?”

  “No,” I said, shaking my head. “It was a young voice. I keep thinking I know who it is, but I can’t quite place it. Whoever it was, I didn’t see them. They said that someone was coming. I think he meant us. He’s telling Seth that we’re coming.”

  “How would he know that?” Archer asked.

  I shrugged, having no answer for that.

  “So they’re gone right now,” Uncle Mark said. “That might make things easier. Any idea when the vision was from?”

  “No,” I said. “They never mentioned a date. All they did was eat, fart and watch football.”

  “College or NFL?” Payne asked.

  “Who cares?” I responded.

  “We do,” Uncle Mark said. “Very smart, Payne. If you can remember which game, we’d know when the vision took place. Was it day or night?”

  I thought for a moment.

  “Day,” I said.

  “Okay,” Uncle Mark said. “Not Monday Night Football. Was it college or NFL?”

  “How am I supposed to know?” I asked.

  “Pro teams usually have bigger stadiums,” Payne explained. “They’d have the name of the college somewhere like at the end zone.”

  I held up my hands and shook my head to try and convey how I had no idea what an End Zone was.

  Payne sighed, suddenly remembering who he was talking to. “What about their mascots? Their team colors? Their jerseys?”

  I jumped in my seat as I pointed at nobody in particular. “Their jerseys were white and red,” I told him. “So not the Giants, right? They have blue. I’ve seen Zack wearing one.”

  Archer looked thoughtful. “The Giants wear white or sometimes red when they’re on an away game.”

  “Uh huh,” I said, nodding. “What’s an away game?”

  They each rolled their eyes at me.

  “Varick, do you have internet here?” Uncle Mark asked.

  “Of course,” Varick said. “There’s a laptop available as well. Payne and Archer know where it is.”

  “You two,” Uncle Mark pointed to Payne and Archer. “Let’s start looking at who played this weekend, and then last weekend, and go from there. Let’s see if she can remember their uniforms if she sees them. Varick, let’s you and I talk to your contact.”

  “Very well,” Varick said.

  Everyone got up except for Grandpa, who just reached over for the remote control for the TV.

  We landed about three hours later. Men in black suits moved our luggage to a new limo that looked identical to the one in Spirit.

  “I hate climbing into these things,” Grandpa complained. “Are we going to have to drive all over the state in one?”

  I could actually understand why it was hard on Grandpa with his bad leg, but he could have been nicer about it.

  “No,” Varick said. “We’ll have cars waiting at the hotel. They’ll be less conspicuous. I have arranged for a rental for each of us individually, in case anyone should need one. Well,” Varick looked at me. “With the exception of Bristol. I’m sorry, dear. You don’t have a valid driver’s license.”

  “Yet,” Uncle Mark added. “But thank you. That’s very kind.”

  We got to the hotel.

  Well, hotel isn’t the right word. It was more like a resort: a huge, thirty-story building that stretched out for a mile or two. There was an Olympic-sized pool with water slides, a golf course, a five-star restaurant, and even a spa.

  “Let me guess,” I whispered to Payne as we drove in. “Your grandfather owns this.”

  “Well,” Payne shrugged. “Kinda. It’s a family thing.”

  I blinked rapidly. “Your family?”

  He nodded.

  “So, you....own it?”

  “Sorta,” Payne said with an almost embarrassed smile. “I own a share of it. It’s one of the things Grandpa invested in for us. So, anything you want, just let me know.”

  I just goggled.

  We entered into the basement private garage and pulled into a spot reserved for the limo. Piling out, a blonde women in a dark business suit walked up to Varick and handed him a leather pouch. He looked inside, thanked her and she fell in step behind him. We all followed. Payne and I held hands as we walked, while Archer kept pace while texting with Cassie.

  “Sherriff Blackburn,” He said and handed Uncle Mark a set of keys. They went to a black SUV that had Lamborghini written on the side. Uncle Mark’s eyes bugged out.

  “Payne.” Varick handed his grandson keys to a grey Mercedes Benz convertible. Payne looked pleased and dangled the keys in front of me.

  “Archer.” Varick tossed a set of keys to his other grandson, gesturing toward what looked like a racecar. Payne whispered in my ear that it was another Lamborghini, called a Reventon. Archer barely bothered to look up at all, he was too busy texting with Cassie.

  “I’ll make do with the Ferrari,” Varick said as he came to a stop, giving my grandfather a chance to catch up. “And now, the pièce de résistance. I had to look high and low for this vehicle. Gregory, your keys.” Varick gently tossed them to Grandpa who managed to catch them. Varick stepped aside as we turned the corner and saw it.

  It was lime green with white trim, straight out of 1957. A Buick, almost identical to the one he had at home. Minus all of the dings and dents.

  “Hey,” Grandpa said, sounding pleased for the first time today. “She’s a real beaut! I may have to take it for a spin just for fun.”

  We all laughed.

  “Just remember Dad,” Uncle Mark said. “No driving at night. You’re eyes aren’t what they used to be.”

  “Party pooper,” Grandpa said.

  We kept walking until Uncle Mark came to a stop.

  “What are those here for?” He pointed to a series of plain, black SUV’s.

  “Those are for my people,” Varick said.

  “Can you rustle up a set of keys for one of those?” Uncle Mark said. “The other one is great, but we may need to move about without drawing attention.”

  “As you wish,” Varick said and looked to his blonde assistant who nodded and pulled out her cell phone. “Agent Williams is on his way and will meet us upstairs in the penthouse suite.”

  Varick directed us towards an elevator that showed we were two levels below floor one. Varick pressed the top button and we started moving up. Quickly.

  “It’s an express elevator,” Payne said. “Goes straight to the penthouse suite.”

  “The what now?” I asked.

  The door opened and I walked into the penthouse suite. Or the entrance to it anyway. It was a large, white room with a marble fountain in the middle. There was a sitting area with a flat screen TV bigger the windshield of the SUV downstairs. Behind it was a fish tank filled with beautiful tropical fish of amazing colors that swam around.

  “There are only five bedrooms,” Varick said. “Somebody will have to share a room.”

  “I’ll be happy to share one,” Payne said. My uncle glared at him. “With Archer,” Payne added hastily, holding up his hands.

  Archer was still texting Cassie and just nodded.

  There was a chime at the door. Varick walked over to a wall and pressed a button. The door opened.

  A man dressed in a dull, grey suit walked in. He was average height and build, and he had a friendly smile. He went to Varick and shook hands.

  “This is special agent Tony Williams,” Varick said. “McKnight Industries provides much of the equipment used by the FBI. Agent Williams and I have worked together in the past. He will help us locate Seth.”

  I walked over to him and shook his hand.

 
; “Thank you,” I said.

  Agent Williams explained how he had been showing Archer’s drawing of Seth at fast food restaurants and the On the Go gas stations. So far, he’d had no luck. Archer handed him a new set of drawings, this group depicted the men and one woman I had seen. Agent Williams accepted them without question. I had to wonder what Varick had told this man as to how we were getting our information.

  To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know.

  After about two hours, Agent Williams left with Varick and Uncle Mark. They were going to check out different locations, show all the pictures and see if they could drum up a lead.

  Varick told us we could have dinner sent up to the room. Or we could go out, but to keep our cell phones on. Of course Grandpa had to remind him that he didn’t have a cell phone.

  So that was it. We sat. We watched TV. Archer texted with Cassie. I called home and talked to Aunt Breanne. She was having a great time with the boys. Eli was getting along with Spock and Larry. Skyler had come over and would be staying for dinner.

  After a few hours, Uncle Mark called. They weren’t having much luck, but they weren’t giving up. He told me to have dinner without them.

  “We can go out,” Archer said, after I’d given them the message. “Or just have food brought up. I think there’s a menu or two around here.”

  Archer went into another room and came back with three menus: one for him, one for me and Payne to share, and one for Grandpa.

  I knew what Grandpa was going to say before he even got his menu open.

  “What kind of racket is your grandfather running here? I don’t even know what half these things are.”

  “It’s French,” Payne said. “I can tell you what everything is.”

  “Son,” Grandpa said. “I’ve grown to like you over time. Let’s not ruin that by you reading to me in French.”

  “Well,” Archer glanced over Grandpa’s shoulder and pointed to something on the menu. “This is a fish dish.”

  Grandpa looked at it, squinting as if that would make the French words clearer. Then I saw his eyes drift over to the price. He looked ready to leap out of his chair. I exchanged an amused look with Payne.

  “Sixty dollars for fish? Fifty for duck? How much is a hamburger?”

  “Um,” Archer said. “I don’t think they have burgers.”

  “They do,” Payne said. “It’s on the children’s menu, on the back.”

  Grandpa flipped the menu over. “Twenty dollars? We’re not eating here!”

  “Mr. Blackburn,” Archer said. “I know it’s a little pricey, but you won’t have to pay for anything. It’s on the house.”

  “I could probably buy a house with what it costs to eat here,” Grandpa struggled to get out of the chair. Archer helped him up. “I’m going to the men’s room. When I get back, we’re all going out to eat. Someplace normal. I’ll drive.”

  Grandpa scuttled off to the left, stopped, turned around and went to the right where the bathroom was.

  “Uh oh,” Archer said. “That’s the master suite bathroom – Granddad’s.”

  “So?” I asked.

  “So,” Payne said. “If your grandfather got upset over a sixty dollar trout dish, what do you think he’ll say about Grandpa’s tub? It’s like a personal swimming pool.”

  “Or the heated toilet seat,” Archer added.

  I heard the clunk of Grandpa’s cane as he came back down the hall. He didn’t look at anyone as he headed for the door.

  “We’re leaving,” he said. “I’ll go at the restaurant.”

  There was little debate about which car to take since the one Varick had offered to Grandpa was the only one with four doors. Both Archer and Payne offered to drive, but Grandpa shooed them off, telling them if we got a move on we’d be able to get to the restaurant and back before dark. I was in the front seat while Payne and Archer were in the back seat.

  “Where are we going?” I asked.

  “Not any of these swanky places,” Grandpa said. “Let’s find a normal neighborhood.”

  Grandpa got on the highway and headed south. I wasn’t sure if he had any idea where he was going, but I felt like we were headed in the right direction.

  “Grandpa,” I said, “take the next exit.”

  “Why?” He asked.

  “Just do it,” I said. “Please.”

  He rolled his eyes, but he hit his right turn signal.

  “Damn women’s intuition,” He mumbled. “If you try and get me to eat raw fish—”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it,” I said as we got off the main highway. “Make a left.”

  Grandpa made the left, but he wasn’t happy about it.

  “There,” I said. I pointed to a place on the corner named Luigi’s. It was a brick building, featuring a logo of a short man with a handlebar moustache bigger than his face on the window. “Let’s have pizza.”

  “That works for me,” Grandpa said.

  We all got out of the car and headed in, but Payne grabbed my hand and held me back. “You want to clue me in?”

  “What?” I said. “You like pizza. I like pizza, Archer probably likes it and most importantly, so does Grandpa.”

  “How’d you know where to go?” Payne asked. “We’ve never been here before. Spill.”

  I looked at the pizza place and shrugged.

  “Just a feeling,” I said. “Let’s go.”

  We went in and found Archer and Grandpa by the counter placing an order for a large meat pie and some buffalo wings. While Grandpa and I went to grab a table and wait for our food, Archer took Grandpa’s cup and offered to fill it for him.

  I handed my cup to Payne.

  “Get me a Pepsi,” I said. “We’ll be back.”

  “Sure,” Payne said.

  Grandpa headed for the closest table, but I directed him to one towards the back.

  “More private,” I said. “In case we need to talk.”

  Grandpa scowled, but he took the table I wanted.

  I looked toward Payne and Archer, still at the soda machine. Payne leaned in to whisper into Archer’s ear. I could see Archer tense up.

  Great.

  After about twenty minutes, a waitress named Monica came out and brought our food. She was a pretty twenty something with dark hair and a low cut blouse that was clearly designed to help her get good tips from the local college boys.

  “Now, that pizza’s going to be hot,” she said, attempting to flirt with both Payne and Archer at the same time. I guess she figured that at most, one of them might be with me, but not both. “Is there anything else I can get for you?”

  “Nope,” Grandpa said.

  “Actually,” I said quickly, before she could leave. “I was wondering if you’ve ever seen a group of guys in here. May have had a woman with them. All dark hair, good looking. A family. Two of them are twins.”

  I saw her thinking about it for a moment, but the moment the word ‘twins’ registered, she nodded her head.

  “Oh, yeah, Jake and Jack. Those two are hard to forget. I can never tell one from the other, but I think they both get a kick out of that. The two of them usually come in for pizza, order out, and take it home. Why?”

  “There was an accident,” I said. “They were witnesses and we’ve been trying to get a hold of them. That’s how my grandfather here got hurt.”

  Monica looked at Grandpa and saw his cane. She shrugged.

  “Sorry, I don’t know much about them. I don’t even know their names, except the twins—and that’s just because I took my break while they were waiting a couple of times.” She grinned as she recalled some memory. “But if you want to leave your number and information, I’ll give it to them when they come in next. I haven’t seen them since last Sunday’s game. They’re bound to come in sooner or later.”

  “Sure,” I said, digging into my bag for a pen and paper. I wrote down the hotel room’s number and put a fake name near it. “Here, thanks.”

  She took the paper and read
it. She reached for my pen.

  “Let me give you my number, Lucy. Just in case you need it.”

  She wrote it on a piece of paper and handed it to Archer with a wink before walking away. Archer handed it to me immediately afterward.

  “Okay,” Grandpa said. “That was impressive. Are we calling my son?”

  “I’ll text him – it’s quieter.” I said. “Let’s eat.”

  We ate quickly and left. My phone buzzed from Uncle Mark just as we got back to the car. After a quick conversation, I hung up.

  “They haven’t found anything,” I said. “They were going on the idea that the food places had to be close together. Uncle Mark thought delivery might be a good lead, but now that we know one place, and we know these guys only do pick up, they can reevaluate. They’re on their way here.”

  “Should we wait?” Payne asked.

  “No,” I said. “He said we could go back to the hotel. Grandpa, are you all right to drive?”

  “It’s not dark out yet. I’m fine. Are we really going back to that swanky hotel? Or did you want dessert first, Lucy?”

  “Let’s just drive around a bit,” I said.

  Grandpa started the car and we were off. Nobody spoke for a while as we slowly went from one block to the next. We were on a main road and after about ten minutes, the businesses became more stretched out. Every once in a while, we’d pass a side road that looked to lead to residential areas, but I told Grandpa to keep going straight. He came to a red light.

  Ahead of us and to the right of the road, I saw a little girl. She was wearing a long, pink robe and a pair of bunny slippers, and was holding something bright in her hands.

  “Payne,” I said. “You see that corner? The next right after this light?”

  Payne sat forward and glanced down to where I was pointing.

  “Yeah,” he said.

  “What do you see there?”

  “I can’t make out the street sign from here. Looks like there’s something taped to the lamppost. Why? What are you seeing?”

  Grandpa started to drive as the light turned green, and put on his signal light on to make the right turn.

  “I see a little girl,” I said. “She’s got something in her hands.”