by Noel Nash
He was a passenger in more ways than one.
CHAPTER 35
“SAM! SAM!” LUKE SHOUTED from his room. His failed escape heaped more discomfort on him than he believed the kidnappers were willing to do. While Dave had treated him with contempt — with some mild abuse — Sam and Bill had been relatively benign toward him. Sam’s actions bordered on sympathetic at times, as if he was simply along for the ride. It made Sam the only logical target for his forthcoming request.
Sam opened the door and leaned into the room, a hint of annoyance in his tone. “What do you want?”
“Look, I know it’s getting late and I’m tired. I’d really like to go to sleep, but it’s not very easy with these ropes on my hands and feet. Can you untie me?”
Sam shook his head and sighed.
“Come on, Sam. Have a heart. You know I’m not going to run again.”
He cautiously eyed Luke. “How exactly do Iknowthat?”
“I know you’re guarding my room — and I wouldn’t get you in trouble like that again.”
“You really care about what happens to me?”
Luke looked at him sympathetically. “You care about what happens to me, don’t you?”
Sam didn’t answer.
“You can drop the tough guy act with me.” Luke then whispered, “I won’t tell them. It’s okay to have a heart.”
Sam rolled his eyes and sighed. He plodded across the room until he came to Luke’s bed and began to loosen his bindings. “Don’t tell them I did this for you, okay?”
Luke nodded. “I understand. I won’t tell a soul.”
“And you better not try to run off again —or else I won’t be so nice next time. Got it?”
“I know you’re just doing what you’re told. I’ll make sure the cops know that after my uncle rescues me.”
Sam froze. “You’re uncle isn’t coming for you, kid. We made sure of that.”
Luke’s eyes widened and his pulse began racing. “What? What did you do to him?”
“We just made sure he wouldn’t find you — that’s all.”
Luke’s lips quivered.“Did you kill him?”
Sam continued to untie Luke in silence.
“Did you? Don’t ignore me. Answer my question. Did you kill my uncle?”
Sam stood up and walked toward the door.
Luke dug into his pocket and tapped the tip of the knife with his thumb. Blood began to rush to his head. He wanted to sneak up behind Sam and stab him. In the moment, he didn’t care that Sam was the only one who showed him any kindness. Then he stopped and took a deep breath.
Wait until the moment is right — that’s what Uncle Seth always said. And this isn’t the time.
Luke pulled his hand out of his pocket and said he had to go to the bathroom.
Sam gestured for him to go down the hall.
“Hey, Sam,” Dave called from downstairs. “When the kid’s finished with his potty break, bring him down here. His old man is due a phone call.”
Luke finished his business and followed Sam downstairs. He gingerly scraped his thumb on the edge of the blade in his pocket — and prayed for the right moment to come soon.
***
DAVE DUMAS EMPTIED his beer and slammed the bottle on the table. He pounded his chest and belched before turning his attention to Sam and their hostage descending the stairs.
Dave smirked as he studied the fear on Luke’s face. “Hey, kid, wanna talk to your old man?”
Luke nodded.
“Okay. Now, you know the rules, but let’s go over them again, just in case. I’d hate for you to have made it this far only to get killed for slipping up and breaking one of our rules.”
Luke took a deep breath and bobbed his head up and down.
“This is serious, kid. If you remember anything at all in that pea-sized brain of yours, remember these things. It’s what is going to keep you alive for the next few minutes. Got it?”
“I got it already. Tell me the rules.”
Dave wagged his finger at him. “I don’t like your tone. That’s not how you treat your elders. You understand me?”
“Abducting me isn’t how you treatyouryouth either.”
Dave slapped Luke in the face. He then grabbed Luke’s face with his right hand and squeezed before releasing him. “Don’t ever sass me again.”
He snapped his fingers. “Hand me the phone, Bill.” He took the phone and then called up the senator’s number on speed dial. With his other hand, he grabbed Luke by the scruff of the neck. “No funny business.”
The phone rang several times before the senator answered.
“Hello?”
“Senator Daniels, I wanted to give you one more chance to talk to your son before tomorrow’s all-important vote.”
“Put him on.”
Dave held the phone by Luke’s ear.
“Dad?”
“Hi, son. I love you. Are you holding up okay?”
“I’m fine. Am I gonna see you soon?”
“Sounds that way. This will all be over tomorrow.”
“Can’t wait to see you.” Luke paused. “Dad, they killed Uncle Seth!”
Dave pulled the phone away from Luke and shoved him toward Bill. “Put him back in his room.” He directed his attention toward the senator, who was squawking on the line.
“Chill with your idle threats, senator. I’ll be out of your life for good tomorrow. Just make sure the pipeline deal doesn’t get passed — and life will return to normal.”Dave hung up.
He marched upstairs and headed straight for Luke’s room. He stormed into the room and wagged his finger at Luke.
“I warned you not to try anything, didn’t I?” He drew back and punched Luke in the jaw. Dave hit him several more times as Luke scrambled away from him until he reached the back wall.
“Nowhere to run now,” Dave said. He proceeded to kick Luke in the stomach several times before spitting on him. “Maybe next time you’ll obey me when I tell you what to do — or what not to do.”
Dave stomped downstairs and pulled out his phone. He dialed another number and waited for the other person to answer.
“Everything’s set for tomorrow,”Dave said.
“Excellent. Just make sure nothing goes sideways.”
Dave snickered. “We’ve already taken care of all the loose ends. The senator’s attempt to rescue his son failed. That threat’s been eliminated.”
“Don’t underestimate Senator Daniels. He’s wily if anything.”
“Nobody’s going to find us out here — even if they were looking.”
“I trust you’re right. Tomorrow should bring a hefty payday for you if everything goes as planned.”
“We’ll handle things on our end.”
Dave hung up and slumped onto the couch. He needed a stiff drink. This time next week, he’d be digging his toes into the sand and throwing back a cold drink on some Caribbean island.
Tomorrow couldn’t get here soon enough.
CHAPTER 36
SETH MATTHEWS WHEELED the SUV into a rundown motel forty miles away. Staying such a distance from Luke’s location seemed risky — and an unnecessary precaution. But everything was too close at this point to jeopardize it over a mistake he’d already made earlier. No one would spot them here, especially if they didn’t go out for any food. A drive-through run at a local fast-food restaurant down the street all by himself should keep their profile to a minimum, if seen at all.
“Looks like we won’t be eating sushi tonight, Shepherd,” Zellers said.
“Burgers and fries are on tonight’s menu,” Matthews said. “Though I can’t vouch for the quality of Mister Tastee’s meat.”
“I’ll just have a salad then,”Shepherd said.
Matthews rolled his eyes. “I’ll bring you back a burger with lettuce on it. Now, everyone stay here while I get us a couple of rooms.”
A few minutes later, Matthews returned with their room keys. The team unloaded before he headed for Mister Tastee�
�s.
On the way there, he tried calling Senator Daniels again. It rang and rang — then went straight to voicemail.
“Answer the phone!” he screamed aloud. He switched his phone off in disgust. They hadn’t made contact in nearly forty-eight hours. At this point, he could only imagine how concerned Daniels must’ve been.
He slogged through the Mister Tastee’s menu and found enough items that could pass as real food. Once the teenage girl handed him his food through the drive-through window, he returned to their motel room.
“So, did anyone come up with any genius ideas for our getaway?” Matthews asked as he doled out the food.
“No, but Zellers thinks after we rescue Luke we should lock them in the house and set it on fire,” Hammond said.
“Interesting idea, but that’s too much work,” Matthews quipped. “Anyone else?”
“I don’t understand why we don’t sneak in there tonight and bring him back,”Jones said.“You know we could pull that off.”
“He’s got a point. Beats doing something in broad daylight,” Zellers added.
Matthews held up his finger. “In a perfect world, this would be our best option.”
“In a perfect world, people don’t abduct kids,” Hammond said.
“The problem with that plan, Jones, is that there are too many unknown factors for us to guarantee success, none of which I’m willing to risk when Luke’s life is on the line.”
“But you’d do it if it were someone else?”Jones snapped.
Matthews took a deep breath and exhaled. “Look, nothing’s guaranteed or perfect, no matter when we do it, but I feel like we have an option that will give us the best chance to secure him without any casualties.”
Hammond folded his arms and nodded. “We’re listening.”
“Does anyone rememberThe Midnight Ride of Paul Revere? ‘One if by land, two if by sea’?”
Shepherd perked up.“And I on the opposite shore will be, ready to ride and spread the alarm, through every Middlesex village and farm, for the country folk to be up and to arm. Then he said—”
“That’s enough, Shepherd,” Matthews said.
“But there’s more.”
Matthews sighed.“I know — a lot more —and we don’t have time for that tonight. Let’s focus on the task at hand instead of your impressive recitation of Longfellow poems.” He rubbed his face with both his hands. “Now, we’re going to need to think about our best options for escaping on the terrain here — land and water. There’s little doubt why they chose this place because it’s going to be a bear to get out of here either way.”
Hammond laughed.“Let’s hope we don’t see any bears.”
“Yeah, we’ve got enough to deal with as it is,” Matthews said. “There’s nothing about this that’s going to be easy. But there’s nothing that’s going to stop us either.”
CHAPTER 37
WITH THE SUN YET TO RISE on Friday morning, Senator Daniels pulled his tie taut as he studied himself in the mirror. He wanted to appear crisp and sharp in front of the television cameras later that day, but primping at 6 a.m. wouldn’t guarantee success despite his best efforts. Though he’d been awake for a half hour, his eyes still hadn’t fully adjusted to the glow of the bathroom lights.
He stared at the burner phone Seth Matthews had given him, a symbol of his failed attempt to rescue Luke. He’d yet to hear from his brother-in-law and there wasn’t much time left before the vote.
I should’ve gone after him myself.
He picked up the phone. It was almost dead. In anger, he smashed it on the tile floor, sending splintered pieces everywhere. He scrambled to the floor and tried to collect the pieces to see if it would still work. He turned it back on, though the screen appeared disfigured. Staring at the screen, he touched it to see if he could dial a number. It still seemed to work but it seemed finicky. He banged his fists on the counter a few times and let out a few expletives.
Why is this happening to me? This is so unfair!
Daniels looked skyward and shook his fists.
If there is a God, he isn’t being very kind or merciful, nor is he just.
His brow furrowed, he looked at himself in the mirror, wondering how he’d becomethisperson — broken, bitter, angry. The last thing he wanted was to sacrifice his principles for Luke’s sake, but he had no choice. Not if he ever wanted to see Luke alive again.
But would those monsters even keep their word? He doubted it.
He walked outside and got into his car waiting for him. He shut the door and slumped in his seat. Outside, the city’s landmarks and monuments whirred past while he looked out the window, structures built to commemorate the people who made this country so great. But all he could see were the glum faces of other drivers stuck in a treadmill of predetermined bureaucratic destiny, one sold to the highest bidder with the deepest pockets or the greatest political leverage. It was a city comprised of plastic: plastic lives, plastic dreams, plastic futures. Nothing felt real.
Where’s the hope? The justice? The promise of a preferred future?
Wherever it was, it eluded him.
And given his situation, the last thing he was going to do was take it all away from everyone else. He was going to vote to pass the pipeline bill.
He was going to call the kidnappers’bluff.
CHAPTER 38
LUKE AWOKE WITH A JOLT. He opened his eyes to see Sam standing over him with a goofy grin on his face. Sam was also wielding a gun.
“Time to rise and shine,”Sam said.
Luke rubbed his eyes and rolled out of bed. He grimaced with every move, suppressing his reaction to the pain he felt. Sore ribs, sore arms, sore everything. There wasn’t a part of him that didn’t make him wince with a sharp movement. The pain was real; his situation beyond dire.
“Hurry up and get dressed,”Sam snapped.“We’ve got a big day ahead.”
“Are you going to take me back to my dad?”
“If he votes the right way — so pray he does.”
“What if he doesn’t?”
Sam looked down and sighed. “Just get dressed, will ya?”
Luke stumbled toward the lone chair in the room, the resting place for his jeans and t-shirt. He picked up his shirt and put it near his face. The stench it emitted made his face sour. He could barely lift his arms to get the shirt over his head.
“Do you have another shirt I can wear?” he asked.
Sam shook his head. “Just put it on. We’ll deal with that later if we need to.”
Luke stared at Sam, who didn’t move. “Do you mind? I’m trying to change here.”
Sam turned around. Luke stepped into his jeans and then slipped his hand underneath the chair cushion to retrieve Sam’s knife. He stashed it inside his left sock and covered it with his jeans.
“Where are we going?” Luke asked.
“Nowhere yet,” Sam answered. “Just waiting for instructions. It all hinges on what your father does today.”
“And what does he need to do?”
“That’s not important right now. Just hurry up, okay? I’m tired of waiting.”
Sam stomped off and headed downstairs.
Luke started to put his shoes on when he froze. He held his breath as he strained to hear a phone conversation taking place on the floor directly below him.
Is that — no, it couldn’t be.
He pressed his ear to the floor and listened through the cracks. He couldn’t be certain, but he was sure enough.
I can’t believe it.
He got up from the floor and headed downstairs, his hands shaking.
I’ve gotta tell Dad.
Luke rolled his eyes and continued by pulling on his jeans and then his shirt.
He put his shoes on and followed Sam downstairs.
“He’s all ready,” Sam announced before they finished descending the stairs.
“Good,”Dave said.“Everybody eat up. We don’t know when we’ll get another meal. We’ve got a big day ahead of
us.”
Luke froze. “Will someone please tell me what the heck is going on here?”
“It’s a need to know basis,”Sam snapped.“And right now, you don’t need to know.”
Luke stamped his foot. “I’m not going anywhere until someone tells me what’s going on.”
Dave rushed toward him and tackled him. They tumbled to the ground with Dave landing on top of Luke. Dave glared at Luke and spoke slowly. “You’ll do exactly as I say. Do you understand?” He waited for a response from Luke, who didn’t blink.“Perhaps I could give you another beating from yesterday and help jog your memory about what happens when you defy me?”
Reluctantly, Luke nodded. “Got it.”
“Now get up and get something to eat.” Sam got off Luke and yanked him to his feet. He shoved Luke in the back. “Get over there.”
Luke stumbled forward. He closed his eyes and said a quick prayer. He wanted to drive his knife into Dave’s heart and dash out the door. But he knew it wasn’t time. Yet time was running out. Without any hope of his uncle to rescue him, he realized the only way he was going to escape was if he found a way to get away himself — and not get caught.
It was a venture with low odds, but that’s all he had at the time.
And he had to take a chance at some point — some point soon.
CHAPTER 39
SETH MATTHEWS BARELY SLEPT as he pondered all the different potential scenarios given his team’s decided course of action. To him, it was a list that couldn’t be exhausted, the sign that his plan wasn’t nearly as foolhardy as he believed. As simple as it was — rescue Luke from the kidnappers — it was equally complex. Even with the element of surprise.
He awakened the rest of the team, mostly to a chorus of moans and groans. He wasn’t interested in placating their unanimous desire to sleep more. Instead, he was singularly focused on saving Luke and returning some semblance of order to his small universe. If Luke was okay, everyone would be okay.
But that wasn’t going to happen with everyone sleeping.