by Andy Rane
“Happy?” James said, passing from elation that the man didn’t know Kevin was there to fear that he was still holding a gun.
“Quite,” said the man, “Now I just need you to get me your birth certificate and we’ll be on our way.”
“Uh…birth certificate? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” James said.
“Don’t be a fool, it’s not worth it,” the man said.
“No, I’m…I’m telling you. I’ve never seen my birth certificate before. My mother told me it was lost years ago,” he said. Nicole wrapped her hands around his arm and squeezed tight enough for it to hurt. In the dull light from the hall window, James could see a look of concern build in the man’s face.
“I don’t carry a gun for my health, James. We can do this one of two ways, and I’m sure you’d rather it be the easy way,” said the man, the gun now held more firmly, but still pointing down.
“I’m telling you, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” James said, and at this statement, the man no longer held back any emotion.
“How the hell…I told them not to lose that envelope. I explicitly told them. Of all the things…of all the stupid things to do.”
“What difference does it make? It’s just a piece of paper!” James said.
“You’re lying…you’ve got to be. God dammit,” he said, raising the gun now and pointing it at James, “you better be lying, or--” He stopped in mid-sentence, his eyes suddenly shifting to the open hallway to his left.
James heard a click sound from somewhere below and then all hell broke loose.
Chapter 9
With a slight change in his route, Dr. Robert Paynter entered New Jersey at around 2 am, from northeastern Pennsylvania on Route 80. He had made the conscious decision to avoid the direct path of Route 95 with the idea that if he were being followed, he might delay the inevitable by taking an indirect path. He cruised along the interstate in the northwest part of the Garden State. It was here that there still remained some of the land that reflected the nickname. The road was quiet and the sky thick with clouds. The almost-full moon, which was now at its peak, illuminated them from behind. Paynter kicked back the last of his fifth cup of coffee, knowing damn well the caffeine was of little use now. He’d been awake for twenty-two of the last twenty-four hours. He was done. He could only hope that a warm welcome and accompanying bed awaited him.
He looked at the directions again. He had never forgotten the address, though he had never been there in his life. Even after almost twenty-four years, he had not forgotten the one piece of information that had linked him directly to his past. 601 Hamilton Drive, Hackettstown, New Jersey. Home of the Masterson’s. And home to a baby boy name James. Not such a baby anymore. And, though Paynter had never seen the boys in his lifetime, he could imagine their build. After all, he’d seen the mold.
They would be about six feet tall, dark ragged hair, stark eyes, strong chin, and a bit of a slouch in the shoulders, as if they were afraid to stand up straight. Though, on further thought, Paynter wasn’t quite sure that a trait such as that would have been passed on.
The Allamuchy/Hackettstown exit was soon upon him, and he drove onto the ramp with a renewed sense of urgency. He was finally within sight and it energized him. He was going to meet James and Kevin.
The drive from the exit was about five miles. He pulled off of the county road onto a side street, clicked on his overhead lamp and glanced quickly at the map. He might have known the address by heart, but he’d never bothered to memorize its exact location in the town. That had seemed a bit too much trouble for a task he had felt he would never have. Just a few more blocks, according to the map.
The streets were empty, as most small town streets are at 3 am. He slowed as he approached the house. To his surprise, there were two cars in the driveway, outside of the garage, and a third late model muscle car across the street that had started up noisily on his turning onto the end of the street. He was still half a block away when it lurched around the corner of the block ahead. Paynter shut off the engine and coasted to a stop in front of the house. There was a light on at the back of the house.
Reaching down to the passenger side floor, he fumbled with the assembly of the gun. He was relying on the prep work he had done the previous day. He couldn’t afford a mistake if he needed to use it.
He walked out into the driveway, silently cursing the nearly full moon that he had just been admiring earlier. Any night owl looking out of their window would be able to clearly identify him. None of that mattered now, though.
He spotted footprints in the remaining snow along the side of the house. They trailed around to the back of the house. There were no other tracks in that part of the yard. He followed them to the back porch and pushed the kitchen door, which was already open. Seeing fresh mud tracks weaving their way through the room, Paynter moved across the kitchen floor. He paused at the entry to the hallway. He could hear the conversation clearer now. Someone upstairs was conversing with someone in the hallway. Paynter moved to the doorway of the kitchen.
Paynter raised the Pneu-Dart Model 179 Projector with an unsteady hand. He had never once fired it at a living object. His arm felt stiff, and his finger slippery. He shook off the fear and stepped out further into the hall. At the bottom of the stairs was a short, balding man with glasses with a large chrome-plated gun held in his hand. He was aiming up at the top of the stairs, and only flinched slightly when he finally saw Paynter.
“You…,” the man said, without a hint of surprise in his voice. Paynter had taken aim. When the gun moved, Paynter pulled the trigger.
Chapter 10
James watched as the man at the bottom of the stairs turned, eyes narrowing. There was another audible click and a tearing sound that cut the air. The man lurched and grasped at his throat, slumping against the wall.
Nicole screamed and tried to pull James back from the top of the stairs. Kevin came around the corner and the three watched the man at the bottom of the stairs slide slowly down the wall, his hands still clutched to his throat. They could see something sticking out between the man’s fingers just beneath his chin. Inaudible words escaped curled lips. His eyes bulged in a mixture of horror and fear. He wrenched what looked like a dart from out of his neck, and stared at it, his lips now mouthing soundlessly like his voice had been muted. His eyes slowly rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed the rest of the way to the floor. Nicole let out another cry.
James put his foot onto the next step down, which elicited a shudder from Nicole, her whole body shaking in disbelief. Even Kevin looked dismayed at the thought of descending the stairs. James turned slightly, gave her hand a squeeze then froze at the sound of another man’s voice.
“James?” said the new voice.
James threw his hands up.
“Jesus Christ! Why does everyone know my fucking name around here?”
“Paynter?” Kevin called out.
A taller man with a full head of grey hair materialized over the slumped, drooling, unconscious man at the bottom of the stairs. He too held a gun in his hand.
“What the hell is going on?” James shouted.
“Did he hurt you?” said the man.
His voice was anxious, but not aggressive.
“No. Who the hell is he, and who the hell are you?”
James pointed nervously at the new man. The man shoved his own gun into his coat pocket, then reached down and picked up the intruder’s weapon. He leaned the small man’s head back, as if he were examining his handiwork.
“I…am Dr. Robert Paynter. I’m the one who sent Kevin to find you. He…is the man who has stirred the hornet’s nest, so to speak, and…he could be the death of us all. He was supposed to be dead. We were all supposed to be dead. And, it’s somewhat amazing to actually see anyone still alive, especially him…after twenty-four years. That…is Dr. Fred Taylor…such as he is,” Paynter said, waving a hand at the motionless man.
Paynter suddenly turne
d, walked back into the downstairs hallway and out of view. James took another couple of steps downward to see that he had gone to the front door. Paynter peeked out of the window then reached for the door and pulled it open. There was a sound of a revving car engine and accelerating wheels on the road outside. He closed the door and returned to the base of the stairs. He stared up at the three, with what James might have mistaken for awe if the situation hadn’t been so strange.
“Is he dead?” Nicole said, pointing to the heap of a man at the base of the stairs.
The man called Taylor had slumped nearly horizontal, his mouth lolling open, a thin strand of spit that hung from his bottom lip was just about to reach the carpet.
“Oh, no,” said the man, pulling the bulky, fake-looking gun from his pants, as if that itself were an explanation.
“Tranquilizer,” he continued. “He should be out for a good hour or so with the dose I gave him. Nowhere near enough to kill…but, he’ll have a heck of a headache when he wakes up. Now, get packing. We haven’t much time.”
“Right,” James said, “so…what?”
“We need to get the hell out of here,” said the man. “That car outside wasn’t just a curious neighbor.”
“And I would want to go somewhere with you because…?”
“Because, after I’ve had some time to tell you what I know, you’ll want to come with me.”
“James, he did bring us together,” Kevin said. “That’s gotta say something for the guy.”
“Start talking,” James said, folding his arms across his chest.
“We don’t have time for this. Once they find out that…”
“They? Who’s they?” James said. Nicole stirred behind him, and came down the few steps to his level.
“You do have the envelope, don’t you?” said the man.
“Again with the envelope? What’s so special about this friggin’ envelope! It’s a ratty old envelope that held my birth certificate,” James said.
“You lied to him?” Nicole asked.
“Taylor asked for it? That’s troublesome. Listen, I’m here to help. I promise. I just need to know that you still have it,” Paynter said. James looked into the man’s eyes. If he was lying, he was well practiced.
“I keep it in my mother’s old lock box. I’ve seen it a hundred times…what’s so important about my birth certificate.”
“It’s the envelope that matters, not the birth certificate,” Paynter said.
“What is all this?” James asked. “Why are people coming into my home and threatening me?”
“I’m sorry, but you…have information…that is possibly harmful…,” Paynter stammered.
“You’re lying,” James said.
“No, it’s true. We are in a lot of danger here. If we’re not moving, we’re asking to be caught. That’s why we have to go. Now. There are people who want that envelope…people who would kill to get it,” Paynter said.
“Like him? Taylor?” James asked.
“Well, I never thought so…I don’t really know why he’s here…that’s a completely unexpected development. It doesn’t make sense that he was threatening you…and that bothers me,” he said.
“Then who else is out to get me?” James said.
“I’m not one hundred percent positive, but I have a few guesses. We’ll probably find out soon enough,” Paynter said.
James saw the lie, or at least the hint of it, but he chose to not call it out.
“And I have this information,” James said.
“Yes…you…all…both have it. It’s only strength is in the cumulative,” Paynter said.
“And people are just coming after it now?” Kevin asked.
“Power matrixes shift. The information is more important, or rather, detrimental now to those in power than before,” Paynter said.
“Those in power? Did you say we all have it? I’m so confused,” James said and he dropped down onto the steps.”
“So, why don’t you take your information and leave?” Kevin said.
“Because, Kevin, that information is probably more important to you…and James…than either of you could ever imagine,” Paynter said.
“Why should I come with you? Why can’t I just call the police?” James said.
“James,” Kevin said, as if asking for a break.
“They are the police,” Paynter said.
James folded his arms across his chest.
“You still haven’t convinced me. Why should I come with you? How do I know this Taylor guy wasn’t the one I was supposed to trust?” James asked.
Paynter paused before answering right away. He held up the dart that had been fired from his gun.
“Because the bad guys don’t carry tranquilizers. Because there is more truth waiting for you out there than you will ever find waiting around here.”
“Truth,” James said.
“I can…lead you to the truth,” Paynter said.
“That sounds like a bad line out of a cheesy movie,” James said.
“I have a better one,” Paynter said, and a sly look took over his face, the corner of his mouth rising.
“Oh?” James said.
“Yeah,” Paynter said, folding his arms to match James’ stance. “Kevin isn’t your only brother.”
Chapter 11
James sat in the back of the Chrysler 300M. No matter how far Nicole moved the seat up, James legs were cramped. It fit his mood, so James didn’t say a word. He alternated his stare between the back of the driver’s seat, and the back of the man’s head in that seat. He had not said a word since they got on the road. It had been apparent to Dr. Paynter that they needed to leave the premises as soon as possible, as someone would eventually show up for the man with the gun. He told them all to pack an overnight bag. Paynter gave Nicole no choice. She had to go with them, or risk being used against James. Before they left his house, the doctor dialed three digits into Dr. Taylor’s cell phone and threw it on top of the still unconscious man. It looked so new and unused; he might have purchased it the previous day. Paynter smiled wryly as they left. James didn’t smile back.
Paynter’s only request as they enter the car was that Nicole drive. She was the least intoxicated of the three and he was struggling to stay conscious. He gave her the simple directives of "drive due west" and “don’t speed.” Within moments of being in the passenger seat, he was asleep. James fumed silently in the back seat. Occasionally, he would make eye contact with Kevin, who could only shrug. Eventually, Kevin stopped looking at him. Nicole played the radio softly and tapped along on the steering wheel. She tried to adjust the rear view mirror so she could catch his eye, but he shrank lower in his seat.
"Oh, why don't you cry about it," she whispered.
"Maybe I will," James snapped back.
"Children…please!" Kevin said, noticing that Paynter had stirred.
James turned his back to Kevin and curled up in the corner the best he could, closing his eyes. He couldn’t make out a hushed conversation between Nicole and Kevin before sleep took him.
James was jarred awake by a sharp cry of laughter. He tried to stretch, then, realizing where he was, gave up. He sat up straight as best he could, and saw that Nicole was covering her mouth with her hand. Paynter was wide awake and smiling broadly. James glanced out the window to see the morning light illuminating snow covered fields in both directions.
"Glad we're all having a good time," James muttered.
"Oh, I'm sorry, sweetie. Really...it's just that...Bob was telling a funny story...and...," Nicole said, trailing off and shrugging her shoulders.
"Oh, was Bob telling a funny story? I fall asleep for a bit, and when I wake up, we're on a first name basis? Nice. Well, Bob, by all means...don't let me interrupt."
"Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the car," Kevin said.
"Whatever," James said.
He caught Nicole's frown in the rear view mirror. Maybe he was being an ass, but he wasn't apologizing. Not yet anyw
ay.
As they hurtled on through central Pennsylvania, the conversation blossomed again. Nicole didn’t seem to mind Paynter one bit, and now, as James sat in the back, almost hiding in the collar of his coat, she was cheerfully relaying the difficulties of her Psychology finals just days before. James stewed as she rattled on about the field’s most recent discoveries like someone had pulled her string. Paynter smiled and nodded knowingly, adding comments, and generally seeming to enjoy the conversation. Kevin chimed in on occasion, and Paynter and he talked readily about the current hockey season.
After another hour of riding in the confines of the back seat, James started shifting uncomfortably.
“I’m going to stop, ok? We’re getting low on gas,” Nicole said.
“I think that’s a good idea. I think we could all use a breather,” Paynter said.
They pulled off of the highway. There was a gas station right across the road from the exit ramp. The old snow was deeper up here. It looked to be about ten inches. Nicole maneuvered past a large mound of snow, across the lot and up to the first available pump. They all got out at the same time.
“Might as well ride in the trunk,” James said, in a low voice, not really trying to hide his displeasure.
Nicole scowled at him. Kevin just rolled his eyes.
“I’ll switch with you,” Paynter said, but James barely acknowledged that he had spoken.
“No, I’ll be ok. I gotta piss something fierce, though,” he said.
Paynter stood next to the pump, stretching his arms above his head and yawning. James gave a quick nervous glance back at Nicole, then back at him. It didn’t go unnoticed.
“Do you want her to go with you?” Paynter said. “I’m not going anywhere without you, James, so go do what you have to and let’s get back on the road.”
James blushed and turned away.
Try as he might, James could find no sign of insincerity in the man’s voice or demeanor. But, the time was coming for him to own up to what this was really about. Then, thought James, then we’d see what he was made of.