Exposed

by Maller, Andrea

  “Why couldn’t my dad be like you?”

  “Let’s go, Jake,” Alex said, leading him out of the house.

  When Charles heard the car door slam, he walked over to the couch, careful not to step on the broken glass, and sat, looking down at his former enemy.

  “Howard, Howard, Howard. I’m finally free of you. We’re finally free of you. You will no longer be that thorn in my side. I can’t say I’m sorry it’s come to this. Knowing you, I wouldn’t have expected things to end any other way. I really should call the police. You’re starting to stink up the place. Your son deserved a lot better than you. Don’t worry. I’ll watch over him. I’ll be the father he never had.”

  Chapter Twenty - Eight

  “Thank you for letting me stay here, Mr. Pierce. I’m just not ready to go back to that house yet. I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready.”

  “That’s okay. Don’t worry about it. You’re welcome to stay as long as you like. The house would have been too empty and too quiet if you weren’t here. It’s a big house for one person.”

  “Not for too much longer. Isn’t Samantha coming home soon?”

  “Another day or two. I know Alyson hasn’t been here for more than a night or two in the last couple of months, but it seems so final now. I’m glad she’s safe, and I’m sure she’s learning a lot, but I miss her terribly.”

  “I never thought I could miss a girl so much. I need to see her. Can’t we go there? It’s not like we have to worry about anyone following us anymore. Alyson and Cassie don’t even know what happened. They don’t even know they aren’t in danger anymore.”

  “That’s because I haven’t been able to make contact with her yet. I’ll try sending another message to the center where she’s interning. I don’t know if she’ll receive it, though. I don’t think she received the last message I sent.”

  “Please. You need to try.”

  “I’ll let her know we’re coming, but you must understand, she might not be the same as you remember. Are you ready for that?”

  “The only thing I’m not ready for is living my life without her.”

  “Then I’ll make the reservations. We’ll leave as soon as I have Samantha settled in.”

  “I really should thank her,” Jake said.

  “Who?”

  “Samantha. If it wasn’t for her, Alyson wouldn’t be here. There. Well, you know what I mean,” Jake laughed.

  “That’s a sound I haven’t heard in a very long time. It’s good to see you relax.”

  “It’s a strange feeling. I still feel guilty about what happened. I know you said it wasn’t my fault, but I wish we didn’t have to go through all that we did.”

  “Life is like that. It’s how we grow as people.”

  “I’m ready to stop growing.”

  “Sometimes, I feel the same way, Jake.”

  Chapter Twenty - Nine

  “Are you sure you’re going to be okay here by yourself, Samantha?”

  “You need to stop worrying about me, Charles. I’m a grown woman. Besides, I’ve been home for more than a week now.”

  “I know, but you’ve been through so much. We’ve been through so much. I don’t want anything to take you away from me.”

  “I love you, too. If I need anything, I’ll call Alex. Unless he’s going with you. He hasn’t seen Cassie for so long.”

  “He’s going to be staying behind so if you need him, he’s only a phone call away. Jake and I shouldn’t be gone too long. We’re hoping to bring Alyson and Cassie home with us. I sent a message, but I don’t know if they received it. I haven’t spoken to anyone there so it’s possible they don’t even know we’re coming, yet.”

  “I’m sure it’s going to be a wonderful surprise and a great relief for them to know they don’t have to hide anymore.”

  “Are you ready, Mr. Pierce? The cab is honking for us.”

  “Just a moment.”

  “I’ll grab the bags so you can have another minute alone with Samantha. Thanks again for letting me stay here,” Jake said, grabbing the suitcases as he walked outside and waved to the cab driver.

  “I’ll be back soon. I love you,” Charles said, his hands wrapped around Samantha’s.

  “I love you, too. Now go get your daughter and bring her home.”

  “Don’t you mean our daughter? We are married now. We share everything.”

  “Yes, I like the sound of that. Our daughter. I’m looking forward to getting to know her better. And you. You’ve changed so much through the years.”

  “One thing that will never change is how I feel about you. I love you.”

  “You better go. The cab driver is honking for you again.”

  “I’ll call you when I get there,” Charles said, kissing Samantha before he headed out the door.

  He watched her sitting by the window, waving good-bye. Then he got into the cab and slid in the seat next to Jake.

  “She’s going to be fine. You don’t have to worry.”

  “What are you talking about, Jake? I’m perfectly calm.”

  “Your eye says otherwise.”

  “That darn twitch. It always gives me away. I know Samantha will be okay. Alex will check in with her to make certain. I’m worried about Alyson.”

  “Why? Alyson is perfectly fine. She’s safe. She’s doing what she loves. Before everything happened, we talked about her internship. Going to Geneva and doing research was her dream. Now a dream come true.”

  “How is it I didn’t know these things about her? We were so close. We talked about everything. Well, almost everything.”

  “We didn’t just do the typical teenage stuff. We spent a lot of time talking about the future. We went for long walks on the beach, sat on our special bench in the park. And all those afternoons in my basement, watching movies, laughing. I really got to know her. Her dreams. Her hopes. You and her have so many things in common. Even though you’re not her biological father, she is so much like you.”

  Charles’ eyes started to water and a lump formed in his throat making it difficult for him to speak.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “You didn’t. Just the opposite. I’m just feeling a little choked up. You really think Alyson is like me?”

  “In so many ways.”

  “I never really thought... She’s such a special girl. Thank you.”

  “Okay, That’ll be $22.75. Come on. Come on. I haven’t got all day.”

  Charles paid the fare while Jake retrieved the suitcases from the trunk. Before he could slam it shut, the driver took off -- tires screeching, thick clouds of white smoke wafting.

  “He must have been in some hurry,” Charles said, coughing.

  “Some people can be so rude,” Jake said, checking his watch. “I didn’t realize how late we are. We better go! Our plane is leaving in fifteen minutes and we still have to check in!”

  “That’s the last time I use that cab company. They show up late, rush you out of the car, and then go on their merry way leaving you to scramble to make a plane. We’re not going to miss our flight. Get your ticket ready and follow me.”

  “Okay,” Jake said, sprinting alongside Charles as they navigated their way through the airport.

  “Whew. Just made it.”

  “With seconds to spare,” Charles said.

  “You’ve done this before, haven’t you?”

  “I must confess. I usually show up just as the plane is about to board. That’s how I learned the shortcuts. I’ve never missed a plane, yet.”

  “Wake me when we get there,” Jake said. “I want to be refreshed when Alyson sees me. I’ve missed her so much.”

  “Will do. I have some reading to catch up on anyway.”

  “I can’t wait to see her beautiful smile again.”

  “Neither can I. It used to come so easily to her, but the last few months...”

  “I know. They’ve been difficult for all of us.”

  “No more, though. She’
ll be so pleased when I tell her she can come home again. It hasn’t felt right since she’s been gone.”

  “I know what you mean. Everything I do feels empty and pointless. I feel like a part of me is missing. It doesn’t feel right to smile without her.”

  “The fasten seatbelt sign is on. We should be moving shortly.”

  “I probably should have mentioned it earlier, but this is my first time. I’ve never been on a plane before.”

  “You’re not nervous, are you?”

  “Well, maybe a little. Okay, a lot. I’m terrified. I’ve read about all the things that can go wrong on a plane -- birds flying into the engine, mechanical failure. But I would jump out of this plane if I had to for Alyson.”

  “You really love my daughter, don’t you?”

  “More than anything. My life would be nothing without her in it.”

  “You remind me of me when I was younger. I remember feeling the same way about Samantha. That feeling of urgency and complete devotion.”

  “Don’t you still feel that way when you think about Samantha?”

  “Every second of my life. The plane is starting to move. We’ll talk more later.”

  “I wish I could be calm like you are. The rumbling of the plane is making my stomach feel sick.”

  “Get some sleep. I’ll wake you when we land.”

  “I’ll try, but it won’t be easy.”

  “Relax. Just focus on seeing Alyson. That should settle your nerves.”

  “Actually, that stirs up a whole different kind of nerves.”

  “You’re not nervous about seeing her, are you?”

  “What if she doesn’t feel the same about me? What if she’s moved on? She could have met someone else.”

  “That’s a chance you have to take in love. Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”

  “I think I will close my eyes for a while.”

  The hours passed and Jake’s snoring disturbed more than just a few passengers. By the time the plane was circling the airport, several packets of peanuts had been flung at the back of his head, none of course disturbing his slumber.

  “The plane’s about to land, Jake. Time to wake up.”

  “Are we there? We made it?”

  “Yes, the runway is just up ahead. The wheels will be touching down and then we’ll gather our bags and head over to the facility. Just a short while longer and we’ll see Alyson.”

  “Just a little longer and I’ll see her face. Her beautiful angelic face.”

  The seats rumbled as the plane screeched to a halt.

  “This is it. Grab the bags and we’ll head over.”

  “They’re already in my hands.”

  Chapter Thirty

  “Excuse me, sir. I’m Charles Pierce. I’m looking for my daughter, Alyson Pierce. She’s supposed to be interning in this facility.”

  “Just a moment. I’ll be right with you.”

  “I can’t believe we’re here. In Geneva. The farthest I’ve ever been before is Disneyland. And this is nothing like Disneyland,” Jake said, looking around, trying not to be too obvious.

  “It is very beautiful here. Almost serene. This is the perfect place for her to be. The perfect place to relax and unwind. Especially after all she went through. She can breathe in deep and take in all the beauty. That is when she’s not trying to make some new discovery.”

  “This is the perfect temporary retreat for her. Emphasis on temporary. I couldn’t stand it if she didn’t come back with us.”

  “Yes, Mr. Pierce. Your daughter is here. She is on the second floor. Would you like to go up or shall I page her?”

  “I think it might be better if she met us down here. I wouldn’t want to startle her and have her drop something important.”

  “Very well. I’ll page her. You may have a seat over there.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Yes, thank you,” Jake added, following Charles to the waiting area.

  “Alyson Pierce, please come to the information desk. There is a visitor here for you.”

  Alyson cringed when she heard her name over the loud speaker. She squeezed the pen in her fist, her heart pounding like a jackhammer. Almost suffocating, her throat tightened as she sucked in her breath, gasping for air. The knots in her stomach punching her from the inside out.

  “How did he find me? I’m in another country! We got rid of the locator chip, didn’t we? What if he put more than one inside of us? He’s demented enough to do that. What am I gonna do? I have to get out of here. I have to tell Cassie. We can’t stay here anymore. I don’t know where we’re going to go, but we have to get away from here.”

  Alyson grabbed her keys, threw them in her bag, and tiptoed through the hallway. She pushed the emergency stairwell door open and bounded down, two steps at a time until she reached the exit. She ran, huffing and puffing, never looking back until she reached her apartment.

  “Cassie! Cassie! We have to get out of here. He found us! I don’t know how, but he found out where we are. Come on! We can’t stay here!”

  “Slow down. What do you mean he found us? That’s impossible. We got rid of the chips and he couldn’t have followed us.”

  “I don’t know how, but there’s no other explanation. Grab your stuff. We have to go now before he finds us again. He could show up here at any time.”

  “We can’t keep running forever, Alyson. We have to fight back.”

  “How? How are we going to fight back? I can’t! Let’s just go!”

  “What makes you think he found us anyway? Did you see him?”

  “No, but I didn’t have to. I was at work and there was a page over the loudspeaker. You’re the only person that knows I’m here. Who else would be looking for me if it wasn’t him?”

  “If he did follow us here, we need to protect ourselves. It’s time we stopped running and hiding.”

  “Do you have any ideas how?”

  “Did you see if he followed you?”

  “I don’t know. I was too scared to look back. I ran out the side exit and just kept running until I got here. I never turned around to see if he was behind me.”

  “If he did follow you, he’ll show up here soon. He’s not going to wait. We just have to sit tight. Grab that bat over there. If he tries to come here, we’ll knock him out. It’s two against one.”

  “What if he has a gun?”

  “Then we knock him unconscious before he can use it.”

  “I wish I could be brave like you, Cassie.”

  “You are. You just don’t know it. You survived everything that he put us through. That makes you brave.”

  “Only because you were with me.”

  “We’ll wait here for a while. If he doesn’t show up, then it probably wasn’t him.”

  “I’ll wait on this side. You stand over there.”

  Alyson clutched the bat with both hands, her fingers turning red, white knuckles jutting out. She stood, stiff as a soldier, holding her breath, waiting to pounce. The longer she waited, the more her hands started to cramp, but she refused to loosen her grip. Cassie stood on the opposite side of the doorway, facing Alyson, a Louisville slugger perched in her hands. As her arms fatigued under the weight, she occasionally let it drop to the floor, then picked it up and resumed her position.

  “I don’t think he’s coming,” Cassie said, trying to catch her breath.

  “Just wait here a little longer. I’m sure he’s going to try something.”

  “We’ve been standing here almost two hours. He’s not coming. It probably wasn’t even him. It could have been one of your instructors looking for you.”

  “Oh my... I can’t believe I put us through this for nothing. You’re right. It was probably someone from the institute looking for me and I ran out of there like some kind of crazy person.”

  Alyson eased up her grip on the bat and let it slide down to the floor. She was just about to put it away when there was a knock at the door.

  “I’m not crazy! He did follow me
!” Alyson whispered.

  Alyson and Cassie grabbed the bats, squeezed them tight, and raised them over their heads.

  “Unlock the door,” Cassie whispered.

  “I’m ready,” Alyson said, flipping the lock as she chalked up on the bat, waiting to swing when he opened the door.

  The door creaked open. When a male figure stepped through the doorway, Alyson swung her bat, dropping him to the ground. She kept swinging blindly until she heard a familiar voice call her name.

  “Alyson! Drop the bat! It’s Jake!”

  She swung one more time before the words registered, then opened her hands, letting the bat fall to the floor.

  “Dad? Jake? Oh my... What have I done? Jake! Jake! Are you okay? Speak to me!”

  Jake groaned as he lay on the floor, barely able to move.

  “Please, Jake! Speak to me! I’m so sorry! I didn’t know! I didn’t know it was you!”

  “Alyson?” Jake said, his voice weak.

  “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to...”

  “It’s...okay. Help me up.”

  “What are you doing here? What are both of you doing here? What about your father? What if he followed you? He could have followed you here! You shouldn’t have come!”

  “Alyson, slow down. Calm down,” Charles said, helping Jake to his feet and onto a chair.

  “We came to tell you it’s safe. You don’t have to hide anymore. You don’t have to run away. You can come back home,” Jake said.

  “Are you crazy? Are you insane? Your father will...”

  “My father can’t do anything anymore. He’s dead.”

  “What?” Cassie asked, trying not to sound too happy.

  “Your father is...dead? Are you sure? Maybe it’s just a trick. He gets you to believe that he’s dead and we come out of hiding and then bam!”

  “It’s not a trick, Alyson. He’s not pretending. I was with him when it happened. He’s really gone. He’ll never hurt you or anyone else ever again.”

  “So, it’s true? We’re really free?”

  “Yes, that’s why we’re here. To bring you home again. You do want to come home, don’t you?” Jake asked, his eyes fixated on Alyson’s.

  “Home. I never thought... I do, but...”