Mind Slide

by Glenn Bullion

  “Let's just try to make sure we don't have to kill anybody. We get in, and get out. I give you the flash drive, then I go to the police.”

  “Whatever, man.”

  Mason turned around and walked through the wall behind Suit. He slowly floated three stories to the ground.

  “I'm leaving the building now. Hook my Bluetooth to my ear and setup a phone call. It's in my pocket.”

  “Ah, man. I don't really want to go rooting around in your shorts.”

  Mason could feel Gabriel searching through his pocket. He felt the Bluetooth being clipped to his ear. Gabriel called Mason's phone and answered it.

  “All done,” Gabriel said. “You ready?”

  Mason stared at the fence where he knew Gabriel was.

  “Okay, let's go.”

  He caught a glimpse of Gabriel scaling the fence. Mason ran ahead to the side door and stuck his head through. The side hall was empty.

  “It's clear.”

  Gabriel opened the side door and crouched down.

  “You'd better not screw this up.”

  It took Mason five minutes of carefully maneuvering Gabriel through the halls. He guided Gabriel into a closet in one hall, and two offices in another. They had to avoid the conference room, where five people had turned to eight. Mason finally led Gabriel to the basement door.

  Mason willed his mind back into his body. He kept still on the ground for ten seconds, counting every single one.

  “When you cut the lights, they'll check the basement first thing. Be careful.”

  “You do your part, I'll do mine.”

  Gabriel hung up.

  Mason turned his phone off. The last thing he needed was a ring or vibration. He kept low and moved across the parking lot to the side door. He cracked the door open and saw the lights were still on. He had to close the door for a moment as a man crossed the hall to get to the bathroom.

  A minute passed. Mason started to worry.

  Then the building went dark.

  He heard the confused voices inside.

  “What the hell?”

  “Someone check the breakers.”

  “I can't see a thing.”

  Mason entered the building. He took steady steps, one foot in front of the other. He fought against running. He couldn't see a thing, but he didn't need to. He remembered every turn, every door. The darkness surrounded him, but the map in his head was bright and clear.

  He took a right at the first intersection, then a left to the elevator and stairs.

  The only thing he couldn't predict were the people.

  As he opened the door to the stairwell, he ran into someone. He backed up a step and kept his emotions in check.

  “Sorry about that,” Mason said.

  “No problem,” the agent said. “What's up with the damn lights?”

  “I don't know. I can't see a thing.”

  “Yeah. I'm heading to the basement now.”

  Mason stepped to the side and listened to the agent fumble his way down the hall. He allowed himself a small smile as he heard more shouts of confusion.

  He walked up the stairs to the second floor. Someone stumbled by the door as he opened it. He took a left down the hall, then a right.

  He stopped in front of the emergency fire-ax on the wall he had seen during his mind slide. He reached out to make sure he wasn't wrong. He smiled when he felt the checkered glass.

  He wrapped his hand around the bottom of his shirt and pounded the glass. It fell in chunks to the floor.

  “What the hell is that?” someone shouted down the hall.

  Mason grabbed the ax and continued on his way.

  He leaned against the wall across from Lisa's room as he waited patiently for two men to find their way to the stairs. They were using their cell phones for light, but Mason was far away, still out of sight.

  He didn't need any light. If he needed to, he could duck into any open office.

  When the hallway went dark once again, he tried the doorknob. Like Gabriel feared, it was locked.

  Mason swung the ax sideways, just above the doorknob. He tried to work quick.

  He chopped a hole above the doorknob, large enough to slip his hand through. He reached in and unlocked the door.

  “What do you want?” Lisa said. Mason heard her try to scoot away in her chair. “Get away from me.”

  “Lisa, it's me.”

  “Mason?”

  He moved across the room and dropped to a knee. Lisa started to cry. Mason made quick work of the rope restraining her to the chair, but there was nothing he could do about the handcuffs.

  “What's going on?” she asked.

  “This is all my fault,” he said. “They're using you to get to me.”

  “Who?”

  “It's a long story.”

  She stood up. He gave her a quick hug, and felt her shaking. He felt her wrists behind her back.

  “Can you sit down and slip your wrists under your feet?”

  “I'll try.”

  He heard her struggling on the floor. “Come on, Lisa. We have to hurry.”

  “Well, shut up and help me!”

  Mason sighed and knelt down. He removed her shoes to make it easier. He helped wiggle the handcuffs under her rear, then her legs, and finally her feet. He quickly put her shoes back on and tied the laces.

  “Where's Brian and Dani? Are they okay?”

  He felt for her shoulder. “Dani's fine. She's with the cops.” He hesitated for a moment. “Brian's in the hospital.”

  “What!”

  “Shh! Quiet down! He's okay, but he's hurt. Let's get the hell out of here so we can see him.”

  “I can't see anything.”

  “It's okay. Just stay behind me.”

  He grabbed her by the hand, still carrying the ax in the other, and stepped into the hall. Mason wanted to move faster, but Lisa wasn't comfortable walking in the dark. She kicked the back of his feet several times.

  “Sorry.”

  The stairwell was just ahead. Mason could almost taste freedom. It was only a walk down the stairs, two more turns, and they could leave through the side door. Climbing the fence would be a challenge, but he could help with that.

  His eyes went wide when he saw the door to the stairwell open, followed by the beam of a flashlight.

  He grabbed Lisa's wrists and pulled her into an office before the beam found them. Mason felt the office door begin to close, and realized Lisa was slowly shutting the door. He found her hands and stopped her, and pulled her behind the open door. The last thing he wanted was an observant agent realizing the door was supposed to be open.

  The light caught the crack between the door and frame. He caught a glimpse of her panicked expression as two agents walked down the hall, waving their flashlights back and forth.

  “Always something,” Mason muttered.

  They listened to the conversation in the hall.

  “He wants us to check on the woman.”

  “You think they forgot to pay the power bill?”

  “I wouldn't doubt it. I saw somebody rolling out a generator. So I guess-”

  “Look at the door. Someone's been in here. Shit.”

  “I'll go tell him. You search the rooms.”

  One agent trotted back to the stairwell. The other searched the closest room behind him.

  Mason gripped the ax tighter. Lisa ran to the office window and pulled back the blind. It was a long way down to the ground.

  “We can't jump down,” she whispered.

  He saw the light in the hallway as the frustrated agent bounced from one office to the next. He approached Lisa and held her arm.

  “This is gonna get messy,” he said.

  She nodded. “Kill the son of a bitch for all I care.”

  “Hide behind the desk.”

  Lisa moved the chair out of the way and crawled under the desk. Mason stood behind the door. If luck was on his side, the agent would stick his head in the office for only a moment, then w
alk away.

  Luck wasn't on his side.

  The agent stepped into the office and immediately walked toward the desk. Mason was directly behind him. The flashlight lit up the entire room.

  Mason kicked the door shut.

  The agent turned around.

  Mason swung the ax low. He buried the head in the man's thigh. He screamed in pain and fell to the ground. The flashlight sailed across the room and landed in the corner.

  Mason jumped on top of him and punched him a few times. Even with an ax sticking out of his leg, the agent fought back. His hand found Mason's throat, and he pushed away as hard as he could.

  Mason found the ax handle. He grabbed it and rocked it back and forth. The agent howled in pain again.

  The light in the room started dancing. Mason looked up to see Lisa holding the flashlight.

  She pounced on the agent, striking him repeatedly in the head with the flashlight. He stopped struggling, and his body went limp. Mason nearly had to tackle Lisa to stop the assault. He forced her to the wall and took the flashlight from her hands.

  She breathed deeply, trying to calm down. “Did I kill him?”

  He flashed the light on the agent. Blood poured from his leg to the carpet. His forehead was busted open. But his chest moved.

  “I don't think so. But you gave it your best shot.”

  “These bastards invaded my home. Brian...Dani...”

  He gripped her by the shoulders. “Come on, Lisa. Hold it together.”

  Mason saw more lights pass by in the hall under the door. He quickly turned the flashlight out.

  “Mason?” Lisa said.

  He led her behind the desk. They both sat on the floor and kept their heads low.

  Mason felt terrible. His plan didn't go as he thought it would.

  They were trapped.

  “What are we gonna do?” she asked.

  He pulled out his phone. He had turned it off before entering the building. He turned it on and watched the screen light up. He covered it with his hand.

  “I'll call Gabriel,” he whispered. “He's probably somewhere in the building. Maybe he can help us. I just hope I don't get him killed with a phone call.”

  “Who's Gabriel?”

  “I'll explain later.”

  Mason narrowed his eyes when he saw he received a text message while his phone was off.

  His jaw dropped as he read it. It was short and simple.

  Need help?

  It was from Brian.

  “Holy shit.”

  “What?” Lisa asked.

  Mason typed as fast as he could.

  Yes. I have Lisa. We're trapped.

  Thirty seconds passed, but it felt like an hour. His phone finally vibrated. He checked the message.

  Stay low.

  “What's going on?” Lisa whispered.

  “I think Brian's mad.”

  They saw more lights, but they weren't from out in the hall. They were red, blue, and flashing.

  Mason crawled to the window.

  There were at least ten police cars along with a SWAT van in front of the building. Mason watched as a row of men in dark uniforms stormed the building with guns and spotlights.

  He heard gunfire on the floor beneath them.

  The agents in the hall didn't bother checking any more offices. They ran to the stairs. Mason could hear them tripping over each other.

  An agent opened the door to the office. He cursed as he jumped over his unconscious ally. Lisa nearly screamed, but Mason put a hand over her mouth. The agent ran to the window and broke it with the butt of a rifle. He steadied the rifle on the sill and took aim. He was so preoccupied with trying to kill policemen he didn't notice Mason and Lisa only a few feet away.

  Before he could fire, Mason lashed out with his foot. He caught the agent in the back of the knee. He buckled and fell awkwardly on the ground. He tried to regain his grip on the rifle, but Mason was already on top of him. He slipped an elbow into the agent's nose, and felt it crunch. The agent rolled over onto his stomach to try to stand up.

  Lisa knelt next to Mason and looped her handcuffed wrists over the agent's head. The chain found his neck, and Lisa pulled for all she was worth. Mason kept his weight on the agent's back while Lisa choked him into unconsciousness.

  They were both breathing hard as they climbed to their feet. Another man entered the room, shining a light on both of them. They covered their eyes with their hands.

  “Get down on the ground!” he shouted.

  “We're not with them,” Mason said. “Is Brian Lowdry outside?”

  They heard a voice outside in the hallway.

  “Mason? Lisa?”

  Brian forced his way into the office. He had his gun in his right hand. His left arm was in a sling. His entire left side was wrapped and taped up. He looked pale and sickly. He wore dress pants, but also a hospital gown.

  “Brian!”

  Lisa ran forward and threw her arms over Brian's head, handcuffs and all. He winced in pain and nearly fell against the wall. The policeman helped hold him up.

  “It's okay, baby, I'm here.” He looked at the officer next to him. “This floor is secure. Check the third.”

  The officer handed him a flashlight and left the office. More cops ran down the hall.

  Brian held his wife, then noticed the unconscious man on the floor.

  “Shit, what did you guys do to him?”

  Mason waited for Lisa to answer. She was crying so hard she couldn't speak. He took a step forward and put a hand on Brian's good shoulder.

  “We hit him with an ax. It's on the floor over there. That guy in the corner, we choked him out.”

  “Damn. Maybe you didn't need me after all.”

  “No, we definitely needed you. How did you get here?”

  “I left the hospital. There was no way they were keeping me there after I woke up. I called your phone, but I think it was off. So, I called Kelly. She filled me in. Speaking of Kelly, we'd better go see her, and let my boys here finish their job.”

  “Kell? She's here?”

  Brian led them out of the building. There were police everywhere, with their knees in agents' backs, putting them in handcuffs. The police were arresting government agents. Mason imagined that would be a fun police report.

  There was chaos all around them. More police cars were pulling up. Paramedics were jumping out of ambulances. All of that faded away when Mason saw Kelly in the back of a police car. She looked up, and their eyes met.

  She jumped out of the car and ran to Mason. She nearly knocked him over when she jumped in his arms. He held her around the waist. She kissed him as he lowered her to the ground.

  “I had the cops wait around the corner,” she said. “Just in case you needed us. Next time, put your phone on vibrate.”

  He smiled. “Yeah. Next time.”

  Chapter 30

  Mason, Kelly, and Lisa leaned against a squad car as the smoke slowly settled around them. Brian was still in charge. He gave orders and made sure things went smoothly. He was weak, and looked like he'd pass out at any second. A few other officers tried to take him away several times, but Brian refused. Men were arrested and loaded into the back of police vans. Paramedics checked for random injuries.

  Mason saw no sign of Suit or Gabriel.

  Brian hugged Lisa tight while looking at Mason and Kelly.

  “You sure you didn't see either one?” Brian asked.

  “No. We may never see Suit again, for all I know. But I owe Gabriel the flash drive. I'm sure I'll see him again.”

  “Mason, that flash drive could be evidence against Suit in a court, if it ever gets that far. You sure you want to just give it away?”

  “Yeah. I made a deal.”

  Brian leaned forward so no other police could hear. “We'll play this however you want to play it. But sleep on it. I'm not sure giving something that big to a convicted killer is a good idea.”

  Mason nodded. “Speaking of sleep, I think that soun
ds like a good idea.”

  “Yeah. I'm gonna pick up Dani, then go have a nice good night's sleep at the hospital with my family. You need a lift to your Jeep?”

  “Nah. You get going.”

  Lisa hugged Mason tightly. “Thank you.”

  “Of course,” he said, smiling. “I'll see you both tomorrow.”

  Mason grabbed Kelly's hand as they left the parking lot. They walked in silence before Kelly squeezed his hand and put her head on his shoulder.

  “See? I knew you couldn't do it without me.”

  He looked back over the craziest day of his life. Kelly was next to him every step of the way, keeping him safe and sane.

  He leaned over and kissed her cheek as they left the industrial park. They were in a neighborhood. Only the streetlights kept them company. Every house was dark.

  She stopped and faced him.

  “If you're gonna kiss me, do it right.”

  She gave him a long, lingering kiss, in the middle of the sidewalk.

  “If I wasn't so tired,” she said. “I'd pick up where we left off earlier.”

  He laughed. “Yeah. I'll probably sleep for a day or two.”

  “Want some company?”

  He wrapped his arm around her. Her purse swung from her free shoulder.

  “Definitely.”

  “Where the hell did you park?”

  “Just a little further. I parked next to the woods and hiked through to get to Lisa. It wasn't like I could walk up to the front door.”

  “I should have had you come pick me up.”

  “I can carry you, if you want.”

  They could see his Jeep ahead, parked in between two cars along the street. The woods where Mason started his rescue were a few feet away.

  Mason was opening the passenger's door for Kelly when he heard a voice.

  “Mason.”

  He looked to the woods. Kelly clutched his arm. He didn't expect to hear from Gabriel so soon. He thought he'd run into him at his apartment.

  “It's okay,” he told Kelly, then looked to the woods. “We're here.”

  Gabriel emerged from the darkness. He smiled at Kelly and gave her a salute.

  “Everything work out?” he asked.

  Mason nodded. “We can't find Suit. But my family is safe. How the hell did you get out of there?”

  Gabriel ignored the question. “Where's the flash drive?”