The woman paused, looking behind her before scanning in all directions. She crossed the street, looked around once again, then went up the driveway of a blue house and opened the front door. A moment later she was gone.
“Gotcha,” Jeff muttered.
Matt smiled. Derrick was near. They would be able to save him and get their food back.
“We’ll wait until it’s completely dark,” Jeff said. “About twenty minutes.
Once it was sufficiently dark, they made their move, being stealthy as they eased along the opposite side of the street from the blue house. They went one house beyond the blue house before crossing the street and doubling back toward it.
Jeff signaled that he would go around back, then he motioned for Chris and Matt to enter through the front door.
Adrenaline surged through Matt. They had zero idea who was inside the house with the woman. Whoever had taken Derrick was skilled enough to sneak up on Derrick and Chris, so they would need to be ready for anything.
Inhaling sharply before slowly releasing his breath, Matt pressed his back to the side of the front door before nodding at Chris.
Chris quietly twisted the doorknob. Not surprisingly, it was locked. Chris frowned in Matt’s direction. Matt lifted his shoulders in a shrug. There was no quiet way to do this.
Chris took a step back, then aimed his gun at the locking mechanism. A blast shattered the silent night as the door swung inward and a woman screamed.
“Hands in the air!” Chris barked. “Now!”
Candles lit the interior, allowing Matt to see the woman huddling in the corner of a couch. No one was with her.
“Who else is here?” Matt shouted as Chris dashed to the sliding glass door to let Jeff inside.
Eyes wide with terror, the woman shook her head. “It’s just me.”
Matt didn’t believe her. He kept his gun pointed at her as Jeff and Chris disappeared down the hall. A couple of minutes later, the pair walked back into the front room where Matt and the woman were. With hope filling his chest, Matt looked from Jeff to Chris. They both shook their heads.
“He’s not here,” Jeff said.
Maybe they had it all wrong. Maybe this woman had nothing to do with Derrick’s disappearance.
“We found this in an empty room,” Chris said, holding up a piece of duct tape that was nearly a foot long.
Narrowing his eyes, Matt turned back to the woman. “Where is he?”
Her eyes were wide. “Who?”
Impatience sliced through him. He took three long strides to reach her, his gun leading the way. She shrank back. Guilt washed over him. Until she spoke.
“They…they took him…somewhere.”
So. She was part of the kidnapping scheme.
“Where?” Jeff demanded in his booming voice.
The woman shifted her gaze to him. “I…I’m not sure.” Then her eyes widened. “You’re…you’re one of them!”
Jeff recoiled. “One of who?”
The woman pointed to a sheet of paper on a long, low table that sat below a useless television. Matt was standing closest to it, so he crossed the short distance and snatched the paper from the table. He sighed and shook his head before holding the paper up for Jeff and Chris to see. “It’s the Wanted flyer.” He held it where the woman could see it, pointing to the picture of Derrick. “Is this who they took?”
The woman bit her lip, then nodded.
“Where did they take him?”
Her mouth opened, then she slowly shook her head. “I…I don’t know.”
Without warning, Jeff strode over to the woman and pointed his gun right at her. “Don’t make me kill you too.”
She gasped, her eyes even wider. She’d seen the Wanted poster so she had to know that Jeff had killed already. She had to be terrified. Matt felt kind of bad for her, but he shoved down those feelings. They needed to find Derrick before something happened to him.
The woman trembled as she stared up at Jeff. “They were going to…to turn him in. For the…the reward.”
“Where?” Jeff asked. “Exactly.”
Matt could see her swallowing hard. When she hesitated, Jeff took a menacing step toward her. She threw her hands up. “Wait.” He stopped, keeping his gun pointed at her. The woman visibly swallowed. “They were going to go to Sacramento. To the governor’s residence. To make a deal. A big deal. For lots of food and supplies.”
“When did they leave?” Matt asked.
“Three hours ago.”
“What’s the address?”
With a trembling finger, she pointed to a notepad on the corner of the table. Matt snatched it up, and when he saw an address written out, he tore the sheet of paper from the pad and tucked it into his pocket. He looked at Jeff and Chris. “We’ve got to go. Now.”
Jeff holstered his gun, then looked at Matt. “Watch her.” He turned to Chris. “Come with me.”
The two of them left the room. A few moments later they returned with the boxes of food in their arms.
“Let’s go,” Jeff said.
Matt turned to follow them.
“Wait!” the woman said.
All three men turned to her.
“Please don’t take it all. We…we don’t have any food.”
Jeff made a scoffing sound. “Unless your friends make a deal with the governor.”
At the thought of Derrick being turned over to the state, Matt felt his blood turning to ice in his veins. There was no way the governor would let Derrick live. And it was all the fault of this woman and her group.
“But I’m hungry now.” The woman’s voice was nearly a whine.
Fury shot through Matt. He glared at the woman. “You not only helped kidnap our friend, you were going to be a party to his murder if we didn’t do what you said. And now you’ve pretty much guaranteed him a death sentence.” He fumed. “You should be grateful we’re letting you live.” At that, he turned and strode toward the front door. Jeff and Chris followed him out.
Chapter 30
Derrick
The hard surface in the trunk of the car he was riding in made Derrick squirm in discomfort. That and the small space that forced him to draw his knees nearly up to his chest. Every bump and pothole these idiots drove over made him bounce, causing him to wince. How far were they going? It seemed as if they’d been traveling for well over an hour. Too bad his arms were behind his back or he might have been able to disengage the emergency release on the trunk.
Then he thought about his friends. He was confident that they were searching for him, but how would they find him? He thought about the conversation he’d overheard between Deep Voice and his buddy. They’d said something about following orders, like they’d told Chris to do something in exchange for Derrick’s life. What was it? Had Chris done it? Where were they taking him now?
Earlier, after he’d refused to beg like Deep Voice had clearly wanted him to do, Derrick had been relieved when the two men had left him alone. At least for a while. When they’d come back in the room, they’d roughly carried him out of the house—still bound ankle and wrist as well as blindfolded—and tossed him in the trunk of the car he was now riding in.
Maybe they were taking him to a rendezvous point. One where he would be set free if Chris had followed whatever orders they’d given him. All Derrick knew was that the moment he had his chance, he would kill these guys. It all hinged on getting that chance though, and so far he hadn’t had much of a chance. Not with the way they’d kept him trussed up.
The car began to slow. What was going to happen now? Holding completely still, he listened intently. With the car’s engine off, he could hear the men talking in low voices through the seat that separated the trunk from the interior of the car.
“You stay with him while I check things out.” That was Deep Voice talking.
Was he going to see if Chris had done what they’d told him to do? Perhaps Derrick’s freedom was moments away. Hope surged through him.
The sound of a c
ar door opening and closing. Then footsteps walking away.
Distinctly uncomfortable, Derrick longed to get out of the trunk.
“Hey!” Derrick called out. “I gotta take a piss!”
The sound of another door opening, footsteps approaching, then the trunk lock disengaging.
Fresh air poured in. Inhaling greedily, Derrick forced himself to note whatever he could. The air was cool, like it was at night. Okay. It was past dusk.
“Shut up back here,” the second-in-command said.
Why? Were there people around who could hear him? “Let me out of here. I gotta pee.”
“Too bad,” the jerk said. “You’re not coming out of there. Not now, anyway.”
With Deep Voice gone who-knew-where, Derrick decided it was time to do a little talking. “Where are we?”
The man sighed. “Don’t worry about it.”
Right. “Look. If you and your friend need food, I can get some for you. Just let me go.”
The man laughed. “So, you’re saying if we let you go you’ll get food and bring it to us willingly? How stupid do you think we are?”
Derrick didn’t answer that. No reason to antagonize the man. “Of course I will. I’m a man of my word.” At least with honorable people, which these guys definitely were not.
“No. Now shut up.”
The trunk slammed closed.
Frustrated beyond measure, Derrick kicked the inside of the trunk in the hopes of getting someone’s attention. Unfortunately, it only annoyed his captor, who flung the trunk open and smashed him in the head with his gun.
Derrick blacked out.
When he came to, he heard talking. Deep Voice had returned. When Derrick heard him say, “It’s all arranged,” his heart began to pound. Somehow he didn’t think his freedom was imminent.
The car started up and they lurched forward. A few minutes later it came to a halt. Several voices could be heard now. The car doors opened and closed. The trunk popped open.
Adrenaline dumped into Derrick’s veins.
“Here he is,” Deep Voice said. “Delivered as promised.”
Through his blindfold, Derrick could tell someone was shining a bright light at his face.
“Yep,” a new voice said. “Looks like him.” A pause. “Get him out of there, then you can collect your reward.”
Oh crap. Deep Voice and his buddy had turned him in to the government.
Chapter 31
Matt
Matt, Jeff, and Chris went back to the farm and told everyone what had happened.
“We’re going after Derrick,” Matt announced as his eyes swept over the assembled group.
“I’m going with you,” Jessica announced.
His gaze shot to her. He didn’t want her anywhere near danger, but at the look in her eyes, he knew she wouldn’t be moved.
“Derrick came for me when those men grabbed me,” she added to show that she had a very good reason to go. “I want to do the same for him.”
Matt understood. Besides, she was proving to him every day that she could handle herself. “Okay.”
A broad smile lit her face.
Twenty minutes later, Matt, Jessica, Jeff, and Chris were ready to go. They’d packed more firepower and ammo, and as they were loading Chris’s SUV, Brooke ran up with Cleo on her heels.
“Do you want to take Cleo?” she asked.
Matt looked at the others, but before he could answer, Jessica answered with an enthusiastic “Yes!”
Would Cleo be a help or a hindrance on this mission?
“If Cleo had been with us when those men showed up,” Jessica said as if she’d read the question on his mind, “I don’t think they would have taken me. I mean, I would have kept her with me. She would have protected me, or at least warned me that the men were there.”
Matt couldn’t argue with her logic. He glanced at Jeff and Chris, who were slowly nodding. Smiling, he said, “Guess Cleo is coming.”
“Thank you, Brooke,” Jessica said.
Brooke beamed. “She’ll be glad to go on an adventure.”
Matt just hoped it would be an adventure that would have a happy ending.
Paisley came out of the house, her expression tight. She didn’t say anything, but her body language said it all. She was desperately worried about Derrick.
They loaded into Chris’s SUV, including Brooke’s German shepherd. Chris got behind the wheel and they headed out. Determined to find Derrick and get him back before anything happened to him, they jumped on I-5 and headed north to Sacramento, which was an hour north. They didn’t think they’d overtake Derrick’s captors, so instead they pinned their hopes on reaching the Governor’s residence before Derrick was turned over to the man who was behind the gun confiscation scheme.
As they drew closer to the Governor’s residence, Matt felt himself amping up. They had no idea what they’d be facing, and with Jessica in just as much danger as the rest of them, it only made things worse. She sat in the back seat with Matt. Jeff sat in the passenger seat and Cleo was in the cargo area behind Matt and Jessica. Matt turned his head to look at Jessica, but she was staring out her window, oblivious to Matt’s concerns. Or maybe not oblivious, because she suddenly turned his way. A smile tugged up the corners of her lips, but it didn’t last.
“You doing okay?” he asked quietly as he placed his hand over hers.
She nodded. “Yeah. Just anxious to get Derrick back.”
“We’re getting close,” Jeff said. “Cut the lights.”
Chris complied, and a short time later he said, “There it is.”
Matt’s gaze shot to a large house in the distance. The only lights in the area came from that house. Obviously they had a generator or some other form of electricity. At least it made the house easier to see.
“Are you sure this is where they took him?” Jessica asked.
“That’s what the woman said,” Matt said.
“Do you think she was telling the truth?”
He thought back to how scared she’d been. “Yeah, I believe her.”
Jessica nodded. “Okay. Good.”
“Don’t get too close,” Jeff said to Chris, who pulled to the curb quite a distance away.
All four of them pulled out binoculars. Matt first glassed the area around them, but without street lamps, it was hard to see much of anything. He turned his binocs to the Governor’s house, leaning forward between the driver and passenger seats. A pair of armed men were patrolling the area in front of the place.
“I see two,” Matt murmured.
“Agreed,” Chris said.
“Derrick’s probably inside,” Jeff said.
“Most likely,” Matt said. The men who took him had had a big head start, after all.
“I’d like to get a closer look,” Jeff said. Then he added, “What we need is a distraction.”
Seconds later Jessica said, “Leave that to me.”
Matt yanked the binocs from his eyes and turned to her. “What?”
She was grinning. She glanced at Cleo in the back of the SUV before facing Matt. “I have an idea.”
Then she explained what she had in mind. As she spoke, Matt felt his initial panic receding. It didn’t sound dangerous after all. He nodded. “Okay.”
Chapter 32
Derrick
The blindfold was removed from Derrick’s eyes. Squeezing his eyes closed against the bright light—they had electricity, just like he’d suspected—Derrick focused on the sounds around him. Feet shuffled. The legs of a chair scraped against a wood floor. Then he was shoved backward, landing in the seat of a chair. Earlier, the duct tape around his wrists had been removed and handcuffs had been placed there instead, although they’d let him keep his hands in front of him. The tape around his ankles had been exchanged for leg shackles.
Blinking several times as his eyes adjusted to the light, Derrick let his gaze sweep the space he was in. In front of him was a large desk. Behind it stood floor to ceiling wood shelves filled with
books. He was in some sort of office. No one sat across from him, but he could feel people behind him. Turning his head to the right and then to the left, Derrick used his peripheral vision to see at least two armed men arrayed behind him.
Where was he exactly? The Governor’s mansion? An office building? No, the room was too warm and inviting for that. Maybe it was a home office. Didn’t really matter, though, did it? He was being held against his will by the people he’d been trying to avoid the most.
Footsteps approached and a man came into view. Shorter than average with a full head of dark brown hair, the man wore a suit and tie as if the world was as normal as ever. Was this Governor Moffit? He didn’t look nearly as imposing as Derrick had thought he would.
Ignoring Derrick, the man pulled out the chair behind the desk and settled into it. He took a sip of something from a mug, glanced at a sheet of paper on his desk, and only then did he lift his eyes to Derrick’s face. “So,” the man said, his voice oozing confidence, “you’re the man everyone’s been talking about.”
What have they been saying? Derrick wanted to ask, but he kept his lips pressed together.
The man stared at him, clearly expecting Derrick to say something. Derrick remained stubbornly silent. What could he say? That he had to kill those men because they were going to kill him and Jeff? That he’d killed the security officers because they’d shot an innocent civilian in the back? He doubted this man would care. Then again, maybe he shouldn’t assume anything. Maybe he should plead his case. But he wasn’t about to admit he’d killed anyone.
“Maybe we should introduce ourselves,” the man said. A wide politician’s smile curved his lips. “I’m Governor Moffit. And you are?”
So, he was right. He ignored Moffit’s question. “Why am I here?” he asked instead, his eyebrows squishing together in pretended confusion.
Moffit’s eyebrows shot up. “Really? You’re going to play the innocent act?”
Pandemic (Book 4): Insurrection Page 11