by Dwayne Gill
“Whatever happens, it’ll be fast,” said Cane. “We can’t risk them finding out our plans or his identity, and we still don’t know where William’s family is.”
Kristy didn’t look comforted, but then again, they all knew how important this mission was.
“What happened with the doctor?” asked Daniel, trying to change the subject.
“He’s what we feared,” said Cane. “Not a marked man, but a coerced one. They’ve threatened his family.”
“He’s been injecting patients?” asked Natalie.
“Yes,” said Cane.
“What did you do to him?” asked Taryn.
“Nothing,” said Cane. “I have a plan, though. I have to call Hart.”
Daniel looked around the room at the stressed looks on everyone’s faces. In the past few weeks, they’d all become closer, like a family, and the uncertainty of what lay ahead was bearing down on them. Daniel hated the thought of leaving them behind in such a distressed state, and he had an idea. “Before you call,” he said to Cane, “tell them to come here tonight.”
Cane gave him a curious look. “Hart and Barkley? Why?”
“We’re having a going-away party, and we want them here,” said Daniel.
“We have a lot to do,” said Cane.
Daniel walked toward him, glaring. “You said yourself, everything’s being handled. We’ll have the whole flight to Turkeystan to make plans.”
“Turkmenistan,” said Calvin. “Great effort, though, big guy.”
“Whatever,” said Daniel. “The most pressing thing we have tonight is to enjoy each other’s company. We don’t know what happens when we leave here. We’re all family, and we’re gonna act like it tonight.”
“I can fire up the grill,” said Calvin.
“We’ll make side dishes,” said Natalie.
The atmosphere picked up with Daniel’s suggestion, and he couldn’t have been happier.
“And,” said Daniel, as he glided smoothly toward Cane, “I’ll put on some slow music.” He pushed against Cane and thrust his hips into him. “Me and you, big boy. We’ll dance the night away.”
Cane showed no reaction for a moment, but he finally broke, a smile creasing his face. “You keep those hips away. But, otherwise, let’s do it.” Smiles spread like a wave across the room, on every face.
“Can we handle Jesse first?” asked Lynks. The somber reality of the dead man upstairs returned to the forefront of their minds.
“I’ll take care of him,” said Cane.
“How?” asked Taryn.
“I’ll make an anonymous call after I dump him,” said Cane. “At least his family will know what happened to him.”
“Someplace nice,” said Natalie. “Please not in a dirty alley or something.”
“I know a good place,” said Cane.
“Lake Osbourne,” suggested Kristy. “It’s nearby.”
Though Daniel didn’t get the significance, he saw Cane wink at her. “Perfect,” he said.
*
September 30, 2028
5:00 p.m. EST
Miami, Florida
Cynthia Pool was straightening up her house, getting things ready for dinner. Her husband, Landon, would be home from work in an hour. Shauna was upstairs, in her room, watching television. Cynthia had walked to the bottom of the stairs three times in the past thirty minutes just to listen for Shauna’s movement.
Her baby had turned ten a week ago, and Cynthia realized the need to stop worrying all the time. It had been over two years since Shauna was abducted, but it was as fresh in her memory as if it happened yesterday.
Cynthia would never forget those agonizing days, hoping, doubting, and praying someone would find her daughter. It was the most difficult time of her life. The lead detective, Swelling, hadn’t made much progress in the first forty-eight hours. Though the detective remained positive, Cynthia could see the pain and doubt behind the woman’s eyes. There were no real suspects other than the usual suspicions of family members, no witnesses, and no smoking gun.
However, six days after Shauna disappeared from their front yard came the news that would shake their family forever: Cynthia’s brother, Henry, turned himself in and alerted police to Shauna’s whereabouts. There was mystery and confusion surrounding the circumstances of his confession, for it looked like someone had beaten it out of him, but it didn’t matter to Cynthia. She’d never traveled so fast as the day she was en route to retrieve her beloved daughter. Henry, being a house flipper, had stashed Shauna at a home he’d been remodeling before selling it.
It was a miracle, and even though Shauna would be emotionally scarred for the rest of her life, at least she would be home. Cynthia had to deal with her own version of trauma afterward, and ever since, she’d been obsessed about her daughter’s safety.
Landon, the more level-headed of the two parents, had been trying for months to get Cynthia out of her shell of anxiety, reasoning she couldn’t shelter Shauna for the rest of her life. The mother’s paranoia had likely reached too far, for she’d pulled her daughter out of public school, forbade her being outside without supervision, and rarely left the house with Shauna at all. This excessive behavior wasn’t lost on Cynthia, and she’d promised Landon to try harder, but she needed time. Her priority would be to keep Shauna safe, no matter what it took.
Cynthia glanced at the alarm system and saw the comforting red light, laughing at herself for her overprotectiveness. She resumed her busy work, singing to the soft music playing in the background.
The sound of a vehicle pulling into the driveway alarmed her, but her initial thought was that Landon had returned home from work early. Cynthia tried to remain calm as she walked to the window to look but felt her heart throbbing in her chest. When she pulled the curtain back, she saw two men walk by, their shoulders close enough to the window to startle her. She gasped and jumped back, releasing the curtain, nearly tripping in the process.
What do I do? she thought. The rational side of her suggested she wait and see who the men were; they could be salesmen, neighbors, or just members of her church. The reasonable side of her, however, hadn’t governed her thoughts and actions for two years, so she did exactly what her gut instinct demanded. She scrambled across the room to her phone, picked it up, and dialed 911. As the operator answered, Cynthia heard the two men knocking at her front door.
“There are two men trying to break into my house,” she said to the operator. The sound of her own voice frightened her, for the words came out more as a scream. The operator asked her questions, but Cynthia’s eyes were glued to the door, which was now vibrating. “Please! Help us!” she yelled.
A loud noise came from the door, and Cynthia could hear the hinges and latch protest against an unforeseen impact. Three more bangs, each successfully harder, and the door gave way, flying inward and crashing into the wall behind. The alarm’s piercing shriek reverberated through the house, and Cynthia could hear the operator raising her voice to overcome the sound. “Ma’am? What’s happening?”
Cynthia dropped the phone, realizing it wouldn’t help her. The operator would have her address, and both 911 and the alarm service would dispatch the police. Her phone rang again, likely the security company, but she dared not take her eyes away from what was happening.
The two men had easily gained entry and strode toward her. Cynthia wasn’t concerned for her own life, only Shauna’s, so she aimed to get the men out of the house somehow. She juked left and pivoted, trying to get past them to the open door. Her options were limited, for everything had happened so fast.
The first man turned, caught her in midstride as she tried to pass, and threw her to the floor. She fell on her back and looked up at the intruder. “What do you want?” she screamed. The man looked down at her blankly.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Shauna at the foot of the stairs, wide-eyed, and frozen in fear. “Run!” shouted Cynthia, but Shauna only stood there, terrified.
“Grab her,” sai
d the man who stood over Cynthia.
“No!” Cynthia scrambled to her knees and tried with all her might to reach her daughter, though in the back of her mind she already knew they were doomed. The first man’s hands grabbed her, and she clawed and ripped at him, trying to force her way past. She thought she’d broken free for a moment, but that hope faded when she felt something hit the back of her head, and she fell forward, landing hard on the floor.
Cynthia saw the second man scoop Shauna up roughly and turn to leave. She tried to scream again, but nothing came out. In vain, she reached her hand toward the emptiness, where she grasped the fleeting memory of where Shauna had just stood. Cynthia feared it would be the last memory she would ever have of her daughter.
Footloose
September 30, 2028
7:00 p.m. CST
Chicago, Illinois
The mansion was buzzing with activity. Calvin had steaks, chicken, hamburgers, sausage, and hot dogs on the grill, while the women had been making a host of treats inside.
Cane had completed the dreaded task of disposing Jesse and returned, assuring the others he’d made the call to the local police.
Hart and Barkley were able to catch a five o’clock plane out of Richmond, Virginia, which was only a two-and-a-half-hour flight, but O’Hare was a forty-five-minute drive from the mansion. Because of the time zone change, though, they’d be arriving soon.
Hart had been reluctant to come until Cane told him about the lead with the doctor. That, along with Barkley in the background, insisting they’d be there, had pushed him over the edge.
The huge dining room table would get a rare use, for it was too chilly to use their typical dining spot on the back patio. The change of venue seemed appropriate for the occasion, for tonight’s gathering was more significant than most others.
Daniel was amazed at how well everyone had come together tonight; everyone had done their part to contribute. He and Cane had helped the women move the giant platters of food to the table, while Lynks had assisted Calvin on the grill. Taryn had been shadowing her older companions around the kitchen, eager to help, though she’d never tried her hand at cooking. She kept cups of coffee coming at a rapid pace for those who cared for one, preparing them the way her late father had shown her so long ago.
There was more food than they could consume, but part of the fun had been the preparation. The group cherished these opportunities to spend time together.
As Daniel set the last tray of dinner rolls on the table, the doorbell rang. After Calvin verified through his cell camera that it was Hart and Barkley, Kristy hurried to the door to greet them.
“Hey, you two!” said Kristy, hugging them. The two agents looked happy to be there. Barkley lifted Kristy into the air with her embrace, and they laughed like they hadn’t seen each other in years. The two had a history beyond the fateful experience a few weeks ago; Barkley had first met Kristy in 2023, after Cane had saved her from the Blue Rose Killer.
“I’m so glad y’all came!” said Kristy.
“Wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” said Barkley, her thick southern accent shining through.
After exchanging pleasantries, everyone sat down to eat. It was quieter than normal, partly because of the sheer volume of food. The other reason was unmistakably the anxiety surrounding Cane and Daniel’s pending departure, but no one wanted to ruin the evening.
“Everything tastes so great,” said Hart. “Thank you for inviting us.”
“Everyone played a part,” said Calvin. “Even those three kept us safe while we prepared.” He pointed at the sentinels, Fletcher, Wally, and Zeke, who sat at the end of the table. Fletcher and Wally rolled their eyes, and Zeke playfully lifted his middle finger in response to Calvin’s sarcasm.
“So, tell me about this doctor,” Hart said to Cane.
“Oh, no you don’t,” said Kristy. “No business at the table.”
“Fair enough,” said Hart.
*
Once dinner was over, they left everything on the table, opting to clean up later. Cane pulled Hart to the den and sat with him to relay the day’s events.
“That’s crazy,” said Hart. “Dr. Brewer didn’t have the marking?”
“No,” said Cane. “But he’s been threatened by the marked men.”
“He had actual syringes there?”
“Two,” said Cane. “Which means he’s due for another shipment soon.”
Hart beamed. “You’re giving me this information for me to do something official?”
“I gave the doctor your number,” said Cane. “He’s gonna call you when they’re coming to deliver more syringes.”
“Wow. Thank you,” said Hart. “This will go a long way for me to make my case.”
“One thing,” said Cane.
“Name it.”
“This doctor’s family will be in danger. Please do what you can to protect them.”
“For sure,” said Hart. “I’ll be sure he’s treated fairly, too.”
Cane shook his head. “Not as worried about him.” Hart looked at him. “I’m tired of people having excuses for doing nothing. He’s hurt a lot of people just to protect his own.”
“Are you sure you wouldn’t have done the same in his shoes?”
Cane glared at him. “I’m sure.”
Hart sighed. “Well, I feel for the guy, but I understand why you’re pissed at him.”
Cane pulled the list of turned men from his pocket and handed it to Hart. “Brewer printed out the names of all the men he’s injected. I don’t know if this will help you, but here it is.”
Hart’s eyes widened. “So many names.”
“Be careful dealing with the marked men,” said Cane.
Hart nodded. “I can’t thank you enough for doing this. I talked to the interim director and made a little progress, but I must bring concrete evidence to the table. Something that connects the dots. This might be it.”
“I’ve exhausted my methods,” said Cane. “I could have done this myself and caught the marked men delivering the next shipment of syringes, but what good would it do?”
More dead marked men didn’t seem like the answer, for they’d just keep sending new ones. They needed to make progress, and Hart could be the key.
“What happens when you get William?” asked Hart. “Then what?”
Cane shrugged. “We have to find out what Vinson and the Russians are up to. I’m hoping William has answers.”
“Marcene will probably follow with more instructions,” said Hart.
Cane grimaced. “I’m not sure how much more she knows. If she knew their grand plan, it seems like she would’ve said something by now.”
“She’s been cryptic so far,” said Hart.
Cane couldn’t argue, and it had been a source of frustration for him. It seemed like he’d been kept at arm’s length by her and Bowman his entire life. “We’ll see,” he said. “Bowman knows much more than he’s led us to believe.”
“Like what?”
Cane was shocked he’d revealed it so casually, and now Hart looked intrigued. Cane had come further than he realized in trusting Hart, who weeks ago had been hunting him.
“Bowman is friends with Brandon Webb, the CIA agent Vinson captured,” said Cane. “He also knows more about Marcene than we thought.”
“He told you this?”
“He didn’t deny it,” said Cane. He left out the part about him knowing Cane had been genetically altered, which was possibly the biggest revelation.
“I need to talk to him,” said Hart. “The day I interviewed him, he seemed to know a lot more than he should. It makes sense now.”
Daniel entered the den with Taryn on his shoulders. “We’re playing Pictionary!” said Taryn.
Daniel rolled his eyes. “Come on, you two,” he said. “It’s boys versus girls, so I’ll need you to step your game up. We can’t have them embarrassing us.”
“What the hell is Pictionary?” asked Cane.
“S
omething you likely suck at,” said Daniel. Taryn giggled.
*
They played the game in the rear den of the house because it had more open space. Dividing the teams gave the guys eight players to the ladies’ five. “We’ll still kick your butts,” said Taryn.
“You three are gonna have to actually speak,” said Calvin, pointing to Zeke, Fletcher, and Wally. Zeke responded by lifting his middle finger again and smiled.
“I’m more worried about the drawing abilities of some of us,” said Daniel, nudging Cane, who sat beside him.
“Is someone gonna explain the rules?” asked Cane.
“Each team takes a turn,” said Taryn. “One person draws something while the rest of the team guesses what it is. If your team doesn’t guess in a certain time limit, we get to steal the point if we get it right.”
“Sounds easy,” said Cane.
“Then you’re up first, Picasso,” said Daniel, handing him the pencil.
Once the first round began, Cane realized the game wasn’t as easy as he thought. “Come on, guys!” he said, pointing to his messy illustration on the canvas.
“You can’t talk!” said Kristy, who stood and pointed at him. Though everyone was amused, she seemed to be having the most fun watching Cane struggle. He sighed and threw his hands up in defeat, letting the pencil fall to the floor.
“People riding a magic carpet!” shouted Daniel. Cane shook his head.
“A mechanical bull!” shouted Lynks.
“A cockroach!” said Zeke, causing every head to turn and look. Cane looked at him strangely, then at his drawing, and shrugged.
“I got nothing,” said Hart.
“It hurts to look at it,” said Calvin. “I’m tapping out.” Seconds later, the buzzer sounded, ending the round. “Looks like you can steal the point,” Calvin said to the ladies. They grouped together, laughing amongst themselves, and after breaking their huddle, they looked clueless.
“We’ll pass,” said Jordyn.
“There’s no way we’d get that,” said Barkley.
“I don’t even have a good guess,” said Taryn.