Punished

by Sandy Kline

  “You can open your eyes now Christine.” Doctor Frazer says to me.

  What the hell? Where is Jake? I start to roll over and find I can’t move an inch. Then it all comes rushing back to me like a freight train. I was dreaming a second ago. I’m still tied up…somewhere and the good Doctor Frazer is at the bottom of it.

  “Christine,” Doctor Frazer calls out to me. “Open your damn eyes already.”

  Why can’t they let me just go back to my dream until this is all over?

  “Christine if you’re still clinging to the notion that keeping them shut, therefore ensuring that you haven’t seen my face will keep you alive, forget it. This is just not going to be a good night for you I’m afraid.”

  “What’d you do to my son?” I groan.

  “You know good and well that we don’t have him. I don’t know how he managed to escape my incompetent guys but he most certainly did and that’s why we’re presently running short on time. So I’ll be brief. I just have a couple questions for you and I’d like some honest answers please.”

  I do my best to spit in her direction but given that I have zero saliva in my mouth I basically spit out a dust bunny.

  “Very lady like, and not too surprising.” Dr. Frazer says. “Tell me something Christine. Why’d you come back to California? You took a big risk coming here. Why couldn’t you let the past stay the past? Why do you have to blame others for what you did to your first child?”

  My eyes fly open but I don’t say a word.

  “Sensitive subject is it?”

  “King… murdered my son.” I barely manage to croak.

  “Oh you can do better than that. Now that you’re back in town I’m sure the new DA can be persueded to take another look at the case.”

  “I…trusted…you.” I say.

  “Yeah…you’re far too trusting. I’d change that about myself if I were you. It’ll save you a lot of pain in the future, especially where you’re going.”

  I feel like my head is about to explode! Every word this woman utters is like a rusty old nails scraping across a giant chalkboard. I wish I could plug my ears. If I have to hear this woman any longer I’m liable to go completely insane.

  “Hey…hey sweetie, pay attention!” Dr. Frazer snaps. “Did you actually think you were gonna get King to confess on your phone to a crime he never committed? Was that really your best plan? Or is siccing your bulldog of a boyfriend on him your plan, because tonight it kinda worked.”

  “What?” I croak.

  “Oh yeah, The Punisher TKO’d King in the second or third round. Embarrassing really, but King will come back and kick his ass the next time. Great champions are like that you know. They may lose once in a while but that’s not what defines them. It’s their ability to come back that makes all the difference in the world. So what, your boyfriend finally got one pro fight win out of what, fifteen losses or something like that?”

  “Why…I…here?” I ask, barely getting the words out.

  “I thought I was clear. You need to leave the past in the past! Your coming back to California was a big mistake.”

  “Fine¸ I’ll let it drop. The past is the past.”

  “While I’m inclined to believe you’re serious about that, this has kinda gone beyond me; sorry about that. Like I said, this night isn’t going to end well for you.”

  Chapter Seven

  Rescue

  “So what’s the plan boss?” Jamarcus asks as the taxi whisks the trio away from the arena.

  “The plan,” Jake replies, “is to use your mother’s GPS on her phone to figure out where the kidnappers have her.”

  “You can do that?” Diego asks.

  “Your mom have a laptop computer in your hotel room Diego?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Google has the ability to track your location anywhere in the world through either your computer or your cell phone, or both. All you have to do is just agree to the terms of service and your location gets tracked by google.”

  “So how we supposed to see where she is. I don’t get it?” Diego replies.

  “Ditto that.” Jamarcus says.

  “If your mother ever synced her phone to her laptop for things like contacts or word documents then without knowing it she also synced a log of her location as well. As long as we can log on to your mom’s laptop we’ll be able to see where she went tonight. I’m sure they have already found her phone and crushed the sim card but hopefully she wasn’t searched until they got to whatever place they are keeping her at.”

  “You sure that works?” Jamarcus asks.

  “Ditto that.” Diego replies.

  “You ever use your mom’s laptop Diego?”

  “Nope. She only lets me watch movies with her.”

  “Oh come on man,” Jake replies. “Are you telling me you never snuck on her computer while she was gone? You know, to play video games and stuff?”

  “Okay fine…yeah I did a couple times. So I guess you want her login and password then?”

  “That’s right little man.” Jake replies. “You may be saving your mother’s life tonight, you know that?”

  “Is she really in that much danger?”

  “I wouldn’t ask you for your mom’s password if it wasn’t serious.”

  Twenty minutes later they arrive at their hotel. Jake instructs Diego on what to say so he can get another key card. If he can’t get a key card this rescue is going to be short lived. While Diego goes to the front desk Jake and Jamarcus hang back in the lounge to wait. Five minutes later a triumphant Diego appears with a keycard in hand.

  “Way to go little dude!” Jake says as he gives the kid a high five. “Your mom will be proud.”

  Once in the room Diego fishes out his mother’s laptop. “I sure hope she didn’t change it again.” Diego says as he reads off her login and password.

  “We’re in.” Shouts Jake. “Now let’s hope your mother has synced her phone or we’re not going to be able to track her.”

  Jamarcus and Diego pace the room nervously while Jake brings up his mother’s cell phone data.

  “Got it!” Jake shouts. “Looks like they’re by the airport. Her phone stopped transmitting around the airport at 6:54 this evening. That’s probably when they put her in whatever room they’re holding her in and took away her phone. Let’s go. Diego, we’ll be back in two hours. If we’re not back by then call the cops and tell them what happened.”

  “What? Are you kidding? I have to go. I can help. If it wasn’t for me you wouldn’t have found my mom.”

  “Your right little man, but where we’re going tonight you can’t follow. The time for talk and planning is over and it’s time for this.”

  Jake opens his duffle bag and removes two black 9mm handguns. He hands one to Jamarcus and slips the other one in the back of his waistband.

  “Son, unless you got one of these,” Jamarcus says. “You’ll have to guard the home fort. You’re our sole backup. If we don’t make it back then our rescue is completely up to you. It’s a big responsibility but I think you can handle it; don’t you?”

  Diego stands up straighter, his chest swelling with pride. “Yeah, I can handle it.” He declares.

  “Then we’re off.” Jake announces.

  Thirty minutes later Jake and Jamarcus park at the end of the tiny airport runway wondering if they’ve just bitten off far more than they can collectively chew. The two men get out and check their meager weapons. Jake pulls out his Glock 9mm, chambers a round and stuffs it back in his pants. Jamarcus follows suite.

  “How long’s it been since you last fired a gun?” Jake asks.

  “Long before they were making these things.” Jamarcus replies as he checks his own Beretta 9mm.

  “Seriously?” Jake asks.

  “I don’t think it’s gonna be a problem. You still point this end,” He says indicating the end of the barrel. “And you pull this thing, yes?” He says pointing to the trigger.”

  “Lemma guess, last time you fired
a gun you still had to carry a powder horn and shot?”

  “Something like that.” Jamarcus laughs. “Long as the bullet still comes out the same end I’ll be fine. But you should probably let me enter the building first. Nothing like being accidently shot in the back to put a damper on one’s rescue mission.”

  “I wasn’t worried before old man, but now…” Jake shakes his head and smiles grimly. “Let’s go get my woman back.”

  According to the last know GPS records on Christine’s computer, they should be pretty close to where she is being held. The airport looks to have been abandoned some years ago. Now there’s just a few boarded up hangers that most likely do not hold anything much less airplanes. Jake counts seven hangers in total.

  “So uh…which one are they using do you think?” Jake asks.

  Jamarcus points to the one three down from the closest to their location. “Looks like that one’s missing the boards on that side door. You see the others, they have side doors but they’re still boarded up so they can’t be accessed. Gotta be that one, don’t you think?”

  “I think you’re right old man.”

  Together and with as much stealth as they can muster, they approach the door hoping that no one decides to exit before they can get into place. The last thing Jake wants is some crazy fire fight right out in the open. With no cover to dive behind things would not go well for the would be rescuers.

  When they get closer it becomes obvious that there are no lights on inside. That could mean they have the wrong hanger or it could just mean that Christine’s captors have vacated the premises. Jake is hoping for the latter. They approach cautiously and take up positions on either side of the door. Jake peers in through a crack in the side of the door but it’s impossible to see anything. He tries the door on the off chance that somebody forgot to lock it. It’s locked.

  There’s one window about shoulder height that is boarded up but the boards appear to be close to coming off. Jake looks around until he finds a three foot long piece of piping and uses one end to pry at one of the boards. They both cringe at the amount of noise it makes.

  “So much for a surprise entry.” Jamarcus whispers.

  Jake nods grimly and continues to pry until the board pops off and falls to the pavement. One down and four to go. Jake begins to pry carefully at the second board before deciding to throw caution to the wind. If anyone is inside or anywhere around they would have already heard them. No point in taking fifteen minutes to do the deed quietly. Instead Jake begins ripping at the boards until all five are on the ground two minutes later. Next Jake takes the pipe to the partially broken window and clears any remaining window panes until all the glass is resting at their feet.

  “Still want to go in first old man?” Jake asks.

  Jamarcus nods, and then draws his weapon. “I’m game.”

  Jake gives the much lighter man a heave and Jamarcus disappears into the darkened building. Jake jumps up, catching the window sill at his chest level, then heaves himself up and then swings his feet over so that he’ll fall on something other than his face. Jamarcus partially catches him and breaks the bigger man’s fall taking them both to the ground.

  “Who’s there?” Croaks a low voice.

  Jake stands up and draws his penlight and shines it in front of both men. Ten feet in front of them lay a darkened form curled up on the cold cement floor. Both men hurry to the prisoner’s side.

  “Christine?” Jake asks as he kneels down.

  “Jake?” She croaks. Then; “Water…”

  “Oh shit sorry babe, didn’t think of that.”

  While Jake tries to comfort Christine Jamarcus is working on her bindings with his pocket knife. It takes a few minutes to work through the bindings, but Christine can’t stand. She’s been too long in the same position and it even takes a couple minutes to even get to her knees. She does her best not to cry out as Jake takes her under her arms and lifts her to her feet.

  “Take your time babe.” Jake whispers.

  It takes several more minutes before she can even stand on her own. When she finally has her balance they take a few experimental steps towards the door. It’s slow going but they finally make it the ten feet to the door. Jamarcus is just about to open the door when he freezes.

  “Someone’s coming!” He hisses.

  Jake props Christine up against the wall and draws his weapon. Cautiously he peers out the broken window. A Jeep Cherokee has parked and two men are walking up to the hanger. In seconds they’ll notice the broken in window and be calling for back up. The only thing Jake can think to do is attack with such ferocity that they don’t have time or the wherewithal to call for backup.

  Jake walks over to the door and peers out. So far they haven’t noticed a thing. Jake checks his weapon and takes a deep breath. He turns to Jamarcus.

  “Follow my lead old man.”

  Jake charges out the door firing as he runs. Pop pop, pop pop, pop pop. Both men orient on him almost immediately and start firing. Jake just keeps sprinting expecting to feel the hot bite of lead at any second. He fires of six more shots. He misses but it has the desired effect. Both men stop shooting and start looking for a way out of trouble. Jake can hear Jamarcus firing behind him and to his left. Both men jump up and head back for their jeep. They make the vehicle in three bounds. Jake turns and points to Jamarcus then directs him to the rear of the vehicle.

  Jamarcus sprints like a mad man towards the Jeep. Jake fires off several more rounds just to keep the other guy’s heads down. Since Jamarcus is headed towards the rear of the jeep Jake takes off towards the front hoping to catch them in between them.

  Jamarcus rounds the back of the SUV and begins firing again. It takes Jake several more long seconds to make it around the front of the vehicle. Fearing the worst he pops around the front to find one of the men with his back to him. Jake fires off two shots immediately but is rewarded with two metallic clicks as his weapon jams. Like a trained fighter the other man turns while dropping to his knees. As the man settles into his defensive posture he fires two quick shots in the darkness. Jakes expects to feel the agonizing bite of hot lead as he hurls his useless weapon at the man’s head. Jake feels the angry buzz of a bullet searing the air next to his left ear before he tackles the man. They both go down in a heap fighting madly. The other man, not expecting this type of attack has dropped his gun somewhere on the ground. Jake fires off a straight punch to the man’s face immediately followed by an elbow to the jaw. In that split second he feels the satisfying crunch of bone and cartilage as the man’s nose explodes in a spray of hot blood. The man’s head rocks back, then to the side as Jake’s elbow makes contact with the quarter inch thick bones of the temple. If Jake could see in the dark he would have seen the lights go out of the man’s eyes as he falls to the earth unconscious and quite possibly dead.

  Jake hears two more quick pops as he fumbles around in the dark for the man’s dropped weapon. In the dim moonlight he sees a body jerk and jive from the impact of bullets before falling motionless to the ground.

  Fearing the worse he calls out as he approaches the fallen man. “Jamarcus!”

  “I’m okay, I’m fine.” Jamarcus calls out a few feet in front of him.

  Jake stops and looks up. Sitting at the end of the vehicle is Jamarcus, still holding onto his weapon. Jake runs up to him.

  “You okay man?” Jake pants.

  “Just winged me. We gotta get out of here. They may have called for backup.”

  “Count on it. Is that guy dead?” Jake asks, pointing to the fallen man.

  “Pretty sure, and if he’s not no way he’ll be able to recognize me in the daylight. Get your woman and let’s get the fuck out of here.”

  Jake turns to go back to the hanger but Christine is already hobbling out.

  “You guys okay?” She asks.

  “Better check the old man once we’re rolling. He got winged.”

  Jake checks the men’s Jeep for the keys and finds them in the ignition. />
  “Let’s go he hollars!”

  The three figures jump into their attacker’s truck and in seconds are speeding away from the airport.

  “Diego!” Christine croaks. “Where…”

  “He’s fine.” Jake replies. “He’s at the hotel waiting for us.”

  “Water.” She croaks. “Need water.”

  Jamarcus fishes around in his medical bag until he comes up with a fresh bottle of water. She snatches it from his hands and beings to drink in big gulps.

  “Slow down girl.” Jamarcus says. “It’ll make you sick.”

  Ignoring his plea for caution she continues to drink until it’s empty. Finally the tears come. She has gone from certain death and the fear of losing her son to a dramatic rescue in the darkness. It’s almost too amazing to be believed.

  “You okay Jamarcus asks.

  “Yeah…I would never have guessed this night would end up like this. I was sure they were going to kill me. And for part of the time I thought they had killed Diego. I just…I uh…”

  She finds she can’t continue speaking and loses herself in her tears.

  Chapter Eight

  Too Much Information

  After Diego and I are reunited I pay up on my hotel bill and move us to another one in Berkeley. I don’t need anyone dropping by to see how we’re adjusting to life after kidnapping or for any other reasons. I just need time and space to think about what has happened to me ever since I moved us back to California. Most importantly, I need to figure out Jake’s involvement in this whole mess. How much is he responsible? Do I really know the man or not? I am just very confused and I wish I had someone to bounce things off of.

  If it sounds too good to be true it usually is too good to be true. I don’t know where that saying originated, but somewhere along the way I forgot it. I should have remembered it, but Jake’s penetrating eyes, his award winning smile, and stunning good looks were just too much for my meager defenses at the time.

  There had to be a reason I suddenly came down to California when I did and another reason I forgot two months of my life and continue to be unable to remember any important details. I would never have figured out any of this had it not been for Jamarcus and my son. It all started with a strange phone call from Jake’s aging trainer.