by Carmen Faye
“But, I have trusted you all this way,” I said snippily.
“Not really,” he said, slowly stepping back from me. “You have been doubtful and worrisome. The only reasons you really came along are because I fit some kind of bad boy fantasy and the fact that I trusted you first.”
“I’m the one who got on your bike,” I argued, moving opposite him.
“I’m the one who trusted that the woman at the kitchen window might come in to help me,” he said, softly. “I’m the one who hoped that once she was in, she would choose to help me even though her eyes said she was strongly considering sneaking by.”
I was stunned and felt as if my feet were suddenly cemented to the floor. My skin flushed, feeling guilty.
“Okay, so Ali maintains an image. What has he done except get in touch when its nearly too late to bother?” I asked, my tone much softer now as well.
“The places we’ve been staying were all his, except my place on long island. He’s always had an open door policy for me,” he began. “He gave me the loan because I had let go of my dreams and thought scraping the bottom of the barrel was how my life would always be. He saw more for me than that. Besides, I kind of like it sometimes; some of these guys deserve it, like our Perry Hamilton.”
“Well, what is a guy like that involved in that would lead to men with guns and CEOs with bloodied hands?” I asked, feeling like I was still missing something. “I mean, what could be so big that businessmen are reduced to being even worse than common criminals?”
“The advancements that enter the public market are nothing compared to research that becomes available to military and government agencies,” Tarek said in a monotone manner, returning to the window.
“Okay, well they probably just need stronger doses of things. Their bodies endure more,” I replied, joining him.
I looked out the window as well, but I didn’t see anything suspicious. I didn’t see any of the men who had attacked us before.
“Sometimes of this type of research is also offered to the highest bidder, under the table, and off the record,” he said, finally looking me in the eye. “They can do what they want with it, manipulate it how they want.”
“But medicine is use for good. Medicine is for healing,” I stated, beginning to regret where our conversation appeared to be leading. “Does your benefactor sell his products black market?”
I was beginning to regret every decision I had made from the time I decided not to call out of working the gala. The worst of them all was quite possibly getting on the back of Tarek’s bike.
“No, never!” he snapped as if the thought was absurd. “He would never do that. He is not that kind of businessman.” He took a deep breath and looked at me apologetically.
“Never mind,” I said as he opened his mouth to apologize, or so I assumed. “Just get to the point.”
“Pharmaceuticals are a lucrative and cutthroat industry, and he is always one step ahead of the game,” Tarek finally admitted. “Hamilton is the consistent number two in the industry and not the only one who has made an attempt to steal research, off chemists, or worse. I make sure these things don’t happen and stay quiet.”
“So Hamilton wants what? Did your boss’s company just make a new medicine or something that gives a better high that pain meds and muscle relaxers or something?” I asked, having a hard time believing my ears. “I still don’t see why he would risk something so large as attacking the TRU Body Gala in such a bold way, although getting you out of the picture seems more understandable now.
“Funny,” he said, acting salty about the joke at his expense. “I don’t ask those kinds of questions. I know enough to get a job done, and that’s all I want to know. Besides, that man wouldn’t have really killed me. If anything, I would have been used to get the boss’s attention or as a bargaining chip. There may be people whose lives would be easier without me around, but I’m far more useful alive.”
“So you are the head of an outlaw biker gang called the War Hawks, and you own a bar and restaurant on Long Island,” I said, repeating the details out loud, hoping it would somehow help me better understand. “But, you are also the personal security to a pharmaceutical bigwig whom you have known since childhood, covertly making any problems he has disappear?”
“Yes,” he answered.
He looked pleased with his confession, but I wasn’t buying it. Something just didn’t ring true for me. I knew better than to tell him that.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was just someone’s flunk. I had a hard time buying that it wasn’t him in the picture in the office, that some rich benefactor would give him all access to numerous fancy homes, and that he would put his life on the line in such a manner under someone else’s authority and still call himself an outlaw rider.
“Fine,” I lied. “So, what does your boss want us to do next? We can’t just sit here and wait. Perry Hamilton is out there. If he really has goons tailing us, then we probably won’t be safe in one spot for long. Coming back to the city may have been a mistake.”
“No, I think we may be able to turn the tables,” he replied, with a mischievous look. “They know a woman is with me, and they are after her. They don’t know who that woman is or that she works for someone who may be in his pocket.”
“I’m not in anyone’s pocket,” I replied, a little offended.
“I know that,” Tarek said, making a downward pressing gesture with his hands. “Outside of business owners, he just has goons and women. You are none of the above. You have a connection on both sides by coincidence, but I think that is in my favor. You can get me closer to him to finish all this.”
“I don’t see how. I already told you everything I know about my boss’s relationship with him and the best we came up with was that maybe he was being used to let Hamilton’s men into places,” I said, not sure where his newest plan might be leading.
“Since he was unsuccessful at the gala, he is going to keep attacking. We know he has control or a connection to your boss, so it might be at another event your company would be catering,” he replied.
***
Tarek
“Stay here and watch the window. I’m going to make a few calls in the other room, but I will be right back,” I said firmly. “You are right; we probably shouldn’t stay here long. Better to go on the offense at this point.”
“I guess I’m along for the ride,” Annie shrugged.
She looked like she had more than lost the excitement she’d been gaining for our adventure together. Her arms were folded as she looked out the window. Her lips were one thin, red line.
“I’m still going to get you out of here safely,” I reminded her, hoping she would feel more encouraged.
She sighed and nodded, but never looked back at me. She only continued to monitor the window. I gave a small nod and excused myself from the room.
I returned to the office and picked up the picture from the desk. I stared at it for another moment before putting it back where it belonged. Then I sat at the desk and put my feet up, trying to see it as Ali did, but to me, it felt surreal and confining.
I dug my hand into my pocket and fished out my cell phone. I hit the send button, calling the last number in the history. There was only ever one number I used regularly.
“Tarek,” a male voice said after two rings, “this may not be a good time.”
“This is the only time,” I replied.
I could hear the stress in his voice. I had probably interrupted a meeting or something. I heard the muffled sound of him excusing himself to answer an important call, confirming my hunch.
Annie didn’t know what she was talking about. I had help. I had someone looking out for my better interest. I was not being used or left to danger alone.
“What is it? What is going on?” the voice asked. “I thought you made it safe to Long Island to lay low?”
“I did, but I’m back,” I replied.
“Why you fool?” he said, louder.
“I’m back because we may be able to get Hamilton out of your hair for good,” I said excitedly.
“How? What are you talking about?” he asked, not seeming to believe it was possible or share my enthusiasm.
“The woman who saved me informed me that her boss is friends with Perry Hamilton,” I said even more excited than before. “The catering company she works for is probably how he got into the gala in the first place. Her boss probably let those men in.”
“How do you know you can trust her? I still think everything you have told me about her is too convenient,” he replied. “How did she magically appear in the kitchen in time to save you when hostages were being rounded up left at right? Why would she join you on the run, once she was safe? She should have gone to the nearest business and called the cops, not ride off into the night with a biker she just met.”
He paused suddenly from berating me and pointing out the flaws in our predicament as he had for every call we had since the TRU Body Gala.
“What’s wrong?” I said, standing up in case something urgent had happened or was about to.
“How does she even know who we have been having problems with, Tarek?” he asked.
“We were talking and I told her I couldn’t tell her much,” I said slowly, unsure why it mattered. “I told her I didn’t know much about what was going on, but I fixed problems for my wealthy boss. Right now, all I had for the problem was a name – Perry Hamilton.”
“What if that was all she was trying to get from you? What if her boss has her helping keep tabs on you for Hamilton? Maybe that’s how he keeps finding you!” the voice barked into the receiver. “I’m telling you now, get rid of this girl. Ditch her. Tell her you have something to take care of or whatever you have to do to get away.”
“I can’t just leave her at your apartment,” I replied.
“How many of my homes have you taken her to? Three now? You may be putting us both in more danger, yourself in particular,” he said, seeming to be equally angry and disappointed now.
“No, it’s not like that. She never even mentioned anything until the name came up. She’s wanted this all to be done with, so she can resume a normal life. This woman seemed to be stuck in a lifelong rut with a few sad bumps along the road, but she’s trustworthy. I don’t know that anyone else would have saved my life or stuck with me this long.”
“No, you don’t know that she didn’t do things because she was required to. You don’t know that she’s not the one leading men to you,” he lectured. “You don’t know that you can believe a word that comes out of her mouth.”
The more I thought about it, the more I could see where he had a point. Annie and I had been through a lot together over the past few days. The whole time I thought she was putting her faith in me, but I had been putting my faith in her just as much. I didn’t know her from the next server at that party. While hostages were being rounded up, many of the event staff weren’t even a concern at the gala and were allowed to slip away. That may have been intentional as well.
I just had a hard time believing she would lie to me. Everything she said about her family seemed too real and life changing. Her story about meeting the guy on the bus to the cabin and believing fate led her to experiences that she walked away from seemed like an unrehearsed admission about her innermost self. And people tend to bond in life changing situations.
“I don’t know what to believe anymore,” I said aloud.
“Don’t worry, this woman just got in your head. It’s been a while since you let a woman into more than your bed,” his voice had lightened. “Just leave the girl there and come to me. I will send someone for her, and if she has been honest with you, I will make arrangements to get her to safety.”
“I don’t know how much I should believe anyone or anything,” I continued, ignoring his words. “I could easily pay you back now, or at least make larger installments on the loan. I have my own business to run, and I spend all my time with my life in danger. It would be safer for us both to just have me out of the picture. I could disappear right now.”
“That would be easier for you,” he replied, “and only for a little while. The perks you get helping me far surpass anything you could ever earn from your little restaurant, Fender Bender.”
He said the name like it tasted bad in his mouth. I was beginning to feel angrier, more annoyed. Everyone around me could possibly be lying to me. Everyone around me could be only acting in their own best interest.
“Look, you have no right stepping on my dream!” I snapped. “You know it is the only thing that has truly gone well for me. That and Sheba are the two things in this life I have fought and worked hard for, the only things that are truly mine.”
There was silence between us now. The tension over the line was palpable.
“Fine, you are right,” he finally said. “Even if this girl did work for Hamilton, she is probably still only a pawn. Maybe she’s nothing at all. I doubt she will be of much use to us, but if you trust her, I will at least have a sit down with her. Meet me tonight at Freeman’s, Lower East Side. We will have dinner, and I will get to know your companion. Until then, spend the day in motion. Don’t stay in one place more than you have to.”
“That’s all I’m asking, Ali” I replied.
Chapter 10
Annie
I had been watching the window for several minutes, fighting the temptation to eavesdrop outside the door where Tarek was making his call. Occasionally, I would hear him raise his voice, but then the apartment would be all but silent again. On the street below, people moved about their day completely unaware of the dangers surrounding them.
Until a few days ago I had been one of those people. I had been blissfully unaware that dirty CEOs were hurting people in the name of business and science. Rich people were condescending, but now apparently they were also secretly at war with each other, or something.
It was all too much, and I was over it. Screw adventure. I don’t need it.
I slowly tip-toed around the room looking for a landline phone and praying that if I found one it would be in service.
I didn’t have to search very long or hard. There was one with a notepad on a small table that separated one end of the kitchen and living area. It was a fancy, multiline office phone, even though this was a residence. It looked complicated, but I just needed it to dial.
To my relief, it did.
“Graham?” I said as soon as I heard the soft click at the other end of the line.
“Yes, who is calling?”
“It’s me, Annie,” I replied.
“Annie, where have you been? What happened to you?” Graham asked quickly, sounding concerned and relieved. “When the police got everyone out, they wanted a report of the staff working the gala so we could all be questioned. I had you on that list, but no one remembered seeing you since early that night before everything went crazy. You are currently a missing person. I wasn’t sure if you might have been kidnapped or dead.”
It felt nice to hear a familiar voice and good to hear that someone was concerned about me. I didn’t have time to enjoy it at the moment.
“I’m fine, Graham. I got out of Guastavino’s safely,” I replied. “I saved a man’s life, and in return, he helped me flee the chaos at the event.”
“That’s great,” Graham said excitedly.
“Well, I thought so too, at first,” I said, a little disheartened. “Now, it seems like he’s part of all the trouble.”
“You’re still with him? Did he do anything to you? Have you been hurt?” Graham asked, more worried than I would have expected.
“No, I’m fine. I’m just ready to be home, and I feel like he’s headed further and further into danger,” I explained. “The craziest thing is he’s got this whacked out conspiracy theory about your friend, Mr. Hamilton, being at the head of all that
’s been going on.”
“You don’t say,” he gasped with surprise. “That would be hard to believe.”
“Just tell me you can get me out of here,” I whispered loudly into the phone.
“I can,” he affirmed. “Do you know where you are? Can you give me an address or can you get away and meet me somewhere?”
“Well, he is on the phone right now. I’m in an apartment building in Hell’s Kitchen, Midtown West. I think around West 42nd Street. I saw Lucky Strike, not far from where we parked,” I replied.
I could feel my skin tingle at the prospect of escaping to my normal life, but part of me ached at the thought of leaving Tarek, especially without any sort of goodbye.
“Do you think you could make it back there?” Graham asked. “If you can, I can get to you in half an hour.”
