by Jack Parker
"Wait just a minute." Through Manda's attack on him, a new realization dawned to Max. "You went through my things?" This he directed more at Roden.
"Now, Max." Roden reasoned, "I told you we broke into your apartment to try to figure out where you went - "
"You told me you noticed that the map was missing. You didn't say anything about riffling through my things."
"I went through your bedroom closet to see what you packed - "
Max displayed his upset by the tightening of his brow. "Then you went through my coat closet? That's my space. My personal space."
"Max, I didn't look through your coat closet. Martin found it. Besides, I thought you said you separated yourself from Esther. You told me that you left her image at the studio, that you didn't take her home with you." Roden had a point, and Max blushed with embarrassment.
"No! That's not what it is." Now Max's voice sounded pleading, as if he tried to convince himself. "Oh my God. Mike?"
Roden knew he was asking him if it were true. Max truly hadn't considered that he created a shrine, and now he felt concerned that he unknowingly did so. He was afraid that he had really gone too far. This anxiety actually relieved Roden. He knew that Max hadn't really had a shrine in mind when he started the storage of 'Esther Art'.
"Nut job." Manda piped in.
"At least I don't date kidnapping thugs." Max shot back.
"I didn't know what he was. And besides, you are a kidnapping thug, you hypocrite."
"No, I'm not. I saved her from the kidnappers. At least, until you brought them right to our door."
Manda didn't back down. "We were trying to save her from you - "
"All right, all right." Roden had had quite enough. "You two fight like children. Stop arguing with each other. We need to be on the same team now." Roden then decided that, if they were going to act like children, he would treat them like children. "Now, Max, I want you to say something nice about Manda."
"What? Are you joking?" Max looked stunned.
"I'm serious. Now do it, so we can get on with what we have to do."
"Fine." Max was livid, but Roden had been his psychiatrist long enough, and he knew when to listen to him. It took him a moment to think, for which Roden secretly couldn't blame him. "Manda, you have very good tastes in friends." Inwardly he added, if not in boyfriends.
"OK, I guess that'll work. Now you, Manda."
Manda glared, over-the-top of course, and spit out, "I don't think so. I'm not playing into your psycho-babble couples therapy crap."
"Manda," Roden spoke down to her like she was a petulant child that needed correcting. "You need to play along. We have to be a team now if we want to work together to rescue your friend."
Manda rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in the air, but complied. "Fine. Max, . . ." she was obviously struggling, "you're . . . good at swinging a tire iron."
"Oh jeez." Now Roden rolled his eyes. "That's the best you can come up with?"
"Well, given the short notice . . ." Manda stopped speaking when Max suddenly stopped walking. They were now very close to the car, and the younger man noticed something odd. Roden looked in the same direction.
The back passenger side tire appeared to be flat. Max walked forward, and bent down for a closer look. Roden followed. A large puncture in the wall of the tire indicated the reason for the deflation. "Damn it. When Martin shot at me, the bullet hit the car. Apparently, it must have struck the tire." Now what were they going to do?
CHAPTER NINETEEN
"Oh, great." Manda supplied Roden and Max with more of her useless commentary. "This just keeps going from bad to worse."
"Thank you, Manda." Roden blocked her pessimism, and decided not to let it faze him yet. Turning his attention to Max, he asked, "You have a spare, don't you?"
Max looked at him, wretched with realization. "No. I lent it to you about a year ago. Remember? When you had that tie rod problem that caused your front tire to bald, and you had that big repair? We never did get around to getting the spare back in my trunk."
"Ah, crap." Cutting Manda off before she could start her next tirade, Roden redirected all the blame to himself, "Well, Max, your intentions were good anyway. Looks like I dropped the ball on that one. Sorry." Now Roden felt wretched; and he braced himself against Manda's remarks on the subject.
And they came.
"Yeah, well his good intentions and your brilliant follow through aren't going to get us out of here or save Ess from the other crazy kidnapper, now is it? So, get thinking, you two geniuses. We need a plan. We've got to think about a way to get going." Well, not quite as harsh of a berating as Roden had expected. It sounded, even, rather logical for Manda.
"You're right about that." Max said, also surprised at Manda's sudden practicality. "We do, in fact, need a way out of here if we are going to do anything for Ess. So, any ideas? Any suggestions?"
"Well, I would say that we could call AAA, but our phones don't seem to work in the middle of Nowheresville!" And there it was. Manda's sarcasm returned as persistent and thick as ever. Any vaguely positive impression Max started to have of her good sense had gone away.
"That's true," he answered back with very little enthusiasm for her attitude, "But maybe we can start walking for the entrance. We're sure to pick up a signal as we get closer to the highway. Or maybe we'll get lucky and run into a park ranger."
"Oh, great idea. And do you also play the lottery with that luck?" Manda continued her poorly exhibited derision.
"Oh, so you have a better plan, then." Max cocked his eyebrow. "Alright. Let's hear it." When Manda didn't answer for lack of anything better, Max turned and started down the road. Roden followed his friend, sure that it was the best course of action at the moment, while an incessantly aggravated Manda grumbled and tagged along behind him.
While they carried on down the path, Manda and Max continued to quarrel back and forth. Roden had never had children, though he had thought on the idea and regretted the missed opportunity from time to time. Now, however, with the company he presently kept, the prospect of parenthood seemed less than thrilling. His current companions, with their bickering that resembled something akin to sibling rivalry, made him realize why the popular line of fathers everywhere was 'don't make me turn this car around.' Unfortunately, he didn't have that option to threaten them with at the moment, and they ignored every attempt of his to mediate them.
* * *
After nearly two hours of walking and listening to Manda complain about her swollen and blistered feet, they heard the sound of a motor in the forest. It was far in the distance, but it's droning purr seemed to slowly grow louder.
This approaching vehicle rumbled and sputtered, and the three wanderers in the woods could hear it long before the winding road brought it into view. A mixture of nerves, anxiety and anticipation caused them to argue rather or not they should take cover before the vehicle came into sight. Max contended that if they hid they could decide if it was friend or foe, and flag the driver down if they determined it to be safe. Manda tried to be skeptical about the need to hide at first, but turned out to be easily persuaded by the prospective danger of Angoli's men coming back to 'get rid of' them. Although she still didn't know who he was, at this point, she did believe that the man in charge of kidnapping her friend could be very capable of doing just that.
From behind some brush, they squatted and peered through branches at the oncoming truck. It looked like one of those big old Chevy models from the 1950s, white with a bit of rust about the tire and fender areas. The driver inside had a long white beard and a patch over his eye.
"The man from the gas station." Roden exclaimed. He could recognize that unique individual from anywhere. The man had been kind, even if a little overly voluble, and Roden could think of no reason to fear him.
"You're right." Max agreed. "I think we should flag him down, then." With a nod from Roden, the two men stood up and moved to the middle of the dirt road waving their arms at the app
roaching vehicle.
The white truck stopped a few yards ahead of them, and the old man leaned out of the window with a pleasantly surprised smile. "Well, hey there."
Roden approached him with a like-wise grin, intent on doing the talking. "Hey yourself – "
"What brings ya here? Out fer a nature stroll? Lovely country, ain't it? Ya really should bring water with ya, though." He gave Manda a glance. "An' the right kind o' shoes. Never know when you could get lost out here. I know I still do on occasion." The man laughed his throaty chuckle, and then continued asking a few more questions.
Roden waited with well-controlled perturbation until the man stopped for breath, then began responding to the questions that he deemed necessary to the situation. "Actually, our car broke down. Has a flat, and we don't have a spare. If you don't mind, do you think you could give us a ride out of here, so that we can call for some help?"
The man laughed again, obviously entertained by the scenario. "Oh, my. Ain't that rich. Haven't heard nothin' so funny in quite awhile. Oh, ho. My apologies, that's just so funny. But, sure, sure. I can give ya a lift. Man, but I have ta tell ya, ya should never come inta a place like this so unprepared."
"Thank you." Roden beckoned Manda over. Being rather staggered by the look of the old man, she maintained her distance. Slowly, she made her way from the brush at the side of the road, to stand close to Roden.
"Oh, by the way," the man started up again. "Where's that other fella you were with? The one with the fancy tie an' the nice jacket. He's the whole reason I drove in here this evenin'. That man borrowed my restroom key last night an' he never gave it back. I had ta go out behind the station earlier this mornin' ta relieve myself."
"Oh, him." Roden looked a little shame faced over Martin's discourteous deed, even though he knew it wasn't his fault. "Well, that man took my car and drove back into the city. I don't recall what he did with the key; however, I would be more than willing to replace the lock as a thank you for getting us back to civilization."
"Well, gee thanks; but it's no problem, really. Just thought I'd try an' get it back before I had ta go that far. Never mind, never mind. Come on an' get in."
Roden strode over to the passenger side and opened the door. Meanwhile, Max climbed into the back of the truck. When Roden expressed to Manda his intent to usher her inside, she gave Roden a death glare. Evidently, she had no intention of sitting in the truck's cab with the odd looking stranger. Instead, she climbed her way into the truck bed with Max. Her high heels and skirt gave her some trouble, but she managed it.
Roden sighed. So much for common courtesy. Then, smiling at the old man, he climbed into the cab himself. He had no issues with keeping this man company, though he could be sure to have his ear talked off. Roden's main attention during the ride, as well as his great concern, was directed at Max and Manda, and making sure they didn't kill each other in the back of the truck.
* * *
Eventually, they made it to the gas station. Roden noted, from his occasional backwards glances, that Manda was so busy struggling with being jostled around and holding on to the bungee handle on the side of the truck so that she wouldn't be tossed out, that she didn't even attempt to have any conversation with Max; and Max happily ignored her anyway, looking about in any direction but hers.
As they pulled up to the gas station Roden noticed his BMW parked at the pump. It couldn't be. Did they actually catch up to Martin and Ess? But they were hours ahead of them, and should have been long gone by that point.
The moment the truck stopped, he jumped out and ran to his car. It was empty. Max came up only seconds behind him, not having noticed the car until he climbed out of the bed. Roden opened the unlocked door and lowered his head inside to look at the ignition. The key was not in there. Damn.
The two men did a quick sweep of the area, while the old man got a chuckle watching Manda struggle to get over the side of the truck. After allowing her some time to see the futility of her own efforts, he offered her a hand. She was a little reluctant to accept at first, but finally relented, and let him help her down.
As the old man did have a knack for talking, and had already worked the story about Esther's kidnapping out of Roden during their ride to the gas station, he was able to confer with the three 'city dwellers' on the possible events leading to the abandoned car. Their final consensus determined that Martin must have dumped Roden's car for one of Angoli's.
Manda noted with frustration that the cell phones still didn't work at this point. The old man offered the use of his business phone, but first they needed to determine what their next step should be. Police? Tow truck? The former would be ineffective against Angoli, and the later would take hours to arrive from the city.
"Does anyone know how to hotwire a car?" Manda asked. She pointedly looked at Max.
"Well, too bad Martin's not here. I bet he knows how." Max gave her a snarling glare back.
As the two argued back and forth, something surprising caught Roden's eye. Through the dimming light of the sunset he could see that someone had manifested from the trees behind the gas station, and was walking diffidently towards them. Speak of the devil. It was Martin.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Max noticed that Roden's eyes were set beyond their circle, and followed his stare towards Martin's hesitant approach. Then, with the most animalistic growl that Roden had ever heard a human being produce, Max tilted full speed towards Martin. Before the man could react he was on the ground with Max's full force pinning him down. The artist's balled fists were flying, and Martin could do nothing to shield himself from his wrath.
As much as Roden would have liked to see Martin get just what he deserved, he felt that it would be more prudent to get information from him in regards to Ess's whereabouts. "Max. Wait. We need him." He tried to reason with him, while attempting to pull him off of the man whose lip started bleeding profusely from the punch Max had just issued to his face.
It took a little persuasion, but Max finally reeled in the desire to badly damage his adversary. Clearing away from him, the group moved back and allowed Martin to pick himself up off the ground. He did so with much trouble due to the injuries Max had just worked on him, and no one offered a steadying hand. Eventually, he made it back to his feet, wobbly with disorientation. Max and the others surrounded him, making it obvious that an attempt at escape would be futile. Even Manda looked ready to jump on him if he so much as appeared as though he might take a step towards the effort to get away.
They all stood around in menacing stillness, each one waiting for the other to break the impenetrable silence. Roden finally decided that he should take control of the situation if they expected to get anywhere. "Okay, Martin," he began. "Where the hell did you just come from? Do you have Ess out there somewhere?"
Martin managed a look that pivoted between guilt, disappointment and plain anger. It took him a moment to control his multiple emotions to a point in which he could actually speak. Ultimately, though, with the help of an impatient glare from Manda, he took a deep breath, and began to explain what had happened.
Ess couldn't believe, even after all she'd been through so far, that this could actually be happening to her. Stuff like this happened in movies and, sadly, even from time to time on the news; but those things were completely displaced from her world . . . until now.
Trying to make sense of her predicament, she replayed the last twenty-four hours in her mind again and again. The most recent events stood out vividly in her memory, and gave her absolutely the worst fear and burning in the pit of her stomach that she had ever felt in her entire life up to this point.
* * *
About two hours earlier . . .
The BMW reached the exit to the preserve and bumped its way back onto the paved highway. Martin didn't know his way around the area, and so they ended up taking the long scenic route out of the preserve. "Phew. That's better." Martin smiled towards Ess, expecting her agreement. She rolled her eyes instead. His cheer
y mannerisms were really getting on her nerves.
This pompous guy had fooled Manda, wooing her under false pretenses; attacked Max and made Ess tie him up; forced her into a car at gun point; and proceeded to drive her against her will towards some lunatic who sounded like he wanted to have his way with her. None of this did anything to endear the man to her, yet he acted as though they were two good friends on a leisurely road trip.
"Nice nose, by the way." And he smirked upon mentioning it. "Did Max do that?" Her eyes went wide and she gave him a silent snarl, but didn't give him the satisfaction of any other answer. How dare he make such an assumption about Max. And just how bad was her nose, anyways?
They continued on in silence, Ess trying to plan out her next mode of escape (please, she prayed, let it be a successful get away this time – for once), when finally Martin spoke again. "Uh oh. Looks like we need to stop for fuel already. I thought these compact German cars were supposed to be good on gas?" He gave her another friendly glance. Oh, how she wanted to simply pummel him.
