Broken

by Sandy Kline

  Suddenly my phone starts buzzing in my pocket and it sounds like a car engine to me and the damn thing just keeps buzzing. To make matters worse I can hear distinct footsteps coming in my direction. I’m breathing so loudly I’m surprised I can hear anything. I try holding my breath. Yup, without a doubt he is walking up to the pool. All he has to do is just give it a kick and it will expose me. Panic begins to well up and for about five seconds it’s a massive struggle to not just leap up screaming and running like a madwoman. It’s going to take a miracle to get out of this mess. I really wish I could get to my phone and see what Blade’s texting me. Maybe he’s even in the area trying to help me and I’m stuck here in the McKenzie’s yard beneath their kiddie pool.

  The footsteps get closer and closer then stop. The officer is so close I think I can actually hear the man breathing. I can’t do this. I’m caught so I might as well just get up and turn myself in. I am a split second from doing just that when I hear firecrackers off in the not too far distance. What the hell? Suddenly the officer’s radio comes alive and I hear someone yelling over his frequency.

  “Shots fired; shots fired…Officer needs assistance!”

  The abrupt retreat of footsteps floods me with relief. I was that close to giving up and I would have if someone hadn’t fired those shots. I hope no one is getting killed because of me. Even if the cops are misguided they probably don’t deserve to be gunned down here while just doing their job. I don’t want anyone’s blood on my hands tonight or any night. I wait huddled under the kiddie pool for as long as I can stand before lifting it off me. I look around in the darkness but no one is in the yard but me. It sounded like the shots came from the direction of Harbor Blvd so I decide to go back to the alley; it should be empty.

  I sprint to the back or the yard and one more time scale the wooden fence. Before tonight I would have never expected that little academy trick that Alex taught me to ever pay off but now it is; in spades. I drop to the gravel alley and look both ways. I think I should go right. On the other hand, would it be totally stupid to return to my house? By now they have to know I am on the run and I doubt they would even think to go back and search my house again. I might even be able to get in my car and slip away. I don’t know what to do. My phone. I was getting texts while I was cowering beneath the pool. I take out my phone and hit the button. I squint in the darkness. This thing is amazingly bright! I have two texts, both from Blade.

  “Causing distraction.” The second text says; “Go to back alley.” And the final text. “Are you okay?”

  Okay, I’m in the alley, but where is Blade?

  Chapter Fifteen

  Get-a-Way

  Suddenly a motorcycle comes skidding around the corner, nearly goes down, recovers and then shoots ahead straight towards me. I have to hope this is Blade and not one of the other four bikers searching for me. I stand at the end of the alley waiting my fate. The iron horse pulls up to the side of me and stops; it’s Blade.

  “Here.” He tosses me a helmet.

  I put it on and climb onto the back of his bike. Blade hands me something. Even in the dark, the moment my hands touch the cold steel of the barrel I know he’s just handed me a shotgun.

  “Holds ten rounds. Just point and shoot, cock, and shoot again until it’s empty. You can’t miss with a shotgun.”

  “Oh yeah… this is me you’re talking to. I wouldn’t put it past me to miss anything no matter how close it is or how big the target is. And anyway, I’m not shooting at cops.”

  “Even if the cop is Mark?” He asks.

  “Let’s just play that one by ear.”

  For an answer he takes off. I grab wildly to keep from spilling off the back of his bike. Unfortunately I let go of the shotgun in the process. I just hope that wasn’t a fatal mistake. We head down the alley the opposite direction I was walking, and then turn down some side street whose name I didn’t catch. So far so good. I have a million questions I’m dying to ask him. For instance I want to know why it is that Mark thinks he can be back to his old tricks despite what Blade promised yesterday. I also want to know why Blade is helping me against Mark when the other day he seemed to side with Mark and the club against me. What caused him to have a change of heart? And the all-important question for me; does any of this really matter?

  We manage to get out onto the main road before we pick up company. It’s a patrol car so there’s a good chance that it’s being driven by my ex-boyfriend.

  “Get that gun ready!” Blade shouts back over his shoulder.

  If only I still had it. The cop hits us with his lights and a brief burst from his siren. I wait for Blade to do the normal thing and pull over but he just keeps moving at the same speed. The patrol car matches our speed while there is oncoming traffic, but when the coast is clear he hits the gas and pulls up alongside of us.

  “Shoot the tires!” Blade shouts. “Shoot the damn tires.”

  My kingdom for a shotgun. I sit like an idiot watching while the patrol car suddenly swerves into us. Thankfully Blade had been expecting it and easily moves out of the way.

  “What’s wrong?” He shouts.

  “Dropped it.” I shout back right at the time the cop makes another attempt to unhorse us.

  Blade hits the brakes, and the cop car literally shoots past us. It’s a nice move that scares the hell out of me.

  Now that we’re behind the car Blade pulls out a large silver hand gun and fires two rapid shots. They both appear to miss so Blade fires twice more. Shot one is a miss, but shot two must have struck home because suddenly the cop car is fishtailing in front of us. To make matters worse the guy slams on his brakes. The last thing I see before impact is a bright red glare. I throw up my arms in a desperate attempt to soften the blow as my body plows into the back window before shooting right over the top and down on the pavement in front of the vehicle. I come to a stop in a sitting position and it takes me a few seconds to realize I actually didn’t just die and go to hell. I do a quick body assessment starting with wiggling my toes. When they obey my command I sigh with relief. At least I’ll walk again. I’m about to conclude that I am actually going to live through this encounter when I hear gunfire behind me. I hear three shots in rapid succession, then two others. I spin around to see what is going on when Blade rushes up to me. His helmet is off and he’s clutching his handgun.

  “Are you okay?” He asks.

  “I’ll live. You?”

  “Same.” He replies. “Now we gotta go.”

  “But those shots… You shot a cop didn’t you?”

  “Yeah I did, but he was dirty.”

  “Oh my god, you shot Mark?”

  “Not Mark, but one of our other guys. He was also a Death Crusader. Now can we get out of here? Cops are gonna be swarming this place soon as they don’t hear him checking in on his radio.”

  He helps me to my feet. “I’m fine. So you just shot a member who was also a cop?”

  “Yes, he’s been a brother for fifteen years and a cop for almost as long.” Blade explains as we run. “He actually got his cut a while before I did so there’s gonna be hell to pay.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “First I’m going to get us a car, and then we’re going to a safe house.”

  Blade takes us to a section of street where the lighting is almost non-existent. He tells me to keep watch while he breaks into some old Toyota. Before I can even get bored waiting I hear the door open and close. Seconds later the engine comes to life.

  “Let’s go Jen we haven’t got all day.”

  I run around to the passenger side front door and get in. The car’s a disaster. I seriously doubt anyone will give this one a second glance. On the way to this supposed safe house Blade drives very conservatively, always staying well within the speed limit, using his blinkers, etc…

  “What’s going on Blade?” I finally ask. “A few days ago you were all about the club and were on the verge of hanging me out to dry.”

  “I guess I just st
arted seeing things from your point of view.” He replies, picking up speed gradually.

  “Well that’s not enough. I don’t understand how you could be with someone…with me, and have the connection like we did and so easily toss me away like so much dirty laundry.”

  “Look, in my experience girlfriends, even wives come and go but the club… the club’s forever. Putting anyone one person ahead of the club goes against everything I have ever believed or been taught. It just took me awhile to figure out what’s more important to me, the club or you.”

  “So what decision have you arrived at?” I ask. I’m pretty sure I know the answer but I just want to hear it from him.

  “What do you think? I just shot a police officer and club member to save you. Do you really have to ask that question?”

  “You could have just been saving your own ass back there. You can leave me at any time and go back to the club but I’ll never survive with the club and the cops after me.”

  “You think I can go back after this? That cop back there, he knew who he was following. The bike he just demolished, it’s registered to me. You can bet your ass he called in the chase soon as he ran my plates he put it on the air that I was fleeing arrest. When the rest of the cops find a dead cop at the scene they’ll know immediately who killed their brother. You think you’re in hot water now? I’ll be wanted for murder by the cops and wanted by my own club for killing another member. They take that shit seriously. My only saving grace here is that in the club hierarchy I’m the number three guy, right behind the President and Vice President. You think you have nowhere to go? Well you’re not the only one in a pickle darlin’.”

  “Wow…” I reply. I’m at a loss for words. I really didn’t stop to see things from his perspective. “This safe house you’re taking us to. How safe is it really?”

  “The safest. Not even the club knows about it.”

  “How’s that?” I reply skeptically.

  “I’ve always had a backup plan should things go wrong with the club an-”

  “What? Are you freaking kidding me? The number three guy doesn’t even believe in his club enough to go all in? Wow, this is rich.”

  “Hey, I’m a realist. I saw what happened to my dad and the club the first time around and I don’t intend to rot in a cell for the rest of my life. Sure we’re pretty safe now, what with all the cops we have under our thumbs not to mention three…well two active members are cops. But nothing is completely safe. I’d like to get married and have a family one day. I have to think about these things too while doing my duties as the Sargent at Arms in an outlaw biker club. Believe it or not, I have a clean record.”

  “The safe house?”

  “Oh yeah, we’re going to see my grandmother.”

  “What? I didn’t even know she was alive. You made it sound like when your father died he was the last of your family.”

  “Well, I haven’t seen my grandmother in years. She wasn’t happy with my decision to join the club so our reception tonight might be a little chilly.”

  “Super.”

  We continue on in silence for another twenty minutes or so before Blade begins looking for a good place to park. We find a spot under a busted out street light.

  “Okay, we’re about four blocks from her house. I want to approach it from foot just in case we were followed or someone has figured out who she is.”

  “Alright, but don’t you think any of the older members will know who your father’s mother is?”

  “No. He kept his family life, except for me, isolated from the club in case he ever got busted or something happened in the club. No one knows about her.”

  “Okay, I believe you.”

  I don’t actually. I just don’t see how neither his father nor he ever mentioned her, or went to her house without anyone ever knowing about it. I should feel relieved, the closer we get to her house but somehow I don’t. I’m starting to get this sickly feeling inside and I can’t believe he’s not feeling it too. I look over at him. He is worried. It’s written all over his handsome face.

  “Something’s wrong, isn’t it?” I ask, wondering if he’ll give me a straight answer.

  He starts to shake his head then checks himself. “I don’t know, but something doesn’t feel right.”

  “Which one’s hers?”

  “That one on the left. The one with the old Ford in the driveway.”

  “So why do you think something’s wrong?” I ask him.

  “Why do you?” He counters.

  “How…never mind. I just have this uneasy feeling. It started back two blocks ago and gets more uneasy the closer we get.”

  “Me too.” He confirms.

  Blade pulls out his gun, pops out the magazine and inspects it.

  “What are you doing? Something wrong with it?”

  “I'm counting bullets just in case I’m not paranoid after all.”

  We walk cautiously up to the front of the house. He stops at the side of the car and looks in. Then he walks up to the front door and checks the door handle. Apparently it’s locked. Next he searches around the front lawn then lifts a smooth roundish rock. I get a glimpse of something silver in the moonlight; must be a key. Blade returns to the front door and slowly unlocks it, then pushes it open and steps through the threshold. I follow close on his heels.

  As we cross over into the hallway my heart pounds even harder. I don’t know why but my body is reacting like I’m in grave danger or something. I’m starting to sweat despite the cool air around me and my knees are shaking as adrenaline surges through my body. Blade stops at a hall closet and slowly opens the door. I search the hallway in the darkness half expecting someone to step out of the woodwork and attack. Blade reaches in the closet, grabs something and holds it out to me; it’s a shotgun! Yeah, I don’t know if I’m ready to shoot another human being even if they’re shooting at me. Despite my ambivalence I take the proffered weapon anyway.

  We continue down the hallway in silence. We’re so quiet I can hear myself breathe and so apparently can Blade. He turns around, puts his finger to his lips to silence me.

  “Must you breathe so loudly?” He hisses.

  “Yes!” I whisper back.

  He looks at me for a second then turns away, shaking his head. I follow him down the hall and into the living room. He motions for me to stop walking and proceeds to walk around in the living room looking for something it would seem. After a couple minutes he comes back to me and leads me down past the kitchen and down a different hall back to where could only be the bedrooms. He passes the first one whose door is closed. We pass what looks like an office or sewing room and go all the way down to the end of the hall. There’s one more room on the right. Blade peeks in first and freezes. Something is seriously wrong. I take a quick peek around his shoulder and immediately wish I hadn’t. I stumble backwards, barely stifling a scream. Lying on the middle of the bed, on top of all the covers is his grandmother. A dark pool of liquid surrounds her head and upper body. My stomach begins to revolt. I stumble back out into the hallway and across to the bathroom where I barely make it to the toilet before everything comes up. When I finally stop retching I stand up shakily and look for a towel. I don’t care whose it is. I just gotta get this off my face. Next I stick my face under the faucet and rinse my mouth out before taking a much needed drink.

  After a minute I straighten and walk back out into the hall. I am not going back in that room. I slump to the floor and set the shotgun across my knees. What a night it’s been! I close my eyes for a second, listening to the night sounds. I can hear a thunder storm from the north slowly gathering and moving towards us and I wonder if it’s going to bring rain; fairly unusual for this time of year. Abruptly the storm gets louder until it sounds like it’s almost on us.

  Blade comes sprinting out of his grandmother’s room wild-eyed and in a panic. “They’re coming!” He shouts. “They’re coming!”

  I jump to my feet spilling the shotgun to the floor. Thunderstorm m
y ass! It’s the Death Crusaders coming to finish what they started. I scoop up the shotgun and follow Blade down the hall. The roar of the motorcycles are so loud it sounds like they’re right inside the house. Blade stops in the kitchen and turns to me.

  “Look Jen, right now they’re just looking for me. You go through the kitchen and out the back door. If you go now before they’ve surrounded the place they won’t find you.”

  “But where do I go?”

  “Anywhere! Just get the hell out of town. Disappear and don’t come back until I contact you. Don’t expect a phone call and don’t answer any calls you don’t recognize and especially don’t answer one from my phone.”

  “B-but what are y-you going to d-do?”

  “I’m going to hold them off and give you time to escape.”

  “I’m never gonna see you again am I?” I ask, beginning to despair.

  “I will find you Jennifer. But don’t you come back until I’ve sent for you.”

  “But…”

  “Bye Jen.”

  “But…”

  He turns to go.

  “Wait!” I shout.

  When he turns around I toss him the shotgun. “You’re going to need this more than me.”

  “I love you Jennifer Clarkson.” He says and sprints down the hall for the front door.

  “I love you to Sean Martin.” I say to his retreating back. I charge through the kitchen towards the back door.

  As I open the door and sprint across the backyard gunshots split the quiet night. I reach the back fence in no time as I hear the deep boom of the shotgun going off. I jump up, catching the top of the fence with my hands before swinging my heel up over the top. Then, using the police academy approved method for scaling a fence; I cross over into a large field full of tall grass, trees and bushes. As I sprint for cover I remember my friend Alex and the graduation I’m never going to see. As tears stream down my face I wonder if this is all worth it. It’s like I never had a chance to escape tonight’s destiny. I was hooked the moment I saw the blue-eyed biker rolling through town when I was just an impressionable nine year old girl.