by Kara Hart
I vomited into the dirt, clutching at my stomach. I could hardly even think. I was just so taken aback by the blow. Adam… I thought to myself. If he only knew the situation I was in.
“What we do is none of your concern. Here’s your money, scum. Now get out of here.” The man in the mask said. Clearly, he was the leader of the bunch.
I lay on the ground, vomiting from the pain. “YOU!” I screamed, pointing my bloody finger at the truck driver. “HOW COULD YOU?” I spit out chunks of blood and dirt. My eyes were two raging balls of fire.
“Sorry, babe. Had to do what I had to do. It’s nothing personal. I got kids to feed.” He walked off. One of the men kicked dirt at him, while the rest of them laughed and hollered. It was a game to them. I was just a pawn on the chessboard. But who were they?
“Pick her up. Bring her inside.” The man said to his goons. They gladly obliged.
“NO! GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF ME!” I screamed. It was useless of course. Still, I had to put up a fight. I kicked at them, I spit, and as a last ditch effort, I grabbed ahold of the dirt and threw it into one of the men’s eyes.
“AH!” He screamed, letting me go.
I quickly broke free, running as fast as I could into the darkness. I was free! My god, I was free!
BANG!
The sound of a gunshot ricocheted throughout the desert landscape. I felt the wind of a bullet zoom past me. I fell to the ground and scrambled to gain cover behind a large boulder.
“There’s no use in running, dear.” He said to me. “Come out now and we won’t hurt you…that bad…”
I breathed frantically. I looked left and right, trying to find a safe passage I could run to. It was no use. We were in the god damn middle of nowhere. The men walked behind the rock and grabbed me again.
“There’s a good girl…” He said to me, bending down to stroke my cheek. His eyes looked right into my soul and I did something no other girl would do. I spit directly at him.
He squeezed my cheeks hard and pushed me away. “That’s not very nice.” He said through gritted teeth. If he wasn’t angry before, he was now. “You won’t like seeing what we do to mean little girls.”
The dragged me into the old motel kicking and screaming. When I was fully inside, they dropped me onto the cold concrete. I looked around. There were candles lit in the back corner of the room and against the light, they looked like members of some kind of evil cult. The room itself was old and dusty, abandoned maybe a decade ago. Graffiti filled the wall. I turned my head as cockroaches scattered by my face. I was in Hell.
“Welcome to your new home.” The man said.
“Just let me go. Please!” I pleaded, tears hitting the concrete. I knew they wouldn’t budge. I knew it was all useless now. They were going to hang me up and kill me. They would have their way with my body and that would be the end of it. My fling with Adam would be remembered only by a few, and then it would disappear entirely. History would swallow us whole.
He ignored my cries. “This place held meaning to some people at one point in time. Lots of men had their fun here. It was known as a Red Light District of sorts. People drank their whiskey, gambled, and fucked their hookers in peace here. No one disturbed the fun. Not even the police. You know why?” He didn’t wait for me to answer. “Because the police were in on it too. The police were just criminals with badges. That’s how it was back then and that’s how it is to this day. The only difference is, it’s more corrupt today than it ever was back in the day.”
“What do you want…” I said, exhausted. I had no time for games. I just wanted to get this over with. “Kill me if you need to.”
“Listen, bitch. I’m teaching you some history.” He began pacing the room, circling around me. “Anyway, you’re not interested. That’s fine. I suspected you wouldn’t be. But you should know, we’re bringing that tradition back tonight. I’ve brought a friend. Maybe you two have met. Rose, meet Brianna. Brianna meet Rose.” The men laughed.
“No…it can’t be!” I clawed at the concrete, pushing my body backwards. They shoved me forward. One of the men took off their masks and suddenly, I realized Brianna Baxter was more powerful than I had thought.
“Hello, Rose. It’s just so nice to meet you again.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Get her some water.” Brianna said. “And quit your crying. I'm going to tell you a little story.”
“Lies. That's all you've ever told. That's all you ever been. A liar.” I spit onto the concrete and attempted to wipe the dirt off my face.
“The truth. That's what I'm going to give you, Rose. You can choose to believe it or not. That's not my problem. Either way, you're going to lead us to him. I’m sure of that. But I thought I'd at least give you the chance to hear my side of the story.” She bent over me and handcuffed my wrists behind my back. “Sorry about this. Precautions. You know…”
“I’m not going to listen to your bullshit, Brianna. I’ve heard too much from too many people to ever believe a word that comes out of your mouth.”
Brianna simply laughed. “Boys, leave us alone.” The masked men turned around and walked out. She watched them leave, making sure they shut the door and then she returned to me. She grabbed one of the many candles in the corner of the room and placed it in front of me. She then sat down. “You love him don’t you.” She said.
I was silent. I didn’t know what to say. Of course I loved him. But I wasn’t going to let her know anything about that. She deserved nothing.
“It’s okay, Rose. It was clear from day one. Remember when we first met? I could see it in your eyes. I can see it even more now.” The flame flickered over her aging face. She was probably in her late 20’s now, but the stress of her lifestyle and job was starting to wear on her.
I shook my head and looked at the ground. Was I going to be subject to the same fate? “Those men out there…who are they?” I asked her.
“I take it you know what I do for a living…” She sighed.
“If being a rat is an occupation, then yeah. I know.” I said, parting what hair I had left out of my eyes.
“You hate me. I get it. You love him so you hate me. I’m not surprised. After all, I was his lover. You’re almost required to hate me.”
“I asked you a question.” I looked at her with all the rage I had. She looked at the door and breathed in deeply.
“I’m not all you think I am…” She said.
“I’m not going to try and figure out your little riddles. Just tell me or don’t.”
“You’re feisty and a little bit courageous. At least, you are now. After all you’ve been through. After all you’ve seen and experienced. You have to be with these things I suppose. I can see what he sees in you though.” She picked herself up from the ground and walked around the room. “Those men out there are my companions…” She said.
“You mean they’re government agents.” I corrected her.
“You’re clever. But not clever enough.” She laughed to herself. “Some of them used to be. The others…well, let’s just say they’re the ‘good’ criminals. The lines are not as clear cut as you think, you know…”
“What do you mean?” I asked. I was stalling for time. I needed to figure out an escape plan, and fast.
“Think about it, Rose. You’re a smart girl. Who makes all the money around these parts?”
“…the cartel…” I sighed. It just dawned on me. It was the cartel this whole time. How could I have been so stupid? It was so obvious. “Jorge’s men… It was Jorge all along. You’re all in on it. You’re just playing Adam like a pawn!” I punched the cold concrete and dust flew up everywhere. Brianna couldn’t help but laugh. She ran up behind me and grabbed my shoulders.
“Don’t you see? It’s a losing fight, Rose. Adam, the gangs, this stupid biker lifestyle – it’s all for nothing. This is where the real power lies. Right in this room.”
“You heartless bitch!” I cried. “How could you?”
“How could
I? Ha! Your naivety makes me laugh, Rose. I’m sure Adam told you all about that day at the bank. About how it all went wrong. About how I didn’t show up. How I ruined their little party. What he didn’t tell you was that I did show up that day. I showed up and everything was fucked.”
“What? No…you’re lying!” I screamed. How could I believe her? After all I knew…
“The cops had surrounded the place. I got out and tried to help. I looked for Adam everywhere. He was stuck inside. So I did what I had to do. I drove off. I was there that day, Rose. I just couldn’t bear the pain of watching the only man I had ever loved die by the hands of the authorities. And when I heard he was alive and looking for me? Well, I cried tears of joy. I was going to get my man back. But the next time I saw him… well, the next time I saw him he was with you…”
“What about Jorge?” I asked.
“What about him? He was always a free agent.” She gave me a coy look and then giggled lightly. “What? You didn’t think me and Jorge were a thing did you?”
“That’s what I heard.” I said bluntly.
“What else did you hear…?” She muttered under her breath.
“It doesn’t matter. Nothing matters now…” I sighed. I had lost hope. There was no escaping her and her men. I yearned for home more than ever.
“Adam’s a liar, Rose. He always has been. God, when I dated him, he would tell me all sorts of things. He’d promise me this, promise me that. None of what he said ever came true of course. That was just his game. That was Adam. Still is.”
The truth was, she was right. Adam had been lying to me since day one. He had always argued it was for my own good, but after a certain point, it had become hard to believe him. It was lie after lie after goddamn lie. How could I trust the man I loved when he was constantly leaving pieces of the story out for me to discover later on? If he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me, he was going to have to earn it. By God, he was going to have to stop with all of the lying.
“What do you want from me?” I asked her. My eyes were shut, but behind my lids were waves of tears. None of this seemed real. Who was I supposed to trust anymore? I knew I couldn’t trust Brianna, but what if she was right?
“Oh, honey. You poor, poor girl. It’s not about what I want. It’s about what I need. What I need is for you to bring me Adam.”
I sighed outwardly and heavy. I clutched at my chest. It felt like at any moment my rib cage might collapse on itself. I had no options other than to agree. And for the first time, I betrayed the one I loved. “Okay.” I said. “I’ll take you to him.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
As soon as I said the words, the men busted through that door and took me into their control. They threw a bag over my head, causing my world to fall into darkness. I screamed, I kicked, and I foamed at the mouth. Again, it was useless. They had all the power in the world. I was just some little girl with everything to lose.
“Keep at it, little girl.” One of them mocked me. “Let’s tie her up and watch her squirm!” One of them yelled. The rest of them laughed like children. I couldn’t see and the air was faint. Yet, I was strangely calm. I wasn’t going to be killed. I was going to see Adam again.
“Leave her alone, you fools!” Brianna screamed.
“Sorry, ma’am…” They said to her.
“She rides up front with me.” I heard her say. A smile formed on my face.
“But ma’am…” One of them started speaking.
“Do not question me! Did you not get assigned to work with me? You are my subordinates. Nothing more. Now, I’ll repeat myself again: She. Rides. With. Me.”
There was a sudden eerie silence. The desert wind wrapped around our bodies, whistling ever so slightly. “Yes, ma’am. Of course, ma’am.”
“And stop with the ma’am shit. It’s weird.” She sighed angrily and kept walking. “I’m going to need 3 of you to stay back and wait for the shipment from Jorge. Remember, this is a government deal. If those guns are lost in the shipment, or if money is taken, it’s your head that we’ll put on a stick.”
Guns? Money? I thought to myself. What exactly was Jorge getting into? It must’ve been some kind of weapons deal. I had heard of stuff like that happening at the border. I just never thought I’d get this close to it.
I heard a car door open and I felt the men pick my body up and hoist it inside. The smell of leather and new car filled my nostrils and I suddenly felt a sense of nostalgia. I thought about the first time Adam and I set out on the open road, towards Oregon. We were so full of adventure and despair. Paranoia was creeping down our backs. And yet, we got through it with surefire agency and will. Everything was different now. Lines had been crossed. I messed everything up.
The drive went by faster than I expected. After all, the highway had become a familiar home of sorts. Eventually Brianna reached over and pulled the mask off my face. “Sorry about that.” She shrugged. “These men are paranoid people.” I turned around and saw the line of SUV’s following us.
“It’s like we’re politicians or something…” I mumbled.
“No. The politicians get us to do their dirty work while they sit in their cushy mansions. They’ll never know what we go through for them.” She stared straight ahead at the moving road.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” I muttered. Silence filled the car. “You ever listen to music?” I asked her.
“No. I prefer the silence.” She said.
“We saw you the other day, you know…at the bank. We saw you walk in. We were scoping the place out. We had this big plan. We were going to ransack the place. You know, take the money and run. Like you guys’ tried to years ago.”
She looked confused. “But that plan failed last time. Why would he try and do it over again? That’s suicide…” She was running the scenario in her head, counting the number of ways it could go wrong. “Unless…”
I looked at her and smiled.
“It’s just so stupid it could work…” She whispered. “The construction. I’ll be damned. No cops are going to be able to get through even if the alarms were triggered. Adam, you son of a bitch.”
“Yeah, and they’re doing work on the vault too. They’re making it more secure I think.” I added.
“…which means the vault’s security would be disarmed at least a few times a day…” Her eyes widened. “Rose, is this where Adam is going to be?”
“Yes.” I admitted. I was ashamed, but it was my only way back to him. There was nothing left for me to do but hang my head in sorrow.
“I knew I was close. I guess I just didn’t know how close I was. When is this going down? Next week? Next month? I can’t imagine Adam taking too long to scope the place out. That’s not in his nature. He’s smart, but he takes risks.”
“Tomorrow.” I said. I couldn’t bear to look her in the eye. I watched as the desert changed back into pines and dark shades of green. The mountains were lush and alive.
Adam, are you out there? Can you hear my cries? Be careful, my love…
“What will you do to him when you find him?” I asked her, while staring out the window. Truth was, I didn’t want to know. But I thought if I did, maybe I could change her mind.
“Kill him, of course.” She smiled. My stomach dropped. I rolled down the window and vomited.
“You disgust me.” I said.
“Oh, come now. Here I thought we were finally getting along. Now you’re telling me I disgust you? You break my heart, Rose. You really do.” This was all in jest, of course. She wasn’t saddened one bit by my words. In fact, I believe she actually enjoyed them.
“I said I’d take you to him. I didn’t say we were friends.” We were almost there. I watched as we passed the filling station where I bumped into the officer. We narrowly escaped that day.
“Only a little bit longer…” She practically sang the words. “Should we stop by Bruce’s house?” She winked. “It’s been a while since I saw the old man. I wonder how he’s doing. I heard he w
as kind of…sick.” When I first met her, I thought she was kind of pretty. But now, in the light from the sunrise, she looked disgusting. Like some demented witch. I said nothing. I knew she was just trying to get a rise out of me. This is what she did. Adam told me this not too long back and I believed it was the truth. She was an enigma and it was all so she could get her way. In my mind, she was an infant.
“Even if you find him, how will you kill him?” I asked her. I knew I needed to get as much information out of her as possible. If there was a way to save Adam, I was going to find out.
“Oh, my dear…you haven’t realized yet? I’m not going to kill him. You are.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
“Me?” I asked her. I was filled with disgust and contempt. Filled with malice. How dare she think I’d kill the man I loved? I’d rather die.
“Yes, you. This is what’s going to happen. You’re going to get out of the car a few blocks away and walk to the entrance of the parking lot. When he sees you, you’re going to get out your pistol and say these exact words: ‘Let’s do this.’ Can you repeat that back to me?” She asked me condescendingly.
“Let’s do this.” I said angrily.
“Good girl. Adam’s clever but he’s also very easy to decipher. I’m guessing those words will be enough to pump some adrenaline into his blood. I assume he’ll be coming from the forest entranceway because that’s where he came from the last time he tried this plan.”
“What if I don’t help you? It’s not like you can make me go in there.”
“You forget that I’m a federal agent. I can do whatever the hell I want. If you don’t go in there, I’ll go in there and shoot him myself. I’ll wave my badge around and play hero. You want that?” I stayed silent. “I didn’t think so. Now, where did you plan on escaping to?” She asked.
“You mean you don’t know?” I asked her.
She looked at me with a look of distrust. “They never did tell me how they got out alive that day…” She said.
