The Super Spies and the Pied Piper

by Lisa Orchard

  “Like I said… those are the house keys.”

  “All right, enough of this fooling around. All of you are coming with me.” He waved the gun, motioning for them to move out of the room. “Come on. I want you to walk in front of me.”

  The Super Spies exchanged looks and then made their way out of the room.

  “What are you looking for?” Sarah asked.

  “The memo… same as you.”

  “My dad told me it was in the house. You didn’t find it?” Sarah caught Scoop’s eye and gave him what she hoped was an imperceptible nod.

  “It’s not in the house. I looked.”

  The cold muzzle of the gun made contact with Sarah’s skin at the base of her neck. It sent a cold chill through her body and she gritted her teeth in an attempt to control her shivers.

  “Now. Get. Moving.” He pressed the gun harder against her skin and Sarah picked up her pace.

  The group made it to the interior of the garage, where Martin Savage concealed his gun before going outside. “Now. No funny business.”

  Sarah let Scoop and Jackie pull ahead of her and then spun toward their captor. “I need to lock the door.”

  He stared at her like she had just jumped on the train to crazy town. “So, lock the door.”

  “I can’t. You have the keys.”

  He smiled, but it appeared like a wicked slash across his face to Sarah. “I’m not giving you back the keys.”

  “Oh, come on.” Sarah rolled her eyes. “What could possibly happen? I’m stuck in the garage and you’ve got a gun.”

  He gave her a belligerent look and then sighed. After fishing in his pocket, he pulled out the keys and handed them to Sarah. “Hurry up.”

  Sarah nodded and then looked at her friends. “I’ll just be a minute.” She locked eyes with Scoop. Hoping to communicate telepathically, she strained with all her might. Keep his attention away from me.

  Scoop seemed to catch her drift because he pretended to stumble against a wheelbarrow sitting near the wall.

  Martin Savage spun toward him, gun drawn. “Hey!”

  “Sorry, just tripped,” Scoop said in an uneasy tone.

  Sarah turned her back and fished the house keys out of her pocket, replacing them with her father’s office keys. She walked toward the back door trying to appear casual but she knew she was doing a poor job. Locking the door, she whirled around and moved toward the group. “I want to lock the garage door too.”

  Their captor groaned. “Hurry up.”

  Once outside, the group huddled together, while Sarah locked the back door. Handing the keys to her captor, she took a deep breath and said, “Now what?”

  “I’m taking you to the boss. He’ll know what to do with you.” He motioned for everyone to pile into Scoop’s car. He placed his hand on Scoop’s shoulder. “I’ll drive. Give me the keys.”

  Scoop reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. He hesitated, then handed them to their captor.

  “I want you to sit up front with me.” Martin Savage jabbed the gun into the retired reporter’s ribs.

  Scoop winced and sighed then walked to the passenger’s door with heavy steps. He opened the door and climbed inside.

  The girls scrambled into the back seat. Sarah made eye contact with Jackie and tried to communicate telepathically with her. She gestured toward her pocket.

  Jackie’s eyes widened and focused on Sarah’s pocket. She grimaced and shook her head, telling Sarah she didn’t understand.

  Sarah glanced toward their abductor. He was adjusting the seat to his height and hopefully not paying attention to them. Turning to Jackie, she whispered, “I’ve still got Dad’s keys.”

  Jackie arched her eyebrows and a conspiratorial twinkle shone in her dark eyes. She gave her friend the thumbs up sign before buckling her seatbelt.

  Martin Savage gunned the engine, and the car lurched out of the driveway.

  The silence in the vehicle was deafening, and it drove Sarah crazy. She finally broke it by clearing her throat and asking, “Where’s the boss?”

  “At Piper Drugs,” their captor said while glancing in the rearview mirror.

  “Where’s Dottie?” Sarah asked, braver now she had found her voice.

  “I don’t know no Dottie.”

  His voice had an edge to it, so Sarah stopped talking. She exchanged a look with Jackie. Her friend’s eyes were filled with questions. Sarah shrugged and shook her head, telling Jackie she didn’t know the answers.

  Piper Drugs was a twenty minute drive from their house. Sarah remembered this from her trips to the office with her dad. The memories warmed her and she clung to them in an attempt to avoid the reality of her precarious situation. Shifting her weight, Sarah focused on the city of Walker.

  The traffic was still heavy, even though it was mid-morning. It surprised Sarah she hadn’t missed the hustle and bustle of the streets more. She’d grown accustomed to Harrisburg’s slower pace and yearned for the small town she loved.

  Martin Savage made a left turn and Piper Drugs loomed into view. Sarah grimaced when she saw the building. It was a monstrous giant, all shiny steel and gleaming windows. Cold and clinical were the words that came to mind when she stared at the building. Her stomach fluttered. The ride had been too short and Sarah’s anxiety turned up a couple of notches.

  “Where are you taking us?” Sarah asked, silently cursing the tremor in her voice. She didn’t want to show her fear to her captor.

  “Down to the basement. That’s where we keep the garbage,” he replied.

  A spark of anger ignited in Sarah’s belly. I hate his cold, arrogant attitude. She bit her lip to keep her retort from spilling out of her mouth. For the first time, Sarah felt trapped. At the moment, she had no way to communicate with anyone outside of the car. Her mind focused on her phone in her pack and a glimmer of hope sliced through the fog of despair clouding her brain. Groaning, Sarah leaned back against the seat and tried to come up with an escape plan.

  Jackie reached over and squeezed her arm just as the vehicle slowed and turned into the company’s drive.

  Their captor drove around the back of the building and parked near the curb.

  Sarah stared at the building, craning her neck to see all the way to the top. The structure seemed to be forcing its way up to the sky, disregarding the clouds swirling around it. Its cold exterior sent a chill through her body and she rubbed her arms to warm them.

  “Let’s go,” Martin Savage commanded before he opened his door.

  Before climbing out of the vehicle, Sarah and Jackie exchanged a look. Sarah read the fear in her friend’s eyes and tried to send her a comforting vibe. A nervous smile flitted across Jackie’s face before she grabbed her pack and scrambled out of the car.

  Sarah’s heart thundered in her chest. It was so loud she was surprised no one else heard it. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her backpack and stood next to Jackie. They clung to each other waiting for Scoop to join them.

  He pulled himself out of the car seat, moving with the slow speed of an old man. The usual spring in his step was gone and his face had taken on a haggard look.

  Sarah’s heart filled with compassion as he made his way toward her. It had never occurred to her their plan might have a detrimental effect on the older man. She laid her hand on his arm and gave it a gentle squeeze as he shuffled up next to her.

  “Come on,” their captor demanded.

  No one spoke. They looked at each other and then stepped together toward the building.

  Once inside, Martin Savage guided them to the basement. Sarah took in her surroundings, hoping the information would prove useful later. Maybe I’ll escape. She made a mental note that they had entered the building on the first floor.

  Their captor escorted them to a dark room. It was empty except for a card table and some folding chairs. “Take a seat. I’ll be back soon.”

  “Can we get something to drink?” Sarah asked, before he closed the door.

  “I
’ll be back with refreshments shortly,” Martin Savage replied, giving Sarah a sarcastic smile.

  His cold tone cut her to the quick and sent a chill down her back. She shivered and focused on her companions. They huddled together in the room as if they were trying to stay warm.

  “This is a fine mess we’ve gotten ourselves into,” Scoop said. He broke from the huddle and sat down at the table.

  Sarah and Jackie joined him and dropped their backpacks by their chairs.

  “What are we going to do?” Jackie asked.

  Sarah stood and went to the door. She tried the knob and found it locked. She spun around and found Jackie and Scoop staring at her. “You never know… he might’ve forgotten to lock it.”

  “Did he?” Scoop asked.

  “Nope.” Sarah sighed and sat back down.

  “So, what’s the plan?” Jackie asked.

  “I don’t have one yet, but I do have my phone.” Sarah fumbled inside her pack and pulled out her cell. She opened it and wilted, like a sail that had lost all its wind. “Wouldn’t you know it… no service.” She frowned and plopped down in one of the chairs.

  Sarah sighed as she surveyed the room. It was a small enclosure, no bigger than the interrogation rooms at the police station. There was one small window in the north corner. A sliver of light shone in, letting its occupants know it was still daylight. She stood and paced the length of the room. “Okay. Here’s our situation, we still need to get the flash drive and get out of here. We need to get it back to my dad, but we’ve run into the obstacle of getting captured by the enemy. Does that sound about right to you guys?” Sarah stopped her pacing and gazed at her companions.

  “Sounds about right,” Scoop replied.

  “The door’s locked and right now we have no way of escape,” Sarah continued.

  “Boy, you certainly paint a negative picture,” Jackie said.

  “I’m just trying to be realistic.” Sarah started pacing again. She chewed her thumbnail as she walked, growing more agitated when a solution didn’t come to her.

  “Are you going to ask me about my ideas for an escape?” Jackie asked.

  “You have ideas?” Sarah teased.

  “Yes. I do.” Jackie stood and put her hands on her hips.

  “Let’s hear them.” Sarah gestured with her hands and then sat at the table. She gazed at her friend with an expectant air.

  “We could just pound on the door.”

  Scoop pursed his lips and stroked his chin. “We could…but would anyone hear us? I mean we’re down in the basement and it’s Sunday.”

  “True,” Sarah said. She stood and again went to the door and jiggled the knob. She bent down and stared at the doorknob. “What’s this little hole here for?”

  Scoop stood. “Little hole?”

  “Come here and check it out.”

  Scoop hustled over to the door. He examined it and gave Sarah a wide grin. “It’s a way to unlock the door, in case you accidently lock yourself in.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yep.” He started searching around the room. “There’s usually some sort of long needle or pin that you put in that hole and it just pops the lock.”

  Sarah and Jackie followed his lead and searched with him. When Sarah came up empty, she sighed and sat down in a folding chair. She gazed at her friend and brightened. “Jack, do you have a bobby pin?”

  Jackie shrugged. “I don’t know. Let me check.” Jackie went to her pack and rummaged around inside. She pulled out her phone. “I wonder if I can get a signal.” She opened her phone and tried. “Nope.” She put the phone in her front pocket and continued her search for a bobby pin.

  “Bummer,” Sarah said.

  “We might be able to when we get to the first floor,” Jackie said, searching inside her pack. “What do you know? I do.” She held up a couple of bobby pins with a triumphant grin. “Don’t tell me my fashion sense is going to save us a third time.”

  Sarah snickered. “Okay, I won’t tell you that.”

  Jackie stood and held out one of the bobby pins. “Now don’t you see how being fashionable is an important asset.”

  Sarah rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Just give me a bobby pin.” She grabbed the pin out of her friend’s hand and bent her head to examine it. “Let’s see if it works.” Strolling toward the door, she raised her eyebrows at Scoop and gave him a triumphant smile.

  Scoop winked at her and followed her to the door.

  Sarah tried inserting the bobby pin into the hole in the doorknob. “Bummer. It’s getting hung up on that big bump at the front of the bobby pin.”

  “Try straightening it and inserting the other end,” Scoop suggested.

  Sarah straightened the bobby pin and tried to insert it again. “I think it’s going to work.”

  Just as she inserted the bobby pin, the knob rotated. Sarah lost her grasp on the pin and clenched her hands.

  Scoop pulled both girls back toward the table and motioned for them to sit down.

  As Sarah sat down, their captor stepped into the room. He carried bags from a fast food restaurant in one hand and a tray of drinks in another. Placing the food and drinks on the table, he said, “Here’s your lunch. Enjoy.”

  “When are we getting out of here?” Sarah asked. She resisted the urge to glance at the door, afraid he would see their attempt to escape and take the bobby pin with him. Her heart pounded against her ribs and she forced herself to take a couple of deep breaths.

  “I’ll let you know.” He gave her a menacing stare as he backed toward the door.

  “Why does Piper Drugs call themselves the Pied Piper of Drug Companies?” Sarah blurted out. Her voice cracked and she popped her thumb into her mouth.

  Martin Savage’s chest puffed up. “Because we are the industry leaders. We play our little song and dance and everyone follows us.” He stepped toward the door and grabbed the door knob. “What the h—?” He stared down at the knob and pulled out the bobby pin. “Well, well, well, what do we have here?”

  Sarah gulped and shrugged. “Beats me.”

  “Trying to escape, were you?”

  “No. We didn’t even know it was there,” Sarah said with a weak smile. She knew she should keep her mouth shut, but she couldn’t help it. Anxiety coursed through her body like a raging river and the only way to relieve it was to talk. “What is it?”

  “Tsk. What is it? As if you didn’t know.” He glared at her. “Okay. Hand over your backpacks.”

  Sarah groaned and felt the slight edge they had over their captor slip away. She exchanged a look with Jackie, before she stood on wobbly legs and handed Martin Savage her backpack. Her heart grew heavy. What are we going to do now?

  Jackie stood and handed their captor her backpack. Her shoulders were stiff and her movements were jerky, like she was on autopilot. Sarah could tell she was nervous.

  When he had both packs, their captor gave them a vicious glare before he exited the room.

  “Crap,” Sarah muttered. “There goes our only chance to get the drive and get away.”

  Jackie opened one of the fast food bags. “Awesome. Cheeseburgers! I’m starved.”

  Sarah stared at her friend. “I don’t believe it. We just lost our only means of escape and you want to eat.”

  Jackie snickered. “Relax, girlfriend. I’ve got another bobby pin.” Jackie put her hand in her front pocket and pulled it out. “See?”

  “You’re awesome, Jackie Jenkins.” Her limbs went limp and Sarah laid her head down on the table and took a deep breath.

  Jackie held up her burger to take a bite then stopped and gazed at Sarah. “You better eat. You’ll need your strength.”

  “Do you really think we should eat?” Sarah lifted her head and set her mouth in a grim line. She grabbed a burger out of the bag and then pushed it toward Scoop. “I mean they could have put some drug in the food.”

  Jackie spit out her food and grimaced at Sarah. “I didn’t think of that.”

  “Sarah’
s right. We can’t eat this.” The retired reporter pulled a hanky out of his pocket and wiped his forehead. “I’m getting too old for this kind of activity.” Placing the handkerchief back into his pocket, he sighed and said, “Let’s get to work on that door.

  Sarah took a deep breath and stood. “Okay. Here goes nothing,” Sarah said. She made eye contact with Scoop before dashing to the door.

  Scoop gave her a smile of encouragement, and Sarah bent down to insert the bobby pin into the hole. It went in without getting hung up and Sarah flashed Scoop and Jackie a triumphant smile.

  “Now, see if you can pop the lock,” Scoop instructed.

  Sarah wiggled the bobby pin until she heard the pop of the lock. She bit her lip to stifle the cheer rising in her throat. “I think I got it.” She straightened up and turned the doorknob. The door squeaked open and Sarah’s mouth went dry. “I don’t believe it.”

  Jackie grabbed her arm and squeezed. “Way to go.”

  Her breath tickled Sarah’s ear and she rubbed it until the tickle disappeared. She gave her friend a quick, triumphant smile.

  Scoop gave her a wink before peering out the door. He motioned for the girls to follow him.

  Sarah made eye contact with Jackie and whispered, “The coast is clear.”

  Jackie gave her a quick nod and squeezed her arm again.

  Sarah followed Scoop out into the dark hallway. A single bulb screwed into a socket in the ceiling at the end of the corridor gave off a faint glow that barely penetrated the murky darkness. No windows adorned either wall of the hallway and Sarah’s breath became shallow. She groaned, as that closed in feeling started to invade her body. Washington…Adams…

  Scoop must have noticed Sarah’s predicament because he grabbed her hand and picked up his pace, rushing past rows of doors much like the one they had just walked through. Jackie followed close behind.

  They made it to the end of the corridor, which opened up into a wider space. Sarah took a deep breath; it came a little easier and her chest loosened. She looked up at the naked light bulb and cringed. Feeling vulnerable out in the open, she searched for a place to hide.

  The only place they could go was up the stairs or down another hallway. She made eye contact with Scoop.