Last Freedom

by Kevin Partner

  "Oh, goddammit!" Hick hissed. He jumped down and kneeled beside the prone, groaning figure.

  "Stepped down a gopher burrow!"

  Hickman hauled the man to his feet and bundled him into the truck cab next to Rusty.

  "You know what they say about if you want something done?" he called. "Well, seems like I'm takin' a walk."

  Chapter 12: Escape

  Sam snorted as she felt a finger dig into her back. "Whaddisit?"

  "Shh! We must be quiet!"

  It was Said, of course. The strange young son of her captor. She opened her eyes as she felt him get out of bed, pad across to her side and light the candle. The orange glow made him look like the bronze statue of some Greek warrior. Except for the Band-Aid on his shoulder. Though he was slight, his muscles were well-defined beneath flawless, hairless skin. Warrior? No, god. Apollo, maybe.

  He turned to her and looked in her eyes as if checking to see if she was awake. "Come on, we've got to go."

  "What time is it?"

  "I'm not sure. Around two a.m., I think. You've got to be away from here before the sun comes up."

  She nodded and slid out of bed, slightly disappointed that his eyes didn't follow her as they moved toward the door. She'd never been alone, naked, with a boy without it being the prelude to something, but his lack of interest was quite conspicuous. Perhaps it was the terror of being caught.

  He pulled the door open a crack and peered out into the absolute darkness of the open-plan living room beyond. "There's a window over there," he said, pointlessly gesturing into the black. "We have to climb out that way. It's the only way in or out that isn't guarded."

  "Why isn't it?"

  "Because it locks from the inside."

  She touched his arm, trying to ignore her autonomic response. "Isn't he worried you might try to escape?"

  "What, poor frightened Said? The most disappointing son any man could be cursed with? No, he believes I am too frightened to even attempt it. Until tonight, I thought he was right."

  "What changed?"

  She felt his shoulders slump. "You did, Sam. For you, I will risk everything."

  He turned toward her and wet lips pressed against hers. Just for a moment. There was no desire in it. Just love. And, for the first time, she understood what that word meant in its purest form.

  Said grabbed her hand and she felt herself pulled into the darkness, full of regret that the moment had passed and delight that it had happened at all.

  Their feet slapped on the cold stone floor as he led her along the left-hand wall, slowing as he approached the corner of the room. She half expected the lights to come on suddenly and for them both to be exposed in their nakedness to a smiling Azari who'd be sitting in the comfy chair lighting a cigar and playing with the control that opened the trapdoor above the alligator pit.

  Said let go of her hand and she heard him grunt as he slid the window open. A cool summer breeze played over her skin and a faint light seeped in through the gap between the drapes. Said's hands guided her onto a chair and out into the ledge before he clambered past and helped her gently onto the grass outside.

  She felt him tug on her hand. "Hold on! I can't run around naked!"

  "I have a cache of clothes; we will go there first. Come. We must be silent—there will be guards."

  She looked up to see the first suggestion of the oncoming dawn and she guessed that Said had gotten the time wrong. Adrenaline stabbed her stomach as she thought about what would happen if they weren't far away when Azari discovered their absence.

  Said pulled her along so fast she couldn't see where she was putting her feet, so she surrendered her fate to him, trusting that he would pick a safe path through the garden.

  And then he fell with a cry as a shape collided with him.

  Sam fell on top of the struggling pair, but flew sideways as an elbow connected with her ribs.

  "Said? Is that you?"

  The struggling abruptly stopped as the larger shape moved away from the naked form beneath it. Sam felt around in the grass and her fingers wrapped around a smooth, round pebble.

  "Bashar? Yes, it's me."

  "But what are you doing out at night, and with this kafir?" The man turned to gesture at Sam, who froze in the act of picking up the stone.

  "Bashar, I beg of you to let us go. My father will kill me if you hand me in."

  "You are leaving?"

  "Yes."

  "With this woman?"

  "Yes."

  There was a moment's pause as the only sounds Sam could hear were the panting of her chest and the first stirrings of birds. "Well, good for you. But I am sorry, I cannot let you go. It is my duty to serve your f—"

  His hands came up as he fell to the ground clutching his head. Sam raised the rock again.

  "No! Do not kill him," Said said. "He is a good man. Please, Bashar, remain here and do not raise the alarm. Pretend to be unconscious, I beg."

  And, with that, the man went still.

  Sam dropped the stone as Said reached out for her, and they scampered across the grass together. "Hai Allah. Come, we must be quick. Oh, hai Allah."

  He darted around the barn that Sam had seen the previous day, following the line of the lawn as far as possible before pulling her across the rough brick-laid path and in through an old door that shrieked as he opened it.

  She heard the sound of rustling and soon he emerged with a canvas bag. "Here. These are some of my old clothes. It is the best I can do for now."

  She pulled them on, not caring that they were too big in some places and too small in others. Her feet rattled around in the sneakers, in particular, but it was better than going barefoot.

  "What now?"

  "We find Jay."

  In the slowly growing glow of the approaching sunrise, they glanced at each other.

  "We could just get away," Sam said so quietly she could barely hear herself.

  Said took her hands in his. "You go. I will give you the keys to the car. You go and I will bring Jay if I can."

  She flushed as shame flooded her. "I'm sorry. It's so tempting just to run off. With you."

  "I know. But Jay will die if we don't get him out of here. Take the keys and go."

  She shook her head and swallowed. "No way. Let's do it."

  She saw something glint in the low light as Said's hand moved to his belt. "I hope I do not have to use it on my own people, but I will."

  He checked that the way was clear before skirting the barn and heading for the building that the women slept in. "The medical rooms are there," he said. "There will be a guard, so we must overpower him before he raises the alarm."

  Sam gritted her teeth as she fought the desire to leave Jay to his fate. No, that wasn't fair; she didn't want to abandon Jay, she just wanted to escape more than she wanted to rescue him. That infamous Hickman self-preservation circuit was kicking in.

  So, she followed Said as he scampered across the courtyard to the outer door of the barn containing the medical room. "I will go in and talk to the guard. He won't be too suspicious now that I'm dressed. When the moment is right, I will overpower him."

  "Oh, come on, Said. That's a crazy plan."

  "Do you have a better one?"

  Said pulled the door open and pushed Sam inside.

  "What is this?" The guard jerked awake and, for a moment, Sam thought he was going to shoot them in his confusion, but he lowered the handgun, rubbed his eyes and squinted at them. "Said?"

  "Hello, Fazel. Don't worry, I will not report you to my father for sleeping on duty. I myself have been up all night," he said, tilting his head in Sam's direction.

  The guard smiled. "Ah, I see. Yes, I don't blame you. But why are you here?"

  "She keeps talking about her boyfriend. Is he here?"

  "He is."

  "And he is restrained?"

  Fazel the guard nodded eagerly. "He is handcuffed. I have the keys here."

  "Good, then I will have her—again—and he will watch.
"

  The guard chuckled. "You are your father's son, after all. Go, he is through there. Do you wish me to accompany you?"

  "You wish to watch, Fazel?"

  "No, indeed. I meant to control the girl."

  Said shook his head. "She is broken, my friend. I have tamed her like a wild horse and there is nothing to fear."

  Fazel looked doubtfully from Said to Sam, who'd opened her cast-off shirt to expose the top of her breasts as she did her best to look defeated.

  "If it makes you feel better, you may escort us and check whether the prisoner is indeed secure."

  Picking up his weapon, Fazel gestured to them to follow him. They were in a small room that had once been used to dry herbs and the place had the smell of onions about it. A door was set into the wall, and Fazel pushed it open unceremoniously to reveal a room with two beds. One was empty and on the other lay Jay.

  Sam gasped as she saw him. His face was bruised and swollen, and he lay with his wrists cuffed to the posts and his legs bound together.

  "Don't worry, missy," Fazel said. "He will not suffer for much longer. Today, he dies. I have the honor of separating his head from his shoulders."

  While the guard gloated, Said moved around behind him and in one movement pulled the sidearm from its shoulder holster and pressed it under his chin.

  "Ah. What … what are you doing?"

  "Silence! Or so help me Allah I'll blow your head off. Sam, get the keys from his pocket."

  Said pushed the guard's chin up with the barrel of the gun as Fazel's eyes swiveled to stare at him and then Sam. "Your father … your father will …"

  "I know what my father will do, Fazel. But he must catch me first. Don't make me silence you permanently."

  "What … what's going on?" Jay mumbled. "Sam?"

  Sam dug into the guard's filthy pocket, rummaged around and pulled out a metal ring with many sets of keys on it. As Said kept Fazel quiet, she ran around and tried the smaller keys one by one until, finally, the cuffs on his left hand sprang open.

  "Come on, Sam!" Said hissed.

  "I know!" Sam responded without looking up at him. Click, and the second set of cuffs came away.

  "You came for me," Jay whispered.

  Sam looked down at him and choked back her disgust. She knew that she should be feeling pity for him, but all she could see was a mass of black, red and purple bruising on the face of someone whose very existence was, right now, making it less and less likely they'd get away.

  "Here, cut the bonds on his legs," Said said, handing her the knife from the guard's belt.

  Finally, Jay was able to haul himself up and sit on the edge of the bed. "Is this a rescue?"

  "It'd better be," Sam said.

  He nodded at Said. "Isn't that Azari's son?"

  "Yes, and he's putting his balls on the line to rescue us."

  "You should've left me. Gotten away yourself."

  She couldn't resist. "Yeah, I should. But I'm here now, so let's get going."

  Fazal watched all this, sweat dripping from his brow. "What are you going to do with me? Your father will kill me for this!"

  "But I won't," Said replied. "Cuff him," he added to Sam.

  She took a pair of handcuffs and snapped them on to the guard's wrists. She then took the scarf he wore around his neck and tied it around the back of his head, gagging him. As Jay got unsteadily to his feet, Said guided Fazel to the bed. "Get on,"

  Once they had him tied like a hog, Said headed for the door. "Hai Allah, I think we're too late. Look, the sky is getting lighter." He pointed out of a small, grimy window at the barnyard outside.

  "Come on, we can do it," Sam said, slapping him on the back. "Let's go!"

  She followed him toward the door, then halted at a sudden muffled yell from behind them.

  "Jay! What the hell are you doing?"

  Jay pulled the knife out of Fazal's contorting body, his filthy shirt now drenched in blood. He bent down and whispered something to the dying man before joining Sam at the door.

  "He was the one who did this," Jay spat, pointing at his face.

  Sam flinched from the hatred in his eyes but forced herself to turn away and follow the horrified Said out through the little office where Fazal had been snoozing before death came for him.

  An amber glow rimmed the horizon and they no longer needed to feel their way like blind beggars, so they ran as fast as they dared. Said led them along the edge of the barn, then stopped them as they were about to reach the graveled driveway. Four Land Rovers were parked there.

  "Take care on the gravel. We have only minutes before they discover Fazal or Bashar. I have put fuel in the car on the left."

  He began stepping gingerly across the gravel, pulling a key from his pack.

  "You really prepared, didn't you?"

  He opened the door for her. "Will you drive?"

  "Me?"

  "I am not a good driver."

  "Wait," Jay said. "One thing before we go."

  Said turned to him. "I hope you're not planning on stabbing anyone else."

  Jay ignored him and hobbled over to the next car. He kneeled beside the tire and removed the dust cap. "Get in," he said, gesturing at Sam who was still standing at the open door of Said's Land Rover. "This is going to make a little noise and you need to be ready to get away."

  Sam climbed into the Land Rover and glanced across at Jay as he pressed in the valve. The hissing of escaping air seemed too loud this close, and she expected to see guards rushing from the farmhouse at any second.

  In fact, Jay had just finished working on the third car when the first one appeared.

  "Quick!" she called, as she turned the key and pumped the gas pedal. The Land Rover roared into life.

  "Hurry!" Said cried out. "We have to go! He is coming!"

  A bullet punched through the glass behind her, exiting through Said's open window. She engaged reverse and gravel showered the road in front of them.

  "No!"

  Said had jumped out. She saw him running around the back of the car as she reversed. He'd taken Fazal's weapon and sent shot after shot at the guards. She could tell he wasn't trying to hit them, but his attack forced them to take cover.

  Jay pulled a back door open and fell inside as Sam spun the car around in a pirouette. "Leave him!" Jay called out.

  "No way!"

  She pumped down on the gas and the car leaped forward, wheels screeching as she pulled alongside Said.

  "Get in!" she screamed.

  For a moment, she thought he would ignore her, but then the shooting stopped for an instant and he had the passenger door open and jumped inside. "Go!"

  And just as they passed the door to the farmhouse, Azari appeared, his face twisted with rage. He took in the scene, identified his son and pulled the pin on a grenade.

  "Get down!" Jay yelled.

  Sam shifted down a gear and put her foot to the floor, as the dark oval rose in the air. For a moment, it looked as though it was on a collision course, but she yanked on the steering wheel, sending the car to the right, just clipping the gate post as the grenade disappeared behind the back of the car.

  WOOMF!

  The back window disappeared as a hail of tiny stones exploded into the car's interior. She cried out as one hit her ear, but she kept her foot pressed down and headed out onto the lane that ran past the vineyard. Guards appeared at the entrance and began firing, bullets fizzing past. One ricocheted between her and Said as he hung out of the window shooting back at them.

  Then the large figure of his father appeared at the gate. He simply pointed down the lane at them, and then returned inside.

  She watched for pursuit until they'd turned the next bend and then, finally, she breathed out.

  Chapter 13: Desert gunfight

  They'd almost made it across the stretch of land that linked the two roads together when they were spotted. He was stumbling through the pre-dawn gloom, flanked on either side by half a dozen others, and the slow crawl
across the rocky terrain had gone without major incidents, aside from a whole lot of grumbling from the ungrateful SOBs in the backs of the trucks.

  "Mr. Hickman!"

  Hick almost didn't respond at all as it was Donnie Davies. He was jumpy as a jackrabbit and had been single-handedly responsible for every one of the false alarms so far. The last one had been when he'd called "rattler" after he stepped on a piece of old water pipe.

  "Mr. Hickman! I can see lights!"

  This time, Hick turned around. And his breath caught in his throat. Three pairs of headlights moving straight toward them as if driving directly across the desert. He didn't have time to figure out how they were doing that—maybe it was a lane that led to a well or something—he had to decide what to do about it.

  "Flashlights out!" he called to the others. It was just possible that these vehicles didn't know the convoy from Hope was here. Maybe they'd had reports and were investigating. Why else would they have their headlights on? Unless they knew that the trucks couldn't move fast enough to get away. But if that were the case, why not simply ambush them when they emerged onto the highway? Those thoughts fizzed through his mind in milliseconds.

  He jogged over to the first truck and looked up at the shadowy shape of Rusty. "I don't reckon they know we're here," Hick said. "You're gonna have to take your chances—the highway's only a half mile or so."

  "What're you gonna do?"

  "Me and the other walkers are gonna give them a surprise."

  "I'll stay with you. Someone else can drive."

  "No! I need someone I can trust to lead the convoy to Springs. I'll meet you there."

  "I reckon that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Paul."

  Hickman chuckled. Another former enemy who, despite Hick's best efforts, had become a friend. "Just leave us some weapons."

  Four of the five walkers agreed to stay with Hick, including Donnie Davis. Two men and two women with a combined age considerably north of two hundred fifty, they wouldn't be able to rely on speed or having keener vision than their opponents. All they had on their side was surprise and experience.

  Rusty took weapons from each of the trucks and handed them to the magnificent five. He added an assault rifle to Hick's Glock—one of those they'd taken from Ezra. Well, now it would give back to its home city. With compound interest.