by Kim Jones
“You’re going to be scared. You’re going to think of all the things that will go wrong, but you have to stay focused. You’re the only one who can do this Dallas. When you feel like giving up, dig deep and find the will to survive. Think of the sacrifices you’ve made. Let the priceless memories of the past few weeks flood your mind and fuel your drive. When they leave you alone, get to the phone. You will likely be restrained, but they will want to talk to you so I’m guessing you‘ll be in an upright position. The room is only ten feet wide. You should be able to get to the other side. If you can’t get there, be patient and stay still. You have until midnight and then you’re outta there. You can do this, baby. I wouldn’t put you in danger if I thought you couldn’t handle it. But, Lord knows it kills me. If I could trade places and do it myself I would. Now, put your game face on, and remember how much you have to fight for.”
I made it to the phone, letting Luke’s words overpower the pain in my chest, as I pulled against the restraints and the dryness in my throat, which craved a drink of water. The time on the phone read 11:52. I had eight minutes. I pushed my tongue between my lips, stiffening it as I hit the speakerphone button. I sighed in relief as the loud dial tone filled the room. I punched in the number I had memorized, with my tongue moving slowly, so as not to mess up. It rang once before I heard Luke’s voice.
“Dallas?” he asked, hopefully. I felt tears spring to my eyes as he spoke to me.
“Yes,” I said, with a croak, my voice coming out rough and dry.
“You okay?” me being hurt had not been part of the plan. Luke had been sure that Charlie would not let any harm come to me, as had I. I guess we had both been outsmarted. I didn’t want Luke to know what had happened, not right now. He needed to believe all was well. I knew if he found out he would call the whole thing off, and our one shot would be ruined.
“I’m fine,” I said, straining my voice so that I sounded more like myself. “I dozed off. My mouth is just dry.” What I would have given for one of Punkin’s peppermints.
“You’re sure?” He asked, his voice sounding worried.
“I’m sure. We don’t have much time,” I said, turning my head to look at the door as I spoke.
“Just a few more hours, baby. Do you remember what to do next?” His voice was hesitant and I envisioned him pacing, running his hands through his hair, and wishing we’d never done this.
“Yes, I remember. I’m gonna hang up now. I’ll see you soon.” My words sounded promising, but I wasn’t sure how much truth they actually held.
“Yes you will. I love you, baby,” Luke said, his words just as promising and determined as mine.
“I love you too.” I stuck my tongue out and hit the speaker button, ending the call because I knew he didn’t have the strength to. As I scooted back across the room, my heart hurt for Luke. I couldn’t imagine the willpower it had taken for him to let me do this. He was my protector, the one who had saved me time and time again, yet he was the one who had coached me on how to save myself. I made it back to the center of the room between the two beds, my chest burning from the pain my lungs had endured earlier today. It took a while, but eventually, I calmed down. I was alert, aware, and ready when the door was opened almost an hour later, and the three goons, dressed head-to-toe in black, entered.
“How you feeling, Dallas?” The man asked, turning on the lamp beside the T.V.. I ignored him, my eyes following his every move, as he walked across the floor to take a seat on the bed beside me. I wished he would remove his mask so I could see his face. I tried hard to remember his voice, but it didn’t sound familiar to me. “Ready for round two?” he laughed at the look of panic on my face. I shook my head, unable to stop the movement as terror filled me. Just the thought of being subjected to his waterboarding torture had my heart racing and tears pricking the backs of my eyes. “I’m only kidding. That was fun, but I have something different in mind.” I watched as his head moved up and down my body, taking me in with lust-filled eyes. He didn’t seem to care how I smelled or what I looked like. I closed my eyes, letting Luke’s words fill my mind once again.
“You shouldn’t be subjected to any harm, but if you are, don’t panic. Move your body, so that you can feel that piece of steel digging in your back. If they want to hurt you, they will have to untie you. When they do, as soon as your hands are free, you reach behind you and pull out that M9 and don’t think twice. Aim at their heads and pull the fucking trigger. I know you can do it. You have already proven you’re a good, fast shot. Before their bodies have time to hit the floor, you call me and tell me it’s over then you run. I will meet you, just like we planned. I’m counting on it not happening. Charlie’s interest in you is the only reason I’m doing this. He wouldn’t tolerate anyone hurting you. But, just in case, you remember: Your life is the only one that is important. Don’t let them touch you, Dallas. You kill them. Kill them all.”
“Phone.” One of the goons announced, handing the cell phone to the man sitting beside me.
“Yeah. Yes, sir. As you wish. I’ll see you then.” The goon snapped the phone shut and handed it back, never taking his eyes off of me. I stared at the T.V. screen, trying to ignore him. “Now, why would the man who hired me to kill you want to see you one last time?” the guy asked, tapping his finger on his chin. “Is it because he just wanted to pay me to capture you so he could kill you himself? Or is it because he wanted to use me to make the kidnapping, then kill me, and kill you himself? Do you know the answer?” I closed my eyes, my tears flowing down my face, as the man realized he had been played. How could Charlie have been so stupid? He was not an amateur. He should have known better. “Why do I feel like you were in on this little set up?” I kept my eyes closed, refusing to look at the betrayed man. “I see, well,” the man said, standing up from the bed. I opened my eyes, watching him as he walked across the room, popping his knuckles and stretching his neck. “The joke is on y’all. You’re gonna die today, Dallas Knox, and I’m gonna take my five hundred grand and forget the other half was ever offered.” He walked back over to in front of me and leaned down, putting his face very close to mine, as he held onto the arms of my chair. “I am gonna pour water over your face, until you drown, then I’m gonna cut your tongue out, like I should have done when I had the chance.” The man removed the ski mask revealing the face I feared was beneath it. Crazy stood there, the tattoos that crawled up his neck to his jaw were in plain sight, and a dreadful reminder of the last time I had seen him. I stared at him, my eyes wide with shock and brimming with tears, my nostrils flaring as my breathing accelerated, and my mouth releasing the slightest whimper as it dropped open in horror. “Dennis!” the man snapped, causing me to jump in surprise. I looked over his shoulder as the man removed his mask and I remembered him as the one who had broken into Luke’s house, suffered at the hands of Luke’s iron fist, and grew excited and hard at the thought of touching me while he assisted in my assault at the hands of Frankie. “You recognize these faces?” Crazy asked, motioning between himself and Dennis. “If you don’t, we’re about to refresh your memory. We’re gonna relive that scene in your barn, but this time I will be in charge. We gonna tie you up, wet you down, fuck you dry, then kill you. And baby,” he said, his dark eyes filled with hate and evil as he ran a finger down my cheek. “There won’t be anyone to save you this time.” I began sobbing, begging for them to stop. I pulled against my restraints, screaming in the man’s face, prompting him to throw his hand over my mouth in an attempt to shut me up. “Jeff, get the gag!” Crazy yelled, and I stilled on his words. My sobbing stopped and my screams ceased, my flawless acting skills no longer needed as the name I had been waiting to hear was spoken. I looked into the eyes of Crazy, the look of victory in my own eyes registering on his face as I smiled underneath the weight of his hand. I watched as he stood and turned, reluctantly pulling his eyes from mine to land on that set of ocean-blues I loved so much.
Chapter 25
Dallas
“Wher
e is Jeff?” Crazy asked, his hands in the air as a result of Luke’s gun, which was pointed at his head.
“Right where I left him, but don’t worry, you’ll be seeing him soon enough,” Luke said, motioning with his gun for Crazy and Dennis to move to the other side of the room. Jeff, my ex-lover that Luke later found out was working for Frankie, was the flaw in Charlie’s plan that had given us the opportunity we needed to intercede. With a little bit of persuasion, Luke had convinced Jeff whose side he needed to be on. Jeff apparently felt terrible about what had happened to me and was willing to do whatever he needed to help. A gun shoved down his throat was also a factor in his decision, but regardless of the reason, Jeff accepted Crazy’s offer to assist in capturing me, and kept us informed of their every move. As they had walked from their vehicles to the outside of my room, Luke had simply walked in behind Dennis, rather than Jeff. The darkness and location of the hotel made the exchange work in our favor. Once I heard Jeff’s name, it was all the confirmation I needed to know that the switch had been made. Had it not, plan B would have taken effect, and it was much more risky than plan A.
“So, what happens now?” Crazy asked, his hands behind his head as he glared at Luke.
“You have two options. With the first, you might have a chance to live. With the second, I kill you,” Luke said with a shrug, feigning disinterest either way.
“Well it looks as if I don’t have a choice,” Crazy answered, his voice laced with malice, as he looked into Luke’s eyes. This was the part we feared most; whether Crazy would actually follow through or if he would kill me just because he could. Because of that, Luke sweetened the deal.
“When Charlie Lott walks through that door, kill him,” Luke said, spitting Charlie’s name as if it left a bad taste in his mouth. “Don’t ask questions, don’t wait for introductions. Just shoot him dead. He will possibly have three men with him. You have to take them out as well.” Crazy laughed at Luke’s offer.
“Why the fuck would I do that? I’d be signing my own death warrant. Nobody can just kill Charlie Lott,” Crazy said, looking at Luke as if he had lost his mind.
“You’ve already signed your death warrant, which brings me to the second part of my first offer. If you succeed in killing Charlie and actually walk out of here alive, and Dallas is unharmed, I’ll help you disappear. With a lot of money.”
“How much money?” Crazy asked, the offer on the table sounding more appealing now that he knew he didn’t have a choice.
“Ten million dollars,” I said, with a smile, watching as his face held recognition of our earlier conversation when I had offered him that to not torture me. It didn’t take long for him to answer, which was great considering time was not of the essence.
I was still tied to the chair, still covered in vomit and still sitting in piss when another episode of “Golden Girls” came on. This time, I was gagged. After Luke left, Crazy made it his mission to make me as uncomfortable as possible. At least he used a bandana and not duct tape. I was lost in my own thoughts, remembering the promise Luke had made to me as we had said our goodbyes the day I left for Atlanta. We were going through everything once again and when we discussed him leaving me here after making Crazy an offer, I knew it would be difficult for him to endure.
“When you come into that room, no matter the state I’m in, you have to play it cool. Whatever he says to me, whatever he does, you can’t lose it. If you kill Crazy, all of this will be for nothing. We need him. If everything goes according to plan, you walk out of that room and don’t look back. This is what you have trained me for. It’s what we have spent days preparing for and I’m ready. I’m going to need you to trust I can handle it. I know it will be hard. I know you will want to take me with you, but you can’t. Don’t say goodbye, don’t kiss me, don’t look at me, and don’t you dare fucking change your mind. Luke, promise me that you will leave, and promise me that you will be waiting for me when this is all over”
“I promise.”
Luke had fulfilled his promise, and had left without a single glance in my direction. I knew when he had walked out of this room and left my fate in the hands of Crazy, a little piece of him had died. I almost wished he could have traded places with me, not because I wanted him subjected to harm, but because I knew the turmoil he endured in walking out was worse than any physical punishment. We had already lived through that once before when he had chosen Maddie to go with him, and had left me in the hands of Charlie. To do it twice was almost too much for one man to take…Almost. Good thing Luke was not your average man. The flash of headlights bouncing off the walls in the room notified us that Charlie had arrived. He was right on time, according to Crazy, and I hadn’t expected any less of him. Crazy stood next to Dennis across the room, both of their hands behind their backs, as they held tightly to their guns and prepared for battle. I had been moved as far back as possible, leaving me pressed up against the night stand between the two beds, out of the line of gunfire. Hopefully. I was breathing hard, my eyes dry from them being open so wide, watching the door and waiting for it to burst open and the firing to begin. I started to hyperventilate. My body got that feeling you have when you are at the top of a rollercoaster, the slow climb causing the nerves inside you to build until you reach the top, where there is no turning back. The descent is slow at first, but then it free-falls, and your heart drops to your stomach, making bile rise in your throat, as your mind diligently attempts to prepare you for the worst, and you come face-to-face with what you are convinced is death. When the door swung open, two men entered and without question, opened fire on Crazy and Dennis before they had time to react. The sound of the bullets exiting the silencers on their pistols was louder to me than if they had been shooting without them. As I watched Crazy and Dennis’ lifeless bodies fall to the floor, I knew that sound was one I would never forget. My body heaved, trying to rush air into my lungs, which at this point was like breathing through a straw. I took loud, quick breaths in through my nose, my tongue pushing against the bandana in the hope of removing it, so that I could breathe. Charlie walked in behind the men, straightening the cufflinks on his customary black suit as his eyes surveyed the room. When they landed on me, he frowned, and I knew he was very displeased with my appearance. He quickly walked over to me, untying the bandana from around my mouth. As soon as it was removed, I began sucking large amounts of air into my mouth, trying to accommodate my aching lungs, as I continued to hyperventilate. The tape around my waist was cut and Charlie grabbed my head, gently pushing it me between my legs while he gathered my hair in his hands. Once I was somewhat calm, I sat back in the chair, eyeing the three men in the room. I recognized the tall, dark-skinned man who was always with Charlie and one of the goons that had assisted in my previous abduction.
“Dallas,” Charlie said, his voice soothing, as he sat on the bed next to me. I pulled my gaze to him, regret so evident in his face that I almost felt sorry for him. “I am going to cut the tape off you, and see if I can rub some feeling back into your limbs.” I nodded in acknowledgment, as Charlie freed my hands and ankles, which were taped tightly to the chair. He grabbed my arm, stretching it slowly and rotating it, causing me to whimper as a result of the pain and relief I felt from the movement. He kneaded my arms with his firm, skilled hands before making his way down to my wrists, and then my fingers. I watched as he slowly worked me, bringing life back into my arms. When I could flex my fingers on my own, he dropped to one knee in front of me to begin the same motion on my calves.
“I’m dirty,” I whispered, embarrassed as recognition of my disgusting soiled state registered on his face.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” he said, taking in my filthy clothes and rancid odor. My bottom lip jutted out, involuntarily trembling as the shocking events of the past twenty-four hours finally took their toll on me. I had a plan to stick to. I couldn’t break now. My condition was supposed to be beneficial to my mission. Part of the plan was to make Charlie realize what he had done was a mi
stake, but as I looked into his eyes, filled with pity and remorse, I couldn’t help but ask the question that burned at the back of my mind.
“How could you do this to me?” I asked, with a sob, as he knelt at my feet. His white hair was perfectly parted, his suit creased to perfection, and his scent was cool and refreshing, while I had been forced to undergo the most traumatic form of torture and was left praying for death, as I sat bound to a chair in the remnants of my anguish. “You did this,” I said gesturing down my body as my sobs intensified at his guilt-stricken face. “And for what? To try and prove that you’re what’s best for me? Do you know what they did to me?” this time Charlie’s eyes dropped from my face, and focused on my feet as he removed my shoes and began massaging them. “Do you know?!” I shouted, springing forward in my seat to get closer to him. He looked away, avoiding my stare, but he couldn’t block out my voice. “They tortured me! Th-They held a towel over my face and tried to drown me! I’ve had to sit in my own fucking piss for twenty-four hours, while you were sitting on your royal fucking throne!” I was crying, screaming, begging him to understand what he had done. As my words penetrated his brain, the images he created to match my story replaying in his mind over and over, his expression became angry. Gone was the look of remorse, and in its place was cold fury.
