Vanguard Security

by S. J. Bishop

  My car kicked as it struggled to shift into a higher gear. I pressed on the gas, lurching forward, tapping his bumper.

  Lauren flew forward in her seat, nearly banging her head against the dashboard. If it hadn’t been for my hand reaching out to support her, she would have.

  Dean swerved, crashing into a fire hydrant. Water shot into the air.

  After a small delay, he regained traction and continued down the road, cutting dangerously into a side street.

  With a squeal of my tires, I did the same.

  “Hello?” Cruz’s muffled voice came from underneath Lauren’s seat.

  “The phone,” I urged her.

  “Right.” She seemed to snap out of her daze, grappling for the phone, which was just beyond her reach. With a grunt, she extended herself just a little further, managing to wrap her fingers around it.

  “Hello?”

  “Yes. Yes. I’m here. I need your help again. It was all a trap. Dean just wanted to corner me.”

  “So there was no bomb?”

  “No, just a recording. Listen. He’s trying to get away. I’m following him, but this beat-up car isn’t going to do much. I need you to come out here and stop him. We can’t let him get away.”

  “I’ll get Ned to track down your car, and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  With that, the call ended. I adjusted my position, every muscle in my body tense with adrenaline. I glanced over at Lauren. I knew it was incredibly dangerous for her to be in the car with me. One wrong move, and we would both be dead.

  I reached out and grabbed her hand, locking our fingers together. I felt like this was the last time I’d ever get a chance to tell her how I really felt. “Lauren…”

  She squeezed my hand in acknowledgment.

  “I just wanted to apologize. I know things between us haven’t exactly been… normal. I can’t say I ever expected a pregnant woman to come knocking on my door in the middle of the night to tell me she was pregnant, but I’m glad you did. Even though some of your habits annoy and infuriate me, overall, I like having you around. Gina loves you… and so do I…”

  I heard her sniffle. “I love you, too, Franklin, but don’t make this a goodbye. We have to get through this. We have to raise our son together. After everything we’ve been through, we can’t let some madman stop us.” She leaned over and kissed my cheek. “And when this is all over, I want things to be different between us. No more holding back. No more hiding our feelings.”

  I nodded. She was right. For far too long, I had been suppressing the feelings that had been growing stronger with each passing day. There was no doubt that this woman was meant to be in my life. I would be damned if I lost her now.

  With this newfound resolve, I once again bumped into Dean’s car.

  This time, however, he slammed on his breaks.

  We crashed into him, the front of our car collapsing like an accordion. In a blur of white, the airbags were released, blocking my vision. All I could hear was Dean getting away.

  I screamed in frustration, slamming my fists into the steering wheel. Before I could come up with a new plan, however, someone opened my door. A second later, the airbag deflated.

  Cruz pulled me out of the car, thrusting a pair of keys in my hand. “Go on, keep chasing him. I’ll take Lauren back to safety.”

  “No. I’m going with him,” Lauren protested as she was helped out of the car. From what I could tell, she had sustained no major injuries.

  “You can’t. It’s too dangerous.”

  “I’m going,” she repeated.

  Cruz looked at me. “I don’t think you stand a chance of convincing her otherwise. I’ve seen that look before.”

  I sighed. “Lauren… please reconsider. At least if I don’t make it, Frankie can still have a mother. Please, for our son.”

  She answered by getting into the passenger seat of the new car and buckling herself in. With no other choice, I followed her.

  I didn’t hesitate to drive off, leaving Cruz in my wake.

  We had lost enough time as it was.

  “Franklin, are you there?” Ned’s voice came through the car’s speakers.

  “Yes.”

  “Sending you an update on Dean’s location. You can still catch up to him if you take a shortcut through the Steel District. The streets are narrow and easy to miss, but they will bypass a lot of traffic.”

  “I don’t care. Just show me how to catch that bastard.”

  28

  Lauren

  My heart had never beaten so fast. We were speeding down cobblestone streets. “Are you sure this is the right way?”

  “Yes. That’s what the map is telling me, unless Ned is leading us astray.”

  “No, sir! This is the fastest route,” Ned called out, defending himself.

  Franklin simply kept his eyes on the road, turning into a street that was somehow even narrower than the last.

  The side mirrors sparked as they grazed against the brick walls that threatened to close in on us.

  “Okay, this one is definitely an alleyway!” I screamed, holding on tight to my seat.

  Up ahead was a metal gate. My eyes grew wide as I realized we were planning to drive right through it. I braced myself for impact, my whole body tense.

  Crash! The metal flew above us, along with a couple of trashcans.

  “Alright, now up ahead, you’re going to merge with the main road once again. If I timed this right, you’ll be meeting up with Dean. The two of you should be head to head, driving toward the old Memorial Bridge. It’s currently under construction. Make sure to keep to your left, or you’re going to catch some air.”

  “Got it.” Franklin eased onto the main road, his tires squealing.

  A second later, Dean flew past us.

  Franklin floored on the gas, pushing the car to its limits. “Hold on tight…” he whispered, a sinister smile on his face. I knew he was after revenge at this point, and nothing could get in his way.

  I tried to keep calm, breathing through my nose and exhaling through my mouth. For a moment, everything seemed to slow down before it sped up just as fast. My stomach lurched inside of me. I was going to be sick.

  “There’s a tire spike up ahead. Swerve onto the grass, and you should be able to avoid it.”

  Franklin did as he was told. The terrain was bumpy and rough. Rocks flew up from underneath the tires, nicking against the windshield.

  Up ahead, Dean had managed to dodge the obstacle. He took an off-road trail used for RTVs.

  Franklin did not hesitate to follow him. “He drove into the woods. Where does this trail lead?”

  On the other end of the line, all that could be heard was the click-clack of a keyboard.

  “Ned, I need an answer. Where is he leading me?”

  “The Nomad Camp Site. It’s a Saturday; it’ll be packed.”

  “Fuck…” Franklin muttered under his breath.

  “You aren’t going to drive through it, are you?” I asked, thinking of all of the families that were enjoying a weekend of camping. “You could kill someone.”

  “I don’t have a choice. If we don’t stop this man, there’s no telling what he could do. For all I know, he’s planning to start World War III.”

  “Actually… he told me what his plan was. He wants to shut down VanGuard so that he can start a competitor company. Apparently, he has some associates in China willing to invest.”

  “So he’s doing all of this for money?” Franklin growled. “I should’ve known. I should’ve fucking known that this man would be willing to destroy everything I loved for his own sick gains.”

  “Franklin…” I took his hand and squeezed it. “We’re going to stop him.”

  This seemed to quell his anger. He sat up and leaned forward a bit. The trees started to thin out. I grew anxious, knowing we were getting closer and closer to the campsite.

  And suddenly, there we were, among tents, picnic tables, and campfires. Dean didn’t even slow down as he r
ipped right through it.

  People screamed and jumped out of the way. I looked back, but it was impossible to see if anyone had gotten hurt. We were going so fast.

  Soon, however, we were back on the open road.

  “Okay, you’re on the interstate. He’s heading east, I think…”

  “You think or you know?” Franklin snapped. “This is no time for hesitation, Ned. I need specifics. I need to know if I can cut him off.”

  “Okay. There’s a small, narrow bridge up ahead. It’s only big enough for two lanes of traffic. If you can get ahead and cut him off, that should be enough to stop him. Although be careful, it’s a drawbridge, and it’s often open for the sailboats that use the channel.”

  “Alright.” Franklin changed gears.

  Peering over at the speedometer, we were going almost 150 MPH. My heart skipped a beat, finding the number impossible to imagine. I held on even tighter to my seat.

  Slowly, Franklin crept up beside Dean’s car.

  I could see his face in the side mirror, staring us down. Suddenly, Dean jerked on the wheel, ramming into us. My door bent with the force, nearly yanked from its hinges. I screamed, nearly jumping into Franklin’s lap.

  “Get in the back,” he commanded. “Now!”

  I did as I was told.

  Before I could even settle myself properly, we were rammed once again. I tumbled into the back seat, my neck nearly snapping from the awkward position I landed in. Somehow, however, I managed to survive, quickly buckling myself in.

  On the third ram, Dean nearly drove us off the road.

  “Alright, no more playing around.” Franklin tore ahead, driving onto the bridge. He slammed on his breaks, swerving the car in a horizontal position across the road.

  It was too late for Dean to avoid us, but he nonetheless veered to the left, ramming into the railings. In an instant, they broke off and fell into the channel below. His car hung precariously on the edge. Dean opened the door, a look of fear in his eyes.

  Franklin started to laugh.

  I just sighed in relief, glad that this was all over.

  We got out of the car and approached. Franklin kept me behind his body, just in case Dean tried one last, desperate move.

  But before we could reach the car, it tottered forward, falling into the water.

  Franklin and I rushed forward, but when we looked down, the car was already sinking, only the bumper visible above the water’s surface.

  I held my breath, waiting for the villain to emerge, but he never did.

  29

  Franklin

  I stared in disbelief as his car was consumed by the water. Could this truly be the end? Was my nightmare finally over?

  After a few minutes, Cruz arrived at the scene. “What happened?” he asked.

  “He tried to avoid us and crashed into the railings, and now he’s at the bottom of the channel.”

  “Do you think there’s a chance that he could’ve gotten away?” Lauren asked, clinging to my arm. “I mean… people survive this kind of thing, don’t they?”

  “If he does, he won’t get very far. Our men are already posted along the coastline. He won’t get through them. Not this time.”

  “Did you figure out how he got through them last time?” I asked.

  “He was bribing them. A lot of people will do anything for money. You think you know a man, and then, they double-cross you.” He shook his head. “They’ll all be terminated by the end of the day.”

  I nodded. Everything was slowly coming together.

  “Is it over, then?” Lauren breathed.

  “Yes.” I turned toward her, cupping her face in my hands. “It’s all over. He’ll never hurt you again. I will never let anyone hurt you ever again.” Slowly, I leaned down and kissed her soft, pink lips. My arms wrapped around her torso, pulling her close. I never wanted to let her go.

  She tangled her fingers into my hair, tugging on it as the kiss intensified.

  Behind us, Cruz cleared his throat. “Well, I’ll just get going. I’ll expect the company car back in the garage by Monday. I’ll get Ned to order you a new one.”

  “Thanks. Oh, and tell Ned that I owe him one. I thought he would turn out to be some dumb intern, but he seems to be pretty useful, even if he doesn’t know how to shoot a gun.”

  “I heard you tried to give him orders.”

  “I did, but I don’t think he followed them. It was probably for the best. I don’t think I would’ve been able to do this without him.”

  “He’s a good kid,” Cruz agreed. “And we’re getting too old for this crap.”

  I laughed. “Maybe, maybe.”

  “Where’s Frankie?” Lauren asked, stepping forward. “I want to see my son.”

  “Oh, right. He’s with Amelia. Why don’t you two hitch a ride back to my place for dinner? I’ll have someone pick up the company car.”

  I shrugged. “Sure, why not? I caught the bad guy. I might as well enjoy some of Amelia’s cooking since I’m going to have to suffer through the torture of Lauren’s for the rest of my life.”

  “Hey! My cooking isn’t that bad!”

  “Gina fed your tuna casserole to the plant…”

  “What? She told me she loved my casserole.”

  “I can show you when we get home.” I chuckled.

  “Was it really that bad?”

  “Don’t worry about it, love. I’ll get used to it.” I kissed the top of her head before guiding her into the car. “I’m sure you’ll make a fine cook one day.”

  She pouted a bit but nonetheless got in the backseat with me.

  As soon as we were on the road, she rested her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes. It didn’t take long for her to fall asleep. I held her close, rubbing the back of her hand with my thumb.

  “Do you think it’s all over?” I asked Cruz.

  “You saw the car sink. Do you really think he could’ve gotten out of that alive?”

  “No, but I still can’t shake the feeling that he’s going to come back and haunt me. I feel like there’s something more I need to do to ensure my family’s safety.”

  “You’re doing all you can. You live a life of danger by working for VanGuard. That’s just the way it is. People will try to take their revenge, and it’s our job to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

  “Maybe I should think about retiring… focus on raising Frankie.”

  “I can’t let you do that. You’re the best man I’ve got when it comes to security. If you were to resign, everything would go to hell.”

  “But you have Ned now. He can take over the bulk of my responsibilities.”

  “Don’t be daft. He’s a smart kid, but he’s not a genius – not yet anyway.”

  “I’m not a genius,” I protested.

  “You’re just modest. We need you, Franklin.”

  I bit the inside of my lip, thinking about my options. I knew it was something I needed to mull over.

  “What’s for dinner, anyway?” I asked, trying to fill the silence.

  “I have no idea.”

  “I hope it’s something good… I’m starving.”

  “You and me both!”

  Epilogue

  Lauren - Six months later.

  How are the reports coming?” Cruz entered my office with his hands in his pockets, a look of seriousness on his face, which quickly disappeared as soon as he saw Frankie playing in the corner. “He’s growing up, isn’t he?” He scooped up my son in his arms and started to make funny faces in his direction.

  Frankie giggled at his ‘uncle,’ trying to grab his nose.

  “Here they are.” I presented him with a couple of thick folders. “I have no doubt that Norway will sign the agreement. I made it very difficult for them to refuse.”

  Cruz grinned. “Franklin has been holding out on me! Had I known you were such a killer lawyer, I would’ve hired you sooner.”

  I returned the smile. “I’m just thankful for the job. And for the fact that you let
me bring Frankie to work. I didn’t want to have him raised by a nanny.”

  “Don’t thank me. He’s a joy to have around.”

  Just then, Franklin appeared at the door. “I’m sorry, am I interrupting something?”

  “Not at all,” Cruz announced. “I just dropped by to grab the agreement papers. Lauren has been doing a fantastic job. I don’t know how VanGuard ever got on without her.”

  Franklin smiled, placing his hands on my shoulders. “I told you she’d be a fantastic addition to the legal team.”

  “That she is. That she is.” Cruz smiled, grabbing the reports. “Well, I should get going. Amelia wants me to grab some milk on the way home.”

  “Later.” Franklin waved, waiting for his boss to disappear before he spun my chair, kissing my forehead. “How was your day?” he asked before he took Frankie in his arms, lifting him high in the air and then dropping him back down. Frankie exploded into a fit of giggles.

  “Good. Really good. Even better now that you’re here.” I wrapped my arms around his torso and kissed his neck, slowly trailing up to his ear, where I nibbled on his lobe.

  “Well, I have an idea… why don’t we ask Cruz to watch the kids for the night? Then you and I can have a bit of fun.”

  “But he already left.”

  Franklin was already dialing his number. “Hey, are you still in the parking garage?” He nodded his head. “Alright, wait there, we’ll be out in a minute.” He ended the call and smirked at me. “Looks like we’re going to have ourselves a date night.”

  Franklin was acting strangely. He had this weird glint in his eye every time he looked over at me. “What are you planning?” I asked, growing suspicious.