by J. R. Tate
“Mikey, I think you’re delirious. You alone couldn’t have saved me from being the way I am. I was acting like this long before dad ever died in that fire and you know it.”
Michael shook his head and cringed at the pain that shot through his brow. “No, damn it, you weren’t. I was the man of the house after he was gone and I fucked it all up. Mom couldn’t handle it alone and we sure as hell didn’t make it any easier on her.”
“You’re missing one thing though, big brother.”
“Yeah, and what’s that?”
Casey sighed and looked up at the ceiling. “You got better. You chose to stop and do something with your life. For once in my life, I didn’t follow you. I stayed with the drugs. Why is that? I followed you my whole life until what you did was right. You can’t put blame on yourself for that one.”
“Yes I can, Casey. I should’ve never led you to drugs in the first place. Believe what you want, but I should’ve been your father figure. That was my duty as the oldest, and now we have to face the consequences.”
“Mikey, get some rest. I know we need to find a way out, but if we aren’t resting we won’t have the energy. For once in your life, let me take control. I think you need it worse than I do.”
“Yeah Casey, you’re gonna save us all by yourself. In thirty years you haven’t done a damn thing. Why start now?” Michael regretted saying that the minute he thought it. “Damn it, I’m sorry. Here I am trying to apologize and I say shit like that.” He paused and squeezed his eyes shut. “Okay, let’s get some rest, but stay aware. The minute we let our guard down is when he’ll be back.”
Eva couldn’t sit still. She was deep down, praying for a busy day to allow time to pass without her thinking about the possibilities of where Michael would be. She felt worthless. There was obviously something going on. Michael would not no show for a shift unless there was some huge reason. Her gut was telling her that Viper was the reason. She couldn’t be at work. On the few calls they had ran, her mind would wonder, putting the patient in even more harm than had she not responded. The cops weren’t doing a thing. No one seemed concerned. She had to come through for Mikey. Even if this were some misunderstanding, just showing him that she was there would be huge.
She knocked on the side of the captains door. He motioned her in, but was on the phone so she waited as patiently as she could. After a few more minutes, he finally hung up, his eyebrow arching as he waited for her to speak.
“Sir, I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”
“No. What is interrupting me is the fact that McGinnis no showed today. Any possible reasons why that is?”
Eva began to pace back and forth in front of his desk, in what little space allowed. “Sir, that’s actually what I was coming in here to talk to you about.” She paused and took a deep breath. “I think something major is happening. Mikey,” she stopped herself quickly. “McGinnis would never leave us stranded like this without a big reason.”
Captain Rooker folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in his chair. “What’s your point, Crisante?”
“My point is, he’s been hassled by this bookie who has been after his brother. From what I gather, this bookie is pretty serious when he doesn’t get his money. I think something has happened to McGinnis. This is all just too weird, and recently he found out that his brother had went missing. Now he suddenly isn’t at work. That’s not just a coincidence, Sir.”
He didn’t respond, and the room fell silent. “And the cops are aware?”
Eva nodded. Her temper flared at just the mention of the police. “Screw the police. We’ve kept them informed and they just shrug it off. I called them this morning about Michael and they handed me the twenty four hour bullshit they always do about missing people.” She bit her bottom lip. “Frankly, I have no idea what the hell to do.”
The Captain sat up in his chair and grabbed an address book from a side drawer. “I’ll see what I can do, Crisante. I know some detectives higher up with the NYPD. Maybe they can light a fire under these other guys, so to speak. For the time being, get on the truck and run your calls.”
“Sir, I can’t even focus. I’m driving myself crazy.”
He shook his head as he flipped through the book. “I understand that. You’re probably sitting there thinking you aren’t doing him any good by being at work. New York is a big city. He could be anywhere. I’ll call the proper people who are experts in this. You stick to what you know and work. I’d let you leave, but with McGinnis being out I had to move some guys around. I really need you on the ambulance. Just do your best, that’s all I ask. I’ll make these phone calls. This is the best thing we can do right now.”
“I really feel like I should be out there looking.”
“Trust me when I say that we’ll get the proper guys on the job. I promise you that.” The look on his face was full of sympathy, and for the first time that day, Eva felt like this could be possibly headed in the right direction.
“Thank you, Sir. Let’s just hope the rest of the day passes quickly. I feel like a sitting duck.”
“McGinnis would want you to stay here and work. Don’t feel guilty about that.”
Casey watched as his older brother dozed off. While he wasn’t sure Michael was in good condition to sleep, he relaxed at the thought of knowing that he was getting needed rest to recover from his injuries. He wasn’t sure how he looked himself, but he could definitely say that Michael looked like hell. He probably endured much more physical damage.
Guilt hit Casey hard. Michael was in yet another situation like this because of him. Again he pulled him into a dangerous situation. Surely he would know by now that regardless of the hole he got himself into, Michael would be there to try and lead him out. Too bad he never learned not to get in so far over his head. Now the chances of them dying were greater than any other time in the past.
He just wanted to show Mikey that he appreciated everything he had ever done for him. He couldn’t believe that Michael had actually apologized to him for not being there after their dad died. If he only knew how much Casey appreciated everything he had ever done. It hurt him to know that Mikey didn’t see it that way, and that he never showed his true appreciation. Now was his chance to prove to him that he loved him. He didn’t know how, but he was determined to get him out of this predicament and take care of Viper once and for all.
There were moments when Mikey would mutter something in his sleep, but every time he did it was too muffled for Casey to understand. Casey had to do something soon or Mikey would die before Viper even got hold of them again.
At times, Casey tried to get sleep as well, but his mind raced with different plans on what he was going to do to save them. With their legs shackled to the floor it made everything impossible. Casey was grateful that their hands were free now. He examined the chains that were around his ankles. The metal cuffs looked like they were made out of handcuffs that cops use. The chains that led from that to the floor were locked on a hinge on the concrete. He tried maneuvering the contraption to work it loose with no luck. Whoever had welded it all together had done an excellent job.
“You trying to conjure up an escape plan?”
Casey’s heart skipped a beat when he looked up to see Viper standing near Mikey, that annoying smile on his face. He hadn’t even heard him come in. So much for being alert to help. “No. Just bored.”
Viper tilted his head to the side and knelt down. “Your brother is out of it. You sure he’s still alive?”
Casey nodded. “He is. I can see him breathing.”
Viper balled up his fist and hit Mikey right across the face, sending his head backward. It collided with the wall, jolting him awake. “Oh man, Casey, you were right. He is alive.”
The look on Mikey’s face made Casey sick. He was confused. His eyes scanned the room and he grimaced as blood poured out of his nose. “Hurt me, don’t hurt him.”
Viper glanced at Casey from the corner of his eye. “Oh believe me, I will. I
just want you to witness how you fucked up someone else’s life other than your own before you die on me.” He stood up and kicked Mikey in the stomach. Mikey hurled over and let out a yell and Viper grabbed a hand full of his hair, pulling his body erect again. “You see, Casey, that every decision you make doesn’t just decide your future. It decides the outcome of so many around you too.” Viper pulled out a clump of Mikey’s hair and threw it to the ground and kneed Mikey in the chest. Mikey’s screams and yells made the hair on Casey’s neck stand on end.
Casey felt helpless. The more he begged for Viper to stop, the more he knew the ass hole would inflict more pain on his older brother. “Mikey, I’m sorry!” The only thing that came to mind was apologizing. “I know it is too late brother, but I’m truly sorry this is all happening because of me.”
This caused Viper to stop his punch in mid air. Casey looked into Mikey’s eyes. Even though they weren’t speaking with words, Casey could tell by just the look on his face that Michael was coherent, and understanding every word Casey had to say. Casey arched his eyebrow, letting Michael know that this wasn’t over and to hang in there.
Viper backhanded Mikey and walked over to Casey, bringing the clump of dark hair he had pulled out of his brother’s head. “You’re damn right it’s too late. The torture has just begun.” He stared down at Casey a few more seconds, his cold and dead stare grating under Casey’s skin. “I’m having way too much fun with Fireman. All this time he had a mouth on him, and suddenly he’s silent. Woo!”
Viper grabbed at Mikey’s arm, but Mikey was quick and got to his first. Casey watched as he held on hard to Viper’s fore arm, causing him to scream out in pain. Casey wasn’t sure where the hell Mikey was getting his energy from to go through with it, but blood began to pour down Viper’s arm where Mikey was clinging on.
“Go ahead and kill me Viper. Just let it be known that we’re not gonna go down without a fight.” Mikey spoke between gritted teeth and was out of breath, but he was making his point. He sat up and stared into Viper’s eyes as he tried so hard to get out of Mikey’s grasp.
“Fucking let me… go.”
Mikey said nothing, but continued to dig his fingers into Viper’s skin. “I’ve got nothing to lose.”
After a few more seconds, one of Viper’s men came in and pulled Viper away. From what Casey could tell, his left arm was completely mangled. He couldn’t even move it.
“Motherfucker! Fireman broke my damn arm!” Viper let out a piercing scream and began letting out his frustrations on Mikey, using his right arm and his legs to send as much damage toward him as he could. “The plans have changed. You’re gonna die now, McGinnis!”
Viper’s helper pulled him back, calming him down. Mikey was barely conscious, but thankfully still breathing. Blood poured from a gaping wound on his head, as well as from his nose and his mouth. His eyes were squinted and his breathing became more labored.
“Viper, calm down! We have to stick to the plan to make this all look like an accident. You go killing him like this and it won’t look clean at all, okay?”
Casey could hear them talking in a far corner, but his main concern was on Michael. “Mikey, don’t go to sleep! Keep your eyes open! Stay with me brother!” He clapped his hands and Michael did respond to that for a second or two before his eyelids slowly drifted shut again. “I’m gonna get you outta here, just stay with me!”
Viper walked back to the center of the room, hurling all of his weight at Michael, his fist colliding with Mikey’s head, sending him backward against the wall yet again. He turned to his helper. “Jerry, we’re moving them to location two within the next thirty minutes. We gotta get the plan rolling. We hold them much longer and people are gonna start looking for them.” He paused and stared at Casey. “Well, they’ll start looking for Fireman. No one is really gonna miss Casey and the fuck up he is.” He knelt down by Casey, getting right up in his face. “You enjoy seeing your brother beat to shit? Get ready, it’s gonna be ten times worse here in a little bit.”
Casey couldn’t help but notice how close Viper was to him, and without any hesitation, leaned forward and head butted the menace. Pain shot through him, but from Viper’s reaction, Casey wasn’t hurting near as badly as him. A sense of satisfaction came over him, and his adrenaline pulsed through his body. “Fuck you, Viper.”
Viper clenched his fists and looked up at his friend. “And the torture keeps adding on. Don’t worry, you’ll pay for that soon. I won’t forget it.”
Casey let out a low laugh. “I can’t wait.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Mikey woke up to confusion. The room they were in appeared to be different, but he wasn’t sure if he was just dreaming. He felt as if he was in a state of fog. He was even free from restraints, able to move wherever he wanted, the only problem was he had no desire to move. Just opening his eyes was a hard task. He forced himself to look around, seeing Casey in a far corner.
“Case?” His throat was full of drainage and he coughed to clear it. “Casey?” His own voice sent pain through his temples and he squeezed his eyes shut to try and subdue the discomfort.
Casey quickly turned to him, his facial expression full of worry. “Oh thank God, I thought you’d never wake up.” He paused and raked a hand through his hair. “Viper is up to something. We don’t have much time. I don’t know what is going to happen, but now’s our chance to try and get out. We aren’t shackled to the floor, but this room is secured like crazy.”
Michael grabbed Casey’s arm before he could stand back up, taking in a deep breath. “Did they move us?” He tried to whisper. The smallest of sounds was taking his headache to higher levels. It was as if he had a migraine from hell. With every word he spoke he felt like he was attempting to run a marathon.
“Yeah, they moved us. I think this is a basement or something. Got us locked up.”
Michael dug his fingers into his younger brother’s arm, trying to get his attention again with minimal speaking. “You remember… those stories dad used to…” he paused and took in a deep breath. “Damn it, I sound like a damn emphysema patient.” Bracing himself, he clenched his eyelids closed and began talking. It seemed to take some of the pain away. “He used to tell us about those… tunnels a lot of older buildings here in New York had… you remember?” He opened his eyes long enough to see Casey’s reaction.
Casey nodded as his eyes scanned the walls. “Yeah Mikey. I remember.”
Mikey licked his lips, but his mouth was so dry that his tongue felt like sandpaper in his mouth. Swallowing, his throat burned. “Okay then.” Nodding, he let go of Casey’s arm as he thought a silent prayer that Casey would catch on to his reasoning. Hopefully he was making just as much sense to him as he was in his own mind.
After a few seconds of lying on the floor listening to Casey walk back and forth, Michael attempted to get up. The room spun around him and he instantly felt like he was on the tilt a whirl. Nausea shot through him and his body dry heaved in an attempt to puke. Mikey leaned forward on his knees and vomited what little was in his stomach. Looking up, he let out a groan as the bright light sent what felt like a nail right through his forehead. He had no idea what kind of shape he was in, but he had to help Casey.
He felt an arm on his shoulder, pushing him back down. “Mikey, just lay down.” Casey paused and a look of terror flashed across his face. “Holy shit! No!”
“What is it?”
“Does it smell like something is burning to you?”
Michael took in a deep breath and he fought off his body’s second attempt at throwing up. “Yes. This building is on fire, Case. We gotta…”
“I know! I’m working on it, Mikey, just stay put.”
“No, I’ve worked my share of fires. I know where to look.” Again, he attempted to stand up, this time fighting through all of the vertigo. Finally at a standing position, Michael kept his balance by walking along the wall, trying to ignore the fact that the smoke was getting thicker and the heat hotter. The
y’d be more successful if both were busy looking for a basement exit tunnel their dad had told them about all those years ago. Michael could remember it like it was yesterday. Warehouses had the tunnels for workers to climb through in case of emergencies. He hated to be pessimistic, but with their luck, this particular old warehouse never had them equipped.
After a few more steps, the smoke went straight to his head, and he collapsed to the floor. “I’m a damn fireman, and I can’t even stay up to help you out. I’m sorry.” He wasn’t even sure if Casey could hear him and within seconds, his vision went black.
Casey saw his brother collapse. There was no time to go check on him. He saw that the fire was spreading to them. The ceiling was completely engulfed in flames from the upper levels. The fire was eating away at the old wood quicker than he had ever imagined. “Damn it, where’s the tunnels in this place?” Running to a corner he hadn’t checked, there were several sliding doors that had been boarded up. Luckily, the wood was disintegrating from the years and Casey was able to pull enough loose to make a wide enough hole for he and Mikey to get through.
The tunnel was dark and musky and Casey wasn’t even sure if the fire would be in them either. He just knew he vaguely remembered his dad talking about how the tunnels were dug under the ground and had an exit that usually led them toward the alleys behind the building. Dark and enclosed spaces terrified him, but it was now or never. Either stay there and burn to death or see where the tunnel took them.
Running back to Mikey, he tried waking him but got no response. He was still breathing and that was enough inspiration for Casey to pick him up and hoist him on his back. It would be a chore getting him through, but his adrenaline was pumping. He had to tell himself it was all for Mikey. For all of the years Mikey had sacrificed for him. For all of the bad decisions Mikey had forgiven him for. Most of all, for Mikey being his father. It was time to prove to his older brother that he appreciated him. With that on his mind, Casey found strength he never knew he had harbored deep inside of him. The flames began to burn down the side of the walls, and with one last glance at the confined room they were in, Casey began their trek through the very tight fitting tunnel. The dirt was moist under his hands as he crawled with Mikey’s dead weight on top of him.
