by Jacobs, Kyle
"Okay, then. Ready?" Cole said as he gripped the door handle again.
"Ready," Owen said. "Oh, wait!"
Cole had started to turn the handled and stopped in alarm. "What?"
"Once were are outside where do we go?"
Cole took a second to consider, then said, "Anywhere they're not."
Owen nodded. "Okay. I like your plan."
Cole turned the handle the rest of the way, then pried the door open a sliver. Holding his breathe, he peeked out.
There wasn't an angry Filipino, waving a machine gun, waiting to pounce on them.
He opened the door a fraction more, then eased out a little and peered down the hall.
It was completely empty, all the way to the far east end. No one was there. Which didn't mean anything. They could already be searching the rooms on this level. Cole wouldn't know until they stepped out into the hallway. Then it would be to late.
"Anything?" Owen whispered from beside him.
"No. All clear," he said, and took a step out into the hall.
It was very quiet, eerily so. Maybe the men had moved off to another location to search. It didn't matter. He and Owen had to leave. But going back down the hall, and down the stairs to the front entrance was to crazy to contemplate.
"Okay," Cole said. "Give it a try."
Owen moved out of the hall, glancing briefly toward the stairs. Then he stood in front of the fire escape door and gripped the padlock. He already had a key in his grip and tried it.
Cole kept watch, keeping himself directly behind his, so if anyone started shooting, they would hit him instead of Owen.
Owen mumbled a curse when the key didn't work. He tried another.
Cole's mind was racing. Was this a planned attack? How the heck could they have known he was coming here, if he didn't even think of it until a couple of days earlier?
He had previously hired a security firm to handle all his travelling, but over the years it just seemed more of a hindrance than a necessity. If you were a rich target, what better indication than having some bodyguards shadowing your every move?
No, he changed his mind. Hiding in plain sight felt better. At least then he could blend into a crowd, or move about without drawing attention to himself.
But now, he didn't seem to sure. Perhaps, this could have been avoided if he had kept the body guards. He recalled the number of men outside and their fierce armaments. Well, a lot of body guards. And a tank.
Owen cursed again. "They didn't work. Should I keep trying?"
"Yeah, keep at it. No point hiding again." He tried to sound sure of himself, but if he was being honest, he had no idea if this course of action was the right one. How could he know? How could anyone?
Well, other than maybe bodyguards.
Owen started to try another set of keys. Cole was impressed with how he had recovered from his initial shock. Now Owen was just as bound and determined to get out of here as he was. Cowering in a corner wasn't going to solve anything.
He was then struck with a morbid thought. The men were here for him, that was for certain. But they weren't here for Owen. he was just a bystander. Someone that got in the way. And if they let his live, a potential witness.
Cole frowned at this. For all intents and purposes Owen would be seen as a liability. Disposable.
No, he thought. He wasn't going to let it get to that point. he would not be harmed. He wouldn't let it. No matter what that cost him - whether that be money or his life.
There came a sound from what Cole thought was the direction of the stairway. Shouting?
"Got it!" Owen said, joy obvious in his voice.
More voices from the foyer now, he was certain of it. A large group was here now.
He didn't mention the voices, and instead said, "Okay, lets get this chain off." Against his will, he turned his back to the hallway and the growing shouts and tried to help Owen unwrap the chains from the door handles.
It was a tangled mess. Cole started sweating, hands fumbling about.
"Let me," Owen said, pushing him aside. He quickly managed the little puzzle of the wrapped chain, and it started to unravel.
Cole bent down to catch the chain, so it didn't clatter to the floor.
More voices. He couldn't tell if they were closer or not. He felt he might be starting to panic. They would be seen at any moment.
Finally, the chain gave way, and the door handles were clear. Cole eased the chain into a little pile on the floor. Owen had put his hand on the push handle. He swallowed once, then gently pushed at it.
For whatever reason, the door suddenly popped open with a loud squawk!
Cole and Owen cursed in unison.
More voices from behind them. They had to have heard the door.
"Go!" he hissed, not looking back.
Owen moved quickly out the open fire escape door with Cole right behind him.
Chapter 9
Owen
They were outside.
Owen's heart had returned to his throat, pounding away at an insane speed. He looked around.
The fire escape they stood on was old, and its metal was rusted. Steep stairs went up to the third floor, while the stairs also descended down to the ground level. Below, through its metal grating, he could see a small concrete landing next to another door. Bushes and trees cluttered up against the building's wall, as if the jungle was trying to claim the resort for itself.
Directly across from them was the jungle canopy, thick and green, and seemingly impenetrable. Below and to the north he could make out the rooftops of bungalows and other buildings.
Thankfully, there was no one else around.
"I think they may have seen us," Cole said, from beside him. He still held the piece of shelving, but this time he was trying to wedge it in between the doorhandles. "This might slow them."
"What now?" Owen asked, and felt foolish. he knew what now, but wanted Cole to tell him.
"Get to the ground," he said, finally jamming the wood into place. "Hurry." He was still speaking in hushed tones. Someone outside might hear them.
Owen moved to the narrow stairs. Fear still gripped him, as his movements were stilted and almost robotic. He started to descend, gripping the railing for support. he didn't want to pitch forward or over the side.
The metal of the fire escape rattled and creaked. It seemed secure, but just old and neglected. The stairs were a single long flight down the side of the wall to the ground, and every step he took caused the stairs to wobble more.
He looked back to see Cole had only descended a couple of stairs. He was looking at the door.
"Come on," Owen hissed. What was he doing? Did he have it in his mind to try and stop whoever might come through the door? No, he thought. He was thinking of just slowing them down to give his time to escape.
"Don't!" he said. "Let's go!"
Cole looked from the door to him. Whatever crazy plan he had he must of decided against it. He kept climbing down the stairs toward him.
Relieved, Owen climbed down the rest of the creaky stairs. At the bottom, his feet touched solid concrete. He crouched down, and leaned against the wall. There was another fire escape door here, identical to the one above. He doubted anyone would come through it as it, too, would be chained and padlocked from the other side.
Thick, high bushes and small trees crowded up against the wall here, providing ample cover for his to hide. When he tried to listen all he could here was the noise of the jungle itself, and the creaking of the fire escape as Cole descended.
In moments, Cole was crouching down beside him.
"What were you doing up there?" he asked.
Cole offered a small shrug. "Thought I could surprise them, or something. Buy you time to get away."
"Not a good idea," he said and tried to look annoyed. But really, he felt touched at Cole's gesture. He felt some relief that Cole was looking out for him, and not running off on his own and abandoning him. He certainly wasn't that kind of person, he
knew.
He said, "Okay, now where - ".
Someone crashed against the door above them. It appeared the wood in the handles held firm. For the moment.
Cole grabbed his hand. "Gotta move," he said, and they were off.
Still crouching they hurried north along the wall, keeping low. The bushes and trees were tall here and kept them hidden from view.
As they approached the corner of the building Cole stopped. Behind them, the fire escape door rattle violently. Someone was kicking or pushing against it. The next one would let them through.
Cole glanced around the corner of the building. Owen turned to look back up at the fire escape, but was suddenly pulled along again by Cole.
The fire escape door exploded open. Owen caught a quick glance of a man stepping onto the fire escape, and then his view was obscured by the corner of the building. Cole was taking them along at an angle so they would not be seen.
At the back of the resort building was a huge, wide balcony that stretched across almost half its width. Debris and leaves covered every inch.
Cole kept them to the edge of it, not daring to cross as it was a wide open space. Instead, he was leading them toward a cluster of bungalows a short distance ahead.
Owen's head was swivelling around, trying to see if they had been spotted. The rushing of the wind in his ears, and the rattling of leaves at their feet, kept him from getting a clear idea if anyone was near them.
As they entered the space between two bungalows, Owen looked back. He gasped.
A man was now standing at the corner of the building, exactly where they had been moments before. And he was looking right at his. Then he moved out of view.
"He saw us!" Owen said.
"Keep going," Cole said. They were moving along the side of a bungalow. "We'll try and lose him in the jungle."
It sounded like a good plan to Owen's panicked mind. Of course, it was their only plan.
Cole checked around the corner of the bungalow, glancing in both directions. Owen could feel the other man approaching them from behind. He would be there in seconds.
Then they saw the last of the buildings, and the jungle beyond. Once there, he was certain they would be safer.
Suddenly, from behind he heard a shout. He turned his head, still running.
The man was behind them now, pistol in hand. He was very close, and at a full run. He was getting closer. There was no time to get into the jungle.
They weren't going to make it.
Chapter 10
Owen
"He's here!" Owen said.
Cole turned to look, his eyes widening at the sight of the other man so close to them. They had seconds before he was upon them.
"Here!" Cole said, and altered their course to run around the corner of a bungalow.
But instead of continuing on, Cole stopped and turned.
"Stay back," he said, the tension in his voice was palpable. Cole pushed him back away from him. Cole crouched at the corner of the building, like a football player about to tackle someone.
"What are you - ", Owen started to say when he gasped in surprise.
The other man ran around the corner at that exact moment. He hadn't altered his speed and was running flat out. His eyes widened in surprise at finding them right there in front of him.
Then Cole jumped at him.
With a loud grunt Cole connected before the man could react to the new situation. Both men tumbled to the ground.
Something landed beside Owen. Not wanting to look away from the Cole and the man now wrestling on the ground, he found himself looking to see what it was.
It was a pistol. The man must of dropped it when Cole connected with him.
Owen blinked at it then over at the men.
Cole was larger than the other man, but that didn't stop his opponent from putting up one heck of a fight. They grappled in the dirt, Cole trying to keep him pinned.
For several moments Owen watched transfixed, unable to move.
Cole now had the other man pinned to the ground beneath him, but didn't seem sure what to do with him. Then Cole punched him once in the face.
The other man grunted in pain, but was not knocked out. It just seemed to annoy him.
Oh, God, Owen thought. What could he do? Jumping into the fray didn't seem to be the best idea. He wasn't any kind of fighter himself. Kick him, maybe?
Just then, the man got an arm free and punched Cole across the jaw. Cole's head snapped back and caused him to tumble off the man.
Oh, no! he thought.
Both Cole and the man stood, eyeing the other wearily.
The other man was definitely smaller than Cole, but wiry. He was Filipino, and wore dark trousers and a black shirt, which was now torn at one sleeve.
Cole seemed to have recovered and started to step toward the other man, his fists raised up, ready for more.
Then, the other man suddenly produced a small knife from his pocket.
Cole froze.
The Filipino grinned. He was missing some front teeth, and what was left was stained a deep yellow.
"To bad I can't kill you," the man said. His voice was high pitched, almost squeaky. "But I can still cut you good. Sell you piece by piece."
Cole looked grimly at the knife but he didn't back away. "Not today, you're not," he replied.
Owen was certain that it was pure bravado on Cole's part. He had a partial awareness of his research of him, and disarming thugs in a tropical setting was not in this billionaire's skill set.
The little man was enjoying the moment. The knife gave him all the advantage he needed now, regardless of Cole's size.
"Gonna carve my name in you," the man said, still grinning. "Then I'm gonna have a go at your stupid man-bitch."
Owen felt anger flare in his chest like a torch. Without thinking he scooped up the pistol. It felt odd. Not what he expected a pistol to feel like but he didn't care at that very moment.
The man took a step toward Cole, knife held out, ready to do damage.
Owen pointed the pistol at the man. "Who's stupid?" he asked, and fired.
The man had started to turn his head toward Owen when a dart pierced his throat. His eyes widened. Then they went cross eyed and he dropped the knife.
He fell to his knees, clutching the dart in his neck. He made a strange gurgling noise, then pitched forward onto his face. Then he was still.
Cole looked from the man to Owen, then to the man again.
"Wow," he said. "Thanks for that."
Owen was staring at the man in shock. "I... I shot him. I shot someone." His hands were shaking, and he dropped the pistol to the ground. What had he done?
Cole leaned over the man, cautiously. He scooped up the knife.
"Did I kill him?" Owen heard himself ask. He never in his life thought he would have to ask that question. He stared down at the inert form of the man with growing apprehension.
Cole put his finger the man's neck. After a few moments he shook his head. "No. He's not dead at all. Just out cold."
Relief flooded through Owen. Thank God. He wasn't a murderer. Still, the panic coursed through his veins and he found he could not stop shaking.
Cole was examining the dart that stuck out of the man's neck. "It some sort of knock out toxin. Not meant to kill. Just render you unconscious. Looks like it works really fast, too."
He picked up the pistol Owen had dropped. "Just a dart gun. Can't fire bullets." He opened the pistol exposing an empty chamber. "Just a one shot affair. Not much use to us." He tossed it to the ground.
It was then he noticed Owen shaking. He looked at him in concern. "Hey, easy there." He put his hands on Owen's shoulders, like he had when they were in the closet. "He's not dead. Just asleep. You did the right thing. Trust me."
"Yeah," Owen managed to say. His closeness was reassuring. He felt himself calm down. His shaking subsided.
Cole pocketed the knife, and looked around. "Well, we can't stay around here. Best we stick t
o the plan."
"Plan?" Owen asked dumbly. Was he still in a state of shock?
"Yeah," Cole said taking his hand again. "Running away."
Then they ran into the jungle.
Chapter 11
