Survival Games

by J. E. Taylor

  Ty slipped away to check out the terrain. He slipped to the luxury end unit and picked the lock easily, sneaking inside and setting up his equipment, a small explosive charge, a camera and a sensor that would trigger chloroform mist. Quietly shutting the door behind him, he stepped out, unnoticed, shoving his work gloves in his pocket.

  While watching the taping from the wings, a man tapped Ty on the shoulder. He turned, getting a good look at the secondary target. Same height and build as the primary, but not a pretty boy, Frank did get good intelligence.

  They were having an issue with the equipment and needed his help, just as planned. Their path took them close to the primary’s trailer and Ty jabbed the small syringe in the man’s back, depressing it and catching the dead weight as he fell. He was able to roll him behind the wheel well, hiding him from view before returning to give direction on the equipment. No one took notice of the man’s disappearance.

  Ty and Chris headed back to their trailer before the scene wrapped up. Darkness settled over the lot and Ty opened his laptop, linking in to the surveillance frequency and waited. He didn’t have to wait too long before the target entered his trailer, saying goodnight to his co-workers. The door shut and Ty switched the feed to the interior camera in time to see his target undress and crawl into bed. Ty pushed a button and an invisible vapor streamed from above the bed settling over him and dragging him into unconsciousness. Ty pressed the button again and the vapor stopped.

  “Our boy’s not a night owl,” Ty said and looked at Chris. “That’s much better for us.”

  Ty changed into a black outfit and put a black cap over his head along with black gloves. Chris did the same; they needed to be invisible tonight.

  They crept through the maze of trailers unseen. Ty picked the lock and pointed under the trailer. Silently, they pulled the man Ty had curled up under the wheel well and carried him into the trailer. They stripped him down to his underwear and put him on the bed, switching him with the target. The return trip carrying two hundred pounds of dead weight was more challenging, but they made it to the truck, pulled open the doors and got in.

  Ty opened the floor and tossed him in to the space. He then removed the target’s wedding ring and headed back to the trailer. He slipped it on the man lying on the bed, covered him, and picked up the discarded clothing. He lifted the bed up to reveal a small storage space and threw the clothes in after carefully removing the wallet the man had in his pants. The small propane tanks he planted earlier were still there. He turned them on and propane hissed out as he pushed the bed back down.

  Reaching up, he plucked the chloroform mister that he had on the ceiling and placed it in his pocket. He also removed the small camera before inspecting the room for anything he may have left behind.

  Next was the stove. He reached under the stovetop and pulled the main propane connection, severing it from the controls and more propane hissed into the room. He left the trailer and headed back to the truck, stepping in to see Chris setting up the IV drip that would keep the target unconscious for the remainder of the trip. They covered him with a battery-operated electric blanket and closed the flooring in the truck.

  They slunk back in their trailer and got undressed, packing away the night gear in their bags. Ty slipped into sweats and looked at the clock, they had moved quicker than he expected, it took them a little under an hour to make the switch. He waited and watched as another hour passed. The man in the trailer was most likely dead by now from CO2 poisoning, but Ty had been instructed to wait for something else.

  The car pulled up around 2 a.m., which was what Ty expected and a woman climbed out. She walked up and unlocked the door, swinging it open. That was the last thing she ever did because Ty pushed the button, the electronic device he had in the trailer sparked, igniting the escaping propane and the entire trailer blew to bits.

  Chris gasped. Ty switched off the feeds and closed his computer. “Time to act.” He threw on his work boots and messed his hair up and did the same to Chris. They went running out of their trailers like all the others to see what happened. Flames had transitioned from the target’s trailer to the one next door and Ty grabbed the fire extinguisher off the wall, running toward the commotion with the crowd.

  Screams came from the burning trailer and Ty dropped the extinguisher, bolting to the door and yanked. The door didn’t budge and he reached down, snatching the discarded extinguisher and smashed the side window. More people had gathered and someone hoisted him inside. The female star of the show was rolling around on the floor screaming in pain as flames licked her hair and nightgown. Ty aimed the extinguisher in her direction, and pulled the trigger. White foam covered the woman, dousing the flames and he dropped the now empty canister. Sweeping her into his arms, he kicked the door open, getting her out of the trailer before the fire flashed in the small space.

  The site became a nightmare of fire fighters and a media circus that lasted throughout the night. The ruling by the fire department was that it was a tragic accident, a propane leak that was ignited when Mr. Whitman’s wife entered the trailer and flipped the light on.

  Several witnesses were interviewed and footage of the rescue effort splashed the airwaves, including footage of Ty saving the girl. Microphones were shoved in his face as reporters attempted to interview him. He sheepishly rebuffed them all. He was dubbed a hero by the media and it was splashed all over the news coast to coast.

  The truck was loaded and ready to go before the sun came up. Both Ty and Chris begged off offers of staying on site for the remainder of the day, telling the crew they were a little gun shy with publicity and decided to head back home with all the excitement still brewing.

  The moment they hit the highway, Ty blew a stream of air out of his lungs. “Jesus.” He glanced over at Chris and the shakes began. He pulled over to the side of the road and put the truck in park until the shakes stopped. He stepped out on the side of the road and leaned over, his hands on his thighs, and his eyes squeezed shut, wondering if he was going to throw up this time.

  Chris waited until he got back in the truck. “You okay?”

  Ty nodded. “Thank God that’s the last time I have to do that.” He put the truck in gear and headed home.

  Chapter 38

  Eric wandered into the kitchen and mumbled good morning to his father and climbing up on the island stool to dig into the cereal waiting for him. As always, his father had the news on instead of cartoons and Eric sighed, focusing on his meal.

  Jess would be so devastated.

  His father’s thought invaded his mind and Eric looked up at the television and froze with a spoonful of cereal part way to his mouth. Footage from the rescue scene rolled across the screen, including a reluctant interview with the on-site hero. Eric dropped his spoon and ran to the upstairs bathroom.

  “Mom! Mom, where are you? Mom!” he screamed at the glass but only his reflection stared back. Eric’s vision clouded, blurring, but he couldn’t reach her, he couldn’t see her and more terrifying, he couldn’t feel her. “Mom!” his voice hoarse from the choking tears.

  * * * *

  The coffee cup slipped out of Daniel’s hand, smashing on the tile floor, but he paid no attention to it as he ran toward his son’s frantic screams. Sliding into the bathroom and falling to his knees, he grabbed Eric’s arms, turning the flailing boy toward him.

  “I can’t see Mom anymore!” Tears streaked his face, his chin trembling and there was fear, fear deeper than Daniel had ever seen in anyone’s eyes.

  The pain of Jessica’s death shot through him yet again, knocking the wind out of him and he wrapped his arms around Eric, pulling him against his chest, holding the child as he fought to break his grasp.

  Eric wiggled, screaming ‘You don’t understand’ over and over and over.

  “Don’t understand what?” Daniel asked once Eric stopped moving. His heart, pounding double time in his chest, nearly shattered at the look on his son’s face when he met his gaze.

  �
��You don’t understand, he left. He didn’t stay and now I can’t see her!” Eric pointed toward the hall.

  “Who left?”

  “The man on the TV. He was supposed to protect Mom. Now the bad man has her and I can’t see her.”

  “You mean Clark?” They had shown the actor’s face on the TV and both the kids knew the show was one of their mother’s favorite. It made sense that Eric’s fantasy included Superman.

  “No, Dad, the one who saved Lois, he was supposed to protect Mom.”

  Daniel was dumbfounded. He pulled Eric to his chest again. “It’s okay,” he said.

  Eric pulled away. “No it’s not, Dad.” He yanked out of his father’s grip and disappeared downstairs to finish his breakfast, glaring at the television as the news cycled around again.

  With the front door open and kids congregating on the corner for the school bus, Daniel handed Eric his coat. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes.” Eric offered a half-hearted smile.

  Daniel watched him get on the bus and closed the door heading straight to the phone. His hand shook as he punched the number he had gotten so used to calling when the grief overwhelmed him. This time, when LeAnn answered, his voice uncharacteristically trembled. The aguish clear in every word as he walked through the morning episode.

  “I’m on my way,” she said and hung up the phone.

  Daniel sat at the table staring into his coffee when the doorbell rang. He crossed to the door and held it open for her. Her green eyes searched his and he shook his head, waving toward the kitchen where a hot cup of coffee sat on the table waiting for her.

  Daniel slumped in the chair next to her, his eyes filling with tears. “I know you said the fantasy was normal, but it’s hard. I thought by now he would have accepted her death. I can cope with a lot, but this,” he laughed a little to himself, “I don’t know how to deal with this.”

  LeAnn took his hand and squeezed it.

  He squeezed back and held it sending her a sideways glance. They had grown very close over the past few months. She was easy to talk to and he was so lonely without Jessica. On impulse, he pulled LeAnn toward him and kissed her. Her lips soft and inviting, kissed back, leaving a slight berry taste under the coffee. He licked his lips and leaned back in his chair for a moment staring at her. “I’m sorry,” he said after a moment’s hesitation.

  “Don’t be,” LeAnn replied and reached out to touch his face.

  Her fingers wiped the stray tear off his cheek, the light touch igniting him, making him forget his dead wife for an instant and he closed his eyes. The maelstrom inside created jitters in his stomach, a feeling he hadn’t had for close to twenty years and he opened his eyes. The depth of her green eyes pierced his, reflecting the same raw need flowing through his veins.

  “Think six months is too soon?”

  “Probably,” she responded but she didn’t stop him when he leaned in to kiss her again.

  Chapter 39

  Ty looked in the rearview mirror and nearly drove off the road. A little boy stared back at him and he was angry.

  “You were supposed to protect her,” the boy said.

  Ty blinked and he saw the road behind him again.

  “What the hell was that?” Chris asked as Ty swerved back into the lane, jolting him awake.

  “I don’t know,” Ty answered. “I think I may have drifted off.”

  Ty took the next exit, filled up the truck, got a cup of coffee and climbed back in. He looked at the map, tracking where they were. Chris settled into the passenger seat.

  “We are doing great on time. Cutting through Canada like this saved us close to a day. We’ll cross over at Niagara Falls and head south from there,” Ty said and handed Chris the map. “Let’s roll.”

  “Do you want me to drive?”

  Ty looked over at his brother and smiled. “What, you don’t trust me?”

  “I trust you. I just don’t think we will make it home if you continue. You haven’t slept since the plane ride out west and you really can’t sleep and drive at the same time.”

  “I’ve been okay to this point…” A yawn interrupted the conversation followed by a light laugh. “Maybe you should drive.” He handed Chris the coffee and even before they were on the highway, Ty drifted off.

  He narrowed his eyes, turning around in the bathroom. Standard for any educational institution he had ever seen, right down to the beige tile, white urinals and the smell of stale piss hanging in the air. When he was done with his casual survey, he glanced at the boy standing in front of him. The anger in the kid’s eyes caused him to take a step back and his words, his words rang through the room, echoing on the ceramic walls.

  “You were supposed to protect her.”

  Fire and fury and something else reflected in the boy’s face. It took Ty a second to recognize the underlying emotion and his mouth went dry. Fear. But not fear of him, some other nameless fear that spread into his bones and clenched his stomach. Ty hunched down to eye level with the boy, wiping his clammy, cool hands on his jeans. “Huh?”

  “My mom, you were supposed to protect her.”

  The boy’s deep brown eyes penetrated his, familiar in a haunting way, the same intense doorway, the same soul searching gaze and his knees weakened, almost dropping him to the floor. Even though he knew the answer, it still took him two tries to ask the question. “Who…Who’s your mom?”

  Quiet permeated the room, settling between them before the child spoke. “Jessica,” he said. “Now the bad man has her and I can’t see her anymore.”

  Ty felt his heart stop in his chest and his breath hitched in. He swallowed and licked his lips. “Eric?”

  The boy nodded and took his hand.

  “You had a cut on this arm. She made it better, like I made her better.”

  Ty stood and stepped back but there was nowhere to go. If this is a dream...

  “It’s not a dream,” Eric said. “You left her and I can’t see her anymore.” A tear slipped down his face. “You have to help me save her.”

  Ty stooped down again. “What do you mean ‘save her’?”

  “The bad man, he has her. He’s going to hurt her.”

  Ty shook his head, meeting the boy’s sharp gaze. “He won’t go near her.”

  “You left her alone.”

  The whisper caused a bone-drenching chill. “I’m sorry, but…” He didn’t know what else to say. How could he explain his actions to a little kid? The stunt last night was all to provide a distraction. A distraction to get this boy’s mother out of that hellhole but then what, then where would that leave him? His head dropped and he stared at the little Nikes on Eric’s feet.

  “You and my mom were meant to be together.”

  He raised his eyes. “Excuse me?”

  “She fixed your heart. You’re meant to be together.”

  Ty raised his eyebrow. “She fixed my heart?”

  “Yes, you aren’t mean or angry anymore.”

  He sighed, thinking of what he did last night. “Yes, Eric, I am still mean.”

  The boy shifted uncomfortably, his eyes dropping to the floor. “You saved Lois.”

  Ty assumed he was referring to the actress in the trailer and nodded.

  “What is redention?”

  Ty scrunched his eyebrows together.

  “You asked Mom if she believed in redention?”

  “Redemption. I asked her about redemption.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Redemption is when your soul is saved.”

  “Mom can do that. She’s special.”

  “She can’t save me.”

  “Yes she can.” Eric looked over his shoulder and then back at Ty. “You have to tell her to open the door. Tell her that Eric said so. I gotta go.” He turned and disappeared.

  Ty sat up like a rocket in the passenger seat.

  Chris was laughing at him. “You still talk in your sleep and let me tell you, you have some really weird dreams.”

  �
�Huh?”

  “Who is Eric anyway?”

  Ty glanced out the window. “Eric is Jessica’s son.”

  “Dude, you’ve got issues.”

  Ty grunted and rubbed his eyes, the vision of the boy still as clear as the scenery racing by them.

  “Get some more sleep.”

  He nodded and closed his eyes, drifting off into sleep again. This time his dreams were fragmented, bordering on nightmares. Flashes of blood and bruises, of her screaming his name in agony, of him not being able to reach her, all careened through his restless mind.

  Ty opened his eyes to a small rest area. Chris wasn’t in the driver’s seat and Ty glanced behind him. Toolboxes and cable equipment covered the hidden space in preparation for the border crossing. He turned his attention toward the building they were parked in front of. Watching as Chris crossed the parking lot and opened the passenger door, dark circles of exhaustion framed his eyes.

  Ty looked around. “Where are we?”

  “Ten miles from the border,” Chris answered.

  Ty did the math and his mouth dropped. “You let me sleep for fourteen hours?”

  Chris smiled. “You needed it.”

  Ty slid out of the passenger seat and stretched his aching muscles. “I’ll be right out.” He closed the door as soon as Chris settled in the seat he vacated. Turning, he trotted quickly toward the building. The cool water from the sink felt good against his tired skin and he reached for a paper towel, sopping up the remaining sheen on his face. He opened his eyes but instead of seeing his own reflection; the boy from his dream was staring at him from the mirror. Ty swirled around. No one else was in the bathroom with him. He turned back to the mirror.

  “I’m losing it,” he said aloud. The conversation with the little boy came flooding back.

  “Promise me,” Eric whispered.

  Ty just looked at him, his mouth hanging askew.