Distractions

by JL Brooks

  “Sit here by her, Shepard; you will help her to calm down. She’s in shock right now; I need to keep her sedated.”

  Claira walked back to the front of the plane and retrieved a small black leather case, while Shepard gently turned my head to face him. Holding both sides of my face with his strong hands, I could see the rage building in his eyes. I was still unable to move, despite the screams in my head. He no longer cared that his employer was sitting across from us. The moment I arrived, all formalities went out the window. Whatever happened to me along the river must have scared Doc enough to change his mind about him.

  Damn, how long had I been out?

  Claira came back over and lifted my arm, revealing a heplock that was taped inside of my elbow. A small syringe removed some liquid from a tiny glass bottle. She flicked the top a few times to remove any air bubbles before inserting the needle into the tube. My eyelids grew heavy as the drugs coursed through my veins. My skin started to feel itchy with warmth.

  Morphine.

  I was going to be out for a while. Just before going under, I heard his sweet voice.

  “I’m right here, Violet.”

  ***

  I had awoken shortly before landing. Shepard remained next to me, his arms wrapped possessively around my waist. I was able to actually blink and move my extremely parched tongue. The others were turned to their computer screens, talking into headsets. I lightly rubbed Shepard’s hand under the blanket to let him know I was coherent. He squeezed back and remained still as we held each other. Our quiet dance of fingers against palms, tracing secret messages to each other lasted until the wheels hit the ground.

  Claira came over to me and read my vital signs. She went to place another drug in my arm. I wasn’t sure if it was to keep me knocked out or wake me up. Regardless, I managed to mumble, “Stop, I won’t fight you.”

  “She’s awake.” Claira looked to Shepard and winked. Knowing with him there, I would be more docile and cooperative, she backed away with the syringe. I began to wonder if it was she who convinced the Doc to bring Shepard to wherever he was taking us.

  Doc approached to remove my restraints, yet Shepard warned him to back away.

  “I got this; don’t lay another hand on her.” His fingers gently slid along the belt to unfasten me, determined to be as protective as possible. The Doc put his hands up in surrender and gathered his things. I caught Claira looking at us affectionately, which made me feel more comfortable.

  “Hold on, Violet.” He dipped down near my waist and lifted me over his shoulder. Although it was far from the most comfortable, I knew it was the only way he could carry me off the plane unassisted. Once down the stairway, he slid my legs down around his waist, my head resting on his shoulder.

  A large van was waiting for us on the air strip. One of the men who I assumed was a guard of some sort opened the back door where Shepard got in and secured me in the middle seat next to him. Little was said among the others now that I was conscious. I grew curious about Mr. Gladstone’s role. Claira I got, Alessa never crossed my mind.

  I leaned my head on Shepard’s shoulder where he tilted over and kissed the top. His thumb pressed deeply into my palm, massaging little circles to give me something to focus on. Multiple sets of eyes watched closely, never before witnessing us interact in such an intimate manner. I didn’t know what to expect at the end of this journey. Being so focused on the end goal, I was blind to that which was taking place in front of me. I stopped being angry at what I thought was going on, and meditated on what was truly happening. My emotions were distractions keeping me from the truth. Alessa warned me.

  “Stay alert, Violet. Distractions will be your undoing.”

  I was surrounded by people I cared for, but didn’t trust. I was strong, but not that strong. The task I had been given was much bigger than one person could do alone; I just never saw the whole picture until now.

  The final piece snapped into place.

  I kept silent as the car continued along in the dark. A half hour or so passed before we pulled under the floodlights of a large area. Mr. Gladstone got out of the vehicle and told everyone to wait for a moment. Claira and the Doc exchanged glances before he looked back towards us.

  “I am sorry it had to go this way, Violet. You understand.”

  There was not an ounce of remorse on his face. This was the plan the whole time. He asked me to trust him and I did. Feeling Shepard’s hand tighten around mine, even he couldn’t stop my growing fury at the betrayal.

  The side doors opened and men speaking French escorted us down a long wooden dock. I was a bit steadier, yet Shepard remained by my side, giving me support. A gleaming white yacht came into view, ready for departure with a small crew scattered about in preparations. A narrow ramp was leading aboard the vessel. Gladstone was waiting for us at the top, directing everyone into the cabin, and then signaling to the captain it was time to leave. With the loud sound of the horn, we were soon off into the moonless night.

  Chapter 39 - Anchors Away

  The cabin was a spacious area, complete with a full kitchen, sunken seating area and various other spots to lounge. The long wooden table was littered with laptops and technical equipment wired together. Immediately, several people were seated, firing everything up, fingers flying rapidly as they entered commands, double checking for adequate connections. Shepard led me to the plush seating area and pulled me onto his lap and into his arms. The morphine continued to swim in my veins, leaving me exhausted. Claira came over and sat next to us, patting me lovingly on the leg. Alessa approached and sat down as well to talk to me.

  “I’m sorry I deceived you, Violet. I had no choice, but I really do care about you. You’re not just an assignment; you are my friend. That was all real.”

  I was pissed at Alessa. The others were in my life on a professional capacity; she was personal. But that was the point. Everyone in my life was assigned to be there. It started to make me nauseous. Claira saw my face and stood up.

  “You will feel better in the morning, I promise. Shepard, I want you to follow me with her and lay her down. I don’t want her getting sick. I can give you something if you need it, Violet.”

  I shook my head and curled back into Shepard’s chest. He lifted me up easily and trailed behind Claira towards a back hallway. The Doc moved to protest, but Claira lifted up her hand in a visual warning. The short walk led us to a spacious suite with a balcony. Claira asked if she could get us anything. Although Shepard said no, she continued to wait by the door. I knew what she wanted. Digging into my purse that she had set on the table, I removed a slender box masked as a powder compact and popped the top off, handing her the hard drive.

  “What’s the code, Violet.” She looked at the device as I had so many times, feeling the invisible weight of such a small object.

  “Esperanza. Now please leave us be,” I said quietly.

  She nodded and backed out of the doorway, gently closing it behind her. I followed and turned the lock, breathing out deeply while looking into Shepard’s eyes.

  He rose off the bed and approached me, pulling me tightly into an embrace. “There’s a big tub in here calling your name right now.” He chuckled, knowing exactly what I needed right then.

  Entering the bathroom, I refused to look in the mirror. I could only imagine what a disaster my appearance was. Shepard ran the water and stepped closer to me, touching a delicate button on my blouse. His nearness caused a hitch in my breathing, making it shallow. With nimble fingers, he unfastened each pearlescent disk, then slid the fabric down my arms. As he worked to remove the rest of my clothing, I remembered how much he enjoyed undressing me, how each article revealed a new area of skin for his eyes, hands and mouth to devour. The thought that I still had this effect on him warmed my soul. For a week, I denied his touch, fearful of what the emotional entanglements would bring. Surely the loss of such a connection again would be my undoing. I was so close to the edge, a feather could knock me over, never to return.
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br />   As he reached behind my back, his mouth dipped into my neck. The moment his lips made contact, I started to melt. My skin began to sear underneath the lazy kisses he trailed down to my shoulder.

  The bath was filling the room with steam, enveloping us in moist warmth. Beads of sweat started to form between my breasts and along the ridge of my upper lip. Between Shepard and the heat, I became even more delirious. He saw my eyelids start to droop and quickly removed the rest of our clothing. Picking me up and then lowering me into the soothing water, he sat behind me and pulled me against him so I could rest my head on his chest. I wanted to fall asleep, yet Shepard kept massaging my shoulders and hips to keep me awake.

  “Can we talk about what is going on?” He approached the subject cautiously, almost timid as to what the response would be.

  I nodded yes before breathing out deeply. “You’re not here by accident, Shepard, and neither am I. We were chosen by David to fulfill a task. This moment has been a long time in the making.” I waited to see how he took everything in. As I curled my neck around to look at him, he appeared confused.

  “David?” he asked.

  I nodded up and down. I closed my eyes as more started to come together. “Balashov is not who you think he is. He’s Doc, my Doc. David Robertson.”

  Scooting up slightly, I could feel his heart start to pound harder.

  “The Doc is dead, Violet.”

  “No, he’s not. He’s on this boat. He sent Claira to me after I got hurt to intervene. The other man – his name is Michael Gladstone. He’s the CEO of Beacon Pharmaceuticals, and my boss. The woman – her name is Alessa, and she was my best friend. All of this is a set up, we are just pawns.”

  Shepard started to grow rigid beneath me, ready for a fight. I flipped quickly in the water to pin him beneath me. He could throw me off in a second without effort, but he held still, eyes wild with confusion. I grabbed his face and kissed him with everything inside of me, willing this kiss to calm the beast in him, I refused to let go.

  He pulled away and looked pained. I could see him start to retreat within. “Were we real, Violet?”

  His question pulled the air from my lungs as the invisible knife sliced into my gut. “Don’t you believe that?” I couldn’t fathom that he even had to ask. After everything that happened this week, I was sure there was no doubt in either of our minds.

  There was no emotion in his eyes; they were completely void. I felt the ocean beneath us threaten to open up and drag me to the very bottom. My biggest nightmare was coming to fruition the moment he opened his mouth.

  “The bigger question is: Violet, do you?”

  I began to shake violently again. My body was no longer able to handle the stress my brain was under. “Please God, no!” I don’t know if my scream ever came out, because the world once again went dark.

  Chapter 40 - Eleventh Hour

  Shepard leaned next to me, gently rocking my shoulders so I wouldn’t startle. Lying in the soft bed, I didn’t want to get up, because today could very well be my last morning. I rolled over to the other side and inhaled deeply into the sheets where he had laid, capturing his scent. It looked like I was being reluctant, when reality was I was carefully constructing every moment.

  “I’m tired.”

  Two simple words could not express the energy it took to open my eyes. It wasn’t a physical lethargy, but an emotional and spiritual one, forged by years of carrying an unimaginable burden. I was ready to lay it down, and today I would find the reprieve I craved for so long.

  “There’s coffee if you want. I would bring it to you, but the others want to see you.”

  I smiled at the sweet gesture. He had no idea what was about to conspire, or perhaps he did. I could not prove it was he who anonymously tipped off a bidder that a hit was placed on me, but they used the information in exchange for reformulating a drug they were unsuccessful in stabilizing. I did not want to believe it when I was approached, but the evidence was irrefutable. They were all in on it, including Shepard. I tried to tell myself if he knew that his involvement would mean witnessing my last breath, I doubt he would have agreed. I wondered if they really thought they were protecting me, keeping me safe. No. They were insuring a billion dollar payday for a power hungry dead man.

  “I will get dressed and be out – give me just a moment.”

  Hesitating to leave the room, he finally turned and walked out the door. More than anything, I wanted to shout for him to stop and throw myself into his arms, clinging for dear life. I thought I was being cruel by withholding my affections, but my intuition proved to be right last night. If Shepard was back in my life to be a willing participant in my murder, there really was no longer a reason to breathe. My reflection in the mirror was the clearest I had ever seen. Past the dark circles and sallow skin, my eyes sparkled with resolve. Carefully styling my hair into a sleek ponytail and tasteful makeup, I looked the way I felt. I was ready.

  Walking into the main room, I saw everyone sitting around the table, looking somber as the news played on the flat screen TV. The anchor was speaking in French, yet the subtitles were in English. A new drug had been announced that would revolutionize how diseases were treated. The owner of the company came across the screen, popping corks off champagne with his research team explaining the discovery; along with the news story flashed my photo.

  It was called an amazing day in medicine, a breakthrough in science that would save millions of lives. Without a word, I poured a cup of coffee and began to munch on one of the pastries sitting in a white box on the counter. Everyone stared at my nonchalant behavior as I milled about the room, ignoring them. I was impressed at their silence. I could see the questions burning in their eyes, along with the fear on their faces. Hopping up onto the counter, I broke the tension with a little dark humor.

  “Since you are going to put a bullet in my head, we should probably go outside; it will make cleaning up go a whole lot faster.”

  The raspberry jam in my sweet started to ooze out of the side with each bite. Licking my fingers, I felt euphoric. The adrenaline pumping through my veins made it impossible to sit for very long.

  “You sabotaged the auction, Violet. How did you know?” David’s voice strained as he tried to figure out how I was able to fool so many people, including him. He was no longer Doc in my eyes; he was a monster I wished I had never met.

  “Tsk, tsk, tsk.” I wagged my finger back and forth.

  “That’s a secret. However, in my defense, how could I not? I knew the moment I opened that hard drive, you set me up. You thought I was some spineless woman who would never believe her beloved mentor would offer her up like some sacrificial lamb. You manipulated everyone around you in this sick game to get what you wanted. I bet they even thought they were doing something noble by protecting me.”

  Walking around the room, I gave the hand gesture of air quotes to emphasize the word protecting. Everyone watched as David and I embroiled in a battle of wits.

  “What did you promise them, David? What does it take to get someone to look the other way while innocent people die? Oh wait, we have already discussed this. I am not innocent am I? What did you call me? Oh, that’s right; I am wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

  I laughed as I took another bite of my pastry. Never once had I used the Doc’s given name before. The implication of what it meant was not lost. Walking towards a speechless Shepard, my head began to shake back and forth as the words hissed out of my mouth. “You are worse than him.” Just as I did with his father, I spit in his face with disgust. This time I was fully aware of the consequences of my actions.

  As I took one last look around the room, still no one spoke. They were unbelievable cowards. “Let’s get this over with.” I was not afraid, nor was I angry. If there were an ounce of compassion in them, it would be swift.

  The sun was beating down as the small crowd gathered in a half circle on the deck. With my back to the mast, I dropped to my knees. Closing my eyes, I brought my hands up to
my chest, lacing the fingers in prayer. I wasn’t asking for my life to be spared; I was giving thanks for the life I did have. It was not idyllic, but it was as I requested. My aunt had successfully contacted the bidder with the information I gave her, along with instructions to broadcast the discovery if I was unreachable on this date.

  The company was kind enough to honor my request to wait before announcing the drug. Knowing that today was supposed to be the auction, it was a gentleman’s agreement. If David had his way, he would be one of the most powerful men on Earth, and I would be nothing more than a memory. That was not to be. I was able to fulfill my purpose, so my life was not lived in vain.

  The answered prayer brought me peace, despite how short lived it would be.

  Normally, the sound of a trigger on a semi-automatic weapon being released would send shivers of fear down someone’s spine, yet I did not flinch. Calmness washed over me as I heard the bullets leave the chamber and slice through the atmosphere.

  The sound of lead hitting flesh is unlike anything else on earth. The way the air leaves the lungs and the subsequent gasps for more is unforgettable. Waiting for the darkness to envelop me, I opened my eyes as Shepard was lowering his shaking arm, tightly gripped on the firearm. Instead of hearing the panicked screams of those on board, there was just Paganini’s La Campanella playing sweetly in my soul. I doubted Shepard could hear the words that came out of my mouth, but he could see them well enough. His eyes traced my lips as they slowly moved before curving into a weak smile.

  “Thank you.”

  Epilogue