DATA JACK

by Christopher Greyson

  Jack had faced death a hundred times, and each time he wanted to run. The panic rising in him made his hand shake. He fought against his survival instinct and the fear that clawed at him. The dam of adrenaline broke. He felt it course through him. He felt the warmth spread in his chest, and his lips curled into a snarl.

  Everyone deals with fear in his own way. Some pray. Some fall apart. Most battle back until they reached some strange standoff with their fear.

  Not Jack.

  Jack hated fear so he didn’t stop fighting it back to a draw. He used the hate. He fed off it and attacked the fear. He didn’t just beat it; he destroyed the fear until only the hate remained. Then he set the beast free.

  The man’s shadow appeared on the floor. His gun was slightly down and pointed along the hallway. Jack knew he’d look into the room, but just before he’d enter he’d look the other way.

  The man did. As soon as his head started to turn, Jack sprang. Jack swung the walking stick down hard on the man’s outstretch forearms. Something broke but it wasn’t the wood.

  The man screamed.

  Jack swung the stick down on the man’s head.

  The stick snapped.

  The man’s scream cut off mid-screech and he tumbled backward to the floor.

  The gun dropped from his hand and bounced back into the hallway.

  Jack lunged after the gun.

  A gunshot echoed down the corridor and the window in front of Jack shattered.

  The gun bounced and then landed flat.

  The other man ran out of the kitchen. He fired at Jack again.

  Jack grabbed for the gun.

  A bullet whizzed over his head.

  Jack’s fingers closed around the gun’s handle.

  The floor next to Jack splintered as a bullet shattered against the wood.

  Jack aimed.

  Another shot flew high over Jack’s head.

  Jack fired.

  The shot slammed into the man’s chest.

  Jack fired again.

  The second hit close to the first.

  As the man started to crumple to the floor, Jack was already running. His head was on a swivel, and he tried to pick up any sound over the ringing in his ears. Jack reached the body and crouched low. He kept his gun trained on the staircase where the three men had gone.

  He gulped in air and let out a low growl.

  Calm down.

  He fought to steady his breathing as he waited.

  Listen.

  The only sound was his breathing and the ringing in his ears.

  Jack took the clip out of the pistol and grabbed a fresh one off the man at his feet. He noticed the large bandage on the man’s forearm. Jack stood up and slapped the clip in place.

  Two on this floor. Three up top.

  He sprinted toward the staircase to come at the three from the back.

  Chapter 46

  ~

  You Don’t Know Jack

  Replacement ran down the hallway for Pierce’s bedroom with the others. Mrs. Maier was ready to hyperventilate, but Bruce was worse. Replacement thought the possibility of him having a heart attack right then was highly probable.

  Pierce stopped. “Go in. Go in,” Pierce yelled as he turned around.

  Replacement waited in the doorway until Pierce came in.

  Roger pulled Phillip back from the door.

  “We need to run.” Phillip struggled. “We can run for the woods.”

  “Stick to Jack’s plan.” Replacement hurried over to the bed. “They could’ve sent someone around to watch that side. They’ll shoot us before we make the woods.”

  Phillip ripped a hand free.

  Roger moved to grab him.

  Phillip punched Roger in the face. He shoved Bruce toward Pierce and bolted out the door.

  “Let him go. Block the door.” Replacement pushed against the bed, but it didn’t budge.

  “Come on, Roger.” Pierce grabbed the bed frame and heaved. It barely moved.

  Roger pushed, but the bed only slid a little farther.

  “We should run,” Roger said.

  “They’ll gun us down,” Pierce said.

  “The police will be here in ten minutes,” Replacement snarled as she pushed.

  “We’re so dead,” Roger muttered.

  Bruce let out a loud growl and slammed his body against the bed. Like a linebacker plowing through the offense, he kept his feet moving.

  The bed slid in front of the door.

  “This belly’s good for something.” Bruce panted as he leaned against the wall.

  “What about Mr. Stratton?” Mrs. Maier asked.

  “He’ll come up the back entrance.” Replacement ran to the side wall.

  She opened the door and looked down. The rear staircase was narrow and dark. It ran straight to the outside wall of the house and then took a sharp corner.

  “It leads to the first floor,” Pierce said. “There’s another door in the hallway that leads outside.”

  “How far to the woods?” Replacement asked.

  “It’s all open grass for at least fifty yards.”

  Replacement glanced at Bruce and Mrs. Maier and shook her head. “We’ll never make it.”

  “We’re dead if we stay here. There’re five guys out there.” Roger’s hands went to the sides of his head. “What’s your boyfriend going to do against that?”

  Replacement grinned. “You don’t know Jack.” She picked her phone back up and the operator was calling out to her.

  “Miss? Are you still there? The police are on their way. Miss?”

  “I’m here. We’ve barricaded ourselves in the far right bedroom if you’re facing the house.”

  “How many of you are in the room?”

  “Five.”

  “Are you all currently okay?”

  “Yes but my boyfriend went to—”

  “Tell him to stay in the room.”

  “He’s out there—” Replacement’s voice cracked. She felt her eyes start to burn.

  “You need to get him back. Stay where you are until the police—”

  The bedroom doorknob turned.

  Mrs. Maier gasped and moved backward.

  Something heavy slammed into the door. Wood creaked but the door held.

  Metal scraped against metal.

  The doors shook. A distinct chopping sound echoed across the room.

  “What the hell is that?” Roger screamed.

  “The police are on their way!” Replacement bellowed. “They’ll be here any minute.”

  An axe sliced through the door. A chunk of wood flew across the room.

  “We have to run!” Roger shrieked.

  “What do we do, Alice?” Bruce looked at her.

  Replacement rushed to the back of the room and ripped open the door. “Everyone out,” she ordered. “Go!”

  Bruce and Roger dashed through, but Mrs. Maier stood frozen in place.

  Pierce grabbed her shoulders. “Lydia, you have to move. Follow me.”

  The axe smashed a large hole in the door.

  “Now!” Pierce grabbed Mrs. Maier by the hand and ran for the door.

  Replacement dashed after them. As she grabbed the door to pull it closed, she looked back.

  Savin stuck his gun through the hole in the door.

  Replacement pulled the door shut and darted down the stairs.

  Gunshots filled the air as Savin emptied his clip into the room.

  Chapter 47

  ~

  Achilles

  Jack sprinted down the hallway. Phillip’s body lay on the floor in a pool of blood. Jack kept running. He rounded the corner. A huge man stood in front of Pierce’s smashed bedroom doors, a double-headed axe in his hands.

  “Freeze!” Jack stopped and aimed.

  Savin started to raise his gun.

  Jack fired.

  The first round slammed into Savin’s chest. Jack expected the round to stop him but instead Savin groaned and took a step back.


  Damn. He’s wearing a vest.

  He aimed for Savin’s head and pulled the trigger.

  The shot went wide.

  He pulled the trigger again.

  Nothing happened.

  Jack could see the slide on the gun wasn’t fully back. It double fed on his last shot. The door on Jack’s left was ten feet away. He sprinted forward. He knew there was no way to clear the jam on his gun in time.

  Savin pointed his gun at Jack.

  Jack let out a battle cry as he charged, praying that somehow the man missed.

  Savin pulled the trigger.

  Click.

  Savin tossed the gun aside. He hefted the battle-axe with both hands.

  Jack was trained to fight people using many weapons, and he had. He faced people with guns, knives, and pipes but a medieval axe was new.

  Savin swung. He aimed to cut Jack in half at the waist.

  Jack’s muscles burned as he stopped his forward momentum.

  Savin’s arms were long and the axe was longer. The heavy blade swung in a huge arc.

  Jack inhaled as the blade passed just in front of his stomach. The head of the axe drove through the wall and stuck fast.

  Jack lunged.

  Savin might be a giant of a man, but all men have an Achilles’ heel.

  Jack punched Savin in the throat.

  The blow crunched Savin’s windpipe.

  Savin let go of the axe handle and staggered back.

  Jack’s foot drove into the side of Savin’s knee.

  Cartilage snapped. Savin dropped to his knees.

  Jack stood almost behind the kneeling giant.

  Savin clutched at the enormous knife in his boot.

  Jack grabbed Savin’s head. Howling in rage, Jack slammed the giant Russian’s face into the wall.

  As Savin’s body slumped to the ground, Jack roared. The windows shook. One thought cut through the rage that swirled inside him.

  Alice.

  Savin’s discarded gun lay next to a broken piece of the door. Jack picked it up. He ripped a fresh clip from Savin’s belt, slapped it into place, and dashed through the door.

  Chapter 48

  ~

  RUN

  Replacement hurried down the staircase but had to slow down because of Mrs. Maier. The older woman was bawling and stumbled. Pierce wrapped his arm around her and kept her moving forward.

  At the bottom of the stairs was a door that led to the main front hallway. Another door stood on the right. Roger opened it, and Replacement saw the yard and woods beyond.

  “Should we go?” Bruce panted.

  “I’m running for it.” Roger broke into a loping sprint for the tree line.

  “Go!” Replacement pushed the staircase door shut. She heard someone rip the door upstairs open. “RUN!”

  Her throat tightened, and she gulped in air. She watched as they ran across the yard. Mrs. Maier tripped and fell. Bruce turned back to help them.

  Replacement knew they’d never reach the tree line before the men saw them. Not unless she did something. She shut the outside door and locked it. Turning around, she sprinted down the hallway. She could hear the men rush down the stairs. She slowed down, took the case out of her pocket, and watched over her shoulder.

  Nicholai and Luka burst through the staircase door.

  Replacement was almost to the corner.

  Luka looked left and saw her.

  She bolted.

  Replacement rounded the corner as a bullet hit the wall two inches above her head. She reached the long straightaway and flew. Her legs were a blur as she dashed down the corridor. She kept her eyes focused ahead. She reached the carpeted area and the patter of her footsteps vanished. Her breathing sped up, and she reached her speed limit but she pushed harder.

  She dashed past the front door and chanced a look behind.

  Luka ran around the corner.

  Replacement looked forward and gasped. Two bodies were on the floor in the hallway.

  The window next to her exploded. The huge sheet of glass fell and sprayed her with pieces as it shattered.

  The echo of the gunshot filled the hallway.

  Her eyes scanned the corpses. She fought to straighten out her stride. Black hair. Jeans. She couldn’t see their faces.

  Another shot zipped by her head.

  It’s not Jack, she realized, and a surge of relief poured through her veins. She sprinted past the bodies. The kitchen was just ahead. Her legs stretched out, and her eyes swept the empty room. She planted her left foot and started to turn into the kitchen.

  Pain ripped through her as the bullet hit her.

  Replacement screamed. It felt as if someone struck her with a bat. She started to twist. Her right leg landed, but she couldn’t bring her left around. Her legs tangled together. Her arms shot out in front of her, but she was spinning. She crashed to the tile on her side. Her head smacked the floor hard.

  The kitchen lights seemed to burst into one bright light.

  Replacement’s arms and legs flopped like a rag doll as she rolled twice before she slid into the wall.

  Chapter 49

  ~

  Light is Might

  Jack ran into the bedroom and down the back stairs. He saw the bullet holes and fought down his panic. He took the steps three at a time. He slammed into the door at the bottom of the stairs. The door opened half an inch and hit something. Someone had knocked a coat cabinet over and it was jammed against the door. He set his back against the door and shoved, but the cabinet was wedged tight against the door and the wall.

  He stepped back and kicked the left top panel out of the door. The right panel broke out with one kick too, but the middle brace was solid. Jack set his foot against the staircase and thrust hard. The wood shattered.

  Far away, toward the other side of the house, he heard gunshots. Jack dove through the hole and scrambled to his feet.

  The side door next to Jack smashed open. Jack’s gun snapped up.

  Pierce froze.

  Jack exhaled. His gun was aimed at Pierce’s face. “Where’s ALICE?” Jack asked.

  “She didn’t come with us.”

  Jack sprinted down the hallway and toward the sound of the gunshot.

  Pierce ran after him.

  They raced down the house. Past the main entrance. Past the bodies on the floor.

  As the kitchen opened up, Jack saw Nicholai and Luka in the kitchen at the far wall.

  Nicholai was fast. He fired first. The bullet whizzed by Jack’s ear.

  Jack pressed against the wall as he reached back and slammed Pierce out of the way.

  Two more shots rang out.

  “Back,” Jack ordered Pierce.

  Jack aimed down the sight of the pistol and leaned out.

  Nicholai had Replacement by the throat and held her in front of him. Tears ran down her face. She grabbed at the huge man’s arm as her feet dangled off the floor.

  “LET HER GO.” Jack’s hand was rock steady as he aimed at Nicholai’s head. The shot would be extremely dangerous with his own gun. With a gun that he never fired before, he knew he could easily hit her.

  Luka started to shoot.

  Jack pressed back against the wall.

  The hallway window shattered. Bullets slammed into wood. The echo of the shots rang off the metal in the kitchen and hung in the air like the echo of little bells.

  Jack leaned back out.

  Nicholai backed toward the door and carried Replacement in front of himself as a shield.

  Jack walked forward. “Let her go or I swear I’ll kill you both.”

  “Stand down!” Nicholai yelled. “Stay back or you’ll give me a reason to kill her.” He stepped back and Luka slammed the outside door shut.

  Pierce ran forward and Jack grabbed his arm.

  Jack growled. “The garage.” He ripped out his phone as they both turned and sprinted back the way they came.

  Jack called the direct line for police dispatch.

  “Darringto
n Pol—”

  “Beverly, it’s Jack Stratton. There’s been a kidnapping at the Bellmore estate.”

  “We have every car already en route.”

  “They’re driving now. Two armed men have a female hostage. Stop all traffic on Reservoir and Pine Ridge. North and south.”

  “Got it. Contacting Fairfield PD too.”

  They raced into the garage and Pierce ran over to the keys. He grabbed the keys to the Porsche.

  “I’ll drive,” Jack said. “Take my gun.”

  Pierce shook his head. “I’ll drive. I don’t know how to shoot.”

  “What?”

  Pierce jumped into the driver’s seat, and Jack swore. Pierce pinned it. Tires squealed and the Porsche flew out of the driveway.

  Jack looked south and at the long empty road. “Head north.” Jack pointed.

  When Pierce hit the road, he cut the wheel, snapped on the headlights and punched it.

  “You lose her, and I’ll shoot you,” Jack snarled.

  “That’s helpful,” Pierce muttered.

  The Porsche surged down the road. The trees whipped by. Jack craned his neck to try to see anything on the winding road ahead.

  Pierce pointed to the fork in the road. “Which way?”

  Jack pointed left. “Go Pine Ridge. It runs above Reservoir Road. We can see both roads from there.”

  “But Reservoir is faster.”

  “It’s not faster than the Porsche. Punch it,” Jack said.

  Pierce turned left. The engine hummed as he flew around the corners and navigated the turns.

  “We have to try to stop them,” Jack said.

  “Should we try to follow them and negotiate?” Pierce asked.

  “Their plan blew up. They’re trying to escape. After the lake, it’s a maze of roads. Once they don’t have a need for her…”

  Pierce nodded. He slammed the gas pedal down.

  Trees became a blur. Speed whipped the air between the guardrail and the car into an eerie cry that filled the car.

  “I see it!” Jack pointed to the road below them. “There’s a connector road ahead.”

  Pierce pushed the car, and its performance engine hummed. The dials flew up.

  “The road’s coming up,” Jack warned. “Slow down.”