by Adam Hiatt
The streets in Collegetown were conspicuously narrow, and when vehicles were parked on both sides there was barely enough room to drive through. By the time Reddic and Jaxon walked down the sidewalk only a few cars adorned the streets. At that hour most of the shops had already closed, leaving only the cafes and coffee shops open for business. Reddic zeroed in on the red Audi A6 instantly. It was parked in front of a coffee house that looked like an ersatz Starbucks knockoff. Neon light from the business glimmered off the car.
Reddic crossed the street and pulled open the door to the business, knowing exactly who to look for. Sitting on a sofa against the back wall he saw a striking blond. Her blue eyes sparkled in the light and her tan skin looked smooth and warm. She wore a tight Yankees t-shirt that accentuated her voluptuous upper body curves. Flanking her sides were two youthful looking men, probably no older than twenty, Reddic guessed. They were engaged in a fawning conversation that Reddic deemed excessive.
He needed to create a competitive advantage to isolate the young woman. Reddic approached the small group on the sofa confidently.
“Do any of you own the red Audi parked outside?”
“That’s my car,” the girl said pleasantly.
“It’s a nice car. I just thought I’d let you know that I heard a cop call for a tow truck to impound it.”
“No way! Why? What’s wrong with my car?” she cried.
“I don’t know. Something about expired tags, but I imagine we can take care of the misunderstanding. Come on, I’ll show you to the cop,” Reddic said, flashing a welcoming smile. The girl quickly got to her feet and grabbed her purse. Reddic noticed that she was much taller than he initially assessed, easily reaching five feet, nine inches. The two male escorts stood as well.
“Too many people might be counterproductive. You know how cops hate being intimidated,” Reddic said, leaning closer.
“You’re right. Mike, David, why don’t you wait here. I’ll be right back,” she said. They walked out of the coffee shop and moved toward the car.
“I don’t see anybody here. Are you sure you heard right?”
“I have a confession to make,” Reddic said. “There was no cop. I just thought that a girl as beautiful as you deserved much more than what you were getting inside there.”
“Is that right?” she said with a flirtatious grin. Less than ten minutes later they were riding to the duplex in the leather-bound automobile.
***
Jaxon moved through the house with a newfound sense of purpose. He feared that he was absorbing some of Reddic’s enthusiastic suspicion. He opened his bedroom door and flipped on the light switch. The rectangular room was modestly trimmed. A small twin-size bed was nudged into the right side corner and a cedar dresser stood at its foot. A computer desk sat in the opposite corner, joined by a bookshelf. Framed on the walls were various newspaper clippings of Reddic, photographs of their parents, and academic accolades that Jaxon had received throughout the years.
Jaxon sat in front of the computer desk and pulled open the middle drawer. He pulled out a miniature black address book and began thumbing through it. He found the list that Langford had given him a few weeks before. He looked over the names and wondered why he had access to them. A hundred questions raced through his mind. Were they working together? Did they also know about the stone?
He placed the list on the desktop and walked over to the closet. There would be time to contemplate the list later. He opened the door and reached to the top shelf, pulling a duffle bag down. He randomly selected a few shirts and began stuffing them in.
***
Reddic left the bedroom and moved back into the living area. He wanted to make sure that his new female friend waiting in the Audi wasn’t getting overly anxious. He walked to the front window and parted the blinds. The car appeared to still be idling alongside the curb, but its headlights were now extinguished. Reddic dialed the number that he recently programmed and pressed send. The phone rang eight times until her voicemail greeting picked up. He ended the phone call and tried again. Why wasn’t she picking up? Something wasn’t right. He scanned the grounds through the part in the blinds, but was unable to see anything due to the engulfing darkness. The area seemed to be calm, though.
A car raced down the street in front of the housing complex, briefly casting light on the grounds. Through the Audi’s windows Reddic made out the shape of the girl inside the vehicle.
She wasn’t alone!
In the back seat he saw a figure duck down just as the other car’s headlights struck the vehicle. These guys were relentless, but were there others? He had to assume that there were. Whoever they worked for, they had already failed twice today by sending only one man.
Reddic tried to predict where the others might be hiding. He closed his eyes and pictured the layout of the lot. On his right side was another housing complex. There was nothing but a retaining wall separating the two units. He ruled that out because it lacked adequate cover and visibility. To his left was a ten-foot wide lawn bordered by three Elm trees and a row of various bushes measuring about twenty yards in length. That would be the ideal place. With enough men it would create a veritable gauntlet.
Reddic made his way back to Jaxon’s bedroom. “Hey, do you have a flashlight in the house?” he asked. Jaxon was skimming through some textbooks on his desk. He pulled open the top left drawer and pulled out a six-inch flashlight.
“Here you are,” he said, holding it in the air without turning.
“Thanks.” Reddic grabbed it and rapidly walked to the kitchen. He pulled open the cabinet door beneath the sink and removed the garbage basket. He dumped the trash on the floor and delicately kicked it around with his foot. He squatted down and scooped up four ten-ounce plastic sport drink bottles. He stood them upright on the counter and moved over to the refrigerator. He yanked open the door, hoping that what he needed would be found inside.
Unsurprisingly, the refrigerator was virtually vacant of food supplies. Reddic brushed a milk carton aside and reached for a glass jar of pickles. From the shelves mounted to the door he took a box of baking soda, an old mayonnaise receptacle, a salsa jar, and an applesauce bottle. Reddic dumped the pickles down the sink drain and cleared out the mayonnaise, salsa, and applesauce, making sure that the jars were rinsed clean.
He scoured the cabinets attached to the wall at eye level until he found some aluminum foil and vinegar. Leaving the items on the countertop, he headed to the bathroom. There he looked under the sink for some type of cleaning solution. To his relief he found a generic brand of a highly acidic chemical used to unclog drains.
“It’s time to go,” Reddic said, poking his head into Jaxon’s bedroom.
“Okay, just a couple more minutes,” Jaxon replied. He turned in his desk chair and caught the look of urgency in Reddic’s eye.
“I suppose we can leave right now,” he remarked, gathering the material to pack away in the duffel bag.
Reddic removed a box of tacks that he had seen moments earlier in the top drawer of the desk. Turning off the light, he led the way back to the kitchen. He gave the flashlight to Jaxon and tore off eight small square pieces of aluminum foil, stuffing two into each plastic bottle. He reached for the box of baking soda and emptied it equally between the four glass containers. With the vinegar in hand he poured sizable portions in each jar until the white powder was inundated. With no wasted motion, Reddic grabbed the bathroom chemical and filled each of the four plastic bottles to its halfway point and then sealed the caps tightly.
He inserted the smaller containers inside the larger glass jars, dropping a few tacks in each one before sealing the opening with a lid. Jaxon yearned to ask Reddic what he expected to do with four plastic bottles trapped inside the glass jars, but he decided to hold his tongue. What was the point? His brother had displayed an extremely competent propensity for solving unpleasant problems.
At the end of the thin beam of light something caught Jaxon’s attention. He looked closer a
t the transparent receptacles. It looked like a storm was forming inside. The entire interior started to cloud up. The hazy gas rapidly rose to the top, searching for a place to escape, but the lids kept everything enclosed. One at a time, the jars began to tremble on the countertop, as if an earthquake threatened to topple them over.
“Do you have all your gear?” Reddic asked shortly.
“Yes, it’s all right here,” Jaxon said, holding up his duffle bag.
“Good. Now listen closely. You need to follow my instructions to the detail, okay? Any deviation could result in getting you killed. You’re going to jump out this window and land above the retaining wall. I know it’s a leap, but now’s the time to pull out your man card and do it. After you land stay low and run behind the house next door. Keep going up the hill for two blocks. I’ll meet you on the street corner there.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to get the car. Now go over to the window and count down from ten and go. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
“But—”
“Just go,” Reddic interrupted.
Reddic took the shaking jars in his arms, and walked to the living room. He crouched down low behind the front door. Ten seconds had already elapsed; it was time to act. He pulled open the door, making sure he stood behind it, and hurled out one of the jars to his left toward the bushes. Grabbing two more, he threw them in the same area. The last container he lobbed toward the car, careful that it didn’t land on the concrete sidewalk and shatter.
Reddic closed the door and shut the deadbolt. He ran to the kitchen window and squatted on the windowsill, ready to lunge for the retaining wall. Six feet stood between the duplex and the wall, so his trajectory had to be at the right angle. He wondered how Jaxon faired. He didn’t see anybody lying below, so he had to assume his jump was successful.
He bounded into the air and landed on the soft grass-covered ground pushing against the far side of the wall. He rolled to his right and circled behind the neighboring house. Suddenly, Reddic heard a forceful crack in the night’s air. It sounded like one of the illegal fireworks that he used to play with as a kid. He needed to move fast now, the others were about to go off.
Rounding the corner of the house, Reddic sprinted into the driveway. He ducked down behind an SUV that was parked there. When he made it to the rear bumper of the vehicle the second chemical charge erupted. An indistinct rustling in the bushes followed, sounding like a domestic animal had passed through. The explosion must have come close to striking someone.
There were only two jars left to burst. Reddic now hoped that his prediction was accurate. He calculated that the blasts would distract the man in the car, giving Reddic a chance to circle behind. It was a risk, he knew, but he couldn’t allow the girl to become collateral damage. Plus, they needed a fast car.
As soon as the chemicals inside the third jar combusted and erupted outward, Reddic took off for the car. It sat less than twenty yards away; it would take only two seconds to reach. He got to within five feet when the final jar ruptured. Diving to the asphalt, Reddic front rolled to the rear of the car. Tiny pieces of rubble sprayed the opposite side of the vehicle.
Hunched down, Reddic gripped the rear door handle and jerked it open. The man sitting on the seat whipped his head around. His eyes shot open in disbelief. He tried grabbing his weapon, but he was too slow. Reddic had already pounced into the car and gained the advantage. Elbowing his enemy in the nose, he pushed the weapon away. He clasped the man’s jacket and tugged until he felt himself falling toward the pavement. He tightened his grip as the man tumbled out of the Audi over the top of him. The material of the jacket felt oddly familiar. Reddic popped up, looking down at the man lying at his feet, noticing for the first time that it was the same killer that was sent after Langford.
Fury filled Reddic’s veins. He would give anything for a few minutes alone with this cold-blooded killer, but there was no time. Instead, he kicked his foot out, connecting with the assassin’s ribs. Curling up in a ball to protect his side, he didn’t see Reddic’s heel stomping down, catching him in the jaw. The rapid strike left the killer unconscious on the asphalt.
“Get in the back of the car,” Reddic ordered. The blond girl looked at him with a combination of fear and confusion. “I’ll explain later,” he said calmly. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and crawled into the back, closing the door behind her.
“Keep your head down.”
The car leaped forward as Reddic hit the accelerator. The high performance turbo six-cylinder engine raced up the hill effortlessly. The headlights shined on a figure standing alongside the street; it was Jaxon. Reddic pulled parallel to the curb.
“You’d better buckle up,” Reddic said as Jaxon climbed in. His eyes were fixed to the rearview mirror.
Another car’s headlights were rapidly closing in.
Chapter Fourteen
The fuel gauge on the dashboard showed a full tank. Finally, something was going right. Reddic glanced at the mirror again and saw that the vehicle barreling up the hill was almost on top of them. He punched the accelerator with his foot, propelling the Audi forward; the force of the sudden start pushing his head back into the soft leather.
The Audi built speed in a hurry, but the headlights from behind were still visible. Reddic swung the steering wheel left at the next street as he fed more gasoline into the engine’s cylinders. The girl lying in the back seat screamed. The abrupt turn flung her body into the side of the door.
“Buckle up and keep your head down,” Reddic shouted. The car jetted down the residential street, whipping up debris in its wake. “What’s the fastest way out of town?”
“Which direction?” Jaxon asked.
“To the north.”
“Go to 13 North. At this hour traffic will be light.”
“How do I get there?”
“This next street coming up connects with it, but—”
“Hold on,” Reddic cut in. He gripped the wheel tight with both hands and yanked it left. He could feel the tires straining to find traction.
There was something about this street that looked strange. The vehicles on both sides of the lane faced toward them. Instantly the information registered in Reddic’s mind. It was a one-way street.
“Slow down!” Jaxon cried. Reddic’s eyes grew large, as the street in front of him seemed to disappear. He pressed down on the brake when he saw the bend. The road curved almost at a ninety-degree angle to the right. The Audi’s tires screeched loudly as the car whipped around the corner.
Seconds later the pursuing vehicle came into view. Reddic increased the car’s velocity down the hill. Suddenly, another set of headlights shined into his eyes. The girl and Jaxon gasped simultaneously. Squinting to lessen the glare, Reddic searched for a road that branched off.
There was nowhere to go.
Houses and cars lined both sides. They were trapped.
Reddic flashed the Audi’s upper beam lights, but the car in front didn’t seem to respond. The distance between the two vehicles was narrowing quickly. Jaxon turned his head away and brought his hands to his face, preparing for a collision. The girl put her head down in her lap, covering it with her arms.
Reddic jerked the car to the right just before impact. The Audi barely passed between two parked cars, clearing the sidewalk and bouncing up onto a yard. Reddic swung the wheel left again, crashing through a white plastic fence before landing on the sidewalk. He split another gap in parked cars and accelerated down the street.
“Why didn’t you tell me this was a one-way?” Reddic heatedly asked.
“You didn’t give me time,” replied Jaxon defensively.
A left bend in the street brought the car to a traffic light. “Go right,” Jaxon said, sweat rolling down his face. The V-6 engine howled down the main thoroughfare. Reddic blazed through each intersection they passed, regardless if the signal was red or green.
They came to a fork in the road. A green sign with whit
e bold lettering and two arrows pointing in opposite directions stood erect between them. The Audi veered right onto a four-lane highway. A few cars driving the fifty-five miles per hour speed limit scooted along the road. The Audi overtook them in a blur, easily doubling the speed limit on each straight stretch of the serpentine highway.
Within minutes they passed through the small towns of Dryden, and then Cortland. Soon, they came to an interstate onramp. Reddic took the northbound entrance at a breakneck speed. A mileage marker displayed that Syracuse was only thirty-two miles to the north. He reached into his pocket for his phone, keeping one hand on the wheel. He flipped it open and dialed a series of fifteen numbers before bringing it to his ear.
“It’s me,” he said. “I need an immediate air departure from Syracuse, New York.”
Reddic glanced at Jaxon silently observing from the passenger seat. He knew that he was wondering whom Reddic was talking to.
“2300?” Reddic asked. Reddic peeked at the digital clock on the car’s radio. It read 10:40 pm.
“Affirmative,” Reddic said. “Yes, double exit, relation.” He listened for a few more seconds. “Standard protocol, understood.” He pocketed the phone and brought his right hand to the steering wheel.
“Who was that?” Jaxon asked quietly.
“My travel agent,” Reddic said, fixing his eyes to the freeway.
Reddic began to feel his body tense up as he watched the speedometer climb. When it passed one hundred and thirty miles per hour he grasped the steering wheel more firmly and pressed out with his left leg. He looked at the speedometer again. This time the needle pointed at one hundred and fifty.
The Audi jetted by every vehicle on Interstate 81 as if it were stationary. The lights on the horizon grew brighter with every passing second as they rapidly approached the city. Reddic noticed a rectangular object alongside the road up ahead. He barely made out the inscription before they zoomed by. It read: WELCOME TO SYRACUSE, POP. 147,306. He looked down at the clock, not believing what he saw—10:52. Thirty-two miles in twelve minutes? Was that possible?
