The Keepers of the Rose

by DJ Dalasta

  There was nothing Anna could do but wait. She cupped her head in her hands and struggled to keep her eyelids from closing. It’d been a full day since she allowed herself any rest. Vitori sat a few feet away, next to the phone. Anna was at a loss as to what either party would do, Rock or Vitori, but she knew her place was central to whatever choices were being made.

  “You could have told me,” she said. “Play nice and then plan on killing me, that’s as cold as it gets Mr. Delega.” Ever since the meeting with Rock she refused to use his first name.

  “I don’t want to kill you,” he said back.

  “But you will.”

  He didn’t answer.

  “You will, just to prove a point to Rock, but then what, you have nobody left to kill. Everyone’s dead. You lose your bargaining chip.”

  “I have faith he’ll make the right choice.”

  Anna sighed. She looked at the clock, it read 8:45pm. “He doesn’t have much time to make that choice. He didn’t call this morning and the day’s almost up. What happens if he doesn’t call, will you follow through on your threat?”

  “He’ll call,” Delega answered.

  Anna didn’t know if he would or not. It all depended on what Rock actually believed. If he believed the stories of what would begin to happen to the Earth in a few months, then he might not do anything. How can you measure a single life against all those you could possibly save by choosing to do the right thing with the information you have. Whatever the right thing turned out to be. She couldn’t hold anything against him for that.

  “I heard some things,” Anna said. “About your son. Is he dead Mr. Delega? Did you kill your son yesterday?”

  Vitori turned a cold eye on her but said nothing.

  “I don’t have kids,” she continued. “But I have imagined what being a mother would be like. And though I know it could never compare to the real thing, I don’t think, as a parent, I could ever trade my child’s life for anything. I don’t think I could perceive anything that has value over my own child.” Anna waited for the reaction. She was trying to get him irritated. Unfocussed people made the most critical mistakes.

  “Did you shoot him yourself,” she prodded. “Or order it done. If you’re going to kill him you should be man enough to pull the trigger yourself.”

  “Enough!” Vitori clenched his teeth and stared at her. “Shut the fuck up woman!” His eyes held an intense anger. The same type she’d seen in Seth Delega at infrequent intervals. His wrinkled face tightened and thin veins started to protrude as he took her in. “You don’t know my son. You don’t know Seth and what he’s capable of. He’s a monster.”

  Anna waited for him to fall silent. She hadn’t even flinched backwards at his outburst. “And who do you think made him that way?”

  The phone started to ring.

  It rang twice before Vitori picked it up. He hit the speaker button and answered calmly. “You barely made it Rock. I was about to take the bitch’s tongue.”

  “Here’s the deal. I want to make the exchange, tonight,” Rock’s voice came through the speaker. Just to hear him gave her a sense of hope.

  “I see you’ve come to your senses.”

  “Not exactly,” Rock answered. He was confident. “We do this my way. You and Anna, that’s it, not one other person and no weapons. I have an address and time that I will text to you when we’re done speaking. I’ll be watching. If anything is not as I instruct, then I will disappear and you won’t hear from me again. If I deem you safe, I will come out and give you what I have and then you will let Anna go.”

  “Do you really think I’m going to agree to that? You could easily overpower me. I am an old man. You’d take Anna and walk away, leaving me with nothing.”

  “If you want what I have, this is your only chance. Trust me or don’t, it’s your call. This is your one opportunity. You follow through on your part and I will do the same with mine.”

  “Then Anna will die.”

  “If what I have is legit, she’s dead anyway, but maybe I can save a whole lot more people than one. And once you get my text, I’m destroying this phone. Vitori, it’s now your call. Bring another person, I walk, a weapon, I walk. And Anna, if you’re listening, if this doesn’t go to plan, I’m sorry, I do love you, always have.”

  The phone hung up before Vitori could say anything else. He looked dumbfounded as though he couldn’t fathom the way the conversation just went down.

  The phone beeped in his hand, warning of a received message. Anna started laughing. The few individuals around sneered at her.

  “What,” she said. “Can I not find this funny? You have to do it his way now, there’s no negotiation. You can’t contact him and if you don’t show he’s libel to disappear.”

  “He’s bluffing,” Vitori said.

  “I don’t believe so and I know Rock a whole lot better than you. That was a goodbye. He does what he says. But if you do it his way, you’ll probably get what you want. And if you don’t, you won’t get anything and I’ll be in a bad situation.” That part was true enough.

  “I will not play the part he wants me to play.” Vitori grimaced. He was looking to her for answers. “He’ll call back when I don’t show. Let him wait.”

  He looked down at Anna. That’s not what she wanted to hear. Rock was ready to deal or he wouldn’t have called, and for it to work, he needed Delega to show up. She decided to smile at him.

  “Why are you so fucking happy, you’re not going to come out of this well off dear.”

  “For one, I think you’re passing up an opportunity, for both you and me.”

  “Go on.”

  “He’s going to have the stuff on him. That right there is worth going. You’ve been chasing this your whole life, and now when you might have a chance to get it, you’re backing off due to pride and a hurt ego. Rock doesn’t care about that. He’s one guy. He’s not bringing anybody else into this. Too many people have been hurt in his mind. Personally, I think you should go, bring a concealed gun if you have to, he’ll never be able to check you for it. My guess is you’ll never have to use it and everything will go to plan. But you’ll have it as insurance.”

  “So you’re telling me to go armed. His instructions forbid it.”

  “It’s better than not going at all, for him, for you, definitely for me. At least we’ll have a chance to get this done. He wants me back and wants out of this, I want out of this. That’s it. If you do as he says, he’ll stay true to his word, I’m almost positive of that. If it goes down well, then make the trade and everyone’s happy. If he tries something, you’ll have a weapon. Once he sees me, the gun you carry won’t deter him. He won’t disappear.”

  “How do you know I won’t shoot Rock and you and take everything? Now, you’re taking a chance by trusting the man holding you hostage.”

  “I’m telling you the truth because I think, either way, in the end, if you get what you want, you’ll let us go.” She caught him in the eyes. “Am I wrong about that?”

  “No Anna, about that part, you’re right.”

  “Then go, with a weapon. My gut tells me everyone will get what they want.”

  Vitori finally nodded. She may have convinced him. He contemplated her for a moment and then without a word, walked away.

  Anna smirked to herself. She had done her part. Rock never would believe Vitori would come unarmed. He would be ready with something. He wanted Vitori to believe he had the upper hand in the situation. But he couldn’t pull this off alone, who did he have to help him, she wondered. Who could he trust?

  Chapter 45

  Florida, August 2012