by EJ Nesbeth
“Nice to see you again, detective,” Alverez said. Ryan remained silent, but stared at him in a most penetrating way. Alverez paused and leaned forward looking into Ryan’s eyes then erupted in laughter. “I’ll be damned,” he said. “No wonder Williams was scared to death of you.” Ava looked curiously at them both.
“Anyway, I believe in honor and respect towards all men, especially my enemies. And while I would have preferred to punish your partner myself, I am grateful. But you must also pay for your sins,” he said.
“Fair is fair,” Ryan agreed, speaking up for the first time. Ava looked at him in disbelief. These words would have seemed suicidal coming from anyone else, but from Ryan, they were a lure into his web of meticulously planned surprises.
“I like this guy!” Alverez laughed. “I’d probably enjoy having a psychopath like you around, but you did kill my son.” Alverez’s smile left his face. “Then you gave him a fiery grave. I know why you turned up at the last minute that morning.”
“You, young lady…” Alverez said turning to Ava. He wiped his mouth and got up from his chair. “You haven’t behaved very well either.” He pulled a gun from the holster of one of the men beside him and stepped towards her. Ava trembled as he pointed the gun towards her and fired a shot. Her hands covered her head, but as she removed them, one of Alverez’ men who stood behind her fell to the ground with a gunshot wound to the forehead.
“Well don’t act so surprised, Miss Reynolds. I knew he was your snitched. For a while I wondered how you always seemed to be one step ahead.”
Ava whimpered and began to perspire while Ryan rested his head back in the chair and closed his eyes. She was horrified by the violence, but appalled by his composure. Despite this, she could not help but notice that something was out of place. She looked on the table before Ryan and realized that a piece of the silverware had suddenly gone missing.
“Well, if you’re not going to accept my hospitality then we might as well get going,” Alverez said. His men pulled them up from their seats and led them away behind the syndicate leader. They trailed through a passageway and exited at the front where a black Bentley motorcar awaited them. Alverez protested the choice of vehicle. He would have preferred a more rugged choice for the expedition. Nevertheless, it was among his favorite possessions so he quickly compromised.
They stepped out into the light drizzle and entered the car. Alverez and the driver sat in the front while another one of his oversized henchmen guarded Ava and Ryan in the back.
“Where are you taking us?” Ava asked.
“To my fun house,” Alverez answered with a sinister look. He noted her worried expression and consoled, “Don’t worry, young lady. I’ll see to it that you get a quick and painless end. But as for your friend here, I’m going to tear him apart limb by limb and feed him to my Rottweilers.”
The wiper swept across the windshield and Ryan began to hum the melody of Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head. Ava looked at him. He had her in constant amazement and was a far cry from the pusillanimous Ryan she knew.
“Take it from me, worrying gets you nowhere,” he explained in a very care free tone and she wondered even more.
He resumed his humming and Alverez became irate. “Stop humming that silly song,” he demanded and Ryan desisted.
The car cut through the narrow, dark road. It was nowhere Ryan or Ava recognized. They looked around in the darkness outside and all they could see were the outlines of trees on both sides. No one spoke. They shook a little as the car made its way along the uneven wet surface. Alverez eyed them through the rear view mirror whenever visibility allowed. Ava looked straight ahead while Ryan leaned back on the headrest with his eyes closed.
After several minutes of turbulence, he leaned forward and said, “I’m feeling a little nauseous.”
“That’s called ‘fear’, detective” Alverez suggested.
“No,” Ryan insisted, “I’m pretty sure it’s…” Before he could finish his sentence, a shower of vomit spewed from his mouth.
“Christ!” Alverez protested. “Not in my car. Pull over and take him outside.”
The car suddenly stopped and the man in the back seat pulled Ryan out, dragged him a few feet away from the car, and threw him onto the wet ground. Concerned, Ava attempted to look, but the windows were heavily tinted and the area was pitch black. She could hear him cough until it subsided. From the inside they could see that the rain was coming down a little heavier and the automatic wipers once again swayed. The driver found himself humming a few bars of the contagious Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head and Alverez gave him a threatening look, forcing his rendition to an end.
It then became obvious that Ryan and his guard had been away for an unexpectedly long time and that the outside had grown too quiet. Alverez rolled his window halfway down and called out for his man but, there was no response.
“I’ll go look, boss,” the driver volunteered, pulling his gun.
“No, you watch the girl,” he insisted as he grabbed the gun from his hand. Alverez exited and closed the door.
The driver looked around at Ava and smiled suggestively. “Looks like it’s just you and me, baby.”
Alverez wandered through the dark with the gun pointed in front of him. He circled the car then walked further and further away, calling out his missing henchman’s name, but there was no answer. All he could hear was the rain. A conspicuous object rested on the dark landscape and he walked over to it. Before him on the ground was the body of his henchman with a steak knife protruding from the side of his neck. His gun was missing.
Suddenly he heard a gunshot in the direction of the car. He turned around, but his search had cost him line of sight of the vehicle, so he hurried back towards it. As he approached within a few feet, he could see his driver lying motionless on the ground. He pulled the door open only to see Ava sitting around the steering wheel as if ready to take off.
“You think I’m some kind of idiot,” he said in a menacing voice as he poked her head with the gun.
“Well, not just any kind of idiot,” a voice behind him said. As he turned, another gunshot exploded and Alverez fell to the ground dead.
Ryan threw the gun on the ground beside him and walked around to the passenger side of the car. He entered and looked at Ava who seemed overwhelmed by a concoction of emotions. She felt relieved, but horrified by the violence, and amazed at how Ryan had pulled off such an escape.
“You just killed Mateo Alverez,” she said as she tried to come to terms with what had just happened. “Every man in the syndicate will be looking for us.”
“Well I certainly hope so,” he said with a smirk. “But as you can see here, one of his men shot the driver then used the same gun to shoot the boss right after Alverez defended himself with his steak knife. The disloyalty is appalling.”
Ava stared at him, still in awe at his evil but meticulous and fascinating character. Without delay, they drove away.
After a long drive they stopped on the hillside overlooking the city. There seemed only a few miles between them and the landmarks that towered into the dark, bleaky sky. The rain had subsided and it was breaking dawn with just enough glow behind the clouds.
“Now I see why Alverez loves this car so much,” Ryan said. He then turned to Ava and gave her directions back to the city along with instructions to stay out of his way.
Ava reflected on all that she now knew and felt fearful of all that she still did not know about him. Her frustration mounted as she realized how much she was still in the dark. But there was one more thing that she needed to know.
“So what’s going to happen to Ryan? I know you’ll protect him, but will you let him have his life back?”
He could see her genuine concern and that she was as protective of Ryan as he was, except with less drastic methods. “Ryan comes from a dark place, but he deserves to return to a better world. I’m going to make sure of that.”
Ava looked deep into his eyes, searching for the so
fter person beneath. “Can he hear me now? He heard me when you were…choking me, and he came out.”
He answered, “I’ve always kept him in the dark when I needed to. Now his emotions are growing stronger and more demanding. He can hear you now and he wants to come out, but I can’t let him. Not yet.”
Ava leaned closer and searched even deeper into his eyes. She reached out her hand, hesitated then touched his cheek with a gentle stroke. His still eyes moved slightly and he grabbed her hand and flung it away from him. “I said, not yet,” he scolded, then jumped out of the car.
He whistled in amazement as he threw the car trunk open and located a hidden compartment containing high powered weapons and explosives. Alverez obviously wanted to be ready for any confrontation. Ava was by then staring into the miniature armory and shaking her head in wonder. Ryan helped himself to a few items, filling his coat pockets and a small bag that he had retrieved. He swung it over his shoulder, then retrieved a phone from his pocket and dialed. “Hey. Yea, we’re good. I have to go,” he said. He hung up the phone and threw it over the hillside.
Ava looked at him in wonder. She was getting weary of surprises and wondered at the scope of his character. “Who were you talking to?” she asked, but he ignored her, busying himself with his luggage. “Who are you working for- the CIA, FBI?” she persisted, grabbing on to his bag.
“Don’t ask questions,” he said sharply. He pointed her directions back to the precinct as they overlooked the city from their elevated vantage point. Then he turned and started walking away.
“Where are you going?” she called out.
“I told you, I have one more mission to complete,” he said without looking back.
Ava drew a rifle from the car trunk and aimed it at him. The cranking sound brought him to a standstill.
“I can’t let you kill the mayor. That’s all gonna be on Ryan,” she said.
“I’m doing this for Ryan,” he explained with his back still turned.
“There must be another way. I just can’t let you do this,” she insisted.
“Then shoot me,” he said.
After a long pause she lowered the riffle and he stepped off on his trek back to the city.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Ava arrived in the city and quickly found her daughter. Concerned colleagues inquired about her well-being and whereabouts, but no one knew just how close she had come to peril. Their questions about Ryan were well anticipated and met with well prepared, diplomatic responses. They could only assume that he had gone into hiding or was captured by the syndicate. Nothing could be further from the truth as he hid in plain sight on park benches under heavy disguise.
Meanwhile, reports of Mateo Alverez death spread like wildfire, as did fear of imminent reprisal. The mayor became intensely occupied with efforts to re-assure the city and preserve order, but deep inside, fear terrorized him. Ryan knew that the mayor was behind the murder of his own wife and others who stood in the way of this multibillion dollar development plan. He knew of his bloody deal with the syndicate. Despite his own vices, the mayor was a different kind of monster, one just as ruthless, but driven by an insatiable desire for wealth and control. He was a monster that both Ryan and his alter agreed was eating away at the city’s foundations. Thus, a deal was struck. Ryan would allow his alter one final act of redemption that would bring this white collar criminal to justice.
After two days and surveillance, he finally knew Mayor Richards’ plans and whereabouts. It wasn’t hard. The mayor had announced a press conference that was advertized on television screens, including those Ryan could see through store windows. Ryan had a plan of his own, one that his more trepid alter ego would have been unwilling and unable to execute.
Mayor Richards stepped onstage for a press conference designed to re-assure the city that everything was under control and that Mateo Alverez death did not mean impending war. His entourage of personal bodyguards and policemen, along with a few other city officials graced the stage and around in a display of unity, strength, and hope. The chief of police sat beside him while Ava searched the crowd for Ryan’s determined alter.
Ryan watched as he lay face down on the top of a building nearby. He blended in perfectly with the unkempt deck and found concealment between large HVAC units. It was the perfect sniper position, however he had no rifle for the mayor’s demise had to be more spectacular and worthy of a man of his stature. The mayor approached the podium with less cheer than he was accustomed to. His audience lingered in anxious concern, eager to hear what solutions he brought. Ryan looked at his watch then clicked the start button on a remote timer he held in his hand. In just sixty seconds his mission would be complete.
A tiny red light began to blink on the back of an unmanned video camera just a few feet away from the podium where the mayor stood. Ryan looked through his binoculars and smiled, marveling at the simplicity and effectiveness of his deadly plot. Collateral damage was likely, but to Ryan’s purpose driven alter, this was a worthy sacrifice.
Forty seconds left on the timer and the mayor was already into his animated delivery. He spoke with a contagious confidence that quickly captivated his listeners. This city, he argued, was not just about systems or infrastructure. He paused then extended his hand to his side, welcoming a symbol of this city’s real treasure. A small group of children walked on stage, to the cheers of the mesmerized crowd. Ava shook her head, disgusted by the exploitation.
Ryan saw the children and a turmoil began inside of him. The thought of sacrificing a few corrupt officials was not enough to awaken his more compassionate side, but the idea of young, innocent victims was more than enough for him to fight his way to the forefront of his consciousness. His determined alter resisted, eagerly awaiting the final seconds before the camera would explode.
“Ryan, this has to be done,” Greg insisted, convinced that sparing the mayor would result in more bloodshed later on.
“No. I’m not going to kill innocent children,” Ryan resisted.
Thirty seconds to go, and the mayor preached while Ryan’s personalities battled for dominance. This was not what they had agreed to. Bring the mayor to justice- that was the deal. There was no redemption is what lay seconds ahead. The conscientious part of him mustered all the strength that he could. It was a rare assertive moment, but Ryan succeeded. He gasped in a brief moment of fright and desperation. He was close enough for a view, but not to raise his voice in warning above the loudspeakers on the podium.
Twenty seconds to go and Ryan fumbled until he found a stolen cell phone in his pocket. There was no way to stop the camera from exploding or dispersing the crowd quickly enough. There was only one way he could think of.
Ava’s phone rang and she struggled to hear above the mayor’s amplified voice. Ryan mumbled incoherently for a few seconds. Ava covered her other hear with one hand and finally recognized his voice. Instantly, she became defensive and signaled to a few nearby police officers.
“Ava, listen to me,” he said with an urgency that silenced her. “There’s a bomb in Camera 2.”
“What?” Ava screamed, scanning the devices near the stage. There were three cameras, all unnumbered, except one.
“It’s going to blow in eleven seconds!” Ryan screamed through the phone.
Her frantic movements caught the attention of everyone, including the mayor who at first seemed annoyed by her indiscretion. She struggled through the crowd, but barely covered a few yards. Desperate, she shouted, “There’s a bomb!” A stampede ensued and people raced in different directions screaming.
Ava reached the stage and took hold of the light, mounted video camera and ran with it towards the back of the stage ready to throw, but there was no open field, only vehicles parked behind. Her heart pounded as she quickly scanned for options. Ryan watched in unbearable suspense from the top of the nearby roof. He looked at the timer with three seconds remaining and turned away in hopelessness, not wanting to see Ava destroyed. With all the strength she could mu
ster, she hurled the camera over the top of the empty school bus and dived to the ground.
It was a heart stopping moment that seemed much longer than the split second it really was. Suddenly, a heavy blast shook the air, sending broken glass and other debris flying in all directions. The wooden backdrop of the stage collapsed violently, while the screams of attendees soared. Ava lay face down on the ground with both hands covering her head. She could feel the hot, angry wind from the blast and her ears rang at the deafening sound. As it subsided, she lifted her dirt stained face just enough to see debris still flying over her head. She looked at the engulfed, mangled remains of the bus that was still rocking from side to side.
A second, just as powerful explosion thundered as leaking fuel ignited beneath the bus. Ava screamed at the severe heat and covered her face once again. More glass flew as other nearby vehicles suffered damage. The blast impact subsided, but the heat became even more unbearable as the bus blazed.
Finally, Ava struggled to her feet and ran in the opposite direction. When she reached the other side of the mangled stage, the crowd was already very far away. She navigated hurriedly through the debris towards them until she stopped at a heartbreaking sight. A young child was lying motionless on the ground with footprints all over her body and a small laceration on the side of her face. Ava fell to her knees beside her and checked for vital signs. There were none. She covered her mouth in a quiet whimper and shook her head slowly from side to side. Though many lives had been saved, she felt responsible for the stampede that likely killed the child.
Ryan watched from the roof as Ava stood looking down at the lifeless young victim. His relief over Ava’s safety was eclipsed by the unbearable grief he felt as he overlooked the horrific scene. If only he had not bargained with his ruthless alter who seemed bent on killing the mayor at any cost, he thought. There was, after all, no redemption. There only remained one indisputable fact that the monster inside him had to be destroyed at any personal cost.
