by L C Hayden
Everett shrugged. “He seems alright, I suppose. I just wish Swanson had found someone besides Prieto to go with the kids.”
Bronson stiffened. “Why?”
“He has a violent streak.” Everett stirred his coffee. “That’s not quite right. He’s not really violent. It’s more like little things set him off. Then . . .” He formed a fist and immediately opened it, mimicking an explosion.
“Knowing this, why did you allow Prieto to go with them?”
“What choice did I have? Swanson has never listened to me.”
“How many more thugs does Swanson have?”
Everett smiled. “Thugs?”
“How many?” Bronson repeated.
“That’s something you’d have to ask Swanson. I’m not privy to that kind of information. Prieto was a complete surprise to me.”
“So there are others.”
“Oh, yeah. Plenty more. Of that I’m sure.”
Shiiit! Bronson raised his cup and almost dropped it.
The sound of a gunshot coming from somewhere near the compound left him breathless.
Everett ran out of the cafeteria. “Stay here.”
Chapter 54
Roger could feel Norma tremble. He squeezed her hand tighter.
Prieto steadied his hand and pulled the trigger.
Norma screamed and Roger hyperventilated. Neither had been hit. “What the—”
“A wolf,” Prieto said. “There was a wolf hiding behind those bushes.” Prieto pointed to the shrubs close to Roger and Norma. “I think he’s gone. I scared him away.”
“Th-thanks.” Norma said.
Prieto lowered the gun. “Let’s stop playing this charade.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Norma held her head high.
Prieto took a step toward her. “Yes, you do. Neither you nor Roger know what to do. Bronson sent you out here to escape, not to retrieve the book. Do either of you even have an idea where the book is?”
Roger and Norma exchanged glances, but neither answered.
“Just as I thought,” Prieto said. “How did you plan to escape?”
Roger and Norma remained quiet.
“I’ll tell you how.” Prieto smiled. “There’s a road just down this hill. It leads to a place called The House. If you can make it there, you’ll be safe. You’ll even be able to get help.”
“Why are you telling us this?” Norma asked.
“Because I don’t like what Swanson is doing. He thinks I can be bought, but I can't.” He looked first at Norma, then Roger. When neither of them reacted, he turned and headed down the hill. A few feet later, he paused and asked, “Aren’t you going to join me?”
Norma leaned toward Roger and spoke in a low voice. “We don’t have much of a choice.”
“I agree.”
They sped up to catch up with Prieto.
Chapter 55
As expected, Bronson found Norma’s father busy in the kitchen, chopping carrots. “Can I help?”
Chris looked up and remained quiet. After a brief pause, he said, “You startled me. I’m not used to anyone volunteering to help.” He smiled for a moment, and then the grin fell off his face as though it had been made of sand. “We all have our own responsibilities in here. We know our places.”
“I figured that.” Bronson picked up a knife and a carrot and began slicing. “Does everyone here accept his responsibilities and not question them?”
“I suppose so. There’s not much to question.”
Bronson raised his eyebrows, but either Chris did not see it or he chose to ignore it. “Lots of young girls come and go all of the time.”
“That’s to be expected. They come from broken homes or the streets. We find them a nice home and send them to it.” Chris placed the sliced carrots into a pot of boiling water.
“And you really believe that?”
Chris closed his eyes and when he opened them, Bronson saw the tears Chris had tried to hide. “Frankly, I don’t know what to think.”
“Then it’s time you start figurin’ this out. That’s your daughter out there in those woods.”
Chris opened the pantry door and took out a bag of potatoes. “You don’t think I know that?”
“Then do somethin’.”
“Like what?”
“You can begin by tellin’ me if I’m right.”
Chris closed his eyes, grinded his teeth, and threw his head back. Slowly, he nodded.
“Because you’re a master chef and your position is a necessary one here, you have a deal with Swanson. Norma will not be touched.”
Chris lowered his head and nodded once again.
Bronson continued, “Similar agreements have been made with other necessary community members such as the doctor, the dentist, and those knowledgeable in certain fields.”
“I suppose so. I never thought about it.”
“Why do you think such agreements need to be made? Have you ever thought about the welfare of all of those young people who leave the community?”
“I told you. The Elders finds them good homes.”
“Yeah, yeah. I heard that before. What I want to know is if you really believe it?”
Chris set the knife and the lettuce he was chopping down and shook his head.
“Then help them. Help your daughter.”
“How?”
“I can take Swanson and most of his thugs, but not all of them. If you organized everyone to stand behind me or at least promise not to raise a hand against me, we can win control over this compound. Then we can go out there and rescue your daughter. What do you say?”
The front door swung open and Swanson stepped in. “There you are. I’ve been looking all over for you. You need to come with me now.” He moved slightly to his right so that Chris couldn’t see the concealed gun, but Bronson had a full view.
A sharkish grin spread across Swanson’s lips.
Bronson dropped the handful of sliced carrots he had in his hand into the boiling pot. He looked at Chris, but he had busied himself peeling potatoes.
Bronson followed Swanson.
Chapter 56
“There it is.” Prieto pointed to the huge mansion that loomed before them. “Told you it wasn’t far from where we were.”
Roger smiled and looked down at Norma. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears.
“We’re safe,” she said between deep breaths.
Roger put his arm around her and squeezed her tight. “But Bronson and his friend aren’t. We need to hurry. We’ve got to call the police.”
“There’s a phone in the living room and another one in each of the bedrooms,” Prieto said.
“Then let’s go.” Roger dashed ahead of them.
Prieto and Norma ran to catch up with him.
In record time, they had reached the walkway of the massive house. “How do we get in?” Roger asked.
“Swanson keeps a spare key in the hanging flower basket.”
Roger and Norma saw six hanging flower baskets, three on each side of the porch. “Which one?” Norma asked.
“I’ll get it.” Prieto went to the middle one to his left and felt around the edge of the top. “Got it.” He cleaned the dirt off it. He inserted the key, and all stepped in.
“Where’s that phone?” Roger asked as his eyes took in the immaculate blend of oak furniture and fine paintings that hung on the wall.
“And why would you want a phone?” a voice behind him asked.
Startled, Roger pivoted to see both Tony Clemens and Steve Miller standing at the edge of the hallway, both with their guns drawn and pointed at them.
Norma gasped and took a step backwards, toward the entrance door.
Prieto blocked her way. “They are going to call the police.”
Clemens and Miller laughed. “Fat chance.”
“Is Virginia still here?” Prieto asked.
Miller nodded. “Upstairs. Locked in her room.”
“Thought El Jefe was supposed to
have picked her up by now,” Prieto said.
“He had some kind of trouble back in Argentina—a business deal gone wrong or something like that. But we’re expecting him any day now.”
“Cool,” Prieto said. “How about if we lock up these two with Virginia? El Jefe just got himself a real good deal. Three for the price of one.”
Clemens and Miller signaled for Roger and Norma to follow them up the stairs.
“I’m going to get myself something to eat,” Prieto said. “This brisk walk in the woods sure made me hungry.”
Chapter 57
Bronson flopped down on the bed, a prisoner in the room. Two burly guys Bronson didn’t recognize stood guard by the door. Bronson’s head hung low, his elbows resting on his legs. He looked at the window. No good. His eyes searched for something—anything. If he could distract one, he could take on the other one. But how?
He raised his head when he heard some talking outside his prison. Bronson recognized Aubrey’s voice. “The man’s got to eat. This tray has nothing special. A sandwich, a bag of chips, fruit. Swanson said it was okay.”
One of the burly guys looked at the food. Satisfied that nothing was wrong, he signaled for Aubrey to go in. Both guards remained outside, assuming their posts.
“Bronson,” she said as she stepped in.
“Aubrey.” Bronson noticed that her golden eyes no longer shined with warmth. Instead, they almost seemed dull, fearful.
She handed Bronson the tray. “Brought you some food. Hope you choke on it.” Once her hands were free, she placed her opened hands together, palm to palm. She separated them and brought them together. Her eyes focused on the sandwich.
Bronson set the tray down, opened the sandwich, and took out a note. “Nice of you to think of the food. I was hungry.” He read the note: Did as you suggested. We will back you up. Chris
“I want you to know I’m not happy about feeding you. You betrayed us. You tried to destroy our happy lives.” Silently she mouthed, “What do you want me to do?”
Scream, Bronson said, and then held out his hand, telling her to wait. “I thought I was helpin’ you.”
“You thought wrong. I hate you.” She winked, and for a second the golden sparkle in her eye returned.
Bronson took a huge bite of his sandwich and scooted over to the side of the door the thugs guarded. Bronson motioned to Aubrey: Keep talking.
Aubrey nodded and immediately began speaking. “I don’t understand why you would want to do this to us.”
By now, Bronson had stationed himself beside the doorway. Scream.
She let out a blood curdling sound that would have chilled a frozen snowman.
Both of the guards rushed in.
Bronson placed his hand on the shoulder of the one closest to him and spun him around. With his hand open, he threw a right blow and caught him with the heel of his hand under his nose.
The guard yelped and covered his face with both hands.
Bronson hit him two times in the belly.
He folded up and collapsed to the ground.
The second guard wasted no time in attacking Bronson. A blow to Bronson’s chest made him stagger, but he quickly regained his balance. Bronson hit him as hard as he could just below the breast bone.
The thug whooshed aloud as his breath was shot from his lungs. He staggered forward.
Bronson clasped his hands together and brought them down on the back of the guard’s neck, driving him to the floor. Once there, Bronson grabbed him and slammed him against the floor.
He was out. Both were.
Bronson straightened up and swallowed deep breaths. His body told him he was no longer a spring chicken. He needed to slow down. His eyes cut to Aubrey.
Her face had gone white, then whiter. She looked as milky as a clouded glass. Bronson was afraid she would pass out. “Aubrey. Stay with me.” He rushed to her side to keep her from falling.
“Aubrey, I need you. Snap out of it.”
She gasped as though she had been stabbed by a thousand needles.
“Are you okay?” Bronson asked.
Her lips moved, but nothing came out. She nodded.
“I’m going to go get Swanson now, but I need to know if there’s anyone else I need to watch out for.”
“I . . . I’m sorry. I . . . can’t help you. I never knew so many people in here were Swanson’s puppets. I always thought this was a nice, quiet community.”
Bronson hugged her. “Don’t worry. I can figure this out.”
“You’ll have a lot of help out there,” Aubrey said. “If anyone tries to attack you, Chris has made sure that there’s someone there to attack him.”
Bronson’s face lit up like a camera flash. “Stay here where you’ll be safe.”
Her lips moved upwards, barely forming a smile. She gave him the thumbs up symbol.
Bronson took a deep breath and stepped out. He had never seen the compound buzz with so many people moving about. He wondered how many were for him and how many were against him.
He would soon find out.
Chapter 58
Norma opened her arms, and Virginia rushed to her. “They told me—” Virginia sobbed. “They promised me . . . I was going to meet my mom. I was so anxious, so excited. But that’s not going to happen, is it?”
Norma shook her head.
“Why did they lie?”
Roger and Norma exchanged knowing looks but neither said anything.
Big sobs shook Virginia’s body.
Roger placed his hands on Virginia’s shoulders. “Listen, Virginia, I know you’re hurting.” He spoke gently and quietly, “But you’ve got to stop this right now.”
Virginia wiped the moisture off her cheeks, but she continued to sob, causing her body to tremble.
“We’re in danger and we’ve got to get out of here. Do you understand?”
Virginia’s eyes widened. “How?” She looked around the windowless room.
“You’ve been here for a couple of days,” Roger said.
Virginia nodded.
“That means you know where each room in this house is located.”
“A . . . a little bit. I’ve stayed in this room mostly.”
“Can you draw us a layout of the house?” Norma asked.
“There’s some paper in the top drawer of the nightstand.” Virginia bolted toward the drawer, opened it, took out a piece of scratch pad and a pencil. She began to sketch. “This is what the second floor looks like.” She explained what each room was as she drew it in. Roger and Norma watched over her shoulders.
“What about the first floor? Is there a back door?” Roger asked.
“I don’t know. Like I said, they have pretty much kept me restricted to this room.”
“Draw what you can of the bottom floor,” Roger said.
Virginia did. When she finished, she handed Roger the crude floor plan.
“What are you thinking?” Norma asked.
“There are three of us. There are three of them. When they let us out, if we scatter, we’ll divide them. If only one of us—”
The door to their room swung open. Miller stood in the doorway, his gun pointed at them. “Let’s go,” he said.
Virginia took some steps backward and to the side, placing the bed between her and Miller. “Where are you taking us?”
“We’re going to take you to see your mommy,” Miller said. From behind him, Prieto and Clemens burst out laughing.
Chapter 59
Bronson scanned his surroundings as he headed toward Swanson’s office. No one seemed either aggressive or peaceful. For the most part, everyone seemed to leave him alone. As he neared the building, he reached into his pocket and retrieved the gun. He plastered his back against the wall next to the door. He reached over and knocked.
“Come in,” Swanson said.
Bronson kicked the door open and dropped to the floor.
Swanson’s eyes widened. “You! How did you get out?” His eyes wavered as he focused on the to
p drawer of his desk. He opened the drawer and began to reach inside.
Bronson straightened up. “Don’t even think it.” He cocked the gun.
Swanson, still sitting in his chair, rolled away from his desk.
“Put your hands in the air and stand up,” Bronson ordered.
Swanson did as told.
“Let’s go,” Bronson said.
“Where are you taking me?” Swanson cast one last look at the fourteen by sixteen painting of his daughter that hung in the room.
“To the same prison you kept me in.”
“You’re making a huge mistake.”
“Yeah? Tell that to the police when they get here.”
Swanson did not meet Bronson’s eyes. Instead, he willingly walked out with him.
Bronson put the gun in the small part of his back between his jeans and his belt. No need to scare people more than necessary.
Once outside, people parted to give them a wide berth.
One man, the one everyone called Tyler, stepped behind Bronson.
Bronson saw his shadow approaching. In one smooth move, Bronson turned, grabbed Tyler’s neck, felt for the right places, found them, and quickly squeezed, shutting down his carotid arteries. The choke hold worked quickly, and Tyler went limp. He tumbled to the ground.
“Anyone else?” Bronson asked in a loud voice so everyone could hear him.
The people who had gathered to watch took a step backwards. Some scattered and ran away.
Bronson pivoted. Swanson was gone. He can’t get far. Bronson scanned the area.
Chris and another man caught Swanson and held him by his arms, dragging him toward Bronson.
“Looking for this?” Chris pushed Swanson toward Bronson.
Bronson grabbed him and straightened him up. “Thanks.” Bronson turned to Swanson. “Let’s go.”
They reached the room where Bronson was held without further incident. At the doorway, Swanson hesitated.
“What’s wrong?” Bronson asked. “Do you need some help getting’ in?”
“He does.”
Bronson cocked his head to see inside the room.
Everett stood in front of them. His left arm held Aubrey firmly in front of him. He used his other hand to hold a gun which he pointed at her forehead. “Step in. Be very quiet and close the door behind you.”
