Friction

by Dwayne Gill

  “What?” asked Daniel.

  “This is how they make more marked men,” said Cane.

  “Come again?” asked Calvin.

  Cane inspected the man’s arms, legs, and torso. “I don’t think they’ve injected him yet.”

  “Well, we know why they wanted back in this room,” said Daniel. “What do we do with him?”

  Cane looked at him.

  “We can’t leave him here,” Daniel said.

  “We shouldn’t kill him, right?” asked Cane.

  “No,” said Lynks and Calvin simultaneously.

  Daniel looked inside the den. “So, we each grab a guy.”.

  “Are you sure this is a good idea?” said Cane. “Tom, I mean.”

  “Oh, it’s a great idea,” said Daniel.

  *

  10:30 p.m. CST

  After they bound Tom Boles in the car’s back seat, Cane drove, checking occasionally for a tail. They’d stashed the unconscious patient in the trunk as a precaution to protect him from Tom.

  “Let’s hope he doesn’t wake up on the ride home,” said Daniel.

  Cane didn’t think he would; whoever had subdued the man appeared to have wanted to make sure he was out a while, judging by the shape he was in.

  They’d now have two people witnessing the location of their safe house, Cane realized. It had been his main objection to them capturing Boles instead of killing him. His other worry was how Jordyn would respond, for she had no idea her father was coming. Cane feared this whole charade was a misguided attempt by Daniel to bring the girl some closure to a traumatic past but wasn’t sure it would play out as he hoped. Although Jordyn had proved herself resilient, the sight of her would-be murderous father might not sit well with her. Lynks and Calvin had their doubts as well, but ultimately, Daniel got his wish.

  Cane looked at Tom’s emotionless expression in the mirror. Amos had altered the man, who likely had no control over the subsequent changes that had culminated in the attempted murder of his own daughter. Cane would like to look at Tom with utter contempt, but he thought of Connor, his ex-assassin trainee, and the expression on his face before he died. Cane’s lifelong acquaintance hadn’t known him, and Connor hadn’t willingly cooperated with the marked men.

  Cane wondered, Am I so different? Two weeks ago, he’d found out he was also genetically enhanced, like the marked men. That revelation led to other disturbing possibilities. What if he had no control over who he was? He’d never been injected with anything, that he recalled, but what if it had happened unknowingly? Did it explain his difficulty feeling ordinary emotions? He’d come a long way from his assassin days, but he could still feel the degrees of separation between himself and others. What if someone had made him a monster?

  Cane had yet to tell the others what Professor Duncan had disclosed to him. He wasn’t sure how they would react to him being genetically altered, especially Daniel, for whom the disclosure would have further implications. If Cane and Daniel shared the same birthmark, they likely shared the same alteration.

  If Cane felt unique before, the disclosure of his enhanced genes isolated him even more, and he feared the others would think of him differently.

  Cane also had yet to speak to Bowman about his relationship with Marcene since finding out about it from the now deceased FBI director, Harvey Foster. Bowman was a hard man and had been Cane’s superior his entire life, which made a potential confrontation with him awkward. Though Cane was certain of his good friend’s intentions, he still needed to understand what Bowman knew.

  Tom Boles’ eyes were smiling at him in the rear-view, almost like he was reading his mind. “You two still don’t get it, do you? You’re so far behind.” Daniel glared into the back seat, but Cane waved him off.

  “This is what they do,” said Cane. “They claim to have this grand scheme planned, and they keep pointing out how oblivious we are.”

  “Looks like you all keep getting your asses kicked to me,” said Daniel.

  Tom smiled. “Small victories. They mean nothing in the big picture.”

  “See?” said Cane.

  “Tell that to Amos,” said Daniel. “He doesn’t have a head. I’ll bet he would consider that more than a small victory.”

  “Amos was reckless,” said Tom. “He let things become personal. Kind of reminds me of you.” He looked right at Daniel.

  “Damn right it’s personal,” said Daniel.

  “That’s your problem,” said Tom. “It will be your downfall. You want Rick just as badly as Amos wanted Cane.”

  Daniel huffed. “If Rick gets in my way, I’ll deal with him. It took him and a bunch of you asshats to slow me down, and even then you couldn’t kill me.”

  Cane knew Daniel was referring to an episode over a year ago, when the big guy had stormed a facility teeming with marked men. Rick, one of Vinson’s lieutenants, had been there, and the mob had almost killed Daniel.

  “He’s almost killed you twice,” said Tom. “Or do you not remember the first time?”

  An uncomfortable silence filled the car. Cane looked at Daniel, who had a confused look on his face. Cane wasn’t aware of what Tom was referencing.

  Tom laughed. “You don’t remember, do you? Rick was there that day, at the Marcini place.”

  Cane didn’t follow, although he knew the general details of what had happened. Daniel’s boss and crew had been slaughtered, and someone had left Daniel for dead. It had taken place years ago, long before Daniel’s aforementioned Rick encounter. They had never discussed the ordeal thoroughly, and Cane realized now that Daniel had probably not known Rick was there. This would not sit well with the big guy.

  “He orchestrated the whole operation. He even made sure they killed your little high-school friend. They would’ve killed her in front of you, but you were late to the party.”

  “Stop the car,” said Daniel.

  Cane saw pure fury oozing from him. He didn’t think stopping was a good idea, so he kept driving, hoping Daniel would cool down.

  “Stop the car!” said Daniel, now in more of a roar. Cane veered to the shoulder and skidded to a stop.

  Cane was divided; on one hand, if Daniel killed Tom out of anger, it could be for the best. Bringing the man to Calvin’s house had never appealed to Cane.

  However, if Cane did nothing to stop it, when Jordyn found out later, there was no telling the repercussions. He had to make a quick decision, for Daniel had already shot out of the car like a cannon.

  Cane locked the doors, which in hindsight didn’t do much to slow the giant. Daniel tugged on the handle, realized it was locked, then broke the window with his fist.

  Tom didn’t appear afraid, even though Cane knew the man wouldn’t live much longer unless Daniel snapped out of his rage. Cane could already see the aftermath of this murder in his mind; once Daniel returned to normal, he’d regret having lost control and guilt would overpower him.

  Cane didn’t have time to consider every option, for in seconds the deed would be done. He grabbed a taser from his bag on the seat beside him, stepped out of the car, and walked around to the passenger side, where Daniel had Tom on the ground. He shot the barbs into the big man’s back.

  It had minimal effect, but that hadn’t been Cane’s intention. He only wanted to get his attention, which he succeeded in doing.

  Daniel stopped and turned around. “Did you tase me?”

  For a moment, Cane thought Daniel was going to attack him, but instead he just froze. He might’ve been trying to fight through his rage, for he was breathing hard and mumbling to himself.

  “Jordyn,” said Cane. “What happens when she finds out you beat Tom to death on the side of the road?”

  Daniel’s chest was rising and falling violently.

  “He’s just trying to get under your skin. It’s not him you want,” said Cane. Daniel’s breathing slowed, and he released several big exhales until he appeared to be back in control.

  “You tased me?” said Daniel.

 
“It worked, didn’t it?” asked Cane.

  Daniel pulled the barbs out of his back and showed them to Cane. “That tickled.” At least the big guy was smiling now.

  Tom was coming to, and Cane knew it wouldn’t be long before the man began provoking Daniel again. “Let’s tape his mouth shut and get him home,” said Cane.

  Daniel looked down at Tom. “Good idea. You got really lucky, Tommy boy.”

  *

  11:00 p.m. CST

  Twenty minutes later, they pulled into the driveway of Calvin’s large home. The rest of the ride had been a quiet one, with Daniel regretting how close he’d come to making a big mistake.

  Calvin and Lynks met them out front, eager to see the infamous cargo returning home. “Rough ride?” asked Calvin, noticing the shattered back window.

  “He tased me,” said Daniel.

  Calvin raised an eyebrow. “Tom did?”

  “No,” said Daniel. “Cane did.”

  Daniel had returned to his normal self, thankfully, and Cane knew he wouldn’t let him forget the tasing incident for a while.

  “Never a dull moment with you two,” said Calvin.

  “We’re gonna need to distract everyone inside somehow,” said Lynks. “Where are we bringing Tom?”

  “The panic room,” said Cane.

  The room in the big house had steel-reinforced doors and walls, and though it was meant to keep people out, it could also function as a prison.

  “Where’s the other guy?” asked Lynks.

  “He’s in the trunk,” said Cane.

  Lynks and Calvin looked at each other. “Of course he is,” said Calvin. “Another refugee. We’re running out of room in this house, and that’s tough to do.”

  “I’ll carry the guy in the trunk in through the front,” said Cane. “The ladies will be distracted by him.”

  Cane looked at Tom in the back seat; he was smiling mischievously. Then he looked at Daniel. “Can you handle bringing him to the safe room without killing him?”

  Daniel gave him the finger.

  *

  The distraction worked as planned, as Kristy, Natalie, Taryn, and Jordyn all flocked around Cane and Lynks when they entered through the front door carrying the unconscious man. The ploy would allow Daniel and Calvin to enter the rear of the home undetected.

  Wally, Fletcher, and Zeke, the three guards who seemed to be permanent fixtures at the mansion, stood at attention as well. The men were mysterious and quiet, mostly, but lately the women had made it their mission to bring the sentinels out of their shells. Cane personally preferred them as they were: all business. The three carried themselves with an admirable professional air and seemed focused solely on protecting the house’s occupants.

  “We’re gonna need restraints,” said Lynks to anyone who was listening.

  “Who is it?” asked Natalie. The women had surrounded and entered nurse mode, concerned for the hapless victim.

  “Cane and Daniel saved him from the marked men,” said Lynks. “They were going to inject him.”

  “Like, turn him into one?” asked Taryn.

  “Yes,” said Lynks. “We need to tie him up temporarily until we’re sure he’s not a threat.”

  “Jordyn, come with me,” said Kristy. “Where are we keeping him?”

  “Second floor,” said Lynks. “The spare bedroom.”

  There weren’t as many unoccupied rooms these days at Calvin’s mansion since Natalie and Kristy had moved in. Cane, Lynks, and Daniel had been staying there for the past couple of weeks. Bowman and his friends had been there, too, as well as Hart and Barkley, the two FBI agents, but they’d all left a few days ago once everyone had fully recovered from the injuries they’d sustained during Daniel and Kristy’s rescues.

  Cane, Lynks, Natalie, and Taryn filed upstairs, while Kristy and Jordyn met them a few minutes later holding rope and duct tape.

  “That only works in movies,” said Lynks, referring to their choice of bondage material.

  Kristy shrugged. “It’s not like I’m experienced at this.”

  Kristy had been held captive twice by madmen, and Lynks now was a little embarrassed by his choice of words. “It’s okay,” he said. “Lucky for us all, Cane is quite the expert.”

  Kristy smirked. “Expert in bondage, huh?”

  Cane glanced at her, not getting the reference, but then smiled as it dawned on him. “I have something better. Will you get it out of my bag?” he asked Lynks.

  “I’d be afraid to know what’s in there,” said Natalie.

  “Whips,” said Jordyn.

  “Chains, gags,” said Taryn.

  “Okay, hold up,” said Natalie to Taryn. “You’re too young to know about that.”

  “See what happens when I’m isolated from society for too long?” asked Taryn.

  “Cancel the cable,” said Lynks.

  “Cable?” asked Taryn. “You’re a decade behind, buddy.”

  “Leashes, girdles,” said Zeke, wearing a proud smile. Everyone in the room turned to look, shocked by his bold addition.

  “Look what you did, Taryn,” said Lynks. “You’re a bad influence on him.”

  Taryn smiled, shrugged, and gave Zeke a high five. Zeke still seemed pleased with himself but quickly snapped back to business mode.

  Lynks handed Cane the restraints, which were adjustable leather straps. They looked worn, so Cane snatched them quickly, hoping to avoid another round of bondage jokes.

  “Do we really have to tie him up?” asked Taryn. “He’s gonna freak out when he wakes up.”

  “There’s no telling what he’s been through,” said Lynks. “He’ll be scared no matter what.”

  Cane secured him as best he could to the bed so he wouldn’t be in too much discomfort, but the main priority was their safety until they verified he wasn’t dangerous. Cane checked the man’s right forearm again, but it was clear.

  “Still hasn’t changed,” said Cane. “I wonder how long it takes the markings to appear.”

  “He’s a lucky man,” said Kristy.

  “We hope,” said Natalie. “We don’t know for sure if he hasn’t been turned.”

  Cane hoped the man would wake up on his own, which surely would be a more pleasant experience than being forced to come to.

  “Where are Daniel and Calvin?” asked Taryn.

  Lynks and Cane exchanged looks. “Downstairs,” said Lynks. “Give them a few minutes.”

  Natalie and the others appeared suspicious. “What’s going on?” asked Natalie.

  “They’ll show you in a minute,” said Lynks.

  “What are they up to?” asked Kristy.

  Lynks stammered, and Cane didn’t even attempt a distraction. Kristy would see through his deception in an instant. The four women looked at each other, whispered amongst themselves, and marched downstairs.

  *

  Daniel heard Taryn hollering his name as he finished restraining Tom. She sounded far away, in another part of the house, so he and Calvin had time to exit and shut the door behind them before the gang arrived. Entrance to the panic room would only be granted by a six-digit code or Calvin’s retinal scan.

  Calvin yelled to get the ladies’ attention, and a minute later they stood inside the large library that housed the safe room. All four women were smiling and appeared curious as they approached.

  Daniel was nervous; he’d been waiting for this moment for over a week now, since he’d requested Lynks find Tom. Calvin, Lynks, and Cane hadn’t been as supportive of his endeavor as he would have hoped, but he felt like Jordyn needed this. Taryn needed it too, but Jordyn had been the one who had proclaimed, frequently, how she’d love to look her dad in the eyes, for him to see she’d lived through his worst and was alive. However, now that she was standing literally feet from the man who tried to end her life, Daniel was having second thoughts. He hoped he was doing the right thing.

  “What are you two up to?” asked Taryn. From the looks on the women’s faces, it was obvious they suspected a
prank. None of them had any idea what was truly happening. Calvin looked at Daniel as if to let him know it was his show.

  Daniel considered asking everyone else to leave except Jordyn, but the others wouldn’t be good with that. Besides, it might increase the tension. He decided it was best to just come out with it.

  “Jordyn, you’ve been saying you’d like to look your father, or Tom, in the eyes,” said Daniel.

  The atmosphere in the room immediately grew heavy. Jordyn’s eyes looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets. Even though it was clear everyone knew where this was headed, no one wanted to say it out loud.

  “We have him,” said Daniel. “We found him at one of their secret locations.”

  Jordyn was still too shocked to respond. Daniel tried to measure her reaction but wasn’t sure how she felt.

  “He’s behind that door?” asked Natalie.

  “Yes,” said Daniel.

  Jordyn pressed her forehead into her hands, although she didn’t appear to be crying. No one moved to disturb her, and Daniel waited to see how she’d process it.

  She turned, ran down the hall, and disappeared. Taryn looked at Daniel, forced a weak smile, and ran after her friend. Kristy and Natalie stayed behind, unsure of what to do.

  Calvin walked over to Daniel. “Give her a minute,” he said.

  “This was a mistake,” said Daniel. He cursed himself for not listening to Calvin, Lynks, and Cane. They’d warned him of the possible outcomes, but he’d been hell-bent on serving justice to Jordyn.

  “You meant well,” said Natalie.

  “She’s just in shock,” said Kristy. “She has a lot of mixed emotions about Tom. She’s not mad at you.”

  Natalie and Kristy walked over and hugged Daniel, which helped, but he still felt a huge amount of guilt, not only because he’d misjudged Jordyn’s reaction, but also because he’d nearly lost control on the trip here. He would have killed Tom on the side of the road had Cane not intervened.

  “I need a minute, too,” said Daniel. “I wanna talk to Jordyn when she’s ready.”

  Calvin nodded. “I’ll come get you.”

  Dirty Dancing