Innocence Lost (11 page)

Ben

              The men had finally started to use their brains and were going door to door searching for them. One of the trucks would circle the block in case they tried to sneak out; a few wanted outside while the rest went inside the buildings searching for them. Ben and the others crouched near the windows, waiting.

              “There are three keeping guard outside and I counted ten heading inside.” Mason said.

              “Truck is coming by around about every fifteen.” Stevenson added. “Looks to be about another half-dozen in that thing.”

              No one said anything else. They just waited.

              Ben checked the safety on his gun for the umpteenth time. Every minute seemed to take an hour to pass.

              “They went in, what, about twenty minutes ago?” Ben asked.

              “Somewhere around there. Don’t worry, well know once they find our hiding spot.”

Ben could hear the smile in Stevenson’s voice. But he didn’t share in his amusement. Yet every time it felt like fear was overcoming him, he would think of Rook, and his determination would return.

              Just as the quiet began to return, it happened.

              The explosion blew out the windows on the top floor of the hotel. Even though they were posted up in the building across the street, they could still feel the shock wave from the explosion. Ben was in awe at the destruction.

              Mason and Stevenson busted out their windows and fired at the three men cowering outside of the building. It only took a few bursts before those men were no more.

              It had been Zima’s idea. When the men had started going from building to building, they knew it was only going to be a matter of time, so Zima set a trap. He set a trip wire and rigged up the small amount of C4 they had, and in just a moment a large portion of the bad guys were neutralized.

              The sound of screeching tires echoed down the streets and just as expected the truck came screaming down the street in front of the building. Just as Ben had been in awe of the destruction, so too were the men who, for just a moment, stopped and stared up at the damaged building. That was when they opened fire. Ben let out two controlled bursts. The first hit the street near the truck, the second managed to get a few bullets into the actually truck.

              “Fall back!” Mason yelled.

              They all dove back away from the windows and a few moments later bullets tore into the building. They had expected this and their hope was that the men would turn their attention to their firing position that way Zima, who was hiding in the alleyway of the hotel could approach unnoticed and toss a few grenades into the truck. A much smaller explosion erupted from outside, confirming the plan went as planned.

              “Get to your positions.” Mason said as he jumped to his feet.

              Stevenson returned to the window as Ben followed Mason down the stairs into the street. Once there, the destruction somehow seemed even more immense. The street was full of debris from the explosions and the air was tinged with the smell of smoke. Ben kept his focus and sat at the edge of the alleyway covering his section. Mason met Zima at the entrance of the hotel and made their way up. They had five minutes to make sure the fatality rate of their C4 trap was 100% and then they were going to fall back. The wait this time wasn’t nearly as long and twice the silence was interrupted with short bursts of gunfire from inside the building. Zima and Mason came out of the building and they fell back to their rendezvous point, which was an old dentist office five blocks from the hotel.

              The rushed into the building, barricaded it and then got into position to make sure they weren’t followed. All of them were silent, their focus outside. Ben felt the pounding of his heart in his chest, the sweat pouring down his back and felt alive. They had done it, he had done it.

              After a few minutes Zima called it. “Looks like we’re clear.”

              Ben finally relaxed and fell back against the wall.

              “Any injuries?” Mason asked.

              Ben checked himself over. It looked like he scrapped his elbow at some point in time but other than that he was fine.

              Mason saw his elbow. “Make sure to clean and cover that. You don’t want it to get infected.”

              At first Ben thought he was joking but the man’s face remained serious. “Er, yes sir.”

              “How many were inside?” Stevenson asked.

              “I counted eight.” Mason answered.

              “I saw nine confirmed.” Zima answered. “The three guards outside were confirmed and then the six in the truck that pulled up. I’m no mathematician but it looks like that’s eighteen confirmed in ten minutes?”

              “I don’t have my calculator with me but you’re probably right.” Mason said taking a swig out of his water bottle.

              “Well it looks like the odds have been evened up just a little.”

Ben

“I count six.” Mason wiped sweat from his brow and did his best to catch his breath.

“I think six is manageable.” Zima said with a smile.

“Also their arguing,” Mason added. “They might end up killing themselves for us.”

Ben looked up at the old brick plant from their hiding spot behind the trees. Ivy had taken over the entire eastern side and was spreading out all over the rest of the abandoned building. The brick was faded and the yellow windows were broken or covered over in dust. This place was where the last of the bad guys were hiding.

“What are they arguing about?” Ben asked.

“Sounds like they just had an op that went bad. I don’t anything about that, do you Zima?”

“I’m at a fucking loss.”

“Should we give them some time, see if they kill themselves?” Stevenson asked.

“Negative.” Zima glanced at the window. “This little lover’s spat will provide us with the cover to finish this.” He turned to Mason. “You saw all this from the roof?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Can your old legs get you back up there?”

Mason rubbed his chin with his middle finger. “I think they can manage.”

“Good. Mason, take the roof; Stevenson, take the dock doors on the west side, and I’ll go around the back.”

“Where do you need me….sir?” Ben asked.

“Here.”

“Yes, sir.”

“They don’t have a way to get out on the east side so the only other route they have is here. You see someone, you take them out.” Zima spoke quickly as if he was trying to reassure Ben it was a valid order. Ben hadn’t even questioned it; he didn’t have to prove himself to anybody. “Alright boys, let’s finish this for Rook.”

They spread out and took off to their positions while Ben hunkered down. He felt the safety on his gun and switched it off, no need to recheck. He had an extra magazine in his right front pocket and his pistol was attached to his side thanks to Rook’s old shoulder holster. The thing was a little big but Mason had been able to rig it up to fit him. Having it on helped him feel ready.

He saw movement on the roof and then gunfire. It started on the roof and then spread out along the entire building. Ben raised his assault rifle and got it to the ready. Occasionally there would be breaks in the gunfire and yells and screams filled the void. After a few minutes it went quiet.

They had done it. It was over.

Ben got up from his cover and began to walk towards the building when the front door burst open. A shirtless man limped out, blood covering his entire right leg. The man was within twenty yards before Ben managed to raise his gun.

“Freeze!” he yelled. Despite the fact it was something a cop would say, it came out loud and strong.

The man paused and lifted us his hands. “Please man, I didn’t do nothing, don’t kill me.” He limped forward a few more steps. “I’m not with these guys, I was just here asking them to leave us alone.”

Ben looked up slightly from the sights. The man looked fit and well fed, nothing like the regular people they had seen before.

The man took another couple steps forward.

“I said don’t move.” Ben said again and returned his full attention to the sights.

The man squinted his eyes. “You….you’re young. How old are you? Look, I’m not with these guys, you have to let me go.”

“Stay where you’re at. I’ll let my friends decide what to do with you.”

The man’s jaws clenched and his hands fell down.

“I’d put those back up if I were you.” Ben warned.

“You going to shoot me kid? You can’t be any more than what? Fourteen, fifteen? You’re not a killer.” The man took another step forward, now within throwing distance.

Ben glanced to the building: still no sign of the others. “You really want to chance that?” His finger hovered over the trigger.

The man reached behind his back and pulled out a knife. Ben put his finger on the trigger and stepped back.

“I’m either going around you or through you. Which is it going to be?”

“I’ve given you a chance,” Ben said, taking another step back. “You take another step forward and you’re a threat.”

The man paused, looked Ben up and down, and then lifted the knife in the air.

A short burst.

The kick lifted the barrel slightly in the air but he managed to bring it back down for another shot, though he didn’t need it. The shirtless man lay on the ground. Ben looked for evidence that he had hit him and then he saw blood begin to show from a small spot on the man’s chest. The man left out a ragged breath that sounded wet. His eyes shot open and a look of panic appeared on his face. He reached up for his chest and grabbed at it, another wet breath. The man struggled and looked to Ben with a plea in his eyes, but there wasn’t anything he could do. Somehow the next breath seemed even wetter; it sounded like the man was drowning. The man grabbed his throat and reached out to Ben as his face turned a dark shade of red. Then Mason walked in front of him.

The man’s face was like stone but his eyes looked at him knowingly.

“It’s already done. You already know the ending, no need to watch it through.”

It took Ben a moment to find his breath. He felt his hands shaking and considered dropping the gun but decided that would look even worse. “You trying to protect me?”

“Just as much as I’d try to protect any of my men.” Mason said.

Ben heard another final gurgle and then nothing. He was gone.

“So….is it….clear in there?”

“Clear as water.” Mason turned him around and slapped him on the back. “Time to get our ass to Kentucky.

Ally

              She pulled on the chain link wires again but they wouldn’t budge. She had been trying for hours and the only thing she had to show for it where blisters all over her hands. Ally gave it a good kick then sat down against the far side. It was hopeless. She wasn’t leaving until the men decided she was.

              The sound of the front door opening echoed throughout the empty house. The sound of multiple people walking through the house met her ears and she wasn’t surprised to see Ethan round the corner, but she was surprised to see a bound woman being dragged behind him. Ethan tossed the woman in front of Ally’s cage, causing the woman to land on her stomach where she lay crying.

              Ethan’s smile beamed from ear to ear. “Told you I’d make us a family.”

              Ally ran to the front of the cage where the woman was lying. The woman looked up and she could see the bruises all over her face. Past the bruises and the dirt, Ally recognized the woman. It was the lady she used to always trade with in town, the one that always gave her oranges. The woman’s eyes were full of panic and looked right past Ally.

              “I remember watching you with her. You two seemed to get along nice so I figured she can be your replacement mom for a time.”

              “No.” Ally shook her head. “No, you take her back.”

              Ethan looked surprised. “What do you mean? You need a family. You need a mom to help watch over you. I know how bored you get by yourself and now you have company.”

              “My mom is dead. This is just a nice lady that you beat up and kidnapped. Take her back.”

              “Ally?” the woman asked looking at her a second time.

              “You’re ungrateful.” Ethan said as his face reddened. “This wasn’t easy to do. I could have gotten into a lot of trouble and you don’t even care. I can’t bring back your dead momma but I can give you the next best thing.”

              “I didn’t ask for you to bring back my mom!” Ally yelled, now on her feet. “I didn’t ask you to make me a new family. I didn’t ask for you to kidnap me or to kill my dog. The only thing I asked you for was to let me go and you won’t do that. So until you can, quit doing things I don’t ask.”

              Ethan looked like he was on the verge of exploding when the sound of the front door opened again. Ethan’s face went from uncontrolled anger to shame in a spilt second. He looked towards the lady on her stomach and waited until Roy came into the room.

              Roy stepped into the room and his eyes fell on the lady.

              “What the fuck is this?”

              Ethan said nothing;

              Roy’s voice remained calm. “Ethan, why is there a bound woman on my floor?”

              “Little…..Ally needed a mommy.”

              Roy looked to Ethan in disgust. “Are you telling me you kidnapped this woman to give the girl we’re going to sell company?”

              “We’re not selling her.” Ethan said under his breath.

              “Did anyone see you? Did anyone follow you?”

              Ethan shook his head no.

              Roy grabbed the man by the throat and pushed him against the wall. Ethan didn’t resist. “You stupid piece of shit, you’re going to get us killed!” He punched Ethan in the stomach and the man toppled over.

              “Ally what is goin-” the lady began to ask before Roy walked over to her.

              “Did anyone see you?” he asked.

              The lady didn’t look at him but shook her head no. “I was walking to my house and he pulled me into the alley. I tried to shout but-“

              “Hush honey, you don’t have to say anything.” Roy said now calm.

              Ally watched as the man pulled out the same knife that he had used on Tiger and shoved it into the back of the lady’s neck. The woman made a gurgling sound and Ally began to scream.

              She screamed so loud it consumed every thought in her mind.

              She screamed as if the sound could drive away the horror that was happening right in front of her.

              Ethan jumped up from the floor and slammed into Roy. Both men crashed into the wall next to Ally’s cage, shattering the mirror that had been hanging there. Roy once again grabbed Ethan by the throat, only this time he used his other hand to pick the man up and slam him to the floor. Roy got on top of the man and she could see the knife was still in his hand, dripping with the blood of the lady. He raised it up in the air and it hung there. She waited for him to plunge the knife into Ethan but he didn’t. Instead he tossed the knife to the side and began to punch Ethan in the face.

              Again.

              And again.

              And again.

              Until the man’s face was bloody and broken.

              Roy got up and made a motion as if he was dusting himself off.

              “That’s your last warning. Consider it strike two. You fuck up again, or you look at me the wrong way again and I will turn you into Swiss cheese.” He looked to Ally. “This is your fault. Fucking with his head.”

              Roy left the room. Leaving behind an unconscious Ethan and the lady she barely knew. The woman’s blood began to seep into Ally’s cage and in a daze Ally got up, walked to the far side and sat in the corner.

She didn’t remember Ethan getting up and leaving but he must have because when she came to he was gone. She also didn’t remember the lady’s body being moved but it was also gone. The blood must have been wiped up because there was no sign of it on the floor outside or inside her cage, but she could still smell it. Over time the smell would eventually leave the room as it was overpowered by mildew and other strange smells, but it would never leave Ally. That smell would remain with her for as long as she lived. Whoever cleaned up the blood and the body failed to notice the large shard of glass that landed inside Ally’s cage.