Tracker (14 page)

Twenty-Eight

Alice

I drove Hannah and the kids to the hospital, trying Jason’s cell every couple minutes. With every failed attempt, my worry grew. Paul was right. There was no way Jason would have missed all of my calls—even if he had been sleeping. Hannah kept looking at me hopefully as I continued my attempts, and her face fell every time I hung up without speaking. After about twenty tries, I finally gave up my hope that Jason would answer the phone.

The next time I picked up the phone I called my partner instead of hitting redial. “Dan, we need to get someone at the hospital with Hannah and the kids,” I told him when he answered. I pulled into the hospital parking lot as I continued. “I need to come to work, and we need to find Jason.”

Dan agreed. “I’ll send Tony over. Talk to Sam, if you can, and when Dimartino gets there, meet me at the station.”

Our plan in place, I disconnected the call. I drove around the parking lot to the general entrance, and noticed Hannah staring down at her hands blankly.

“You all right, Han?” I asked gently.

She shook her head. “I begged him not to go,” she said softly. “He wasn’t recovered. He shouldn’t have gone.”

“You’re right.” She looked at me, her eyes wide with surprise. “But,” I continued, “Sam is his brother. He couldn’t keep sitting around while the kid was in Mason’s hands.”

The three kids sat quietly in the seat behind us as we talked. I pulled into a parking spot, only slightly surprised by their reluctance to join into the conversation. Hannah considered what I had said.

“I wouldn’t have waited if it were you,” she admitted. “I guess I should be thankful he stayed with us as long as he did.”

She turned back to me. “Find him, Alice. Please,” she said urgently.

I sighed and nodded. “I will do my very best, Hannah. You don’t need to worry about that. I’ll be joining Dan at work after I get to see Sam. Dimartino is coming here to stay with you while Dan and I work on finding out what happened to Jason.” I turned my attention to the backseat. “I know you guys don’t know Tony, but he’s a good cop and he’s a friend. He won’t do anything to jeopardize your safety. Please listen to him if he tells you to do something.”

I waited for nods from the three of them. The younger two glanced at Paul, who seemed thoughtful for a moment, but nodded slowly. Jeffrey and Ginny followed his lead.

Paul’s agreement almost made me sigh in relief. I had worried that his cooperation would last only as long as it was Dan or I involved. We would have had some trouble if he hadn’t agreed. There was no way the younger two would have listened if Paul didn’t. The chain of command in Jason’s group was clear. It was evidence of Jason’s leadership abilities that his second-in-command would continue following his rules even in his absence.

“What do you say we go in and see Sam?” I asked as I opened my door.

Everyone followed me, Ginny more hesitant than the others. I was about to speak up, but Paul waved me off. “Hey, Gin. You okay?” he asked, gently putting his arm around her shoulders. “We’re going up to see Sam now; you want that, don’t you?”

She nodded. “I want to,” she agreed, “but he’s hurt. I don’t want to see him hurt.” Her wide eyes were a testament to her anxiety, and Paul did his best to alleviate the girl’s apprehension.

“Sam is hurt, Gin. But he’s safe now. We need to go in there and help keep him safe until Jason comes back. We need to trust Alice and Dan. Jason told us so, remember? Besides,” he added. “Sam’s gonna want to see you guys when he wakes up.”

The little girl nodded, taking Paul’s hand as we all continued walking to the entrance. I caught Paul’s eye and gave him a nod and a smile for a job well done. After finding out where Sam was and telling the nurse’s station we were there waiting for information, we went to the waiting room. I had been told the doctor was in with Sam and would be out shortly.

“I’ll go in first,” I said. “I need to get whatever information Sam has before Tony gets here.”

Sam was a bright kid. If he had heard or seen anything that could be a clue to Jason’s location, he’d be able to tell me. Hannah was quiet and withdrawn, but I knew she’d bounce back once she saw Sam. She wouldn’t show her negative emotions too much in front of an injured child. Hopefully he’d be able to distract her from her fears about Jason.

The kids seemed uncomfortable in the sterile hospital environment. They sat stiffly, jumping anytime someone came close, and clearly wanting to get out. Despite that, they stuck it out waiting quietly and watching whatever random show was on TV. I didn’t recognize it, but it was a good distraction for them.

About twenty minutes after we got there Tony Dimartino arrived. I explained what had happened, quickly summarizing the events, removing only the parts about Jason’s abilities. When he had heard the story, he sat with us and waited, staying alert to anyone or anything that seemed out of place. When I saw how vigilant he was, even though I was still there, I realized Dan had made a good choice for guarding my sister and the children. He would keep them safe, and I felt surer of my plans for leaving them.

It wasn’t long after Tony’s arrival when Sam’s doctor came out. I held up a hand to the others, moving to talk to the doctor by myself first. I showed him my badge and he said, “I’ve been made aware of his situation. I’ll allow all of you to visit, but not all at once. He needs to rest and recuperate.”

“What are his injuries?” I asked.

“He has a mild concussion, broken left arm, several cuts and lacerations. He’s in rough shape, but nothing life threatening. There shouldn’t be a problem with you talking to him. The main problem is that he’s been anxious and scared since he got here. I hope there’s something you can do to calm him a bit.”

“Those kids,” I said, indicating Paul, Ginny and Jeffrey, “are his family. The older boy who watches out for them is missing, possibly in the hands of the man who had Sam. Even knowing that, having his family around him should help to calm him down. It’s possible that he saw what happened to Erin.” I added the last softly, hoping it wasn’t true.

“Erin?” the doctor asked.

“Another member of their group,” I explained. “She was murdered by the guy who kidnapped Sam.”

The doctor stood silently for a moment. “The boy may need counseling when this is all over,” he said. “With that kind of trauma, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is not out of the question.”

“We’ll take care of him,” Alice said. “If he needs counseling, we’ll get it. May I see him now? I need to take his statement and then meet my partner. We have an abduction to solve.”

“Of course, let me show you to his room.” The doctor waited for a moment while I told the others about Sam’s injuries and that they’d be allowed to see him soon. I followed the young doctor to the room Sam was in then thanked him and went in.

“Sam?” I said gently as I walked into the dimly lit room.

“Officer Alice?” Where’s Jason? Please, I want my brother,” his soft voice pleaded, eyes wide and tearful. He didn’t care that he was giving away what he still thought was a secret. At this moment, he wasn’t a runaway afraid his identity would be discovered, he was just a scared little boy who wanted his big brother.

“I’m sorry, Officer Alice, I told Mason about Jason and our father.” His eyes widened in fear as I moved to his side and sat down. “He didn’t get…”

“Jason isn’t with your father,” I told him. “A least I don’t think he is. Your father tried to take him last night, but Jason was able to scare him off. Jason was going to go after Mason to find you. He left my house last night and we haven’t heard from him since.”

Sam sat up in a panic. “Mason has him! That’s why I’m here now!”

“Sam, calm down, buddy.” I held up my hands uselessly hoping he’d lie down again. “Dan and I will find him. I need your help to do it.”

He sat back on his pillow in confusion. “How can I help you find him?”

“I need to know anything you may have seen or heard that could lead me to where Mason might be holding him.”

Sam nodded, wanting to help as much as he could. “Just start at the beginning. What happened after he grabbed you and Erin?”

He flinched back when I said Erin’s name and I cringed. “Erin’s dead,” he said, tears streaming down his face.

“Yes,” I said. There was no need to deny it, and it would do him no favors to hide from the fact.

“One of Mason’s people did it,” he said after crying softly for a moment.

“I heard her… she was so scared and hurt. I couldn’t help her,” he sobbed as I pulled him into a hug.

“None of this is your fault, you know that right?” He nodded as he wept into my shirt. “Paul, Ginny, and Jeffrey are here to see you. As soon as we’re done talking they’ll come in to visit. When we find Jason, he’ll be thrilled to see that you’re okay.”

The little boy continued crying for several minutes, but eventually his sobs died down and he took deep breaths to compose himself. Sam’s emotional response made me indecisive about my next move. It was hard to decide whether or not to push him to reveal anything he may have heard or just let him recover in peace.

“Sam,”—my voice was gentle as I made my decision—“Jason needs your help. If you heard anything that could assist Dan and me in finding him, please tell me now.”

The little boy nodded bravely and thought for several moments. “He made me tell him Jason’s real name. He wanted to bring our father here to distract Jason. After that he said Jason would come out to find me, and he wouldn’t need me anymore. He had people watching your house for Jason to leave.”

I interrupted him. “Were they his people or did he pay neighbors or somebody?”

He shrugged. “I dunno. He just said people you wouldn’t notice.” I nodded and he continued, “He said something about training Jason to help him. That he’d keep Jason prisoner somewhere no one would think to look until he was working for him. He called it ‘the farm’. Is that helpful? That’s all I heard before they knocked me out.”

“That is very helpful, Sam. Thank you,” I said, giving him a careful hug before I stood to leave.

“Officer Alice?” Sam called as I reached the door.

“Yes, Sam?”

“I also heard him tell one of his men to kill me. But he didn’t. He told me to stay quiet and he shot into the dirt instead of at me. Why would he do that?” he asked innocently.

“I don’t know Sammy,” I admitted. “Maybe he doesn’t agree with his boss about killing kids. I’ll make sure someone is here to guard you while you recover, okay?”

Maybe we had an ally within Mason’s group. I would have to check with other precincts and the FBI to see if there were any undercover officers in place.

He nodded. “Could you have Paul and the others come in now?” His voice was wavering with emotion.

“They’ll be in soon,” I promised as I left the room. “Get better, Sam. I’ll find Jason for you.”

TWENTY-NINE

Jason

My muscles were still twitching from the shock as I was dragged to a shed near the edge of a wooded area. I didn’t struggle, knowing I would have to pick my moment to strike. Now wasn’t the time. My resolve broke when a tall, skinny man approached me carrying a dog-training shock collar. I pulled against the people holding me, but got my legs knocked out from under me and a knee to the back in response.

The approaching man ignored my struggles as he, with the help of one of the guys holding me, wrapped the collar around my neck tightly. It wasn’t cutting off airflow, but I felt increased pressure from it as I swallowed convulsively. “You won’t be able to get it off,” the man said with a sneer. “I rigged it with a lock and key. Only your keeper will be able to remove it.”

“Let me guess,” I said, calling up some false courage. “My keeper is Mason?” The edges of the collar dug in as I spoke, and the prongs that were on either side of my Adam’s apple were digging in uncomfortably. It wasn’t something I’d be able to ignore or forget about.

The man clapped. “The freak can learn,” he said sarcastically. “Keep that up and you might make it out of here alive.”

I glared at him for the freak comment, but didn’t say anything. Chances were good that the shock from the collar wouldn’t be strong enough to block my abilities completely. Maybe I’d have the opportunity to escape. I would find some other way to get the collar off.

“Do you have a problem, Freak?” The man had noticed my reaction, but I didn’t give him the satisfaction of a response this time. He stared at me for a few seconds before huffing and leaving the shed. Apparently my lack of response annoyed him. Too bad.

Once he was gone, the Bulldog and the other guy who’d caught me—the one with the uncanny ability to appear out of nowhere and the odd fashion choice of wearing a collar—pulled me to the center of the room and forced my arms over my head to attach the chain of the handcuffs to a hook securely set into the ceiling. The other thug who appeared once I was chained and the Ghost had disappeared again was almost as big as the Bulldog, but this one was more streamlined. His bulk seemed more muscular, and his face didn’t droop as much, although it looked as though he’d broken his nose a couple times. I dubbed him the Boxer.

The ceiling of the shed was not too high, so I was still able to stand normally, but with my arms extended above me I anticipated they would get sore very quickly. That was probably the least of my worries right now. The Bulldog and the Boxer stood near the wall waiting and glaring at me. Either one would be happy to kill me at any time. It would be wise of me to keep that in mind. The only thing keeping them from it was their boss’s desire to study me. I shivered slightly, a fact that was not lost on the two thugs who laughed at my discomfort.

Several minutes passed before the shed door opened again. As Mason walked in, I leaned as far away from him as my bonds would allow and winced in pain as the cuffs bit into already bruised and tender flesh. My fear—at the moment—was unfounded. Mason completely ignored me as he moved around the shed, occasionally speaking softly to the other men. He was examining the shelves and cabinets that lined the far wall of the shed. They looked like tool boxes; I wondered—and feared—what he was contemplating.

After a couple times around the shed, Mason sent his men outside, leaving me alone with him. He turned to me for the first time. “Do you know what this is?” he asked mildly as he waved a small black box in front of me.

“I would guess the control for this collar,” I answered, trying to keep my voice steady. Besides a slight waver near the end, I like to think I succeeded.

“You’re right.” Mason’s raspy voice sounded almost surprised, and despite the situation I rolled my eyes a little. Had he really expected me to not make that connection?

“And do you know what I plan to do with that collar?” he continued in the same irritating tone as earlier.

“Keep me from using my powers on you, is my guess,” I responded evenly.

He continued his walk around the shed and picked up a large knife from one of the cabinets. He fingered the edge before turning back to me.

“That’s partly correct. But what I’m really trying to do is some training. It is, after all, a training collar. You need to learn when and where you can use your… special talents.”

My breath hitched as he spoke. Training? That—plus the knife—seemed to be a promise of much pain in my future. He continued his speech about how once I was trained I would be able to help him take over the city with little chance of recrimination. He would use me against anyone he perceived to be an enemy, and I would have no ability to fight him on it.

“Why are you telling me this?” I inquired softly. “Won’t warning me help me to fight your ‘training’?”

“I’m telling you because you should know that nothing you do will help. I’m sure you saw as you were brought in that there is no one near here that will save you. There is another man—perhaps you’ve noticed him—who I have used this method on quite successfully.”

“The Ghost,” I muttered quietly. It had to be. He was the one who seemed the least interested in hurting me, and the only one of Mason’s men I had seen wearing a collar.

He looked at me thoughtfully. “I’ve never heard him referred to as that, but I think it's fitting. Without knowing what he does for me, you’ve given him the most apt name. Anyway,” he said, getting back to why I had no chance of fighting him. “I have men all over this property who have controls for your collar should you be able to escape the shed.”

He gave a little grin that chilled me to the bone. “And,”—he held the knife up under my chin—“I enjoy a challenge.”