The education of nevada.., p.12
The Education of Nevada Duncan, page 12
“It won’t, Dad. I’ll be careful. And I’ll tell you everything I find.”
“Okay, but one last piece of advice. You need to put together a team you can trust. Fuck winning competitions. Pick people who will cover your ass and have skills to do it.” His voice was dead serious. “I’ll be back in three weeks for the gala, but hopefully we’ll catch these bastards by then.”
He kissed my cheek and let go of me. I grabbed my knapsack and headed for the exit with my head held high.
LC
25
“Move! Move! Trauma patient coming through!”
I entered the Clayborn Institute and was barely able to step out of the way in time as doctors and nurses rushed by with a stretcher. The patient was in pretty bad shape, covered in so much blood it was hard to tell where it was coming from. The entire hospital seemed to be busy, and all I wanted to do was make it to the elevator.
“Pop! Over here,” Junior called from the other side of the lobby. He was holding the elevator, and I rushed across to get in. “He text you too?”
“Yeah. Any idea what this is all about?”
The elevator door shut, and Junior pushed the button for the fifth floor.
“Nope. He wouldn’t say anything over the phone.” Junior answered.
I shook my head warily. “I don’t like it, Junior. This situation with Marie is getting out of hand. Did you take a look outside? There are way too many cop cars in front of this building. And why the hell are we meeting Bryant here? He’s not supposed to even know Marie is at this hospital.”
“I know, Pop. I was thinking about that the entire ride over here.”
When we finally stepped off the elevator, Detective Bryant was standing there waiting for us. The corridor was filled with police officers, and from the hustle and bustle, there was no doubt in my mind this was an active crime scene.
“What happened?” I questioned Bryant.
“Your girl Marie happened,” he replied.
“Oh God, she’s not dead, is she?” I glanced down the hall at the men and women wearing blue coroner’s jackets. Damn it, the last thing I wanted to do was explain to Vegas that something had happened to Marie on my watch.
“No, but she did leave a body,” Detective Bryant said, motioning for us to follow.
“Jesus Christ, this is just going from bad to worse,” I mumbled as we made our way down the hall.
“Open it,” Bryant demanded when we reached the gurney.
The coroner unzipped the black body bag, and the first thing I saw was the red hair. The man’s face was swollen badly, and I could tell that his jaw was broken.
“Marie did this?” Junior commented once we were in the hallway again. “I guess she still got it.”
“Yeah, she did a number on him. He died from blunt force trauma to the head.”
“Do you know who he is?” I asked.
“His hospital ID says John Wilson,” Bryant replied.
“But you don’t believe that, do you?” Junior asked, picking up on Bryant’s tone.
“Nope, his ID and credit cards are a fake. There is no John Wilson on record. He’s a ghost, but I know you saw what I saw.”
“The red hair.”
“Yep. We’re gonna run his DNA through the lab and see what we come up with, but I’m pretty confident we found our guy.”
“Why? Just because he has red hair?” Junior asked.
“No, because we found a fifteen-inch knife next his body that I’ll stake my pension on matches the knife that killed Bobby Two Fingers.”
“Hmm . . .” It wasn’t adding up. “And where was the staff when all of this was happening?” I asked.
“This is the shit that’s going to blow your mind,” Bryant said. “They were all asleep. Every last one of them, including the security guard at the front desk.”
“Get the hell outta here,” Junior replied. “So you think he drugged the floor with doughnuts?”
Bryant threw up his hands and started to laugh. “Bingo! We watched the surveillance video. This guy strolled in here with three dozen doughnuts, handing them out to everybody like he worked at Krispy Kreme. An hour later, they were all knocked out.”
“Passed out ’sleep? In a mental institute?” Junior asked incredulously.
“He knocked out the entire staff so that he could go and kill Marie.”
“And I’m sure he planned to wipe all the security footage before he left. He made one wrong calculation, though,” Junior said. “He wasn’t counting on Marie being a fighter.”
“That’s for sure,” I said, looking back at the room where his body lay. “So, what’s next, Bryant?”
“The most important thing is we find your girl Marie before she does something stupid. I’m pretty sure I can make any charges against her go away. She’s pretty much the victim here, but we don’t need her on the loose.”
Bryant walked away and left Junior and me alone. I let out a deep sigh as we walked to the elevator.
“What’s on your mind, Pop?” Junior asked.
“I was just thinking—which one of us is going to tell Vegas Marie’s on the loose?”
Nevada
26
As the SUV approached the castle and began to cross the moat, my body was filled with all kinds of nervous energy and my mind was consumed with a jumble of thoughts. Dad’s advice had been to put together a squad based on skills, not on winning competitions. If things got dangerous, who would I trust to have my back? And who had the necessary skills?
I still couldn’t believe my dad had allowed me to return to school. One thing I’d learned early on was, like my grandpa, my dad was not a man who was easily swayed or convinced about anything, unless he respected you. The fact that I was on that bridge spoke volumes about our relationship and the newfound respect he had for me as a man, a Duncan man. I was not going to let him down. My first objective was to assemble my squad and find out who owned that pin.
“Pull over,” I told the driver.
He looked in the rearview mirror and frowned. “Sir?”
“I said pull over, right here.”
He gave me a look of uncertainty as he pulled to the side of the road. I hopped out and walked to the driver’s window. “Take my things to Paris Hall.”
Again, he gave me a doubtful look. “I can’t leave you here. I was instructed to take you back to school, and that’s what I’m doing. I’ll wait here.”
I reached into the backpack that hung on my shoulder and took out a crisp bill. “Here. It’s a hundred euros. Just leave my bags by the entrance. There’s something I have to do.”
After a brief pause, he took the money from me, then drove away. I waited until he crossed the small bridge before making my way over to the bank, where I found Ivan, who was still fishing. He remained focused on the water. I wasn’t sure if he was ignoring me or if he hadn’t realized I’d joined him, so I spoke first.
“Catch anything?” I asked.
“What the hell are you doing here, Duncan?” He didn’t turn around or seem surprised by my voice.
“I was thinking about trying my luck, so I came over to see if I could find a good spot.” I sat beside him.
Ivan finally looked at me and frowned. “I didn’t ask for any company. I’m busy here.”
I motioned toward the empty pail sitting on the opposite side. “Busy with what? Doesn’t look like you’re having much luck.”
He rolled his eyes and said, “Fishing takes patience. I don’t have nowhere else to be. I got kicked out of the Elites, so I have plenty of time.”
“That’s what I kinda wanna talk to you about, Ivan,” I told him. “I wanna call an armistice.”
“For what? I ain’t at war with you. I just don’t like you. And I’d appreciate it if you left me the hell alone—before I give you a beating.”
“Really? How’d that work out for you last time?” I stared at him, and he turned back toward the water, looking ashamed. “You’re a smart guy, Ivan. You do know violence and fighting is not the answer to everything? Guys like us have to use our brains, not our brawn.”
“You don’t know anything about me, Duncan.” He shot me an angry glance. “And I’m nothing like you.”
“Dude, you knew what armistice meant without thinking about it. You got into MIT, for God’s sake. Admit it. You’re smart.” I sighed.
“So what? I got into MIT. Who gives a fuck about that? You think anybody around here cares that I got into a prestigious school?” Ivan shook his head and stared back into the water. “All they care about is getting pinned.”
“They, who? Your father? Because where the hell did that pin get him?” I asked, knowing that I was taking a chance by insulting his father like that. He had a scowl on his face, but he didn’t hit me, so I figured it was safe to continue. “That pin doesn’t mean shit if you don’t understand the meaning behind it. This place isn’t just about learning how to fight. It’s about learning how to live and the lifelong connections that go with it. Being pinned is about joining a lifelong brother and sisterhood of friends. People that have your back.”
“Go away, Duncan.”
“Damn, I guess you’re not as intelligent as I thought you were, Ivan. That’s disappointing.” I shook my head. “I guess you’re not like me.”
“I can assure you my IQ is higher than yours,” he shot back.
“That can’t be true. Because if it were, you’d be hell bent on continuing what the guys in this pic started at this place.” I reached into my backpack and took out the picture Minister Farrah had given me.
“What the hell is this?” Ivan’s eyes went to the object in my hand, then back to me. I handed it to him.
“Look at it.”
After he finally took it, I waited for him to study it for a few moments before I spoke again. “This is what I know we’re capable of. But we can be better.”
Ivan handed the picture back to me.
“You came here to be pinned like all the great men in your family, right? Isn’t that why you’re here?” I asked.
“Yeah, and?”
“You ever thought about something more than that?”
Ivan turned his head toward me. “What do you mean, more?”
“I mean continuing what these men started. Greatness.” I held the picture up again. “My father, Darryl Graham, your dad, Jason Starks, and this guy right here, Raul Hernandez, he died a hero. They weren’t here to just earn a pin, Ivan. They were here to be great.”
Ivan pointed to his father. “Yeah, well, that dude right there doesn’t think I’ll be anything. I’ll never be great to him. And my destiny is to follow in his footsteps as a drunk.”
“Do you have greatness in you?” I asked. “Because I know I have it in me. Hell, Ivan, you gotta have something in you too. This is the second time you’ve gone through the program, and you still haven’t given up. If that’s not greatness, then I don’t know what is.”
“That’s resilience, Nevada. And determination.”
For the first time since meeting, Ivan called me by my first name. Perhaps I was making headway with him. “All components of great men, as far as I’m concerned. Which is why I want you on my squad.”
His eyes widened for a second, then lowered. “Even if I wanted to be, I can’t. I’m not an Elite anymore.”
“The question is, do you wanna be an Elite, Ivan? If you do, then meet me on the field at six tomorrow morning.” I stood up. “If you’re there, I’ll do the rest. It’s up to you. I do have one rule, however.”
“What’s that?”
“Loyalty.”
Ivan didn’t say anything else. His attention was on the photo.
Having said all that I felt needed to be said, I turned to make my exit. I saw a slight movement in my peripheral vision. I paused.
“Hey, Ivan.”
“What?” Ivan looked up.
I pointed to the water. “You got a fish.”
Ivan grabbed the pole that he’d laid on the ground and began reeling it in. I didn’t wait to see what was on the line. I needed to get back to campus and assemble my squad.
Marie
27
I drove with one hand on the steering wheel, and the other on my arm. The adrenaline in my system had worn off, only to be replaced by the overwhelming urge to sleep. The headlights of the oncoming cars weren’t enough to keep me alert, and neither was the fear of crashing. I kept pinching myself as hard as I could to stay awake.
“No sleep. No sleep. Gotta stay awake,” I mumbled to myself.
I knew where I was going, I just had to get there. I had to. My eyes just felt so . . . heavy. I had to close them, just for a second—
The sound of a horn blaring made my eyes snap open just in time to notice that I had swerved into oncoming traffic. I swung back into my own lane, barely missing a head-on collision with a Dodge Ram. My heart pounded at the near miss. I shook my head vigorously to wake myself up.
“That would have been very bad. Very, very bad,” I said to myself. “Stay awake. You’re almost there. You’re almost to that motherfucka’s house. Just stay awake.”
I didn’t know how long I’d been driving. Ever since I was locked away in that institution, I couldn’t keep track of the passage of time. Things seemed to just blend together. Sometimes I didn’t even know what was real and what wasn’t.
I’d been to my destination a few times before. Even though it wasn’t so long ago, it felt like another lifetime or another dimension, when I was a different person, a boss. Now I was just a fragment of my former self who didn’t care to be pieced back together. One thing I did know was that Bobby Two Fingers was a piece of shit. When I finally parked beside a curb outside of his apartment, I hoped he was inside so that I could say it to his face.
“Fucking shitbag,” I said, getting out of the car.
When my feet touched the cold concrete, I remembered that I was barefoot, and I still had on the white pajamas provided to me by the Institute. I checked my surroundings then walked fast into the building. A young black couple was exiting as I headed in. I kept my head down, but I could feel their eyes on me.
“Goddamn, what the fuck happened to shorty’s head? Bitch looks crazy as fuck!”
I ignored him and kept going up the stairs. I was there for something, and I wasn’t going to leave until I got it.
Bobby’s apartment was on the third floor at the end of the hall. When I got there, I checked over my shoulder to make sure I hadn’t been followed. I raised my hand and banged on the door. After a few seconds when nobody came to answer it, I banged on it again.
“Bobby, I know you’re in there, you son of a bitch! Open the door!” With each word coming from my mouth, I felt my energy drain a little bit more. “Bobby!”
Still nothing. I placed my ear to the door and tried to listen for any sign of life. Nothing. Not even a footstep. I didn’t have the skills or the patience to pick the lock, and I didn’t have any more energy to bang on the door. Something told me to just try the knob. I was surprised to feel that it turned with no problem.
I pushed the door wide open and stared inside the empty apartment. The only light on was the one in the dining room, and it lit everything in the front of the home. I stepped inside and shut the door behind me, making sure to lock it.
“Bobby?” I moved slowly throughout the home. “Is anybody here?”
It was completely empty. In fact, it was so neat that it looked like nobody lived there. I went to his bedroom and saw that his bed was made. There wasn’t so much as a wrinkle on the comforter. Maybe he was just a neat freak, I thought. Either way, he wasn’t there.
“Where the fuck is that bastard?” I asked myself. “I don’t know where it is without him. Where is it?”
I started rummaging through the things in his bedroom—his drawers, his closet, under his pillow and his bed. Nothing. I couldn’t find it.
“Where is it? Where the fuck is it?” I shook my hands on the sides of my face in frustration. I didn’t know where he would have hidden it.
Damn him! Damn him to hell. No one is going to believe me without it.
Turning off the light in the bedroom, I went to the kitchen. Maybe it was in there. I went through every cabinet and every drawer, but still nothing. I groaned loudly and slammed the last cabinet I’d gone through. It was useless. I wouldn’t be able to find it without him.
Maybe—
My thought process was interrupted when my eyes rested on a box of Cap’n Crunch sitting on top of the fridge. My stomach gave a low growl, alerting me that I was hungry. I barely ate the slop they served at the Institute. I didn’t know if they were trying to poison me or not. So right then, the cereal was looking as good as a steak.
Before I knew it, I had poured a bowl of cereal and milk. It didn’t take long for me to scarf it down and pour another bowl. When my belly was full, I put the cereal and milk back where I got them. I set the bowl and spoon in the sink for Bobby to clean whenever he got there.
My eyes grew heavy again, and this time, there was no car horn to wake me up. My legs carried me to one of the living room couches, and I just collapsed. My body had finally been pushed to its limits. It needed rest. I needed to sleep....
After my time at the Institute, I was on high alert at all times. Even the smallest noise would wake me. That was why I jolted awake at the sound of keys jangling and voices I didn’t recognize outside of Bobby’s apartment.
I heard the muffled voice of a man. “I thought you said Liam left this door unlocked.”
“I thought he did too. But then again, he had a few shots of whiskey that night,” another man said.
“Yeah, yeah. Just open the fuckin’ door.”
I jumped to my feet in a panic when I saw the doorknob turn.
No, no, no! Nobody could find me. Terror filled my entire body. Where can I hide? The bathroom! No, they might come in there. The closet? Under the bed?
I ran back to Bobby’s bedroom, and I spun in a circle, frantically trying to figure out where to go. I grabbed one of his old shirts, sliding into it. They still hadn’t gotten the door open, but it was just a matter of time. Shit!
