Exit plan, p.5
Exit Plan, page 5
“What?” Dana’s eyes go wide and out of the corner of my eye I see the largest of the men turn to look at me, no doubt checking to see if I’m up to something, but I hold firm.
“No matter what the question, Dana. Tell them everything you know.” The van slows to a stop and I speak quickly before we are removed from each other. “Don’t let that Jekyll guy intimidate you. Just answer their questions. Please, Dana,” I plead, hoping to get her agreement before the doors open.
“But why? If I tell them everything, won’t that be bad for you—and Zane?” The confused look on her face breaks my heart. As I open my mouth to respond, the door to the van slides open pouring the day’s bright light into our dark space. Squinting in the direction of our exit, my eyes fall on Jekyll blocking the sun from my line of site with a wolfish grin that tells me he’s had ears in our vehicle all along and he already knows the answer to Dana’s question.
“My aren’t you a smart little bird.” His gaze travels past Dana and lands on me and I feel my breath catch in my chest. As uncomfortable as it would be, I almost want Jack to be the one standing here right now.
Then Jekyll shifts his focus to Dana and arrogantly answers her for me. “Haven’t you figured it out, Sweetie? Your friend has been keeping things from you. Probably to protect you. You are on, what we like to call, a need-to-know basis. And your friend here has decided you don’t need to know much. Isn’t that right, Little Bird?” I wince at his new nickname for me and look to Dana silently asking for her temporary forgiveness until I get the chance to speak to her again.
“You don’t need to interrogate her. She’ll tell you everything she knows.” I say in her direction, then look past Jekyll for a glimpse of Jack, but he is nowhere to be found.
“Grizz, take this one inside. Room two.” He leans into the van and unhooks Dana and guides her out into the open.
Standing still for a moment, it feels like Jekyll is waiting for something. Then as soon as the shuffle of feet fade away, he looks back to me, still secured in the van and ever so slowly leans himself into my space.
His eyes begin at my chest and slowly roam up to examine my face and he’s so close I can feel the heat of his breath on my cheek.
As if sizing up dessert, he slowly licks his lips as he takes me in completely. Then the realization that no one else is around sinks in.
“I find you fascinating, Little Bird.” The look in his eyes tells me he is holding himself back, but from what, I don’t know. “I’ve—” he pauses to compose himself, then continues. “—heard a lot about you.” Then, slowly leaning closer, he takes in a deep breath as if he’s committing my scent to memory and my skin prickles under his scrutiny. “Tell me, Little Bird, how you go from being dead to sitting here in my possession?”
“I——”
“Jekyll.” Jack bites his name out and I clamp my lips shut. Jekyll mutters something to himself under his breath and I get the impression my being alone with him out here was not part of Jack’s plan.
At the sound of his name, Jekyll slowly steps back and straightens himself but keeps his eyes set on me and I will myself to hold his stare and not look over at Jack.
“I was just having a little chat with our prisoner.” Jekyll emphasizes his last word to remind both Jack and I of the gravity of our situation and my place among them.
I don’t need any reminders.
I know what I am.
I’m already planning an escape.
“Where do you want her?” Jack tentatively steps closer to the van and looks inside and, it isn’t lost on me, he isn’t making eye contact.
“Lock her in her quarters. I want to talk to the snippy one first.” Jekyll answers and I temporarily forget my surroundings as my need to protect my only friend boils to the surface.
Before I take my next breath, the words are already out. “I told you, you don’t need to interrogate her. She’ll cooperate. Just ask her. Or let her go and I’ll tell you anything you want to know.” My words surprise both Jack and his buddy and they turn to look at me in stunned silence.
Jekyll recovers quick enough as he takes a step toward me to challenge my words. “Really? Where’s Zane? Better yet, who is Zane?” he shoots his questions at me as though he was ready for my declaration. My shoulders slump as my confidence slinks away.
“I thought so.” Jekyll smirks.
He knows I won’t be cooperating, and Dana isn’t going anywhere.
Leaning around me, Jekyll releases me from the van and pulls me to my feet. Then, turning to Jack, he nudges me in his direction.
“Lock her in the guest quarters, the small one. I’m going to check in then start with Dee.” Jekyll slams the back door to the van then strides into the closest building and I look around, taking in my first glimpse of my temporary accommodations.
I was right, we did drive east and judging by the terrain, we are somewhere in the Appalachian Mountains although I won’t be able to pinpoint where without some technology. I can only determine where we are not. We are still under the treeline and that doesn’t narrow it down by much.
The area looks a little like a compound or military camp. The buildings are solid, mostly cement with a couple of newer structures added. Boxes of supplies are piled against a wall and a couple more temporary buildings are off in the distance.
Looking beyond the surrounding fence, the forest becomes dense, and I get the feeling we are many miles from civilization.
I turn my attention to Jack and realize he’s been staring at me this whole time, silently taking me in.
My perception of him is nothing compared to the reality standing beside me, looking back at me, and I have no idea what to say. For years, I would replay what I would say if I ever found him; now I am lost.
“Jack——” is all I whisper before he stops me.
“I need to get you to your room. He’ll be questioning Dana soon. I want to be there. I trust you won’t try to run. I don’t need these, do I?” He motions to a pair of handcuffs on his belt and I shake my head. He’s all business. My heart breaks a little over how much we both lost.
Waving his hand toward the door, I begin walking and he turns and matches my pace alongside me.
Inside the building, the dim lights are a strong contrast to the bright day outside. I recognize a few men from the farmhouse, but they only briefly glance up at Jack and return to what they are doing.
Stopping outside an unmarked door, Jack pulls out a key and I feel an urge to reach out to him. To shatter the appearance that everything is normal.
“Jack.”
At the sound of his name, he freezes but he doesn’t look at me. I hear his breathing become harsh and an uncomfortable silence screams into the space we’re standing in.
“Ten years, Jessa. It’s been ten years.” His pain growls at me through gritted teeth as he slowly looks up and I see the hurt in his eyes. “I looked for you for years after. I thought you were dead. What’s going on?”
“It’s—complicated. I can’t explain it right now.” And I can’t. I need to be alone in that room to sort myself out. There are consequences to every decision I make now and I need time to decide which decisions are the right ones.
Jack releases an unamused huff at my pathetic answer, then slides the key into the lock. As the door creaks open on its hinges, he lowers his eyes to the ground and everything about him becomes cold. “Get in. Someone will come for you when we’re ready.”
His indifference crushes my heart and panic takes hold. Jumping forward, I catch him off guard as I grab either side of his jacket and pull him to me. Raising myself onto the tips of my toes to make up for my five and a half foot height against his few extra inches, I push my upper body into his chest and expect him to immediately pull back in shock.
But he doesn’t.
As I wait for an eternity in the embrace only I am actively participating in, my head moves with his breath as he continues to stand still. Slowly, his hands travel up the length of my arms and wrap around my back as he tightens his grip on me.
I don’t know who he is now, but I know who he was and I missed him. My smile pushes my cheeks high, forcing some tears out of my eyes and over my cheeks. I can’t hide my pain.
Easing out of his embrace, he’s frozen in place as his hands move to hold my upper arms. His expression is guarded and I feel the distance between us.
I step back to allow him enough space to release me to my cell, but he doesn’t let me go. Instead, his grip tightens and, as I attempt to break contact, I feel the air pushed out of my lungs as he pulls me back to him and smashes his lips onto mine.
His lips.
Just like I remembered them.
My memories were all I had for ten years, but now, it feels like yesterday.
My footing becomes awkward and my legs wobble at the intensity of the kiss as I wrap my arms around him to hold myself up.
I never want to let go.
“I see you found your quarters.” Like a piercing alarm, Jekyll’s barely composed voice claws through my head and I jerk back as though I’m in high school all over again.
At my surprise, Jekyll pauses, measuredly shifting his eyes between us. Jack straightens himself and turns to his friend.
No words are offered but the glares between the two of them are mentally draining me.
Both men are clearly cut from the same controlling cloth and, from the looks of their silent exchange, they’ve known each other for a long time. Neither is backing down.
The weight of their presence mentally crushes me and I can no longer stand the harsh stares of either one, so I shoot my eyes to my feet, chastising myself that I broke away from the three way staring contest I know I just lost.
Without a word, I feel Jack nudge me into the room and I obey, keeping my eyes down until I’m all the way inside and the hinges creak as the door shuts behind me. Once the lock clicks in place, I lift my head to take in the room that’s now mine.
It’s small, but considering its purpose, the size isn’t surprising. There is enough room for a cot and a table with one chair. There is a small opening for a window, but it is barred the old school way, nuts and bolts. Nothing about the room is computerized except for the camera up in the corner, monitoring me. An escape from inside this room will be difficult.
On my own for the first time in hours, I sit down and finally take a deep breath, releasing the tension I’ve been holding.
Bringing my fingers up to my lips where Jack just kissed me, they feel puffy at my touch. Everything I thought I knew about Jack was a lie. I need to let go of old facts and assumptions and move forward with my new reality.
Does Maxwell know that we’ve been captured yet? Our working relationship with him, if you can even call it that, is volatile. It’s a delicate balance of what Zane holds over him and the leeway he grants us in living. We are still alive because of two things.
For the most part, we are alive because Maxwell hasn’t been able to physically get his hands on Zane. He’s more elusive than Dana and I are and, for the sake of everyone’s safety, I can never reveal his identity.
And second, we are alive because we do work with Maxwell to a certain degree. We have taken on jobs where his own team lacks the expertise, which is fairly often. We do enough work to keep him happy while doing our best to stay away from any jobs that would harm innocent lives. In short, we’ve been helping him take down his competition, which creates even more adversaries for us but it keeps us breathing.
There is a heavy truth in the old saying, keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
But I can’t look at the big picture. Right now I need to concentrate on things as they come. Which means Dana. I hope she’s being cooperative. There is no reason for her to challenge either of them.
Once she tells them what she knows, they’ll come for me.
Then the real fun will begin.
5
Jack
Just like that, I kissed her. When her lips touched mine, a fire I hadn’t felt in a decade lit me up like napalm.
And it’s just perfect that Logan saw everything, I think to myself as I watch through the one-way glass mirror as he circles Dana in the interrogation room.
Their eyes are locked on each other and she isn’t looking away.
Judging by his delay in asking his first question, he’s not happy that she’s rejecting his authority. Logan thrives on getting under people’s skin and managing the situation around him but Dana isn’t backing down.
She’s leaning back in a hard metal chair as though she’s resting comfortably in a recliner and her foot is tapping against the table in a repetitive thud, further agitating him.
Now I remember her. Defiant as ever. She’s been given the go ahead to tell us everything, yet her body language tells me she hates giving even one piece of information up to Logan.
“So, Dana, what were you two doing at the farmhouse?” Logan attempts to start off easy.
He has to. We’re both completely confused right now. There are so many questions and this is our chance to fill in some blanks. We can’t afford to have her shut down on us.
“We were supposed to be on downtime. You know, vacation.” She shrugs, appearing to drop her attitude at his olive branch. “Jessa said she worked it out with Zane so we could take off for a bit.”
“And where is Zane?” He attempts nonchalance, but comes up short. We really need this information.
“I don’t know that.” She speaks confidently and meets Logan’s eyes when he turns to look at her, then she sighs. “Look, you said it yourself. I was kept out of the loop. I can tell you what I know, but I don’t know who he is, or where he is. I’m don’t know if Jessa really knows either. I’m not sure I would tell you if I knew. We owe our lives to Zane. Both Jessa and I.” Then, she sinks in her seat, probably realizing she offered some information she didn’t need to. Logan notices her misstep. I know he’ll use it to his advantage.
“How long have you both known Zane?”
“Jessa has known Zane since high school. I’ve only known him through Jessa. She and her twin brother were really smart at computers and they both belonged to groups outside of school. Jessa told me she met Zane in some chat forum. They would work out problems together.” Dana answers and Logan steals a glance in my direction. I know what he’s thinking because I’m thinking the same thing. If Jessa knew Zane in high school, why didn’t I know Zane in high school? I guess I wasn’t the only one with secrets back then.
“How did Zane save your lives?” Logan asks, returning to his next question.
“It was Zane who helped Jessa hack the security camera feed that finally put my dad away.” Looking down, her strong offense disappears as she recounts the past she’s probably tried hard to put behind her. “My dad used to hit my mom. I told Jessa about it one day and she jumped to my rescue. We tried to come up with a plan to stop it but then one night when he was particularly mad and drunk I tried to get in his way and he turned his anger on me. When I showed up for school the next day with a busted lip, Jessa told me she would take care of it. She said she knew someone who could help her and it was best if I didn’t know anything. A few days later, after another incident, video from our computer webcam was anonymously sent to the police along with my hacked hospital report where the nurse on staff had marked down a note, questioning his claim that I fell down the stairs. The nurse was questioned and my mom finally stood up for herself, probably because she realized she needed to stand up for me and, eventually, he went away.” Pausing again to collect herself, she leans forward and crosses her arms on the table. Then, to make her point, she finishes. “I owe everything to Zane… and Jessa.”
Reading between the lines, she’s telling Logan that she’ll do anything for her friend and he gets her message loud and clear.
Not allowing her emotions to lead his questioning, Logan continues with an indifferent tone. “And Jessa? How does she owe her life to him?”
At his question, Dana glances toward the mirror she doesn’t know I’m standing behind and my attention sharpens. She’s about to say something I don’t know.
My heart pounds into my chest as I watch Logan follow her gaze to the mirror, then he shoots his own warning stare in my general direction.
He’s telling me to stay put and Dana picks up on it. She knows I’m here now.
“Her parents’ car crash.” She starts slowly.
“The accident?” Logan clarifies, testing the water.
“That was no accident.” She huffs. “Mr. Sparr had her parents and her brother killed and they were looking for her. Jessa told me her parents called her that night in a panic. They told her they needed to leave town immediately and something was wrong at her dad’s work. They weren’t making any sense so she asked Zane to hack into the Sparr systems and he found all of their dirty secrets along with all of the orders to kill, but it was too late to save them. She told me he warned her though. He told her to trust no one and it looked like even the cops were on Matteo’s payroll. He helped her leave town the morning after.”
“That seems unlikely. Reports show that people on both sides of the law were looking for her.” He challenges.
“Hello? What part about ‘hacker’ do you not understand? Zane is top level shit, but Jessa is right up there, too. If you can manipulate computers, you can do almost anything. Buy a ticket out of town under a different name. Hack into security cameras to show a different day’s feed, transfer money that no one will miss into any account. She was on her own for about a year before she sent me a letter asking how I was. My mother ended up remarried to another loser, but I was old enough to move out. There was nothing left for me and I asked if I could visit wherever she was. When she told me everything, I told her I wanted in. She’s my only real family.” Dana’s loyalty to Jessa is clear, and I’m thankful they had each other all of this time.
