The view from a rusty tr.., p.21
The View From A Rusty Train Car, page 21
“Morning.” Derek mumbled, not looking away from his work. “How’d you sleep?”
Jared was aware of the bitter tone in Derek’s voice. “All right, I think, but for some reason I still feel tired.”
“I’m not surprised.” The note pad Derek was holding slammed onto the table. He walked to the bathroom. “You and Luke must have had a great time. It’s all I heard all night.” The door slammed behind him.
“Shit.” Jared put his head in his hands. He got out of bed and threw on some clothes. He did have dreams about Luke, but it wasn’t what Derek was thinking. When Derek came out of the bathroom, he grabbed his arm. “Honey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to keep you awake.” He tried to put his arms around him.
“Let’s just get going.” Derek pushed him away. He threw his things in his suitcase and headed out the door. “I’ll meet you outside.”
Jared grabbed his backpack and followed. He found Derek sitting on the bench on the street. “I’m sorry. I did have a dream about him, but it’s not the kind you think I had.”
Shaking his head, Derek got off the bench.
“Are you going to talk to me?” Jared ran after him.
“What do you want me to say?”
“I don’t know! Just something.” Jared grabbed his arm, turning him. He tried to pull him close.
“We can’t. Remember?” Derek pushed him away. He pulled out a map and read it as he walked. “Let’s just find this Mr. Nehme and figure out what we’re doing.”
Following behind him, Jared thought about the dream. I can’t control what I dream about! He considered stopping Derek to try again to explain himself, but knew it wasn’t a good idea. I’m trying, Derek, but it’s those letters. I can’t help wondering what they said. As they walked, Jared kept trying to get Derek to say something. Finally wearing him down, Derek started talking to him. He even got Derek to laugh once.
Derek stopped. He looked around then motioned to Jared. “This is the place. Act as natural as possible. Just pretend we’re taking a break.”
People were watching them. Jared’s hand shook as he put down his bag. He sat on the ground, took out some paper and pretended to work, keeping a cautious eye out for any sign of trouble.
#
Noticing Derek becoming anxious, Jared looked at his watch. They had been waiting for over an hour. “Are you sure this is the spot?”
“I checked and rechecked. This is it. I don’t know why he’s not here.”
The small group of people a couple buildings down was growing in size. They seemed interested in what he and Derek were doing. “Maybe we should go back to the hotel and figure out what to do.”
“Yeah, we probably should.”
Jared gathered his things as Derek kept watch. He was about to tell Derek he was ready to go when a small white car pulled up. An older man got out and pushed them aside as he ran to the door of the house right behind where they were standing. He looked around as he unlocked it then rushed inside. He motioned for them to follow.
Derek put himself in front of Jared. “Stay right behind me.” He stepped in the house, looked around then pulled Jared in.
Heart racing, Jared took a position near the window where he could watch what was going on outside. He jumped when the old man yelled at him.
Derek pulled Jared further into the room. “He says to get down and stay out of the window.” Jared didn’t question. He slid to the corner and sat on the floor watching as Derek engaged the man in conversation.
Why didn’t I pay more attention when Derek was trying to teach me? I have no idea what is going on around me. This is awful! Peeking out the corner of the window, he watched the driver of the white car. He shifted in his seat, keeping watch ahead of him and in all the mirrors.
The old man shook Derek’s hand and ran out the door.
“What’s going on?” Jared grabbed Derek’s arm.
“Mr. Nehme arranged for us to get into Iraq. We’re supposed to wait here until he comes back.”
“Seriously? Can we trust him?” Jared searched his eyes, holding onto him.
“Trust me. It’ll be fine.” Derek pulled him in and gave him a quick kiss. He smiled.
“I trust you.” Needing to feel safe, Jared wrapped Derek’s arms around him tighter.
#
Jared watched Derek pacing back and forth, sensing he didn’t like how long it was taking for Mr. Nehme to come back. Every time there was a strange noise, Derek would run to stand in front of him. He reached out, touching Derek’s arm. “We’ll be fine.”
“I know.” Derek gave a reassuring smile.
Deciding he needed to do something to pass the time, Jared opened his backpack and took out his notebook, making notes about everything that had happened so far. “If we live through this, it’s going to be a damned good story!” He chuckled to himself. A few more minutes had passed when Jared heard the sound of a vehicle come to a stop outside.
Derek ran to the door and stood to the side. He looked at Jared and motioned for him to stay quiet.
There was a quick knock and the door flew open. Mr. Neheme checked outside then closed it.
After a brief conversation, Derek patted Mr. Nehme on the shoulder. “Time to go!” He motioned for Jared to follow.
Mr. Nehme cracked the door and peered out. Jared stood beside Derek, holding on to the back of his shirt.
“When the door opens, run!” Derek reached around and grabbed his hand. Before Jared could ask what was happening, Mr. Nehme threw the door open. Derek pulled Jared out the door. “Run to the truck and jump in the back as fast as you can. Okay? Go!” He pushed Jared forward.
Glancing over his shoulder, Jared watched as Mr. Nehme and Derek followed. He ran as fast as he could. Approaching the truck, he wanted to look back again to make sure Derek was still there, but he could hear Derek telling him to keep going. At the rear of the truck, someone appeared from the back. He reached down, pulling Jared in. The truck started to move. Looking over the end-gate, he saw Derek and Mr. Nehme say a few words and shake hands again. His heart raced as Derek got further away. “Derek!”
Derek ran after them, waving his arms.
“Stop!” Jared knocked on the back window of the truck cab. “Not yet! Wait!”
The truck slowed and Derek caught up. Jared reached down, trying to pull him up. A couple other men helped to get him inside.
Slamming against the floor of the truck, Derek rolled over, trying to catch his breath.
“Are you all right? Are you hurt?” Jared knelt beside him, checking him over.
“I think so.” Derek chuckled, looking into Jared’s face.
“You scared the hell out of me!” Jared shoved Derek then turned away. He sat looking out the back of the truck.
“I’m sorry!” Derek sat next to him. “I didn’t mean to make you worry. Are you okay? You seem scared.”
“Of course I’m scared. I have no idea what’s going on. What aren’t you telling me?” Jared watched as a hundred thoughts seem to run through Derek’s head.
“These guys can get us as far as Basra. After that, we’re on our own.” Derek looked down at the floor.
“Then what?”
“I don’t know. I’ll think of something.”
Jared moved away from him. His stomach fluttered as he thought of what might lie ahead. What did Mr. Nehme say to him? He didn’t understand what had been said, but he knew something was wrong. Mr. Nehme didn’t seem to want them to go.
Derek dragged a blanket that he’d found and put it over Jared. He reached over and held on to his hand. “Get some sleep. We have a lot to do.” He leaned his head back and closed his eyes.
Staring at Derek’s face, Jared sighed. “You’ll figure it out. I know you will.” The urge to sleep was taking over. He couldn’t fight it any longer. It had been a long couple of days. He leaned against Derek. Closing his eyes, he listened to the hum of the truck moving down the road until it lulled him to sleep.
Lion of the Desert
Derek looked around the back of the truck. Everyone else was asleep. He wished he could sleep as well, but Mr. Nehme’s words kept replaying in his mind. “Go home. You don’t want to do this. I cannot guarantee your safety.”
Jared moaned and twitched in his sleep. Derek put a hand on him, feeling guilty about not telling him or giving him the option to walk away. He was so caught up in the moment that he didn’t think about it. The adrenaline had kept him going. Now he potentially was putting both of their lives in peril. I should’ve sent you home as soon as I knew what was happening. I’ll never forgive myself if something happens to you.
The truck jerked a few times as it slowed down. Derek braced himself.
Once stopped, Derek watched the others, noticing they looked worried. They said nothing. He pushed Jared’s arm to wake him, motioning for him to stay quiet.
There was some yelling that came from somewhere in front of the truck. Jared moved close to Derek.
A loud commanding voice came closer. Derek moved to shield Jared. Men in uniforms with guns drawn stood looking in at them. A large man in a decorated uniform walked to the back of the truck and yelled.
Derek understood. They were being ordered to exit the truck. Turning to Jared, he whispered to him. “I’m so sorry.” He gazed into his eyes and caressed his cheek before following the others out.
Jared followed behind him, eyes wide. He stuck close to Derek. Outside the truck, Derek looked at their fellow passengers who were standing in a line with their hands behind their heads.
One of the uniformed men used his rifle to shove him toward the end of the line. He looked back to see the same happening to Jared. He was sickened seeing the horrified look on Jared’s face, but he was relieved they wouldn’t be separated.
Taking his place in line, he saw the driver’s door of the truck was open. A man was lying on the ground with a soldier standing over him, holding a gun to his head.
Jared shook as he looked around. His eyes locked with Derek’s, fighting to hold back tears.
Ashamed, Derek looked away. Please, God. I’ll do anything. Don’t let them hurt him. He looked up as the man in charge yelled more orders. Glancing at Jared, he winked and turned to the left as instructed, hoping Jared would follow his lead. One of the soldiers walked up to Derek and screamed in his face. His heart raced, searching for the right words, trying to answer.
The butt of the soldier’s rifle hit hard into Derek’s stomach. He collapsed onto his knees gasping for breath. Jared was reaching out to him. He yelled. “No! I’m fine.” He looked away when a tear fell down Jared’s cheek as he got back in line.
Two of the soldiers pulled Derek back to his feet. The man in charge stood in front of Jared. Laughing, he mumbled something to the soldier beside him then pushed Jared backward. “Americans.”
The leader yelled more orders. The soldiers pushed the people in the front of the line to start moving toward the trucks that surrounded them.
Derek stared at the back of Jared’s head. “If you can hear me, just do what they want you to do. You’ll be fine.” He got no response. Once at a truck, he watched as they grabbed Jared and turned him. Derek mouthed an ‘I love you’. Jared’s face disappeared as a hood was thrown over his head. After tying his hands and feet they threw Jared into the truck.
Fists clenched, Derek fought the urge to run to him. It won’t do either of us any good. He stepped forward then turned around. The sound of a gunshot echoed. “No, God!” He watched as a soldier walked away from the driver’s side of the truck they had been in. Behind him laid the man on the ground, now covered in blood. Everything went black. He felt the ropes dig into his wrists then the force of being thrown into the back of the truck. Once he felt they were moving he called out to Jared. “Where are you? Are you all right?” Tears filled his eyes. There was no response. He fought to get the restraints off, but it was no use. There was nothing left to do, but pray for both of them.
The Man That Got Away
The picture on the TV blinked. Luke was crouched behind it trying to connect the new cable box. He held a knotted jumble of cables.
“Be careful. You’re going to electrocute yourself.” Megan stood above him holding a flashlight.
“Just hold the light still. I can’t see!”
“Sorry.” Megan looked at the piles of wires lying around the room. “How many wires does it take to do this?”
“Where the hell is that cable for the VCR? I just had it.” Luke slammed his hand against the wall. “Sorry.” He’d been at it for an hour. “It’s that damned new medication. I can’t concentrate on anything!”
“I don’t see it.”
Luke popped his head up over the back of the TV and looked at the floor. About to crawl out from behind, he raised an eyebrow at Megan.
“What?”
“You don’t see it?” Luke grabbed the cable from her hand.
“Oops.”
“All right! Television will be up and running in moments!”
“Can I be done now?”
Luke sighed. “Fine. Thank you. You’ve been a lot of help.”
“I’m sorry!” Megan put the flashlight on top of the TV. “I’m going to go warm up something for lunch.” She kicked a path through the cords and went into the kitchen.
After plugging in the last wire, he crawled out. The screen was blinking on and off. He wiggled a wire and the picture stayed on. “We have lift-off.” He pushed the TV against the wall, sat on the couch, and put his feet on the coffee table. Flipping through the channels, he tried to find something both he and Megan would like. He stopped on a station showing ‘Star Wars’. Jed’s favorite movie. He chuckled remembering all the times he was forced to watch it.
The phone rang. “I’ve got it,” Megan called from the kitchen.
Reaching to the magazine rack by the rocking chair, Luke pulled out an issue of Time. The dog-eared page opened right to the spot he wanted. He stroked the picture of Jared by his article. Megan was so happy when she brought it home. It was just the thing he needed; Jared was alive and well. He got to see him again. Damn I miss you. Touching the photo once more, he closed the magazine and put it on the coffee table.
Luke flipped through more channels, stopping on CNN. He’d catch up on news until Megan came to pick something to watch. The piles of wires seemed to stare at him. He decided to put them back into their storage container.
“Breaking news just in to the CNN News Center.” The television blared. “We’ve just received word that two American journalists have been taken hostage inside Iraq.” Luke glanced at the TV as he tried untangling the wires.
“We’ve learned the two are free-lance journalists who had recently been published in Time Magazine. CNN called Time for more information. Gerard Campbell, a spokesperson for the magazine, confirms that Time had been contacted by a rebel group in Iraq that claims to have helped the two American’s get inside the Iraqi border. They told Time that the vehicle used in trying to smuggle them into the country had been stopped by the Iraqi military. Those on board have either been killed or taken prisoner.
Luke threw the wires down, shaking his head. “They invented these as torture. I swear!” He sat on the couch and was about to turn the channel.
“Time has confirmed the identity of the two journalists as photojournalist Derek Carson and journalist Jared Montgomery.”
The remote fell from Luke’s hand as Jared’s face filled the screen with his name underneath. He had a hard time breathing as he walked to the screen and knelt down. “No. It can’t be. He’s in Seattle!”
“At this moment, their condition is unknown. The University of Washington has released a statement saying, ‘Derek Carson and Jared Montgomery are recent graduates from their journalism program’. They go on to say, ‘that the hearts and prayers of all the faculty, staff, and students are with them and their families’. Stay tuned to CNN for updates.”
“Megan!” Luke ran to the kitchen and found Megan sitting against the wall with the phone in her hand. She stared at the floor; her eyes swollen and red.
“It’s Jared... he’s...” She choked on the words.
Luke ran to her and held her in his arms. “I know. It’s on the news.”
“That was Mom. Their phone is ringing non-stop. Everyone’s calling them. They keep waiting for word. Mom’s beside herself.” Megan tried to stand. “She’s hysterical.”
“Let’s go. We have to get over there, in case they hear anything.”
Megan nodded, grabbing his arm. Luke pushed her out the door and to the car. He held her hand as he drove. “He’s going to be fine.” The car hadn’t come to a full stop before she jumped out and ran to the door. Candace met her, throwing her arms around her, crying.
Feeling his chest tighten, Luke leaned against the car trying to fight it. He took deep breaths and massaged his chest. Not today. I have to be strong. Jed needs me.
#
Luke sat at Candace and Michael’s dining room table, picking at the food on his plate. He looked around the table; everyone else was as disinterested in the food as he was. No one said a word. Two days had passed since they’d heard Jared had been taken hostage. Luke hadn’t left their house, waiting for any word that might come.
When the TV changed back to the news, Candace leaned her head to listen, praying for more information.
Mike looked up at Candace, breaking the silence. “You should eat. You need to keep your strength up.”
“I’m fine.” Candace didn’t look at him.
“Can I get you anything?” Mike touched her arm.
“No. Just leave me alone, thank you.” She pulled it away, placing it in her lap.
Throwing down his fork, Mike stared at her. “I know you’re upset, but there is no reason to take it out on me. I’m worried about him too!”
