Chapter 45
“It’s 8:00, and I haven’t received any calls yet on
the progress of my money,” Brendon whirled around, “Kenyon, run down and grab
one of the... prisoners. I want all of those jerks out there to see this.”
Kenyon looked shocked, “But Bren... they still
have...”
“DO IT NOW Kenyon!” Brendon yelled, “before I lose my
patience, with you!” Kenyon blinked and exited the kitchen. Brody was sitting in the den, “Is it time?”
Kenyon nodded slightly, “Get ready, I’m getting the
bags...”
Brody nodded and watched Kenyon disappear down the
hall. He slowly got up from his seat on
the couch and trekked to the table where he had deposited his gun earlier. He stroked it fondly and awaited Kenyon’s
return.
Kenyon joined him briefly setting down both bags and
his gun, “Lets get this over with. Then we’ll split and let the FBI figure it
out.”
“Yeah, lets get this over with,” Brody nodded. Then he raised his gun and fired. Kenyon fell to his knees blood pouring
through a whole in his T-shirt, “Brody?”
Brendon stepped into the den leaning on the
doorframe. Brody stood just behind
Kenyon, “Given a choice between 3 million dollars and 10 million, I have to say
I’d take the 10 Ken.”
“But why...?”
“I wanted to see just how far you thought you could
take it buddy,” Brendon said. He knelt down to be eye level with Kenyon, “I
must say I’m disappointed in you Kenyon. Of all my friends, you were always the
one I trusted most.” He nodded behind him and moved out of the way slowly. Kenyon flinched and braced himself. “You’ll
die Brendon, you’ll die you stupid fool, and you too Brody. And like Trinity
said.... I’ll see you in hell”
“Oh shut up,” Brody muttered, then pulled the trigger
a second time, “I think its time we called the FBI to check on the status of
our money.”
Brendon smiled and nodded, wiping a speck of blood
from his cheek.
“Excellent idea,” Agent Kruvalis was nodding, “We can
take...”
The gunshot silenced the crowd for a brief second,
then there were screams and cries from the audience and the parents.
“Oh my God!” Jerald gripped Nick’s arm, “They shot
someone, they shot someone...”
“It probably wasn’t one of the Boys or they would
have called,” Agent Kruvalis was shaking his head, “Nick, you would know. They
probably just shot another one of their accomplices... Nick? Nick?”
Bloody hands, and bloody guns. The snow’s turning red, he was drowning in
blood that wasn’t his own. The sky was
black as smoke, but the clouds were as red as the fires lining the Gates of
Hell. The screams.... Brian was calling
for him. A man with wild red hair and
green eyes flying down the stairs. He
grabbed the pretty red haired girl by her throat and started choking her. He couldn’t breathe, he was suffocating.
Kevin was trying to help him but he couldn’t breathe. The inside of a gun... he
was looking down the barrel of a gun.
The explosions of guns firing shot after shot rang clear. Flesh
cracking, bones shattering. Bloody
gloves, bloody clothing... He was in the maze again. The endless maze trapped in a never-ending night. The sky
continued to grow impossibly dark and the snow began to fall around him slowing
his steps. It was so cold... and the walls were moving closer. He could hear
his name being called. Who was calling
him? It began to drizzle. He watched as the white snow became speckled
with blood, the snow’s pureness being tainted and turned pink. He felt himself rocking, no, someone was
shaking him. His name got louder and
louder and then he saw a light.
“Thank God, look I think he’s looking at me. Are you
ok?” an unfamiliar face was waving his hands in Nick’s line of vision.
Nick ran a hand over his face and blinked a few more
times. He was reclining back on
something and surrounded by BJ, Tim, Jerald, Hal, Pollyanna, John, two
paramedics, and a few FBI agents, “What happened?” he asked shakily. He was offered a glass of water but his
hands were so shaky BJ held the glass and brought it to his lips so he could
drink.
“You went into some kind of shock,” Jerald was
saying, “That was scary. Your eyes just
went blank and you turned ten shades whiter than you are now.”
Nick rubbed his temples weakly, and gazed at the
oxygen the paramedics were holding.
“Your breathing got really unstable for a bit,” one
of the paramedics said evenly following his gaze to the oxygen.
“Sorry,” Nick said.
He tried to stand but was pushed back down, “Easy there, just rest for a
bit.”
“But I thought we were going to the bank?” Nick was
scratching his head, “What happened?”
Everyone stared at him, “This wasn’t a good idea at
all,” BJ was saying, “Mom and Dad were right to try to keep you away.”
“Nick, some gunshots were fired,” Hal spoke calmly
and slowly, “But those jerks just called and told us not to be alarmed, they
just off’ed another one of their own.
They’re still waiting for their money in an hour.”
Nick blinked, “Then we gotta get it then. Are you
gonna let me up or what?”
“Nick, are you ok?” BJ asked.
Nick nodded, “Yeah... I told you I was fine. Come on,
lets go.” He began to push himself up
from his chair and John gave him a hand, “Come on kiddo.”
“They said we would hear a lot of shooting,” AJ was
trying to smooth over the situation, “They said hide in the bathroom.... oh
hell the snake!”
“AJ, get shot or get over it!” Brian was yelling
shoving him towards the bathroom door.
“You mean get shot or get bit!” AJ was yelling
shoving Brian back, “Lets just duck by the stairs or something.”
Kevin was shrugging, “Well I...”
The door upstairs flew open and a ninja stormed in.
He stood at the top of the stairs with his hands on his hips. He held his gun
at his side and glowered down at them, “Thought you were getting out of here so
soon babies? Thought that stupid Kenyon was going to be your ticket out? Well
guess what? He’s out all right, out of the area of the living. He’s dead now.”
Kevin swallowed, “We...”
“Oh save your breath old timer, we’re not going to
kill you... Yet,” the ninja cocked his gun, “Your parents are having some
problems...”
“Problems?” AJ gulped, “Are they...”
“They’re having monetary problems,” the ninja said,
“It seems your cash is in Hawaii as of now.”
“Hawaii?”
“Yeah, and it’s got about an hour to get here,” he
laughed and acted as if he was checking his watch, “but you only have 15 more
minutes.
“From Hawaii?” Howie was busting out, “How the hell
is it gonna get here in 15 minutes?! You people are crazy! Can’t you just take
their word that its gonna be here! Stop playing these stupid games! I’m getting to the point where I just want
you to shoot me! Anything to stop my head from reeling!”
“Howie!”
“Oh Howie, I do believe you have just volunteered
yourself to be the first to be executed... Now get your asses up these stairs
so we can take care of business!” the laughter that came from the ninja was
almost inhuman. He backed out of the
doorway leaving the door open letting his laughter roll from his belly, “Well
come on! Or do I have to be a little more persuasive?” The gun was aimed in
their general direction.
“Oh God...” Howie was sputtering.
“Ok, everybody take a deep breath and come on,” Kevin
said slowly, “I’ll go first.”
Cautiously Kevin made his way to the stairs and motioned for the others
to follow. Once all five of their feet
were planted on the tile above a gun was forced squarely into Howie’s forehead.
Howie yelped and tried to jump back but was grabbed harshly by the ninja and
pulled to his chest. He whirled Howie
around so he would be facing his friends, “You have 15 minutes to say goodbye
to your buddy here,” he chuckled, “so I suggest you make it quick.”