King and Maxwell

CHAPTER 65

“WHOEVER YOU ARE, YOU’RE NOT with the FBI!” yelled Tyler.

Tyler and Kathy sat bound and blindfolded in chairs.

Alan Grant sat across from them. “It’s more complicated than that.”

“You’re bad guys,” said Tyler angrily. “You set up my dad.”

“But he’s back now. He was with you. That’s good news, right?”

“You’re trying to kill him.”

“You’re wrong.”

“That’s bullcrap.”

Grant glanced up at one of his men who had hovered in the background but now stepped forward and gripped Tyler’s shoulder so hard he gasped in pain.

“Enough,” said Grant simply and the man let go.

Grant looked back at Tyler.

“Why do you think we want to harm your father?”

“Because you’ve already tried to kill him.”

“How do you know that was us?”

“I just know. Who else could it be?”

“Maybe his own government. And you’re right, we’re not with the government.”

“Then who are you?”

This question came from Kathy, who had not spoken before.

Grant focused on her. “Ah, now that’s a good question. Who are we? Who do you think we are if we’re not with your government?”

“Spies, terrorists,” exclaimed Tyler. “Which makes you bad guys.”

“Sometimes spies are on the right side,” said Grant. “Even spies who have to kidnap children because there is no other way to proceed.”

“Bullcrap,” Tyler said again.

“You’re as stubborn as your father.”

“You don’t know my dad.”

“On the contrary, I know him very well. And the woman who was pretending to be your stepmother.”

“Pretending?” said Kathy.

“She’s missing,” said Tyler.

“I know she is. Do you have any idea where she went?”

“No. Do you?”

“You’re very brave, Tyler, even though I know you’re very scared.” Grant reached over and gently gripped Tyler’s arm. The teenager flinched.

“I have no idea how this will turn out, Tyler, but I do know that you will see your father at some point. I can guarantee you that.”

“Why?”

“Like I said, I need to speak to him. And once that is over, you and he can be reunited.”

“Just like that?” scoffed Tyler.

“A call will be made. He will ask to talk to you.”

“Then I’ll tell him to keep very far away.”

“Are you sure of that?”

“I’m not afraid of you.”

Grant let go of Tyler, placed his hand on Kathy’s head, and squeezed slightly. “But your friend is, Tyler. Remember, you need to think of your friend here.”

All of Tyler’s courage seemed to drain away at this remark.

Grant let go of Kathy, turned, and left the room. The other man followed, locking the door behind him.

When he heard the door close behind the footsteps, Tyler said, “I’m really sorry, Kathy. I never meant for you to get involved in all this.”

Kathy fought back tears but managed to say, “It’s okay, Tyler. You had nothing to do with this.” A sob escaped her lips and Tyler tried to reach out to her, but his bindings held him back.

“We have to get out of here because I know they’re never going to let us go.”

“How?” asked Kathy.

“We have to think of a way. Both our parents are in the military. They taught us stuff. At least I know my dad did me. How about your mom?”

“She made me take Tae Kwon Do. And I know how to survive in the woods with no food and water. But that doesn’t help us right now.”

They listened as a car started up and drove off.

Tyler said, “I can sense you’re right next to me. If I lean my head toward you, do you think you can use your teeth to get my blindfold off?”

“I can try.”

It took five minutes but Kathy finally clamped her teeth onto the knot behind Tyler’s head and worked away at it.

“I can feel it coming loose,” she said at last.

Another minute passed and then the cloth slipped off Tyler’s face and fell into his lap.

He blinked and looked at her. “Great job,” he said quietly. He looked around the room. It was small, and the only pieces of furniture were the two chairs in which they sat. There was a window, but it was blacked out.

“Okay, I’m going to get your blindfold off. Lean your head toward me. It’ll be easier now that I can see.”

In less than a minute Kathy’s cloth dropped away.

They sat there staring at each other, visibly heartened by this small victory.

“Now we have to get these bindings off,” said Tyler.

“How about if we sit back-to-back? I can work on yours. I have really strong fingers.”

“All right, but we have to take it slow. They might hear the chairs scraping the floor.”

They managed to turn their chairs around as quietly as possible until they were back-to-back. Tyler could feel her fingers clenching and unclenching around the rope holding him.

“They’re tight,” she said, “but I feel them giving a bit.”

It took about thirty minutes, and Tyler could hear Kathy breathing hard with the effort. But then his hands were free. He undid the rope around his feet and then quickly freed her.

“Now what?” she said in a whisper.

Tyler pointed at the window. “If we can get out there, we can make a run for it.”

“What if they have someone posted outside?”

Tyler slid up his baggy pant leg. Strapped to his calf was a cylinder.

“Pepper spray. My dad. He’s kind of paranoid.”

They eased across to the window, taking their time because the floorboards were old and had a tendency to squeak.

Tyler slipped aside the black cloth covering the window and peered out.

“It’s dark outside,” he whispered. “That’s good for us.”

He examined the window lock. It was a simple one. He had the window up in another minute, taking care to slide it slowly in case it made any noise.

He passed through the open window first and then helped Kathy.

They stopped to look around. A black SUV was parked in the front. It was the same one Tyler had climbed into at the mall. They had driven away and then a cloth had been placed over his face and he had quickly fallen unconscious.

“Looks like we’re in the woods,” he said quietly to Kathy. She nodded, shivered, and said, “Which way?”

“Hey!”

They turned and saw a man standing on the porch.

“Run, Kathy,” yelled Tyler.

She turned and raced away. The man hoofed it after her. Tyler stepped in front of the man and blasted him in the eyes with the pepper spray. The man screamed, staggered, collided with Tyler, and they both went down in a tangle of arms and legs. Tyler punched and kicked at the blinded man until he saw something. Kathy was not running anymore.

A man shrouded in the darkness had placed a gun against her head.

Tyler instantly stopped struggling.

“Big mistake, Tyler, an unforgivable mistake,” said Alan Grant.

“Please, don’t hurt her,” Tyler yelled, tears flooding his eyes.

The gun fired.