Eyes Of Danger (16 page)

“Go through again. Turn around the last one and drive straight back fast.”

He didn’t look at me, just gave the instructions.

I was furious. I took the course, but didn’t complete the turn. Without any instructions, I backed up and rushed it again. This time I made the turn and came to a stop at the edge of the lot. I pulled my hands from the wheel and looked at my red palms, realizing that I was beginning to form blisters.

Tim got out of the car. He came around and opened my door. He pulled my hands out, one at a time, and poured cold water from a bottle on each and then kissed each palm.

“We will get you thin driving gloves in this town. From now on, you will wear them when you drive. That way you will be prepared for any emergency.”

He pulled me upright, bending his head to kiss me in a way that started out tender, but grew with passion to take control of my lips and all of me. Finally, he set me back down, looked at me, and touched one of the heart earrings.

“We should move on.”

I went around and helped him gather the bags. He drove until we found a large chain store. He was very choosy about the right gloves for me. They were good leather, very thin, and fit snug, but not too tight.

We got back on one of the state routes that went west with Tim driving quietly for a couple of hours. I relaxed down in the comfortable seat of the big car. The noise level was none as Detroit did a good job of sealing the passengers inside. All the hustle and bustle was left on the outside.

I played with the radio and finally got a station that had good old Eighties music, then I just sat back. But we soon got interference. I figured we were driving out of the radio station’s range so I started playing around looking for another when we got a squeal out of the back speakers. Tim pushed my hand away as he turned the radio off.

I looked over at him, but he had on sunglasses. I could only see the frown lines on his forehead.

“Check your seat belt.”

His voice was low and commanding. I sat up straight, pulling the belt tighter. I began to look around.

There were a few cars, going both ways on the four-lane highway. I couldn’t see anything suspicious. How could anyone find us now? Then, I saw Tim lean forward looking up through the windshield.

I heard it before I saw it. Since I knew the car had great sound protection, I knew the helicopter had to be low and close. I finally saw it as it passed over us, flying only a few feet above the cars. It was black with the windows tinted dark. The only identity was a small row of numbers on the back before the tail blades.

“Is it Government?”

Tim nodded
yes
as he pulled the car into the right lane among a line of vehicles.

“Have they spotted us?” I was out of my element and frightened. I knew I was probably bothering Tim, but I couldn’t help, but ask questions.

“Not yet, but they know we are somewhere close. They just haven’t figured out which car.”

Tim pulled the car out as another car ahead of us also pulled out. Both of us were in the left lane. Traffic was picking up. Then, Tim pulled in behind a large farm truck. Its back gate was open, but there was a tied down canvas covering the top of the truck.

I could see boxes scattered under the tarp that might have been full of produce that the farmer was taking to market or somewhere.

The ‘copter came back low, cruising above the highway.

“Duck down, don’t let them see you. They will be looking for a man and woman traveling together.”

Tim was pushing me as he was giving me the orders. I hit the release on the seat belt, slid down into the foot well in front of the seat, and curled up as much as possible.

I got back up as I heard the noise pass behind us.

Tim looked over at me.

“Michelle, listen to me carefully. They will be putting roadblocks up somewhere ahead. If we hit a stoplight, I want you to get out, not where the ‘copter can see you, and get in the back of that truck. Hide in it until the driver stops.”

I started to protest, but he gripped my arm tightly.

“Michelle, our best chance of getting away is to split up. Now, reach in back to my gun bag and get some cash, as much as you can hide on you, different places. Believe me when I say that both of our lives depend on you doing exactly what I tell you. Take your little backpack.”

I could feel the tears start spilling out. I didn’t stop to wipe them as I did what Tim instructed. I stuffed cash into my backpack, into my pockets, into my bra and into my shoes. I didn’t look at the denominations, I wasn’t sure I could see through the tears.

“Michelle, listen to me, again.” His voice was low and harsh. “If they pick you up, and they probably will, because you don’t have my training, cooperate. Tell them the truth. Tell them everything. But don’t tell them about your alarm system and about the attractions we have. If they think you have any special talent, they will keep you. If they just think you are infatuated with me, they will eventually let you go.”

By now, I was starting to get a grip on my emotions. “What about the safe house? Won’t it be spoiled if I tell about you taking me there?”

Tim shook his head. “It has been closed by this time. I am sure they had a warning. Someone planted the bug in this car. We were lucky to find it when you turned on the radio.”

“How will we get back together? Tim, I can’t live without you.” I felt the tears start, but I fought to control my body as I looked at him.

“Go home and I will find you when I can.” He didn’t look at me as he searched the highway ahead. Finally, the traffic was building up around us.

“There is one more thing.”

He looked at me intently, with those eyes hidden behind the sunglasses.

“There is a lot they can do to me and
make
me do. Unless I say the word
Ma belle
like in the song, you can’t, must not trust me. That will be our good code word. If I meet you anywhere and don’t say that first, run from me, hide from me. I could hurt you. I could even kill you. It won’t be because I want to, but because of what they have done to me to control me. Do you understand?”

I nodded my head.

“Michelle, I am serious. Do you believe me?”

I choked and couldn’t say anything, but I nodded my head yes. I didn’t believe that he would ever hurt me, but now had they found us. Black helicopters in the sky were kind of scary. They were making anything believable.

Then, the traffic came to a stop. Even though I couldn’t see over the farm truck, I knew that there had to be a traffic light.

Tim leaned over, took my hair, and pulled me to him for a hard kiss. He pulled his sunglasses off and looked deeply at me. It was what I needed, one more look into those dark eyes.

“Remember,
Ma belle
. Now, go.”

He pushed me back. I knew that if I didn’t move immediately, I would not move at all. I opened the car door. With my backpack hanging down in one hand, I went in front of our car and stepped to the truck. I threw the backpack up, then realized Tim had pulled up against my legs. I used the front of the car to push up, then rolled into the truck.

I pushed up to a sitting position so I could slide back between the boxes, but face Tim as he sat behind the steering wheel. I wondered if any of the cars beside us had seen me, but I couldn’t worry about it now. I saw that Tim had a turn signal on to go into the other lane. I didn’t want the car behind to see me so I ducked down. I pushed a box over so that I could sit behind it.

The truck started up, but the traffic moved slowly with the congestion continuing to tie all the vehicles into a crawl. Finally, after a few miles, the traffic thinned out and we picked up speed. Tim had made it into the other lane so he was out of sight around the truck.

The truck was slower, so most of the cars worked their way around us, but I stayed low behind the boxes. I heard the helicopter go over two more times, then it was gone.

The highway was smooth, but the back of the truck was rough riding. I found some folded cardboard and pulled it together to make a better seat. It must have been about a half hour later when we slowed down again. The truck and other vehicles around us pulled over for a minute as an ambulance and a fire truck came rushing through, lights and sirens blaring.

The movement was slower with everyone bunched up. We pulled over again as a couple of state trooper cars went by, lights and sirens also on full blast. From then on, it was stop, creep along, then go. There was a station wagon behind us with what looked like a Hispanic family, probably migrant workers, with kids all piled in. They had lots of boxes tied to the roof.

One of the kids spotted me. He leaned forward to wave. I thought it would look better to wave back, so I gave a big smile with a wave. I sat with my chin propped on the box.

Our movement was very slow. We were all forced over to the inside lane so I figured that there must be some type of accident in the road.

I could only see what was behind us, so as we made our slow progress, I watched the faces in the car behind as everyone looked over the passenger side at what was on the road.

Then, I saw the first flares stuck in the road giving off the orange brilliance filling the air with the funny smoke. A couple of troopers with orange vests came into my view, directing the traffic to the inside lane. There were several trooper cars followed next by a fire truck and then the ambulance. At this point, there were a lot of official people. The trucks blocked any view of what was going on so we were completely past the scene before I saw first, the helicopter parked in a field and then the car, upside down below the highway.

It had rolled over several times, and as a result, it was crumpled and all the glass from the windows littered along its path. It had caught on fire, but the fire department or someone had put the fire out. There was only a small amount of smoke.

For all the damage, though, the car was still recognizable. It was a Lincoln Town Car. I almost stood up, but as luck would have it, the truck sped up. I was so shocked that my legs wouldn’t hold me. I did lean forward, looking for a tall man with sun-streaked hair. I didn’t catch a glimpse of Tim Myers. I did see several Suits and a couple of men in black fatigues with guns, wearing dark sunglasses.

I sprawled back down on the truck bed, trying to get air into my lungs. I tried to quiet my heart. Could anyone have lived through that crash? Where was Tim, in the ambulance, the helicopter or dead in the car?

What should I do now? What had Tim told me to do? I knew I wasn’t thinking straight. I am sure I was just staying on my back, getting bounced around by the truck, trying to get my mind around what I had seen.

At last, the fact that the truck slowed down as it made a turn off the road finally shook my brain awake. I sat back up so I could look over the boxes. I could see the main highway behind us, but we were still on a busy road. It had four lanes at the turn off, but was now two lanes, but not much traffic.

I pulled out my watch and put it on.

After about an hour, we came to a small town. I saw only the back of the town’s name sign so I didn’t know exactly where we were. When the truck pulled into a large chain gas station, I decided it was time to slip away.

I peeked around to see that the driver was filling the tank from the driver’s side so I dropped down. I walked away from the passenger’s side. I went into the roomy store and looked around to find the bathroom.

I took my time cleaning myself up, then used the facilities. I took some time to check my money. I folded it up properly. I put each stack back where I had originally hidden it. I changed from my skirt into a pair of jeans. Finally, feeling like I could face the world, I went back into the store.

As usual, with this type of place, no one paid any attention to me. I picked up a bottle of Gatorade along with two bottles of water and some trail mix. I added a couple of health bars, then a couple of regular candy bars just for the sugar. When I went to pay, they had a small basket on the counter with apples. I took one and added it to my supply.

The clerk was busy with his
iPod
so I didn’t bother asking him any questions. I just took my plastic bag with my backpack and went outside. They had a picnic table set up under a tree so I walked over. I sat down and took my time to eat the apple. I drank from one of the bottles of water. I knew I was still in some type of shock, my brain not really on full action yet.

A truck pulled in with several young men in the back. They looked like farm workers that weren’t the rowdy type of teens. They split up, some to the store, a couple to smoke. Inside the store, I could see a couple heading to the bathroom.

I sat, taking my time putting my items from the plastic bag into my backpack, warily watching out of the corner of my eye. Two of the guys came out, and, nudging each other, came over to sit at the other end of the table. It did not take them long to hit on me. I smiled and kidded along for a short time because I need information.

“So you guys are big time players. Okay, tell me, where is the closest
Grey Hound
bus station?”

There was a lot of guessing back and forth, then they called in another guy. There was a lot of discussion as to whether it was better to go back to Stanton or go on to Bisbain. This was good enough for me. It gave me two directions to head for so I could have a choice. Of course, the next problem was turning down the offer of a ride from the guys. It probably would have been reasonably safe, maybe even safer than hitching, which was what I intended to do. However, even though the guys seemed nice and friendly, I didn’t like the odds. I needed to take my chance with one guy, not several.

Finally, the driver was ready to go. He started the truck and let out a beep. The gang loaded in and waved as they left. I settled my backpack between my shoulders. I started down the road in the opposite direction. I walked for an hour, not looking for any ride, still in a daze. I came into the outskirts of a small town on a crossroad. I took the turn toward the main part of town, which the sign said was Paxton.