24 Hours
Deaq put down his drink, looked over at Van, and smiled.
"Hey partner, you really need to learn how to chill."
"I am chilling." Van's eyes scanned the crowd at the Mystic Inn, a bar not far from the Candy Store. Deaq shook his head.
"You call that chilling? Relax man we're on vacation. We're not on the job. Why do you keep looking for trouble?"
"I'm not looking for trouble." Van downed his drink then nodded to the bartender when he came over to refill it. Deaq looked at his partner and shook his head.
"Billie gave us a week off and I for one am going to take full advantage of it. We busted our butts for the last three weeks. I'm not going to think about work, talk about work, or do anything that could be work related."
"Well then, what are you going to do?"
"Well, as soon as we leave here I'm planning on getting as far away from you as I can. I'm not hanging around waiting for you to get me involved in something we have no business sticking our noses in. I'm on v a c a t i o n ." Deaq spelled out the word.
Van watched as two men at the end of the bar exchanged money for a small packet.
"Can you believe those guys are dealing right out in the open like that?"
"Not my problem. I'm out of here." Deaq put money on the bar and stood up. He hoped his partner would follow him. He knew if Van confronted the dealers, he would back him up. They were partners and that's what partner's did. He left out a small sigh of relief when Van got up, put money down, and followed him out.
They went out a side door into the dark parking lot. They had only walked a short distance when a man jumped out of the shadows near them. Van spun around but he was too late, the man struck him on the side of the head. As he fell forward, Deaq grabbed him and lowered him to the ground. He quickly spun around to confront the attackers. He started to go for his gun but then realized it was pointless, there were too many of them. One of the men reached over and took his gun, then bent down and removed Van's gun from beneath his jacket. A man, Troy Madison, slowly got out of the back seat of a dark blue Cadillac and walked over to Deaq.
"Do as you're told and you both will live through this."
Deaq knelt back down by his fallen partner, glaring up at the man.
"What the hell do you want?"
"I just need your help for a short time, then you're free to go."
Two men moved forward toward Van. As they reached down to pick him up Deaq instinctively grabbed one of the men's arm.
"Leave him alone!" Deaq growled.
Madison took out his gun and pointed it at Van."
"Let him go, or your partner dies now."
Deaq had no choice but to release the man's arm then watched as they picked Van up and carried him to the car, opened the trunk and put him in.
"Now get in with him." Madison motioned with his gun toward the car.
Deaq hesitated for only a few seconds before climbing in with Van. Whatever this was all about, at least they were together. The trunk slammed shut and they drove off in the darkness.
After driving for a little over an hour, the car stopped. Van was just starting to come around and groaned as the trunk was opened. He was taken out and dropped on the ground. Deaq climbed out and squatted down next to his partner. Van slowly opened his eyes and tried to stand up but was too dizzy and fell back to the ground. Deaq gently put Van's arm around his shoulder and helped him up. He leaned heavily on Deaq as he shook his head trying to clear it. They both looked around. All they could tell was that they were in the woods, but where, they had no idea. It was very dark on the moonless night and they couldn't see past the headlights of the car. Madison got out of the car with two other men and stood in front of them.
"Let me explain what's going to happen." Madison looked back and forth between them. "I know who you are and all about Miss Chambers and the Candy Store. She has some tapes in her safe and I would like to get them back. One of you will stay here and the other will retrieve my tapes. That person will wear this........." He held up a miniature camera, the size of a small button. "I'll be watching, just to make sure you don't try to alert Miss Chambers. We know she gave you both a week off and you will explain to her, if she's there, that your partner decided to take off for a while but you decided to stick around. You were bored and decided to pop into the Candy Store. You will make up an excuse to stay there for the night. When she leaves, you will open the safe and get my tapes."
Deaq spoke up.
"Your plan has a slight snag in it. Neither my partner or I know the combination to the safe."
Madison smiled and nodded toward one of his men.
"I've taken that into account. When Miss Chambers leaves you will leave my friend here into the building, he will be waiting out back. He's an expert at getting into safes." Madison took a step closer. "I was going to let you two decide who was going to stay and who would go, but I'm afraid I'll have to make that decision now." Madison put his hand under Van's chin and tilted his head to the side. A lump had formed above his eye and blood dripped down the side of his face where he had been hit. "I can't have Miss Chambers questioning you about how you were injured, so I guess you stay."
Two of the men walked over toward Van. Deaq pulled him a little closer. He didn't want to turn his partner over to these men but realized he had no choice. He reluctantly released his hold on his partner. Madison stepped between Deaq and the men who pulled Van away.
"I'm going to make this a little interesting. You have twenty-four hours before your partner dies. You give the tapes to my man and I'll tell you where to find your friend. Anything goes wrong, he dies."
Madison motioned for Deaq to follow him. He walked a small distance behind him. His eyes widened in horror and his mouth dropped open when he saw where the man was leading him. Van stood propped up between the two men at an open grave. In the grave was a wooden coffin with a silver cylinder inside. Madison looked back at Deaq.
"Your friend will be buried here. If he stays calm and doesn't panic he has air for roughly twenty-four hours in that tank. You get me the tapes, and my man gets them back to me, I'll call and give you directions to the grave. Anything goes wrong, you'll never find him in time and he dies."
Madison nodded at the two men and they pushed Van toward the grave. He struggled against them but no match for them in his weakened condition. He stumbled then fell into the coffin. He tried to get up but the men both held their guns on him, he had no choice but to lay back down. He looked over at Deaq who could see the fear in his eyes. Deaq spun around toward Madison his hands clenched in fists. Hate and rage in his voice.
"No way! You're not going to do this to him!"
"I'll do whatever I want. You get me those tapes and you have my word I'll let you know where to find him. I'm not a cruel man, but I do what I have to do in order to achieve my goal."
"I'll get you the tapes, just don't do this." Deaq pleaded, his heart pounded as he thought of what was going to happen to his partner.
"I give the orders." Madison nodded toward his men who started to close the coffin.
Van looked up at them, the thought of being buried alive terrified him.
"No! God no don't!" He pleaded.
"Shut it!" Madison ordered.
Deaq made a move to try and stop them but was grabbed by two other men from behind. He struggled with them, but when Madison pointed the gun at the coffin he stopped. The coffin was shut and latched. He could hear Van trying desperately to open it. Madison looked over at Deaq.
"You stay cool and do as I say or I'll put a bullet in him, then he'll have more to worry about then just breathing."
Deaq swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked at the shut coffin. He couldn't even begin to imagine what his partner was going through. He shut his eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself. Van was going to need him and he had to hold it together.
Madison handed Deaq a shovel.
"Bury him." He ordered.
"Go to hell you sick son of a bitch!" Deaq threw the shovel down.
"Your friend's running out of oxygen even as we speak. The longer you take to bury him the longer it takes for you to help him. The sooner we leave here the better for your friend. Now bury him!"
Deaq knew he was outnumbered. There was no way to help Van. He had to get those tapes and pray that the man would tell him where Van was and he could get back in time to free his partner before the air ran out. Tears threatened to run down his face as he picked up the shovel and began shoveling dirt on top of Van.
"You hang in there partner, I'll be back I promise. You got to relax, just relax." Deaq kept talking as he tossed the dirt on the coffin. He knew Van knew yoga and he prayed his partner could slow his breathing down enough to conserve on the oxygen. After the coffin was buried he threw the shovel down and glared at Madison.
"Anything happens to him, I swear I'll find you and rip your heart out!" Deaq said through clenched teeth.
Madison threw some branches on top of the grave to cover the freshly dug dirt. Deaq choked back a sob as he looked at the ground; there was no evidence that a man was alive beneath him, and not just any man, his partner, his friend.
"His life depends on you, don't forget it"
Deaq was pushed back into the trunk of the car. He lay in the darkness imagining the horror of what Van must be going through. He would do what ever it took to save him. He'd get those tapes. He just prayed Van could hold on till he did.
Van lay shivering in the darkness, fighting the feeling of sheer panic. It was already getting hard to breathe. He could feel dirt hitting his face as it fell through the small cracks in the coffin's lid. He reached for the tank of air, then hesitated. He could just lay back, let the air run out and get it over with or use the tank and spend the next hours in the terrifying darkness not knowing when he'd take his last breath. He pulled the tank next to his face and opened the valve. He didn't want to die. In his mind he kept hearing his partner telling him he'd be back. He prayed he was right.
Deaq felt the car come to a stop. A few seconds later the trunk was popped open. He got out and stood glaring at Madison. They were back at the club.
"I suggest you hurry. Riley will go with you. You'll let him in and he'll crack the safe. He'll bring the tapes to me and I'll call you on this." He handed Deaq a cell phone then reached up and fastened the tiny camera to Deaq's collar. "I'll be watching and listening to everything you say, you tip off anyone, your friend dies."
"My friend dies and there won't be a rock small enough for you to crawl under."
Madison gave Deaq a small smile.
"You aren't in any position to threaten me. Now I suggest you go to the Candy Store immediately, Riley will follow you. If Miss Chambers is there make up some reason why you have to stay the night. When she leaves, and she better leave, let Riley in. Once I get the tapes you get the call."
Deaq hurried to his car, jumped in and sped toward the Candy Store. In his rear view mirror he saw Riley following him in a car they had left at the club. He pulled into the lot behind the Candy Store and saw that Billie's car was there. Using his key he unlocked the door and went in. Billie looked up, startled at the unexpected visit.
"Deaq, what's up?"
"Van decided he was going to take off for a few days, and I got bored."
"Van, take a few days off? You gotta be kidding. That man doesn't know how to relax." She smiled at Deaq.
"That's what I thought Billie but he said he had an old girlfriend he wanted to look up."
"Well, I'm out of here in a few minutes, just stopped in to check on a few files. I 'm going to stop for a drink on the way home, you're welcome to come with me."
"Thanks Billie but I'm beat, I was actually wondering if I could crash here tonight. They're cleaning the rugs in my apartment and the smell is making me sick."
"Sure, no problem. I'll lock up when I leave."
Deaq stretched out on the sofa. Within half an hour Billie turned off her computer and left. She quietly shut the door thinking he was asleep and not wanting to wake him. Deaq waited about ten minutes then opened the door. Riley was outside waiting. He entered and Deaq relocked the door.
"Okay, where is it?" Riley asked putting down a small black bag that he was carrying.
Deaq walked over and removed a picture from the wall. The safe was behind it. He then sat back on the sofa while Riley opened his bag and pulled out instruments to work on the safe. Deag's eyes fell on the basketball, which lay on the Candy Store's shiny court. His eyes filled up as he wondered if he and his partner would ever play again. He looked at his watch and tapped his foot impatiently. All he wanted to do was get the phone call that would tell him where his partner was. He tried not to think that if Madison didn't call, Van would die a slow horrible death.
Van's head was pounding and he had drifted off to a restless sleep. He tried to turn over and bumped his arm on the top of the coffin. He woke up in a panic, his heart pounding when he realized where he was. Oh God! Oh God! I gotta get out of here! He wanted to scream, but cops didn't scream he thought. Who would know if he did he wondered? He knew if he gave into his panic and started screaming he would never stop. He tried to relax and control his breathing. He had taken yoga lessons years ago and he tried to remember all that he had learned about controlling his breathing. He kept repeating to himself the last thing he heard Deaq say ' I'll be back, I promise ' He knew his partner would do everything he could to keep that promise.
Fifteen minutes later Riley popped the safe. He grabbed the tapes Madison wanted and put them in his pocket, then shut the safe. Deaq stood up.
"Okay, you have the tapes, now call your friend and tell him I wanna know where my partner is."
"He'll call you when he has the tapes in his hands."
Right then the door to the Candy Store opened and Billie walked in. She had her head down as she searched for something in her purse. When she looked up her eyes flashed angrily when she saw the man standing with Deaq. No one was allowed in the Candy Store without her permission. Deaq knew that. She was just about to confront him when she noticed the slight shake of his head. He was warning her not to say anything, to stay out of it. Since Riley was watching Billie, he didn't notice Deaq's warning. Billie understood immediately that something was going down. She smiled at Deaq and nodded at the man.
"You must be the new recruit they were going to send over."
"Uh..............yeah."
"Well, don't let him give you a hard time." Billie hitched her thumb toward Deaq.
"Oh, I won't"
Billie headed over to his desk, opened the top drawer and took out a set of keys. She held them up.
"Forgot my house keys. Well, I'll see you guys later." She pretended to accidentally drop the keys and when she went to pick them up again she also picked up a small transmitter. She waved goodbye and left.
Outside Billie looked around. She saw Deaq's car and a few other cars that she recognized, but there was one she didn't. She walked over and attached the transmitter under the bumper. She prayed she had the right car. She then went back to her car and pulled it out of sight. Billie waited, wondering what this was all about, and wondering where Van was.
"I'm out of here." Riley reached over and took the camera off of Deaq's collar. "My friend will want this back. Now you be a good boy and stay here." He started walking toward the door.
"You tell your friend to call me as soon as he gets those tapes. Anything happens to my partner you'll both be up for first degree murder of a police officer."
Riley turned around.
"You'll get your phone call, I'll see to it. I'm only here to crack the safe, I'm not a murderer."
"What about your friend? My partner dies, you both go down for murder one."
"First, I'm not his friend. I'm just working for him, for the moment. Second, I had no idea what he was going to do. All I knew was that he needed someone to crack a safe."
Riley started walking toward the door again. He stopped, then turned around and gave Deaq a small smile.
"I'll have him call you as soon as I give him the tapes. I promise. You'll get your friend back."
Deaq nodded at Riley. For some reason he trusted him. He didn't know why but he did. Riley left the building, got in his car and drove away. Deaq stood at the door watching him leave. He then glanced up at the sky, it had started to rain. Could this night get any worse? He looked down at the phone he clutched in his hand. How long before he got the call? A streetlight shining off of something in the alley made him look up. He recognized Billie's car and ran over to it, then climbed in the passenger's side.
"What's going on Deaq?"
"I'm sorry Billie, I had to do it, they have Van."
He then explained to her everything that had happened in the last few hours. Deaq could clearly see the worry and fear on her face even though she tried to hide it. She explained to him that she had planted a bug on the car and started driving, following the beeping lights on the map that showed up on the digital screen in her car. About half an hour later they pulled up at the house where the car had stopped. She handed Deaq a gun from the glove compartment and took hers out of her purse. It had started to rain heavily as they got out of the car and took a position on either side of the door. Inside they could hear loud arguing. They counted to ten then Deaq kicked the door in.
"Freeze!" They both yelled pointing their guns at the men. One of the men started going for his gun but Deaq shot at the floor in front of him. The man quickly put his hands up. Deaq walked over to Madison and put his gun under Madison's chin.
"You tell me where my partner is now or you're dead." He said through clenched teeth.
Madison said nothing, but looked over at Billie and smiled.
"Hi Billie."
"Madison! I should have known."
"You two know each other?" Deaq asked still glaring at Madison his finger tightening on the trigger.
"It's a long story Deaq." Billie said.
"Where's my partner??!!" Deaq took the gun and slammed it against Madison's chin. He was getting impatient and wanted an answer.
Riley stepped toward Deaq and Billie quickly turned her gun toward him.
"No Billie, wait." Deaq said.
"I'll take you to your partner. I told you I'm not a murderer." Riley said.
"Shut up Riley!" Madison growled. Deaq punched him in the stomach and he doubled over in pain and fell to the floor."
"Are you sure you can find the location?" Deaq asked Riley. He didn't want to be driving around wasting precious time.
"Yeah, but we have to hurry. He lied to you, he just told me before you came that the tank isn't full. You're partner only had a few hours of air. He was never going to make that phone call."
"You son of a bitch!!" Deaq kicked Madison in the stomach, then looked at Riley
"Let's go." He then looked over at Billie. "Can you handle them?"
"No problem." Billie took out her cell phone with her free hand and dialed 911, calling for back up. She then looked at Deaq. "Can you trust him?"
"I think so, besides, I don't have a choice."
"Then go get Van."
Riley patted Deaq on the back.
"Let's go get your partner."
They left the house and got in the blue Cadillac. Riley drove and on the way told Deaq that he didn't know that Madison had no intention of calling Deaq, or that he had lied about the twenty four hours of air in the tank.
"I'm sorry, I needed the money. I didn't know about the grave, I swear I didn't. By the time I found out I was already in too deep." Riley flew up the mountain road. The car skidded on the wet surface. He looked over at Deaq. "The dirt is going to turn to mud making it twice as heavy................The coffin's lid is made out of cheap wood. I don't know if it can stand the additional weight." Riley turned his head and looked straight ahead, it hurt him to see the pained look on Deaq's face. "I'm sorry, I really am. If...............well if your friend doesn't make it I just want you to know that if I knew what Madison had planned. I never would have gone along with it."
"My friend is going to make it." Deaq said trying to make himself believe his own words, but in his heart he was terrified. He tried to fight the images of Van suffocating in the coffin from flashing through his brain. He prayed the air would hold out and Van would be fine. "How long till we get there." Deaq asked anxiously.
"It's just up around the bend."
Within five minutes they were standing over the gravesite. The ground was saturated and the ground above the grave had begun to sink in. They both had taken shovels out of the back of the Cadillac and dug frantically. It seemed like a lifetime before they saw the top of the coffin. As the shovels hit the top, Deaq shouted toVan.
"Van we're here! Just a few minutes longer! Hang in there partner! You'll be out of there in a minute!"
Deaq felt a cold chill go up his spine and blinked back tears when Van didn't answer. When most of the mud had been removed from the coffin lid, they grabbed a crowbar out of the trunk and began to pry the lid off. Once loosened, they reached down and pulled it open. Deaq braced himself for what he might find. Riley shone a flashlight into the coffin. Van lay on his side, covered in dirt and mud that had leaked through the lid. He wasn't moving. They could hear the hiss from the air tank gasping in brief spurts as the air slowly ran out. Deaq choked back a sob.
"Oh God no! Please no!"
The tears ran freely down his face as he reached into the coffin and put his hand on Van's shoulder and gently shook him.
"Come on partner, I'm taking you home. Come on, open your eyes buddy."
Deaq let out the breath of air he didn't realize he was holding when Van moved. He slowly rolled onto his back and opened his eyes. He squinted as his eyes began to adjust to the light from the flashlight. Tears of gratitude ran down his dirt-covered face leaving small clean areas of skin where the dirt was washed away. He looked up at Deaq and gave him a small, tired smile.
"Hey partner............ you look beautiful."
"Not half as beautiful as you look." Deaq face broke into a big smile. He looked over at Riley. "Thanks." Riley smiled back.
They reached into the coffin and gently pulled Van out. He was weak from his ordeal and had to be helped to the car. They put him in the back seat and rushed to the hospital. Deaq called Billie on the way.
"Oh Thank God." She said when told that Van had survived. She told Deaq everything was under control and that LAPD was there. She said she'd meet him later at the hospital.
Once they arrived at the hospital Deaq helped Van out of the car. He stood beside the car with Van's arm around his shoulder. Riley started to hand Deaq the keys to the Cadillac, but he refused them.
"Get out of here."
"What?"
"I said get out of here before the police arrive."
"But.................I was involved in...................."
Deaq didn't let him finish.
"You helped me get my partner back, that's all I wanted. Now get out of here."
"Thanks, I'm glad everything worked out. Like I said I'm no murderer."
Van looked questionably at Deaq. He remembered this man standing by while he was forced into the coffin. Why was Deaq leaving him go? He wanted all the men punished who had put him through hell. Deaq saw the hurt look in Van's eyes.
"I'll explain later partner."
Deaq looked back at Riley.
"Go, get out of here before the cops get here."
Riley shook Deaq's hand then looked at Van.
"I'm sorry for what you went through..................I didn't know they were going to do that to you."
"Why didn't you try to stop them?" Van glared at Riley.
"I don't know.............I needed the money............I'm sorry."
Van wasn't satisfied. He didn't want this man to just walk away. He had almost died and it hurt him seeing Deaq letting one of the men go. He looked down and shook his head sadly, he felt betrayed. Deaq sensed Van's feelings but he knew without Riley Van would have died. He owed him his freedom. Deaq motioned with his head for Riley to leave. Riley nodded, got in the Cadillac, and took off. It hurt Deaq to see the look in Van's eyes but he had to push it aside for now. Right now he had to get his partner checked out. He helped Van into the emergency room and explained to the doctor what he had been through. A short while later Billie showed up just after the doctor was finished examining Van. He had a bandage around his head where he had been hit but other then that he appeared to be in good shape.
"How ya doing buddy?" Billie asked.
"Okay."
Billie looked at Deaq.
"Where's the guy you left with?"
Van glanced at Deaq but said nothing.
"He got away."
"Got away!"
"He helped me get Van, then when we got to the hospital he took off while I wasn't looking."
"I'll put out an APB on him." Billie reached for her cell phone.
Van grabbed Billie's arm and shook his head.
"Van, he tried to kill you." She didn't understand why he was stopping her.
"If it wasn't for him I'd still be in that hole."
Billie looked back and forth between the two men. Suddenly she understood what had happened but couldn't believe it. She looked at Deaq.
"You let him go, didn't you? He was involved in this Deaq. He needs to pay for what he did."
"If it wasn't for him Billie, Van would be dead. I owed him."
"That's not the point Deaq. You're a cop and this man was involved in a crime. He should have been.............."
Van interrupted her.
"Let it go Billie............just let it go."
She started to say something then realized how grateful she was that Van was still alive. She could be standing over his dead body right now. She shook her head, threw her hands in the air and started to walk away.
"Hey Billie, how did you know Madison?" Deaq asked.
"He was a cop. He helped design the Candy Store, but he turned bad, real bad. We had tapes of all his illegal activities, starting before either of you two worked for me. We were building an airtight case against him. It was just a matter of time before we brought him down."
"Why didn't you tell us about him?" Van looked up at Billie from the litter.
"No need to get you two involved. It was being handled by Internal Affairs." Billie turned and started walking away again then spoke over her shoulder. "I'll be back. I need to explain Madison's accomplice's disappearance in a convincing manner to the detectives waiting outside."
"She sounds a little pissed." Van said to Deaq.
Deaq put his hand on his Van's shoulder.
"She'll get over it...............By the way, thanks for sticking up for me."
"Hey, we're partners." Van reached over and grasped Deaq's hand. "That's what partners do."
"Well I for one am going back to work tomorrow. These vacations can kill you."
"Don't I know it."
Van looked over at Deaq and smiled.
"Thanks for getting me out of there."
"Well like you said, we're partners that's what we do."
The End
Deaq put down his drink, looked over at Van, and smiled.
"Hey partner, you really need to learn how to chill."
"I am chilling." Van's eyes scanned the crowd at the Mystic Inn, a bar not far from the Candy Store. Deaq shook his head.
"You call that chilling? Relax man we're on vacation. We're not on the job. Why do you keep looking for trouble?"
"I'm not looking for trouble." Van downed his drink then nodded to the bartender when he came over to refill it. Deaq looked at his partner and shook his head.
"Billie gave us a week off and I for one am going to take full advantage of it. We busted our butts for the last three weeks. I'm not going to think about work, talk about work, or do anything that could be work related."
"Well then, what are you going to do?"
"Well, as soon as we leave here I'm planning on getting as far away from you as I can. I'm not hanging around waiting for you to get me involved in something we have no business sticking our noses in. I'm on v a c a t i o n ." Deaq spelled out the word.
Van watched as two men at the end of the bar exchanged money for a small packet.
"Can you believe those guys are dealing right out in the open like that?"
"Not my problem. I'm out of here." Deaq put money on the bar and stood up. He hoped his partner would follow him. He knew if Van confronted the dealers, he would back him up. They were partners and that's what partner's did. He left out a small sigh of relief when Van got up, put money down, and followed him out.
They went out a side door into the dark parking lot. They had only walked a short distance when a man jumped out of the shadows near them. Van spun around but he was too late, the man struck him on the side of the head. As he fell forward, Deaq grabbed him and lowered him to the ground. He quickly spun around to confront the attackers. He started to go for his gun but then realized it was pointless, there were too many of them. One of the men reached over and took his gun, then bent down and removed Van's gun from beneath his jacket. A man, Troy Madison, slowly got out of the back seat of a dark blue Cadillac and walked over to Deaq.
"Do as you're told and you both will live through this."
Deaq knelt back down by his fallen partner, glaring up at the man.
"What the hell do you want?"
"I just need your help for a short time, then you're free to go."
Two men moved forward toward Van. As they reached down to pick him up Deaq instinctively grabbed one of the men's arm.
"Leave him alone!" Deaq growled.
Madison took out his gun and pointed it at Van."
"Let him go, or your partner dies now."
Deaq had no choice but to release the man's arm then watched as they picked Van up and carried him to the car, opened the trunk and put him in.
"Now get in with him." Madison motioned with his gun toward the car.
Deaq hesitated for only a few seconds before climbing in with Van. Whatever this was all about, at least they were together. The trunk slammed shut and they drove off in the darkness.
After driving for a little over an hour, the car stopped. Van was just starting to come around and groaned as the trunk was opened. He was taken out and dropped on the ground. Deaq climbed out and squatted down next to his partner. Van slowly opened his eyes and tried to stand up but was too dizzy and fell back to the ground. Deaq gently put Van's arm around his shoulder and helped him up. He leaned heavily on Deaq as he shook his head trying to clear it. They both looked around. All they could tell was that they were in the woods, but where, they had no idea. It was very dark on the moonless night and they couldn't see past the headlights of the car. Madison got out of the car with two other men and stood in front of them.
"Let me explain what's going to happen." Madison looked back and forth between them. "I know who you are and all about Miss Chambers and the Candy Store. She has some tapes in her safe and I would like to get them back. One of you will stay here and the other will retrieve my tapes. That person will wear this........." He held up a miniature camera, the size of a small button. "I'll be watching, just to make sure you don't try to alert Miss Chambers. We know she gave you both a week off and you will explain to her, if she's there, that your partner decided to take off for a while but you decided to stick around. You were bored and decided to pop into the Candy Store. You will make up an excuse to stay there for the night. When she leaves, you will open the safe and get my tapes."
Deaq spoke up.
"Your plan has a slight snag in it. Neither my partner or I know the combination to the safe."
Madison smiled and nodded toward one of his men.
"I've taken that into account. When Miss Chambers leaves you will leave my friend here into the building, he will be waiting out back. He's an expert at getting into safes." Madison took a step closer. "I was going to let you two decide who was going to stay and who would go, but I'm afraid I'll have to make that decision now." Madison put his hand under Van's chin and tilted his head to the side. A lump had formed above his eye and blood dripped down the side of his face where he had been hit. "I can't have Miss Chambers questioning you about how you were injured, so I guess you stay."
Two of the men walked over toward Van. Deaq pulled him a little closer. He didn't want to turn his partner over to these men but realized he had no choice. He reluctantly released his hold on his partner. Madison stepped between Deaq and the men who pulled Van away.
"I'm going to make this a little interesting. You have twenty-four hours before your partner dies. You give the tapes to my man and I'll tell you where to find your friend. Anything goes wrong, he dies."
Madison motioned for Deaq to follow him. He walked a small distance behind him. His eyes widened in horror and his mouth dropped open when he saw where the man was leading him. Van stood propped up between the two men at an open grave. In the grave was a wooden coffin with a silver cylinder inside. Madison looked back at Deaq.
"Your friend will be buried here. If he stays calm and doesn't panic he has air for roughly twenty-four hours in that tank. You get me the tapes, and my man gets them back to me, I'll call and give you directions to the grave. Anything goes wrong, you'll never find him in time and he dies."
Madison nodded at the two men and they pushed Van toward the grave. He struggled against them but no match for them in his weakened condition. He stumbled then fell into the coffin. He tried to get up but the men both held their guns on him, he had no choice but to lay back down. He looked over at Deaq who could see the fear in his eyes. Deaq spun around toward Madison his hands clenched in fists. Hate and rage in his voice.
"No way! You're not going to do this to him!"
"I'll do whatever I want. You get me those tapes and you have my word I'll let you know where to find him. I'm not a cruel man, but I do what I have to do in order to achieve my goal."
"I'll get you the tapes, just don't do this." Deaq pleaded, his heart pounded as he thought of what was going to happen to his partner.
"I give the orders." Madison nodded toward his men who started to close the coffin.
Van looked up at them, the thought of being buried alive terrified him.
"No! God no don't!" He pleaded.
"Shut it!" Madison ordered.
Deaq made a move to try and stop them but was grabbed by two other men from behind. He struggled with them, but when Madison pointed the gun at the coffin he stopped. The coffin was shut and latched. He could hear Van trying desperately to open it. Madison looked over at Deaq.
"You stay cool and do as I say or I'll put a bullet in him, then he'll have more to worry about then just breathing."
Deaq swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked at the shut coffin. He couldn't even begin to imagine what his partner was going through. He shut his eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself. Van was going to need him and he had to hold it together.
Madison handed Deaq a shovel.
"Bury him." He ordered.
"Go to hell you sick son of a bitch!" Deaq threw the shovel down.
"Your friend's running out of oxygen even as we speak. The longer you take to bury him the longer it takes for you to help him. The sooner we leave here the better for your friend. Now bury him!"
Deaq knew he was outnumbered. There was no way to help Van. He had to get those tapes and pray that the man would tell him where Van was and he could get back in time to free his partner before the air ran out. Tears threatened to run down his face as he picked up the shovel and began shoveling dirt on top of Van.
"You hang in there partner, I'll be back I promise. You got to relax, just relax." Deaq kept talking as he tossed the dirt on the coffin. He knew Van knew yoga and he prayed his partner could slow his breathing down enough to conserve on the oxygen. After the coffin was buried he threw the shovel down and glared at Madison.
"Anything happens to him, I swear I'll find you and rip your heart out!" Deaq said through clenched teeth.
Madison threw some branches on top of the grave to cover the freshly dug dirt. Deaq choked back a sob as he looked at the ground; there was no evidence that a man was alive beneath him, and not just any man, his partner, his friend.
"His life depends on you, don't forget it"
Deaq was pushed back into the trunk of the car. He lay in the darkness imagining the horror of what Van must be going through. He would do what ever it took to save him. He'd get those tapes. He just prayed Van could hold on till he did.
Van lay shivering in the darkness, fighting the feeling of sheer panic. It was already getting hard to breathe. He could feel dirt hitting his face as it fell through the small cracks in the coffin's lid. He reached for the tank of air, then hesitated. He could just lay back, let the air run out and get it over with or use the tank and spend the next hours in the terrifying darkness not knowing when he'd take his last breath. He pulled the tank next to his face and opened the valve. He didn't want to die. In his mind he kept hearing his partner telling him he'd be back. He prayed he was right.
Deaq felt the car come to a stop. A few seconds later the trunk was popped open. He got out and stood glaring at Madison. They were back at the club.
"I suggest you hurry. Riley will go with you. You'll let him in and he'll crack the safe. He'll bring the tapes to me and I'll call you on this." He handed Deaq a cell phone then reached up and fastened the tiny camera to Deaq's collar. "I'll be watching and listening to everything you say, you tip off anyone, your friend dies."
"My friend dies and there won't be a rock small enough for you to crawl under."
Madison gave Deaq a small smile.
"You aren't in any position to threaten me. Now I suggest you go to the Candy Store immediately, Riley will follow you. If Miss Chambers is there make up some reason why you have to stay the night. When she leaves, and she better leave, let Riley in. Once I get the tapes you get the call."
Deaq hurried to his car, jumped in and sped toward the Candy Store. In his rear view mirror he saw Riley following him in a car they had left at the club. He pulled into the lot behind the Candy Store and saw that Billie's car was there. Using his key he unlocked the door and went in. Billie looked up, startled at the unexpected visit.
"Deaq, what's up?"
"Van decided he was going to take off for a few days, and I got bored."
"Van, take a few days off? You gotta be kidding. That man doesn't know how to relax." She smiled at Deaq.
"That's what I thought Billie but he said he had an old girlfriend he wanted to look up."
"Well, I'm out of here in a few minutes, just stopped in to check on a few files. I 'm going to stop for a drink on the way home, you're welcome to come with me."
"Thanks Billie but I'm beat, I was actually wondering if I could crash here tonight. They're cleaning the rugs in my apartment and the smell is making me sick."
"Sure, no problem. I'll lock up when I leave."
Deaq stretched out on the sofa. Within half an hour Billie turned off her computer and left. She quietly shut the door thinking he was asleep and not wanting to wake him. Deaq waited about ten minutes then opened the door. Riley was outside waiting. He entered and Deaq relocked the door.
"Okay, where is it?" Riley asked putting down a small black bag that he was carrying.
Deaq walked over and removed a picture from the wall. The safe was behind it. He then sat back on the sofa while Riley opened his bag and pulled out instruments to work on the safe. Deag's eyes fell on the basketball, which lay on the Candy Store's shiny court. His eyes filled up as he wondered if he and his partner would ever play again. He looked at his watch and tapped his foot impatiently. All he wanted to do was get the phone call that would tell him where his partner was. He tried not to think that if Madison didn't call, Van would die a slow horrible death.
Van's head was pounding and he had drifted off to a restless sleep. He tried to turn over and bumped his arm on the top of the coffin. He woke up in a panic, his heart pounding when he realized where he was. Oh God! Oh God! I gotta get out of here! He wanted to scream, but cops didn't scream he thought. Who would know if he did he wondered? He knew if he gave into his panic and started screaming he would never stop. He tried to relax and control his breathing. He had taken yoga lessons years ago and he tried to remember all that he had learned about controlling his breathing. He kept repeating to himself the last thing he heard Deaq say ' I'll be back, I promise ' He knew his partner would do everything he could to keep that promise.
Fifteen minutes later Riley popped the safe. He grabbed the tapes Madison wanted and put them in his pocket, then shut the safe. Deaq stood up.
"Okay, you have the tapes, now call your friend and tell him I wanna know where my partner is."
"He'll call you when he has the tapes in his hands."
Right then the door to the Candy Store opened and Billie walked in. She had her head down as she searched for something in her purse. When she looked up her eyes flashed angrily when she saw the man standing with Deaq. No one was allowed in the Candy Store without her permission. Deaq knew that. She was just about to confront him when she noticed the slight shake of his head. He was warning her not to say anything, to stay out of it. Since Riley was watching Billie, he didn't notice Deaq's warning. Billie understood immediately that something was going down. She smiled at Deaq and nodded at the man.
"You must be the new recruit they were going to send over."
"Uh..............yeah."
"Well, don't let him give you a hard time." Billie hitched her thumb toward Deaq.
"Oh, I won't"
Billie headed over to his desk, opened the top drawer and took out a set of keys. She held them up.
"Forgot my house keys. Well, I'll see you guys later." She pretended to accidentally drop the keys and when she went to pick them up again she also picked up a small transmitter. She waved goodbye and left.
Outside Billie looked around. She saw Deaq's car and a few other cars that she recognized, but there was one she didn't. She walked over and attached the transmitter under the bumper. She prayed she had the right car. She then went back to her car and pulled it out of sight. Billie waited, wondering what this was all about, and wondering where Van was.
"I'm out of here." Riley reached over and took the camera off of Deaq's collar. "My friend will want this back. Now you be a good boy and stay here." He started walking toward the door.
"You tell your friend to call me as soon as he gets those tapes. Anything happens to my partner you'll both be up for first degree murder of a police officer."
Riley turned around.
"You'll get your phone call, I'll see to it. I'm only here to crack the safe, I'm not a murderer."
"What about your friend? My partner dies, you both go down for murder one."
"First, I'm not his friend. I'm just working for him, for the moment. Second, I had no idea what he was going to do. All I knew was that he needed someone to crack a safe."
Riley started walking toward the door again. He stopped, then turned around and gave Deaq a small smile.
"I'll have him call you as soon as I give him the tapes. I promise. You'll get your friend back."
Deaq nodded at Riley. For some reason he trusted him. He didn't know why but he did. Riley left the building, got in his car and drove away. Deaq stood at the door watching him leave. He then glanced up at the sky, it had started to rain. Could this night get any worse? He looked down at the phone he clutched in his hand. How long before he got the call? A streetlight shining off of something in the alley made him look up. He recognized Billie's car and ran over to it, then climbed in the passenger's side.
"What's going on Deaq?"
"I'm sorry Billie, I had to do it, they have Van."
He then explained to her everything that had happened in the last few hours. Deaq could clearly see the worry and fear on her face even though she tried to hide it. She explained to him that she had planted a bug on the car and started driving, following the beeping lights on the map that showed up on the digital screen in her car. About half an hour later they pulled up at the house where the car had stopped. She handed Deaq a gun from the glove compartment and took hers out of her purse. It had started to rain heavily as they got out of the car and took a position on either side of the door. Inside they could hear loud arguing. They counted to ten then Deaq kicked the door in.
"Freeze!" They both yelled pointing their guns at the men. One of the men started going for his gun but Deaq shot at the floor in front of him. The man quickly put his hands up. Deaq walked over to Madison and put his gun under Madison's chin.
"You tell me where my partner is now or you're dead." He said through clenched teeth.
Madison said nothing, but looked over at Billie and smiled.
"Hi Billie."
"Madison! I should have known."
"You two know each other?" Deaq asked still glaring at Madison his finger tightening on the trigger.
"It's a long story Deaq." Billie said.
"Where's my partner??!!" Deaq took the gun and slammed it against Madison's chin. He was getting impatient and wanted an answer.
Riley stepped toward Deaq and Billie quickly turned her gun toward him.
"No Billie, wait." Deaq said.
"I'll take you to your partner. I told you I'm not a murderer." Riley said.
"Shut up Riley!" Madison growled. Deaq punched him in the stomach and he doubled over in pain and fell to the floor."
"Are you sure you can find the location?" Deaq asked Riley. He didn't want to be driving around wasting precious time.
"Yeah, but we have to hurry. He lied to you, he just told me before you came that the tank isn't full. You're partner only had a few hours of air. He was never going to make that phone call."
"You son of a bitch!!" Deaq kicked Madison in the stomach, then looked at Riley
"Let's go." He then looked over at Billie. "Can you handle them?"
"No problem." Billie took out her cell phone with her free hand and dialed 911, calling for back up. She then looked at Deaq. "Can you trust him?"
"I think so, besides, I don't have a choice."
"Then go get Van."
Riley patted Deaq on the back.
"Let's go get your partner."
They left the house and got in the blue Cadillac. Riley drove and on the way told Deaq that he didn't know that Madison had no intention of calling Deaq, or that he had lied about the twenty four hours of air in the tank.
"I'm sorry, I needed the money. I didn't know about the grave, I swear I didn't. By the time I found out I was already in too deep." Riley flew up the mountain road. The car skidded on the wet surface. He looked over at Deaq. "The dirt is going to turn to mud making it twice as heavy................The coffin's lid is made out of cheap wood. I don't know if it can stand the additional weight." Riley turned his head and looked straight ahead, it hurt him to see the pained look on Deaq's face. "I'm sorry, I really am. If...............well if your friend doesn't make it I just want you to know that if I knew what Madison had planned. I never would have gone along with it."
"My friend is going to make it." Deaq said trying to make himself believe his own words, but in his heart he was terrified. He tried to fight the images of Van suffocating in the coffin from flashing through his brain. He prayed the air would hold out and Van would be fine. "How long till we get there." Deaq asked anxiously.
"It's just up around the bend."
Within five minutes they were standing over the gravesite. The ground was saturated and the ground above the grave had begun to sink in. They both had taken shovels out of the back of the Cadillac and dug frantically. It seemed like a lifetime before they saw the top of the coffin. As the shovels hit the top, Deaq shouted toVan.
"Van we're here! Just a few minutes longer! Hang in there partner! You'll be out of there in a minute!"
Deaq felt a cold chill go up his spine and blinked back tears when Van didn't answer. When most of the mud had been removed from the coffin lid, they grabbed a crowbar out of the trunk and began to pry the lid off. Once loosened, they reached down and pulled it open. Deaq braced himself for what he might find. Riley shone a flashlight into the coffin. Van lay on his side, covered in dirt and mud that had leaked through the lid. He wasn't moving. They could hear the hiss from the air tank gasping in brief spurts as the air slowly ran out. Deaq choked back a sob.
"Oh God no! Please no!"
The tears ran freely down his face as he reached into the coffin and put his hand on Van's shoulder and gently shook him.
"Come on partner, I'm taking you home. Come on, open your eyes buddy."
Deaq let out the breath of air he didn't realize he was holding when Van moved. He slowly rolled onto his back and opened his eyes. He squinted as his eyes began to adjust to the light from the flashlight. Tears of gratitude ran down his dirt-covered face leaving small clean areas of skin where the dirt was washed away. He looked up at Deaq and gave him a small, tired smile.
"Hey partner............ you look beautiful."
"Not half as beautiful as you look." Deaq face broke into a big smile. He looked over at Riley. "Thanks." Riley smiled back.
They reached into the coffin and gently pulled Van out. He was weak from his ordeal and had to be helped to the car. They put him in the back seat and rushed to the hospital. Deaq called Billie on the way.
"Oh Thank God." She said when told that Van had survived. She told Deaq everything was under control and that LAPD was there. She said she'd meet him later at the hospital.
Once they arrived at the hospital Deaq helped Van out of the car. He stood beside the car with Van's arm around his shoulder. Riley started to hand Deaq the keys to the Cadillac, but he refused them.
"Get out of here."
"What?"
"I said get out of here before the police arrive."
"But.................I was involved in...................."
Deaq didn't let him finish.
"You helped me get my partner back, that's all I wanted. Now get out of here."
"Thanks, I'm glad everything worked out. Like I said I'm no murderer."
Van looked questionably at Deaq. He remembered this man standing by while he was forced into the coffin. Why was Deaq leaving him go? He wanted all the men punished who had put him through hell. Deaq saw the hurt look in Van's eyes.
"I'll explain later partner."
Deaq looked back at Riley.
"Go, get out of here before the cops get here."
Riley shook Deaq's hand then looked at Van.
"I'm sorry for what you went through..................I didn't know they were going to do that to you."
"Why didn't you try to stop them?" Van glared at Riley.
"I don't know.............I needed the money............I'm sorry."
Van wasn't satisfied. He didn't want this man to just walk away. He had almost died and it hurt him seeing Deaq letting one of the men go. He looked down and shook his head sadly, he felt betrayed. Deaq sensed Van's feelings but he knew without Riley Van would have died. He owed him his freedom. Deaq motioned with his head for Riley to leave. Riley nodded, got in the Cadillac, and took off. It hurt Deaq to see the look in Van's eyes but he had to push it aside for now. Right now he had to get his partner checked out. He helped Van into the emergency room and explained to the doctor what he had been through. A short while later Billie showed up just after the doctor was finished examining Van. He had a bandage around his head where he had been hit but other then that he appeared to be in good shape.
"How ya doing buddy?" Billie asked.
"Okay."
Billie looked at Deaq.
"Where's the guy you left with?"
Van glanced at Deaq but said nothing.
"He got away."
"Got away!"
"He helped me get Van, then when we got to the hospital he took off while I wasn't looking."
"I'll put out an APB on him." Billie reached for her cell phone.
Van grabbed Billie's arm and shook his head.
"Van, he tried to kill you." She didn't understand why he was stopping her.
"If it wasn't for him I'd still be in that hole."
Billie looked back and forth between the two men. Suddenly she understood what had happened but couldn't believe it. She looked at Deaq.
"You let him go, didn't you? He was involved in this Deaq. He needs to pay for what he did."
"If it wasn't for him Billie, Van would be dead. I owed him."
"That's not the point Deaq. You're a cop and this man was involved in a crime. He should have been.............."
Van interrupted her.
"Let it go Billie............just let it go."
She started to say something then realized how grateful she was that Van was still alive. She could be standing over his dead body right now. She shook her head, threw her hands in the air and started to walk away.
"Hey Billie, how did you know Madison?" Deaq asked.
"He was a cop. He helped design the Candy Store, but he turned bad, real bad. We had tapes of all his illegal activities, starting before either of you two worked for me. We were building an airtight case against him. It was just a matter of time before we brought him down."
"Why didn't you tell us about him?" Van looked up at Billie from the litter.
"No need to get you two involved. It was being handled by Internal Affairs." Billie turned and started walking away again then spoke over her shoulder. "I'll be back. I need to explain Madison's accomplice's disappearance in a convincing manner to the detectives waiting outside."
"She sounds a little pissed." Van said to Deaq.
Deaq put his hand on his Van's shoulder.
"She'll get over it...............By the way, thanks for sticking up for me."
"Hey, we're partners." Van reached over and grasped Deaq's hand. "That's what partners do."
"Well I for one am going back to work tomorrow. These vacations can kill you."
"Don't I know it."
Van looked over at Deaq and smiled.
"Thanks for getting me out of there."
"Well like you said, we're partners that's what we do."
The End