XoXoXoX

Lean on me when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on

'Lean On Me' – Bill Withers

XoXoXoX

Chapter 10

XoXoXoX

"…and the house caught fire," Brent said in his creepiest voice. He was wearing a dark navy blue hoody with the hood draped over his head and he held a flashlight under his chin to give his face an eerie spooky glow. His voice was low and dark as he continued telling the ghost story, "A young daughter was trapped in the house, and the only way to escape was through a wall of flames…"

Martin restrained a smile at seeing Brent try so hard to make the story "The Screaming Tunnel" sound scary. He could still remember the first time he heard it, he had a hard time sleeping that night. But now, four summers later, he had heard it so many times it was now more amusing to watch the newer camper's nervous faces.

Brent turned to look at a few of the younger girls who were crowded together on a log, clutching each other fearfully. In a panicked nervous tone he said, "The brave young girl covered her face with her arms and ran into the fiery doorway. Her long hair and her long nightgown began to smolder as she burst through the flames and rushed out of the house!"

Martin looked to his left to see Casey clutching onto Chris, looking terrified. Chris met Martin's eyes and smiled. He had heard this story as many times as he had so he was more than happy to play the noble, strong guy who would protect Casey from fictional narratives.

Martin just shook his head and looked at Sarah who was sitting to her left she was staring at Brent, wickedly curious but not looking the least bit afraid. She turned to look at him and smiled, shaking her head amusedly.

He smiled back thinking that she looked so pretty in the tranquil light of the campfire; the colorful embers creating fascinating shadows on her face.

Brent stood up and Martin shifted his attention to him. He knew this part of the ghost story well. This was when Brent would walk around the fire, carefully meeting everyone's face to try and increase the stories ominous tone.

He kept the flashlight under his chin and slowly crept towards where each group of kids sat on the logs. "When the night air struck her smoldering clothing, it burst into flames, enveloping the girl in a raging inferno. The girl screamed in agony and ran blindly down the hill, away from the fire-stricken house. She staggered into the tunnel under the train tracks, her screams echoing and re-echoing through the night"

He walked over towards Casey and Chris and Martin watched as Brent leaned in and stared directly at Casey as he talked. "Overcome by the flames, the girl fell to the floor of the tunnel," his inflection reached an high pitch, "She was wailing in agony and she rolled frantically on the floor of the tunnel, trying to douse the flames." He looked over at Martin who was doing his best to remain stoic as Brent spoke. "But her efforts were weak and ineffective. She was quickly overcome, and burned to death in the tunnel under the tracks."

Martin could feel his lips twitching as a light laugh threatened to escape. Brent narrowed his eyes at him in a silent plea to not ruin the cadence of the story. So Martin obliged by biting his bottom lip and lowering his eyes.

Brent then moved on to Sarah and finished, "And after that night, anyone that dares strike a match in the tunnel under the tracks will hear the agonized death screams of the burning girl," as he talked he slowly raised his free hand up to the flashlight, "and a ghostly wind will instantly blow out the match."

He clicked off his flashlight and released a high pitched scream, "AUGH!!"

Martin and Chris both burst into laughter as most of the other campers all screamed before joining in the laughter.

Brent shrugged off his hoody and said, "Alright, that's the last one. I got nothing else." He turned his flashlight back on and looked around. "Now everyone go back to your cabins and get to bed."

Everyone picked up their things and started back towards their cabins. Martin polished off the last of his s'more, savoring the deliciously sugary taste of crispy graham crackers and warm melted marshmallow with gooey chocolate.

"That story gets better every year," Chris said with his arm casually swung over Casey shoulder.

"The hoody was a nice touch," Martin replied as they all started walking up the trail when Sarah came around to walk beside him.

He noticed that her hands were hanging loosely at her side and he contemplated reaching out to hold one of them when she shoved them in her jacket pocket and said, "It's chilly tonight."

Needing to do something with his hands now, he shoved his into his own pockets and replied, "Yeah."

Casey slumped against Chris as they walked and said, "That story really gave me the creeps."

"Come on, those stories are so ridiculous," Chris playfully argued. "It's like that one, what's it called?" He looked over at Martin. "That one Steve always tells with the guy attacking the couple in the car?"

"The Hook," Martin replied, sharing a bemused smile with Chris. They thought the only reason Steve always selected that as his campfire story was because he always tacked on a cautionary warning about the dangers of kids sneaking off to secluded areas to do things they shouldn't be doing.

"Yeah, that's the one," Chris said, looking back at Casey. "Every town in America tells that story but no one ever knows someone who has been attacked or was a victim."

"Exactly," Sarah agreed. "It's just a silly story to scare kids."

Martin kept quiet and just listened, unsure. He had overheard enough of his father's conversations with agents in the bureau to know that sometimes bad things can happen.

Chris pulled Casey into a tight hug and loudly said, "It's stupid to waste time being scared of stuff that is never going to happen to you."

XoX

After the FBI jet touched down and taxi'd to the hanger Martin and Danny exited after Jack. Behind them, Kyle escorted a handcuffed Dodd down the plane's stairs. In the parking area just outside the hanger they were greeted with several bureau cars, a few black and whites, and a forensics van. Jack ordered Danny to take Dodd to one of the waiting cars while he and Kyle talked to local enforcement about their plans.

Martin lingered off to the side, not ready to deal directly with Dodd or local police. He watched as Danny escorted Dodd to one of the cars. Dodd was smiling at the officers as if he were one of the retirees who worked as greeters at WalMart and not a murderer who was about to lead them to the body of one of his victims. During the flight they had to cuff Dodd's hands in front since he wasn't a threat. Martin was worried about being in such close proximity to Dodd in the tiny aircraft but as soon as the plane lifted off he fell asleep, not waking until they were ready to land.

They agreed to leave his handcuffs as they were for the drive to Allegheny.

When they reached the car Danny sat him down in the backseat and slammed the back door sealing Dodd inside before leaning against the side of the car, holding guard.

Martin closed his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck trying to get the kinks out when he felt a hand tap him on the back. He opened his eyes and turned around to find Jack staring at him.

"Listen, we have some snags," Jack said grimly. "Pennsylvania PD is giving us a hard time about jurisdiction." He held up his cell phone and said, "Kyle and I are going to be on the phone with them trying to cut through all this red tape while we drive out to Allegheny." He released a heavy breath and glanced over to where Danny stood next to the bureau sedan. "I'm going to send you and Danny in one car with Dodd while Kyle and I follow from behind."

"Okay," Martin replied.

"I'd rather ride with you but I don't want local police to interfere and I don't want Dodd to listen in on my conversation with them," Jack explained, hesitant. "But are going to be okay talking to him on the drive?"

"Yeah," Martin confidently replied, slightly annoyed that Jack would have such little faith in his ability to remain in control. "But don't worry. Danny will be there to keep watch over me."

Jack stared back at him, hesitant and unsure before finally replying, "Let's roll."

Martin walked over to the sedan where Dodd was seated in the backseat. He threw Dodd and hard look and said to Danny, "Looks like it's me and you."

Danny nodded and opened the door, getting behind the steering wheel and soon they were on their way.

For most of the ride the car was quiet, only the sounds of the cracking of the radio could be heard. But when they turned onto Route 321 suddenly Dodd began speaking.

"I had forgotten how much I like Pennsylvania," Dodd idly commented as they rode through Allegheny. He leaned his head against his window and stared at the scenery outside. "It's so green and lush here."

Martin's eyes darted to Dodd but he kept quiet, simply working his jaw as he continued to stare straight ahead. Keep in control, he reminded himself.

"That's the one sad thing about growing older," he continued. "With these old knees of mine I can't hike the mountains and hills the way I used to when I was younger," he paused and added, "There are a lot of things I can't do anymore."

In his peripheral vision Martin could see the old man tilt his head to the side to study his face but he refused to look at him.

"You never asked me why I stopped," Dodd commented.

This time Martin couldn't help himself and he turned to face him.

"I stopped because I was getting too old. The boys didn't trust me anymore. They just thought I was some silly old man," he replied, sounding equally indignant and saddened. He met Martin's eyes and said, "But believe me, I never gave up trying. I still try to this day."

Martin stared into the man's eyes as they were cold and dead.

"I miss the thrill every single day," Dodd said, smiling the most evil smile Martin had ever imagined possible. "The feel of their skin, the look in their eyes when they knew what I was going to do to them. The way they would beg me to stop. I miss it so much."

Martin knew he should tell Dodd to shut up but he couldn't bring himself to speak, he was frozen as a well of rage bubbled up inside of him.

Dodd leaned closer and in a voice as soft as a whisper he said, "You know what?" He paused, as if Martin would ask him before he finished, "Chris had the smoothest skin of them all."

Before he knew he was doing it, Martin leaned over the front car seat, grabbed Dodd by the front of his shirt and punched him squarely in his face. His knuckles cracked as he made impact and he pulled his arm back to do it once more.

He suddenly felt Danny's hand grabbing at his arm, trying to stop him from hitting Dodd again. When he tried to yank free he felt his fist hit flesh and heard Danny grunt. Somewhere in the back of his sleep-deprived mind he knew he had accidentally hit his friend but he was too fueled with adrenaline and fury and the compulsion to inflict harm on Dodd he refused to be distracted.

He hit Dodd again when suddenly the car swerved and he was jostled to the side, Dodd slipping out of his grasp. The car came to a screeching halt and Martin quickly righted himself and tried to return to his assault on Dodd.

The man just continued to laugh and egg Martin on each time Martin's fist made contact with his face. This only increased Martin's rage until all he could see, hear or think was vengeance. He was half-way over the seat as he continued his assault when he felt a pair of hands come up from behind, slipping under his armpits putting him in a vise grip.

"Stop it!" Danny shouted, dragging him out of the car and shoving him against the trunk.

"Let go of me!" Martin shouted sounding heated and irrational in his own ears. He tried to wrestle free, knocking Danny's sunglasses off in the process.

"I said you need to stop!" Danny grunted, pinning him in place.

With nostrils flaring and his heart racing he finally settled enough to hear what Danny was telling him. "Alright! I'm okay!" he shouted. "I'm fine."

Danny released him from his grasp but looked ready to pounce if provoked.

He took a few steps, pacing to try and cool his anger. He could see Dodd wiping his bloody mouth with the back of his hand and he felt an intense feeling of satisfaction knowing that he was able to make him bleed, make him feel a little of the pain he was feeling. He was so focused on Dodd that he didn't even see Jack stalking towards him until he grabbed him by the jacket and shoved him away from the group.

"I knew this was a mistake," Jack growled. "You are losing control."

"I'm fi…"

"You are not fine," Jack interrupted.

Martin scoffed. "You're one to talk, Jack. You make all cases personal and this one literally is for me!"

"You're right," Jack agreed through gritted teeth. "But you aren't me, Martin, and you don't want to be." He pushed him back towards a nearby fallen log and said, "You need to sit here and cool off. Kyle and I will get Dodd to take us to Ben. I don't want to see you anywhere near the scene until you get it under control!"

Martin sat down and watched as Jack said something to Kyle and Danny. Danny nodded while Kyle removed Dodd from their car and escorted him into the backseat of theirs. His breathing was labored and he closed his eyes trying to catch his breath as well as ignore the concerned looks of the other agents.

His breathing finally slowed down when he heard footsteps headed his way and knew that Danny was walking over to where he sat.

He felt his friend sit down next to him so he cracked open an eye and asked, "You alright?"

Danny rubbed his jaw and smiled. "I'll be fine. Fortunately I grew up in a tough neighborhood where I learned how to take a hit." He dropped his hand and asked, "What about you, gringo? You gonna be okay?"

"I don't know," Martin breathed out, shaking his head. "I really wanted to hurt him. If you hadn't pulled me off of him…" he trailed off, still too raw to say the words aloud.

"I don't blame you," Danny said softly; his voice comforting and assuring. "I wanted to hurt him, too."

They sat in silence as the caravan of police vehicles started up again and drove past. Martin watched the taillights of the crime scene van disappear around the bend until they were all gone.

He didn't know how long they were just sitting there, alone in silence, when Danny reached into his pocket and pulled out his broken sunglasses. He fiddled with the bent frame until the left temple finally broke off.

"Sorry about your sunglasses," Martin said apologetically. "I'll buy you a new pair."

"Great," he replied, dropping the broken frames into Martin's hand. "They're Ray Ban and I got them at Barney's."

"Barney's, huh?" Martin queried, holding up the sunglasses and studying them. "Because according to the inscription on the side it reads 'Ray Ben' and they look remarkably like the kind of knockoffs you can buy in Chinatown."

Danny snatched the glasses back and shoved them into his pocket. "I don't know what you are talking about but if you are going to be cheap and argue with me than fine, don't buy me new ones."

Despite his dark mood Martin laughed and eventually Danny joined him.

"You remind me of him you know," he said earnestly. Danny looked at him questioningly and he clarified, "You remind me of Chris."

"Really?" Danny replied, interested. "So he was smart, handsome, funny, charismatic, had a great sense of style…"

"And humble too," Martin teased before growing quiet and thoughtful again. "But besides all those obvious things, he was a lot like you. He didn't give up his friendship easily but when he became your friend he was unwavering in his loyalty."

"Sounds like I would've liked him," Danny replied.

"Yeah," Martin said with a slow nod. "I mean, I'm sure you would've given him a hard time first but, yeah, I'm sure if you knew him now you would want to invite him to watch a game or go grab a burger."

Danny gave him a gentle smile and pat on the back as they both grew quiet again.

Finally, feeling much calmer than before, Martin stood up and dusted off his trousers. "We should get going."

"Are you sure you're ready?" Danny asked, squinting up at him. "We can just sit here a little while longer."

"I'm as ready as I will ever be," Martin quietly replied. He stared in the direction where the cars had gone and breathed out, "Besides, I just want this to be over already." He looked back down at Danny and corrected, "I need this to be over."