Hi: Wow, there are a lot of threads to this story.
Chapter 67
Even Heroes Cry
As the blue SUV pulls into the motel's unpaved parking spot adjacent to an empty room, Ryn turns the ignition off. It is time to place shaking hands over her face. Deep breaths fill the vehicle as Hope turns to the back seat and a still shaken Little Ted.
"It'll be better in the morning, baby. Don't think about it.' Hope realizes Little Ted may have the appearance of a twelve year old, but his emotional development has not caught up.
"Stop that!" Snaps Ryn. Hope stiffens in her seat.
"Stop it!" She bellows once more. "As long as we live on land, killing is always a part of our life." She stares at the reflection from the rear view mirror. Ted's blond hair is sticking straight up as his fingers wipe away the evidence of his dismay.
"After tonight, you are no longer Little Ted. You saved your sister…maybe even my life." Ryn pauses to take a breath. Her next phrase will rekindle an array of distressing feelings.
"Your father would be proud." Mentioning Ben causes her to slam tense eyelids downward. Ryn's chin drift to her chest.
"That man, the Russian man was evil." The declaration halts as Ryn's chest rises as she inhales a deep breath. "You did right." The proud mother continues. "He does not deserve a head." The words cause Hope to slam her back onto the passenger door.
"Mama, no. Please stop talking like that." The young girl begs.
Ryn leaves the vehicle and marches toward the motel clerk. A slender man with about two or three days growth of hair on an acme covered face. His balding gray hair pulled back into a shoulder length pony-tail. Seeing an apparent future guest, he shoves a card under the slot of the bullet-proof glass.
Hope leaves the car and opens the back door. She reaches for her brother. He seems catatonic as his movements are measured and guided by his sister.
"Hope, I see his face." He whispers in the direction of the consoling sibling.
"I have you. You'll never have to do something like that again." Her slender, yet strong arms encircle the distraught boy. With the boy pressed against her chest, she turns her head to see the tense expression of her mother.
"Hope, I want daddy."
His last words as the young man once known as Little Ted casts a bleary vision toward outstretched hands. Their fingers separated and tense.
Using her shoulder to guide the young boy toward the motel, Hope also glares at the quivering palms. She closes her eyes still in disbelief at what the boy had done.
As the traumatized trio enter the small motel room, they wish this time will offer them rest and recovery.
Another motel room some ten miles away does not support that type of atmosphere.
"Little girl, we don't want anybody getting hurt." The elder of Vanessa's mercenary group stoops down to hand Maddie the white cup of black coffee.
"John? Right that's your name?" the young captive smiles showing her acceptance of this situation. "Must I keep my hands tied?" She struggles to put the cup of black coffee to her mouth. Her shaking hands spills a slight amount on her blue jeans.
"Oww!" A bit of steam rises from her legs as Maddie squirms from the burning liquid.
"Now, what did you do, dearie?" He reaches for a paper towel on the night table and bends down to blot the coffee. "I should have told you, pretty girls like you shouldn't drink black coffee." He looks down at her leg, shaking his head as he continues. 'It's too hot, girlie." Still focused on his task, "isn't it too hot for you?"
"No, John. It's just the way I like it."
Tossing the remaining liquid onto John's cheek, Maddie raises her hands and smashes the cup on the squirming and screaming man's head. Using her free legs she brings bent knees to a heaving chest and snaps them forward into John's stomach. His body slams into the night table. As Maddie speeds to a camouflaged backpack, she knows holds a knife she looks at the still body of her one-time captor.
"Oh, no!" She takes a breath as her fingers touch the motionless man's shoulder.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. Oh…"
Maddie saw the older kidnapper as much wiser and gentler than the others. The young woman moves her vision to the back of John's neck. The force of meeting the edge of the table with his first two cervical joints ended it quickly.
Taking his pulse only reaffirms what she already knows.
"I have to call…someone."
Maddie returns to the backpack and picks up her cell. Her first instinct is to call Ben.
Note to reader:
Be patient.
Maddie is calling Ben? Remember she's pregnant…but by who?
Cami is listening to Brother about overthrowing Ryn.
Vanessa and the boys are going to be pretty mad when they find John.
And then there is the Navy
Don't worry…it will all tie together.
