Road Rage

Chapter six

The sound was muffled but Deaq could still hear everything over the open line as Van painfully limped into the camp. The men had their backs turned toward him as they sat around a campfire drinking and smoking.

"Hey." Van said softly. "Can you help me?"

All three men in the camp stood up and spun around, glaring at Van.

"Who the hell are you?" Blake, one of the men said angrily.

"I…uh." Van looked at them shaking his head slightly. "I'm…I'm not sure but … I think my name's Van."

"What the hell do you mean you think your name's Van? Are you that stupid that you don't even know your own name?"

The men laughed and walked closer.

"What the hell happened to you?" Miller said walking over to Van. "Were you in an accident?"

"I'm not sure… I think so."

"Were you or weren't you in an accident? It's not too difficult a question." Blake said mockingly.

Van tried to think clearly as everything around him started spinning. He remembered Deaq telling him to go back to his car, so he figured he must have been in an accident.

"Yeah, I was in an accident…Can you help me find my car?…I really need to go back to my car." Van began to sway slightly as the dizzy feeling started to return.

"You look like hell boy." Blake walked over and grabbed the crutch from Van and threw it down. Without its support Van crumbled to the ground, he cried out as he landed hard jarring his ribs.

Deaq shut his eyes as he heard Van cry out over the phone. He didn't know whether to speak up or keep quiet. If they thought Van had been in an accident they might leave him alone figuring that he was no threat to them, but if they knew he had an open phone line in his pocket they could get suspicious, then who knew what they might do to him. He decided for now it would be best to keep quiet.

"You by yourself boy?" Woodward asked stepping forward.

"I don't know…" Van winced as he pulled himself up into a sitting position.

"How the hell can't you know if you're alone or not?"

Van put his hand up to his pounding head and tried to think.

"I…I don't remember."

"Maybe he has a concussion or something. I heard they can make you forget stuff." Miller said to his partner's. "You know dude, you look more dead then alive." He said looking down at Van's battered body.

"Can you take me to my car?... I need to go to my car." Van pleaded with Miller.

"What's in it for us?" Blake asked.

Van reached into his back pocket and removed his wallet.

"I don't know how much I have but I'll pay you."

"You're damn right you'll pay us." Woodward grabbed the wallet from Van's hand. "Now let's see." He took Van's money and credit cards from the wallet. "What else you got boy?" He began frisking Van, taking his watch, ring, and necklace. "Hey, what's this?" Woodward pulled Van's gun from his waistband. "What the hell are you doing with a gun? You planning on robbing us?"

"No!" Van shook his head. "No…I just want to go home."

Deaq took a deep breath to steady his nerves. He never felt so helpless. He could hear Van and the men and could picture everything that was happening, but he couldn't do anything to help him.

"I asked you a question, what are you doing with a gun? You a cop, or are you here to steal our stash?"

When Van didn't answer immediately, Blake reached down and roughly pulled him to his feet. Van grunted in pain as he tried to stand on one leg, his arm wrapped tight around his sore ribs.

"You a cop?" Blake pointed the gun at Van's head. "I asked you a question …answer me or I'll blow your brains out."

Deaq knew he couldn't wait any longer, he had to risk speaking up or Van would be killed.

"Hey Van! Yo Van you there!" Deaq yelled into the phone hoping they would hear him.

"What the hell's that?" Woodward said as he heard Deaq's voice.

"It's his cell phone." Miller said as he removed the phone from Van's pocket.

Blake took the phone from Miller and then put his finger up to his mouth telling them to be quiet. He held the phone up to Van's ear keeping it slightly away so he could hear also.

"Yeah." Van said.

"Yo Van what the hell happened? I got disconnected for a while."

"Deaq?" Van asked, relieved to hear a friendly voice.

"Yeah man. You got my weed ready for pickup?" Deaq held his breath praying that Van would go along with him.

"I think…I think it was in my car." Van was confused and wasn't sure what was happening but some instinct told him to play along with what ever Deaq was saying.

"Well go get it, my party's tonight."

"I…I was in an accident."

"Accident!"

"Yeah."

"Well, get my stuff out of the car before the cops get there."

"I'm not sure where the car is."

"You don't know! Hey, I already paid for the goods! You're going to have to stand good for it. You're going to owe me big time."

Blake had heard enough and pulled the phone away and put it up to his ear.

"Who is this?" Blake asked.

"Back atcha pal. Who the hell are you?"

"That's none of your business. Your friend wandered into our camp. He's been in some kind of an accident or something."

"Where's his car?"

"Don't know, I don't think he does either."

"Oh great."

"Hey man, if you're hurting I can maybe set you up." Blake said hoping to make some quick bucks.

"How do I know you're not a narc?"

"How do I know you're not?"

Deaq gave a little laugh.

"Guess we're both screwed. Can you put my man back on?"

Blake handed the phone to Van, but he still stood next to him listening.

"Hey buddy, maybe you can get your friend to help you find your car." Deaq hoped the men would help Van find his car in the hopes of getting the marijuana they thought was in it. It would only be a matter of time before the police found the wreckage and hopefully Van would be there when they did. It was a long shot but it was the only shot he had.

"I'll ask him."

Before anything else could be spoken Blake grabbed the phone and hung up.

Deaq hoped at least now the men Van was with wouldn't think he was a cop but only another dealer and wouldn't have any reason to hurt him, at least not right away. He quickly dialed Billie and filled her in on the latest.

The canyon at the location of the accident

Roberts parked his car and climbed down the steep embankment where Van's car had gone off. Most of the jeep was hidden behind a large rock and at first he had difficulty locating it. No one could have survived this he thought as he leaned down and looked in the window expecting to see a body.

"Damn!" He shouted when he saw the car was empty. Looking down he saw drops of blood leading off into the canyon. He hung his rifle over his shoulder and began following the blood trail.

TBC