Chapter 9 Part I
Tuesday, August 31st, 1:47 pm
Jack's truck bounced along the highway as he checked his rearview mirror for the umpteenth time. There it was, the large black vehicle that was transporting Kate to a medical lab in Tucson. She was scheduled to have an MRI in just under 45 minutes.
Everything leading up to this moment had gone remarkably well. He was sure that had everything to do with Kate and nothing to do with him. She had been meticulous about the details, and he had been true to his word, he had followed her instructions to the letter.
Just after exiting the exam room, Jack had gone straight to see the warden. He explained Kate's "symptoms" rationally and calmly, her severe headaches accompanied by nausea and dizziness since the fight she had been in two days ago. Head trauma like that, especially if it wasn't taken care of immediately, could have severe repercussions. He had explained the necessary steps to eliminating any threat to her health. "I'm sure the prison wouldn't want a black mark like this on the records." He had said it without threat in his tone. Understanding the gravity of the situation, the warden had granted permission. He had done it reluctantly, but he had still done it.
Then, just like Kate had told him to do, he had told the warden that she would probably be reluctant to have the procedure done. "Don't worry" the warden had smiled maliciously, "My guards can be very persuasive, Dr. Shepard." Jack had merely nodded and excused himself. He had appointments to schedule.
This morning, he had arrived at the prison precisely at 12:45. A few minutes later he had watched as they loaded a cuffed Kate into the back of the truck. Then he had made a move to open the passenger side door. Kate had told him they wouldn't let him ride with her, but to try anyway. It would look better that way.
"Uh uh uh, Dr. Shepard," one of the guards had said to him. "Ain't no way all three of us are sitting in the cab of this mother. You can lead the way."
"Fine," Jack had said and climbed inside his old truck.
Tuesday, August 31st, 1:53 pm
"Okay" he said to himself, "Do it now." He pressed his foot on the gas and weaved through the sparse traffic on the highway. Soon the transport vehicle was no longer visible in his rearview mirror.
About 5 minutes later he saw a Spearmint Rhino billboard a couple hundred yards ahead of him, he pulled the truck just off the highway and into the coarse sand and weeds. After extracting the keys, he pulled a small knife from under the passenger seat and pried off the ignition. Thank god the truck was ancient. He cut several of the wires. He didn't know shit about cars, but he assumed that would do the trick. He popped the ignition back into place and inserted the keys. When he tried to start it, he heard nothing.
He got out of the truck and paced, waiting for the hood to cool enough to open. He grew impatient quickly and kept glancing at the highway, looking for the truck transporting Kate.
After a few minutes, he opened the hood and turned his face away from the heat radiating from the engine and mingling with the already warm air outside.
Tuesday, August 31st, 2:04 pm
He saw the truck in the hazy distance. As it got closer, he waved his hands above his head in an effort to flag them down.
It worked, they pulled up along side of the truck. Jack was relieved when he realized the placement of the truck would help hide them from the traffic speeding past them. The guard on the passenger side got out slowly and sauntered over to where Jack stood. "What seems to be the problem here, Doc?" he asked condescendingly.
Jack backed up slightly, his hands resting on his hips. "I was hoping you could tell me," he said, "It started to overheat, so I pulled over. Then I couldn't get it to start."
"Hmmm," the guard said, "Try it again."
Jack raised his eyebrows, "I told you it wouldn't start."
"I know you did, and I told you to try it again." The guard said harshly.
Jack sighed and walked back around to the driver's side. He reached in and turned the key. "Still nothing!" he called out to the guard.
He didn't respond, but turned to the other guard in the truck. "Hey Paulie, why don't you make yourself useful and check on the prisoner? That girl is never this quiet." Then he looked over at Jack. "Aren't doctors supposed to be rich? Why are you driving this shit on wheels?"
"Hey," Jack responded, his voice tight with irritation, "It was your bright idea that I drive out here, I would have been happy to ride with you guys. Then we could have avoided this whole thing. I just hope we don't have to reschedule the procedure."
The guard ignored him and bent over to examine the engine and various other car stuff that Jack couldn't identify.
He murmured to himself as he poked around, "Probably not the battery, maybe the alternator…"
Jack grabbed a wrench from the passenger seat and concealed it behind his leg as he walked back over to where the guard stood. "Can you fix it?" He raised the wrench behind his head. As the guard started to respond, Jack clocked him in the back of the head. He slumped forward and Jack caught him around his waist before he could land on top of the engine. Looking around, he dragged him awkwardly to the side of the transport vehicle sitting him upright against the large rear wheel.
He had never done anything so violent in his life, and he tried to stop his hands from shaking, but he couldn't. He dropped the wrench he was still holding on the ground and bent down to make sure the guard was still breathing. He was. He took the keys off his belt and pocketed them.
It was only when Kate screamed his name that he realized he hadn't heard her or the other guard since he'd gone to check on her. "Jack!" she yelled out again, her voice cracked with fear.
He pulled the gun from the guards holster and ran to the back entrance of the truck, his heart pounding in his ears. He saw Kate on her knees in the rear far corner of the interior of the truck. Her hands were on the chest of the guard who lay lifeless next to her.
"What did you do!" He asked. "This wasn't part of the plan."
"I – I think I killed him." she whispered, it was dark inside the truck, but there was no mistaking the sheer terror in her eyes.
He climbed inside the cabin and knelt on the other side of the guard. "How Kate?" he asked, checking for a pulse. He found one, but it was faint.
She stared at the body. "You can bring him back, right Jack? I didn't mean to, it was an accident."
"Look at me Kate!" He yelled. She dragged her eyes to his. "How did it happen?" He bent down to the guard's mouth and felt no breath.
"I strangled him with my handcuffs." She choked the words out, "I was only trying to make him pass out. Please bring him back, okay Jack?"
Jack tilted the guards head back and breathed into his mouth. "Its okay Kate, he's just not breathing, he's not dead yet." He bent back down and expelled more air into the man's chest. Kate sobbed in the background. After a few long seconds, Jack heard the man sputter and cough, and then he was breathing on his own. Worse though, he was coming to.
"Kate, the keys, they're in my pocket." He held the man down while Kate grabbed the keys and undid her cuffs.
"Hey, what the hell is going on!" Paulie said, his voice scratchy and low. Kate struggled to put the cuffs around his wrists, but finally managed. Kate grabbed the gun from Jack and held it on Paulie while they both exited the truck and locked the doors behind them.
Tuesday, August 31st, 2:27 pm
Jack grabbed Kate's hand as they ran towards the billboard that stood a hundred yards away. Once behind it, Kate saw the blue civic and smiled at Jack. "I know you said Focus, but I figured this would be just as good, civics are common enough, right?" He asked her.
She nodded at him and he unlocked the doors. He opened the back door and reached in, pulling out a pair of jeans and a beige tank top. "I know," he looked at her sheepishly, "Its exactly what you wore on the island, but I couldn't picture you in anything else." He shrugged handing her the clothes.
"Its perfect Jack, thank you. I mean, not just for the clothes. Thank you." She looked at him and he smiled back at her. "Now turn around and let me change, someone could see something and call the police any second."
Tuesday, August 31st, 2:35 pm
Jack pulled onto the highway. "Okay Kate, now what?" He asked, turning to look at her.