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Chapter 11: Lies & Deceit

"Don't worry Dirk," Jane reassured her dear friend, "We're doing everything we can to track Derrick down. I promise you, Dirk Strider, we will find them and we will bring Dave home." Jane embraced Dirk in a warm, comforting hug, even rubbing his back a few times.

But, Jane's kind words and actions were of little comfort to the eldest Strider sibling. His heart, his entire life, was taken from him by his maniac, sadistic father. And in his eyes, he let it happen. No amount of comforting words, or kindly gestures could ease that pain from him. Not until his little man was safe in his arms again.

Ever since Roxy and Rose left, Jane had been on the phone with her department and fellow agents trying to track down Derrick Strider. And so far, the only lead they had to his last known whereabout was at an ATM outside of Houston for a withdrawal of $5000. He had took every precaution NOT to use his credit cards, cash only.

It had been two days, and she honestly did not have a clue as to where they were. In between phone calls, she tried to stop and think. Think of where on earth they could possibly be going. She knew the obvious answer would be New York, as that's where Derrick lived and worked. But that was too obvious. But still, she had to take every precaution in a case like this. She couldn't afford not to look under rock, nook and cranny.

She had her team stake out Derrick's home in New York City; just in case he was stupid, or bold, enough to come home. She also had an all state lookout for his Escalade and license plate number. And to take an extra step of precaution, he had the FBI comb through his business to see if there were any suspicious activity going on. She wouldn't hear back from them on that for about a day or so. But, who knows if they would have that long.

Normally with parental abductions, you can expect the child to be safe because they are with a parent. Someone who is supposed to love and protect the child with their very life. Not in this case, from what Jane had heard and put together; Derrick Strider was a very hostel man. If he DID have any sort of parental love toward Dave, it was probably because he felt that Dave was useful to him to get what he wanted. But, what would happen if Dave was of no longer use to him?

Jane closed her eyes, and rubbed her temples, 'Where are you?'

Dirk was in his room, staring up at the ceiling that, at this point, was a blank as his soul. No matter what Jane, Roxy, or anyone else told him, Dirk still constantly blamed himself for letting that man into their lives.

'Everything was going great! Why did he have to come into their lives and destroy everything! Why did I have to let him? I saw the warnings! Why didn't I act sooner?! Then maybe, none of this would have ever happened. Why?! Oh God, why?!', Dirk sobbed as he buried his head into his hands. He didn't even try to wipe away the tears that were freely rolling down the sides of his face.

He was completely out of his mind with worry, he was literally shaking. Jane ended up telling him to just go lay down on his bed, to try to get some rest. How could he possibly think about rest when that monster was out there right now, doing God only knows what to his baby. No, sleep was the last thing on his mind.

But the human body can only take so much before it just crashes. Dirk has lost control of the wheel LONG ago, and he was fixing to crash and burn. His grief was getting the better of him, and in a matter of minutes; his highly stressed out, over strung, and still intoxicated mind hit the black wall of despair, and he was stone cold out of it.

Even though he escaped the cruel reality for the time being, his mind was still be plagued with countless, horrifying nightmares of what that monster is doing, or is going to do, to his beloved baby brother.

Dirk stood in a dark room under a blinding spot light. Confused and disoriented, he turned around a few times before calling out into the unknown. Feels an equally blinding light turn on behind him, followed by a few muffled cries. He immediately jumps around, and sinks to his knees at the sight before him. Cast in the light, was his baby brother, tied and gagged in the middle of the floor. His uncovered eyes revealed the fear and terror deep within them. He had red marks around his eyes and the corners of his mouth. He had on an oversized, torn, dirty t-shirt that covered from his shoulders to the middle of his thighs. His arms were tied around his torso and he had bindings at bis wrists and ankles. Dirk could see bruises on Dave from his shoulders to his tied ankles.

Without a second thought, Dirk takes off running towards Dave. But, with ever step he took, it seemed like Dave was getting farther and farther away. Like he was being dragged or pulled away by something, or someone. Dirk stops running when he gets close enough to Dave to see a rope being pulled behind him. When Dirk stops running, Dave was also stopped. Like whatever, or whoever, was pulling him was toying with Dirk.

Suddenly, Dirk sees a figure stand behind his terrified brother. "Well, well, well, having fun aren't we boys?"

Dirk instantly recognizes the sickening voice.

"DERRICK! YOU LET HIM GO, OR I SWEAR TO GOD I'LL,"

"You'll do what exactly?" Derrick stands behind his youngest son and hoists him up, only to bring a blade to his pale throat. Causing Dave to cry out in fear.

Dirk immediately freezes, frozen in fear of what their father might do next.

"Now, run along little Dirky. We wouldn't want anything to happen to this little beauty, would be?" Dirk said putting the knife closer to Dave's neck.

Dirk instinctively takes a few steps back, not wanting to bring anymore harm to his baby brother.

"Good boy, if you behave, I just might send you a postcard telling you how much fun we had." Derrick almost devilishly said, absconding into the darkness still clutching Dave in his arms.

Dirk hears a blood curtailing scream escape the darkness.

"NO, DAVE! NOOOOOOO! BRING HIM BACK! LET HIM GO!" Dirk cries out into the darkness.

"DIRK! DIRK WAKE UP!" Jane frantically cried, shaking her friend from his hellacious nightmare.

Slowly, Dirk regained consciousness and opened his eyes to see two tearful, terrified blue eyes behind a pair of black rims.

"Oh Dirk," Jane said clinging to the man, "I was so scared! I thought you were having a seizure or something."

"Janey? What, what happened?", Dirk said disoriented.

"I came in here to check on you. And you were shaking. I 'bout couldn't wake you up!" Jane teared up.

"I'm sorry, Janey. I didn't mean to scare you," Dirk thought back to what could only be described as hell itself, "I had a, dream. A horrible, horrible dream."

"Oh Dirk, I'm so sorry." Jane wrapped her arms around the deeply tormented man.

"Jane, can you promise me something? Can you promise me that, that I will see my little boy again? That I'll get to hold him in my arms again?"

Jane looked at him dead in the eyes, and the only thing she had the heart to say was, "I promise you Dirk Strider. We'll bring him home, safe and sound."

In her profession, Jane knew the dangers of making promises, especially those where she didn't know what the initial outcome would be. Not this time. This is one promise she REFUSED to break. She promised to Dirk and to herself, that no matter what, she would bring Dave home. Safe and sound.

"Dad, where are we?" Dave asked for what seemed like every hour.

"We are almost to Chicago," Derrick spoke in a calm voice.

"How much farther to Toronto?"

"About 500 more miles."

"Can we stop somewhere? I'm getting tired."

"You can sleep back there can't you? It's comfortable back there isn't it?"

"Yes sir, but what about you? Are you getting tired?"

"Ah don't worry about me Son. I've pulled plenty of all nighters before, caffeine works wonders." Derrick was really getting irritated at all the questions Dave was asking.

When they stopped for lunch in St. Louis, Derrick had Dave get in the back. He told him that the windows were tinted back there and the glare from the road wouldn't hurt his eyes. The tinted windows also kept him from being detected by any passing by officers.

Also when they stopped, Dirk changed the license plate on his vehicle to through off any police that may be looking for them. If he could get to the Canadian border undetected, he'd be scott free.

"Well, I should stay up with you so you don't end up falling asleep and wrap us around a telephone pole or something."

If he doesn't end up killing this kid first for asking so many freaking questions.

"Haha, okay. What do you want to talk about?" Derrick laughed.

"I don't know, what all do you do for fun?" Dave just brings up small talk.

Derrick smirked, "Well, when I have free time. I like to go play a few rounds of golf."

"Oh cool. Bro used to take me golfing."

"Oh did he now," Derrick tried not to sound annoyed at the mention of Dirk.

"Uh huh, when I was little though. He used to play with his friend Jake English and my friend's dad, Mr. Egbert. And sometimes, Mr. Egbert would bring John and me and him had our own little clubs. But I'm not so good at it like Bro was. I was always afraid that I would hit myself in the head with the club. We stopped going years ago."

"Yeah, it's pretty relaxing, peaceful when you think about it."

"I suppose so, I didn't really see what was so fun about it though." "Well, it's not really a sport for little kids." "True that."

"What all movies do you like, Dave?"

"You know the usual, horror movies, action adventure, the comedy every now and then." Dave laughed a bit.

"And you're brother lets you watch these movies?" Derrick gave a displeasing look.

"He watches them with me sometimes." Derrick just shook his head.

"What do you like to do after school?"

"Ah, you know. Hang out, go to my friend's house and play video games, or do whatever. And of course hang with Bro until he goes to work."

"What would you two do?" Derrick grudgingly asks.

"Just, hang out sometimes, play video games. And sometimes we have our strifes." "Strifes? What's that exactly?"

"We'd have sword fights on the roof,"

"WHAT?!" Derrick almost sent them into the ditch

"Woah, chill Dad. It's okay,"

"No David, it is not okay! Good God he could have killed you! It's a good thing I came when I did! Lord only knows what would have happened!" Derrick hollered.

"It's okay Dad. Bro knew what he was doing. He wouldn't have initially hurt me."

"Oh David, my son. Don't you understand...You're brother, was trying to get you taken away."

Dave looked at the man liked he had absolutely lost his mind, "No, he wouldn't have done that! Bro would never do anything to get me taken away."

"Don't you get it David. All those fights you two had. What did you think it was for? To train for some war or something? No! He wanted to put enough bruises on you to get people to ask the right questions. Ask questions like 'Who did that? Where did this come from?', people are only going to believe the same lie for so long before they start seeing the truth."

"No,"

"Yes, David. You're brother wanted people see what a bad parent he was, so you could be taken to a better home."

"No, that's not true. Bro loves me. He, he would never..."

"Your brother does love you very much David. But he just couldn't take care of you like he ought to had."

Dave felt tears swell in his eyes, "W-What?"

"While you were at your friend's house. He had a talk. He told me everything. How he was a failure and he just didn't know how he could tend to you like you ought to be. He said I was right all along. A young boy shouldn't be brought up the way your brother was raising you. He told me, he told me that he with his career that he just couldn't take care of you anymore. Dirk said that he had been planning on going off so he could further his career for months, but he wanted to make sure that you were taken care of. When you were staying at your friends's house that night, he practically begged me to take you. He said that way, you two would both be happy." Derrick said with the flickering tongue of a lying snake.

He let it all sink in Dave for a moment. Dave felt like his whole world was crumbling down. He couldn't believe it! He just couldn't. His bro wouldn't just...would he? Dave did notice that Dirk seemed to be a bit stressed lately, but he never thought anything of it, until now. Even the last phone call he and Dirk shared sounded off. Dave could tell Dirk was lying to him about something. And now it all made sense.

Derrick's lying hypnosis worked like a charm. Pin brother, against brother.

Dave was so angry right now, he couldn't hardly see straight. His brother, who he thought loved him more than anything, gave him up, because he couldn't take care of him anymore.

'And for what?! So he could run off and become that world famous D.J.! Well who needs him! He apparently didn't need me, so why do I need him! Good riddance! I don't need him anymore! I have Dad! At least he won't abandon me!' Dave's thoughts screamed inside his head.

"David, are you okay?" Derrick asked in a gently, concerned voice.

Dave looked up at his father with tears rolling down his face, "No,"

"Oh David, your brother only done what he done because he loves you, and he wanted to see that you were be taken care of." Derrick pulled over and wrapped his arms around his young son.

"Yeah right, where have I heard that before." Dave grudging says.

Dave is so hurt, and so appalled at his brother's "actions", he begins to feel full on resent towards Dirk. Right then, right now, he could care less if ever saw the man again.

"I love you David." Derrick says quietly in his ear.

"I love you too Dad." Dave said, wiping the tears from his eyes, "I think, I think I'm going to go to sleep now." Dave almost whispered.

"Good night David, I love you." Derrick smiled.

"Night Dad, love you too." Dave said quietly as he laid down in the back seat.

Derrick looked in the rear view as he drove off.

"Pleasant dreams, sleeping beauty." Derrick slickly grinned as he looked at his sleeping son.

Man, anybody else wanna chase after Derrick with a pitch fork and torch?