Chapter 18:
Small
Town
The dirt road finally turns into a rural farm area. Agent
XXG took the blindfold off of her eyes about twenty minutes ago. His thick
sunglasses shield his hallow eyes while he faces straight ahead, never looking
over to the passenger seat. The whirling of the car and the and cool air
blowing from the vents disturbs the silence inside the vehicle.
Susan stares at the farm houses, one every couple miles,
most of them with cows, some horses, and she has even seen goats. She wasn’t
sure where the mysterious man was taking her; they were nowhere near the
Caribbean. Eventually they would have to take a plane to the island, and then
perhaps she could then find a chance to contact Dan. She had to warn him and he
had to take Janet some place far, someplace these people would never find her.
Then Susan thought about her mom and Aunt… she had to find her mother.
Her eyes shift down to her fingers. She is nervously
squeezing the left, noticing the coral nail polish now chipping off the tip of
her nails. She lets out a heavy sigh, titling her head toward the agent,
wondering if it will grab his attention.
He ignores her or chooses not to hear. Perhaps, he is an alien
himself so he doesn’t understand an exasperated sigh given by a human.
Susan hesitantly decides to speak, “I remembered something
about my mother.”
“Oh?” the agent leads with zero expression on his face.
“The things my grandmother said about my grandfather are
true, aren’t they? Unfortunate for my mom, she was unlucky enough to receive
his genes.” Susan inhales sharply
through her nose, eyes on the strange man, waiting for a response.
He simply continues to stare forward, as if Susan had never
finished her thought. She decides to continue on, probing for information. “It
makes sense, now. My mother was happy and carefree at one time in her life. Then
she discovers she has whatever gene it is.
Even accidently kills my father, right?”
“You believe she killed your father? Interesting, Mrs.
Smith.” He murmurs.
Susan takes a deep breath, her fist clench and her teeth
tighten. “The lightening.” She finally continues, “My mother has something to
do with the she effects the weather… If it’s
possible. The lightening, the rain… always when she is upset or sad… I now know this all can’t be coincidental.”
“We will check into this information, Mrs. Smith.” His mild
tone voice fades out as Susan grits her jaw.
“Oh, stop toying with me.” She snaps, “I know I’m right and
I’m not giving you any information you… and…
whatever part of the government hasn’t
already figured out.”
He ignores her for a moment and then nonchalantly, “I
appreciate your decision to cooperate. The information will be investigated
further.”
“Where is she?” Susan whispers, staring at the man, plotting.
“Safe, Mrs. Smith, I assure you.” His hand turns the wheel
as they head onto a busy highway, green interstate signs now visible.
Susan begins to reads the Interstate 70 Highway sign, angry
at herself not sure where it is.
“Have you never had family agent? Is that why the only
definition to your name is an ‘XXG’?”
This time not expecting him to answer she continues, “A
weird government experiment perhaps? Do these really go on? Is this all you
have ever known? Family is important Agent. If
you are human, honestly I’m not sure you are; you have to understand the
compassion of family. I need to know
about my mother. Where she is, what your plans are, will I ever see her
again…Can you answer any of these questions, Agent? I need to know if I will
see my mother again.”
For the first time the agent tilts towards Susan for a brief
a moment and then back to the road. “I’m not a monster, Mrs. Smith. This said,
I cannot answer your questions. I do not have the authority and I do not want
to mislead you.”
Her heart begins to pound hard against her chest while
processing his answer.
He has no authority…
he cannot promise me anything. Janet is truly in danger.
She begins tapping the window anxiously. “I need to use the
restroom. Are we almost to our destination?”
“We are not.” He dryly answers.
“Are we taking a plane? We have to take a plane, correct?”
she tries not to sound panicked.
“We do have to take a plane, Mrs. Smith. We will be flying
on a private jet; two more hours until we arrive to the airport.” He discloses.
“Two hours! I can’t wait two hours; I have to go to the
bathroom now. My bladder can’t hold
two hours.” Her head swings toward him, hair sweaty against her neck, anxiously
awaiting his answers.
As if he is thinking, finally he speaks, “There is a gas
station a few more miles. Can you wait that long, Mrs. Smith?”
“I can try.” She concludes.
“I will pull over now if you feel you might soil yourself,
Mrs. Smith.” Dryly he offers.
“No! No, gas station is fine. I’m not that ‘type’ of lady that can just let it go
anywhere. Three miles, I’ll wait but don’t forget.” She turns her head toward
the window, propping her elbow in the window, nervously plotting an escape
plan.
*************
The black Cadillac rolls into the old worn down gas station,
tires crumpling over a gravel drive way before it touches black top. The man
pulls next to a pump, putting the car into park. He turns his head toward
Susan.
“Mrs. Smith you need to take care of your business and
immediately return to the vehicle. I will be fully alert and backup can catch
up to you within minutes if you were to try to run. Do you understand?” He
murmurs, head titling down toward her as if he’s taking a closer look.
“Of course.” She nods, “I have nowhere to go.”
She watches as the lock on her door pops open, slowly pulls
the handle releasing the door to the outside. The idea of freedom is heavy and
she takes a deep breath, tightening her mouth toward the agent before heading
inside the station. The agent also exits his door. Before entering into the station she turns
her head slightly to see him filling the car with gas, appearing to watch her
through his thick glasses.
The glass door shuts behind her and the old man pulls
himself off a chair from behind the counter to service her.
“What can I do for you mam’?” he ask now standing behind the
register.
“Restroom?” she raises an eyebrow.
He waddles to the other side of the counter, grabbing a key,
attached to a large wooden button, and slides it across the counter to her. “Outside.
Around the corner to your right.”
As she begins to take the key from the counter she quickly
covers his fist stopping him, “And a phone.”
“The pay phone is on the other side of the bathrooms.” He
oddly eyes her jerking his fist away.
“Cell phone? I need to borrow a cell phone. Please tell me I
can borrow your cell phone, I will bring it right back. Promise. No tricks,”
She quickly pleas.
The old man shifts his eyes toward the parking lot, “Are you
in some kind of danger, mam?”
“It’s complicated, but yes. And I need a cell phone to call
someone, my husband actually. It’s very important.” Her breathing quickens,
quickly trying to blurt everything, worried about her lengthy entry. The agent,
so far, appears unsuspicious as he watches the pump outside.
“Well, mam,” the old man begins steady, “I don’t own a cell
phone. But I can call the police for you.” He picks up the phone from behind
the counter.
“No!” she finds herself shouting. “No, no police. No
police.”
“You can use the phone if it’s local.” He starts dragging
the 80’s phone over the counter and she raises her hand.
“Not yet. I’m going to the restroom. Have it ready when I
come back, please.” Her eyes shift toward the agent and she hastily swings
through the doors heading toward the restroom.
She unlocks the stall and goes inside, pacing back and
forth.
Think Susan. Think.
Susan’s hand slams against the cheap tile, in frustration. Her
head slowly rises looking at the filthy walls.
Gross.
She heads to the sink to wash her hands but soap won’t
release itself from the dispenser.
“Ugh, I really dislike gas station bathrooms.” She breathes
from under her breath as her hand vigorously pulls at the paper towel holder,
refusing to deliver the product.
Her fist falls against the hanging box, forehead following
as it repeatedly slaps against the plastic. She finally pauses, allowing her
head to stay rested against the empty holder. “How is this happening?” the
whisper leaves her mouth as her stomach slightly gurgles. Her hand finds her
abdomen, pressing it softly and she sighs. “I don’t think I’ve eaten forever.” It
gurgles again reminding her of its starvation. “I can’t think about eating now...”
she scolds the growling, her voice now trailing as her eyes brighten and a
realization comes across her face. She storms out of the bathroom charging
toward the agent. “I’m hungry!” she shouts rushing toward him across the
parking lot, stopping before him. “I’m hungry.” She pathetically gazes up
toward him. “I need a snack, I need food.”
“I can assure on the plane, Mrs. Smith…” Agent XXG begins.
“On the plane! You said that was two hours! I’m starving.
Low blood sugar. Are you guys trying to starve me to death?” she takes a deep
breath. “I’m hungry. I need money.”
The agent stares, expressionless as her face begs. He reaches
into his jacket pocket grabbing out a wallet, badge attached, opens it and hands
her a credit card. It dangles between his fingers and she stares hesitating at
first.
Then suddenly she snatches it from his fingers, “Thanks, be
right back.” She turns toward the store, not sure what expression he was hiding
under his thick glasses and runs through the doors before he might have a
second thought.
The old man stands at the counter. “Mam, are you okay?”
She hands the key over the counter, grabbing a pen. “Paper?”
she panics. “I need a piece of paper.”
“Uhhh…” the old man shoots his head around looking.
Impatient Susan grabs his wrinkled skin and writes a number
down. “Call it. Please, sir. Keep calling until my husband picks up.”
“This is a long distance number, mam and…” he begins but
Susan quickly cuts him off.
“I’ll make it worth it.” She flashes the car to him and
begins stuffing her arms with miscellaneous snacks off the shelf.
He quickly begins dialing as she grabs candy, hand
sanitizer, immediately putting it on her hands, and then shrugging, “Yes. Yes.
Why not?” Grabbing a cheap bottle of cabernet off the shelf, she makes brief
eye contact with elderly man.
He shrugs, “Still trying.”
Susan’s eyes quickly shift toward the large windows eyeing
the agent now on his phone. Her breathing become more panicked as the man
interrupts her focus, “A man, I think I have your husband on the line. Hold on
sir,” he says back into the phone.
Susan races to the counter dropping the stuff before the
clerk. “Dan?” she panics.
“Susan!” The voice
on the other line sounds baffled. “Where
are you? I’ve been trying…”
“Dan, Listen,” she cuts in, “Take Janet on the boat and go.
She is in danger, I am in danger, and you are in danger, Dan.”
“Slow down, Janet.
What’s going on?” Dan’s worried voice booms through the phone.
Susan’s head is leaning far into the counter, trying to
disguise her phone conversation. The old man slowly rings her items up while
listening.
“Dan, listen. Grandma’s Alien stories are real. Some
underground agents involved. X-Files stuff…” she tries to explain.
“Susan have you been
drinking?” he confusingly questions.
“You know I don’t drink!” she booms as the old man finishes
ringing the bottle of wine, eyeing her.
“Susan what’s going
on?” Dan demands.
The old man’s fingers suddenly tap on the counter until her
eyes find him. He begins waving his finger as his eyes watch out the window.
Susan takes a sharp breath and quickly tries to finish,
“Listen, Dan, everything I’m saying is true. Get off the phone process this and
then get Janet the hell out of there. I’ll meet you at our favorite spot. Go there Dan… give me…”
The line goes silent and the old man quickly yanks the phone
from her ear slamming it down and shoving it under the counter. “You’re
purchase, mam.” He loudly says pushing the bags toward her.
Susan turns her head seeing the agent feet away and she
fumbles for her bags. “Your credit card, mam.” The old man nods sliding it
across the counter.
“Thank you very much
for everything.” Susan nods.
“Mrs. Smith…” Agent XXG begins.
“Don’t look at me with whatever look you have behind those
glasses.” She scolds moving passed him with the bags, out the door and toward
the vehicle.
The old man avoids contact as the agent turns and follows
her. He watches the agent push out the doors and when they swing close he slyly
leans back watching them get in the car. Then picking up the phone he swiftly
dials waiting for a brief moment for someone to answer, “Um, yes, I’d like to
report one of those suspicious males, he has a woman I think she’s in danger…”
**********
The young police officer hits the red button on his cell. He
pushes away from his desk, scooting passed some other officers with a nod and
makes his way into the small wood paneled office. “Captain,” the young lad
addresses.
“What is it, Steve?” he ask setting his coffee on the desk.
“We have a dispatch call to follow up on; A suspicious black
Cadillac traveling with woman that might have been abducted by a man in a black
suit. The man is tall, black sunglasses, brown hair and they were…”
The captain’s face becomes awkward as he interrupts, “Ignore
it. It’s nothing.” He stands up from his desk and begins to walk out.
“But, sir…” he tries to explain.
The captain stops dropping his hand on the young man’s
shoulder. “Look, Steve, this is above our heads. Government business. You’re
new but you’ll learn.” He gives one more tap before exiting his office toward
another officer.
Steve stands with a dazed glare as the other policeman gives
him a noticeable look, approaching as the captain leaves. “Steve,” he begins, “I
think it’s time you understand something about our town…”
