Danger Nights

Chapter Ten

Alexei didn't scream or cry as he watched Gary collapse, but his wide eyes and tight, shaking fists made his horror obvious. John tried to go to the mortally wounded man, who shuddered once before relaxing and bleeding silently onto the stone floor, but a minder with shoulders wider than a football field stopped him.

"You see, Alexei?" Mayberry slid his gun back into its shoulder holster and adjusted his jacket and tie. "Everything you do directly affects someone else's life. Or in this case, causes them to lose it."

The boy looked ill: it was obvious that he hadn't wanted the trick to end in murder, even that of a man who'd bullied him.

"If you ever pull such a foolish stunt again," their captor continued, "Dr. Watson will be punished in a way that makes Gary here appear positively fortunate. Have I made myself clear?"

Alexei's upper lip curled in a reflexive snarl, something his father did when threatened by a perceived inferior. "Transparently so."

Mayberry turned to Yuri, who was staring at his motionless colleague and leaning against the bedpost like it was the only thing holding him up.

"Yuri?"

"Y-yes, sir?"

"If you have a problem with what I've just done, now's the time to tell me."

The Russian shook his head vigourously. "No, Mr. Mayberry, no problem at all. He- he wasn't always pleasant to me."

"He was also incredibly careless. A weakness I can't afford to overlook when so much is at stake." Mayberry returned his attention to his hostages. "Your new quarters will not be as pleasant as these ones, but I don't need to remind you that this is your doing."

A mobile trilled. He took a Blackberry out of his pocket, listened briefly to the caller, and said, "Alright, we're on our way up." After disconnecting the call, he told his men, "The helicopter is ready. Let's proceed to the roof immediately. Johnson should have completed the mainframe backups and appropriate deletions by now. But first-" He took a pair of handcuffs from his pocket. "Yuri, come here please."

The Russian's eyes widened. Mayberry couldn't resist a chuckle that sounded more sinister than humorous.

"Come, now. We haven't got all night and you've done nothing to make me question your loyalty or competence."

When the guard cautiously approached, his boss handcuffed him and Alexei together. The sound of metal bracelets snapping shut made John flinch.

"Just a precaution," Mayberry told the boy. "You're probably as quick physically as you are mentally. But before we go: James, search young Mr. Nowak-Holmes and Dr. Watson for Gary's phone."

The man obeyed, his hands quick but thorough. "Nothing, Sir."

"Good. Let it remain here then. All right, everyone, time is running out. Let us proceed."

He strode into the hallway with two of the minders directly behind him. Yuri and Alexei followed while John brought up the rear with the other two guards. Both men grumbled to each other over his head.

"The Cove is shit compared to this place…."

"Damned kid…."

John wasn't handcuffed to anyone, a reminder that he was insignificant in the general scheme of things: mere insurance to keep Alexei from trying anything else. As he glanced into the shadowy rooms lining the hallway, an idea hit. It was dangerous. Some would dismiss it was crazy. Others would say that it was also heartless, as he would be abandoning a boy he'd vowed to protect.

When he and Alexei had been taken to bathe, John had noticed that the bathroom door had, in addition to a brass lock, an ancient deadbolt that could secure it from the inside. He was willing to bet that the room they'd been imprisoned in was the only one in this place that didn't have such a mechanism.