Of Lights and Shadows (Book 4)

34) Sabotage

Even after the night before, as the sun rose so did a sleepy Dutch. He rose from his couch and struggling into a new change of clothes headed towards the bathroom to freshen up. He was surprised to find it still locked and after a tiring five minutes banging on the door and rattling the handle to no avail, he turned and washed in the kitchen. There was still no sign of Dastardious after he finished making breakfast, but by then he had decided not to worry about the man. If he was dead then so be it.

Silence was alive though, he seemed to have made it through the night fine after he had been the dose of Naloxone. Dutch didn't know whether the man had any clue what had happened to him or not, but he figured if Dastardious was still alive then he would find out sooner or later.

After banging on the bathroom door again because he needed to go, and after receiving no reply, Dutch gave him up to hell and stalked out of the apartment.

Later as he emerged from the bathroom of Starbucks and bought breakfast, he thought that if Dastardious was dead then he would be free. He could fake a report and send it back to his prison saying that he had fulfilled his role he was released for and was now free, or just not send anything and disappear. It would be a good idea though to head back to the apartment and kick down the door just to check before running. He would need to head back there to pack his bag as well.

All the way to the van he devised his plan on how to run, what plane he could catch, who he knew who could assign him a new identity and where he could go.

He had even decided on what name he was going to change to, but he wasn't going to say in case he had need of it later. You could only be so careful, and you needed to be if you were running for your life. It would be hard to get used to it that was for sure, he had only ever had one name in his life. He would have to do something about his appearance, too. Get rid of the ponytail, maybe change it to a new colour, grow a beard or some sort of facial hair. It would work. No one would recognise him and he would be a free man.

By the time he reached the van, unlocked the door, and entered he had the entire plan worked out to the last detail, it would be the perfect opportunity to start over. He had the money to do it too. They had caught him drinking the ransom money away, but they figured he was just stupid and was drinking it all away. He hadn't been stupid. It was only quarter of it. There was only so much alcohol a person could drink, and it would be a shame to waste everything in one sitting.

Half the morning had passed before he received any word as to how either of his partners were. There was a phone in the van, installed for whatever reason, so people could call. At twelve past eleven it rang shrilly, giving Dutch a fright as it went off in his ear. He had forgotten there was one; there had been no need to use it so he hadn't needed to remember it.

Grabbing it he placed the receiver against his ear and spoke.

'Dutch here.'

'Yes, it seems to be. Glad to know I got the right number,' Dastardious said sarcastically.

'Oh good, you're alive,' said Dutch drily in reply, 'I thought you'd died in the bathroom or something.'

Dastardious laughed. 'No, a death in the bathroom is unacceptable; I have better places to die than there.'

'So what about Silence? He seemed fine when I left, he still alive?'

'Silence is fine. He won't be coming into work today.'

'What about you? Do I get to share your presence?'

'You think I'm going to say I'm busy and won't be able to come, don't you?' Dastardious asked, interested.