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Chapter 31
I waited until the blackness receded and the nausea faded and tried to make my mind function if not normally than at least with some semblance of normalcy. Obviously I wasn't going to be moving anywhere too quickly so it might be good if I had a plan worked out to make the best use of my available resources. I knew I didn't have a lot of time; Finn didn't live that far away, so I had to act quickly and effectively. The first order of business was to get these ropes off of me. It was a good thing Finn and Caleb weren't professionals. They hadn't tied me to anything so I could still move fairly freely even if I could no longer feel my hands. I carefully turned my head to look around. I thought I remembered some old tools somewhere from one of my previous visits. If any of them had a sharp edge maybe I could cut the ropes on my wrists. I spotted the wooden handles leaning against the wall on the far side of the hulking carcass of the old tractor.
My head spun a little at the very thought of working my way all the way over there but it was either that or wait and get toasted. I started inching my way in that direction but I had to stop after every few scoots as the darkness threatened to overtake me. At this rate I'd never get there in time. I took a deep breath and decided I was going to have to suck it up and go for the gusto, pain or no pain. I mustered up all my reserves and rolled towards the wall.
I was only halfway there when the nausea became too much. I flopped onto my belly and emptied the contents of my stomach all over the floor in front of me. That took more out of me than I would have expected and I suddenly found that it was all I could do to hold my face out of the mess. I managed to roll myself onto my back and away from the worst of it but that was as far as I could go. I'd tried and failed. It was just a matter now of waiting for them to come back and finish me off. So this was how I was going to die, an ignoble end; lying in a puddle of my own puke, trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey waiting for the oven. I'd never get to say goodbye to Adam or Steve, my mom or Kane, Novak or Micah...or Asher. Asher. Of everyone, I regretted how I'd left things with him the most. Would he find out in time about who and what Caleb really was or would he get hurt too? Maybe even killed. Without even realizing it, I had started to cry. Hot tears ran down my face as I tried not o shudder too hard from my sobs.
"You can't give up this easy," a voice said suddenly, causing my whole body to spasm in fear. I tried to blink away the tears but they only appeared as a blur as they went on. "This isn't the Killian I know. He wouldn't just roll over and die. You've been in tougher situations than this. Come on! You have to keep trying."
"Seth?" I whimpered.
"Yes, come on." He finally came into focus, standing over me with a concerned expression his face.
"I can't," I whined, my voice thick with tears, "It hurts."
"So does burning to death."
"Help me, untie me."
"I can't. Come on, Killer. You can do this. I know you can. You're strong."
"I'm not. I'm not strong." I squeezed my eyes closed and wished he would just leave me alone to die.
"You are! Listen to me, Killian Travers Kendall. You have been given a purpose in this life. You have things to do that only you can accomplish. If you give up now they may never get done."
"I...I can't."
"You can!"
With his last words I felt a sudden flush of warmth and strength flow into my body. My eyes flew open but he was gone. I was once again alone. The pain in my head had faded enough that I thought that maybe just maybe I could reach the wall after all, but not by rolling. I'd had enough of that. Still on my back, I used my legs to push myself along the ground, holding my tender head off the floor. It wasn't easy and it still hurt like hell but it was better than rolling.
After what seemed like an eternity I reached the tools. There was a shovel lying on the ground that looked as if it hadn't been used since I'd been born and maybe longer. Or at least not for it's intended purpose. In a distracted sort of way I noticed that there was something wet on the back of it and it occurred to me that it was probably blood; my blood, from when Finn had smacked me in the back of the head with it. I didn't know it for a fact but somehow I felt that I was right. I turned my attention back to the other implements, a hoe, a rake, and...yes! Standing next to the other tools was a scythe; the long handled tool with a long curving blade that they used to use to cut hay and straw. The blade was rusted and pitted but it still had enough of an edge that I thought I could saw through the old dry-rotted ropes. I was just lucky that Finn had grabbed the shovel and not the scythe or I might have been decapitated.
Using the wall to brace myself I managed to work my way to a sitting position, although once I was upright I had to take a few precious seconds to allow the barn to stop spinning and my stomach to stop rolling. With a stray thought about my last tetanus shot I started sliding the ropes between my wrists across the sharp edge of the blade. It didn't take me long to realize that it was going to be slow going since I couldn't get a decent angle or enough pressure. I was sawing away when the handle began to slide along the wall.
"No, damn you," I gasped, but of course it didn't listen. It slid slowly down the rough boards of the wall almost as if it was in slow motion. With a thud it landed on the floor beside me. I almost broke into tears again until it occurred to me that I could probably get a much better cutting edge this way. I repositioned myself and started sawing again. This time it felt like it going much faster, but it still seemed like I could feel the minutes ticking by before I felt the ropes suddenly fall loose. As quickly as I could, I spun around and started cutting the ropes that bound my feet. Since I now had the use of my hands this went a bit quicker.
Finally freed, I slowly and rather shakily pulled myself to my feet, leaning heavily against the wall. After the barn had once again stopped spinning like one of those carnival rides that always makes me want to vomit, I took stock of my situation. The window was tantalizingly close, but there wasn't much chance of me going through the window in my condition. Besides, if they were on their way back they would easily see me. The door was the obvious choice but that would be a lot easier if it wasn't on the opposite end of the barn. The way I felt it might as well be on the far side of the moon. The relief I had felt in my head and surge of strength was fast fading. If the wall hadn't been at my back I wasn't at all sure I would have been able to stay standing. Well, I couldn't stay here, that much was obvious.
I pushed gingerly away from the wall and took a few wobbly steps before I had to brace myself against the tractor while I waited for my world to settle down. A slug could make faster progress than I was going to be able to manage. My head was throbbing even when I was standing still, turning my neck caused blinding flashes of pain and my stomach felt like it was competing in the gymnastics competition at the Olympics. And to top it all off it would be only too easy to sink back into unconsciousness; the beckoning promise of oblivion seemed more and more attractive.
But no, I couldn't give up that easily. Seth had said I was strong and I had to believe him. I let go of the tractor and took a few more steps before stopping again, swaying slightly as I stood waiting until I could go again. A few more steps and I was halfway across the barn. That's when I ran out of time. I heard the pounding of running footsteps approaching fast and I was standing in the middle of the floor. With a burst of energy that I didn't know I still possessed I stumbled across the floor to the nearest stall and dropped down out of sight.
The brief expenditure took its toll, though, as the nausea rose up again. I frantically fought it back down to keep from betraying myself with retching.
"What the fuck?" I heard someone scream moments later, I think it was Finn.
"Where'd he go?" Caleb shouted, his voice cracking in panic.
"We have to find him!"
There was some scuffling around and then Finn yelled, "Here's the rope. Damn it, the fucker cut them off."
"I'll look outside," Caleb called. "You look in here."
When Finn answered his voice was just outside the stall I was in. "No, it'll be faster if we both look in here first. If he's outside he's probably long gone."
"What do we do if he got away?"
"I don't know but we'd better think fast. But as hard as I hit him I can't believe he got far, even without the ropes. You look upstairs. I'll look down here."
I quickly tore the stall apart with my eyes, searching for anything to use as a weapon, but there was nothing here but cobwebs and rotten straw. Before I could even prepare myself I heard him again, from directly behind me.
"Well, well, well, you can stop looking," he called, his voice sounding sickening smug. "I found our little escapee." He bent down and grabbed me by the arm, yanking me to my feet. The jerking movement sent my head spinning and I was too sick to fight even if I had a weapon. I was defeated. I had let everyone down, including Seth. I wasn't as strong as he thought I was.
Finn half dragged, half shoved me back over by the ropes and tools. He held me arms tightly behind my back with both hands. Caleb joined us with a strange expression on his face, part relief and part dread.
"Get that thing there," Finn ordered Caleb, pointing at the scythe.
"What for?" Caleb asked.
"Just get it!" Finn barked and Caleb bent to pick up the tool. "We're going to finish what we started and we're going to do it right this time."
"What do you mean?"
"We can't have him waking up again and running out before the fire does its job, right?"
"I...I guess."
"Then we have to kill him."
I hardly even reacted to the matter of fact tone in his voice. I was beyond that point now; it was just a matter of getting it over with.
"Kill him? Me?"
"Yes, use that thing. Just picture yourself as the grim reaper."
"I can't!"
"You killed your dad, you can do this."
"That was different, I hated him. I don't hate Killian."
"Look, you listened to me before. I told you that killing your dad was the only way you would ever be free of him, didn't I? And I was right. You're free of him now. Killian is the only thing standing in your way from total freedom. You have to kill him. You have to."
I could see the emotions battling inside Caleb's head written clearly on his face. I could also see that Finn's arguments were winning him over. Caleb slowly raised the scythe over his shoulder with shaking arms.
"Be careful with that thing, now," Finn warned. "Make sure you just get him and not me." He held me out at arm's length.
"What about the blood?" Caleb temporized.
"What about it?"
"If it's anything like Dad there'll be a lot of blood. I'm not wearing a wetsuit this time to catch it all, and neither are you. It'll get all over us."
"We don't have a choice, damn it. Just be careful, and hurry up."
Caleb took a deep breath and closed his eyes. I closed mine as well, better to not see it coming. Maybe it wouldn't hurt and I'd never know what hit me. The sudden silence was as terrifying as anything that had been said, maybe more so since it held the threat of the unknown. I refused to open my eyes though, afraid that as soon as I did I'd see the deadly blade rushing at my throat.
At that moment an ear piercing sound shattered the quiet. My eyes flew open involuntarily to find Caleb's eyes open wide as well, the scythe frozen in mid-swing. It was a siren and it was close. Caleb dropped the scythe and threw Finn a panicked look.
"What do we do?"
"Run!" Finn yelled as he roughly shoved me away. I stumbled forward, tripped on the scythe and fell. My reflexes, what little was left, were too slow to react and I hit the ground hard face first. This time I didn't fight the blackness.
This time when I woke up I didn't even try to open my eyes. I wasn't sure I wanted to know where I was or how I was. My memory of the last time was still fresh in my mind.
I became aware of two unfamiliar voices talking nearby. One was male and one was female.
"I don't know, it will depend on how he feels when he wakes up," the woman was saying.
"But he will wake up?" the man clarified.
"Oh, yes. We fully expect him to be fine. He has a pretty serious concussion but that seems to be the extent of his injuries except for a few minor bruises."
"Will he be doped up?"
"We've given him some pain killers but it shouldn't incapacitate him. Does this have to be done right now? He will have a monster headache."
"Yes, it's very important that I talk to him as soon as he wakes up."
"Would you like us to call you?"
"No, I think I'll wait right here if that's alright with you. Until we know for sure what's going on I'd like to keep an eye on him."
"Of course, Sergeant. I have my rounds to do, I'll check back in shortly."
It sounded to me like it was a cop and doctor; talking about me most likely. I supposed I could open my eyes and get it over with, but it was awful nice to just lay here.
"Hank, I didn't expect to see you here," someone said suddenly. This one was a voice I recognized at least, Novak.
"Shane, hello," the first man responded. Hank, who was Hank? Then I remember that was the first name of the police sergeant that Novak knew on the local police force. "We're going on the assumption that this has something to do with the Cohen murder so they called me in to talk to the kid as soon as he wakes up. Those other two sure as hell aren't saying a word."
"Tight as a clam, huh?"
"They've watched too many cop shows. I think those things are the downfall of our civilization. They just make smarter criminals. You should hear these kids going on about not talking without an attorney and their rights. Stupid fucks. Let's just hope your friend here remembers what happened and doesn't have some sort of amnesia or anything. I don't know how much longer I can hold the Byrne kid; his parents are raising a ruckus like you wouldn't believe."
"Oh, I can believe it. Don't forget I worked the force for many a year. I've seen angry parents in full protection mode of their kids way too many times. But I don't think you'll have to worry about Killian here. He's sharp, maybe the sharpest I've ever worked with. The kid is only eighteen and he's amazing; has a natural talent for detection."
"Not to mention a natural talent for almost getting himself killed. Wasn't he involved in that serial killer a couple years back?"
"Yeah, that was him."
I decided that I'd eavesdropped enough. I blinked open my eyes and took in the room.
Novak and Sgt. Kaplan stood near the door of the room, off to one side. Novak was wearing his usual uniform of a rumpled button up short-sleeved dress shirt and a pair of casual slacks. Sgt. Kaplan didn't really look at all like I expected. He was huge, burly and blonde with a ruddy complexion. He looked like a Viking without the furs and horned hat. He wasn't wearing a uniform, but instead was dressed in a well-fitted dark gray suit, one that was surely tailor made for his enormous frame. Neither of them noticed that I was awake at first.
"So what's a kid like him doing out on a case like this on his own anyway?" Kaplan was asking. His voice held a touch of reproach. "Nasty business from the start."
"He's gotta learn sometime," Novak said with a shrug. "I've been supervising him closely, but he did this without letting me know. I wouldn't have let him go into something like this alone if I had known. You should know me better than that."
"It's not Novak's fault," I said in a croaky voice. They both spun around with twin expressions of surprise that would have made me giggle if my head hadn't hurt so much.
"Killian, how do you feel?" Novak asked in a concerned voice as Kaplan said, "I'm Sgt. Kaplan. Do you feel up to answering some questions?"
"I feel like I got hit by a tractor trailer," I said truthfully, "but I can answer some questions. First, though, where's my family?"
"They are all waiting outside," Novak said. "We've been taking turns sitting in here with you."
"How long have I been out?" I asked.
"Not that long, just overnight. I'll go let the others know you are awake and let you talk to Sgt. Kaplan alone."
"You can stay," I said quickly. "You'll want to hear all this too."
Novak didn't argue and Kaplan took over.
"I'm going to record this if that's ok," he said pulling out a mini tape recorder. At my nod he added, "Please say yes or no for the recorder."
"You can record it."
He read off the date and time and a few other bits of official information then said, "State your name, please."
I did and he asked, "Can you tell me what was going on when the police arrived at the Cohen barn?"
"Finn and Caleb were getting ready to kill me," I said calmly.
The Sergeant's eyebrows rose at that. "Are you referring to Finnegan Byrnes and Caleb Cohen?"
"Yes."
"Can you tell me why?"
"It would be easier if I started at the beginning instead of working our way back from the end," I told him. "Is that ok?"
"That would be grand. Go ahead; tell it to me how it's easiest for you and if I have any questions I'll just interrupt, ok?"
"Ok," I said. I took a deep breath and launch into the whole story, starting with my talk with Becky Haynes and my subsequent confrontation with Caleb. I left out Judy's warning about someone lying to me and just told them I had a hunch. When I told them about the plan I had come up with on the spur of the moment, Novak rolled his eyes, but I thought I saw a sense of pride and respect in there too. Somewhat to my surprise Sgt. Kaplan didn't interrupt me once.
"Well, that was certainly thorough," he said when I had finished. "You're training him well, Shane."
Novak smiled, "He only needed a little guidance."
Well, that pretty much wraps up my case," Kaplan said thoughtfully. "Nice work, kid. I'll have to get this typed up and back to you to sign to make it official, but we have what we need to go ahead and file the charges now. You'll probably have to testify in court unless they both cop to it or one or the other turns, but you'll make a great witness so I'm not worried. I'd better get back to the station now. You did a great job." He shook my hand, and was surprisingly gentle considering his size, and then let himself out of the room.
"How did the police get there when they did?" I asked Novak as soon as Kaplan was gone.
"Mrs. Fields," he said with a grin.
"Mrs. Fields?" I gasped.
"Yep. She saw all the traffic out around the barn and got suspicious, so she walked out and overheard them talking about killing you. So she went back inside and called the police. You'd better be glad the force here has such a great response time. From what you said it sounds like they were just in time."
"I'll say," I muttered.
"They caught Finn halfway across the field. Caleb was still inside the barn, hiding in the loft. You were, of course, unconscious in the middle of the floor."
"So it's all over?"
"Looks that way."
Just then the door burst open and in flooded my entire family: Adam, Steve, Kane, Micah, and, much to my surprise, Mom. A nurse flew in close behind. Everyone was talking at once and I couldn't understand a single word anyone was saying.
"Everyone, please!" the nurse finally shouted over the din and everyone fell quiet.
"We can't allow this many people in the room at one time. Two at a time, please."
Everyone exchanged looks as if to say, how do we decide? Steve stepped forward and made the decision. "Adam, you and Meg go first since you're the parents, more or less. The rest of us will draw straws or something."
All but Adam and Mom filed out of the room, leaving me alone with my mother and the man I thought of as my father.
"You know, there are easier ways of getting my attention than almost getting yourself killed. I'm really getting tired of seeing you in a hospital bed," Mom said with a shaky smile.
"And trust me, I'm just as sick of lying in one," I said with a smile of my own. She looked like she was about to burst into tears. "Mom, I'm fine, really. It's just a bump on the head, that's all."
"If you weren't eighteen I'd ground you until you were forty," Adam said. "I'm damn well tempted anyway."
"Good luck," I laughed. "I go to college in a few weeks."
"Are you still planning on moving out?" Mom asked me.
"Well, if Adam and Steve don't mind I think I'll live at home for awhile longer."
"Mind? Are you kidding? It's a dream come true. Just don't forget we may be moving into the Bates Hotel in the near future."
"Not too near, where would we all live?"
"We've been talking about taking the third floor as our living quarters until we can figure something out. We've already installed bathrooms in most of the rooms so that isn't an issue and we have a state of the art kitchen. It wouldn't be that bad and you and Kane could finally have your own rooms."
"Well, not too bad except for Amalie," I pointed out.
"Judy seems to think she'll leave us alone once we move the baby."
Since Mom seemed to be following this conversation with no problem I assumed someone had filled her in. "When are you doing that?" I asked.
"Whenever you are able to be there. Judy is insisting you be present."
"No, really, don't wait on my account," I protested weakly.
"We have plenty of time to talk about all this stuff," Mom said. "Right now we have a bunch of other people who want to see you just as badly and you need your rest. Come on, Adam." They moved towards the door as she called back, "We'll send the next two in."
Steve and Kane came in next. They talked for a few minutes, mostly Kane wanted to hear all the gory details, and then Steve dragged him out to send in the next pair.
Micah came in alone.
"Hey there," he said softly.
"Hi, I guess you got your story, huh?"
He waved my comment away. "I'm not worried about the story. I didn't even ask for it, let Walter's have it. I was just worried about you."
"Really?" I asked, feeling very pleased.
"Really."
"Isn't anyone else coming in?" I asked, realizing we were still alone.
"Mr. Novak said he'd already had his chance to talk to you and I could have some time alone with you."
I was touched by his thoughtfulness, and grateful for the opportunity. I smiled and held out my hand. He came obligingly closer and took my hand in his.
"You really scared me, you know?"
"Scared you, huh? More than Amalie?"
"Dead people have nothing on the living," he said with a smile.
"I'll be fine." I smiled back at him.
"You'd better be, and soon! How else am I going to take you dancing again?"
"Just dancing?" I asked, my smile growing to a grin.
"We'll see." He stared into my eyes and I felt my breath catch in my throat. We stood there for a few moments without saying a word, just gazing into each other's eyes.
"Well?" I said, ending the moment.
"Well what?"
"Aren't you going to kiss me and make it better?" I asked in what I hoped was a seductive tone.
I didn't have to ask twice.