Chapter 55/56/57/58
Chapters Fifty-Five, Fifty-Six, Fifty-Seven, and the Finale!
Sun/November/2008 07:00 AM
Note
-
In celebration of my 30th birthday on Sunday, I'm
posting the final four chapters of the serial novel.
If you have any title suggestions, please remember to
email [email protected] . In the meantime, if
you enjoyed this serial thriller, feel free to order
my new novel "On/Off - A Jekyll & Hyde
Story." Thanks for
reading! ~ Mike Attebery
Chapter 55
The bomb squad disarmed the triggers on the doors, and slowly but surely the people trapped inside the building tumbled out, some running to their friends, who stood at the edge of the crowd, others stumbling out into the fading evening light, their expressions dazed, their eyes half shut from fatigue, and fear, and exhaustion.
It took the crowd a few moments to notice Ransom, Jeff, and Nick once they finally made their way from the building. Jeff’s shirt was soaked through with blood. He was limping, his leg injured from his pinwheeling exit from the doomed aircraft. Nick was also struggling to walk. The two of them stumbled along together, balancing out each other’s weight, their gaits resembling the strides of geriatics in a senior citizen three legged race.
Ransom followed behind, blinking as his vision slowly returned. No sooner did the crowd recognize them and pinpoint Jeff, than the three of them were surrounded by a mob of cameramen, TV news crews, and pure noise.
Flashes started popping in their faces.
Ransom squinted through bleary eyes as the cameras moved in closer and the voices of reporters and well wishers came at them from all sides.
“We’ve got an injured man here,” Ransom shouted to the crowd. “Step aside, we’ve got an injured man here.”
Then the crowd parted, sliced down the middle by Sam Ballard and several of his men, who wheeled a gurney between them.
“Out of the way!” Sam shouted. “Out of the way!”
Two of the firefighters, along with Ransom and Nick, helped Jeff up onto the edge of the gurney, where he sat for a moment, catching his breath before they leaned him onto his back and rolled him towards a waiting ambulance.
He was immediately swamped by EMTs, who sliced off his shirt, checked his vitals, pressed on his wounds, and got him ready to go.
Jeff saw everything through a haze, suddenly slipping into shock from what had happened.
No, he thought, I can’t do this.
Mind over matter.
Sensei will be displeased.
Just before he closed his eyes, he rolled his head to one side and saw the stand-in for the pilot, Murray, sitting on a stoop on the side of the road, holding an ice pack to his head as an EMT brought him water. Jeff blinked his eyes and lifted his hand to get the man’s attention, then he rolled onto his back and had just enough time to see Nina step into his field of view, her expression worried, but as always, authoritative.
“Where are you taking him?” she demanded.
“Right up the street,” someone answered.
“Well, good,” Nina responded. “They’re the best.”
“I know we are.”
Then she walked over to Jeff, put her hand on his shoulder, and stepped in the ambulance along with him as they loaded him up and closed the doors.
Chapter 56
The bodies were hard to watch.
They came out slowly, each in a white zippered bag.
The workers tried to make each one’s removal quiet and dignified, not to announce each new discovery, but every time a new gurney rolled through the crowd, or agents emerged with another body bag, the news crew went wild trying to get footage.
Nick sat at the edge of the crowd, watching the latest bags being carried from the building. Were some of them the gunmen? Probably. Were some of them students? He didn’t know. One of them was Renoir, he knew that now. He’d heard some of the agents speaking to an older woman earlier, who’d seemed strong right up until the end, when she grew quiet, pulled in her arms and legs, and without a sound, or a word, leaned forward, and crumpled in on herself as the people around her caught her and carried her away. Nick recognized the woman as Renoir’s wife, and knew that he was gone.
All around him, people were hugging their loved ones, calling their families, or sitting alone, staring off into space. Survivor’s shock.
For a moment, Nick thought of calling Kendra, telling her that he was all right -- assuming she had seen anything on TV about the event -- but in his heart, whether he thought she’d be concerned or not, he knew he wouldn’t call. That was over, and it was time that it was resolved. The last of their strained phone conversations had revealed a pretty blatant subtext, they were in love, just not with each other. Each of them sensed that the other was with someone else. Nick has no allusions of Kendra returning to him, and he sensed that she was feeling the same way.
He made his way out of the front entryway, to the treatment center that had been set up by the curb, where he was greeted by the EMTs and led over to the concrete steps along the exterior of the courtyard. They told him to sit down and relax while his body gathered itself together.
All Nick could do was picture a face and a feeling, hair and lips and eyes, and her.
Yes, he had thought of his wife, of Kendra, but she wasn’t the person he wanted to see. Who he needed to see. He needed someone else.
Then he looked up and saw her coming through the crowd.
She was looking for him.
Morgan.
Chapter 57
Onion tartlet.
He had to keep reminding himself.
He had something good going for him, someone else, someone who might be more than a bit forthcoming tonight, especially after he made her his special meal.
“Onion tartlet,” Brick muttered to himself.
“What was that, Ransom?” Aftab turned and asked.
Onion tartlet.
“Nothin’.”
He was watching Morgan and that kid Nick. Goofy guy was all thumbs and elbows. She was pure leg and heart. A vitalic little nymph. A love fawn. An intimate biscuit. Or something. Dammit. He was punchy, and jealous.
Jealous of two kids in their twenties.
But how could he not be, she was gorgeous. A fantasy come to life.
A fantasy.
Then again, so was Victoria. She had killer arms, and legs, and lips, and hair, and she had one thing more, experience. Oh, and once she’d had his onion tartlet she’d be all but melting for him. Melting.
He ran through the rest of the recipe in his mind. Then he glanced at his watch. If he headed home now, he could just get things together in time. He could just barely put the finishing touches on dinner, slip the main dish in the oven, and get everything ready to slip in between the sheet.
The lovebirds let go of each other for a moment. Nick looked over at Ransom and nodded his head. Ransom nodded back. The he turned and walked over to a Seattle squad car, flashed them his badge, and asked for a ride home.
Chapter 58 - FINALE
After they’d answered all the authorities’ questions, Nick and Morgan went to Nick’s place.
They went to Nick’s place.
That was a first. In all the excitement of janitorial closets and university back rooms, the two of them had never been together in Nick’s own bed.
The next day they slept. And slept. Holding each other tightly as morning sunlight streamed in through the curtains, reflecting off the sheets and softly lighting their faces.
Then the phone rang. Nick rolled over and felt around for it in the mass of dirty laundry piled around the bed. He brought the receiver to his mouth and answered it.
“Hello?”
“Yes,” a woman’s voice replied. “I’m trying to reach Nick.”
“Speaking,” Nick answered as he wiped sleep from his eyes.
“My name is Nina Parker. I’m an associate of Jeff Pepper’s.”
“Oh,” Nick sat up suddenly. “How can I help you?”
“We have a proposal for you. Mr. Pepper has been getting a lot of calls from publishers. Everyone wants a book deal with him, they want to put out something on everything that’s happened.”
“Okay?” Nick replied.
Nina continued, “In learning more about the people involved, including yourself and Mr. Ransom, Jeff’s friend from the FBI, we learned that you’re an editor at the University.”
“I was. Not sure there's anyone left for me to work for.”
“Well, we also got got a look at some of your college transcripts. From the look of your thesis, we’re guessing the last thing you wanted to be doing was editing research papers, right?”
Before he could answer, Nina responded for him.
“Of course not. Which is why Jeff, I mean Mr. Pepper thought you might like to write this book with him.”
Nick said nothing.
“Nick?”
“Yes.” Nick responded.
“ That’s pretty much our proposal. What should I tell him?”
Nick looked over at Morgan, who rolled over next to him.
“Yes, tell him yes. Absolutely,” Nick replied.
“I’m glad to hear that,” Nina responded. “Jeff will be thrilled.”
Morgan lift one leg under the sheets, bringing it up over Nick’s body.
“Okay,” Nick whispered.
“We’ll be in touch with the paperwork this week.”
Morgan raised herself up, the sheets falling away from her body as she straddled him.
“Great,” Nick responded, and slipped the phone back in it cradled.
He looked up at Morgan, wrapped his arms around her, and they started again.
Chapter 55
The bomb squad disarmed the triggers on the doors, and slowly but surely the people trapped inside the building tumbled out, some running to their friends, who stood at the edge of the crowd, others stumbling out into the fading evening light, their expressions dazed, their eyes half shut from fatigue, and fear, and exhaustion.
It took the crowd a few moments to notice Ransom, Jeff, and Nick once they finally made their way from the building. Jeff’s shirt was soaked through with blood. He was limping, his leg injured from his pinwheeling exit from the doomed aircraft. Nick was also struggling to walk. The two of them stumbled along together, balancing out each other’s weight, their gaits resembling the strides of geriatics in a senior citizen three legged race.
Ransom followed behind, blinking as his vision slowly returned. No sooner did the crowd recognize them and pinpoint Jeff, than the three of them were surrounded by a mob of cameramen, TV news crews, and pure noise.
Flashes started popping in their faces.
Ransom squinted through bleary eyes as the cameras moved in closer and the voices of reporters and well wishers came at them from all sides.
“We’ve got an injured man here,” Ransom shouted to the crowd. “Step aside, we’ve got an injured man here.”
Then the crowd parted, sliced down the middle by Sam Ballard and several of his men, who wheeled a gurney between them.
“Out of the way!” Sam shouted. “Out of the way!”
Two of the firefighters, along with Ransom and Nick, helped Jeff up onto the edge of the gurney, where he sat for a moment, catching his breath before they leaned him onto his back and rolled him towards a waiting ambulance.
He was immediately swamped by EMTs, who sliced off his shirt, checked his vitals, pressed on his wounds, and got him ready to go.
Jeff saw everything through a haze, suddenly slipping into shock from what had happened.
No, he thought, I can’t do this.
Mind over matter.
Sensei will be displeased.
Just before he closed his eyes, he rolled his head to one side and saw the stand-in for the pilot, Murray, sitting on a stoop on the side of the road, holding an ice pack to his head as an EMT brought him water. Jeff blinked his eyes and lifted his hand to get the man’s attention, then he rolled onto his back and had just enough time to see Nina step into his field of view, her expression worried, but as always, authoritative.
“Where are you taking him?” she demanded.
“Right up the street,” someone answered.
“Well, good,” Nina responded. “They’re the best.”
“I know we are.”
Then she walked over to Jeff, put her hand on his shoulder, and stepped in the ambulance along with him as they loaded him up and closed the doors.
Chapter 56
The bodies were hard to watch.
They came out slowly, each in a white zippered bag.
The workers tried to make each one’s removal quiet and dignified, not to announce each new discovery, but every time a new gurney rolled through the crowd, or agents emerged with another body bag, the news crew went wild trying to get footage.
Nick sat at the edge of the crowd, watching the latest bags being carried from the building. Were some of them the gunmen? Probably. Were some of them students? He didn’t know. One of them was Renoir, he knew that now. He’d heard some of the agents speaking to an older woman earlier, who’d seemed strong right up until the end, when she grew quiet, pulled in her arms and legs, and without a sound, or a word, leaned forward, and crumpled in on herself as the people around her caught her and carried her away. Nick recognized the woman as Renoir’s wife, and knew that he was gone.
All around him, people were hugging their loved ones, calling their families, or sitting alone, staring off into space. Survivor’s shock.
For a moment, Nick thought of calling Kendra, telling her that he was all right -- assuming she had seen anything on TV about the event -- but in his heart, whether he thought she’d be concerned or not, he knew he wouldn’t call. That was over, and it was time that it was resolved. The last of their strained phone conversations had revealed a pretty blatant subtext, they were in love, just not with each other. Each of them sensed that the other was with someone else. Nick has no allusions of Kendra returning to him, and he sensed that she was feeling the same way.
He made his way out of the front entryway, to the treatment center that had been set up by the curb, where he was greeted by the EMTs and led over to the concrete steps along the exterior of the courtyard. They told him to sit down and relax while his body gathered itself together.
All Nick could do was picture a face and a feeling, hair and lips and eyes, and her.
Yes, he had thought of his wife, of Kendra, but she wasn’t the person he wanted to see. Who he needed to see. He needed someone else.
Then he looked up and saw her coming through the crowd.
She was looking for him.
Morgan.
Chapter 57
Onion tartlet.
He had to keep reminding himself.
He had something good going for him, someone else, someone who might be more than a bit forthcoming tonight, especially after he made her his special meal.
“Onion tartlet,” Brick muttered to himself.
“What was that, Ransom?” Aftab turned and asked.
Onion tartlet.
“Nothin’.”
He was watching Morgan and that kid Nick. Goofy guy was all thumbs and elbows. She was pure leg and heart. A vitalic little nymph. A love fawn. An intimate biscuit. Or something. Dammit. He was punchy, and jealous.
Jealous of two kids in their twenties.
But how could he not be, she was gorgeous. A fantasy come to life.
A fantasy.
Then again, so was Victoria. She had killer arms, and legs, and lips, and hair, and she had one thing more, experience. Oh, and once she’d had his onion tartlet she’d be all but melting for him. Melting.
He ran through the rest of the recipe in his mind. Then he glanced at his watch. If he headed home now, he could just get things together in time. He could just barely put the finishing touches on dinner, slip the main dish in the oven, and get everything ready to slip in between the sheet.
The lovebirds let go of each other for a moment. Nick looked over at Ransom and nodded his head. Ransom nodded back. The he turned and walked over to a Seattle squad car, flashed them his badge, and asked for a ride home.
Chapter 58 - FINALE
After they’d answered all the authorities’ questions, Nick and Morgan went to Nick’s place.
They went to Nick’s place.
That was a first. In all the excitement of janitorial closets and university back rooms, the two of them had never been together in Nick’s own bed.
The next day they slept. And slept. Holding each other tightly as morning sunlight streamed in through the curtains, reflecting off the sheets and softly lighting their faces.
Then the phone rang. Nick rolled over and felt around for it in the mass of dirty laundry piled around the bed. He brought the receiver to his mouth and answered it.
“Hello?”
“Yes,” a woman’s voice replied. “I’m trying to reach Nick.”
“Speaking,” Nick answered as he wiped sleep from his eyes.
“My name is Nina Parker. I’m an associate of Jeff Pepper’s.”
“Oh,” Nick sat up suddenly. “How can I help you?”
“We have a proposal for you. Mr. Pepper has been getting a lot of calls from publishers. Everyone wants a book deal with him, they want to put out something on everything that’s happened.”
“Okay?” Nick replied.
Nina continued, “In learning more about the people involved, including yourself and Mr. Ransom, Jeff’s friend from the FBI, we learned that you’re an editor at the University.”
“I was. Not sure there's anyone left for me to work for.”
“Well, we also got got a look at some of your college transcripts. From the look of your thesis, we’re guessing the last thing you wanted to be doing was editing research papers, right?”
Before he could answer, Nina responded for him.
“Of course not. Which is why Jeff, I mean Mr. Pepper thought you might like to write this book with him.”
Nick said nothing.
“Nick?”
“Yes.” Nick responded.
“ That’s pretty much our proposal. What should I tell him?”
Nick looked over at Morgan, who rolled over next to him.
“Yes, tell him yes. Absolutely,” Nick replied.
“I’m glad to hear that,” Nina responded. “Jeff will be thrilled.”
Morgan lift one leg under the sheets, bringing it up over Nick’s body.
“Okay,” Nick whispered.
“We’ll be in touch with the paperwork this week.”
Morgan raised herself up, the sheets falling away from her body as she straddled him.
“Great,” Nick responded, and slipped the phone back in it cradled.
He looked up at Morgan, wrapped his arms around her, and they started again.