The Tree on the Dike - chapter 14

"The Tree on the Dike"  [13+]

Chapter 14

         Brad wasted no time. Before Susan realized what was happening, he was up on his feet and running across the parking lot. Twisting his waist at the last second, he shoulder-tackled the guard and sent him sprawling into the concrete wall. The two of them fell in a heap at Fiona's feet. Brad pulled himself away from the guard and moved to protect his girlfriend.

         Several seconds passed, but the guard did not move. A slow trickle of blood flowed from a gash in his forehead.

         "Is he dead?" Fiona moved to the guard's side and put two fingers on his wrist. "I think I feel a pulse. I've never tried this on someone else before."

         "What did you do?" Susan stared at Brad with wide eyes. "Have you gone crazy?" Susan tried to keep her voice at a whisper, but the high-pitched words carried across the parking lot.

         "Keep your voice down," said Brad "The guard found Fiona. What did you expect me to do?"

         "Something smarter than that." Susan stood at her full height and looked her brother fill in the eye.

         "Calm down you two." Fiona picked up the guard's keys and moved toward the door. "Are we going to rescue your parents, or stand around yelling?"

         "Hey, she started it." Brad leaned against the wall and watched Fiona open the door.

         "Shouldn't we do something with the body?" Susan leaned over the guard, looking for signs of life, when he suddenly groaned and started to move. "Look, he's waking up."

         Brad flipped the man over and pulled his arms behind his back. "Quick, get some rope."

         "Rope? Where am I going to get rope?" Susan waved her arm around the lot to show the lack of supplies.

         "Wait," said Fiona, "I think I saw some heavy wire beside the building." Picking up the guard's flashlight, she moved past her hiding spot and came back later with a large roll of electrical wire.

         "Hurry." Brad was sitting with his knee pushed into the small of the man's back, and the man's arms were pulled back in a painful position. The guard screamed in pain as he struggled to get loose.

         "Here." Fiona handed Brad the end of the wire and helped him wrap the guard with it.

         "This should keep him quiet." Susan had her sweater off and was pushing the material into the guard's mouth. She then wrapped the arms around his head and tied the ends together. "Let's put him in the back of the pick-up truck, so he won't be seen."

         "Good idea, Sis." Brad lifted the guard, with some help from Fiona, and placed him into the truck. "Now what?"

         "I guess we go inside." Susan headed for the door.

         After a pair of shrugs, Brad and Fiona followed.

* * * *

         Sneaking into the main lobby, the three teens were relieved to find the room empty. Quietly they moved down the unlit hallway, toward a light coming from a side corridor. Susan was sure this was where the elevator was.

         Brad stopped the group, and took a quick peak around the corner. A small, but muscular man was leaning against the elevator doors, reading a magazine. "There's a guard, but I think I can take him," he whispered.

         "Don't be foolish," Susan whispered back. "If we wait a little while, he might leave."

         "I think he's guarding the elevator." Brad took another quick look around the corner. "He doesn't look as tough as the last guard, and I took him out easily."

         "The last guy didn't see you coming." Susan gave Brad's shirt a tug. "Come on. Maybe there are some stairs."

         Brad turned to his sister. "Did you see stairs last time you were here?"

         "Well, no."

         "Then how do you know this isn't the only way down?"

         "I don't. Still . . ." Susan looked into Brad's eyes, hoping he would see reason.

         "Forget it. I'm going to take him out." Brad took off around the corner.

         "Wait." Susan started to run after him, but Fiona held her back.

         "There's no point in you both getting caught." Fiona pulled Susan back toward the lobby. "Brad might be able to take him, but we better keep back just in case."

         The two girls could hear the sound of flesh hitting flesh, and the grunts of the two males struggling. A few seconds passed, then they heard the sound of bone hitting metal, and a loud scream of pain. After that, there was an uncomfortable silence.

         Several minutes had passed before the girls could hear the sounds of a body being dragged down that hall. Fearing the worst, the two hid behind a steel-framed couch and waited.

         "I don't know who you are kid," said the guard, "but you picked the wrong building to break into."

         Susan peered through a potted fern, sitting beside the couch. She saw Brad's bleeding forehead and almost cried out in despair. She could hear Fiona's muffled gasp behind her, and turned to see she had clamped a hand over her mouth.

         The guard pulled Brad into a side office and closed the door. All Susan could hear was the sound of her own heart beating.

         After a few seconds, Fiona whispered into her ear, "Come on. Let's go."

         "But, Brad . . . ?" Susan couldn't believe Fiona wanted to leave him behind.

         "Brad risked his life to clear the elevator," Fiona said. "We owe it to him to keep going and find your parents. Besides, if the guard calls the RCMP, your brother will go to jail unless we can prove your parents are here."

         "I guess." Susan took one last look at the office door and then turned to go back down the hallway.

         Once she was back at the elevator, she looked for a set of buttons, but all she could see was a keyhole beside the doors. "How are we supposed to use the elevator?" Susan asked.

         "We could use a key." Fiona jangled the set of keys she had taken from the first guard.

         "Right. I forgot you had those." Susan moved away from the doors and cleaned some dirt from her jeans while she waited.

         A little while later, Fiona had found the correct key and they could hear the elevator moving below them. Before long, the doors opened and the two girls stepped inside.

         "Which floor?" Fiona moved her hand over the metallic buttons and waited for her instructions.

         "The bottom floor, I think." Susan glanced over the buttons. "Try ‘aux'"

         "Okay." Fiona pressed the button and waited. The elevator started its slow decent into the bowels of the power plant. "So, what's down there?"

         "Let me think." Susan placed her hand on her chin and closed her eyes. "The walls are all bare concrete. The floor is made of polished stone tiles. There is a light on the ceiling every few feet. Not much to see."

         "Okay." Fiona tapped her foot on the steel floor. "But what about guards?"

         "Hmm?" Susan opened her eyes and looked at Fiona. "Oh, right. There is a desk in front of the lab. The guard has the key we'll need to get in."

         "And how are we supposed to get the key?" Fiona stopped tapping the floor, and a long silence filled the elevator.

         Susan leaned against the wall and stared at her feet. "I didn't really think about it."

         "Great." Fiona placed the palm of her hand under her chin and drummed her fingers on the side of her face. "I suppose I'll have to think of something."

         Before long, the elevator came to a stop and the doors slid open.

         Fiona took a quick glance up and down the intersecting hallway. "Looks clear. Which way?"

         "Go right." Susan stepped out of the elevator. "There should be a corridor on the left, once we pass a few doors."

         "If we're on the right floor." Fiona looked down the hallway, searching for some sign of the corridor.

         "This looks right." Susan took a few hesitant steps. "We'll know soon enough."

         Fiona took a deep breath. "Fine, let's get this over with." She marched down the hallway with Susan following behind her. Once she was close to a side passage, she stopped. "I'm going to distract the guard, you get the key."

         "What? How?" Susan felt butterflies forming in her stomach.

         "I have my ways." Fiona looked around the corner. "You wait here. I'll be right back." She stepped around the corner and disappeared.

         "Hey, What are you doing here?" a male voice echoed around the corner. "This is a restricted area!"

         "Sorry, just looking for the ladies room," Fiona said.

         "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to escort you out of here."

         "You'll have to catch me first." Fiona came running around the corner. "Grab his leg," she sub-vocalized as she ran past.

         Susan wasn't sure of this plan. But she did as she was told. Getting down on her knees she tried to grab one of the guard's legs as he ran past. Unfortunately, he saw the movement and side stepped just in time.

         "What! Another . . ." His words were cut short as Fiona gave him a roundhouse kick to the head. Staggering backwards, he tripped over Susan's prone form and landed with a heavy thud on the floor.

         "Now, that's how you take out a guard." Fiona placed her hands on her knees and took a few deep breaths. "Quick, get the key before he gets back up."

         "Sorry." Susan undid the large man's belt and pulled the security chain free.

         "Hey, give me that!" The guard made a grab for the key, but Susan managed to pull away, and he got her leg instead.

         "Go!" yelled Fiona. "I'll keep him busy." With that, she gave him a quick kick in the side, causing him to let go of Susan.

         Susan stood and took off around the corner. She didn't want to leave Fiona behind, but rescuing her parents came first. After putting the key in the lock and turning it, she punched in the code numbers and waited. The door slowly opened, allowing her to enter. Her greatest challenge still lay ahead, and she was going to have to face it alone.

Continued in {item:}