The Collective

Chapter Fourteen

     Ethan and I kept in touch with Sam, after Ethan pulled him off the mountain. He came over for barbecues, and after his arm healed, he and Ethan would go play in the woods and go rock climbing, and camping. I would go for days without hearing from either of them, but they always seemed happy together. Ethan was always more at ease with Sam. I never worried about them.

     But, that's beside the point.

     I told the people who were supposed to protect me about him. He didn't deserve to die because of me.

     "Is this the place?" Frank stopped down the block from Sam's building. We'd already stopped at his job, which was closed, and his girlfriend's house. She said she hadn't seen him in a week and a half.

     "Yeah." I looked up and down the block. I didn't actually know what I was looking for, but as far as I could tell, everything was fine. His car was in the parking lot, right where it always was. There were no bullet holes, or even fingerprints. He and Ethan meticulously maintained their vehicles. It didn't matter if it was snowing or raining, they would be out there, making sure everything was just so.

     "What are we waiting for?" Frank tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. Suspicion rolled off him in waves.

     "We'll be right back." Sarah turned to me. "Ready?"

     I nodded. I didn't trust myself to speak around the lump in my throat. Sam also really liked the woods. It was a Sunday, which meant his truck should be a disaster area. He went to play on the weekends and cleaned it up on Monday after work. It should be coated in mud, or at least smudged. Maybe he just got back early. I'm sure everything was fine.

     Max ran to catch up with us as we stepped onto the stairs. Sarah cringed. She jogged ahead, dragging me along with her. She leaned in close. "Follow my lead."

     I nodded.

     She glanced in the window. She raised an eyebrow. "Let Max open the door."

     I jabbed in the code as Max ran up behind us. He motioned for us to be quiet. He shoved Sam's door in. For a moment, nothing happened. Max walked to the kitchen. He turned around, shrugging. "Does he have a mistress? Second job? Family?"

     A wooden bat laid him flat. Sam stood behind him, gasping. His nose was bright red, and raw.

     He stared at me. "Who's your friend?"

     Before I could answer, Sarah latched around his arm and pulled him out the door. "Not a friend." She shut the door as Max moaned, twitching.

     She led us both down the stairs, gripping Sam's bat. "Stay close."

     A tall man with a baseball cap and mirrored sunglasses stood in front of a nondescript SUV. He held Millie and Frank at gunpoint.

     Sarah jerked Millie's door open. "Get out."

     "Well, I never!" Millie gasped.

     Sarah hit the side of the car. "Move."

     Frank got out slowly. "Millie, get out." She followed her husband. They stood in front of the steps.

     "Annie?" Chase said softly.

     I ushered Sam towards the sedan, tucking him in the backseat. Chase handed me his gun. He pulled handcuffs made of zip ties from his back pocket. He zip tied Frank and Millie's hands behind their back. Judging by how calm they were, this wasn't the first time this had happened to them.

     Sarah slipped into the driver's seat. Chase tapped my shoulder as he got into the passenger seat. I slid into the back seat next to Sam. I turned the safety on, and handed the gun back to Chase.