Silver Lining - A Carpelli Adventure: Sequel To The Bestselling Thriller Fatal Mistake (16 page)

“Yeah, the Doc said that was just an old wives tale about the cold air. It was made up to let men feel better about themselves. But being nearly dead, well that might just have some merit.”

“What?” I asked, hoping for some clarity.

“I’ve got to go. Back in about ten minutes.” Betty stated and stepped through the door.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

             
The huge man picked himself up off the ground and looked around at the destruction the old Chevy was able to generate with an asshole behind the wheel. Of the half dozen bikers who had come up here to waste that guy, there were just three still standing and maybe a single bike that was ridable.

“Who’s got a cell phone that works?” The big man called out as he punched in the numbers for third time on his phone which got no signal, here on the back side of the mountain.

The two other survivors and his fellow members of the club, patted they pockets, signifying they didn’t have a cell phone. He finally gave up and walked across the road to a big hog bike laying on its side. The bike belonged to Mr. Mike and you weren’t supposed to touch another man’s bike, let alone ride it. But the big man knew Mr. Mike wouldn’t object because he was lying half way down the ravine dead. It was obvious he had been shot but it was also obvious that there was a small tree, a sampling really, sticking up thru his abdomen.

The big man need five tries to get the bike to kick over, but it finally caught. As he was leaving he ordered the other two surviving club members to grab what they could and start hiking down to the main road. He was going to call for help and he’d be waiting for them down at the main road.

When the big man arrived at the main road, he pulled off to the side a dialed the phone.

“Yeah?” A male voice barked into the phone.

“It’s me, Big Man.”

“Yeah? It says it’s Mr. Mike.”

“I’ve bad news.”

“He got away?”

“Uh, it worse than that,” Big Man almost whispered.

“What the hell happened?” The man snapped.

“We’re gonna need a membership drive.”

“What? Make sense asshole. What happened?”

“Things didn’t go as planned. He somehow knew we were coming and he met us about half way up.”

“What you mean he met you half way up?”

“We were riding into a hair pin curve that got smaller in width as you rounded the corner. It was tight, real tight.”

“Yeah?”

“Fred and Cutter were leading the pack when we entered the curve. Unknown to us as you leave the curve, there is a big dip and you can’t see anything in the dip until your cresting the lip of it. Fred and Cutter reached the lip of the dip and this supped up Chevy comes flying up out of the dip. There wasn’t any place either of them to go. Cutter was bounced off to the left and he went right over the edge into the ravine. Fred he got jammed between the car and the rock face of the mountain. They were both killed instantly.”

“The Chevy kept coming and we started shooting at the car. We hadn’t noticed they had a double barrel shotgun hanging out the window, right away. They fired one barrel straight ahead and then the other barrel slightly off center to its left. The shot gun mowed through our boys and even caused a few bikes to burst into flames before exploding.

By the time I had Al firing his AK 47 on them, they’d managed to load and blast both barrels into the two guys on the other side of the road. They were swinging that car all over the road smashing into bikes and guys. Everyone was firing at them, it just didn’t seem to make any difference until the AK was unloaded at them,” the big man shared.

“So they were hit then?” The man on the other end asked.

“Aahh…..well, I don’t know. After plowing through our ranks they didn’t slow down. They just kept right on going downhill.” The big man answered sheepishly.

“You’re telling me not one of you assholes are a good enough shot to hit the bastard?” The man on the other end of the phone call, screamed into the phone.

“Those old cars are a lot heavier steel, than the new plastic pieces of shit. Plus, they were moving and shooting back. They might have been hit but there wasn’t any blood on the ground.”

“So where does the GPS tracker say they are now?”

“The GPS was another casualty along with my cell phone.”

“How are you calling me then?

“I grabbed Mr. Mike’s phone.”

“Okay, get your asses back here and I’ll bring the Doc in,” the man on the phone directed the big man.

“The other guys need more than a ride. You’ll need to send a van.”

“Damn, I’ll handle it. Just get back here, so we can regroup and find this guy.”

“Yeah, I hear you. I can hear the others, who can move, coming. We’ll be there in about an hour.”

“You better,” and the man clicked off.

******

“What do you mean you missed him?” Doctor Kyeong shouted. “That man threaten to kill me. He stole my money. You said you would handle him.”

“Relax Doc. I’ve got it handled.”

“You got shit handled. As soon as I get these fools treated I’m going to Chattanooga.”

“Doctor, you’re gonna stay right here or you’re gonna have me to deal with. You understand me.”

“I understand you and every other American. You all crazy. You think you’re John Wayne and are always waving about your big guns or big dicks. I go to Thailand or Vietnam.”

“Doc, shut the fuck up or I’ll shoot you right now.”  Michael Nolan snarled loudly.

“Smith and Jones won’t like that much.” Doc Kyeong retorted curtly.

“They don’t run the show around here, Doc. What they like or don’t like isn’t a concern for me. Now get to work.” Michael Nolan snapped and walked over to Sydney, his secretary/girlfriend. “Well?”

“I called every hospital within sixty miles. No GSW’s,” she stated without adding any additional opinions. She had long ago realized when she added anything to the message. At best Michael would best be nasty, swear at her and belittle her. So she simply supplied the required info and let him do all the heavy thinking. After a moment of staring at the floor, Michael looked up, smiled at her and walked off across the main floor the club’s club house towards Doc Kyeong’s make shift office area. Michael walked up the big man and asked.

“How bad is it?”

“Bunch of buckshot.” Big Man stated as he stared at the floor.

“Is he going to be able to be active?” Michael asked the Doctor who was busy working on another club member who had been smashed between the car and the rock wall.

“He’s not bad at all. He be sore for few days but it’s not life threatening.”

“That’s good, Doc.”

“You shut up now, I’m working.” The Doc snapped at Michael which drew a stern look but no verbal response.

“Okay, big man, since you’re not going to be seen for several hours, I need you to continue the hunt. You up for it?” Michael asked, but it was clear the big man needed to finish what he started or he’d regret it.

“I can do it. But I’ll need a new GPS.” He stated.

“Sydney, GPS.” Michael bellowed and Sydney hurried over and handed a fresh GPS to Michael.

“It’s calibrated?” Michael asked and Sydney rolled her eyes, while nodding yes. “Calibrated!” Michael snapped as he slapped the GPS into Big Man’s hand.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The trip to the elevators was nerve racking for Betty, she was sure every sound she heard was the Diablo’s having found her. Thankfully, there wasn’t anyone roaming the halls at all, at 10:00 at night. She took the elevator to the ground floor and walked briskly into the parking structure, still without seeing another soul. She had a choice at this time to take the elevator to the third floor of the parking structure or she could take the stairs. Wisely, she took the stairs. For now she’d have the option of continuing with the stairs or going to the elevators or going directly into the parking structure.

She placed the trash bags over the gun thinking it would be unnoticed by most people which would be a good thing, because she hardly needed to draw extra attention to herself. Especially, the kind of attention a person waving a gun around the UT parking structure would draw.

Upon entering the stairwell, she stopped. She could heard voices but was unable to tell if they were up or down from her or what they were saying. More importantly she was unable to tell if they were moving in her direction. She hesitated a few moments until she heard a couple doors bang shut. One above and one below. Slowly she began climbing the stairs

Meanwhile, Big Man and five other members of the Diablo’s had split into two groups. To search the parking structure. Three went down one level of parking to the below ground level floor and Big Man with two others went to the second level to begin their searching there.

Betty upon reaching the second level stopped at the door to parking area, because it hadn’t closed all the way from when the last person had gone through it. She took a quick peek through the small window in the door and froze. Ten feet away with their backs to the door, were three Diablo’s. Each of them had a hand gun and the really big guy in the center, was pointing as though giving directions. Betty strained her ears to try hear what was being said, but the acoustics just weren’t right. Finally, Betty continued climbing to the third level. Just moments after she had moved on, Big Man glanced back over his shoulder to the doorway. Seeing nothing, he swung his attention back to the search and barked that they needed to get to it. Betty stopped at the third floor and waited to open the door. She listened hard but heard only silence, so she risked peeking out of the door way.

All she saw were cars. If there was anyone out there, they had to be hiding. She didn’t have much time and didn’t want the Diablo’s to have, whatever John had in the brief case. She knew the car was five or six cars from the stairwell on the right side wall. The brief case was in the backseat on the driver’s side. If she hurried, she figured she could get to it and back in the stairwell in less than a minute. So she took a deep breath and opened the door.

She stepped out and held on to the door, closing it slowly, so it didn’t bang against the door jamb. Once the door had been secured, she turned and ran to the car, careful not to slap her feet two hard on the concrete for it would make a loud echo with every step and give away her position. The car was just as they had left it. She opened the driver’s door as quietly as she could leaning the seat forward to allow easier access to the back seat. The brief case, that was a misnomer, it was more like a suitcase it was so big, was where they had left it, sitting between the front and back seats on the floor of the passenger compartment.

She yanked it out and flipped the seat back so she could drop the brief case on the front seat. Having done so, she tried to flip the locks open but was unable to do so. Damn, it didn’t open. Her mind went blank and she could feel the growing panic as she stood there staring at the case.

Quietly she stood there mumbling, “Shit, shit, shit!” She was finally jolted out of her panic induced trance by someone shouting.

“Hey, you going to keep up?”

“I’m trying too but I’m checking out all the cars. I don’t want to miss it.”

“Moron, the car is a classic Chevy. It’s blue and it has had all it windows shot out. You ain’t going to miss it.”

“Oh, yeah!”

Betty started to leave but stopped, yanked the gun from under the bags and flipped it around then smashed down on the lock on the right it popped open. Thrilled, she smashed the lock on the left side and it also popped open. She laid the gun on the seat and opened the trash bags, then flipped the brief case lid open.

Betty’s eyes grew wide and she sucked in a deep breath. She then stood there staring at the open brief case. It was filled with money, lots of money, all 100 dollar bills. Suddenly, she remembered the Diablo’s were coming and she began scooping the cash out into the trash bag. It was filled in seconds and she quickly switched to the second trash bag and repeated the swoop and scoop, until every last bundle of money was stuffed in the two bags. She quickly tied off the black trash bag, grabbed the gun and looked up.

At the bottom of the level, two Diablo’s were standing with their backs to her, looking back at something around the corner. Just as she thought she’d run for the stairs, the big guy came around the corner and she was trapped. He’d see her run, if she tried to get to the stairs.

The Diablo’s turned and began slowly walking up the isle towards the car and her. Betty ducked as low as she could, her mind racing but not really thinking of a solution until someone yelled.

“There it is. That’s the car.” It was the big guy shouting. All three of the Diablo’s began lumbering up the ramp and, clamored to a stop a few feet from the car, breathing heavy from the near uphill run they’d just completed. They held their guns out ready to fire, as they stepped up to the car, thinking someone might trying to hide in it.

“Go around the passenger side.” The big guy directed. The man on his right slipped between the Chevy and the car next to it. When he reached the shot out windows, he peered inside and stated.

“There isn’t anyone here and nothing but an open brief case on the front seat.”

“Any blood splatter?” The big guy asked.

“Oh yeah, lots in the driver’s seat and some in the passenger seat, but there don’t look to be any in the back seat.” The man between the cars offered.

“Why’s the door open?” the big man asked not expecting an answer. “Well, look around for somebody. They were just here, find them.” He shouted and the men with him dropped to their knees and looked under the cars, nothing.

Betty had slipped down, under the car and then under the guard rail that ran along top of the wall for the floor below. She quickly went over the wall and down to the next level, while the Diablo’s worked up to assaulting the car. She once on the next level she slipped behind the nearest car and sat there waiting for an opportunity to escape. She almost panicked and broke for the stairwell when she heard the big guy tell is men to search for her. They looked over the edge towards the levels below and above but didn’t see anything, so they decided to run around the ends of the aisles above and below to try and find her. The blunder gave Betty time and open path to the stair well. She scooped up the bags and began to speed walk towards the stairs, trying to limit the amount of noise her shoes were making as she hurried along. She was just about there when she saw someone pass by the window in the door and she ran for the elevator.

“Look, the GPS works on the same principle as radio signals do. It’s called line of site. The concrete of this parking structure interferes with the signal. The solidity of the structure breaks up the signal and that’s why we can’t tell where it is in here.” The guy in the bandana was saying when the big guy burst out the stairwell behind them.

“Get out the way, assholes!” Big Man barked, as he shove past them and stepped out into the parking structure. 

“Whoa, what gives?” one guy who had been explaining his ideas on why the GPS hadn’t pinpointed the car.

“Did you see anyone?” the big guy barked and his companions just stared at him in response. “Did you see anyone?” Big Man screamed at them.

“No, no we didn’t see anyone.” The two men replied in unison. Just then the elevator door closed with a loud ping. All three of men looked towards the elevator and then Big Man screamed, “You go up one level. You come with me and for Christ Sake get your damn guns out, it could have been someone from the car.” The Big Man turned and charged down the stairs. After a moment, the GPS man ran up the stairs and the other man in the bandana followed the Big Man down.

Betty sighed in relief as the men disappeared into the stairwell. She hadn’t gone inside the elevator, just pushed some buttons and then slipped into a void in the architecture of the parking structure. There was an unused space where the walls came together in the corner. The small space was hidden from those inside the structure but not from people outside the structure. All four corners mirrored each other, giving the garage futuristic styling when it was built twenty years ago. She had slipped into the opening on the right hand side, stuffing the bags in first and then backing up to them as tight as she could.

She waited a few moments before peeking out to see if the bikers had taken the bait. They had and she waited a moment longer before stepping out of her spot of concealment. She quickly walked down the length of the parking structure to the second set of stairs and stepped inside. She stopped and listened as she held on to the door as it slowly closed behind her. She was two levels down from the roof which was her new destination. She remembered there was a covered walkway back to the building there and that seemed the most likely way to get back in the building. She had no idea if any of the bikers had gone to the roof. She had no idea if the walkway would be open at this time of night, either.

She started climbing the two flights of stairs stopping every couple of steps to listen. She heard nothing, so when she reached the top she did a quick check through the window before slowly stepping through and into the parking structure yet again.

She could hear shouting coming up from the levels below her and she broke into a run across the level to the walkway. By the time she reached the walkway she was praying that God would unlock the door. When she arrived at them she hesitate a second, saying one last prayer then she pushed forwards. The door swung open. She jumped inside and raced across the walkway into the building. The bikers never knew for sure, if anyone had been there just before them, but they knew the car was there and this was a medical school and hospital. So it was a very reasonable conclusion that whoever was driving the car, was probably inside somewhere and the Big Man called in for help to search the hospital.