A Story

[Mostly Heep]

"Jesus,that was close"Red whispered as she followed the cruiser with her eyes till it disappeared.She glanced behind her and studied the road making sure it was empty."We need to get off this highway"
Jack looked at her in the rearview mirror."Where?" He managed to ask through his fear."I don't see any cross roads"
She shook her head "Keep driving and turn on the first road we come to"
"Which way?"
"I don't care" she growled."And stop asking questions" Once again the gun was used to make her point.
"I have to go to the bathroom" came a small voice from the passenger seat.
Red rolled her eyes "Hold it" She growled and went back to staring out the window.
Melissa whimpered but didn't say a word.
Jack pressed his foot on the gas pedal as the car started up the hill.Just as they reached the crest a movement in the tall grass at the side of the road caught his eye.
"What the...?"He muttered as his head swivelled around.
Red noticed the car slowing down and shifted in the back seat."Keep moving moron"
"Sorry.I thought I saw something" Jack stammered.
This got her attention and she sat up straighter."Where?"
"Over there in the grass" he pointed off to his left.
Both of them stared out the window trying to see something when a quiet "Oh crap" from the passenger seat brought them back to the present.
They both stared through the windshield but both had differing reactions.
Red smacked her hand against the seat back in frustration as Jack slammed the brakes and brought the car to a stop halfway down the hill.
All three stared throught he windshield at the line of police cars ranged across the highway a hundred yards in front of them.

[tonym5]

Hehehehe...hopefully Red will go to jail!!!

[Mostly Heep]

"Get us the hell outta here" Melissa whispered.
Jack gave a scared laugh "That might be a problem"
Melissa looked over at him with a hard glint in her eyes and the gun starting to rise off her lap. "No problem at all.Just put the car in reverse and get us the f**k outta here.NOW!!" she yelled as once again she started to caress the gun barrel.
Jack gulped and nodded slowly as he shifted the lever to reverse.As he swung around in his seat he stopped and stared at the two police cars that had silently topped the rise and boxed them in from behind.
"What's the matter now moron?" Red said from the back seat
He thumbed behind them and they both turned to look.Jack saw the color drain from Melissa's face as she realized the gig was up and there was no escaping.Red on the other hand had no such reaction,she sized up the situation with a glance and without waiting smacked Jack on the side of the head."Just drive forward slowly.When I tell you turn off the highway and hit the gas.OK?"
He nodded mutely and rubbed the reddening skin of his face.He had no other option than to put his faith in her and do whatever she said.He still might get out of this with his life.
Another smack to the side of the head."Then start driving you idiot,stop sitting in the middle of the road like a deer caught in the headlights"
Jack shifted into drive and made his way forward.They could all see the cops spring into action and raise their weapons towards the moving vehicle while scrambling to find cover.Except for one officer who stood in front of the lead cruiser.The commanding officer Jack thought.He's got guts to put himself out there like that knowing these two were armed.He glanced in the rearview mirror at Red,but she was looking out the back window at the two cruisers that were slowly following them down the hill keeping about twenty yards away.She shook her head and turned to look out the windshield at the forces arranged in front of them.
She reached over and smacked Melissa "Ouch!What was that for" she screached.
"Keep alert,there may be cops hiding in the grass as well"
Melissa nodded mutely as she too rubbed her face.
Jack smiled to himself.But it was a short lived smile as he felt the ever present gun barrel against his neck again.
He felt Reds breath on his cheek"Slow down a bit"she whispered into his ear"You see that little clearing on the right?"
He started to turn his head but she pressed the gun further into his neck making him wince in pain."Don't turn your head just look out the corner of your eye.When we reach it you get this old bus moving.You understand?".
He grunted in acceptance.

[Mostly Heep]

As soon as the tires touched the gravel Jack hit the gas and the car lurched forward.
"Pothole" Melissa yelled as the car bounced violently forcing Jack to momentarily slow down.
"Pothole my ass" Red grumbled."That was a friggin' mini Grand Canyon".She laughed at her own joke.
The car rumbled along swerving back and forth as Jack tried desperately to miss the huge holes that dotted the road.
"Some road" he thought to himself."I've seen better donkey tracks"
A movement in the mirror caught his eye and he twisted in his seat."We've got company again" he said quietly.
Red turned and looked out the rear window."Goddamn it,don't they ever give up"
Jack had to laugh at that statement."They're cops lady.Cops don't give up until they've either caught you or killed you"
If looks could kill the he'd be dead from the look on Red's face
Melissa looked up from her fetal position."I don't want to die" she whimpered.
"Oh for Christs sake Melissa we are not going to die ok"Red said impatiently."Can this piece of crap go any faster Junior?"
For an answer Jack pressed his foot harder onto the gas pedal and the car surged forward leaving a plume of dust in it's wake that obscured everything behind them.
Red grunted her approval.
They drove on in silence for the next 1/2 hour.
Red and Jack jumped at the the sound of a gun being discharged.Both looked over to see Melissa waving the gun back and forth out the window and firing blindly.The sound of the gun was terrifiyingly loud in the small confines of the car.
"What the hell are you doing?" Red screamed at her.
"I thought I saw something" Melissa whined,still swinging the gun back and forth.
Red shook her head as if she'd heard it all before."You always say you see things.Just give me the gun Melissa.You're going to hurt someone waving it around like that"
Melissa gave a small cackle and started to wave it at Jack."Bang,Bang" she whispered cackling again.
Jack wondered what he'd gotten himself into as he shook his head and tried to concentrate on keeping the car between the ruts and out of the ditches.

[Mostly Heep]

Jack's eyes widened as the windshield starred and then shattered as the bullet hit it.He automatically hit the brakes bringing the car to a sliding halt on the gravel road.
"What the............?" He yelled as he ducked below the dashboard for protection."What the hell are they shooting at us for?".He asked again.
He got no answer.
He looked over at Melissa and his eyes widened again as he stared at the small hole in the center of her forehead.He was surprised at the lack of blood around the wound but could see blood splatter on the passenger side window where the bullet had exited.Her eyes were open but unseeing.
"Why are they shooting at us?" he yelled again.
"How the hell do I know" came the answer from the backseat."Get us the hell out of here"
"How"?
"Drive the damn car you idiot"
"What? And get shot like Melissa.No way"
"She's dead"?
"Yep"
"censored" she gasped. "How?"
"Bullet through he forehead looks like"
"Damn it"
Jack slid behind the wheel but kept his head down.Slowly he put the car into drive and eased it forward.Hearing no gunfire he gently accelerated and cautiously peered between the top of the wheel and the dashboard,keeping as low a profile as he could.Still no bullets flew.He got braver and poked his head up a little further and accelerated faster.
He knew what the barrel of a gun felt like since it was only a few hours ago that one had been stuck in his neck.The one poking him now felt the same,cold and deadly.
"You're under arrest.Pull over,stop the car and keep your hands on the wheel.Do you understand me" Red said from the back seat."Jack Tamar you are under arrest for the murder of Frank Carlino.You have the right to remain silent........"
Jack didn't hear the rest of the words,he was too stunned.
How had they figured it out? He thought he'd covered his tracks so well.
"You're a cop?" He said quietly.
Red smiled at him in the mirror "Yes sir.Been tailing your ass for months.Plan worked out fine.Got myself arrested and put in the same cell as your girlfriend here" she nodded at Melissa."Then with some inside help we escaped and waited till you came along to pick us up.The rest is history as they say"
Jack slumped in his seat as the truth finally came to him that he was a dead man.He would never make it to jail,Frank's family would see to that.And even if he did make it inside he wouldn't last more than a week in general population.His life was over,forfeit,gone.He lunged for the gun in Red's hand.

The End

This post has been edited by Mostly Heep on May 22 2006, 06:00 AM

[Mostly Heep]

I figured out what to call this one.

THE CLARITY OF DOUBT

This post has been edited by Mostly Heep on May 27 2006, 06:04 AM

[tonym5]

Had no freakin idea it would end this way!!!!