The Deep Beneath Read online

  “Fine,” she said. “Ian, I’m leaving my bike here ’til we get back, okay?

  “No prob,” Ian said. He folded his six-foot-three frame into the front seat of Jack’s car.

  Erika jumped into the back passenger seat. She hadn’t felt much like being around a big crowd before, and now that her nerves had been set on edge by the surprise of seeing Jack, she felt even less like dealing with people. “I know you want to go to big rock with everyone else, but I’m not feeling much like hanging out with a crowd of stupid drunk people. I mean, if I wanted to do that, I could stay home.” Her mom, Tina, was already drunk when Erika left their cramped trailer for the evening. No doubt her mom would be passed out by ten and sleep until late the next afternoon.

  “We’ll be there too, so technically, you won’t be surrounded by stupid drunk people,” Ian said.

  “Not funny.”

  “Oh, come on. It was a little funny.”

  Erika held up her hand and pinched her thumb and forefinger together to illustrate how little humor she found in his statement.

  “Sorry,” he said. “Look, it’s fine. I don’t need to drink. It’ll just make me feel like crap anyway, and I’m sure my dad will have me up tomorrow at o-dark-thirty to dig more holes in the backyard. Let’s go out to the jumble. You know where I’m talking about, Jack?”

  “That place with the funky rock formations west of eighty-five?”

  “Yep. It’s quiet out there.”

  Maybe too quiet. While Erika didn’t relish the idea of going to big rock and hanging out with a crowd, she was uneasy about being on the gunnery range at night. It was rare for the military to use the range for testing munitions at night. But no one lived out there. It was dark and empty and dangerous. She chose not to give voice to her feelings, though. After all, it wasn’t like she would be out there alone.

  “Hey, Jack, stop and get some energy drinks since I’m going without brews,” Ian said.

  Jack pulled out of the driveway and headed west toward the setting sun.

  __________

  Jack’s Jetta sounded like it would rattle apart as he navigated the washboard road. He hit one rut so fast that they all bounced up off of their seats.

  “I hope this road doesn’t eat my muffler.”

  “It’s probably taped together anyway,” Ian said. “No offense, man, but your car’s a piece of crap.”

  “True, but at least I have a piece of crap with four doors.”

  After close to half an hour bouncing over the rutted road, Jack pulled into a well-worn sandy spot beside a strange rock formation. It looked like a giant had puked out boulders that had stayed toppled against each other. The site came complete with a ring of stones with spent ashes from previous impromptu desert parties.

  “Good to see no one else heeds the ‘Warning – Do not Enter’ signs,” said Ian.

  The day had been hot, and the early evening was not much cooler. Erika shook out a thick wool poncho she found in the trunk of Jack’s car and used it as a blanket and grabbed his emergency flashlight. Jack tossed a can to Ian and popped the top off of one for himself. He offered one to Erika, but she shook her head.

  Erika flopped herself in the middle of the makeshift blanket and put the flashlight beside her. Even with a nearly full moon rising, they were so far away from a major city that the sky glistened with stars. The Milky Way was like a thin layer of spilled milk on the sky ceiling. Out in the open – no houses, no cars, and no people – Erika was at peace. At home. I should come out here more often.

  “Is there room on there for one more?” Jack asked.

  Erika patted the blanket, and Jack lay beside her, their hands touching lightly. Erika wanted to grab his hand in hers yet at the same time wished he wasn’t touching her at all. She was the one who’d asked for a halt to him romancing her. But how am I supposed to be ‘just friends’ with someone who turns me on so much?

  Ian plopped himself down on the other side of Erika. She was thankful for his presence. It helped keep her mind off of the deliciously spicy smell wafting off of Jack.

  The guys occasionally swallowed as they sipped their drinks, but they didn’t talk. There wasn’t even the sound of crickets in the barren low desert.

  Jack’s voice interrupted the silence. “It’s clear tonight. Good for UFO watching.”

  “Yep,” Ian said.

  “Rocket, you know him, squat little ginger-haired guy? He and Charlie were talking about seeing one out here a few weeks ago. Did you hear about that?” asked Jack.

  “He’s a putz,” Ian said.

  “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t see a UFO. What do you think, Erika?”

  “I think it was nice and quiet until you guys started yammering about UFO nonsense.” Erika had little patience for Jack’s talk of alien coverups and government conspiracies.

  “It’s not nonsense,” Jack said.

  “You believe all that UFO stuff?” asked Ian.

  “Didn’t you know? Jack’s a true believer,” said Erika.

  “Guilty as charged,” Jack said. “What do you think, Ian?”

  Ian paused as if thinking about it. “I try to keep my mind open to things.”

  That’s what Ian was always telling her. ‘Keep an open mind,’ he’d say. But Erika wasn’t inclined to accept something as true until she saw it with her own eyes.

  “What’s that?” asked Ian.

  There was a faint rustle in the bursage. Erika sat up, her ears at full attention, aware of her beating heart. Her dad had been a border patrol agent before he died. From the stories he’d told her, she knew that there were more dangerous things than rattlesnakes and scorpions in the desert. Erika wished they’d gone to the party at big rock after all. What was I thinking? But the sound was gone now. Probably a rodent. Relief flooded through her and her heart settled back to its usual pace.

  “Lie back down and relax,” said Ian. “Why are you so jumpy?”

  She wanted to say because Jack was filling the air with his man scent and it was driving her crazy. But instead she said, “I’m not jumpy. I thought it might be someone coming, that’s all. My dad used to tell me stories people he found out here when he was on patrol. Not just illegals but drug smugglers and folks trafficking all sorts of stuff.”

  “Who’d be stupid enough to try to smuggle anything on government property?” Jack asked.

  “All I know is what my dad told me. Anyways, who said criminals are smart?” said Erika.

  “Well, anyone with the cojones to do illegal crap on a military proving ground is probably someone we want to avoid,” said Ian.

  “Amen to that,” said Jack. He raised his can in the air toward Ian and they clinked their energy drink cans together.

  Erika lay back down and settled in between them. She had intended to put a few inches between her body and Jack’s, but instead her shoulder was now touching his. The touch brought back memories of their date night to her mind. Her face flushed. She pressed her eyes closed and took a deep breath, trying to shift her focus back to the present. Back to ‘just friends’.

  “I’m dry. Need another?” Ian asked. He waved his empty can in the air as he got up.

  “Nah, I’m good.”

  Ian leaned against the back bumper of Jack’s car and looked up at the sky. “What a beautiful night.”

  There was another rustle in the dry, crackly brush. “Shh, listen,” Erika said. It sounded as though someone had stepped on a twig. Erika sat up again, her senses at full attention.

  “It’s probably one of those ground squirrel things,” Ian said. He ambled slowly back to the blanket.

  “They don’t come out at night,” Erika said.

  This time Jack asked for silence. “Shh,” he said and rose to his feet.

  There was the unmistakable shuffle of feet over the rocky soil.

  “That’s no rodent,” Erika whispered. She got up and tried her best to see into the dark desert. She turned on the flashlight and shone it where the sounds
came from.

  The beam of light revealed two men standing between them and the car. One was large and hulking, the other short and thin. Both were dressed in jeans, loose-fitting long-sleeved shirts and cowboy hats. The hairs on the back of her neck were on end. Erika’s muscles tensed and her heart pounded. She slid behind Ian’s large frame.

  “What d’we have here?” asked the hulking man.

  “Who are you?” Jack asked. Jack’s voice, usually low and melodic, came out higher and slightly quivering.

  “Who are we? D’ja here that, Nacho? He thinks he has the right to ask us for an ID.”

  The smaller man, Nacho, chuckled.

  The large man continued, “Wad’ja doin’ out here? Drinkin’?”

  “I don’t think it’s any of your business what we’re doing out here. You’re not cops,” said Ian.

  “How d’ya know? ’Sides, this is our territory, so everything that happens out here is our business.”

  “Look, we don’t want any trouble. We were just leaving,” said Jack. He bent to pick up his empty can.

  Erika recalled her dad’s stories about girls gone missing in the area. She was glad that she wasn’t alone. We need to get out of here. But the two men stood between them and their method of escape.

  “We’ve got as much right to be here as they do,” said Ian. “We’re all trespassing on government property.”

  “Ian …” Jack shot Ian a look that said ‘shut up’.

  “Well, what gives this cowboy-wannabe any more right to be out here than we do?”

  Nacho laughed a high, shrill laugh while the hulking fellow chortled. “Show him, Joe.”

  “This gives me the right,” Joe said. As he spoke, Joe pulled something from his side. There was a click as he pointed a pistol at Ian’s face. Ian gasped and reared his head back and took a quick step backward. He nearly stepped on Erika’s foot.

  She knew it did them no good for her to lose her head, but that didn’t keep the hand holding the flashlight from shaking. Her palms were so wet, she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to keep hold of the light. Keep calm, Erika. Think, think, think.

  “’Sides, border patrol looks the other way seein’ as how we help ’em keep the desert clean of illegals,” Joe said.

  Liar. My dad would never have put up with scum like you out here.

  “What, do you kill them?” asked Jack.

  “Why would we do that? Don’t wanna hurt the merchandise. But you guys look legit.”

  “We are. American citizens. As he said, we were leaving,” Ian squeaked out.

  “Well, what were ya doin’ out here?”

  “You know there’s nothing to do in Ajo. Just out looking at the stars,” Jack said.

  “I bet they was,” Nacho said. He sniggered when he said it. Joe guffawed.

  “Look, no harm no foul. We didn’t know it was your territory or whatever. We’re leaving,” said Ian.

  Joe lowered his weapon, and Ian bent to pick up the blanket. As he did, Erika felt Joe’s eyes on her for the first time.

  “Wait a minute. What have we here?” He stepped closer, never taking his eyes off of Erika.

  Erika stood as still as a stone pillar. She dared not move or even breathe. Joe got so close to her that she could smell his stale, sour breath and pungent body odor.

  “Looks like we found ourselves a little desert flower,” he said. Joe reached his hand past Ian’s shoulder and ran his finger first down Erika’s cheek and then her neck. A shiver ran up Erika’s spine and her gullet filled with bile. She wanted to smack the man’s hand away, but he still held the gun. If she crossed him, he might shoot.

  “Get your hands off of her,” Ian said. “We told you we’re leaving.”

  “I’ll put my hands wherever I want. And I take what I want. You two boys can get in your car and leave, but this little flower is staying with us.”

  Be cool, Erika. Breathe.

  “She’s in high school. Not even eighteen yet. You’ll be committing statutory rape if you lay a hand on her,” Jack said.

  Erika knew Jack was attempting to reason with them, but she doubted men such as Joe and Nacho could be reasoned with. Or maybe he’s trying to distract them?

  “There’s no rape ’cause she wants a real man, don’t ya, darlin’?” Joe again touched Erika’s cheek. “That’s why she ain’t sayin’ nothin’, ’cause she’s waitin’ for you two little boys to get in your toy car and drive away.”

  Joe had shoved past Ian and was so close Erika could see the stubble on his chin and a deep scar across his cheek. He leaned closer still as if he were going to kiss her with his foul-smelling mouth.

  “Leave her alone,” Jack yelled. He began to close the gap between them. Erika was certain that Jack was ready to pull Joe away from her when there was another click of a pistol barrel being loaded.

  “I’d leave off if I was you ’less you want a hole in your chest,” Nacho said.

  Jack froze in his tracks. His face looked anguished.

  Erika braced herself as Joe got closer still. He mangled her mouth with his overly fat lips and rancid breath. Erika willed herself not to vomit or show the man how utterly terrified she was. She allowed his lips to remain on hers as her mind raced with what to do. The thought of any part of her, even fully clothed, touching his privates was almost too repugnant to bear, but it seemed like the only way. She pulled her knee up and hit the man hard in his tenders.

  Her assailant doubled over in pain. Erika’s adrenaline took over. She kicked the man’s hand with the hard toe of her riding boots and landed a solid blow exactly where she had intended it. Glad I wore my boots tonight instead of flip-flops. The gun landed with a thud in the desert nearby. Erika dropped the flashlight and fell to her hands and knees, searching for the lost gun.

  Nacho was taken off guard as Jack kicked his trigger hand. But Nacho’s gun didn’t fall from his grip. Instead, he pulled the trigger. The night air, once swollen with silence, cracked open with the gunshot.

  At the sound of the shot, Erika held her breath, hoping against hope that neither Jack nor Ian had been shot. There was no scream of pain, so she assumed they were okay. There was the scuffling of feet, but she couldn’t see what was going on. Erika continued to feel with her fingers for Joe’s gun. If she could just get her hands on it, she could turn it on Joe. Erika’s knees were getting scraped up from the rocks poking through her jeans, and her hands were scratched, but she kept crawling and feeling the ground. Metal. It was the barrel of the gun. Erika reached her fingers out, but before she could grab it, Joe pulled her out of the scrub by her legs. Her T-shirt rode up a bit and the rough ground prickled her stomach. But Erika’s mind was on getting away, not on the pain of the scratches.

  “You’re not getting away from me, girl. You’ve got spirit. But I’ll beat that out of you.”

  He grabbed Erika by her hair and yanked her up. He jerked her head back and spun her around to face him. She kicked at him and tried to punch him with her small fists. His answer was to grab both of her wrists in one beefy hand while he backhanded her with the other.

  Pain shot across her face like an explosion. She could taste the blood that pooled in her mouth. The last thing she wanted to do was cry in front of the beast, but the pain in her face brought tears to her eyes.

  “You’ll learn manners. Or you’ll die.”

  “Let her go,” Ian said. His face was angry, his jaw set. He tried to tackle Joe, but the large man was quicker than Erika thought possible. He continued to hold Erika’s hands behind her back while he kicked Ian hard in the chest. Ian flew backward and landed with a thud.

  With a swollen eye and only the moonlight to see by, it was hard to focus. She squinted and tried to see in the dark. Nacho held a gun, and Ian was getting up. But where was Jack? “Jack?” she screamed.

  Joe jerked up on Erika’s arms with one beefy hand as he pulled her head backward by her hair with the other hand. “Shut it,” he said.

  “What d’ya wanna do
with ’em, Joe?” Nacho asked.

  “You already popped one of ’em. I say pop this other dude and we get her out of here before border patrol shows up.”

  ‘Already popped one of ’em’? Jack? Joe may hurt her again, but Erika couldn’t stand idly by and watch them shoot Ian. If only she could get them to let Ian and Jack go, even if Jack was shot, maybe Ian could get him to a hospital before it was too late.

  Erika braced herself for the pain and said, “No.” Her throat was dry and her voice came out as barely a whisper. She swallowed and tried again. “Let them go.”

  “Listen to her trying to give me orders,” Joe said. He yanked her hair again, harder this time. Her head throbbed and she was fairly certain Joe probably had a huge chunk of her hair in his hand.

  “Look, it’s dark out. They haven’t seen your faces. You’ve got me. I’ll go with you. I’ll do whatever you want. Just … just don’t kill them.”

  “No, Erika!” Ian said. “You can’t. I’d rather die than let them –”

  “That can be arranged,” Nacho said. He punctuated his statement by moving closer to Ian, his gun only a few feet from Ian’s face.

  “Don’t say that. Please don’t hurt him. I’ll do what you want.”

  Please, Jack, please don’t be dead. Please, please, please … Erika’s eyes let loose a torrent of tears that slid silently down her face.

  “Ah look, she can be trained. Like a dog,” Joe said. But he tightened his grip on her just the same and jerked up on her arms. “You know, Nacho, I’ve been thinkin’. What was she doin’ out here with two boys anyway? She must be a little slut, huh?”

  “Takes two little boys to take the place of one of us men,” Nacho said.

  Joe laughed as he pulled Erika to him again. “Nacho, take care of the other one and make sure the first one you shot is dead so we can get our little flower out of here. I aim to get down to business with her tonight.”

  Erika prayed silently in her head and hoped that God was in a prayer-granting mood. It would take a minor miracle to escape what seemed an inevitable terrible end.

  2

  H.A.L.F.

  H.A.L.F. 9 took his first ever inhalation of desert air. The arid breath filled his lungs and burned. He had become accustomed to the dank, humid recycled air of A.H.D.N.A.’s underground lab. A chill ran through him, but it was not from the coolness of the night. His senses, dulled by the humid conditions he had been kept in, were coming fully alive for the first time in his seventeen years.