01:08
Episode 1: The Original Blueprints
Part 8
Ned drove his Crown Victoria up Washington Avenue, perused by the Tek-9 wielding passenger of a Dodge Duster determined to kill him. He left downtown Minneapolis behind and sped north towards the abandoned Grain Belt brewery and possible freedom but that didn’t seem to be in the cards. When the Duster began to close in, Ned headed east over the Mississippi then north again and dropped the pedal to cruise away but the Duster was still right behind him. The road didn’t go on forever. Ned knew he’d need to turn and make his stand eventually and the gas gauge told him that would be soon. With the Duster closing he turned at the the Riverside Power plant and made a run across the parking lot searching for an exit. All he found were rows of orange maintenance trucks. The Duster entered through the gate and slid to a stop blocking Ned’s exit. The two cars idled, headlights illuminating the crumbling asphalt between.
Ned gripped the wheel tight. “All right you fucker. let’s go.”
He stepped on the accelerator and the wheels of the big car spun and spit sand and then caught and the car lurched forward. For a moment Ned fought the car but then the nose pointed directly at the Duster — the unmoving duster.
“Come one you bastard. Why aren’t you moving?”
The space between the cars closed. In seconds he was within a foot of the bumper.
Ned sat on the edge of a wide rock set high on the gentle slope of a hill. Below him stretched an endless expanse of a grassy, tree-less plain and above lay the un-encumbered stars of the Milky Way. Cattle lowed out on the plain and a cold November wind swayed the tall grass in waves. Ned shivered. Someone behind him wrapped a thick red wool blanket around his shoulders and a feminine hand reached around to offer him a steaming tin cup of coffee. He shrugged back from the hand.
“Take it, Ned. It’s good coffee.”
Ned turned around to see. Behind him stood a woman wrapped in her own blanket, her auburn hair falling over her shoulders.
Ned took the cup and looked into it but didn’t drink.
“Go ahead and drink it,” the woman told him. “It’s not poisoned. I promise.”
Ned left the cup untouched. “Who are you?” he asked.
“My name is Brenda and I would like to hire you to do a job.”
“Where are we? How – how did we get here?”
“This is South Dakota and how we got here isn’t important.”
She smiled down at Ned and brushed her hair back over her ear. “Now how about we discuss business?”
“Did you drug me? Is this for real?”
Brenda’s expression became a glare and she doused Ned with her coffee soaking his hair.
“Real enough?” she demanded with an angry edge to her voice.
“Yes,” answered Ned. “That will do.”
“And as to how we got here,”
Brenda snapped her fingers and the scene changed to a snow-covered valley where the wind whipped at Ned’s blanket and his wet hair froze at once. Brenda snapped her fingers again and they were back on the hill side.
“If you need another demo I hear the Marianas trench is lovely this time of year.”
“You’re a — you’re a witch.”
Brenda smiled. “Not entirely accurate but fitting. Can we discuss business now?”
“Uh – yeah. Sure.” Ned looked down at the plain. “Do we have to do it here?”asked Ned. “Can’t we go someplace?”
He pulled the blanket tighter around him.
“I like it here,” replied Brenda. “and besides, I find it motivates the discussions somewhat.”
“Meaning you’ll strand me out here?”
“Nonsense! I’ll gladly put you right back inside your car.”
“You bitch!” Ned shouted.
“Again not entirely accurate but fitting, and I wish you’d make up your mind.”
Ned turned and looked out over the plain and the final golden rays of the sun on the tips of the waving grass. The wind was turning colder and although his hair had thawed it was still icy and now the cold coffee was trickling down his neck and back.
“How much?” he asked without turning around.
“More than than you’re being paid right now.”
Ned turned. He licked his lips.
“How much more?”
“Twice,” said Brenda with a smug smile.
“We’re getting fifty thou.”
“All right, one hundred thousand, although I know you’re not being paid any more than ten thousand.”
Ned smiled.
“What is it you want me to do?” he asked.
“Just a trifle really. The smallest thing. I want you to lead me to the girl and make sure I get her.”
Ned looked puzzled.
“Why the girl?” and then slowly the bemused look faded while Brenda’s smile widened.
“What is she? Does she have a a rich relative?”
“Let’s just say her mother would like her back, okay.”
“Hundred thousand dollars. Return to mom. Got it.”
“Oh and you needn’t tell your partner about this. She might be less willing to see things our way.”
Ned nodded. “Deal,” he said and Brenda snapped her fingers.
Once again Ned sat behind the steering wheel of his Crown Victoria facing the Duster across a crumbling parking lot. As he watched, the Duster flashed its headlights then turned around in a wide loop and headed out into the night streets. Ned sat for a moment in silence and then picked up his cell phone and dialed.
“Sun Country Airlines. How may I help you?” said a voice on the other line.
“Yes. I’d like a one way ticket to St. Croix. Tomorrow if possible.”
EPISODES
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