CHAPTER XII

THE ROOK'S NEST

BY BARRY REESE

Max sat up with a start, recognizing his surroundings at once. He was in the storm cellar of his home, which he always kept locked up tight. It contained his equipment and papers, everything that would link him to the Rook....

"You startled me," someone said from the shadows and it only took a second for Max to place the pleasing feminine voice.

"Evelyn?" he asked, all too aware that his mask was still in place and that his pistol remained tightly clutched in one hand. He looked down at it as Evelyn, lovely in a black dress and coat, moved into view.

She followed his gaze, shrugging. "You wouldn't let it go," she said by way of explanation. "And I learned a long time ago not to argue with an armed man." Evelyn followed with a small laugh that was a bit too shrill. She was nervous... and so was Max.

He rose from the cot upon which he lay, reaching up to remove his mask. There was no point in hiding the truth now... and Max felt certain that his father, if he truly existed, was responsible for this. "How did we end up here? The last thing I remember was being downtown."

"I was out with friends - a producer and his wife - when I thought I heard you calling my name. It was strange, really... we were all alone on the street and they said they heard nothing but..." Evelyn chewed her lower lip, her gaze locked on some faraway place. Max thought she looked beautiful. "I excused myself from and went looking for you. A couple of blocks away, I found you. You were lying in an alleyway, bleeding from your shoulder."

Max glanced over at his wound, which had been patched up rather clumsily. He peeled away the bandage and saw that there was a small bloody furrow where the bullet had grazed him.

Evelyn moved to stand beside him, still looking uncertain. "You told me to bring you here... even walked me through how to fix your arm. But you never woke up. It was like you were... sleepwalking." Evelyn reached out and took the Rook mask from Max. "Is this what you do at night?"

"You must have heard the rumors about me...."

"Of course. But who would really believe them? How many men dress up like a bird and shoot people?" Evelyn gazed into his face, seeking some sign of the cultured, funny man she'd been so attracted to. "Why do you do this?"

Max contemplated coming up with a lie... but in the end, he decided to tell her the truth. Perhaps his father had been right, because relieving himself of the whole story seemed very cathartic. He told her everything, beginning with the death of his father, all the way up to his odd vision that preceded his awakening. During the whole affair, Evelyn remained at his side, even taking his hands in her own.

When all was said and done, she whistled softly and said, "And I thought I had daddy issues...."

Max laughed a bit too loudly but Evelyn joined in easily enough. "You must think I'm a candidate for a sanitarium."

"Not really. We all have our vices and oddities."

Max raised her hands to his lips and kissed them softly. The move surprised them both, but it felt natural, as well. "What are your vices, Evelyn?"

A wicked smile touched her full lips. "Perhaps I'll tell you about them, Mr. Davies. But now is not the time."

"Why not?"

"Because, in your little fever dream, you told me to call the airport and have them clear us for flying."

That brought Max clear of any fantasies he might have been developing. "I did?"

"Yep. We're supposed to be flying to Kassel, Germany. Wherever that is." Evelyn shook her head, sending her lovely curls flying. "Do you really have a plane that can fly that far?"

"Yes. A special one. It's the fastest plane in the world and capable of making several round-the-globe trips without refueling."

"That's amazing! Did you invent it?"

"Well, parts of it. A friend of mine named Clark aided with other aspects." Max smiled at the look of amazement she wore, reaching out to touch her cheek. "But you're not coming with me. Remember the visions I had about you being in danger? The only way I can see to avoid that is for you to stay here."

"Absolutely not." Evelyn's eyes flashed. "This is the most exciting thing that's ever happened to me, Max. And I'm not about to let you cut me out of it."

"But what if those visions were real?"

"Then I'll take the experience of being mauled by a mummy and put it into my next performance."

"You're the crazy one," Max laughed.

Evelyn jumped as the phone rang upstairs. Max held a finger to his lips and then moved over to another phone, gently lifting the receiver from its cradle. He heard Nettie's voice immediately.

"Mr. Davies isn't it, Sheriff. But I'll sure enough tell him you called."

"Make sure you do. Mr. Beauregard Ellis was found shot to death this evening... and next to his body was a small note pad with your employer's name on it. That makes him a suspect, Nettie... so if you see him, you best let me know... or you're an accessory."

Max set the phone back down, not bothering to hear Nettie's answer. "We have to go. Trench has set me up." He looked around the storm cellar - his "nest." Should he burn its contents? Once they found out he was missing, the police would surely search the house.

A spiteful thought came to him. If you're listening, dad... I'll leave it to you that no one disturbs this place. If they do, my usefulness to you is over....

Evelyn was brushing back her hair, looking flushed and excited. "So now we're fugitives, are we?"

"You seem to like that."

Evelyn shrugged, but the smile never left her face. "I need a fancy name like yours. Maybe Swan? Goes well with Rook, I think."

Max put his mask back into place, wondering just where all this would go in the end. Evelyn seemed to enjoy the danger just a tad too much... but she would certainly keep things interesting, he suspected.

Lucifer's Cage stories & The Rook © Barry Reese. HTML © Tim Hartin.

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