A Step to Nowhere (21 page)

CHAPTER 23

Samantha looked out of the window at the three receding figures. Dan and his ally, she couldn’t remember his name. Dan was her right hand. Always by her side, always ready to execute any task she gave him, even the most dangerous. He distinguished himself as ruthless, cold, and devoted. She looked as he dragged her double to the car, as he pushed her onto the backseat, and how he waved to his boss after slamming the door shut.

She turned to her husband who was sitting in the chair with his eyes closed. The same chair that her double was occupying a minute ago. Samantha loved him and would forgive him anything. Anything, but betrayal. Could he lie to her? Could that nit be telling the truth?

“Ray?”

He shuddered, opened his eyes, and rubbed them with his fists.

“Sorry, I fell asleep, I think. It was a long day. I’m exhausted.”

“I can understand that. That bitch has worn out all of us.”

“You use more and more of their words. Bitch. What’s that?”

“I can’t believe they didn’t figure you out. Bitch is scorfah. You have to remember.”

“I have to remember all bad words. I’m a bad student. I think you’re ready for transferring. I bet they’re searching for her.”

“I know.” Samantha waved her hand. “If she hadn’t escaped, I could be there today. What about tomorrow afternoon? I’m ready.”

“Just tell me. I’ll set it up.” Ray yawned. “Nervous?”

“No, I can’t wait! It will be difficult in the beginning, the difference is too great. But I adapt fast. I’ve been trained for months. I can finally show off my shoes!”

“Not right away.”

“Funny. We need to transfer your double soon, too. Do you know when?”

“I studied all the details of his work, but I’m not ready. How about a month?”

“A month? Why?”

“I don’t want to risk anything, plus I have some unfinished business here. I can’t go back for some time, you know that.”

“Okay. You’re going to go there for business, so I’ll see you anyway.”

“Yes.” Ray bent to the food that was prepared for the double, picked up a toast with caviar, and stuck it in his mouth.

“She touched everything there with her hands.” Samantha winced with squeamishness.

“What? Where?” Ray turned around.

“Food. I fed her.”

“You’re my humanitarian.” Ray smiled. His eyes were red, settled deep in the dark circles.

“You look tired. Do you want to have dinner here or in the bedroom?”

“Let’s go to the bedroom. I’d love to get in bed.”

“I’ll order dinner.” Samantha grabbed the phone. “What do you want?”

“I don’t care.” He smiled. No stress on his face, like nothing had happened today. There was no irnaner from another world, no copy of his wife, and no conversation with her father. She had to reassure herself that Ray was telling the truth. He didn’t have a motive for a lie. He just didn’t have a motive. That was it. Why would he help a person to escape, whom they had planned to transfer to this planet and kill, so his wife could take her place? Why would he send her here and then help her? It didn’t make sense. Just like her father, she started to suspect everyone. Paranoia. Her father, Ray and Dan were those rare people she still trusted. They had been her family.

“I’ll order something light.” Samantha pressed the button.

“Sure.” Ray kept smiling. The faithful man who loved her, who was ready to do anything for her. That scorfah had lied. He couldn’t stoop so low as to … Samantha didn’t want to think about it. That woman was nothing. Half human, a low creature from another world. She said it to hurt Samantha. Such a low revenge. It was all right, because tomorrow she would be the one hurt. She would be in such pain that she was going to beg for death.

“I’ll take a shower while they’re making dinner,” Ray said as he stood up. He stretched, yawned, covering his mouth with his hand. “I feel like I haven’t showered for a year. And haven’t slept.”

He couldn’t lie to her. Because he was hers. Her husband.

“Kiss me,” she said, putting the phone down. The food order could wait.

It looked like Ray was surprised, but he approached her and kissed her lips fervently. She clung to him with her whole body and didn’t want to let go. Her father was wrong when he forbade her to marry Ray. She was afraid he was going to order killing her lover. Father gave his permission for marriage only after he’d learned that Ray owned the corporation. He benefited from this union. Combined work of the corporation and the lottery made Nicolas Bristow the most powerful man in the country, and she loved to be the daughter of the man who had that much power. It had a lot of advantages. The most important advantage was that her husband had always belonged to her. He loved her, yes, she didn’t doubt that, but he would never go against Bristow. It was enough for her to just hint to her father that she was unhappy and Ray would become just a wet spot on the asphalt and his corporation would go to her father. Though it really was her father’s anyway.

“I love you,” she said as she looked at her handsome husband.

“I love you more,” he answered. He planted a kiss on her forehead and left the room.

Samantha picked up the phone again and ordered two sh
e
ky to be brought to her bedroom. She was in the mood for her favorite childhood dish. It was also a good idea to have something light before bed. Soon, maybe even tomorrow, she was going to shop on Planet Two by herself and choose whatever she wanted. She just needed to start.

She checked the report about her double’s escape one more time before going to the bedroom. There was no motive; her father didn’t have to worry. She still loved Ray and wanted him to be alive.

She walked to the bedroom and, listening to the running water in the shower, changed into her new, ruby-colored, silk pajamas that Ray brought her from Planet Two a week ago. Now she was going to pick out things for herself; try them on. It would be so much fun. She was sick of being here. She had money, but couldn’t buy anything. Her dad was right though. Everyone was equal, no jealousy. The only peeve was that she had to pretend and communicate with the family of that nit. It was not going to be for very long. Little by little they were going to make Planet Two their own.

Samantha remembered again her double’s words about sleeping with Ray and her stomach turned. People could be so nasty. They would go to the lowest lie to hurt intensely in order to make themselves feel better. Samantha wanted to tell Ray about it and see how he would laugh, screwing his brown eyes. He was going to say that he would get sick just accidentally touching this cheap copy of his wife. He loved and wanted only her.

When he left the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist, with specks of water on his skin stretched over his tight muscles, smelling of freshness, nothing mattered anymore. She didn’t want to spoil such a pleasant evening with such unpleasant conversation. The bad was over. That scorfah would disappear tomorrow and her new life was going to start.

“I ordered champagne,” she smiled. “We need to celebrate the end of the operation.”

He pulled her to himself and scuttled her fears completely.

CHAPTER 24

I was again on the backseat of the car. My wrists, once again, were snapped into the handcuffs, and once again I thought how stupid and naïve I was and how much I didn’t want to die. It was time to get serious about it and prepare myself mentally. Two silent gorillas were taking me to a local jail and tomorrow I was going to be executed. Such a high price for the realization of a dream.
Imitation
that pretended to be a dream. Would I have noticed that it wasn’t my Ray if not for those five years? If not for this crazy idea to pass desirable for reality? Tomorrow he was going to watch me die and change nothing. If he wanted to he could take action, but he hadn’t. Everything was over for him.

What was the point of helping me in the corporation? Did he feel guilty and decide he wanted to change something? That was possible. It would be too risky to do it again. Did I try to defend him?

I should stop thinking about all of it. Maybe I should start praying. What was the business with God on this planet? Was God the same here as on my planet? Did they believe in God at all?

I heard the phone ringing and opened my eyes, returning to reality from my thoughts.

“Yes,” Baldy said. “I’m going to be there in ten minutes.”

He turned off the phone.

“Who was it?” his partner asked.

“You know who. She.”

Slick hair nodded.

“I need to piss,” Baldy said.

“Now?” His partner didn’t hide his surprise.

“I’ll be quick. I drank too much.”

“Oh,” I moaned. “Just take me to jail already. I want to sleep.”

I was really tired and was afraid of falling asleep before we reached the destination. I could get confused when they started pulling me from the car and look foolish. I wanted to sleep desperately. I also had a headache. Nagging, heavy pain in my temples.

They didn’t answer. Who was I really, for them to pay attention to me? I wanted an answer. I wasn’t a human to receive one.

The car drove off the road, through an arch, and stopped behind a stone bridge. We came into total darkness. The headlights of the car flashed on a metal fence ahead with a sign “don’t jump” on it. I couldn’t see anything else. I became nervous remembering Ray’s words about not getting to jail alive. What if they were going … to do something to me before presenting me to the law? Not that. Please, not that.

“Did you have to come here?” the slick head grumbled.

“I had to,” Baldy said as he opened the door and got out of the car. “There are cameras along the road.”

I turned away from the direction of the man who got out. I heard the crickets singing and cars roaring. There were cameras along the road. What was he going to do to me? Now I was scared like never in my life. Please, not that. Please, please.

When I heard a sound similar to a flapper hitting the wall I just startled a little, then turned my head and stayed still, terrified. The glass that was protecting people on the front seats from the criminals on the backseat, like me, had been splashed with red. The head of the man with slick hair rested against it.

At the same moment, the door from my side opened and the bald man reached his hand for me.

“Come out now.”

I couldn’t move. He wanted to grab my arm, but I jerked back. He had a gun in his hand.

“Don’t touch me!” I screamed.

The headlights on another car that stopped nearby blinded me. I didn’t understand what was going on, but even with my eyes closed I could see blood. Were they going to kill me right now? I preferred them to do it fast, so I wouldn’t suffer.

“She’s in shock!” the bald man yelled to someone. The door from the other side opened.

“Sam!”

I opened my eyes.

“Sam, it’s Ron.”

I turned to the voice. Yes, it was the guy who’d already saved me once today. Why was he here? What did he do?

“Sorry for what happened earlier. How are you?” He straightened up. “She’s handcuffed.”

“Pard!”

The bald man walked around the car, opened the door from the side of his dead partner, and checked his pockets. A second later there was a squeak behind my back and my hands were free.

“Sam, hurry!” Ronald yelled. “The police could be here any minute.”

Events were happening too fast, too unpredictable, too much. I was too tired to think quickly, but my gaze fell on the bloody ornament and I gave my hand to Ronald. He helped me to get out of the car. I smelled dampness, which meant we were near the water. After I was out, the bald man shut all the doors, took the driver’s seat, and drove to the fence. As I jumped on the backseat of the second car, where Steve was the driver, I heard a loud splash. Then Ronald got in on the front seat and the bald man joined me on the backseat. I moved closer to the window from him. I didn’t know if I should cry or be excited at this moment, so I turned my mind off from its weak attempts to figure out what was happening. I leaned back on the seat and closed my eyes, when the car took off. I wasn’t interested anymore in anything that could happen next.

“Why did you kill him?” I asked my last question when my world started to merge with another one, taking me away. Pain hammered in my temples.

“It was him or you,” the voice next to me said. “We don’t need captives.”

“Sam, are you okay?” Steve asked. I think it was Steve. I tried to answer, but couldn’t. I was flying farther into the darkness. From the voices, the questions, and from this strange world, I needed a break; I needed to be alone. I was so, so tired.

“She’s had a long day, let her sleep.”

I didn’t know who’d said that. The voice was quiet and sounded far, far away.