The Long Drive into the Wilderness

Desperation took him. Dale strained at his bindings. "Look, Yuri, you can do whatever you want to me. Just let her go. Please."

"No can do, my friend."

"Think of Dmitri. What would he say about you beating a woman?"

"Ah, my father." Yuri's smile widened but the look in his eyes grew positively feral. "He met with an unfortunate accident in prison. It seems some bad man shoved a shank in his gut twenty or thirty times."

Dale's stomach contracted.

"That's right, Sergei. I'm in charge of things now. We actually found you six months ago but I told my people to hold off. We had a little ... ah, insurrection in the ranks after my father died. It's quelled now, so I had time to come deal with you." He paused and lowered his voice to a whisper. "Personally."

"Yuri--"

"Don't worry, Dale." He wrenched Maggie's head back by her hair. She grunted and struggled but Yuri's grip was firm. "I'm going to take Maggie to the cabin next door and show her a good time."

"You motherfucker!"

"Don't worry, I'm going to leave Mikhail here to keep you company. I'm sure your imagination will run wild at what I'm doing, but don't worry: we'll open some windows and make sure you hear everything. Maybe when I'm done, he and I can trade off."

In spite of anger, his impotent rage, and the constriction of the zip ties cutting into his flesh, all Dale felt at the moment was panic. "Yuri, please. You don't have to do this."

Mikhail stepped forward and grabbed Dale's head with both meaty hands. He fought but couldn't move so much as an inch.

Yuri drew back a fist and punched Maggie in the gut. He released her and she fell coughing. He cocked his head, muttered, "Hmm," and took two steps toward Dale, who could only watch him approach.

"It's strange," Yuri said. He examined his fingernails. "She's not even really my type but I think I'm going to enjoy this. My cock is already hard as a wooden post." He drew a small knife from his belt. The blade looked to be about three inches long. Yuri caressed the handle like it was his lover. "You know the best part?"

Dale struggled but Mikhail held him tight.

Yuri leaned forward until his lips almost brushed Dale's ear. His voice, sibilant as a serpent's hiss, nevertheless thundered into Dale's mind. "The best part is that you'll know what's happening ... and can do absolutely nothing."

With that, he buried the knife in the meat of Dale's thigh.

Blinding pain lanced up his spine. Dale clenched his teeth; tears welled up in his eyes but he managed only a wheezing grunt.

Painful but not serious. He didn't hit an artery or anything. Of course he didn't. Yuri knows exactly what he's doing. He doesn't want me to bleed out before he can come back and have his fun.

"You didn't scream. Remarkable. I really will enjoy this." Yuri stood back, gave Dale one last smile, then glanced at Mikhail. "Have fun but don't kill him or cut off anything. Not yet."

"You got it," the gorilla mumbled.

The crime boss strode to Maggie, wrenched her from the floor by her hair, and dragged her screaming out the door.

Mikhail placed the revolver on the desk and dipped into his pocket, producing a shining set of brass knuckles. He slid the fingers of his right hand through the grips and settled the weapon in his hand. "You know, Sergei, if I hit you as hard as I could, I'd probably kill you." He leaned forward and tapped Dale in the bridge of his nose.

He tried to shift away but the zips held him tight to the chair, and even that slight movement amplified the pain in his leg.

"One blow and it would all be over ... but what kind of fun would that be?" Mikhail drew back, considered his fist, and gave a Dale sharp blow on the left cheek.

Fresh pain exploded in his head, snapping his vision to the side and scrambling his consciousness. His vision had just started to come back into focus when a matching blow struck the right side. Dale's ears rang and everything between his forehead and chin screamed in agony. He dimly waited for another strike but it didn't come. As his vision returned, he noted that Mikhail had taken a step away.

The big man grinned at him. "Did you think I was going to make this fast? Hell no, you little bitch. Ever since you killed Pavel, I've been waiting for this chance, and I am going to drag it out as long as I can. Besides, Yuri wants you to listen to him having his way with your woman before he cuts your cock off."

As if on cue, Maggie's scream drifted from outside.

Mikhail laughed. He reached out and yanked the knife loose. Hot pain flared again and blood welled up from the wound. Mikhail placed the blade on the desk and stared at his prey.

For a moment, Dale's soul fluttered on the edge of surrender. Frank was not due to check on them until the weekend. No deliveries were due, nor were any guests scheduled. He and Maggie were alone, at Yuri and Mikhail's mercy. They had no hope. The temptation to fall into that vast chasm of despair was so strong it almost overwhelmed him.

No. If we're going to die, I'm doing it on my feet.

He raised his head, almost in defiance ... and his eyes locked onto something behind Mikhail. Something on the wall.

Barney.

The elk head watched him in silence. Dale almost supposed he saw approval in those dead black eyes. Why not? What have we got to lose now? Doing his best to ignore the pain in his face and leg, he steadied his feet on the floor and shifted his weight forward.

Mikhail tapped the brass knuckles against his other palm. "Ready for some more? Maybe this time, I can take off your boots and break your toes one by one? Or use this knife and cut one of your balls off? By the time he's done with your slut, Yuri won't care if you're missing one or two parts." He loomed over Dale. "In fact--"

His words terminated in a loud, "Oof!" as Dale shot forward, dragging the chair with him. He aimed his shoulder squarely at Mikhail's gut. He wanted nothing save to throw the big man back. His thigh screamed in pain and Dale collapsed. Normally such a move might have knocked his foe down but that would have been the extent of it. Mikhail would have risen, angrier and more cautious.

Except, as the big man crashed into the wall, he landed right on Barney.

Mikhail stiffened. He gaped at Dale. A bony protrusion seemed to have sprouted from Mikhail's open mouth. The man quivered then fell still, his eyes still locked in an expression of stunned surprise.

Maggie screamed again.

Dale hurried to his feet as best as his injured thigh would allow. The business desk was solid steel and as heavy as an engine block. The chair he was bound to, however, was cheaply-constructed of wood pieces glued together. He pivoted on his good foot and after a few solid whacks and splintering cracks, had managed to loosen enough pieces to get his hands free. He grabbed the knife and within seconds, had freed himself of the zip ties. His leg hurt. His face hurt. But one thought dominated his thoughts.

Maggie.

He plucked Mikhail's pistol from the man's belt, thrust it in his own, then scooped up the revolver. He limped to the door, wincing every time he put pressure on the leg. Dale scanned the area but saw nothing, so he hobbled down the porch and crept toward the nearest cabin.

A fresh scream emerged from the cabin's open window, though now he could hear Yuri's voice, which was almost purring. "That's it, Maggie. Yell for me."

"Fuck you!"

"We'll get to that shortly. In the meantime, aren't you enjoying my knives? They're so exquisite."

"You're fucking insane!" she cried.

"Just a matter of perspective, my dear. Now where shall we go next? The inside of the thigh? Or maybe one of those little breasts? You don't need those to take my cock."

Dale limped to the cabin entry, knowing he would have a fraction of a second to isolate Yuri in his sights before the man reacted. He uttered a silent prayer to a God he no longer trusted that no matter what happened to him, that Maggie would be safe. He took a deep breath and shouldered open the door.

In the center of the room, Maggie hung from the rafters by her rope tied to her wrists, clad in nothing but her underpants. Several bleeding wounds covered her torso and arms.

Yuri stood beside her, holding a scalpel-like blade adorned with crimson. He'd shed his clothes and Dale saw with sick fascination that his foe's erection stood tall. He was half-turned away from the door and glanced over his shoulder in annoyance. "Mikhail, I--"

Dale fired.

The bullet struck Yuri in the upper arm. He staggered, exposing more of his torso. The second round hit him in the chest and he fell.

Dale limped to where Yuri lay on the floor. An immediate glance told him the wound would not be fatal if Yuri got medical attention.

Yuri laughed. "Sergei, you botched it as always. If you think prison can keep me from--"

Dale fired four more times, emptying the cylinder into Yuri's head.

The revolver slipped from his hands and he half-fell against her. "Maggie."

"Dale." Amazement filled her eyes. "What ..."

"Shh." He fetched the scalpel from where Yuri had dropped it and cut her down. As soon as her hands were free, Maggie fell against him and then the tears fell. She sobbed against him and he held her tight, never wanting to let her go.

#

As Dale thought it would, the entire situation turned into one gigantic shitshow.

He knew the smart thing would have been for them to flee but neither of them were in any shape to do so. Wearing nothing but a button-down shirt with blood soaking through it, Maggie drove them to the nearest emergency room, which was in the neighboring town of Whitefish. Dale had wanted to drive but between the pain in his knee and the blurring of his vision, he knew it was safer for her to do so.

She'd also called Frank and told him about the attack, telling him to get people up there. Dale heard Frank still shouting for more information when Maggie hung up on him.

The staff at the emergency room had tried to separate them but Maggie had protested so loudly, and even shoved an intern who tried to lead her away, that they ended up treating them in the same room. X-rays showed that his cheekbones hadn't been fractured but the bruising and contusions would take some time to clear up. They stitched up his leg and the gashes on Maggie, all of which turned out to be shallow, painful, and bloody, but none of which were life-threatening.

Of course not, Dale thought. For Yuri, it was all about the pain, not the injury. He thought of Yuri's arousal at the hurt he'd inflicted on Maggie and Dale suddenly wished he'd shot the man a dozen more times.

The tech apologized to Maggie. "I'm sorry but some of these are probably going to leave scars."

She shrugged. "I'm alive, so it's fine."

The local police caught up with him at the ER a few hours later. As Dale had feared, they were full of questions and suspicion. One officer wanted to immediately arrest him on suspicion of murder and only the intervention of the hospital staff on account of his injuries prevented them from doing so. With no other moves left to him, Dale reluctantly told the police to contact the regional US Marshals office in Billings and gave them his full name. He supposed that did the trick since after five minutes on the phone, during which the officer grew increasingly pale, he stammered that he would stay with Dale as protection until the marshals from Missoula arrived.

About the time the stitches were done, Dale heard a commotion in the common area of the ER. He heard an officer's voice trying to placate someone before Frank burst into the room. His eyes locked on Dale. "Boy, what the hell did you do?"

"It's a long story."

Frank sat. "Well, it seems like we have some time." He glared at the nearby trio of police. "You wanna give us some space? These two ain't going to run anywhere."

The three men stepped away.

Dale and Maggie told the story as best they could, leaving out some of the more sundry details of their histories with the Petrov family. Frank remained impassive while they spoke. When they were finished, he took a deep breath. "Jesus Christ."

Dale nodded. "Yeah, I know."

Frank looked at the floor, then shrugged. "Well, I'm glad Barney was able to help."

Maggie smiled and draped her arm around Dale's shoulder. She gave him a light kiss on the cheek, staying away from the cut and bruised flesh. "Me too. Barney kept this guy alive, and he kept me alive."

Dale held her hand. "Love me?"

"Yeah, love me?"

"Of course."

Frank snorted and rolled his eyes but Dale caught his small smile and despite the pain, allowed himself one of his own.

#

Dale winced as he got out of the car. His wounded thigh would be several weeks healing, though the hurt had faded to a muted twinge when he overdid things, versus the searing pain it had been at first. He gazed at the camp office. "You sure you wanted to come back here?"

Maggie exited from the driver's side. "Why wouldn't I? We've been calling this home for a year."

"Yeah ..." Just looking at the camp conjured the memories of that terrifying afternoon but they were hazier and weaker than they had been.

"Hey." She paced around the car and slipped into his arms. "It's okay."

"Are you sure about that?"

"I promise."

It had taken several days for Dale to sort out the issues with the Marshals Service, which had included a visit from Deputy Director David Jones from DC. With such a bland, white-bread name, Jones looked and acted exactly like the humorless, soulless bureaucrat Dale had been expecting.

Jones had been a little salty about Dale fleeing and going incommunicado, but off the record, the man admitted that it had probably saved Dale's life--that one of the witness protection administrators had been compromised by the Petrovs. The agent had cracked as soon as his boss had gotten his hands on him and had been revealing everything he knew. Jones had insinuated that Yuri hadn't been nearly as circumspect as his father and that the crimes racking up against the family were only a few weeks away from triggering a slew of RICO indictments for organized crime.

"This set of evidence is far better than anything the task force has had on them before." Jones had said. "You didn't hear this from me, but the Petrov family will cease to exist as a crime entity--though with Dmitri gone, and now Yuri too, they've pretty much fallen apart. Their civil war after Dmitri died all but gutted their organization. There's not much left to clean up."

"Are you saying we don't have to worry about retribution?"

Jones's attempt at a smile had made Dale want to laugh. "There's no one left to retaliate, Mr. Wilson."

The marshals wanted to keep him in the program. Since they weren't going to make him move or change names again--or separate him from Maggie--Dale had simply shrugged. Staying on the books only meant they'd be checking in on him from time to time.

They'd been discharged from the hospital three days later. Maggie had been free to go the same day but stuck with him. She hovered by his side, leaning in every time he so much as grunted in discomfort, until he had to tell her to relax. The attending surgeon said it looked like the blade had missed his arteries and bones, meaning that his leg, like his face, would heal in its own time. Dale figured he might have a limp and some scars but that beat being dead.

Maggie had smiled when she heard that. "Chicks dig scars--at least, that's what I hear." Her smile had faded. "I hope mine won't be an issue."

At that, Dale had grabbed her and pulled her onto the bed with him. His bruised lips touched hers and he savored the kiss, even with the pain. "You know they aren't."

They'd discussed it and decided to stay at the camp for the time being. After the crime scene boys had made a mess of the place, Frank had both the office and other cabin professionally cleaned. When Dale had said that not many people would want to come to a camp where a mob hit had occurred, Frank had scoffed in return.

"On the contrary, Dale, it'll be a great draw. There's a breed of tourists that loves that kinda stuff."

Dale still wasn't sure if he wanted to deal with any of that but since the camp was closed for another week, he figured he had time to adjust. Maggie helped him onto the porch of the office cabin, and unlocked the door.

If he hadn't known, he would have sworn nothing had ever happened--that the fear and pain and bloodshed had never occurred there. The entire place had been scrubbed--even the floorboards--until it sparkled. The broken desk chair had been replaced and stacks of cans and bottled water by the fridge gave testimony to Frank's efforts to restock. Dale suspected that if he opened the fridge, it would be crammed too.

His eyes fell on the mounted elk head. It seemed the same, yet more friendly and less sinister than before. Light gleamed from the points of each tine.

Maggie stood next to him. "Frank said he took Barney down and polished his antlers."

Dale smiled. "He's so proud. I know it's killing him that he can't talk about it to all his cronies in town."

"It just means we get to listen to him when he comes to see us." She moved away and sat on the bed. A knowing grin decorated her face. "Which won't be for a few days."

"You sure?"

"Yes, I told him we needed some alone time."

Dale chuckled. He spotted a grocery bag on the table and pointed. "I think that's what you brought in that day."

"Yeah, though after the hospital, I don't really need it now."

"Why?"

Maggie stood and plucked the bag from the table. She produced a small box from within and held it up.

Dale's mouth fell open. "Pregnancy test?"

"Uh-huh."

He licked his lips. "And."

"The one they gave me was positive."

"Oh."

Pregnant. That means she and I ... we're going ... oh ...

Maggie stilled. "Are you mad?"

Dale laughed and swept her into his arms. "Are you kidding me? This is the best news possible."

She threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. "I love you, Dale." She pulled back so she could look him in the eye. "Or now that it's all over, do you want to go back to Sergei?"

"No. Sergei's gone for good. All Dale now--and he loves you a lot."

They pressed their lips together. As always, endorphins fired and Dale felt a swell of arousal ... but a new feeling overlaid it now--a feeling of peace, comfort, and a sense that he was right where he needed to be.

Maggie broke their kiss and stared into his eyes.

He said, "Do you remember what you told me when I said I couldn't save you?"

"I said maybe we could save each other. Do you think we did?"

"Absolutely." He looked aside. "Now, I just have to see if we can convince Frank to expand this place a little. It's a bit tight for us and< a baby."

Maggie's laugh pealed through the cabin. Her look grew hungry. "I'd say it's time to get to work on the second one."

"You haven't even had the first one."

"We need the practice."

Dale laughed. For the first time in forever, his mind soared free and unencumbered by guilt and dread. He gazed at the petite woman grinning up at him and love filled his heart.

She guided him to the bed. "Don't argue with me. Show your woman you love her."

"Whatever you say, babe."

END

Thanks for reading!