It’s time to announce the winner of last week’s short story contest! She’s become a regular name in our winner’s circle and for good reason! Congratulations Tammy Mack! Check out the prompt and her winning entry below.
Prompt:
Running. Light sweat. Three miles in and making good time. Rounding the turn to head back home for breakfast, rookie cop, Ryan Jones, is relieved to put yesterday’s work behind him. His earbuds play a perfect soundtrack for the early New York spring. Snow is melting slowly and fog seems to make real-time impressionist art of Central Park’s dog walkers. It’s a calm atmosphere breathing life into a new day.
Suddenly, Ryan feels a burning impact on the back of his head. His vision is completely overtaken by a white flash. In an instant, the left half of his face meets the ground. His eyes reflexively flip open to scan the rotated scene. An unaware dog with an owner on a leash appears about one-half mile away. Then, heavy boots appear inches from his face followed by one more white flash.
Ryan wakes up tied to a chair in a warehouse. Directly in front of him is the prideful brother of a pimp that Ryan had apprehended just days before.
Progress this scene to the point where Ryan escapes.
[x_line]
Rookie Hookie
By Tammy Mack
Ryan woke with a start. His head was pounding, and almost instantly the reason why came back to him. He had been out for a run when someone had knocked him unconscious. Twisting his head to the left and right, he cried out as a white hot pain electrocuted throughout his head. The movement caused the edge of his vision field to turn gray and fuzzy. Ryan knew that he definitely had a concussion.
After a moment, allowing his vision to return, he looked down. His arms were pulled tightly behind his back, a firm yank revealed that his hands were bound, and the burning in his wrists told him that it was rope holding his arms in place. He grimaced at the pain he felt in his shoulders, the muscles and tendons were pulled taut, and Ryan knew that any movement on his part would risk tearing any of the muscles and tendons in his arms.
He attempted to kick out his legs and moaned when they didn’t give even an inch. Whoever had taken him, had made it impossible for him to move at all. In fact, it seemed like whoever had him, wanted to make it as easy as possible for Ryan to injure himself.
“Hey!” He called out, “I’m a cop!”
“Yes, muchacho, I know that you’re a cop.” The deep voice came from behind him.
Knowing it to be a bad idea, Ryan attempted to crane his neck to get at least a view of his captor. “Ricardo Valdez, I should have known.”
“Are you not the pig that arrested my brother?”
Ryan sighed, “You’re brother was involved in illegal activity, Ricardo.”
“Well, muchacho, you made a mistake arresting Felix.”
Ryan sighed. Felix Valdez, though a bad guy, through and through, was nothing like his brother, Ricardo. Felix was the middle man in their little operation, and Ricardo was the head honcho. Staff Sargent Reese, had hoped by catching Felix, that they could flip the younger brother into giving up Ricardo. The detective’s that were trying to work Felix for information hadn’t really gotten anywhere by the time Ryan had left for home. However, a plan started to form in Ryan’s concussed head. Ricardo didn’t know that Felix hadn’t given him up, and Ryan knew that was his only chance of making it out of Ricardo’s hellhole alive.
“I don’t know why you care so much, Ricardo. Felix has been singing like a canary since I arrested him yesterday. Talking about how he’d take a plea deal, even if it meant giving up his older brother. Said he was sick of this gang-banger life that you had set up for the two of you.”
Ricardo glared at Ryan, as he knelt down so that the two of them were eye level. “I don’t believe you.”
Ryan shrugged, “Believe it or don’t. All I know is that with what Felix is giving those detective’s, and the fact that you kidnapped and potentially injured a cop, you’re going away for life, Ricardo.”
Ricardo laughed heartily, but something in the other man’s eyes told Ryan that he was working the just right angle. Ryan combed through his brain, trying to remember something that had been discussed about Ricardo’s business, that maybe Ricardo wouldn’t think the cops knew about him. A grin crawled slowly across Ryan’s mouth.
“Come on, Ricardo. If Felix isn’t spilling his guts to those detective’s, then how is it that we all know about your secret little side business.”
Ricardo stared at Ryan for a moment, before standing back up. “What side business, muchacho?”
Ryan eyed the man carefully, knowing that if he overplayed his cards, that Ricardo would end up killing him. “Your little slut empire, or did you not think that we knew about your little prostitution ring? How you bring girls up from Mexico and pimp them out.”
Ricardo growled, “That is not the truth.” However, the look on Ricardo’s face told Ryan that he had pushed the just right button. Before Ryan could open his mouth to speak again, Ricardo punched him hard in the jaw. “Felix wouldn’t have spoken of such things. He is my brother.”
Ryan wanted nothing but to rub his now sore jaw, instead, he ignored the pain that shot through the aching part of his face as he spoke. “Family or not, Ricardo, how else would I know about that? Look, I’ll do just about anything for my freedom, and to not end up just another notch on your murderous belt there. So, I have a proposition. Felix betrayed you, and I know that you want him dead. Now, I won’t actually kill your brother, I do have some dignity. What I will do, is bring him to you. If he winds up dead, then I’ll look the other way.”
Ricardo stared at Ryan. “If I find out that you are lying to me, pig, then I will murder you. You hear me?”
Ryan merely nodded and knew that he would likely have to kill Ricardo Valdez, or the chances that Ryan would make it through the night alive would be slim to none. “Deal.”
Ricardo sighed, as he walked around the chair and cut the rope around Ryan’s wrists, before cutting the rope around his legs. Ryan took a moment to rub his red and raw wrists before stretching out the sore muscles in his aching arms. “I want him. Sooner rather than later.”
“You got it.” Ryan stuck out a hand for a handshake while eyeballing the gun tucked away in Ricardo’s waistband. “I’m glad we could come to an agreement that works for both of us.” Ryan mumbled. It was now or never. Ryan dove forward, tackling Ricardo to the ground and grabbing for the gun at the same time. Both of the men’s hands were around the gun, fighting for control when it went off. Ryan groaned, he had made his first kill, but at least he was finally free.
[x_line]
Love this story? Check out Tammy’s new book on Amazon, The Killing Retreat. You can also connect with Tammy on Twitter at @tjmack1986.
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