Bait and Switch

It had been a month since Sawyer had helped Ryan escape the courthouse. They had spent the weeks following the escape trying to evade capture in the woods. They were unable to light any fires for fear of the smoke giving away their position. Still, they had managed to avoid capture so far, mostly because of Sawyer’s ability to keep them a step ahead of the police dogs. They had no shelter and had little food. Only what they could scavenge from hunting cabins. Sawyer had spent one evening pretending to be a stray and was invited into a house long enough to steal an old radio.
“What are they saying?” asked Ryan
Sawyer pulled off his headphones and replied, “Sounds like the police are calling off the search for now.”
“What about you being on video shooting up the courthouse?” asked Ryan
“Well, sounds like people know it happened, but…” said Sawyer
“But what?” said Ryan
“But the media is doing a good job of casting doubt on the situation. I’m either a small person in a costume or a hologram.” Said Sawyer “Because quote: “There’s no way a dog can shoot an AK-47, people!” Or so I keep hearing on the radio.” Said Sawyer as he wrapped the headphones around the radio and placed it in his denim backpack.
“Do you think the insurance companies have me listed as wanted?” asked Ryan
“No idea. Why?” said Sawyer
“Time to make a call.” Said Ryan as dialed a number into his cell phone.
“Hello, I’d like to make a change to my insurance policy…” said Ryan
“Yes, the benefactor in the event that I die…”
“Phillip Bauer, please. B-A-U-E-R.” said Ryan
“What are you doing that for?” whispered Sawyer
“Alright, thank you very much. Have a nice day.” Said Ryan as he hung up the phone.
“Why did I do that?” said Ryan “Because there’s no reason $100,000 needs to go to someone who can’t use it in the event that I get killed. Phil can use it to find Annie’s captor.”
“OK, but in the meantime, where do we start?” asked Sawyer “We don’t know anything. Not even the police had a clue.”
“I know.” Said Ryan, shaking his head. “But since we escaped the courthouse, I’ve been wanting to ask Fred a few questions.”
“Fred Crosby?” asked Sawyer “Your lawyer?”
“My crappy lawyer, yes.” Said Ryan. “He just didn’t seem at all interested in doing his job. It’s as if he wanted me in jail. Call me paranoid, but it’s worth looking into.”
“You know where to find him?” asked Sawyer
Ryan pulled a card from his wallet. “Let’s start at his office. First thing tomorrow morning.”
* * * * *
Ryan and Sawyer made it into town before the sun came up. They knew that in order to get into the office, they had to find disguises. Ryan had grown a beard while in the woods, so it would help for a little while, but once in Fred’s office, he knew he’d need something better.
“Wait here.” Said Ryan. “I’m going to find disguises.”
Ryan was gone for about 30 minutes before coming outside with two bags and a large box.
“What’s in the box?” asked Sawyer.
“Your disguise.” Said Ryan
Sawyer opened the box and found a large baby stroller with a cover shade on it.
“Nice. We can hide the guns in here too. Good thinking.” Said Sawyer. “What’s your disguise?”
“Never mind…” said Ryan
“Tell me!” said Sawyer.
“No.” said Ryan.
“I’ll find out sooner or later.” Said Sawyer as he grabbed one of the bags from Ryan. He opened the bag and immediately doubled over laughing.
“Shut up, Sawyer.” Said Ryan
“Make sure you shave first.” Said Sawyer through tears of laughter.
* * * * *
“Hey, sexy!” said a stranger as they passed by Ryan and the baby stroller. Sawyer covered his mouth with his paw to hold back the laughter.
“Sawyer!” said Ryan under his breath. “Focus!”
Ryan was wearing a blue dress, a blonde wig and was carrying a purse while pushing the stroller.
“Aw, how cute!” said a lady on the street as they crossed paths. “Can I see your baby?”
“Um, he’s napping right now.” Said Ryan in a female voice.
“Oh, OK.” Said the lady. “I see you have another one on the way!” said the woman, pointing at Ryan’s stomach.
Sawyer immediately busted out laughing.
Ryan looked down at his gut, then shot his glare back at the woman. “Mind your own business, you stupid skank!” said Ryan, making no attempt to hide his voice.
The woman was shocked and hurried away with a disgusted look on her face as Ryan continued his way towards the lawyer’s office.
“Stop walking so fast!” said Sawyer. “You might induce labor!”
“I hate you, Sawyer…”
* * * * *
“Yes, I’ll take your case.” said Fred into his phone. “$1,000 up front, then $200 per hour after that.”
“That’s the cheapest rate in town.” Said Fred
“Well if you’re so worried about going to jail, you should either buy a better lawyer or maybe not break the law!” Fred yelled into his phone.
“Hello? Hello? Cheapskate.” Said Fred as he hung up.
“Mr. Crosby, there’s a woman out here that would like to see you.” Said the receptionist through the intercom.
“Send her in.” said Fred.
* * * * *
“Hello, miss.” Said Fred. “What can I do for you?”
“Well, my name is Cammi Granato and I’m trying to divorce my husband.” Said Ryan
“Divorce just so happens to be one of my specialties!” Said Fred, obviously flirting.
“Good. He’s a horrible man.” Said Ryan “He never listens, he leaves the toilet seat up and—“
“Intriguing.” Said Fred. “Do you have money?”
“Well, I have my husband’s money.” Said Ryan as he pulled out a fake ATM card. “How much do you want?”
“Let’s have lunch, shall we?” said Fred, grinning from ear to ear.
Ryan put the stroller holding Sawyer into the back of Fred’s car, then rode with him to a nearby diner.
“The fish here is terrible. So is the beef, the pork and the turkey.” Said Fred. “But it’s dirt cheap, which I like.”
“Works for me.” said Ryan.
Ryan pushed Sawyer into the diner, then sat at a nearby booth.
“What can I get for you?” asked the waitress.
“I’ll have the fish sandwich. Easy on the mayo.” Said Fred.
“And you, miss?” said the waitress as she turned towards Ryan.
“I actually brought lunch with me.” Said Ryan as he reached into the stroller.
“Miss, we don’t allow outside food in the—“
Ryan pulled his shotgun out and pointed it at Fred’s face.
“Can I get everyone that isn’t a crappy lawyer to leave, please?” asked Ryan.
Everyone hurried out of the diner, then Ryan motioned for Sawyer to come out of the stroller. Fred’s jaw dropped when he saw Sawyer pointing his rifle at him.
“You two!” said Fred. “What do you want from me?”
Ryan took off his wig and dress, then put on jeans and a hoodie from the stroller.
“Tell me what you know about Annie’s missing person’s case and you’ll walk out of here alive.” Said Ryan.
“Me? I don’t know anything about it!” said Fred.
“Look.” Said Ryan. “You’re a terrible lawyer. But there’s no way anyone is that bad. You were throwing the case and you know it! Now tell me why!” said Ryan, jamming the gun against Fred’s chest.
“I’m telling you, I—“
Sawyer shoved his rifle into Fred’s mouth and growled at him.
“That’s Sawyer.” Said Ryan. “Wave at Sawyer.”
Fred turned his eyes towards Sawyer and waved slightly, then turned back to Ryan.
“He’s a good dog, but he has a talent.” Said Ryan. “He can smell bull crap from a mile away. He doesn’t like bull crap.”
Sawyer growled.
“Alright, alright.” Said Fred. “This guy, he called me.”
“What guy?” asked Ryan.
“He never told me his name.” said Fred. “He just said that if you were convicted of murder and locked away, he would pay me a million bucks and give me coordinates for a safe zone.”
“Safe zone?” asked Ryan.
“I don’t know why, but he said I would need to be there within 24 hours of receiving the coordinates if I wanted to live.” Said Fred.
“What did the guy sound like?” asked Ryan.
“He disguised his voice.” Said Fred.
“So you listened to a guy with a disguised voice?” said Ryan
“Hey man, a million bucks.” Said Fred.
“Did he mention Annie at all?” asked Ryan.
“Sorry, just the money. He seemed to know what he was doing.” Said Fred. “No unneeded information passed between us.”
“Did he leave you a number?” asked Ryan.
“No, he said he’d call me whenever he needed me and his number was blocked.” Said Fred. “Hey, who’s at the door?”
Ryan and Sawyer both looked back at the door as Fred made his move. He grabbed Sawyer’s rifle and pointed it at Ryan! Ryan pointed his shotgun back at Fred’s face and chaos ensued.
“Put it down!” said Fred
“You put it down!” said Ryan. ”I’ve got nothing to lose!”
“I’ve got everything to gain!” said Fred. “Drop the gun now!”
“I have no problem killing you!” said Ryan.
“Neither do I!” said Fred.
No one noticed that the police had arrived in front of the building. Ryan saw Fred’s finger start squeezing the trigger, so he dropped to the floor as Fred blindly sprayed bullets out the window.
“He’s shooting at us!” said Officer Culver. “Return fire!”
The police opened up on the building, hitting Fred in the chest. Fred fell to the floor and lay motionless.
“Sawyer, get your gun and shoot back at the cops, but don’t hit anyone!” said Ryan
“Why?” said Sawyer.
“Just do it!” said Ryan.
Sawyer sprayed a burst of bullets of the heads of the police as they ducked for cover. Ryan took out his wallet and switched it with Fred’s. Then he put his wedding ring on Fred’s finger.
“We need a fire!” said Ryan. “Check the kitchen!”
Sawyer sprinted into the kitchen while Ryan kept returning fire. Sawyer found a gas stove, a microwave and some aerosol cans. Sawyer turned on the gas of all four burners, but never lit the fire.
“OK, when I give the word, put the cans in the microwave and turn it on full power for about 10 minutes!” said Ryan.
“What are you going to do?” asked Sawyer.
“I need my disguise again…” said Ryan
* * * * *
After Ryan had his disguise back on, he gave Sawyer the signal. Sawyer started the microwave, then jumped into his stroller. Ryan ran out the back door, pushing Sawyer as he went.
“Hold it!” cried a policeman.
“He rigged the whole place to blow!” said Ryan in a female voice.
“Come with me, ma’am!” said the officer.
Ryan followed the policeman to a safe distance, then waited.
“Make sure no one goes in there!” said Ryan. “They won’t make it!”
The officer used his radio to warned the others. Once he was finished, Ryan clubbed him in the back of the head, knocking him out. He and Sawyer left the scene just before the diner exploded in a ball of fire.
* * * * *
Officer Culver walked into the morgue and approached the charred remains they had pulled out of the diner.
“Were you able to identify the body?” asked Officer Culver.
“Yes.” Said the mortician. “His name was Ryan Easton. His wallet was in his pocket. There was enough info left undamaged to make a positive I.D. Plus his wedding ring had his name engraved on it.”
“Ryan Easton?” asked Officer Culver.
“Yes. Did you know him?” asked the mortician.
“Yeah, he helped the department out a few times. Not sure what got into him lately, but he used to be a good guy.” Said Officer Culver.
“Notify the next of kin?” said the mortician.
“Well, his wife is either missing or dead. He was the prime suspect. There’s no one else to call as far as I know.” Said Officer Culver. “Send the remains to the funeral home. Looks like this case is closed. For now at least.”
* * * * *
“Hello? Can anyone hear me?” cried Annie. “Please, help me!”
She was trapped in a windowless prison with a windowless door.
“Calm yourself.” Said a raspy, almost metallic voice. “You’re wasting energy.”
“Who are you? Where am I?” asked Annie.
“I can’t tell you who I am just yet, but you are safe here.” Said the man. “Here, eat something. You will need your strength in the days to come.”
The man passed a plate through a small slot in the door. Starving, Annie grabbed it and started eating.
“What are you going to do with me?” asked Annie as she ate.
“We’re going to make you the most powerful woman in the world.” Said the man. “Now enough questions. Why don’t you get some sleep?”
Annie immediately felt tired. ‘I must have been drugged!’ she thought. Before she could say anything in protest, she was asleep.
The man with the raspy voice stood and was about to walk away when a voice from the shadows stopped him.
“Will she assist us?” asked the man in the shadows.
“She will.” Said the man with the raspy voice. “With the right motivation, you can make someone turn on their own country.”
“Good.” Said the man in the shadows. “Tomorrow, we begin.”

Rock Bottom

Annie turned the page of her text book and sighed deeply. Tomorrow was the biggest day of her life. Ace her exam and she was guaranteed a trip to med school. Fail it and who knows what she would have to do to achieve her dream of becoming a doctor. It was so important she has asked Ryan to go fishing for the evening and to take Sawyer with him in order to keep the house perfectly quiet. She was almost done. Just a couple more pages and she could go to sleep, confident that she was as ready as she could be. Then someone knocked on the door. Annie got up from her desk and headed to the front door.
“It’s 10:00 pm.” She thought “Who could this be?”
She opened the door and saw a man dressed in black trench coat and dark aviator glasses. The man glanced over his shoulder at the dark, empty neighborhood, then spoke:
“Is the man of the house here?” he asked
“He’s actually out fishing tonight.” She explained “Can I take a message?”
“No ma’am.” He said with a smile “That’s what I was hoping to hear.”
Without warning, the man shoved a cloth over Annie’s face, pushed his way inside the house and slammed the door behind him. Before she could scream, she was out cold. The man tied her up and gagged her, then carried her out to his car. Once she was in the back seat, the man pulled out a syringe and drew some of Annie’s blood. He then went back inside and searched through the dirty laundry for a woman’s shirt. After finding one, he pulled out a silenced pistol and shot three holes into the chest of the shirt, then soaked it with the blood he had drawn. After planting the shirt in the washer, he went to the living room and dialed 9-1-1.
“911, what’s your emergency?” said the voice on the other line
After hearing the operator, the man began turning over the furniture and breaking things.
“Is everything alright?” asked the operator after hearing the commotion
Then the man walked outside and loudly slammed the door behind him.
“If you can hear me, the police are on their way…” said the 911 operator.
* * * * *
“I’m telling you, that fish was at least 4… no, 5 feet long!” said Ryan
“You’re crazy!” laughed Sawyer “There are no fish that big in our little lake.”
“That’s what I used to think!” Ryan shot back
Ryan and Sawyer were almost home when three police cars went flying past them.
“Yikes.” Said Sawyer. “Someone’s in trouble.”
Then they arrived at their house and saw that the police in their front yard. Ryan jumped out of his truck and ran to the front door.
“Who are you?” demanded one of the cops
“I’m Ryan, I live here.” Said Ryan. “Is Annie ok? My wife Annie? She was supposed to be here…”
“There’s no one in the house.” Said the officer “There was a 911 call at 10:05pm. When we got here, no one was here, but the living room was trashed.”
“What!?” said Ryan “Let me see!”
“I’m sorry, sir.” Said the officer “This is a crime scene.”
“Well, was she hurt?” asked Ryan “Do you have any leads at all?”
“Nothing yet, sir, but we’re working on it.” Said the officer
Just then, another officer walked out of the house and motioned for the one that had been talking to Ryan. Ryan looked down at Sawyer with a worried look. Sawyer returned the same glance. This was not the first time Annie had been in danger, but normally the culprit left behind a note or a clue for Ryan to follow since all they really wanted was a chance to kill him and Sawyer. This time, it was as if she had vanished. Was this connected to anyone that they had fought before? Or was this just a random crime? Then the officer came back outside.
“Ryan Easton?” he asked
“Yes…” said Ryan
“You’re under arrest for the murder of Annie Leonard.” Said the officer
“What!?” Ryan gasped “Murder!? How can that be!?” he pleaded
“You have the right to remain silent.” The officer said, ignoring him.
Ryan was read his rights and placed in a squad car as Sawyer watched in disbelief.
“What do we do with the dog?” asked one of the officers
“Call the pound, I guess.” Said another “His owners won’t be seeing him anytime soon.”
Sawyer was crushed after hearing that. He had to keep himself out of the pound. He had to stay free so that someone could find Annie and free Ryan. Or free Ryan so he could help find Annie. His mind was racing so fast, he didn’t see the dog catcher’s noose coming at him until it was wrapped around his neck!
“No!” thought Sawyer “I have to get away!”
The dog catcher pulled Sawyer towards his van as Sawyer struggled to free himself. As he drew closer to the van’s back door, Sawyer knew he had to blow his cover. He stood on his hind legs, grabbed the pole with his paws and ripped it out of the dog catcher’s hands. The dog catcher froze in disbelief and fear as Sawyer loosened the noose and removed it from his neck. Sawyer thew the pole back at the dog catcher, dropped back to all fours and bolted off into the darkness.
“Where’s the dog?” asked one of the cops
“He—You didn’t—He couldn’t—“ the dog catcher stammered “He—He got away…” he finally blurted out.
* * * * *
“Let’s go over this one more time.” Said the officer who was interrogating Ryan “You were fishing all night. No one who stands on two legs can account for this. We get a 911 call from your house, find it trashed, your wife is missing and we find her bloody clothes in your washing machine.”
“Yes.” Said Ryan, solemnly.
“You see why this looks bad for you, right?” said the officer. “Intruders don’t usually try to clean up evidence. Especially when they seem to make a clean get away.”
“I’m telling you.” Said Ryan “I was fishing all night and—“
“Save it!” the officer cut him off. “You can tell it to the judge tomorrow morning.”
* * * * *
It seemed like the longest night of his life. Sawyer had not slept at all. He was too nervous and afraid. Not afraid of the dark woods he had taken refuge in, but of the unclear future he was faced with. Was Annie really gone forever? What if Ryan couldn’t prove his innocence? Sawyer made his way home and stopped just inside the wood line to see if there were still cops waiting outside. Once he saw that no one was there, he trotted towards the front door and walked inside. The house was still a mess. Sawyer went into the basement and opened the door to their sports room. That’s where he and Ryan had watched all the Red Wings hockey games and played video games together. He turned on the TV and switched it over to the local news.
‘A local woman is presumed dead. After receiving a 911 call from her house, police found the place trashed.’ Said the reporter. ‘No one was home, but a bloody shirt with bullet holes in it was found. The woman’s husband is the prime suspect and will be arraigned on charges of murder in the first degree this morning.’
Sawyer pulled away all the cushions to the futon sofa they sat on and pulled open the bed. Rather than a mattress, he found Ryan’s riot shotgun, his own assault rifle, loads of ammo and a few other accessories that Sawyer loaded into his denim backpack. Next he headed out to the garage. He wanted to take the Malibu for its speed, but he didn’t want a lot of attention so he chose the Suburban.
He and Ryan had found a manikin torso and had dressed it up for just such an occasion. Sawyer would control the truck from the passenger seat while the manikin would appear to be the driver. Sawyer fired up the engine and entered the court building into the GPS. After a deep breath, he pulled out of the driveway and headed into town.
* * * * *
“All rise.” Said the bailiff. “The honorable Judge Manson presiding.”
Ryan stood up and watched as the judge walked towards his bench and sat down. The judge read the charges out loud as Ryan stood quietly.
“How do you plead?” asked the judge
“Not guilty.” Said Ryan
* * * * *
Sawyer was getting close to his destination when he noticed a cop was following him.
“Oh great…” said Sawyer
He did his best to drive carefully, but he was so distracted by the cop behind him that he ran a stop sign. The cop turned on his flashing red lights and demanded that the driver pull over. Sawyer pulled the Suburban off to the side of the road and turned off the engine.
“This is not good…” Sawyer said as he tried to figure out a plan of action. He looked at the manikin, then back at the cop car and knew this could not possibly end well. The cop stepped out of his car and slowly made his way towards the Suburban. Without warning, the Suburban roared to life!
“Stop!” cried the cop
Sawyer mashed the gas button on his controller. He glanced behind him and saw the cop jump into his squad car and turn on his sirens.
“Dispatch, I’m in pursuit of a black Chevy Suburban, Michigan plates!” Said the cop into his radio. “He’s heading west on Fourth Street! Requesting backup!”
“10-4.” Said a voice on the radio. “Backup is on its way to your location.”
Sawyer drove through a busy intersection without slowing, barely missing other vehicles. Up ahead, he could see more police headed right for him so he veered off onto a side street.
“Recalculating…” said the GPS
“Shut up!” Sawyer yelled.
Sawyer made a hard left then glanced behind him. There were three cops chasing him and closing fast. He was less than a mile from the court house now. One of the squad cars moved in and tapped Sawyer’s back bumper. He almost lost control, but kept it straight. Then the squad car moved in next to him and tried a PIT maneuver. This time, Sawyer lost control. The Suburban’s back wheels went to the side as Sawyer tried to correct them. The squad car stayed right on him though and before Sawyer could do anything, the Suburban was rolling down the street. Sawyer braced himself as best he could. The truck slammed into a light post and came to a stop upside down. Sawyer was dazed, but unhurt. He struggled to unbuckle his seat belt as the police cautiously approached the vehicle. Once he was free, he secured his backpack and weapons and prepared to make his move.
“I see movement inside!” yelled one of the cops as he and his fellow officers took up positions behind cover. “Come out with your hands up! You are completely surrounded!”
* * * * *
“Your Honor, my client, um, Ryan, could not have been the killer.” Said the public defender “He was fishing at the time of the murder.”
“Stop talking about her like she’s dead.” Said Ryan, under his breath. The public defender ignored him and continued.
“We would like to see the charges dropped due to lack of strong evidence.” He said
“I would say that the 911 call, the missing person and the bloody shirt all located in the defendant’s house and his lack of a firm alibi are very much strong evidence.” Said Judge Manson
“Oh…” said the public defender as he leafed through Ryan’s file. “Then, bail?” he asked
Ryan sighed deeply as the public defender sat down next to him.
“You suck at this.” Said Ryan “What’s your name anyways?”
“Hey, you’re the murderer.” He shot back. “You can call me ‘Fred’.”
“I didn’t kill anyone, Fred.” Said Ryan “And it’s your job to make that clear!”
* * * * *
Sawyer looked out the back window of the Suburban. He could see the court house, but he was surrounded on all sides. As the cops closed in, he made his move. He unlocked the back door and kicked it open. The police were ready to fire, but all they saw was a black dog run out from the back.
“It’s just a dog!” said one of the cops
“Yeah, but he’s armed!” said another
Before any of them could react, Sawyer was long gone. All four of his legs carried him to the court house in no time. Sawyer burst through the front of the court house and was immediately faced with security. Without hesitating, Sawyer stood on his back legs and began firing his AK-47 into the air. The guards dove for cover as Sawyer ran, setting off the metal detectors. One guard reached for his weapon, but Sawyer was too fast. He aimed Ryan’s shotgun at him and unleashed a barrage of rubber pellets onto his chest. The guard dropped in pain. Sawyer quickly read a sign, then sprinted towards the court room where Ryan was being arraigned.
* * * * *
“I’m going to deny bail.” Said Judge Manson. “Though you have no prior record, I feel that the charges are significant enough that you may be a flight risk.”
Ryan waited for Fred to say something, but he just nodded in agreement.
“Sit down, you useless prick!” said Ryan as he stood next to Fred. “Your Honor, please! I am no killer. Annie could still be alive! We’re wasting time!”
“Do you have any idea where she could possibly be or who could have taken her?” the judge calmly asked.
“No.” said Ryan. “But we’re not getting any closer just sitting in here!”
“I understand your position, sir.” Said Judge Manson. “But the evidence is---“
The alarm in the court house sounded.
“Everyone stay calm!” said the Bailiff. “Remain in your seats!”
Judge Manson slammed his gavel. “No bail. Bailiff, take the defendant into custody.”
“This is a mistake!” Ryan yelled over the alarms.
Then the doors to the court room burst open. Ryan looked back and saw Sawyer.
“Sawyer!” said Ryan, shocked and thrilled that there was still hope.
“Catch!” said Sawyer as he hurled Ryan’s shotgun towards him. “Rubber ammo!”
As soon as Ryan caught the shotgun, he turned towards the Bailiff and fired a round onto his chest. The bailiff flew back and landed in pain. Ryan turned to Fred and butt stroked him in the jaw.
“That’s for sucking.” He said to the unconscious lawyer.
“Come on!” cried Sawyer.
Ryan and Sawyer ran out of the court room and towards the front door of the court house. The guards were just standing up as Ryan and Sawyer fired their weapon at them again to get them back down. Sawyer ran out the door with Ryan closely behind. The cops that had surrounded the wrecked Suburban were making their way towards the court house.
“This way!” said Sawyer. “We need a vehicle!”
He and Ryan ran into the street. The first car that approached them was a van.
“Not that one!” said Ryan
They continued running down the street with the police behind them. Then a Chevy Camaro pulled out in front of them.
“Out of the car!” said Ryan “Leave it running!”
The man hesitated until he saw Sawyer growling at him behind an AK-47. He jumped out of the car and ran away. Ryan and Sawyer got in the car, turned it around and were gone before the cops could catch them.
* * * * *
“I think we lost them.” Said Sawyer
They had driven for a few hours and were now well into the country. They ditched the car, gathered their weapons and headed into the woods.
“What are we going to do?” asked Sawyer
“I don’t know.” Said Ryan. “But Annie is alive. I know it. I don’t know where she is or who took her, but I know she’s alive. We have to find her.”
With that, he and Sawyer continued on their way, determined to find Annie, clear Ryan’s name and bring the real perpetrator to justice.
* * * * *
“The judge had denied bail, but then his dog showed up.” Said Fred into his cell phone.
“No, he never suspected me.”
“I can’t imagine how they would evade the police much longer…”
“Yes, Sir.” Said Fred. “I won’t fail you.”

Hot Streak

“Alright. Everyone know what to do?” said Ryan “I’m gonna send out a ‘ready check’. Once everyone clicks ‘yes’, I’m pulling the boss.”

Ryan watched his computer screen and waited for confirmation that everyone was ready.

“Ready Sawyer?” he asked

“I clicked yes.” Said Sawyer “Pull him…”

Ryan charged the raid boss with his character, and then an epic battle ensued.

“De-curse… Need bleed effects… c’mon, DPS, burn it down…” said Ryan into his headset

“Adds!” said Sawyer

“Got em…” said Ryan

“Pwnyerface is down…” said a voice on the computer.

“Battle rez on Pwnyerface…” Ryan ordered. “Get ready… phase two inc…”

Then the boss went on a rampage, hitting harder and faster.

“OK, blow all cooldowns… void zone! Watch the void zone!” said Ryan

“We’re not causing enough damage!” said Sawyer “He’s gonna enrage!”

“Focus…” said Ryan “LOH! LOH!”

“It’s on cooldown!” yelled Sawyer

“Heal me! C’mon! Heal!” Ryan yelled as he frantically clicked spells on his screen.

The boss was too much for them, however, and the raid wiped.

“Dang it!” said Ryan as he threw his headset.

“We almost had it…” said Sawyer, banging his paw on the desk. “Not enough DPS…”

Ryan waited until he cooled off, then addressed the raid.

“Alright, guys. It’s late and I need to get going for the night. We’ll get him next time…” he said

Sawyer logged off just before Annie walked in.

“Why is it so hot?” she asked

“I don’t know.” Said Ryan “Maybe because of the computer running?”

“No, it’s hot all over.” Said Annie “It’s 110 degrees outside.”

Ryan went outside and sure enough, it was a scorcher. He went back in the house and turned on the weather channel. They were reporting temperatures as high as 125 in some places. Worse, it was raining. The humidity was unbearable. Sawyer watched the screen, cocking his head to the side as he studied the radar.

“I don’t know why it’s like this…” said Annie “But I need Starbucks. Iced coffee. I’ll be back later.”

* * * * *

Once Annie left, Sawyer pointed to the screen.

“You see that?” he asked

“What?” asked Ryan

“The heat is strongest here, in the center of the state and gets slightly cooler as it moves out in all directions. Same with the rain storms.” He explained

“How can that be?” asked Ryan

“Who do we know that controls the weather…” said Sawyer, waiting for the obvious answer

“Elementis…” Said Ryan

“Are we gonna do something?” asked Sawyer “Remember, she said she had bigger plans than just bank robbery.”

“Yeah, we’re going after her.” Said Ryan “Get your gun.”

* * * * *

Ryan and Sawyer pinpointed the nasty weather somewhere in the middle of the Manistee National Forest. They piled into the Malibu and drove. Sawyer loaded magazines and put a few odds and ends in his backpack.

* * * * *

“Brant!” yelled Elementis “Why isn’t the AC working?”

“It is, my dearest.” Said Brant “I just wanted to turn it down to save some energy.”

“You idiot. We can afford the expense. Just keep it as cool in here as you can.” Said Elementis

“Yes, my dearest.” Brant groveled. “Sorry to have failed you.”

“Again.” Said Elementis

“Yes, again.” Said Brant

Elementis withdrew some of her rage.

“It won’t be this hot for much longer.” She explained. “Once our stocks in air conditioners, fans and pools have topped off, we’ll sell it all, then turn on the blizzard.”

“Won’t people die from the sudden change in extreme temperatures?” asked Brant

“Yes, I suppose that’s possible.” Thought Elementis “We’ll have to invest in funeral homes as well.”

* * * * *

Ryan and Sawyer arrived about a mile from the center of the heat wave. They parked their car and traveled the rest of the way on foot. It was still raining and the temperature was in the 130’s. Through the steamy mist, Ryan was able to see a trailer up ahead along with a large circular object.

“See that?” said Ryan

“Yeah,” said Sawyer “It looks like a bigger version of Elementis’ guns.”

“Exactly.” Said Ryan “You were right.”

Ryan loaded a shell into his shotgun as Sawyer switched the safety off of his rifle and stood up. After bumping fist to paw, they closed in on the target. Just then, a man stepped out of the trailer, then froze after seeing Ryan and Sawyer.

“That’s not Elementis…” said Sawyer

“Dearest!” cried Brant “Intruders!”

Elementis stepped out of the trailer, pulled out one of her weapons and fired it at Ryan and Sawyer. A bolt of lightning struck the ground between them as they both dove for cover.

“That’s Elementis!” said Sawyer

“I know!” said Ryan “Shoot her!”

Sawyer raised his weapon and pulled the trigger, but nothing happened. He pulled the bolt back and tried again but again, nothing happened.

“This weather! It’s soaked my powder!” said Sawyer

Ryan attempted to fire his as another bolt struck close to them.

“Mine too!” he yelled

Sawyer threw him his pack.

“Get back to the car and regroup! I’ll hold them off!” said Sawyer

Ryan started to protest but Sawyer was already gone. He charged the trailer and tackled Brant, biting at his arm.

“Dearest! Help me!” cried Brant

Elementis picked up a log and struck Sawyer in the head, knocking him out.

“Thank you!” said Brant

“Shut up and turn on the snow!” said Elementis

“But the investments…” said Brant

“Forget the money. These are the two from the bank.” Said Elementis “If we don’t freeze that guy, we’re finished.”

* * * * *

Ryan made it back to the car. By now we was sweating and completely soaked. His shotgun was worthless now, but he was hoping he left something in his trunk. After opening it up, he was relieved to find his bow and arrow. While he only had three arrows, the bow was guaranteed to shoot no matter the weather. He would need one for the weather machine, one to kill one person and hopefully the third to kill the other. He was about to head back towards the trailer when he felt the temperature drop sharply.

“What the heck?” Ryan said out loud

His drenched clothes started to freeze as he dove into the car and turned on the heat. The thermometer on his car said it was -20 degrees outside. Normally -20 wouldn’t be the end of the world, but with wet clothes, he could die. Suddenly he remembered Sawyer’s pack. He dumped the contents out on the seat next to him and sure enough, Sawyer had planned for this. There was Ryan’s hoodie, some jeans and dry socks. Sawyer had also brought a vest for himself. Ryan folded the vest and put it in his pocket, took a deep breath and left the car.

He made it back to the trailer in no time since the heat wasn’t slowing him down. He circled around to the side of the trailer and waited behind a tree about 30 yards away. This was going to be a waiting game. Could Ryan wait in the freezing cold for someone to open the door and give him a shot? Or would he freeze to death while
waiting? These were his two options.

* * * * *

Sawyer woke up and looked around. It didn’t take long for him to find the barrel of a gun pointed at him. Behind the gun was Brant.

“He’s awake.” Said Brant

Elementis ignored him.

“May I open a window?” Brant asked “It’s so hot in here.”

Elementis rolled her eyes. “Fine, but just for a second. And please stop whining.”

“Yes, dearest.” He replied

A breeze entered the trailer and Sawyer immediately caught Ryan’s sent. He knew he had to be out there waiting for them to come out. He decided on a plan. He perked his ears up, looked out the window and growled as if he saw something.

“He sees someone.” Said Brant “Maybe his owner?”

“He wouldn’t growl at his owner, fool.” Elementis snapped “Go see what it is.”

Ryan shivered uncontrollably. He was at the end of his rope. If someone didn’t leave that railer soon, he would have to leave and come back with warmer clothes. By then, they may kill Sawyer or leave with him. Just then, the door swung open. Brant stepped outside and looked around. Ryan carefully slipped behind the tree and drew his bow back.

“There’s no one here!” Brant called out

“Then get in here and shut the door!” Elementis yelled at him

Ryan peaked around the tree, aimed at Brant and released the arrow. It struck Brant in the shoulder and lodged in his bone.

“I’m hit!” Brant cried out in pain. “Save me, dearest!”

Ryan knocked another arrow and drew back in anticipation. Elementis stepped out and saw Brant, then saw Ryan just as he was about to fire. She dove for cover as Ryan released the arrow. The arrow missed badly. Ryan cursed his bad luck as he knocked his final shot. Elementis took off her jacket. Once again, she had a parachute underneath. She pulled out her weapon and fired it at the chute. A strong gust of wind began to carry her off as Ryan release the arrow in desperation. The arrow struck Elementis in the thigh. She shrieked in pain as she was carried off by the wind.

Ryan approached Brant.

“Where’s my dog.” He asked

“He—he’s inside…” he stammered

Sawyer stepped out and joined Ryan next to Brant.

“My dearest has left me!” Brant sobbed, his tears freezing to his cheeks.

“There there… The cops will be here soon enough.” Ryan mocked

* * * * *

The police were very interested in the machine that was left behind. After some tampering, they were able to turn it off, much to the relief of everyone. Except Elementis.

“She’s still alive.” Said Ryan

“Yeah. And so are we.” Sawyer countered.

“Do you think the cops will get Brant to talk?” asked Sawyer

“I don’t know.” Said Ryan “I guess that will be a story for another time.”

Old School

Ryan turned off the TV and threw the remote down in disgust.

“The stupid Sharks!” he yelled “I can’t believe we lost to the Sharks!”

“We lost to the Sharks.” Said Sawyer “But the refs were wearing Sharks jerseys.”

Ryan and Sawyer consoled each other over their team’s loss. The Red Wings were out of the playoffs, so there would be no more Detroit hockey until the fall.

“Want a pizza?” Ryan asked in despair

“Yeah.” Said Sawyer as he took off his Red Wings hat and sighed out loud. “Extra pepperoni.”

Ryan stood to leave and reached for his keys when he suddenly vanished before Sawyer’s eyes!

“Ryan!?” said Sawyer “Where are you!? What happened!?”

Then the phone rang. Sawyer picked it up and listened.

“I know you can hear me, dog.” Said the voice “Killing you will be so much easier now that your fool owner is gone.”

Sawyer snarled. He knew he couldn’t communicate back. He also knew who it was on the other end of the line. Doctor Apocalypse.

“Time travel is possible, beast.” Explained Doctor Apocalypse “The boy was much easier to silence when he was in grade school!” he laughed

‘He went back in time and killed Ryan when he was young?’ thought Sawyer ‘Now what am I going to do?’

“I must go, beast.” Said Doctor Apocalypse “But I will be paying you a final visit very soon.”

The phone went dead. Sawyer needed to do something. He needed to go back in time to prevent Apocalypse from killing Ryan. He sprinted down the hall towards Ryan and Annie’s room and started tearing apart Ryan’s drawers. He tossed his clothes all over the room looking for something. Then he found it: The radio that had sent them back in time last year. Then Annie walked in and saw the mess he had made.

“Sawyer!” yelled Annie “Bad dog!”

Sawyer ignored her, grabbed the radio in his mouth and ran past her.

“Come back here!” she yelled at him

Sawyer ran outside, turned on the radio, set the channel to 1989 and pressed the talk button.

“I hope he’s still alive in 1989…” said Sawyer as a flash of light temporarily blinded him.

Sawyer was right back where he was a second ago, but it was different this time. The house he had just ran out of was gone. Instead, there was a for sale sign by a dirt road. Sawyer started walking towards town. Or at least where he hoped to find a town. After a short walk, he found a gas station.

“$1.15 for a gallon of gas!?” yelled a man as he refueled his truck “What’s this world coming to?”

“Highway robbery!” said another as he did the same

‘$1.15 for gas?’ thought Sawyer ‘I must have made it. Now to find Ryan.’

* * * * *

Ryan approached the door to his school. He had been attending there for 3 years, but he felt like the new kid again. It was June, 1989 and he was in summer school. All of his friends were off for the summer and it was mostly kids from other schools that were here, so even though this was his school, he was the outsider.

‘Maybe I can impress these other guys somehow.’ Thought Ryan

* * * * *

Sawyer ran towards Ryan’s old school. He had shown it to Sawyer once before. Since it was the middle of the day, he should be there. He just needed to find him before Apocalypse did. Once he found the school, he walked up to the gym window and looked inside. There were dozens of kids standing in line to register. Then he found Ryan. He looked as if he wanted to say something to the kids talking in front of him.

‘I’ll just make up some lie!’ thought Ryan ‘These guys will think I’m the coolest kid here if they think I have cool toys… and they’ll never know! Now what toy collection is popular…’

“Hey.” Said Ryan to one of the boys

“What.” He asked impatiently

“I own the entire Willow collection.” Said Ryan

‘He actually said that?’ thought Sawyer ‘I thought he was kidding…’

“Willow sucks.” Said the boy as he turned back around and continued his conversation.

Ryan hung his head in shame.

‘Guessed wrong, loser!’ he thought to himself

“Is there a Ryan here?” asked a man who had just walked into the gym. He had strange goggles over his eyes and it looked as if he had been badly burned once before.

“Here.” Said Ryan

“Come with me, please.” Said the man

Ryan left the line he had been standing in to follow the man. Peering through the window, Sawyer growled at the man that Ryan was following. It was Doctor Apocalypse. Sawyer ran around the building to find a door. He had to get inside and stop Apocalypse!

“Am I in trouble?” asked Ryan

“Not at all.” Said Apocalypse “I just need your signature on some papers.” He lied

“Signature?” said Ryan “I don’t have a signature. I’m 8.”

“Just shut up and follow me you little brat!” Apocalypse snarled back. His patience had run out. He just wanted to eliminate Ryan and get back to 2010.

‘Who is this guy?’ thought Ryan ‘Maybe a teacher from a different school?’

Doctor Apocalypse opened the door to the teacher’s lounge and motioned for Ryan to follow. Ryan walked in as Apocalypse closed the door behind him.

“I can’t tell you how happy I am right now, Ryan.” Said Doctor Apocalypse as he pulled out a silenced pistol.

Ryan stood frozen in fear as Apocalypse aimed the gun at his face.

“Who let that dog in here!” cried a voice outside the room

Doctor Apocalypse suddenly looked past Ryan in shock just as the door flew open. Sawyer charge Doctor Apocalypse and grabbed the gun before he could fire it!

“Ryan! Run!” yelled Sawyer

“You can talk!?” said Ryan “What the heck is going on here!”

“Run I said!” Sawyer snapped as he wrestled with Doctor Apocalypse

Ryan turned and ran out the door. Sawyer got the gun away from Apocalypse and fired three rounds into his chest.

“Blasted beast!” yelled Apocalypse as he fell back and lay motionless

Sawyer threw the gun into the trash and ran outside to find Ryan. He found him running across the playground towards his house.

“Wait!” yelled Sawyer as he ran after Ryan

Ryan turned and saw the talking dog running towards him.

“Help!” he cried “A talking dog is chasing me!”

“No, it’s alright!” said Sawyer as he caught him “I’m… from the future.”

Ryan listened as Sawyer explained what happened. He explained who he was and why he had to stop Doctor Apocalypse. They continued to talk until they reached the empty lot where Ryan would someday own a house.

“This is where I’m going to live?” asked Ryan

“This is it.” Said Sawyer

“And only I can understand you when you talk?” said Ryan

“Yeah, so far.” Said Sawyer

“Huh… And now that Apocalypse guy is dead so… you gotta go?” he asked

“I should.” Said Sawyer “Besides, I have to make fun of your future self.” Sawyer said with a laugh

“Why?” asked Ryan

“Let’s just say you become much cooler in 20 years.” Said Sawyer

“That’s good…” said Ryan “… Hey!”

* * * * *

Sawyer adjusted the radio to read 2010 and prepared to press the button.

“Well, good luck, Ryan” said Sawyer “Remember, watch more hockey and less basketball.”

“Thanks, Sawyer. I will” said Ryan

Just then, Doctor Apocalypse tackled Sawyer from behind! Sawyer dropped the radio and tried to defend himself from Doctor Apocalypse’s punches! Ryan picked up the radio and tried to hit Apocalypse with it!

“No!” cried Sawyer “I need that!”

Ryan put it back down and searched for something else. He found a big stick, ran towards Doctor Apocalypse and was about to break it over his head when Apocalypse grabbed the stick out of his hands, knocked Ryan out with it and threw it away all in one motion. Ryan fell in a heap onto the ground and lay their motionless.

“You’re next, beast!” said Doctor Apocalypse

‘Not so fast…’ thought Sawyer

Sawyer bit Apocalypse in the arm as he tried to punch him. Apocalypse cried out in pain as he pulled back. Sawyer freed himself and grabbed the radio. Doctor Apocalypse tackled him as he tried to press the button, but it was too late. A bright flash of light blinded them both as they were transported back to 2010. Ryan woke up and looked around. Sawyer was gone. Doctor Apocalypse was gone. But at least he was safe now.

* * * * *

As soon as Sawyer and Doctor Apocalypse came to, they found themselves in Ryan and Annie’s house. Apocalypse grabbed Sawyer by the neck and tried to choke him! Sawyer couldn’t get free and was starting to black out when a shotgun blast echoed throughout the house. Apocalypse slumped over and grabbed at his back. Sawyer looked up to find Ryan standing there with his shotgun. Smoke rose from the barrel as he loaded another shell into the chamber.

“You alright, Sawyer?” asked Ryan

“Yeah, thanks.” Said Sawyer “Man, am I glad to see you.”

Suddenly, Doctor Apocalypse groaned and shifted.

“He must be wearing a bullet proof vest!” said Sawyer

“Let’s see if this works…” said Ryan as he put the barrel of his shotgun in Apocalypse’s mouth

BOOM!

* * * * *

Officer Culver took Ryan’s statement.

“Thank you for your cooperation” said Officer Culver

“Is he dead?” asked Ryan, pretending to be upset

Officer Culver looked up from his notes. “You blew his jaw off. I’d say he’s gone.”

* * * * *

“Hey!” said Annie as she walked in the house

“What’s up?” asked Ryan

“They opened up a Starbucks just down the street!” Annie beamed with joy

After Annie had left the room, Sawyer leaned over to Ryan and asked, “He is dead, right?”

“I sure hope so. Because if he isn’t, he’s gonna be so pissed at us.” Said Ryan “But I guess that will have to be a story for another time.”

The Amazing Adventures of Ryan and Sawyer Christmas Special

Sawyer cast his fishing pole and leaned back to relax in his chair. He was fishing in the Gulf of Mexico with Ryan and Phil. They were on vacation during the Christmas break and decided to try their luck at fishing by Galveston, Texas. Since Phil had learned about Sawyer the past summer, Ryan was able to invite him to join them.

"What do you think you're getting for Christmas, Sawyer?" Phil asked

Sawyer patted on the steering wheel of the boat.

"Yeah, right." said Ryan

"What time are your other friends meeting us down here?" asked Phil

"Well, Mike and Brad will be here around 6 and Jacob and Michael live here so they can show up at anytime." said Ryan

"Two Mikes." said Sawyer "We should think of a nickname for one of them."

"I'm sure we can keep track of who's who." said Ryan

"We should have them try some 'Stuff'." said Phil

"Do you have any here?" asked Ryan

"Yup!" said Phil "Right here in the cooler."

"What's 'Stuff'?" asked Sawyer

Phil tossed him a jar and explained what it is and how it's made.

"You take an empty jar and fill it halfway with sugar, then top it off with Mountain Dew." said Phil

"It looks like mud." said Sawyer as he stirred the contents of the jar with a spoon.

"Nah, it tastes worse than mud." said Ryan "Try it."

Sawyer scooped up a spoon full of Stuff and put in his mouth. The sugar rush was intense as he tried to swallow the thick substance.

"Blah!" cried Sawyer as he spit it out and threw the jar into the water. "It's horrible!"

"Hey! Don't waste it!" cried Phil

Ryan laughed as Sawyer frantically drank a bottle of water.

Suddenly, the water around them began to bubble as they heard a low rumble beneath them.

"What's that noise?" said Phil

"Is it an earthquake?" said Ryan

Then, with an enormous splash, a ship burst from the water less than a hundred feet from them. They couldn't see movement on the ship. If there was anyone on board, they didn't appear to be alive. Then the door to the captain's quarters swung open and out stepped an undead pirate. Ryan gasped at the sight of the monster, causing it to look right at him. The pirate stared at him and squinted his eyes then ground his teeth in fury.

"You..." said the angry pirate

"You..." said Ryan, a bit freaked out.

"It's the two landlubbers and their beast!" cried the pirate as a full crew of undead pirates stormed out of the cabin and onto the deck of the ship.

"It's Black Beard!" cried Ryan "Sawyer, get us out of here!"

Sawyer gunned it towards shore as Phil took out a knife and cut the anchor just before they ran out of rope. The pirate ship lowered their sails and turned towards the fleeing boat. A single cannon at the bow of the ship rang out as a shot was fired.

"A fortune in treasure for the man that cuts them down!" cried the undead Black Beard

"And a keelhaulin for all ye that fail the Captain!" added the Boson

The water beside their boat exploded as Sawyer struggled to keep control.

"Where did he come from?" yelled Phil

"It must have been the Stuff!" said Ryan

"I had no idea it was that powerful!" said Phil

Ryan pulled out his phone and tried to reach his friends.

"Brad! Is that you?" asked Ryan

"Brad's busy right now." said a female voice

'Oh great...' thought Ryan

"Ma'am, could you please give him the phone? This is an emergency!" said Ryan

"Just a second..." said the girl, impatiently

Then Brad answered the phone.

"Hey man. Can't you tell I'm doing something right now?" said Brad

"I don't care!" said Ryan "I'm in a world of trouble here and need your help right now!"

Another cannon ball missed the boat and exploded nearby.

"What was that?" asked Brad

"That's the world of trouble I was telling you about!" exclaimed Ryan

"I'm on my way. I'll pick up Mike." said Brad as he hung up

Ryan got a hold of Jacob and Michael and asked them to assist as well. They all agreed to meet in downtown Houston and try to figure out a way to beat the pirates. Sawyer managed to put some distance between them and the pirate ship. He ran their boat onto the beech and the three friends sprinted to their truck and away from the ocean. Ryan drove them towards an abandoned building that they had all agreed to meet at. Once everyone was there, Ryan explained the situation.

"OK, first of all, we have two Mikes here so Michael, you're Jim until further notice." said Ryan

"Why do I have to be Jim?" asked Jim

"Cuz Mike is one year older than you." said Ryan

"Whatever." said Jim

"Now, a group of undead pirates chased me, Phil and Sawyer out of the ocean and I'm sure they'll follow us into the city." said Ryan

"Come on, Ryan." said Mike "You expect us to believe that garbage? Have you been watching too many movies?"

"It's true." said Phil

"Well then I'm sure it's all over the internet." said Mike as he pulled out his laptop and checked the news

"What the..." said Mike "TNN and Coyote News are both reporting that zombie pirates have stormed the city of Houston and are attacking the citizens."

"Zombie Pirates in Houston?" said Jacob "I knew I should have moved to Dallas when I had the chance!"

"They're saying that when the zombie pirates attack someone, they also become a zombie pirate." said Mike

"We need to stop them." said Ryan

"How?" asked Phil

"Brad, can you get us some weapons?" asked Ryan

"Sure, what do you need?" he asked

"I'll take a shotgun, get a sniper rifle for Phil, a M-16 for Mike and whatever you want." said Ryan

"I'm on it." said Brad as he left the building.

"What about me and Jacob?" asked Jim

"You guys are going undercover." said Ryan

"As undead pirates?" said Jacob

"Try to find a costume store and get zombie costumes and pirate costumes. Combine them and hope it works." said Ryan

Jim and Jacob looked at each other and shrugged. They left the building and made their way to find a costume store. Brad returned a short time later with a weapons cache.

"Where did you find these so fast?" asked Mike

"A S.W.A.T. van was abandoned down the road. I just helped myself." said Brad as he loaded his M-240

Ryan picked up the shotgun and smiled.

"I think I'm going to keep this." he said "Phil, take the sniper rifle and Sawyer to a tall building and keep an eye out for us."

"Where will you be?" asked Phil

"The news is reporting that the majority of the zombie pirate activity is happening around the Toyota Center." said Ryan "Find a spot there."

"Got it." said Phil "Let's go, Sawyer."

Phil and Sawyer took Ryan's truck and drove towards the Toyota Center. Ryan, Mike and Brad finished loading their weapons and left the building as well. Ryan had given everyone radios and headsets to communicate with.

"Watch Dog?" said Ryan "Do you read me?"

"We hear you, Slapshot." said Phil "We're in position."

"Do you see anything yet?" asked Ryan

"See anything, Sawyer?" asked Phil

Sawyer shook his head as he slowly scanned the streets below them with a spotting scope.

"Nothing." said Phil

"OK. We're on our way to you." said Ryan

"Team West Texas." said Ryan "Did you guys find disguises?"

"Yes." said Jim "Why are we Team West Texas?"

"Because Team Jacob was taken." said Jacob with a laugh

"OK, Team West Texas. Try to find Black Beard." said Ryan "As soon as you find out where he is, get out of there."

"No problem." said Jacob

Ryan, Mike and Brad made their way down the streets of Houston, listening and watching for signs of the zombie pirates. The city was almost completely silent except for the sound of Brad lighting a cigarette. Then Mike heard something.

"Behind us!" said Mike

All three turned around and saw hundreds of zombies and zombie pirates coming towards them.

"In front of us!" said Ryan

Hundreds more suddenly appeared down the road they had been traveling on.

"Push forward!" cried Brad with his cigarette bouncing in his lips as he opened up his M-240 on the zombie mob

The group steadily moved forward as they fired their weapons, constantly keeping an eye out behind them. The Zombies were closing in on them as they fought their way to the Toyota Center.

"Team West Texas!" yelled Ryan over the sound of gunfire. "Have you found Black Beard?"

"Aaaarrr, we have not." said Jacob "But we be in with the crew. We'll have him nailed down in no time a' tall."

"Hurry up!" said Ryan "Watch Dog! Can you see us?"

"We see you." said Phil

"Any help you could give would be great!" said Ryan

"You got it." said Phil

He fired shot after shot into the crowd of zombies and took out as many as he could.

"Avast this suicide mission, lads!" said one of the pirates "There be a sharp shootin bilge rat in that building! Turn ye vengeance on him!"

The zombie crowd turned towards Phil and Sawyer's position and began running towards it.

"You're about to have company, Watch Dog!" said Ryan

"We see it!" said Phil as he continued to fire "Just find Black Beard!"

Sawyer took his AK-47 and waited behind Phil for the zombies to rush through the door.

* * * * *

"Aaaarrr, we be growin weary of this dry land!" said Jacob to a random zombie pirate "Where be Black Beard?"

"Who be ye to ask this of me?" said the pirate

"I be... Cutlass Jake! And this be... Head Shot Jim!... Aaaarrr!" said Jacob

"Why is he called Head Shot Jim?" asked the pirate

"If ye don't tell us where we can find the captain, we just might have to show ye." said Jim "Arrr."

The pirate hesitated for a moment, then told them.

"The capt'n be plottin our next move within the buildin with the frozen floor." said the pirate "But if I be ye, I'd not bother 'im. He ain't in the mood for talk since he found a mirror."

Jacob and Jim started to walk away as Jim called Ryan.

"Slapshot, we have Black Beard's location." said Jim "He's in the Toyota Center."

"Got it, good job." said Ryan "Now get out of there."

"We're on our way now." said Jim

Suddenly, one of the pirates called back to them.

"You two! Stop!" said the pirate

"Aarrr, what be ye wantin with me and he?" said Jacob

"Ye be Cutlass Jake and Head Shot Jim?" said the pirate

"Arr." said Jim

"Lies!" said the pirate "These two here be Cutlass Jake and Head Shot Jim!" said the pirate, pointing at two other zombie pirates.

"What were the odds?" said Jacob as they turned to run away.

"Slapshot, they're on to us!" said Jim into the radio

"Try to get to safety. We'll find Black Beard and try to end this!" said Ryan

* * * * *

Sawyer flexed his paws as he waited with his gun pointed at the door to their position. Suddenly, a zombie pirate peaked inside. Sawyer fired a single shot at him and took him out. Phil glanced over his shoulder and saw that the zombie pirates had arrived.

"They're here, Slapshot." said Phil "Have you found Black Beard?"

"We're in the Toyota Center." said Ryan "Try to hold them off."

Where would he be?" said Mike "This place is huge!"

"If you were a pirate who had been dead for hundreds of years, where would you go?" asked Brad

"The bar." said Mike

"Let's check out all the alcohol vendors in this place. He's probably there." said Ryan

* * * * *

Jacob and Jim ran frantically across the street and into an apartment complex.

"Let's hide in here!" said Jim

He and Jacob found a vacant apartment and closed the door behind them.

"I think we lost them." said Jacob as he leaned on the door trying to catch his breath.

Then, without warning, a shot was fired through the door, just missing Jacob's head. He peaked through the hole and saw the eye of a grinning zombie pirate.

"Guess not!" said Jacob as he and Jim ran to the window and out the fire escape.

"They're chasing us!" said Jim into the radio "What's the hold up!?"

"We're close." said Mike "Hang in there, Team West Texas."

"Let's split up." said Ryan "Brad, take the north wing, Mike, check the east wing. I'll check south, then swing west."

* * * * *

Sawyer fired at another group of zombie pirates as they tried to enter the room. He threw and empty mag towards Phil to get his attention. Phil looked back at Sawyer as he reloaded his gun and signaled that he was loading his last mag. Phil slung the sniper rifle over his back and tied a rope to a beam inside the room.

"We're leaving, Sawyer!" said Phil

Sawyer held on to Phil as he lowered himself down the side of the building. The next room down was crawling with zombie pirates, so Phil swung to the side and checked another room. This one was clear, so he broke the window and got inside with Sawyer. Phil setup the sniper rifle and Sawyer barricaded the door shut as best he could.

"Slapshot, we had to move." said Phil

"Can you still see the Toyota Center?" said Ryan

"We're still able to see the western wing of the building." said Phil

"I'm headed there now." said Ryan "Brad, Mike... see anything?"

"A few drunk zombie pirates, but no Black Beard." said Mike

"Nothing on the east wing." said Brad

"South was clear too." said Ryan "Meet me on the west side."

Ryan checked a few rooms on the west wing of the arena, but found nothing. He walked into an office that overlook the street below and looked out the window.

"Seems to be clear." said Ryan "You sure they said he was here, Team West Texas?"

"Positive!" said Jacob "I'm also sure that there are about 50 of them chasing us and getting closer! Hurry up!"

Just then, Ryan noticed an empty rum bottle. Then the door slammed shut behind him and he spun to see Black Beard hiding behind three zombie pirates.

"We meet again, landlubber." said Black Beard "And I don't see your freak dog to save you this time."

"Why don't you step out from behind your meat shields." said Ryan

"Yer in no position to give orders." said the captain

"Let me cut 'im in two, Cap'n." said one of the zombie pirates "I'll give you his head as a---."

Ryan blew the zombie pirates head off.

"Anyone else feel like cutting me in two?" he said

The other two hesitated.

"Ye be killed by him or me." said Black Beard to the remaining two zombie pirates

The last two looked at each other then charged Ryan. He fired quickly, killing one as the other ran to his side. Ryan aimed at Black Beard but he had ducked behind a chair. Ryan kicked over a desk and called to Mike and Brad.

"I found him!" said Ryan "Hurry up and get over here!"

"We're trying!" said Brad "We ran into a bunch of zombie pirates ourselves!"

Ryan could hear gunfire over the radio. He peaked over the desk and ducked back down as a shot was fired at him. He saw a long TV cable and tied one end to the desk and the other end around his waste. If he had to make a quick exit, he'd jump and hope for the best. Suddenly, Ryan heard footsteps running towards him. He pointed his shotgun past the side of the desk and waited until the last moment and fired. The last zombie pirate fell forward and cried out in pain. Ryan broke the window overlooking the street with the butt of his gun. He dragged the pirate over to it and pushed him out. The pirate held onto the ledge with all his might.

"Watchdog." said Ryan "You see the zombie pirate hanging from the window?"

Phil and Sawyer searched the side of the building until they found him."

"Yeah, I see him." said Phil

"That's the room I'm in." said Ryan

"Got it." said Phil

Ryan slammed his shotgun onto the zombie pirates hands like a hammer. Phil and Sawyer watched as he dropped, then heard zombie pirates outside banging on the door.

"There must be a lot of them!" said Phil "They're breaking the door down!"

Phil ran to the door and wedged a board under the door nob.

"Watch the room Ryan is in!" said Phil "I'll try to hold them off here."

Sawyer nodded and watched the room through the scope of the sniper rifle.

Ryan checked his shotgun. He was out of ammo. He picked up a sword and called out to Black Beard.

"Why are you hiding?" said Ryan "I've never used a sword in my life. I'm no match for you."

Black Beard emerged from behind the chair he had been hiding behind and drew his sword.

"Hard to believe you could get uglier than the first time I saw you." said Ryan

"When I be done with you and your filthy dog, you'll be wishin you looked like me." Black Beard growled back

Ryan backed all the way up to the window where the zombie pirate had fallen. Black Beard inched closer with his sword drawn. No way Ryan could beat him in a sword fight, so he thought of a plan as fast as he could.

"Mind if I say a few last words?" said Ryan

"Make it quick." said Black Beard "You have about 20 seconds before I reach ye and cut ye down.

Ryan pressed the talk button on his radio.

"I would like to say good bye to this world..." said Ryan as Black Beard got closer

"We're about to say good bye ourselves!" said Jim as he and Jacob huddled in a corner surrounded by drooling zombie pirates.

"My back is to the wall and I am about to fall..." said Ryan

"Poetic." sneered Black Beard

"Hurry up, Ryan!" said Brad "We're low on ammo!"

"When I fall I pray that if anyone is watching over me, please slay this monster..." said Ryan

Sawyer's ears perked up as he listened through the radio.

"I can't hold them off much longer, Sawyer!" cried Phil as he tried to hold the door shut.

"Anything else?" said Black Beard as he stood face to face with Ryan and raised his sword above his head.

"Just... bye!" said Ryan

Ryan threw himself backwards and out the window. He grabbed the cabled and held on for dear life just as it tightened. Shocked, Black Beard approached the window and looked down.

"Yer daring escape seems to have failed, landlubber!" he laughed

Black Beard raised his sword up to cut the cable.

"Take the shot!" Ryan yelled into the radio.

Sawyer held his breath and squeezed the trigger. The butt of the sniper rifle recoiled into Sawyer's shoulder. Ryan swung to the side as Black Beard's lifeless corpse fell past him.

* * * * *

Brad and Mike were back to back, firing frantically.

"I'm out!" said Brad

"Me too!" said Mike

They dropped their weapons and prepared themselves to fight hand to hand when all of the zombie pirates fell over, dead. All the zombies they had turned fell to their knees and started to change back to normal.

* * * * *

Jacob and Jim held each other as the zombie pirates closed in.

"I love you, man!" said Jacob

"I love you, too, dude!" said Jim

Suddenly the zombie pirates fell over dead. Jacob and Jim quickly let go of each other.

"Sooo... This never happened?" said Jim

"I don't even know what you're talking about?" said Jacob

"Good." said Jim

* * * * *

Everyone met back up and congratulated each other.

"Good job, everyone." said Ryan "And thanks for coming. Couldn't have done this without every last one of you."

"What time is it?" asked Phil

"10:45." said Jim

"Well, it's still the 25th so Merry Christmas, guys." said Phil

"Did you get Annie anything?" said Jacob

"Starbucks gift certificate." said Ryan "And a coupon for a free night of Ryan Lovin."

"She still hasn't used the one I gave her." said Brad

"Shut up, Brad." Ryan laughed

"You think Black Beard is dead for good now?" said Mike

"I don't really care right now." said Ryan "Merry Christmas!"

* * * * *

And Merry Christmas to my readers.