Part 22 (1/2)

”Shut up, Bobby,” Mercedes snapped.

”Oh, the head count is more than that,” Sam said, wondering if maybe Bobby Walker was starting to realize what kind of woman he'd hooked up with. ”She's killed Bradley Guess as well.”

”Mercedes!” Bobby cried, looking at her with horror. ”You said there wouldn't be any more.”

”Plans change, you sniveling fool,” Mercedes barked. ”Now shut up. You're giving me a headache.”

”But you said no one was going to get hurt,” Bobby persisted.

”That makes you an accomplice to murder,” Will pointed out to Bobby.

”Enough,” Mercedes yelled and fired a shot up into the ceiling. The report wasn't loud because of the silencer on the gun but dust and dirt showered down, stilling everyone in the room.

Sam heard Ca.s.sie groan.

”Get the d.a.m.ned boy out of the way and let me finish this,” Mercedes ordered Bobby.

Zack clung to Sam's legs, refusing to let go. For a moment, Sam thought Bobby would refuse. He had a gun. Maybe he'd stop all of this right now by turning it on Mercedes.

No such luck. He hesitated, but then came toward Sam and Zack. Sam tried to s.h.i.+eld the boy from him but Bobby tore Zack from her, shoving her back as he dragged the boy over to Mercedes. Mercedes's weapon never wavered on Sam and Will.

”Just do it and get it over with!” Bobby said impatiently and looked at his watch. He probably had a tennis game first thing in the morning.

”No!” Zack cried. ”I have the other piece of the game!”

”Zack, don't-” But Sam's words were lost in Zack's.

”Don't hurt her or Will,” the boy said as he slid the earphones from around his neck and opened the CD player.

Sam shook her head at the boy. ”I know you want to help, but we all know the game isn't in your CD,” she tried to bluff.

”I don't want them to hurt you,” he said sounding years older than he was. He carefully lifted the disk from the player.

Even from this distance, Sam could see the blood-red letters: Catastrophe. The CD was exactly where she knew it would be. And now Mercedes had all of the pieces-and no reason to leave any of them alive.

”My dad told me not to give it to anyone,” Zack said, looking at Sam.

Her heart fractured like thin gla.s.s at the thought of the boy keeping his father's secret all this time. ”You did great, Zack,” she said, her voice breaking. ”Your dad would have been proud of you.”

”Give me that!” Mercedes snapped, almost salivating as she took the disk from him.

Sam glanced at Will. His eyes glittered with emotion and something more. He flicked his gaze toward a dark wall off to her left. She moved her head slowly to look in the direction he indicated. A rusty old shovel stood against the wall. A weapon.

”Get my computer out of the car,” Mercedes ordered Bobby. She reached for her car keys and stopped, her face suddenly distorted in rage. ”You little b.u.g.g.e.r!” she spat at Zack. ”Give me my keys.”

Zack hesitated, but only for a moment before he dug her car keys from his pocket and handed them to her.

”You see what I mean about this kid?” she demanded of Sam.

Sam had hoped Bobby would leave and help the odds. But the moment Bobby left, Mercedes grabbed Zack and held the gun to his back as they waited for her boyfriend to return with the laptop.

Bobby dragged up some boards and put the computer on it. Mercedes popped in the first disk and added Zack's disk to the others in a neat little pile. She looked very pleased with herself. She motioned with the gun for Zack to come closer.

”I used to watch you sitting on your father's lap while he worked,” Mercedes said. ”You know how to put these together, don't you?”

Realization dawned. No wonder Mercedes had wanted Zack-as well as the pieces of the game.

With a defeated look, Zack moved to the computer.

”Aren't you forgetting something?” Bobby asked and motioned toward Sam and Will.

Mercedes studied them for a moment.

”If you hurt them I won't show you how the pieces go together,” Zack said in that older voice that made Sam want to cry. The boy had been through so much.

Mercedes motioned for Bobby to shut up. ”Sure, kid. Just show me.”

Zack looked over at Sam, waiting for her to tell him what to do.

She nodded. ”It's okay, Zack.” At best, it would buy them a little time. Otherwise, Mercedes would figure the pieces out for herself. There wasn't any doubt that once she knew how they went together, however, that she'd kill them all.

”You do it like this,” Zack said, and got down on his knees. Familiar music filled the room as bright-colored graphics filled the screen.

Sam watched as he adeptly moved the mouse and things began to happen on the screen. New music soared. Images flashed.

Sam watched in awe, having no idea how high-tech computer games had become. Landscapes flew by, figures leaped from spots on the wall, rock music boomed and Zack moved through the game like a race car driver, weaving in and out, dodging evil forces, his movements quick, his gaze intent, his shoulders taut as he worked the mouse.

It dawned on Sam that the computer had been the one constant in Zack's life. This was something he'd been doing since he was old enough to sit on his father's lap while he worked.

She waited, wondering what was really inside the game, what was worth killing so many people for, fearing she already knew.

Zack popped another disk into the CD-ROM and Bobby and Mercedes moved closer to watch. Sam inched toward the shovel. If she could reach it, she would be within striking distance of Bobby. All she knew for sure was that she had to get Zack and Will out of this or die trying.

WILL HELD his breath as Sam moved toward the shovel. True to form, he improvised a plan. It was risky. But he knew with certainty that Mercedes planned to kill them.

He wasn't concerned for his own welfare, but he couldn't let anything happen to Sam. Or Zack. If he could help it.

Zack popped in another disk. More music. More wild graphics. Mercedes's gaze seemed glued to the screen as if hypnotized by what she saw there. But the barrel of her pistol was still pointed in his direction and Sam's. Bobby's weapon was aimed downward, his attention completely on the computer screen.

Will moved the moment Samantha's hand closed over the shovel handle. She grabbed the shovel and swung. Will dove at the same time for Zack. The air filled with the sound of the metal of the shovel clanging off the gun in Bobby's hand and the investor's howl of pain. Mercedes added to the melee as Will slammed her out of his way to get to Zack.

Out of the corner of Will's eye, he saw Samantha give Bobby one of her chops and kicks. The investor went down face-first in the dirt.