Homecoming by Matt Drabble

Author:Matt Drabble [Drabble, Matt]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-08-27T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 17

More Questions Than Answers

“What the hell kind of a shitshow did you drag me into?” Vanek heard Kline demand from the next holding cell.

His boss – well, he guessed that should be ex-boss now – had been helped down the stairs and into the adjoining cell. The man looked a little groggy, and in truth, really ought to be in a hospital bed rather than a small metal box, but he guessed that Wellspring didn't have the facility right now, or maybe the storm outside had worsened yet further.

Kline was right of course; the whole thing was a shitshow of epic proportions, and he had to take full responsibility. It didn't matter in his mind that events had taken the most bizarre of turns; it was his job to lay on multiple exit strategies, and now here he was, in the basement of a small, provisional police station, next to the man who'd paid him a hell of a lot of money to ensure that such things didn't happen.

“How’s the head?” he asked.

“I’ll live, just about,” Kline grumbled back. “But I wouldn't give a bucket of piss for your future.”

“Seems like we’re facing the same one, in case you haven’t noticed,” Vanek replied without taking offence.

If there was one absolute truth about his character, it was that he was the ultimate pragmatist. Right now, he was in a cell, and while it wouldn't take too much for him to get out, where exactly was he going to run to? Wellspring was effectively cut off from the outside world and no one was driving out of here in any kind of regular vehicle.

As far as he could tell, the roads around town were kept clear, but beyond that, the elements swallowed the world. For now, he had to bide his time and figure out what came next. The all-encompassing blizzard was one thing, but those things in the forest were quite another.

“So… you got a plan yet?” Kline demanded.

“For what?”

“For getting us out of here.”

“Us? You really think there’s an us? Especially if my future’s only worth… what was it? A bucket of piss?”

“Perhaps, but here I was thinking that you might want to earn yourself a little grace and favour. You get me out of here and perhaps we part... amicably.”

“I really don’t think that you understand the meaning of the word, and I do mean that quite literally. Besides, where exactly do you think we can go? You saw those things at the barn, or at least you saw what they did to your boys. You really want to go blindly wandering about the forest surrounding the town? Because I can assure you that I don't.”

“So what? We wait here to be transferred? Carted off to a real town and a real jail? In case you’ve forgotten, I’ve got a substantial amount of merchandise sitting in a barn.”

“Actually, you don't.”

“You stole my shipment?”

“No, the barn has been burned down. I heard the lady cop tell her friend.”

“Oh dear God.

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