Pawns
Kermit Griffin continued to brood as the traffic inched along. Soon the reason for it came into view. There was an over-turned semi in the middle of the street blocking all four lanes of traffic leading to Chinatown. Kermit cursed himself for taking this route. The truck wasn't even supposed to be in this part of town.
Kermit struck the steering wheel in frustration one more time. There was no way for him to turn around and head in the other direction having been boxed in from other cars on all sides. As it was, Peter was probably long gone by now, chasing whatever clues he might have received. Kermit hoped he was having better luck than he was at finding his father. It was going to be at least another hour before this mess was cleaned up enough so he could get by. For the first time, he wished he had Caine's ability to show up as if by magic.
As Kermit waited for the accident to be cleared, he thought about the information he'd received about Miller a.k.a. Masterson. The e-mail, though cryptic, had described in detail every step the man had taken to take revenge on Peter Caine, including the part about involving another member of Peter's family. Stephen O'Malley had managed to e-mail him with the details without Masterson's knowledge.Ê It had been over a year since Kermit had spoken to him about Masterson and the last time that bastard had tried to take revenge on Peter Caine.Ê O'Malley had infiltrated Masterson's organization in order to keep an eye on the man. There really wasn't much he could do until Masterson had made his move. He was grateful for his friend's help and hoped that he would get out before Masterson discovered the betrayal.
*****
Miller, now known as Masterston continued to watch as one of his men approached Peter Caine and handed him the envelope that would decide Kwai Chang Caine's fate. He could not help smiling and remembering what had happened just three hours ago.
'Everything seems to be playing out beautifully,' he thought.
**
As Peter and Matthew were finding the clue that would lead them to the cemetery, Annie was again being taken from her prison room to who knew where. She struggled in the men's grasp but they were too strong. One of the men struck her across her face and she nearly blacked out. Annie remembered being thrown into a van, one of the kidnapper's henchmen sat with her to make sure she didn't go anywhere. She didn't know how long they'd been driving. As soon as the van door opened up she was led out. She knew they were by the water by the smell of the sea air and the sound of the gulls flying overhead.
"Where are you taking me? Why are you doing this?"
"Shut up, lady," the henchman had his hand poised to strike her again.
"No, I don't want her harmed. I want her kept on ice for a while. Let's see how strong a son's love for his mother really is." Masterson signaled and an empty crate was brought forward. Masterson examined the crate and signaled his men to take both the woman and the crate inside the warehouse.
"Who are you, why are you doing this to Peter?" Annie was pushed in through the door of the warehouse.
"He took my life away from me. I want him to suffer the way I've suffered. No one should have the luck he's had. Losing his father, his home. Then finding a new home and then his father again. Having two fathers! That's not going to last much longer. See I'm forcing him to choose between saving you or his father. I'm hiding both of you, only one of you is going to come out of this alive."
"Where is Caine?" she feared this madman had already killed him.
"He's been laid to rest," the man laughed.
"He's . . ." she couldn't finish her thought.
"Dead? No, dear lady, at least not yet. At least he's in a fitting place when the end does come. Six feet under. Lock her up men."
The henchman locked her in the crate.
Miller laughed, 'Let's see Peter Caine find her in this maze. I have a funeral to attend.'
The warehouse was filled with boxes identical to the one Annie Blaisdell was now locked up in. Finding her would be like finding a needle in a haystack.
Miller 's smile grew on his face as he walked out of the warehouse.
**
Miller watched the two men leave the cemetery.
'So, your love for your 'mommy' is stronger than the love for your father. I guess the old stereotype is true, about boys loving their mothers and not being able to truly be cut from the apron strings. Good luck, Caine, but even so. I've left a little insurance policy just in case. We can't have you coming back here to save 'daddy' now can we?' Miller watched as the men began to refill the grave with dirt. "Pack it down tight boys. I'm going back to the office. After you're finished here, prepare to move out. The next thing I want to hear is the anguished cries of Peter Caine when he discovers that the funeral he 'attended' was for his own father."
End of Part 12
Alisa Joaquin & Linda Schwartz
Copyright@2000.
This story cannot be reprinted or sold in any other form without strict permission from
the author. It is being distributed here solely for your enjoyment.
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