By Kimbo
(Rated R for language, violence)
By Kimbo
(Rated R for language, violence)
The Slumber of Innocence
Joe sat on the kitchen counter, nervously fiddling with a potholder. Lily stood with her back to him, hacking the stems off a bunch of unsuspecting carrots. Silence crowded the room making him uncomfortable. She had been in a bad mood all week and no matter what he said, it always seemed to come out wrong.
“I saw your face, Joe!” she said, still not looking at him. “Ya know, if it was a guitar, you’d never think twice about it!”
“Yeah, well...I mean I--I...” he stammered. “Look, I know about guitars! I don’t know a thing about wedding dresses. I guess it just surprised me a little, that’s all.”
“Surprised?” she countered irritably. “If you mean your shouting ’holy fuck’ was an indication of your surprise, well then I’d say yes---you certainly were surprised!” “I didn’t shout! I may have raised my voice a little but....I mean it wasn’t directed toward you! I had no idea you were even in the room!”
“Oh well that makes me feel so much better!” she snapped, now on the verge of tears.
Joe was hopelessly continuing his defense when a wave of nausea hit her suddenly, making her head spin. Closing her eyes, Lily laid the knife aside and swallowed hard. For over a week now, her moods had swung back and forth like the pendulum of a clock. One minute she would be fine and the next she would either turn irritable or fall apart in tears over nothing. Today had been the worst yet. She had canceled a production meeting with Steven and spent the morning in bed, crying. Joe had tried to talk to her but there was nothing she could tell him. There was no reason. She had surmised that it was simply a hellacious case of PMS until just a few days ago when the nausea had set in. Since then, she had felt even worse. Unable to eat at all, sometimes even the smell of food would make her sick. Okay so its a stomach bug.. she had reasoned. Last week, both Joey and Steven had come down with something similar so it only made sense she had gotten it as well. The mood swings she couldn’t explain though blaming it on PMS seemed only logical. PMS.....hmmm wait a minute....when was my last period? She tried to think but it was hard to concentrate...
For Joe, the day had at least started off great. He spent the better portion of the day down in his basement studio with Brad putting together some setlist ideas for the upcoming tour. Late in the afternoon they had come back upstairs and found the kitchen counter full of bridal magazines and pictures of wedding gowns that Teresa had brought over. Glancing at the pictures on the top of the pile, Joe saw two of them circled in red. One was a fairly traditional gown, pretty in its own right. The other was downright breathtaking. Made of champagne colored silk, it was a masterpiece of simplistic beauty, straight out of a fairy tale. The price tag took him by surprise, but only because he honestly had no clue about such things. That’s when he realized that Lily was standing there, watching him. After catching the look on her face, Brad quickly excused himself leaving Joe to fend for himself. And so far he had not managed to talk his way out of disgrace.
“Hey....honey? Are you okay?” His jaw dropped slightly, noting her deathly pale skin. Jumping off the counter he came to her side turning her around to face him. Her hands were shaking and she felt cool and clammy. “Lily? What’s wrong?”
“I’ll be fine in a minute--” But even as she protested, her voice failed her. The ringing had become louder now, nearly deafening. Then without warning, a veil of blackness appeared before her eyes and she fainted in his arms.
“Lily! Can you hear me? Lily....talk to me!” But she was limp and unresponsive to his voice. Gently, Joe laid her down on the tiled floor. She was breathing and her pulse felt strong beneath his fingers. Joe could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he dialed 911.
“All our switchboards are currently busy. Your expected hold time may be up to...3 minutes..” A recorded voice said.
“Oh fuck that!” said Joe angrily. Grabbing his keys off the counter, he picked her up in his arms and headed out into the chilly March evening...
Lily awoke quickly, blinded by the whiteness of the room around her. Blinking her eyes, she looked around in confusion. It was a hospital exam room. She could see an iv had been placed in her left arm. On her right, Joe sat close by, his face near her own. She felt his lips kiss her forehead gently as she touched his cheek. In his eyes she saw a look of great relief.
“What happened?” she asked.
“You scared the hell out of me.” he whispered quietly, kissing her on the lips.
She stared into his dark eyes, seeing the mixture of love and distress that was creating a deeper than normal furrow in his browline. “I’m sorry, baby. I’ve been so difficult lately....I don’t know what’s wrong with me. But I love you. You know that, right?” she said as she lovingly touched his face.
“Yeah I know, kitten...” he smiled tenderly.
“I’ve been thinking it was just PMS and working so many late hours at the studio.”
“Well let’s just try to relax until we know something more.”
As he spoke, a soft knock came on the door. A doctor walked in, glancing over the contents of a manilla folder as he entered. Joe relaxed a bit seeing his familiar face. Eric Barton had been his doctor for years and Joe had phoned him on the way to the hospital.
“Joe! How’s it goin’? I haven’t seen you at the rifle range for awhile now!”
Joe glanced at Lily with a smile. “I’ve been spending a lot of time at home lately.”
“I can’t say that I blame you.” Dr. Barton smiled as he came over and pulled up a chair. “Lily, I’m Eric Barton. I’ve known Joe for years and its a pleasure to finally meet you even under the circumstances. How are you feeling now?” “Much better.” Lily took his hand cordially. “You’ll have to come out to the house for dinner sometime soon. Its the least we can do for dragging you out in the cold tonight.”
“It was no trouble, really but dinner does sound great.” the doc smiled and then glanced at Joe. “I’ll bring my guitar if you think you’re up to it.”
“You’re on, old man!” Joe sparred back. “Now tell me, what’s wrong with my girl.”
The doc turned his attention to Lily as he opened up the manilla file. “I have the results of your bloodwork here.”
“You drew blood?” Lily asked, stunned. She had no recollection of anything.
“I thought it would be best to get a complete workup on you to see what we’re dealing with.” the doctor said, his face growing serious as he looked at her. “We can discuss the results in private if you wish.”
“Oh no...we have no secrets.” Lily glanced at Joe whose face had tensed up at the doc’s rather ominous tone.
She felt Joe’s hand tighten around hers as the physician began going over the results...
The lobby of the emergency room was buzzing with people. Just a typical Friday night for the staff with only one exception. There were wild rumors circulating that a rock star was in their midst.
“Okay, I heard it was Keith Richards! And he has his mistress with him.” said one nurse as she restocked supplies at the desk. Her co-worker rolled her eyes.
“Honey, that’s not Keith! The guy that walked through those doors tonight is way better looking!” she said. “I think it was that other guy...what’s his name? Plays guitar with Axl somebody....”
“Slash? Are you serious?” the other giggled, oblivious to the man who had strolled up to the desk, waiting impatiently.
“Excuse me...ladies...” A strangely familiar voice startled them and they both turned to look, their eyes widening. There was no mistaking who HE was!
Before them stood, Steven Tyler. Though dressed more casually than usual, there was no mistaking the sexy lilt of his voice, the boyish grin on his face that was so damn disarming. Neither of them could speak.
“Ladies...I’m looking for a friend of mine who---” There was a movement at his elbow, distracting him. Steven turned to see a familiar face. “Brad! Have you seen Joe?” They walked away from the desk, leaving the two nurses frozen in place. Brad talked in a low voice to Steven, who motioned to a blonde just walking in the doors. The ever stunning Teresa came to her husband’s side, taking his hand in hers. The three of them were locked in discussion when they saw Joe walking out from patient care. There was a strange look on his face, a kind of shocked and dazed expression. They fell silent, awaiting the news.
“They ran some tests and.....” Joe began, then paused as he burst into an unexpected grin. “I’m gonna be a father! Can you believe it?”
Collectively, the small group sighed in relief. Teresa gave Joe a big hug. “Congratulations!” she said. Then turning to Steven she smiled. “See, I told you!”
“Well, she’s about six weeks along, we suspect. The doctor is doing an exam right now.” he said, still smiling. But the happy moment was soon interrupted by the flash of a camera. Out of nowhere, two guys appeared and started snapping off pictures while a third rapidly fired questions off at all of them. Being the camera ham that he was, Steven gladly accomodated them for a couple of minutes. Finally, Joe waved down a hospital security guard who promptly showed the reporting trio the exit door. Steven shot Joe a playful scowl.
“Party pooper!”
Early the next morning, Joe awoke and looked over at the beautiful woman who slept next to him. He found himself smiling, despite the early hour and his lack of sleep. Moving closer, he snuggled down next to her warm body. One wandering hand stroked the bare skin of her belly as she gently stirred. He thought of how much his life had changed in less than a year’s time. Gone was the shattered man tortured by a past. In his place was a strong, happy man who had finally found his soulmate. And now, he was going to be a father. The thought made him almost giddy with happiness.
“Good morning....” she whispered in his ear softly. He found her lips with incredible urgency, kissing her until she was breathless. She looked into his eyes and saw that they were heavy with emotion. “I love you so much. You don’t know what it means to me, knowing you’re not freaking out about this!”
“Why would I be?” he asked incredulously.
“Because this is all so sudden.” she paused, closing her eyes. “Are you ready for this? Are we ready?”
He pulled her into his arms, soothing her gently. “I am one hundred percent committed to our life together. You gotta know that by now. I love you so much I get dizzy when you kiss me….” When Joe was certain she was sleeping, he got up and dressed, quietly greeting the large German Sheperd that had padded into the room. Max was more than a family pet; he was also a well trained guard dog. Downstairs, he was out the door quickly, easily running the half mile distance to the fortress-like gate that secured the property. There was a mailbox but for security reasons, he had only newspapers delivered there. All of their regular mail was sent to a post office box in town. He walked back, skimming the paper as he went. He didn’t have to go far before he stopped abruptly. There at the bottom of the front page was a couple of shots of himself and Steven taken at the hospital the night before. A brief paragraph followed, mainly restating Steven’s comments, but not without some degree of speculation......
“......When asked why they were there, Tyler calmly mentions visiting a sick relative, quickly turning our attention to the forthcoming album to be released in early April. Perry would not comment but it is rumored that his fiancee was the “relative” in question and may have been admitted for further tests. No status on her condition was available at time of publication. The recently divorced Perry will take his third trip down the aisle to matrimony when he weds his fiancee in June...”
Joe shook his head. He had traded a normal life with privacy when he bound himself to the monster known as rock n roll. In return, it had given him fame and fortune without a doubt...but sometimes, he missed being anonymous. Being a celebrity meant that millions of people got to watch your life being played out in the media and sometimes that overwhelmed him. But it was a paragraph and two pictures, nothing more. Not a big deal...he thought to himself....where’s the danger in a little publicity?
Walking into the house, he smelled the heavenly aroma of freshly brewed coffee and smiled. He poured himself a big cup and walked out onto the back porch--a large rustic deck that overlooked the beautifully landscaped property. Max was out, barking excitedly as he ran around in circles, prancing like a pony for the beautiful girl that played his favorite game of “Stick” without hesitation every morning. Joe stared at her as she played with the dog, tossing the stick and watching him gallop after it. The light of the early morning sun shimmered down over her, enveloping her in a sort of golden halo. She looked like an angel and for just a moment, he felt a strange prickly sensation move up over the back of his neck, sending an uncomfortable chill over his body. Shrugging it quickly away, he focused on her laughter, breaking into a huge grin as she turned in his direction. Max remained close by her side, his tail wagging wildly as Lily showered him with affection.
“You’re spoiling that dog!” Joe said, trying to sound gruff but losing himself in her beautiful smile. “He’s a guard dog, ya know?”
“He’s my baby!” she said, scratching behind the dog’s ears. Max barked happily, charging after the stick as she threw it again. Turning to Joe, Lily walked toward the porch, blowing him a silent kiss.
“He’s a marshmallow around you...” he took her into his arms as she came up the steps.
“So are you...” she whispered, kissing his face as she mussed the long thick hair that hung down over his eyes. “I’m gonna make a fabulous breakfast for you this morning, Perry.”
“You don’t have to go to any trouble--” he started. But she silenced him with a jaw dropping kiss.
“Don’t worry, baby, it‘s all a clever ruse. I‘m actually starving and you‘re gonna be my excuse to eat like a piggy today. Now c’mon...we have eggs to break and waffles to make...”she said, pulling him into the house.
Max stood at attention, observing their lighthearted interplay. He cocked his head slightly for a moment, listening, and then trotted away for his usual morning stroll of the grounds. In all his observations, human beings were the most bizarre and complicated creatures he had ever grown to love.
Bizarre indeed. And if human behaviors weren’t puzzling enough, some of their deeds were completely baffling. For even as Max explored the grounds of his estate, far away in a jail cell, someone was plotting the demise of his family.
Falling Shadows
Mike Warren had served much of his jail term thus far in a local county jail located just south of Boston city limits. But that was about to change. In twenty four hours he would be transported to Fall River to stand trial for an armed robbery charge pre-dating his and Claudia’s attempt to run the baby scam on Perry. And where was Claudia now? The manipulating greedy ex-wife of Mr. Bigshot Joe Perry? Well he had heard it through the grapevine that the she had snagged herself a slick lawyer and gotten off all too easy, pleading her case as the emotionally challenged ex-wife. The thought of her made him crazy. Lying bitch! She had been into it up to her eyeballs! But that’s how it was with rich people. They could dirty their hands and still manage to clean up their messes. Guys like himself were less fortunate. Closing his eyes, he imagined how it would feel to touch her again. He often thought of fucking her one last time, ripping into her like a sword.....placing his hands around her soft little neck...feeling her windpipe crushing beneath his fingers....
But that could wait. He first had yet to settle the score with Joe Perry. In his demented mind, Mike blamed Joe for ruining his life yet again. The first time had come when Joe ended his solo career and went back to Aerosmith. With the death of Blue Gems came the death of Mike Warren’s career as a musician. He could see no other reason why he had failed. It had to be Joe Perry’s fault. And as his own career sunk, Joe’s soared out of the ashes like a fiery phoenix. Sure he had plotted to embezzle money from the guy. Why not? Perry was rich and Mike felt he was owed a piece of the pie. But the great and powerful Perry had escaped unharmed while he had been tossed into a jail cell like a stray dog. Again, his mind perceived this to be the fault of Perry.
Driven to madness by his hatred, he soon had himself whipped into a fury. Pacing his cell he imagined the unimaginable. His every thought focused on how to extract pain from his mortal enemy. It was all he could do, night and day. It was all he had left to cling to. Clenching his fists, he dove deep into his rage until it blinded him to all else, even reality. In his mind he saw the face of Perry so clearly that it was almost as if he were standing with him in that jail cell.
A short time later it took four uniformed guards to restrain him and stop him from punching the cement wall of his cell. His hand was a bloody mess but he did not feel any pain. The only blood spilled in his mind was that of Joe Perry.
“Oh yeah....that’s it....don’t stop!” said Steven as his eyes rolled back in sheer ecstasy. “Geezus, Joe....you know exactly how I like it, dontcha?”
“Like I didn’t strip it down for you last time you were here?” Joe shook his head, giving Steven a surly glance, trying not to smile. “All you’d do was blow me off! Now you’re all over it like you’ve never had it before!”
It sounded like erotic conversation and in many ways, it was.
“No....No...you didn’t play it like that last time I was here! Not like you just did! Shit, Joe...that’s fuckin’ incredible! We should’ve put that on the album!”
“Well, I was thinkin’ that we could make it part of the setlist for the tour. Personally, I’d like to take it and use it as a something we can all just jam on, ya know? Just let it fly. And it could be our stepping off point for the next album.” Joe offered, absently running chords on the guitar he had slung over his lap. Always the innovator, he was also always thinking ahead to their next body of work.
“So......have you played it for anybody else? Or do you love me just that much?”
“Brad.....yesterday. He’s already laid down a counterpart.”
“Well fuck! You’re like three steps ahead of me all the fuckin’ time!” Steven grinned. “You’re one happy son of a bitch lately, aren’t ya?”
“You have no idea!” Joe nodded as he stood on his feet laying the guitar aside. “Hey, c’mon! I need something of the Columbian persuasian.”
“You promise to take off your shirt and whip the coffee grinder?” Steven teased.
“Aww fuck you, Steven!”
The advantage of having a basement studio was that he never had to go far whenever the creative bug decided to bite. The two of them quickly ascended the leopard carpeted stairs which led up into the kitchen. Steven continued bantering on about his take on the yet untitled song while Joe reached for the coffee grinder. From where he stood, he could look straight through the kitchen and see down into the cavernous living room. He froze, catching sight of something that literally took his breath away.
It was Lily. She stood with her back toward him, wearing a wedding gown exactly like the one he remembered seeing in the bridal magazine. Teresa was there, who along with Terry Hamilton stood admiring the incredible gown. Mesmerized, he moved to stand just inside the doorway so he could get a better view. Made of champagne colored silk, it was a simple, elegant cut that skimmed her body perfectly, becoming slightly fuller as it cascaded down to her feet. The back was cut low, almost to her waist. Her hair cascaded down long and free in gentle resplendent curls that were made to be touched. Lost in the moment, Joe scarcely breathed until a sound from Teresa made him jump back to consciousness.
“Joe!” Teresa and Terry both chorused together, jumping in front of Lily to block his view. Lily whirled around, giving him a scolding look.
“Hey who’s gettin’ married?” he asked jokingly as he came down the steps into the living room.
“Joe, you’re not supposed to see me in this dress before the wedding! Its bad luck!” Lily ducked down behind her partners in crime, covering herself completely.
“Honey, we don’t own bad luck so don’t worry. Besides I only saw the back of you.” Joe said.
“That’s enough for now!” Lily answered, trying to hide a smile. “Now both of you get outta here!”
“What about our coffee?” Steven countered, attempting to pirate kisses from the lovely Teresa, who finally obliged him.
“I’ll bring the coffee downstairs! Now go!” Teresa ordered, slapping his ass playfully. Steven was incorrigible and she loved it.
Laughing and teasing them a little more, the intoxicating duo finally began their retreat from the room. In the process, Joe bumped against a small table, knocking its contents to the floor. There was a clatter, followed by the sound of breaking glass. Joe froze in his tracks, cringing. The room fell silent as everybody’s eyes focused on what had fallen. It was a small silver mirror, quite ornate in design. Joe’s eyes focused immediatly on Terry who looked really pissed.
“That was yours, wasn’t it?” It was more of a statement than a question. Of course it was Terry’s. He knew by the look of it, the aged ornate markings on the frame that it was an antique of sorts. Terry collected such treasures for her antique shop in Newton and even used them in her day to day life. He knew without hesitation that he had probably broken something quite valuable.
“Well, it was!” Terry said, rolling her eyes slightly.
“Damn Joe! You saw the wedding gown, now you break a mirror? That’s like seven years of bad luck, right? I don’t know if I wanna go back downstairs with you!” Steven was joking of course, but Joe suddenly didn’t find it amusing. Out of nowhere, a mysterious chill settled down into his very core, darkening his mood.
“Look, there’s nothing to this shit about bad luck! Life is what we make it. Its has nothing to do with some kind of fucking fate or destiny or whatever superstitions somebody made up. So...lets just drop it, okay?”
Joe spoke in a sudden rush, gazing down at the little shards of glass scattered about on the hardwood floor. Suddenly he stopped cold. For a fraction of a second, the bits of glass turned slightly smoky, as if....as if a shadowy reflection was staring out from behind the glass. He blinked quickly and refocused his eyes. Nobody moved.
“Did anybody else see that?” Joe looked about at their faces but they all shook their heads blankly.
“See what?” Steven asked, staring back at Joe who seemed to be acting very wierd at the moment. “You all right, Joe?”
“Never mind...” Joe replied quickly, taking control of his thoughts once more. “Terry, I’m so sorry about the mirror. Let me know what I owe you, okay?”
“It’s okay, Joe. I’m sorry I overreacted. The frame is fine, I‘ll just get the glass replaced. I never plan to sell it anyway.” Terry said, trying to ease the tension in the room.
Steven, I’m really outta the mood right now. Do you mind if we do this another day?” Joe asked quickly.
“No problem, I---”
But he wasn’t listening anymore. Without another word, Joe quickly left the room, and headed back downstairs to the studio. Sinking gladly into his favorite leather chair, he closed his eyes and struggled to understand the sudden onset of his bad mood. All this talk of bad luck and superstition had finally gotten to him. He couldn’t explain it, really. It was just an overwhelming feeling that had suddenly taken over his consciousness. Having never been the superstitious type before, he reasoned that it was his gut reaction to how very perfect his life had become. It was as if he instantly realized the true fragility of his world. The more he thought about it all, the more his head began to ache. Without realizing it, he began to doze off. His last coherent thought was just how beautiful she looked in champagne silk..
“I said, please hold still unless you want your fingers sutured together!” snapped the young doctor as he tried to make sense of Mike Warren’s ravaged hands.
There was an armed guard in the room and still, the guy made him nervous. Not only was he verbally abusive to anyone in his path but those eyes also bore a certain crazed look that seemed almost unnatural. The sooner he could get him out and on his way back to jail, the better.
“Yeah, I was once a fine upstanding young man like yourself, Mr. High and Fuckin’ Mighty!” Mike Warren grinned wickedly at the young resident, purposely rattling his cage. “This is what a little bad luck can bring ya! This is what happens when other people fuck you over---”
“That’s enough, Warren!” barked the guard. He had had it the prisoner’s dramatic ramblings and violent outbursts. Shaking his head, he walked to the curtained opening of the exam area. “I’m going to step right outside this curtain. Don’t let me hear your filthy mouth again!”
Warren rolled his eyes. He didn’t care for the guard’s attitude very much. Obviously he was working for Perry. They all were. And now that he was in jail, he imagined that Perry felt pretty safe. The very thought made Warren want to laugh out loud. All those cops, the attorneys and even the judge that had put him in jail were about to get a big surprise. Thanks to his little hospital visit, he now had a plan.
Upon his arrival to the hospital, he had been shuffled into a curtained exam area. There he had sat patiently waiting to be seen. After all, where was he going to go? The cuffs had been taken off his hands but he was still wearing leg irons and body restraints. They bit into his skin, reminding him that his freedom had been stolen. On the surface he appeared to be quite calm while underneath it all, he was still seething. It was during these few quiet moments that he overheard a conversation between two nurses that totally changed his sour mood.
“I’m telling ya, he was here last night! Both of them were! It was in the paper today. Didn’t you read it?” said one of the nurses.
“Yeah but I didn’t believe it! I didn’t realize that people like that came here.” replied the other.
Her companion giggled. “Well Ashley, where do you think they go? They were both here, and so was that other guy, Tom Whitford.”
“Kristen! For the last time, it‘s Brad Whitford……Tom Hamilton.” chided the one named Ashley.
“Yeah well whatever! All I know is that Joe Perry was here last night! I could have just about died when he walked in those doors! He was carrying her, for God’s sake! How romantic is that?” Kristen swooned.
“Figures you’d spot him! You’ve got Joe Perry-itis! Was it his girlfriend?”
“His fiancee’! Of course you didn’t hear this from me, okay? Cause I certainly wouldn’t snoop in the computer otherwise, but well....apparently she’s pregnant.”
“Lucky girl! Hey you wanna make a roadtrip? I hear that the entire band is making an appearance at Tower Records in downtown New York tomorrow."
“Ashley....I like the way you think!”
The rest of their conversation was meaningless and soon they had disapeared. But in their passing, Mike Warren was left with a big smile on his face. It was as if someone had turned on a light inside of his mind. Suddenly all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place and he knew what he had to do in order to exact revenge. It was a wicked scheme, born within the dark recesses of his brain, coming to life abruptly like an awakened evil. Warren suddenly felt more relaxed than he had in weeks. Of course it all centered around tomorrow's transfer to Fall River. The only missing detail was how to make the break.
“Okay I’m done here.” the resident said, standing quickly. He turned and began writing in a manilla file that was lying on a nearby tray.
Out of curiosity, Warren looked on. Suddenly something on the tray piqued his interest considerably. It was a paperclip, probably from the manilla file itself. A simple paperclip.....something of little or no value to the average person. But to a prisoner such as himself, it was a real treasure. Now he had only to obtain it....unnoticed of course. Seconds passed. The resident turned and walked to the door, signaling to the guard that he was finished. The guard returned to the room and in a flash, Mike Warren found himself again handcuffed, making his way slowly out the doors of the emergency room to the waiting squad car.
The paperclip under his tongue went totally unnoticed....
True love never dies. Rather, it transcends death to become the immortal force that binds us together forever...
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Joe stared at the piece of paper that he had discovered in his jacket pocket, re-reading it several times. It was Lily’s handwriting, though he had no clue as to how it ended up in his pocket.
“Lily?” he called into the bathroom. “Did you put this in my pocket?”
“What?” she called back.
“This piece of paper...it says---”
“Oh yess!” she said, suddenly remembering. “Don’t throw that away. I need it.”
“What is it?” he asked quietly, trying not to sound as tired as he felt. It had been a long day, starting with an appearance on a local morning radio show to promote tomorrow’s release of the new album and ending with a rather lengthy band meeting that had turned into somewhat of a jam session. Tomorrow morning the five of them would be flying to New York for a special autograph signing at Tower Records. The opening date of the tour was approaching fast, and everything was beginning to move at breakneck speed.
“Just something that I came up with today. I want to put it in my journal.” she said, stepping out of the bathroom and into the sanctuary of their bedroom. He glanced at her and smiled, melting at the very sight of her loveliness. Wearing nothing but an old flannel shirt of his, she was still breathtaking.
“Come over here...” he held out his arms to recieve her, pulling her close as he buried his face into the warmth of her body. He could feel her fingers in his hair, stroking him lovingly.
“Joe what’s wrong?” she murmured, sensing something somber in his voice.
“I don’t know....nothing really. I just don’t wanna go to New York tomorrow, I guess.” he answered with a deep sigh, gripping her even tighter.
“Is that all?” she said soothingly, running her hands down the well defined muscles of his upper back. “You’ll be back tomorrow night, right?”
“Yeah...I know. I just....I just don’t wanna leave you.” he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Why don’t you come with me?”
“I can’t.” she sighed. “I’m meeting with the lighting designer, remember?”
“Well I don’t see why Steven can’t take care of that.”
“Honey, Steven’s a crazy man right now. You know how he gets right before a tour.” she spoke gently, silencing his protests. “I already promised him I’d take care of this.”
“You’re right.” he acknowledged, looking up into her eyes. “I just feel like I shouldn’t leave you right now.”
“You’re still wierded out about breaking that mirror yesterday, aren’t ya?” she said, kissing his forehead softly.
“Maybe.” he shrugged, trying to hide his eyes. She knew him all too well.
“Its just superstition, Joe. Besides, I thought you said we didn’t own any bad luck?”
“I did say that, didn’t I?” he smiled, shaking his head. “Look, I can’t explain why its bugging me like this. But I can’t seem to shake it.”
“Okay, enough gloom and doom, Perry!” she said. “Let’s talk about something else. You still want me to come on tour with you or not?”
“Oh absolutely!” He perked up immediatly. “I’ll be a fuckin’ grouch if you don’t come.”
“Well then its settled...I’m coming.” she said. “Let’s just get through all this craziness right now. We’ve got plenty of time to get sick of each other later.”
“Not a chance.” he whispered, lying back on the bed and pulling her with him.
Holding her face in gently in his hands, he gazed for a moment into her eyes. The strength of her love washed over him like the evening tide, washing away his weariness. They kissed as if for the very first time, leisurely finding each other’s lips. His fingers moved up under her shirt to caress the small of her back while his tongue slowly wrapped around hers in a hot sultry dance.
And so for what felt like forever, they did nothing but kiss. Yet it was no ordinary kiss. It was as if time stood still, holding its breath so that this moment would become eternal. An intensely raw intimacy wrapped them tightly together, giving each the feeling of floating above their own bodies. This was a kiss neither would ever forget. This was the intertwining kiss of souls, like two golden threads forever bound as One.
Joe didn’t know how long they had kissed, or just when that kiss had turned into lovemaking. It didn’t matter. Time meant nothing when they were together. So he held her, touched her, loved her....as he had never done before. The electricity between their bodies ran deep and white hot with a wild passion unrivaled by anything they had ever experienced together before. This night and all its glory would remain forever alive, suspended like a shroud of magic over their lives. Lily..... He could drown in her love, consume her sweetness over and over, and still never get enough…
A Shadow watched intently from afar, as if viewing a timeless chess game. All the pieces were in place as Good and Evil alternately played their turns. As usual, the pristine soldiers of Good stood faithfully on guard, unaware of the intent of its darker brethren. What would a well placed whisper do for their situation? Would it be worth tampering with the will of the Fates? As of yet, the Shadow could determine no reward for such involvement. However all of that could change in the blink of an eye.....
For Mike Warren, the morning couldn't come soon enough. In its early gray light, he was careful to follow his normal routines, keeping his face stoic and free of the evil grin he wore on the inside. Today was the day he had waited for; the day that all of his maniacal dreams would at last be realized. Like a new bride, he held his breath in anticipation, barely making it through his breakfast. When it was time, the stolen paperclip was carefully hidden. Warren couldn’t help but secretly smile at the thought. With all the money and the manpower that had been used to lock him away, who would guess that a simple paperclip would have the power to change all of that? He guessed that none of them had even a single clue….especially Perry. But he would. By the time this day is over, you’ll be on your knees, he thought icily…..
She dreamed she was running through a forest. She could not see the thing that pursued her but knew it wanted to kill her. The forest was dark, and unknown to her. Gnarled tree branches clawed at her as the wind whipped her hair into her eyes. Down she fell, stumbling into a carpet of ferns and leaves. Exhausted, she couldn’t go on. She was crying, listening to the sounds of its ragged breathing as the beast grew closer. Then there it was, a great black hooded thing with glowing eyes, reaching out a taloned hand for her throat. Suddenly there was the flash of silver as an unknown light glimmered down over her. From out of nowhere, he appeared, dark haired and brave, as he wielded his sword toward the beast.......
Lily awoke suddenly, her breath caught in her throat. She was disoriented, still entangled in the remnants of her terrible dream. After a moment, she sat up and looked around, realizing that she was safe in her own bedroom. Joe lay sleeping at her side. He responded automatically to her movements and she felt his big strong hand touching hers.
“Good morning, beautiful! Sure is cold down here without you.”
“We have to get up in about ten minutes anyway.” she yawned glancing at the alarm clock before curling up in his waiting arms.
“Is it six already? Damn! I am so not looking forward to this day….”
“I‘ll make you a deal, okay? You go and do what you have to do and I‘ll meet you back here in this very spot tonight. How‘s that for motivation?” she whispered, kissing his lips softly.
“I love you, Lily…” he replied, gently sliding one hand down to her tummy. “I love you both.”
“We know.” she smiled sweetly. “And it won‘t be so much longer before you‘ll be able to feel the baby move.
“Really?” Joe grinned from ear to ear.
Suddenly the sound of the alarm shattered their very intimate moment. Joe shut it off begrudgingly, taking one last long indulgent kiss before his feet hit the floor. Let’s do this, he thought. I’m gonna get this over with, come back home without a hitch and put this whole doom and gloom crap to rest once and for all. As he stepped into the shower, he couldn’t help but laugh at his own lunacy.
As Mike Warren waited to be loaded into the police van, he felt his fingers tingle with excitement. It was almost time. He had a plan and the means to carry it out. Even better was the fact that he would only be accompanied by two policemen, not the customary four used for most felons. The police chief felt this was adequate since there was no documented history of violence on his record. This was something that the district attorney had strongly cautioned against but had been unable to get a judge to agree with. So two armed guards it was.
Two armed guards. Like blind mice, they had no clue of the rage that waited to explode from his body. It took all his effort to keep in under control, letting it seethe beneath his skin until the time was right. But it was necessary in order to rid the world of the evil he knew as Perry. Amazingly, Warren had no fear for his own life. He was beyond that. He didn’t even expect to live through what was to come. But one thing was for certain, he intended to go out in a blaze of absolute glory, taking his enemy down with him. It was the only way to free the world. As he was loaded into the back of the van, he watched closely the officer who secured him, making notes of how the chains were placed and how the key turned in the locks. It was a rather intricate set up and would require patience, but it wasn’t impossible. After all, he had his own pass key, did he not? He couldn’t help but laugh at the fools who would soon experience the power of his wrath.
And still the Shadow watched, now more interested than ever. This dark soldier, while certainly insane, was entertaining and offered much relief for the constant pious fairy tales touted by the side of Good. And likewise she was anxious to know whether the white knight had the makings of a true hero or was he all talk like the rest of them. Still she itched to push things along. Whose side would she offer her assistance? Let him who needs me, call me….
“Yo, Joe ! Let’s go!” Steven called from the waiting car. “Everybody’s waiting on us!”
“Yeah I’m coming!” Joe turned to Lily and scooped her up into his arms, holding her tight. “C’mon baby….grab your coat and come with me. Both April and Karen are going.”
“I wish I could! But you know I have a meeting this morning.”
“I know!” he sighed. “But you know I gotta try, right?”
“You are one bad, relentless boy!” she said, kissing him sweetly. “I can’t wait till you get home tonight.”
“JOE!” Steven repeated loudly, risking the scorn of his musical soulmate.
“Go! Now….” Lily kissed him again hurriedly and pushed him toward the car. “I love you!”
“I love you too! I’ll call you later!” he said.
But as he opened the door of the car, he suddenly turned back toward the house and watched her slowly ascend the front steps. The morning sun cast a golden light that made her seem transparent and shimmery. She was so beautiful it brought tears to his eyes. He had seen her like that before. She looked so much like a vision he was afraid if he blinked his eyes she might vanish. The feeling was so strong it made him want to blow off the whole trip and stay there with her. For a second, he wavered. Then Steven cleared his throat, bringing him back to reality.
“Lily!” Joe called to her.
She turned and he clasped his hand over his heart and blew her a silent kiss. Holding out both hands, she caught the imaginary kiss and held it close to her heart, blowing one back his way. He caught it and pretended to tuck it into his jacket pocket, savoring the dazzling smile on her face. Then he got into the car and closed his eyes as they pulled away…
“Yeah, I was a rock star once. ”Mike threw his head back and closed his eyes, remembering better times. “You ever hear the song, Blue Angel? No? How about Roadhouse??”
There was no response from his audience.
“Rock 'n Roll Blues?”
Again there was no response.
“Really? I can’t believe you haven’t heard those!” A crazy half light filled Mike’s eyes as he rambled on. “I wrote those songs for Blue Gems…..sang lead on ’em too. Me and Perry at our finest…..comrades in band, I used to say. He told me I was the best singer he’d ever hired for the band.”
Mike beamed with pride as distant flashes of memory invaded his twisted mental space. His audience remained silent.
“I was a hundred times better for Joe than that Tyler idiot….” he said, dropping his voice to an impassioned whisper. “He should never have gone back! Why did he go back? That guy cripples him….steals his thunder. I never did that! I never…ever…did that….”
Again, silence was the only response he drew.
Mike closed his eyes as his voice trailed away. In his mind he tried to take himself back to those gloriously simple days. The memories replayed over and over again but no matter how hard he tried to recapture them they remained cold and lifeless. Instead of comforting him, they became like a constant heckler, reminding him of just how far he had fallen from grace. Perry had been the heart and soul of the band; it was his dream….his baby. But then the sonofabitch deserted that dream like a coward, leaving him to rot in hell.
It was a damn shame really…..such a simple dream had reduced them all to this.
“Well fellas…….” he sighed. “I really hate to run out on ya like this but….I have so many things to do today.”
Mike stood, kicking away the handcuffs, leg irons and chains that once secured him. He tucked the now bent and twisted paperclip into the top of his boot. They were a bit snug but he could tolerate them. After all, he had been forced to borrow them from a rather unruly minion of the Perry. Gazing down momentarily at the lifeless bodies of the two uniformed officers, he shook his head. Too bad for them they had chosen to be in Perry’s command. Too bad for Perry that he had chosen such gullible idiots.
It had been all too easy. About an hour outside of the city, he had carefully spit out the precious paperclip hidden in the deep recesses of his mouth. It landed on the seat beside him, just out of his reach and for a moment he panicked. Ahh sweet mother of darkness! This can’t happen! Quite suddenly his luck returned. The van hit a bump in the road, sending the paperclip sliding back his way. Gingerly, he had twisted his body ever so slightly, obtaining the paperclip with the same covert agility he had managed in the hospital. The rest was easy money. His hands were cuffed behind his back, and picking the lock was no problem. The other locks took even less time.
A fake seizure got the attention of the officers up front. The van pulled over. One got out to check the prisoner and was quickly subdued with a precision blow to the head. After a moment of silence, the other opened the doors to the van, gun drawn. But it was too late. Having stolen his partner’s weapon, Mike fired first, unloading the first bullet into the man’s chest, the other two he placed deep in his gut. Quickly throwing the second man into the back of the van, Mike sat back surveying his work. His entire body shook as the adrenalin rushed through it.
“Today is a good day to die…” He breathed in and out hard, exalting in his new found freedom. Suddenly the first officer stirred, coming slowly out of his blackness. Mike cocked the gun and placed it to his head. “Bastard.”
He pulled the trigger without a second thought.
“Practice makes perfect.” he shrugged.
Wasting no time, he immediately searched the bodies, gathering whatever he could find; handcuffs, keys, a police baton and a badge. He also exchanged his orange prison garb for the clothes of one officer. While the fit wasn’t perfect, it was close enough. Now wearing a dark shirt, pants and jacket, he would be able to blend in much better. The jacket bore the insignia of the police department. That along with the badge would come in handy, he mused. It was as he dressed that he engaged the lifeless corpses into his wild one-sided conversation. Truly he had slipped beyond reach into the dark depths of insanity and had never felt better.
Slipping into the front of the van, he casually started the engine and slowly drove away. He didn’t plan on keeping the vehicle but he knew exactly where to ditch it. About a quarter of a mile down the road was a wild overgrown path that led deep into a tangle of shrub and vines. It was early and luckily the roads were nearly deserted. No one saw him drive the van into the dense scrub and suddenly it was gone as if the earth had opened up and swallowed it whole. In the glove compartment, he found a roll of duct tape and quickly shoved it into the pocket of the jacket along with his other loot. The police baton was tucked into his belt like a sword in a scabbard. After a few minutes, Mike Warren emerged from the brush, quickly crossed the road and disapeared into the opposite woods leaving his first victims behind.
Something Wicked This Way Comes…
“Well, I’m certainly glad we had a chance to meet before I showed these to Steven.” sighed the grey haired gentleman glumly. “I thought I had nailed his vision but I have a whole new perspective on this project now.”
“Don’t get me wrong, Bill….I think that this design is outstanding.” Lily said “But I know for a fact that the guys are shooting for an ultra simplistic look this tour. We’re even skipping the pyro. The stage design itself is very intricate…..lots of catwalks. We’re going for a really decadent East Indian look so we want to make sure the lighting enhances that without overpowering it.”
“So what do you suggest?”
“You’re completely on the right track, just simplify and scale everything down.” she offered. “And definitely minimize the bulk of the truss. I don’t want it too heavy that we have the same problems they had last tour.”
“The Atlanta incident….” he nodded. “I remember hearing about that.”
“They had to cancel the performance on the day of the show because the venue’s rigging was totally inadequate for our equipment. Our crews have recently voiced some concerns about this and I agree with them.”
“Okay I hear ya….” he said. “Let me work on this a couple of more days and I’ll call you when its ready. I’m already getting some ideas from what you’re saying.”
Bill Simon was an experienced lighting designer who had worked with Aerosmith in the past. Lily was confident that he was gonna pull something incredible out of his hat that would absolutely thrill Steven but he just needed to get the right focus. Steven wasn’t always the best communicator of his artistic visions and simply needed a little help in the translation. That was by far what Lily did best.
She shook his hand warmly. “Thanks for coming and I look forward to hearing from you again.”
Lily walked him out to his car with Max close at her heels. It was mid afternoon but you’d never know it from the dark clouds that hung low in the distant sky. The air was unnaturally warm for the season and it had already begun misting rain. A wind was whipping up from the south, speeding the approach of the wicked black clouds. Max stood at attention, his eyes scanning the trees that ringed the property. Beyond the stone wall, the trees were caught in the wind, moving back and forth in a mesmerizing sway. But there was more……something didn’t feel quite right. A low growl formed in his throat.
“What’s wrong, Max?” Lily scrubbed his head affectionately. “It’s just a storm, sweetie.” She immediately thought of the horses, but on second glance saw that their stableman David Shaw was working out in the barn.
“C’mon Max…” she said to her faithful friend as she took off running toward the barn. Max barked and chased after her, spinning around in happy circles as he would catch up to her. Lily laughed, encouraging him in the chase. When they reached the barn, she was nearly breathless.
“David?” she called. “David!”
“Ma’am?” David stepped out of one of the stalls, laying aside his pitchfork. He was a strapping young man in his early twenties with a confident stance and a cheerful demeanor to match.
“There you are!” Lily smiled broadly. “I’m so glad you’re here today. Did you see the sky?”
“Yes ma’am….I’m getting ready to lead them back in. Radio says we have some whopping storms headed our way.” he said. At that precise moment, the distant peal of thunder could be heard.
Her eyes widened in surprise. “I hope this doesn’t delay Joe getting back tonight.”
“Well don’t worry about a thing out here.” David replied. “I’ve got it under control. I’m gonna finish up for the day and batten everything up real tight before I leave.”
“Thank you so much!” she beamed sweetly. “Now where is Max?”
Glancing around, she didn’t see his familiar furry face anywhere.
“Oh, he trotted off out the back door there.” David pointed to the open double doors that led out toward the back of the property. “Well I gotta get the horses now. That sky’s gonna pour soon!”
Lily walked to the back doors and whistled for Max. At first she didn’t see him. Then she spotted him down near the far wall, nosing around the stonework. As she approached, he began to bark and dig around a particular spot at the wall.
“What’s up, Max?” she said, failing to see anything out of place.
Max whined and began barking more urgently. Lily’s eyes searched the area but could see nothing wrong. The sound of thunder rumbled closer now. Grasping the dog by his collar, she gently urged him toward the house.
“C’mon boy! Lets get inside before we’re soaked!”
But Max had other ideas. He pulled away from her, leaping up at the stone wall as if trying to get over it. His barking had an increasing urgency that was a little disconcerting. Just then lightening sizzled across the stormy sky.
“Max Perry!” she raised her voice slightly, gaining his attention. “C’mon right now, mister!”
Reluctantly he obeyed, tucking his head down as he followed her to the house. However, he whined miserably and kept glancing back at the stone wall. There was something wrong; a strange scent was in the air. It was an unpleasant mix of blood mingled with the body odor of a human he didn’t recognize. The scent was strong just beyond the wall. As they entered the house, he turned and glanced back giving a strong warning bark to the unseen danger which lurked outside their property line. Go away, his bark warned. Stay away from my family!
“Max, c’mon boy, settle down.” Lily tried to smooth the hair that stood ruffled on the back of his neck. But Max was a dog in conflict and paced around the door anxiously, moving the curtain aside with his nose and staring back out into the yard.
Outside a bolt of lightning split apart the sky and the rain finally began to pour in wind driven sheets. Beyond the stone wall, Mike Warren hunched down low beneath some overgrown vines to ride out the storm. The hooded jacket he wore offered some protection but not enough to keep him completely dry. It didn’t matter though. He was sure that Joe had some clothes he could change into. In a few hours darkness would be falling and he would make his move…
“Carry on, dark soldier….carry on…” mused the Shadow from her void.
“Dammit!” Joe paced the floor restlessly, checking his watch again.
“Its six……exactly fifteen minutes since you last checked your watch.” Steven shook his head. Joe was beginning to irritate him.
“Don’t start with me again!” Joe growled.
Steven shrugged, mindlessly channel surfing from his comfy chair. He didn’t like the prospect of being stuck in New York overnight either but didn’t see the point in getting worked up about it. All I’m saying is, you might as well settle down and relax. The pilot said he’d call us when its safe to take off. You don’t really wanna risk flying through a storm--”
“I know, I know…okay?” Joe sighed, sprawling out across the bed. “I just hope that we don’t get stuck here all night.”
“Well there‘s a small crowd of girls down in the lobby who would take issue with that statement.” Steven chuckled, emitting a low catlike yowl from deep within his feline frame.
“Yeah well you‘re banned from the lobby!” Joe mused, propping himself up on his elbows as he reached for the phone. “Hey find a news channel, will ya? I‘m gonna call home again.”
“Fuckin’ news junkie! I seem to recall a time when we had naked women in every hotel room…” Steven sighed. “Ahh my checkered past haunts me so!”
Joe shook his head at Steven‘s ramblings, listening as the phone rang once, twice….four times. He was about to redial when she finally picked up. The connection was so bad he could barely hear.
“Lily?” He strained to hear through the random static. “Can you hear me?”
“Hey you! Where are you?” she said sweetly.
“I’m still in New York, honey. I had hoped to be calling you from the plane but there’s been a delay with the jet.”
“I’m not surprised! The weather here is awful. I’d be more worried if you guys were actually in the air.”
The static was growing worse. “Lily? This connection sucks! I can barely hear you, baby.”
“It‘s this storm….can you hear it? The power has been going on and off for about an hour.” she replied. “It’s even has Max acting weird.”
Joe sat up suddenly, still straining to hear clearly. “Max? Is that him barking? What‘s going on?”
“Yeah he’s been sitting at the back door barking at the lightning. I think our guard dog needs a vacation!” Lily said, her voice crackling in and out.
“Who? That hairy cream puff? Wait till I get home…” Joe grinned, feigning gruffness. The static continued, drowning out her reply. “Lily? You still there?”
Suddenly the connection went dead. Joe hung up the phone wearily and turned his attention to the television where Steven had found CNN. But his heart wasn’t in it anymore. For a few minutes, the voice of the news anchor became an incoherent drone in the background of his thoughts. But that was about to change.
Something in the news ticker at the bottom of the screen caught his eye and snapped him immediately to attention. He read it in disbelief, his body going rigid and his heart rising to his throat.
“Steven….” he said, choking on the rest of his words. But Steven had seen it and needed no prompting. Leaping immediately to his feet, he grabbed the phone.
“Speak no more, brother. I’m calling the pilot. Just hang on, okay?”
He touched Joe’s shoulder reassuringly, trying to cover his own look of fear. A quick, furtive knock came at the door. It was Tom and from the look on his face, he already knew.
“Tom, we have to get to the airport now!” Steven spoke with a sobering seriousness that Tom had rarely heard.
“I heard….” he nodded.
Joe, lost in the ticker that kept circling the screen, held up his hand to silence Tom as the headline news segment began. It was as if he were frozen inside the fog of a surreal nightmare. Then came the pictures of the van….the crime scene roped off with police tape; two black body bags being carried away. Stunned by what he was hearing, he went numb. The blackened hand of fear reached inside of his body, squeezing his heart with her cold deathlike grip. Tom stood by his side and he was almost certain that others had joined them in the room. But he couldn’t tear his eyes from the screen and the room around him slowly became a blur.
“Okay we’re outta here!” Steven announced, hanging up the phone. “We’ll take the service elevator down to the ground floor by the kitchen. Vince is meeting us out back with the car.”
Joe was alternately dialing home and the Boston police department on his cell phone as they made their silent escape from the hotel. Everyone put on their bravest, most reassuring faces in an effort to keep him calm. But even as they boarded the jet, Joe had not been able to get through….
No crime scene was ever really pleasant. Especially when it involved a murder. But to the men in blue who walked these woods tonight, this was a crime that struck far too close to home. The death of an officer was a sobering, harsh reminder of the dangers they all faced in performing their sworn duties. It was like losing a family member….a brother in arms. And tonight, there were two fallen brothers that would walk beside them no more. While everyone went about their duties quietly, there was a sense of grief and anger that while apparent on everyone’s face, would have to be put aside for now in order to catch the bastard who did it.
“John!” Someone called out to him. It was Simon Perez, one of the first detectives to arrive on the scene and a close friend for many years. “I see you heard the news.”
“Yeah I got a call about a half hour ago. Any good news?”
“Well I can’t get into details because nothings being released yet. As you can see, we’ve got a pack of hungry reporters out there just ready to pounce on the first thing they can get. And I don’t wanna tip this guy off in any way.” Simon spoke in a low tone, his physical weariness obvious.
“Well I thought I might be able to help out since I have some experience dealing with this Mike Warren.”
“We need all the help we can get, John. Every lead so far has gone cold. This guy seems to have a plan. The dogs have found his scent all over these woods and they can’t get a clear marker on him. Its like he tromped all over the area and then vanished into thin air!” Simon said, shaking his head.
“You’ve contacted Joe Perry, haven’t you?”
“Well yes and no….”Simon hedged. “We haven’t been able to contact his residence because of the storm. There’s been power outtages and phone lines down in the area tonight. But I’ve got somebody at dispatch working on it right now.”
John did not like the answer he heard. “C’mon Simon! This creep Warren has it out for Perry! He swore at the trial that he’d kill him! Has anybody been sent out to the residence?”
“Well, we’re working on that too. We sent a car out earlier but there’s trees down in the road. The power crews have assured me that they’ll be getting to that area within the hour. My immediate problem is making sure Warren doesn‘t get out of Massachusetts. All our sources say he‘s probably heading for Mexico.”
John had a bad feeling about everything he was hearing. From everything he knew about Mike Warren, he was certain that he intended harm to Perry. He had sworn it. In fact, it all made sense. Warren didn’t break out of police custody just so he could escape to Mexico. He had unfinished business to settle.
“Simon, this guy ain’t going anywhere until he settles his score with Perry! And why wasn’t his transport more secure? This whole operation was handled like he was a shoplifter! This transport should have had more officers and nobody should have turned their back on him for a second!”
“John, I agree with you! So does every cop out here and the district attorney! Apparently the chief thought differently.” Simon said, shaking his head. “But what can I do now? All I can do is follow police procedure and try my best to catch this guy and put him on trial for murder.”
“Well in the meantime, please trust my judgement on this! The Perry residence is the first place Warren is gonna go, if he’s not there already! We can’t wait on the power crews, we have to get some guys out there with chainsaws if need be and get to that house before its too late!” John replied, hoping that his words would have an impact.
Fortunately Simon Perez finally agreed and set the necessary ball into motion. John felt better, but still had a knot of anxiety in his stomach. Warren had escaped hours ago. Was it possible that he had already carried out his deadly revenge? Suddenly he remembered something. Yanking out his cell phone, he scrolled through his saved numbers. There it was….he still had Perry’s cell phone number on his phone along with Tyler’s. Between the two of them, surely he could find Perry’s whereabouts.
Or at least he hoped….
The Dragon Strikes
Max continued to be agitated all afternoon. Anxiously he paced the floors, keeping a close eye on the windows and doors. The other eye he kept on Lily, following her from room to room guardedly. She had first chalked it up to dog paranoia and ignored his behavior. But gradually the loudness and severity of the storms coupled with the flickering lights had made her admittedly edgy. Talking to Joe had helped somewhat even though their conversation had been cut short by the storm. Knowing that he was still trying to get home gave her some feeling of normalcy as she went about her evening, trying to focus on things like dinner, laundry and a watercolor painting of Max that she had started. But shortly before seven, the power had gone off yet again, and this time did not come back on.
Ignoring her own uneasy feelings, Lily lit a few candles and curled up on the couch, attempting to read. Max continued to stake out the back door, occasionally trotting off to the foyer, the downstairs guest rooms and back again to check on her. Each time he would come by and place his head in her lap, she would put down the book and pet him. He would whine a little, his body language stiff and his ears pricked up high. Soon he would go back to the back door, peering out into the night through the tiny curtained window.
“Okay Max, you win! I’m officially paranoid now!” she sighed, laying the book aside. Truth be known, she was only pretending to read. Her mind was on Joe and praying that at any second he would be walking through the door. She picked up the phone again, but nothing had changed. It was still dead. Cell phone..she thought. Where did I put my cell phone last? The studio. She was almost certain it was down in Joe’s studio.
Just then there was a loud banging sound from the kitchen. Max growled and quickly followed the sound. For a few breathless seconds, Lily didn’t even move as fear suddenly gripped her completely. After a minute, she forced herself to get up and follow Max. This is my house, I have nothing to be afraid of! We have a security system…there’s nothing to be afraid of! She repeated this mantra over and over again as she approached the doorway to the kitchen. But the power is out, so how does that work? Didn’t Joe install a back up generator? She could remember clearly that he did and instantly breathed a sigh of relief.
In the kitchen, Max sat poised at the doorway that led down to the basement studio. He wasn’t growling but appeared to be intently listening. Oh stop it, Lily! Look around there’s nobody in here!She scolded herself as she stared at the door to the basement. Down in the studio was her cell phone, she just knew it. Joe had probably been trying that number already. So I have to go get it… The only way it was coming upstairs was if she brought it up herself.
“Max, you wanna come with me downstairs? If we get my phone we can call Joe, okay boy?” she said, her voice still shaky despite her intended resolve. Lily put her hand on the doorknob but paused. Dammit, what is wrong with me? Now she was mad at herself for behaving so silly. Taking a deep breath, she swung the door open.
The stairs were dark which puzzled her a little. Max started forward, but she pulled him back, ordering him to sit. Ordinarily there were little security lights on the stairs. She had thought they were wired to the generator also. In fact weren’t there other lights……. Slowly it dawned upon her that something was wrong. Joe had in fact installed a generator that in the event of a power outtage would maintain the security system as well as a series of emergency lights throughout the house and the grounds. Those stairs shouldn’t have been dark. Turning to look around the room, she noticed for the first time that the small emergency lights in the corners weren’t on. The glow from all the candles she had lit had caused her to miss this fact which now sent a chill up her spine. Something was wrong with the generator which meant that everything was completely dead. A look out the window confirmed this; the grounds were pitch dark. There were no lights anywhere that she could see. How did I miss that, she thought. Turning her attention back to Max, she thought of how agitated he had been even before the lights went out. Her fear escalated quickly into panic.
Well now she had no other choice. She simply had to get the phone out of the basement. It was her only means of communication. Grabbing a candle, she moved slowly toward the open door. Max pushed himself in front of her, moving down the steps at a slow pace, stopping every few feet to peer into the darkness ahead. Lily’s hands were icy cold and she felt as if someone were squeezing the breath from her body. By the time she had reached the bottom of the stairs, she was shaking.
BANG BANG….
She very nearly dropped the candle. There was that sound again and it was coming from somewhere ahead of her down in the darkness of the basement. Max pushed his body against hers and growled fiercely. She gripped his collar. “Max stay with me…”
Gathering what was left of her courage, she moved down the short hallway toward the door of the control room where she thought her phone to be. Max wanted to go further but she ordered him to sit at the door. Inside the room, she searched for the phone. It was difficult to see clearly with the light of one candle among all the equipment but she finally found it lying on the Neve board. She breathed a sigh of relief.
BANG BANG BANG!
Again came the banging sound. Lily nearly jumped out of her skin, dropping the phone to the floor. Max took off like a light in the direction of that sound, snarling and growling. Frozen in fear, she couldn’t breathe. All she could do was stand there, shaking. It suddenly felt as if someone were watching her, and she turned, staring out of the windows of the control room to the dark sound room beyond. She could see nothing but pitch blackness and yet she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand. Max suddenly began barking. Glancing quickly around, Lily saw an old baseball bat that Joe kept hanging on the wall. It had been his father’s, signed by baseball great, Pete Foreman. With the candle in one hand and the bat in the other, she impulsively followed the sound of Max as he continued to bark. She found him at the end of the hallway in the bathroom, barking at a window that sat high up on the wall at ground level. It was one of the several windows that swung open, leading to the outside. Not only did they allow natural light to penetrate the space but also provided emergency exits in case a fire were to cut off access to the rest of the house. Evidently the window hadn’t been locked properly or the wind had somehow blown it open. Breathing a sigh of relief, she found the pole used to latch the windows and shut it, silencing the gaping monster completely. Yet Max still didn’t seem to be satisfied.
He searched the entire area surrounding the bathroom and even into an adjoining room where Joe kept a pool table, his gun and knife collection and dozens of humidors for his cigars. Lily followed him, feeling much more confident now that they were both imagining things. Max, on the other hand, seemed more confident that he had found something and quickly dashed back down the hall toward the door to the sound room. Lily paused, watching him closely as he pawed at the door. The hair on the back of his neck was standing straight up and he was snarling like a grizzly bear. For a brief second, her fear slowly returned to haunt her. Then the sound of her cell phone ringing shattered the stillness. Quickly she ran back into the booth and picked it up. It was Joe! The sound of his voice lit up the darkness, making her feel much better.
“Lily, what’s going on there? I’ve been trying to get through--”
“Joe, the phone lines are down and the power is out. I had to go down to the basement to get my cell phone. I’m sorry I didn’t remember it sooner. Where are you at?” she said, trying to sound as natural as possible as she climbed back up the stairs. Max was still down below, pawing at the door.
“I’m in the air headed home. We’ll be landing at Logan in less than an hour.” Joe said. “Lily, I have to tell you something and I don’t want you to panic but---hey is that Max I hear? What’s going on, honey?”
“I don’t know….” she replied, choking back tears. “We found a window open down there and so I shut it….but he’s still pawing at the sound room door and….I don’t mean to scare you, but he’s making me nervous.”
“Baby, listen to me…are all the doors and windows locked?”
“Yes..” she whispered, glancing back down the darkened stairs.
“Okay, so call Max back upstairs, lock the basement door immediately and call the police. Tell them---”
“Joe……all the emergency lights are out. All of them, inside and out. I know I’m just being silly……..the storm is so bad its probably knocked out the generator too. But I’m scared.”
Lily….just do exactly what I told you and and sit tight. Keep Max with you no matter what.”
Lily could hear the fear in Joe’s voice no matter how he tried to hide it. She called softly to Max. At first he didn’t respond but after a minute, he came running up the stairs. His fur was still bristly and he kept his attention toward the basement. Slamming the door shut, she quickly locked it and returned her attention to the phone.
“Max is with me and I just locked the basement door….” She trailed off, trying hard not to cry. “Honey, call the police and then call me back, okay?”
“Okay…talk to you in a second…” Then the line went dead.
From the air, Joe was helpless. He could do nothing for her. That feeling of overwhelming helplessness created a pent up energy that was slowly building to anger.
“You talked to her…she’s okay?” Steven touched his arm gently.
“Something is wrong, Steven! The generator’s out and Max is acting like somebody’s in the house.” Joe replied slowly with much agony in his voice. “She found a basement window open….”
“Is that why you didn’t tell her about Mike Warren‘s escape?”
“I wanted to...but she sounds so scared already.” Joe closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. “If I tell her to leave the house..well what if he's skulking around outside? I don't know what the fuck to do! I told her to call the police. But they should have been there by now anyway! When John Ryan called me half an hour ago, he said there was somebody headed out there! She shouldn’t be alone right now! They know this guy said---he said he‘d……”
“Its gonna be okay, Joe! Relax, we’re almost there. ”
But no matter what Steven said, Joe knew he couldn’t possibly relax until he knew for certain she was safe from harm. He waited impatiently for her to call back, clinging to his cell phone as if it were Lily herself…
Now inside the king’s basement he made himself at home. Planting himself in the middle of the pool table, he casually puffed on a rare but delectable Cuban Hoyo de Monterrey, inhaling it deeply and blowing the smoke slowly out through his nose. Yes, Perry still had excellent taste in cigars. Guns, guitars and cigars were always on the basic menu of rock and roll. And women….don’t forget the women, Joe used to say. Mike nodded in remembrance. “Yes, Joe…let’s not forget the women.”
Joe had never been without a woman. They flocked to him then as well as now. But Perry never gorged himself; he always chose just one. And if his taste in cigars had remained ever as keen, his taste in women hadn’t faltered either. The woman upstairs was proof of that. He had watched her from the dark recesses of the sound room. He had seen the fear on her beautiful face, noting how she trembled in his presence. She has yet to experience real fear, he thought smiling wickedly. Oh but the night is still young!
Wasting the rest of the cigar, he ground it arrogantly into the impeccably kept pool table and leaped to his feet. He had seen all there was to see here and wished to see no more. After everything he had ever done for Joe, he had never even been asked to the Perry palace for coffee. So why would he really want to hang out here now?
“Joe, you miserable fucker!” he said, swinging the police baton as he walked toward the glass encased selection of guns and knives.
True, the sonofabitch wasn’t home. But Warren didn’t want to kill him outright. After all, there was no sport in that. He knew what would hurt the most. He knew what would make Perry come crawling on his hands and knees.
Once upon a time, he had lost something precious in his life. Now it was Joe Perry’s turn…
Meanwhile from the darkness of her void, the Shadow was pleased by the advances of the dark soldier. She fed eagerly off his negative energy and felt herself becoming stronger. Quietly she whispered into his thoughts, urging him onward…
“Lily? Oh thank god! I‘ve been going nuts!”
She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard his voice on the phone.
“Joe, its---awful here! There’s another storm kicking up---”
Static kept cutting into the connection.
“Joe? Can you hear me?”
“Just keep talking, baby. I can hear you.
The connection was terrible. Joe sounded like he was a million miles away. In one corner of their bedroom, she sat huddled in the floor like a small frightened child. Max lay close by, his eyes and ears focused on the door. A small flashlight lay at her side, casting a beam of light across the room that invited shadows to play at its edges. Outside the storm raged like an angry beast. A strong wind tossed through the trees outside the windows, whipping their utmost branches against the sides of the house like scraping talons. Lightning hissed and crackled one electrifying snap after another as it thundered its way across the sky.
“I dialed 911 and the sheriff but I couldn‘t get through. They must be flooded with emergency calls.” she said in a quiet, small voice. “I’m probably imagining things anyway, right? You know my imagination runs wild most of the time. I’ve probably done a very good job at scaring myself silly tonight.”
Static filled the line again, breaking up the sound of his voice. “--I need to tell you----custody earlier today---”
“What? Joe, I can only hear every other word---” she strained to hear over the static, knowing that her words were probably lost to him as well.
“---should be---on their way. Lily, talk to me please!”
The connection suddenly cleared.
“Okay I can hear you now! What did you say? I could only hear the end of it.” she asked, fighting back the tears as she forced herself to breathe deeply.
“Honey, where are you?”
“Upstairs in the bedroom with Max. Why?”
“The police should be on their way out to check the house. Just stay where you are until you absolutely know they’re there, okay?” Joe spoke slowly in an effort to be calm. But Lily knew him well.
Something’s wrong…” she whispered. “I can hear it in your voice.”
“Mike Warren broke out of police custody earlier---”
Static overtook the line again, drowning him out totally. She tried switching channels but nothing worked. After about a minute of silence, the connection was completely lost. Desperately she tried calling him back but couldn‘t get a signal. Her head swirled with frightening thoughts that she couldn‘t shut out; Max acting so strangely out on the property earlier and his agitated behavior ever since…..especially in the basement. The very thought of finding that open window sent chills up her spine. Then there had been the feeling that she was being watched….Max scratching at the sound room door… All these things haunted her memory. Finding out about Mike Warren sent her over the edge. Lily couldn‘t have been more frightened if someone had told her the Grim Reaper himself was coming for tea.
Suddenly the phone rang, nearly causing her to jump from her skin. It was Joe.
“Lily, try and stay-----we just-------I’m headed----” Again, static cut into his words and she could barely understand him. “Joe? I can’t hear you!” she said. There were tears in her eyes she could no longer hold back. “Please stay with me! Don’t hang up….”
“I’m not going anywhere------just landed at Logan---coming home now.” The static made his voice cut in and out but she gathered enough to know that he was coming home.
“I love you…” she said, trying to pull herself together. Then the static disappeared as if by magic and she could hear his voice clear as a bell.
“I love you too.” he replied. “Just keep talking to me, okay? I’m getting off the plane now.”
That’s when she heard a loud splintering sound from downstairs…..then a crash. Max immediately rose to his feet and growled, baring his teeth as his fur bristled. He started toward the door but stopped short, continuing to snarl. There could be no doubt anymore. Someone else was in the house.
“There‘s someone downstairs….” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Oh my god, Joe…
Joe felt his mouth go completely dry as his heart dropped. There were people waiting at the airport to meet them but their faces became a blur. He vaguely remembered someone familiar speaking with him and saw several police officers. Steven stepped in and took over with them so he could stay with Lily. “Max will protect you, I promise. Be very quiet and lock yourself in the closet, okay? Don‘t move until I get there!” Joe managed to say.
“Okay…” she whispered, quickly turning off the flashlight and trying not to breathe aloud.
Max pinned his ears down as he slowly moved toward the door. Once locked in combat with an intruder, Max had been trained to fight only to defend his life and the lives of his family. This was a safety mechanism that would give the intruder time to change his mind and run. After all, there had been instances of joy seekers and unscrupulous photographers in the past that had occasionally ventured to scale the fortress like wall that surrounded the Perry estate. But when challenged further, Max would fight to the death to protect his family.
Lily quietly rose to her feet and moved silently across the room to the closet. She was shaking uncontrollably, hanging on only by the thread of Joe‘s voice. But then she heard footsteps on the stairs and her knees suddenly felt like rubber. Max took off running down the long upstairs hallway. She could still hear him growling as she shut herself into the walk-in closet and sank to the floor. His growling turned into a savage snarling that she had never heard from him before. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she hid herself behind some clothes on the lower hanging bar.
In the car, Joe could hear her crying and it went through his heart over and over like a hot blade. For the first time, he realized that John Ryan was beside him, trying to decipher what was going on. He saw Steven sitting in the front seat, urging the driver on in typical Tyler fashion. Behind them was a police car--no, several police cars trying to keep up. The scenery sped by them so fast that he wasn’t exactly sure where they were at the moment but it still didn’t feel fast enough.
“Lily, I’m right here, honey. You’re gonna be okay. The cops should be there by now. Can you hear them at all?”
“No…” she whispered. “All I can hear is Max!”
She cried silently as she listened to the terrible sounds of the battle that was being waged down the hallway. It didn’t even sound like Max. It sounded more like a gigantic demon dog from hell. She could just barely hear someone else….a male voice cursing him violently. They were slamming into the walls, knocking pictures down. She was about to whisper something to Joe when she heard the explosion of a gunshot. Then everything went absolutely dead silent.
Lily froze. She could still hear Joe. His voice sounded even more frantic now, but she couldn’t even whisper. No sound would come from her mouth because she was holding her breath, knowing that her life depended on it. A voice inside of her screamed, fearing the worst had happened to her brave boy Max. But she could not save him now. She didn’t even know how to save herself. Where are the police? The question looped through her mind as her ears strained to hear something from the other side of the door. But she heard nothing but the sound of her own heartbeat as it pounded in her ears.
Then there was movement in the bedroom. She heard the sound of quiet footsteps moving around the room. A panic set in unlike any that she had ever experienced before and her whole body went numb. Unable to breathe at all now, she felt as if she were drowning. She wanted to climb through the phone and feel Joe’s arms around her once more. There were so many things left to say; so much to be shared. To die here tonight would be a senseless end to all their dreams. She closed her eyes and began to pray.
There was a moment of silence as the footsteps paused just outside the closet door. She was sure that he could probably hear her teeth rattling as her body shook violently. He tried the doorknob but it wouldn’t budge. After what seemed like forever, she heard the footsteps move away and out of the room. Emotionally exhausted, her tears erupted anew. She was quick to stifle the sobs that racked her body as she tried to calm herself enough to manage a whisper into the phone.
But that never happened.
The closet door was suddenly split apart by a forceful, angry kick that sent pieces of wood flying everywhere. Lily saw her entire life flash before her eyes as she cowered behind the clothes. One hand fell limply to her side still clutching the phone.
“C’mon out, angel….” A gravely voice hissed in the darkness. A moment passed. “Fine then, I’ll drag you out!”
In a flurry of movement, Mike Warren went tearing through the closet, ripping apart clothes and flinging aside shelving. It didn’t take him long to find her. When she saw his face, she burst into uncontrollable tears.
“Please don’t hurt me…” she begged him as he yanked her to her feet.
He laughed wickedly, mocking her tears. In a vain attempt to escape his grasp, she kicked him hard in the shin. He grunted in pain but held onto her, twisting her around in his arms so that she could feel his hot breath in her ear.
“Big mistake, princess!” he snarled, dragging her with him as he came out of the closet. “Oh hello, my love….what’s this?”
He had discovered the cell phone in her hand.
“Hope you said your goodbyes..” he laughed, snatching the phone away and clicking it off.
Shoving it into his pocket, he started toward the door with her in tow. But by now, Lily’s survival instincts had fully kicked in and she began fighting him tooth and nail. Flinging her away from him, he yanked the police baton from his belt. Before she could duck, he hit her hard, slamming her into a wall. She slid to the floor in a daze, her vision blurring completely. Seconds later, she passed out.
Just then Max suddenly flew from out of nowhere, sailing through the air as he tackled the demented Warren. Max was a fury of snarling fangs as he crashed to the floor on top of the vile human who dared to hurt his mistress. He was hurt badly but still had a spark left in him. He spared no mercy, going straight for Warren’s throat. But before the noble dog could claim victory, gunshot number two sent him backwards, falling to the floor some four feet away.
Mike picked himself up and walked over to the dog. “Sonofabitch!” he growled and started to unload another bullet. But by now, Lily had regained consciousness and instead he returned his attention to her. Pulling her to her feet, he yanked her arms forward and handcuffed her wrists together. She could see the shadowy form of the fallen Max lying across the room. Her faithful dog, even wounded, had come back to try to save her one last time. It broke her heart, and made her angry at the same time. But when she tried to pull away, the cuffs only became tighter, biting into her delicate skin. Wasting no time, Warren dragged her out of the bedroom and down the hallway. When she tripped going downstairs, he picked her up roughly and continued on.
“Keys, princess! Where do you keep the car keys?” he shouted.
Moment by moment, Lily felt all hope fading. She tried to stall him peacefully in order to buy herself some time but he slapped her across the face hard, leaving a stinging mark on her cheek. Cursing her loudly, he dragged her to the kitchen, throwing her down on the cold tile floor as he whipped out a knife with wicked nine inch blade.
Don’t fuck with me! I have some pretty nice weaponry thanks to your rich future husband. Fuckin’ awesome collection, don’tcha think?” Since candlelight still bathed the kitchen, Lily could see for the first time the terrible damage that Max had inflicted upon him. Remembering the big beautiful dog made her cry even harder. She wasn’t sure if he was dead but knew if he wasn’t, he was probably dying.
“Bingo!” Warren yelled triumphantly. “I just found Perry’s whole stash!”
Grabbing the flashlight from his pocket, he scanned the inventory. Viper…….how sa-weet! But too obvious. The jag? Nah, that’s a pussy boy’s car! Oh wait a minute….ah hell yeah! He had found it. A fuckin’ Navigator! Enough power to tear up the highway with all the comforts of home! Grabbing the keys, he snatched Lily up from the floor by her hair.
“Let’s go, baby doll!” he hissed venomously. “We still have the whole night ahead of us…………”