Rick Daring and The Brilliant 5 – Chapter Nine: A Shot in the Dark

DEKKER – Silenced Thaddeus from talking to Daring and Sara. During the ensuing fight, Dekker sends the car lift down on top of Daring.

As the car lift came rushing down to crush him, Richard Darington rolled towards the lift, falling into the worker’s pit beneath it. Daring looked up from within the pit as the descending lift came to an abrupt stop.

Dekker tried to peered underneath the car, hoping to catch a glimpse of Daring so that he could shoot him. He turned around as someone tapped him on the shoulder. Sara socked him in the jaw. Dekker stumbled backwards, hitting his head on the wall.

“Let’s see how much he likes being unconscious,” she said, pushing the lever until the car lift was back in its upright position. “Honestly, Richard, I think I need to wear a helmet whenever I go out with you,” she said, rubbing her neck as she helped Daring out of the pit.

“Finally,” said Daring as he approached the unconscious Dekker. “Some answers at last.”

Dekker awoke with a piercing pain in the back of his skull. He was chained to his chair. Looking around, he found himself in a plain-looking room. The only door was across from him with the room’s single table between him and the door. There were no windows, so there was no way for him to know where he was.

The door opened and in came Daring and Sara. Daring plopped a large folder onto the table. “You’ve got quite a large rap sheet, Jason Dekker,” said Daring. “Enough to put you back in Sing Sing for a long, long time.”

“So?” spat back Dekker.

“You’re a known associate of the super criminal calling himself, the Spectre. Give us everything you know on him, and we’ll be able to commute your sentence,” stated Sara.

“I don’t have to tell you nothing,” shouted Dekker. “I got rights. Rights to a lawyer, in fact.”

“We are aware of the fact that you’ve been in and out of prison most of your life,” said Sara. “But this concerns the attempted thieft of government equipment.”

“And the government doesn’t like people who try and steal their secrets,” interrupted Daring. “In fact, there’s a pair of agents right outside that door. They think we’re wasting our time, ‘pussyfooting around with you.’ Do you think they’re right?”

“I ain’t talking,” insisted Dekker. “I’m a dead man if I talk. I just saw my partner get disintegrated. What could you possibly do to me that’s worst?”

“You’re right. We can’t do anything, but those government agents can do plenty,” replied Sara. “They can erase you from everyone’s records. You’d be a ghost, then.”

“I can’t. I can’t,” repeated Dekker.

“Looks like you need time to think it over,” said Daring. “We’ll be back in ten minutes.”

In the hallway, Daring asked, “What do you think?”

“He’s hard to read,” admitted Sara. “But if he calls our bluff, we’re done for.”

“What? We’ve got Old Timer and Junior here.”

“There’s no way we could pass them as government agents,” replied Sara.

“It’s worth a shot,” countered Daring. “We’ve got nothing to lose.”

Sara shook her head. “It’s not going to work. He’s too afraid of the Spectre. We could dangle him off a building, and he’d still not talk.”

“Then, how are we?” asked Daring.

Five minutes later, the door opened into the interrogation cell. Dekker was expecting Daring and Sara, but had the shock of his life. The Spectre had walked into his very room! But Dekker held no joy at this sight, for in the hands of his master was a .45 caliber automatic!

“Did you tell them anything?” asked the Spectre with menace beyond description.

“No, nothing. I swear,” blurted Dekker.

Apparently satisfied with his answer, the Spectre set the automatic down on the table and started to undo Dekker’s restrains. Dekker started to get up, but the Spectre motioned for him to sat in the seat.

“Your captors will be back at any moment,” stated the Spectre as he handed Dekker the automatic. “The instant they enter the room, kill them. When you’re sure you’ve eliminated them, then make your escape.”

“What are you going to do?” asked Dekker, but got no response. The Spectre went out of the room and stalked down the hall. He paused in the middle of the hall, at a most unremarkable section. Pressing a hidden button, a section of the wall opened, and the Spectre disappeared into the secret passage. He squeezed down the tight corridor that went between walls. The hooded man grasped at the shadows as he made his way through the maze of hidden corridors. Coming to the end, the Spectre pressed another switch and another door opened up, letting out into a different section of the facility.

The Spectre walked down the hallway, stopping at a particular door. Opening it, he produced a second automatic. He crept up to the lone man working in the laboratory. The Spectre poked the gun into the back of the unaware man. He turned with a start.

“Good evening Dr. Edwards,” said the Spectre. “We have a lot to talk about.”

Meanwhile, back in the interrogation room, Dekker waited nervously for Daring and Sara to return. The automatic felt heavy and cold in his sweaty hands. Without a clock present, it seemed like the whole world had stopped. He strained his ears, trying to listen for approaching footsteps.

Dekker knew that he had only one shot at this. The Spectre would reward him greatly, if he succeeded. Fail and he would die just like Ox. He pushed these thoughts aside as he heard a confident stride echoing the hallways outside. It must be Daring, returning to further their interrogation.

The door opened, and not waiting a second, Dekker stood up and started to empty the gun into the open doorway and whomever was standing there.

Click Here to Go To The Next Chapter

Written by J M Emmons. The story and all characters are copyrighted by J M Emmons.