Adam takes a deep breath and without taking his eyes off the road, he says, “That didn’t help much. All the precautions we take aren’t worth shit if we can’t trust the guards or people we bring here. From now on the only way you can leave the plantation is in a body bag. Once someone makes the choice to stay there it’s for life. I won’t risk the other’s lives for one person who suddenly gets an itch they want scratched.”

“That will be better,” I say, fully agreeing with him.

“You agree?” Adam asks, actually looking surprised.

“Of course,” I say and then I settle back into the seat for the long ride. “I don’t want to invest myself into that plantation only to have it ripped from me. I’m sure the others feel the same way.”

“Where’s all of this coming from?” Adam asks. “You’ve been so quiet since we brought you here, just … existing.”

“Yeah, I’m done just existing.” Adam is sacrificing so much for me. He might understand all I’m feeling. “I felt numb at first … just dead. I think my survival instincts kicked in and that’s all I could do … just survive.”

Adam nods and then he asks, “Was it the fire that brought it all back?”

I think on his question for a moment and then answer, “Partly.” I take a deep breath and say, “River deserves someone who can take care of her. She’s been taking care of all of us. I know she’s got her own pain and I can’t help her work through hers if I don’t deal with my own first. River needs a man and the only way I can be the man she deserves is by burying the past. I want a future with her, a future that’s not clouded by our past.”

A smile tugs at the corner of Adam’s mouth. “I’m so glad to hear that, Jack. I’m glad you want to bury the past and move on. After tomorrow you’ll be able to do just that.”

After the serious conversation we stick to lighter topics. Adam asks me about my love for plants and I ask him about the plantation, the cattle and anything else I can think of. I want to learn everything there is to learn.

The drive is long and we’ve covered three quarters of it when Adam starts to look really tired. We got some snacks at the last gas station. “Why don’t you pull over and take a break? Eat and drink something.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” he mutters, and a few miles up he pulls over to the side of the road and he parks the station wagon under a tree. He grabs a sandwich and soda.

“You need to learn how to drive,” he suddenly says.

“Yeah,” I say, wondering how it will feel to be able to drive myself somewhere.

Adam swallows some soda down and then he points to his feet. “That’s the gas and that’s the break. This here is the handbrake.” He points to a stick thingy. “This is the gear shift. The R is for reverse so the car can go backwards. The P is for park, that’s what we’re doing now. The D is for drive, as in going forward.”

I grin at him. “It sounds easy.”

“It is pretty easy once you get the hang of it.” He hands me the empty can and then starts the car.

I watch everything he does as he drives. “Will you teach me how to drive when we get back?”

Adam looks at me and he smiles. “Sure thing.”

~*~

It’s close to midnight when we near Cameron’s estate. My whole body is shaking from the adrenaline pumping through my veins.

Adam stops close enough for us to walk but also far enough away to not draw any attention.

“It’s a fifteen minute walk. We each have three bombs in a backpack. You can’t miss, Jack. We only have six between us to make sure that place burns to the ground. I’ll go around the front and you go around the back. Try and get them inside, it will do more damage faster. But,” Adam takes hold of my shoulder, holding me back, “do not risk getting caught. I can’t come for you. If they get me then you run, Jack. Don’t look back. Just run.”

I want to argue but I know Adam by now, he won’t budge. We each take a backpack. Adam hands me two lighters and checks his own before shoving them in his pocket. I check mine too.

We start to walk to Cameron’s estate, careful not to jar our backpacks.

Cameron’s estate sits at the top of the hill. There are lights on both outside on the grounds and inside the manor. As we get close, Adam pulls a gun from his bag. He catches me staring and explains, “It’s just for safety sake.”

Adam points to a dark corner at the back of the property. “We can get over the wall there. I’ll go first while you hold the bags. Once I’m over you can hand the bags to me and then climb over yourself.”

I’m so glad I asked Adam for help. He’s been so patient with me. He feels like a … friend.

  “Thank you,” I say the words in a rush of air.

Adam smiles and then pats my shoulder. “You know you can trust someone if you help each other get rid of the bodies.”

“I do trust you,” I trust Adam more than River, or anyone in my life. He might be a quiet person, but he’s been there for me when I needed someone most.

“Let’s get this done so we can get back to our women.”

Adam shrugs the bag off and hands it to me. I hold both the bags as Adam pulls himself up on the wall and then reaches for the first bag. When he has them both resting securely on the wall he jumps off the other side. I pull myself up the same way he did, and then I hand him one bag at a time. Once we’re both on the other side of the wall, Adam whispers, “I’m going to go around the front. You go around the back.” I know he’s telling me again to make sure I know what to do. “Oh wait!” He says suddenly. “Shit, I almost forgot. Here are some cable ties. Seal the exits off so they can’t get out. Stick to the shadows so someone won’t see you.”

I take a handful from him and shove them in my pocket. We go our separate ways and I do everything Adam told me. I keep to the shadows and avoid places where I know guards might be.

At the first door I reach I have to use three cable ties. I tie the first two around each of the doorknobs and then use the third one to link the other two together.

I keep my head low as I sneak from door to door. There are a few windows that are open, but I don’t bother with them. I can use those windows to throw the bombs inside the house. When I’m all done I go back to the middle of the yard, where the rose garden is. I crouch down between the roses and then carefully place the bag on the ground. I remove all three bombs and the small can of gasoline. I quickly wet the pieces of cloth and as I’m about to light the first cloth, I hear screaming come from inside.

There’s no time to think. I run to the window that’s furthest away from the rose garden. I quickly light the cloth and then toss the bomb through the window. I run as fast as I can and then it explodes behind me.

I grab another bomb and light it. I throw it against the glass door I’ve used so many times before.

I run back to get the bag and the last bomb when someone tackles me from behind. There’s a hard blow to the side of my head, but I push my hands into the ground and use my whole body to throw the person off of me.

I grab the bomb and run for the other end of the house. “Stop, fucker!” I recognize Sven’s voice and I stop. I stare down at the bomb in my left hand and the lighter in my right hand.

I slowly turn around and then Sven starts to laugh. “It’s you.” He laughs harder as if it’s a huge joke for him to see me here. Then he says, “So the beating wasn’t enough? You’ve come back for more?”

Smoke bellows from the house and the screams are getting louder. I should finish the job and run, but instead I say, “You were always the one who beat me. Did you beat me that last night too?”

Sven scowls at me, his face going hard. “You were a good fuck, especially when you were younger,” he raises his hand with the gun, pointing it right at me, “but like David said that night, every hole has an expiration date.”

Anger floods me, hotter than the flames around me. Sven was the first one to rape me. He trained me to be a slave. He burned Momma.