Page 98 of The Flame of Carson
“I love you, Gage.”
“I love you too Stacey.”
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Holding hands, Staceyand Gage exited the elevator at the federal building.It had been agreed upon the night before, that their interviews would be given at the federal building, since that was where Tony and Elias were trying to salvage what they could from Anderson’s laptop.They were met by Ethan and an older man that Stacey had never seen dressed in what she knew as a Marine Service “C” uniform.Gage instantly released her hand and snapped a smart salute at the older man.
‘This must be Major McCandles.’Stacey thought but remained silent.
“Major.”Gage said firmly.
“Sergeant Carson.”McCandles Replied, returning the salute.He then faced Stacey.“So, this must be Ms.Carlin.Nice to meet you ma’am, and to see you are unharmed.
Stacey smiled, stepped forward, and offered her hand, “It’s nice to meet you too Major McCandles.And just call me Stacey.”
McCandles shook her hand and smiled, “Stacey it is then.So, shall we get this circus over with?”
Gage took Stacey’s hand again and they followed Ethan and McCandles down the hall.The four remained silent.Stacey figured that everyone was lost in their own thoughts.At least she knew she was.She was thinking over everything that had happened to her in the last year.The emails, the flowers, then the recent events crept in.What Anderson had done to not just her, but to Gage too.One thought took precedence at the front of her thoughts.The thought that she wanted all this shit done and behind them.
The four walked into a room that reminded Stacey more of a conference room than an interrogation or interview room.That’s what she had been expecting.Jimmy and Cain were waiting at the table.The two looked up and smiled a little at them.This helped to ease Stacey mind even more.Gage pulled out a seat for her and helped her sit before sitting on her left.Ethan and McCandles moved to sit on either side of Jimmy and Cain.
“Stacey, Gage, thanks for coming in.I’m sure you both are exhausted, but the quicker we get these details from you both, the quicker we can close this.”Jimmy began.
“As long as this makes sure that asshat goes into a cell for a long, long time, I don’t see it as an inconvenience.”Stacey replied.
“I’m with Stacey there.”Gage agreed.
“Then let’s get this over with.”Cain nodded.“We spoke to the hospital and to Wilson regarding the accident you were in Stacey.So, let’s skip forward to when we sent you and Gage to the safe house.When did you suspect something was off?”
Stacey nibbled her lip a little as she thought back to that day.“I guess...I started feeling something didn’t add up about three hours after Gage and I got there.I was in the library thinking and pacing.Gage asked what was up.I told him that I thought it was a little too convenient that Tony and Eli just stumbled across those messages between Anderson and whoever this other guy is.Gage then seemed to catch on to what I was thinking.He said it was a set up and then Anderson barged in, shot the MP’s.Gage grabbed me and we were heading for the back door.Anderson came out of nowhere and knocked Gage in the back of the head with something.”
Stacey paused, took a slow breath.She felt Gage squeeze her hand.“Anderson drug me out of the house and threw me in the trunk of his car.Luckily, he didn’t see me grab my work cell from the table where the MP’s had told me to put it.As he drove off, I found it a little strange that he didn’t at least try to tie my hands.”
“Wait, Anderson didn’t bind you?He just drug you out?”Ethan interrupted.
“I know, I know.Why didn’t I fight back right?Probably because once I got over my shock at seeing Gage knocked out and turned to kick his ass, Anderson had his gun pointed right in my face.I wasn’t willing to risk making a move.As close as he was, one wrong move on my part and I would be dead.”
“Tony was able to track you then the signal dropped.”Ethan said.
“That probably happened when I got the phone out of the trunk.Moments later, after Anderson had started driving, I started feeling around the trunk and found a small screwdriver.I managed to get the screen off the phone.I then used the screwdriver to pry the taillight out of the hole and tossed the rest of the phone out.I was hoping he would get pulled over for a busted taillight or something.
“Anyway, when we got to that building, Anderson opened the trunk, and he was furious.He saw the taillight was pulled inside.He gripped my hair and yanked me out, keeping the gun pressed into my side.The screen was tucked into the waistband of my jeans, and I could feel it was luckily still intact.Anderson pulled me upstairs, still holding my hair.We got to the platform where he was set up.He shoved me into the chair and faster than I anticipated, he tied me up to the chair.”
Gage flexed his free hand, fighting to keep the hand that held Stacey’s relaxed.Hearing that Anderson had roughly handled her like that, made him want to kill the man with his bare hands.He tried to tune himself back into the conversation.Hearing what had happened in that building, between the time Anderson had reached out to him and the time it took for him and Blackout to arrive there.
“After Anderson turned off the camera, he called someone.He called him his brother and said that it had started.He had me and that he had studied me over the last two years, and how he wasn’t taking chances.He also said he would call when it was finished.Anderson hung up.I baited him by asking if he thought he could beat Gage.Anderson said he could, and I would watch as Gage died in front of me.He also said if he was feeling generous, he would kill me too.Otherwise, I was going to live knowing Gage died because of me.
“I told him to untie me, and we would see about that.He turned away from me and then he slapped me.I was surprised and the chair and I hit the floor.He yanked me back up, glared at me then went over to his computers.He didn’t pay any attention to me until Gage got there and tripped the alarm.I couldn’t see what he was typing, and he didn’t say a damned word.Just sat there typing and looking up the screens.”
McCandles looked up from the legal pad he had been writing on.He did not look at Stacey, but at Gage.That was when Stacey looked over too.His face was a mask of rage.She knew he was furious that Anderson had slapped her.She reached over and laid her other hand on their joined one.
“Carson, walk us through what happened once you entered the building.”McCandles ordered.
“Yes Sir.I arrived at about 20:30 hours.”Gage began.
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