Lucky was fully awake now, the words Sly had spoken to him in his dream echoing in his head over and over again. Of course that was it! He was in the catacombs. Why hadn't he been able to figure that out three years ago? Well, it didn't matter now; all that mattered was that he knew he could find his way out of them if he could only get out of this room. Staying in this room indefinitely was no longer an option. He had to get to Elizabeth and he had to get her out of that hospital room and away from the watchful eye of Cesar Faison. If Faison could see into her hospital room, he could get to her and Lucky could not let that happen.
Lucky had tried unsuccessfully the last time he was imprisoned in this room to remove the cover from the air vent, so he did not even consider trying it this time. That meant the only way out was to go through the door, and that meant disarming and debilitating Faison, and if he was successful, it meant getting past whatever guards he had posted outside. It would not be easy. He lay back down on the bed, his mind racing in a thousand directions.
As he lay there his plan began to take shape. He decided he would wait until Faison was not around, but he knew he had to be careful about how he got that information. Elizabeth was, as always, the most important thing on his mind during his waking moments. And most of the time when he dreamed it was of her, the same dream over and over, watching her fall to the ground as the bullet invaded her body. The image never left him and it was that image that kept him going, kept him ever working on his plan to escape and get back to her.
It was some time later when he heard the door sliding open and was relieved that it was not Faison who entered the room. Instead it was George, the one guard who had treated him with respect during his long captivity of three years before. This was the first he had seen George this time around. He was actually glad to see him.
"Hey, George, how's it going? I was hoping you'd wised up and gotten a respectable job by now."
George laughed. "Hi, Lucky. Can't really say I'm glad to see you. Brought you some breakfast; put a lot of extra stuff on there for you."
"Thanks, I appreciate that. Appreciate you leaving the lights on for me, too. That must mean Faison's not around today. Faison would have your hide if he knew you were slipping me extra food, let alone leaving the lights on. So I have to think he must not be around today."
"Nope, he's gone for a few blissful days."
Lucky's heart raced, and he felt the adrenaline pumping through his veins. He knew he had to remain calm, so he waited a few moments before speaking in the most normal voice he could muster. "Leave you in charge did he?"
"Yep, just me. I'm your warden for a few days."
Lucky laughed, "Well, a guy could do a lot worse, you know. You'd make a hell of a warden, George."
George laughed easily with him, then turned serious. "So, how are you doing, Lucky?"
"Oh, just having a barrel of laughs in here. So much to do you know."
"Yea. Pretty fucked up of him to put you in an empty room like this." Lucky nodded. "But so like him. Hey, how about a game of chess? You got the table handy somewhere?'
"Sure, it's right outside."
"You up for it? Up for letting me beat you, that is?"
"Hell yea, there's nothing else to do around here, and I can watch you just as easily from in here as out there. Give me a minute and I'll go get the table."
"Thanks, I'm going crazy in here, no one to talk to, all that darkness."
George left the room and Lucky paced frantically, thinking, God, this is going to be easier than I thought. George is a soft touch. I think I can break him down. All I need is the chance to get out of this room and the rest is easy.
George returned and they sat down to play, Lucky taking the seat facing the door, thinking this would be to his advantage when he made his move. It would take some time, though, so he mentally calmed himself and prepared for the game with George.
After awhile, Lucky's concentration vanished and he lost interest in the game. He could only think of Elizabeth and how much his heart ached to see her. He leaned back in his chair, stretching out his legs as he nonchalantly asked, "So, tell me George, you seem like a decent enough guy, how come you work for the devil himself?"
George thought for a moment, looking down at his hands. "Well, you know, I ask myself that every day, Lucky, and the answer can always be summed up in one very simple word."
"What's that?"
He looked up at Lucky and held up his hand rubbing his thumb against his fingertips. "Money."
"Ah yes, the root of all evil. Actually the proper phrase is 'the love of money is the root of all evil.' My dad taught me that a long time ago."
"That's the kicker, Lucky. It doesn't have anything to do with the 'love of money'. It has to do with the love of my son. He's only five years old and he's very ill. He requires a lot of care and the money pays for his medical bills."
Lucky looked down, finally understanding why George worked for Faison. He knew that Faison would pay a lot of money to someone if he thought he could trust him. But Lucky was beginning to doubt George's loyalty to Faison. It was obvious that his loyalty was with his son and providing him the best medical care possible. He looked at him and felt tears welling in his eyes. "I'm so sorry, George."
"I know you mean that, Lucky, and I appreciate your sincerity. It means a lot to me. I think about leaving everyday, you know, just getting away from that sick fuck and getting a respectable job, like you said. But the money always wins out. I gotta do all I can for my boy."
Lucky only nodded as he sat up in his chair, then whispered. "I'm so sorry to have to do this, George." In one swift movement, Lucky put his hands under the table and stood up, shoving the table into George as he did so. The table knocked him off his chair, sending him sprawling onto the floor. In the few seconds that George was dazed and disoriented, Lucky was able to grab the gun from the waist of George's pants and point it at him. He felt his blood pumping in his head and his stomach churned at the realization that he possessed the power to do this man great harm, even kill him. But hurting George was not his intent. He only wanted out.
George was sprawled against the wall, his hands up in the air, a look of resignation on his face. Lucky swore that he saw just the start of a small smile in the corners of his mouth. "Don't worry, George, I'm not going to shoot you. I just want to get out of here. I am going to do something for you though. First, I'm going to lock you in here, but not for long. Of course I'll be calling the police, but before I do, I'm going to send a friend of mine here to let you out. His name is Jason. He's going to give you a lot of money. More money than you can imagine. And you're going to take that money and get the hell away from Faison and this place and start a new life. Get the best medical care you can for your son. Will you do that for me, George?"
He saw tears running down George's face as he nodded and said softly, "You have a friend who would do that for you?"
"Yea, I do. Now, I would really love to stay here and chat, but I have to get to Elizabeth before he does."
"There's a door right outside." He dug in his pocket and tossed a key ring to Lucky. "I just hope you can find your way out once you get outside that door. There are lots of twists and turns."
Lucky smiled. "See, that's the irony in all of this. It took me awhile to figure out that I was in the catacombs, but it was the smell that finally gave it away. In the dark you develop a really keen sense of smell, so even though it was faint, I finally figured it out. When I was younger I explored these very catacombs with my cousin. I can find my way around these tunnels in the dark. Faison isn't as smart as he thinks he is. He would never have brought me here if he had known that about me. So, you see, once I'm out of here, I'll be able to find my way with no problems."
George stood up then. "I'm not going to do anything to try and stop you. But I still don't understand why you would do this for me."
"Let's just say I'm a pretty good judge of character. Learned that from my dad, too. And you were the only person who every treated me like a human being while I was here. I'll never forget that. This is my way of saying thanks."
"I'll never forget you either, Lucky." George reached out his hand for Lucky to shake. "Good luck to you, son. I'll be saying a prayer for you and Elizabeth."
"And I'll say one for your son every day. No offense, but I hope I never see you again."
George shook his head. "Always did have a soft spot for you, kid, since the first day I met you. You know that don't you?"
Lucky only nodded, as George said, "Now get the hell out of here."
Lucky smiled at him before turning to leave the room. Once outside he easily opened the door that led to the dark, cavernous tunnels that he had spent countless hours exploring with Sly. It was too dark to see, which meant that he was not near any of the openings. That would explain the long walk to the room while he was blindfolded when Faison first brought him here just a few days before. Okay, think, Lucky, remember all the nights you spent in these catacombs by yourself. Remember how you felt along the walls to find your way. He placed both hands on the wall and began walking slowly, feeling his way. He walked for some time, using his instincts to know which way to turn, hoping his memory was serving him correctly.
He remembered a secret room someone had built here not so long ago, in the northeast corner of the tunnels, and he was certain that was where Faison had kept him imprisoned. After walking for what seemed an eternity, Lucky finally saw a faint glimmer of light. It got larger the further he walked. The smell was really getting to him now and making him feel ill. His heart was pounding, the fear that he would meet Faison in the tunnel nagging at the back of his mind. He came upon the place he remembered sleeping as a child and stopped to kneel down and run his hand gently over the surface, remembering those days so long ago, and thanking God that he had found his way. When at last he came to the opening by the river, he fell to his knees in exhaustion, his face in his hands as he wept. He wept for the time he had spent in these catacombs away from Elizabeth and his family. He wept for the pain Elizabeth was in now, but mostly he wept from relief and the knowledge that he was finally free for the first time in three years. He had won this round against Faison, although he knew this would not be the last. Finally he stood up, realizing just how weak he was, whether from lack of food, or exhaustion he wasn't sure. But he willed himself to start walking the long walk along the river into town, to the hospital, to Elizabeth.