Where Did You Hide My Sun? - Tyrone Vincent Banks (best ereader for academics .TXT) 📗

"Just one more day...one more day and I'll be free...just watch...they won't know what hit them!"

Russell struggled to free himself from the leather straps that secured his wrists and ankles. The room was dark with the exception of a thin band of sunlight just over the headboard of his bed. Hatred brewed in his distant eyes as a gentleman entered the room wearing a white lab coat. He smiled and walked closer to Russell as he continued to speak incoherently.

"My oh my Mister Winters, you're awfully talkative today!"

Russell glared into the eyes of his captor and lowered his head back onto the pillow. He looked at the water damaged ceiling tiles and rolled his eyes. He was getting tired of his captivity.

"Russell Winters, Staff Sergeant, 22347569!"

The man in the lab coat slapped his clipboard on a table that was placed next to Russell's bed and sighed heavily.

"Mister Winters, are we going to do this again?"

Russell replied, "Yes you moron, we're going to do this all day and all night until you let me go! I need to be out there with my men doing what I do!"

"Russell, you know me, I'm Doctor Wallace...I've been your doctor for..."

Russell jerked violently against his restraints causing Doctor Wallace to step away from the bed.

"Russell, what is it that you need to do out there...with your men?"

"Oh wouldn't you like to know?"

"Yes Russell, I need to know..."

"Okay Doctor, I give up, I'll tell you everything that you'll need to know..."

The doctor was taken aback by Russell's softer tone. It usually took at least twenty to thirty minutes before he'd open up to him.

"Come closer Doc...I'm feeling a little groggy. May I have a glass of water please?"

The doctor walked over to a water pitcher on the far side of the room. He looked back at his patient and then poured a tall glass of water.

"I'm glad that we got through the hard part Russell, I was beginning to worry about you..."

Russell raised his head as the doctor gently poured sips of water into Russell's mouth. He brought the glass back to the table next to Russell's bed, set it down and picked up his clipboard.

"Well, there was this lady at the bar...man she was hot! So I says..."

Russell's statement was interrupted by a dry cough that concerned the doctor. Russell's last escape attempt took place during a terrible snowstorm and Doctor Wallace wanted to make sure that he was okay.

"[COUGH, COUGH]...May I have some more water please?"

"Sure!"

The doctor ran over to the table just as Russell freed his left hand. He returned and placed the glass on his lips. Russell bit down hard on the glass a bit off a large piece. Blood trickled out of his mouth and the doctor dropped the glass on the bed and stepped back.

Russell growled; "Where did you hide my sun you filthy sonovabitch!"

Russell grabbed the doctor by his throat and delivered a resounding head-butt that sent the doctor reeling. The doctor stumbled back towards the bed trying to summon the security guards posted down the hall.

Russell plucked the IV out of his other arm and drove it into the side of the doctor's neck. The doctor was unconscious and Russell freed his right arm and his ankles.

Russell looked around quickly and ran to a locker in the room to put on the pants, shirt and shoes that were stored there. He lifted the doctor onto the bed. He was fast asleep due to the massive quantities of a sedative that was meant for Russell but currently flowing through his body.

Russell removed the doctor's coat and slipped it hastily onto his muscular frame. He walked to the door and looked down the hallway. The guards were asleep. Russell ducked back into his room and took the doctor's keys and opened the medicine cabinet. He grabbed an iodine swab and treated the cut just below his lip. He removed several bottles of sedatives and antidepressants that were allotted for him. He shoved the bottles into a dirty sock that he fetched from a foul smelling laundry bin.

Russell walked nonchalantly down the hall towards the security officers and ducked into another room.

He yelled out; "Security, I need a little help in room ten!"

Russell turned off the lights and waited for the security officers to arrive. He wrapped the drug filled sock around his palm. The security officers entered cautiously waving their flashlights about the room. In a quick motion Russell stood between them and struck both officers with his "weapon". The drugs soaked through the sock and entered the wounds created by the broken glass that was now in the sock. The two guards slumped to the floor.

Russell removed one of the officer's uniforms and dressed quickly in his new attire. He took the guards' keys, radios, flashlights and handguns. He noticed two smoke grenades on the counter and stuffed them into his shirt.

He walked towards the doors located next to the security station and unlocked them. With his hand resting cautiously on one of the two 9mm handguns, he opened the door and walked outside.

It was not as he remembered but he saw something that looked familiar. The thick wooded area before him would offer the cover that he needed as he ran several miles towards the extraction point. He could hear the alarm blaring in the background and if he didn't want to end up in that cell again he had to move double-time!

Russell negotiated marshes, thorns, fallen trees and vines of poison ivy as he moved towards his objective. He could see a large clearing surrounded by tall trees - this was the place!

He removed a smoke grenade from his shirt, ripped off the top and hurled it into the clearing. The canister rotated on the ground and dispensed its smoky contents into the sky.
Russell watched the skies but could not detect the distinctive sound of the aircraft that would be sent to rescue him.

Minutes turned to hours as the sun went down and Russell continued to kneel in the brush. He could hear the bushes rustling in the background and the sound of barking dogs approaching. He retrieved the two hand guns and stood in the clearing pointing each off into the woods. He began to rotate his body slowly - prepared to shoot anything that moved.

He could hear the chopper approaching. He was relieved and certain that he would make it back home. The chopper was just above him now and he was surrounded by a bright blanket of light.

He could hear a voice call out; "This is the police department, please drop your weapon...I repeat, please drop your weapon or we will open fire!"

He could hear the woods rustling again and he fired several shots in every direction before a bullet tore through his arm and leg. He dropped down to one knee and fired until both guns were empty. He discarded the empty handguns on the ground and fell face first into the swampy marsh.

***

"Winters? Winters! Are you okay?"

Russell opened his eyes and scanned the room. His vision was blurry but his eyes locked on a set of shiny emblems placed on a man's shirt collar. Russell recognized him, he was Major Simms.

"Sir?"
"Yes Russell, everything's going to be fine!"
"Sir, what happened?"
"You had an exciting evening Sergeant..."
Russell replied cautiously; "What did I do?"

"First, you knocked your doctor out and somehow managed to get your IV into his arm..."

"Is he okay?"

"Yes, he's fine, but we'll get back to him later...you took his coat and keys and broke into the medicine cabinet helping yourself to vials of a sedative and antidepressant..."

"Why would I do something like that Sir?"

"But wait, there's more! You put the vials in a sock, used it to take out two armed security officers, stole their clothes, equipment, keys and guns...any of this ring a bell Russ?"

"No, but is that all?"

Major Simms laughed and answered; "I wish that was the end of your little adventure, but there's more. Shall I continue?"

"Please do sir!"

"So, you run off into the woods and end up about 4 miles away at this marsh, you break open a can of shaving cream and toss it onto the ground and then you wait."

"What was I waiting for?"

"Sarge, I think that you believed that your were depolying a smoke-grenade! About two hours later the police helicopter arrives, you fire your weapons into the woods and they take you out with a single shot!"

"I'm sorry..."

"Son, don't be sorry, there's a happy ending to this twisted adventure. We launched a full investigation into this clinic that you've lived in for the last two years. They claimed that you had PTSD..."

"Post-traumatic stress?"

"Yes Sergeant, PTSD...but the thing is, they pumped enough drugs into your system to give you the symptoms, but you never really had PTSD. The VA hospital referred you to this group because they were supposed to offer counseling at a reduced rate. They drugged you, called it PTSD and collected millions of dollars from the government."

Russell's eyes grew wide and he exclaimed; "Millions of dollars? But I'm only one man..."

"Russ, you're not the only one...there are at least thirty other guys, many of whom were in your unit when you left Iraq. They've all been drugged. They've all been treated for a disease that didn't exist. Since the drugs have been cut off, all of you are expected to make a full recovery!"

"So I did a good thing?"

"Yes Sergeant, you did a good thing and now you can go on to your next mission..."

"Sir, what is my next mission?"

"Russ, you've been ordered to get out there and live your life...you've been a prisoner for far too long...go home, your family needs you."

Text: Copyright (c) 2009, Tyrone Vincent Banks
Publication Date: 12-28-2009

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
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