Locked in the Trunk of a Car & The Darkest One: A short story duo

Two (and a half) Short Stories Based on Themes from the Music of the Tragically Hip. 
(You don’t need to know the music.)

Locked in the Trunk of a Car, 1st variation
A man wakes to find himself a kidnap victim, marked for death. Only his kidnapper, and his own gift for gab, can save him. 

The Darkest One
Two friends play a dangerous game: how could they overthrow a government?

Locked in the Trunk of Car, 2nd variation

The thoughts of a dead man. Or is he?