Rescuing Melissa (ALPHA TEAM: Guardian Hostage Rescue Specialists)

10. Round Of Beer

TEN

Round Of Beer

CJ

CJ was deep into his second beer by the time Eggs and a few of his co-workers arrived at Grady’s Pub. He called out to the tired men and ordered two pitchers of beer, a platter of wings, chips, salsa, and loaded potato fries.

Eggs saw to the introductions. “This is Tony.”

CJ shook hands with a young man. He had a neck as thick as his biceps, and a skull perhaps a few inches thicker.

“You ex-military?” CJ had been out of the military for years, but he hadn’t given up the signature buzz cut. He could always tell who was ex-military.

“Yeah.” Tony’s grip was firm. “Four years in the Marines.”

Perfect. That connection would bond them. Now for a few drinks to loosen Tony’s tongue. “I spent four years with the Green Berets and then another tour with Delta Force.”

“Badass,” Tony said.

“Told you he was cool.” Eggs continued the introductions. “This here is Abel.”

Abel thrust out his hand. “Nice to meet you, CJ.”

“Eggs told me you saved a life.”

Abel was an older gentleman and still thick with muscle. His face was deeply pockmarked, and CJ knew all about Abel’s wife, five kids, seven grandbabies, plus two more on the way within twenty minutes.

Talk about Abel’s kids had Eggs pulling out a photo of his son, a seventeen-year-old star of the football team. Stories flowed from there, growing louder and wilder as the day continued. CJ bought more beer.

Conversation flew from one topic to the next in a rapid-fire barrage of boasting, laughing, and general competitiveness for the most outrageous tale. The men traded insults as CJ ordered the fourth round.

The volume around the table escalated.

Eggs hit CJ in the arm. “Tell us your story. I want to hear about your tornado.”

“No fucking way.” Abel tossed back his beer and flagged their waitress down. “You saw one, too?”

Eggs leaned forward and pressed his finger to the tabletop. “That’s not something I ever want to see again.”

Abel and Eggs shared a moment. Having had a close call with a tornado himself, CJ could only imagine what the two of them had endured.

Tony sighed. “I was stuck inside the walls. All I heard was something like a freight train bearing down on us, and then there was that explosion.”

“Explosion?” CJ leaned forward and refilled everyone’s cups.

“Yeah, when the generators blew,” Tony said. “Caused a bit of damage, and then the…”

Abel reached out and smacked Tony on the back of the head. “Shut your trap, asshole.”

Something had happened at the prison, and the men weren’t supposed to talk about it. CJ would have to dig deeper.

“Aw, CJ’s cool.” Eggs took the pitcher from CJ and emptied the last of the beer into his mug.

Abel stared at his beer. The alcohol had turned his cheeks rosy and made his eyes unfocused.

CJ was already counting out cab fares home for the men.

Tony turned to CJ. “Eggs said you outran a tornado. Tell us your story.”

He wanted to hear more about the damage at the prison, but if he pried too hard, the men would clam up.

Their waitress stopped at the table and distributed shots that Tony ordered. He gave the girl a fat tip and a smack on her ass. She left with a roll of her eyes and a smile on her face.

“It started with a bolt of lightning…and a woman.” CJ lifted his shot glass and raised it for a toast. He began his story with the smack of his shot glass thudding on the table.

“No shit,” Tony said. “Was she hot?”

“Very,” CJ said. “Even hotter after I got a look at the pink lace of her bra.”

“No fucking way,” Tony said with a hoot.

“I needed to see her injuries. That’s why I had her strip.”

“Seriously?” Eggs said.

“You rescued a woman and got her out of her clothes in the middle of a fucking tornado.” Tony slapped him on the back. “Dude, you’re my hero.”

CJ shook his head. “It wasn’t like that.”

“Did you get her number,” Tony asked.

Not her number, but he had her phone.

CJ shrugged. “Nothing happened. It turns out she’s married and to a royal ass.” He described the odd phone conversation.

“Wait, so you have her phone?” Eggs gave CJ a look.

“She lost it in the back of the car.”

They wanted to hear more about the tornado, and he obliged. As time wore on, his thoughts turned back to Tony’s comments about the explosion. The number of National Guardsmen he’d seen in that convoy had him wondering if something more was up.

He challenged Tony to a game of darts. The music climbed higher. Laughter roared, and the boasts became more spectacular. This wasn’t CJ’s first dance party.

He threw alcohol at the men, and they guzzled it down. Meanwhile, he sipped at his drinks, switching to Long Island Iced Tea, which the barkeep made virgin after a few hushed words and a fat tip.

At the end of the night, he called for two cabs. Eggs and Abel rolled into one and headed off down the street. Tony lived on the other side of town.

CJ held out a hand and shook Tony’s. “Hey, good thing those National Guard troops came when they did, right?” He needed to know what had happened at the prison.

Tony’s speech slurred. “Yeah, gotta get manhunts started as quick as possible.” He wobbled. “Don’t worry. Only two got out.” Tony staggered into the cab. “Guardsmen will have them returned in no time.”

He needed to confirm what he feared. “Yeah, especially when it involves inmates on death row, like the Fairytale Murderer. What’s his name?”

“Ain’t that right?” Tony swayed on his feet. “That’s why they’re keeping it hush-hush. If people knew…” Tony blinked and shut his mouth.

Not confirmation, but pretty damn close.

Tony piled into the cab, and the car took off.

Patterson had escaped. CJ felt it in his bones. With no evidence, except the damage at the prison and the drunken slur from a guard, CJ’s blood ran cold.

He needed to make a call.