Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Carter grabbed a half bottle of bourbon from a rickety table and tossed it against the wall. It smashed, dribbling the liquor down the grimy wood.
“How did you mess this up?” he screamed into his radio. “How did you let an unarmed wetsuit-wearing tourist get the drop on you?”
There was a hiss of static and then a sheepish reply. “He had help.”
“From who? Yogi the damn bear?”
“No, a park ranger.”
Carter turned and stared at Travis who was sitting wedged in a tatty recliner. “Just one?”
“Yeah, tall chick with a crazy dog. Came out shooting and the dog tore Carl up pretty bad.”
He scowled at Travis. “I only know one tall female ranger, Jenny.” He spoke into the radio. “Where are you now?”
“Back with our ATVs up on the ridgeline. I’ve bandaged up Carl’s arm.”
The deputy sheriff stormed across to the wall where a map of the park was nailed. He traced his finger from the ridgeline down to the main road out of the park. A few miles from Carl and Hank’s location pointed at a small square, Granite Hut. He knew from experience that it was the only place you could get radio reception out to the ranger station. “They’re heading to Granite,” he spoke into his handset. “You need to get there first and stop them from getting a call out.”
“What do you want us to do with them?”
“Whatever you have to, just bury the bitch deep.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
He tossed the radio on the table.
“We should kill those fucking SEALs,” Travis said with a snort. “They’re working for the man.”
Carter’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t start that conspiracy crap with me. Until we have the other one we keep them alive. We get in a situation and they’re the only bargaining chip we have.”
“They’re a liability, Carter. They’ve seen too much.”
He glared at the fat man. “You’re a god damn liability, Travis. If you had’ve taken care of this in the first place, I wouldn’t be here cleaning up your mess.”
“That’s not fair.”
Carter made for the door. “Life’s not fair.” He stepped out into the bright sunshine and squinted, donning his sunglasses. He turned and checked on his caged captives.
“Things not going your way?” asked the old guy with the busted ankle. “You know, if you let us out and show us to safety we’ll forget any of this happened. You can be the hero that saved some lost rafters.”
Carter eyeballed the man. “That’s not how things work up here.”
* * *
Jenny was impressed. Despite his injuries and lack of sleep and food Rick was moving fast. He was right on her heels as she jogged through the woods in the direction of Granite Hut. Axe, keen to return to Ali was scouting out in front.
As she jogged she found herself comparing the handsome SEAL to her ex in New York. Sam, a cocksure banker had been utterly full of himself. He’d continually boast about making mulit-million dollar deals and holding people’s jobs in his hand. Yes, he was handsome and yes, the sex was fantastic, but in the end it couldn’t make up for his utter lack of humility and empathy.
Rick on the other hand was a man who had reasons to be proud. He was an elite operative and a decorated veteran. Yet, there was vulnerability about him. He might be a bit of a show boater, but he didn’t take himself too seriously. He’d proven that with his attempt at pole dancing. He also had an undying loyalty to his friends and loved ones. Of course it also helped that he was about as chiseled and handsome as a man could get.
“Jenny, you hear that?”
Rick’s voice snapped her back to their current situation. She paused and over her breath she heard the snarl of ATVs. “They’re heading for the cabin.”
She broke into a run. Ahead, Axe disappeared into the undergrowth. The dog seemed to sense that Ali was in danger.
Suddenly, Rick dashed past her with the shotgun held ready. He plowed through the undergrowth like a bulldozer. She tried to match his speed, but fell behind.
The noise of the buggies grew louder and then started to fade as they pulled ahead. Jenny guessed they would reach Granite Hut in a matter of minutes. Meanwhile, she and Rick were at least fifteen away. She slowed and talked into her radio. “Ali, this is Jenny. Do you read me?”
There was a burst of static.
“Ali, this is Jenny, if you can hear me you need to get out of the hut. I say again, you need to get out of the hut.”
* * *
Ali abandoned her attempt to reply to Jenny over the radio, stuffed her things in her backpack and slung it over her shoulder as she made for the door.
She’d heard rather than saw the buggies that arrived outside. Frantically searching the cabin for a hiding place she dropped her bag and slid in under one of the bunks. Pressing herself against the wall she fought to control her panic.
The door creaked as it opened. From her hiding place she could see two pairs of boots as they clumped inside. Cowboy boots and a pair of battered combat boots. The cowboy wore jeans with frayed cuffs. His partner wore camouflaged cargos not unlike those Mike wore to work.
The men moved around the cabin, searching.
“There’s no one here,” drawled a gruff voice.
The cowboy poked her backpack with the toe of his boot. “There was.”
Her heartbeat sounded like a brass drum as she fought to keep her breathing low and shallow.
The combat boots strode across to the radio cabinet. “The handset’s still warm.”
Panic overwhelmed her and she pushed harder against the wall, willing it to open and swallow her.
“You going to come out from under there?” drawled the cowboy as he stood in front of the bunk. “We ain’t gonna hurt you.”
“Yeah, we just want to talk to your friends.”
“Shut the fuck up, Carl. Look, don’t be scared. My friend’s a bit stupid, but he’s harmless.”
Both pairs of boots were now standing a few feet from the bunk and pointing directly at her. Her only option was to crawl out and make a run for the door. “If you step back I’ll come out.”
There was a pause. She pictured the two men looking at each other, questioningly.
“OK.”
The boots took a step back. She took a deep breath then crawled out from under the bed.
The men looked exactly how she pictured them. Cowboy wore a denim shirt and held a rifle. Camo Guy had a pistol clutched in one hand. The other was heavily-bandaged.
“What happened to you?” she asked in a soft voice.
“Bear,” the man grunted.
Cowboy silenced him with a glare. “We’re the ones asking the questions. Where’s your ranger buddy?”
Ali feigned ignorance. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”
His eyes narrowed. “Don’t fuck around with us, Missy.”
She could tell by the look that he meant it.
“She left, I don’t know when she’ll be back.”
“She’s lying,” said Camo Guy.
Cowboy spat on the floor. “Tie her hands. We’ll take her back to Carter. He can decide what to do with her.”
The pistol was thrust into her face and a moment later they spun her around, binding her wrists with tape. Camo Guy shoved her through the door as Cowboy smashed the radio.
Outside two buggies were parked side by side. A morose looking Bloodhound sat on the back of one of them. Camo Guy gestured for her to climb into the passenger seat of the other. As she did the dog started whining.
“Bones, what the fuck’s wrong with you?” said her captor as he climbed into the driver’s seat.
There was a menacing growl from the opposite side of the buggy and the hound’s whining intensified.
Ali recognized the sound instantly. She turned and saw Axe, hackles raised and teeth bared, standing a few yards away.
“Aw, shit.” The man raised his pistol.
She shoved him with her shoulder and the gun went off, hitting the dirt.
Before he could recover Axe leaped onto the hood and pounced through the open roll cage, clamping his jaws on the man’s bandaged arm. He screamed and the pistol was flung clear as the dog shook his arm, tearing flesh.
“Carl, get down!” yelled Cowboy from the porch. He had his rifle aimed at Axe.
Ali screamed. “No!”
The boom of a gun echoed off the mountains. A chunk blew out of the cabin wall next to Cowboy’s head. As he ducked Ali turned and saw Rick storm out from the bushes. He had a shotgun held firm in his shoulder the barrel aimed unwaveringly at Cowboy. A tattered wetsuit covered his legs the top half hanging from his waist. He looked like he’d been through hell.
“Next one’s on you,” he bellowed.
Cowboy stood staring at the SEAL, his rifle held low.
Rick stopped ten yards short with the shotgun aimed directly at his chest. “I see that gun move and you’re dead.”
Axe had released the other man’s arm and stood on the hood of the buggy, teeth bared and eyes fixed on his throat.
There was a rustle in the bushes and Jenny appeared with her gun raised. “Drop the rifle.”
Outmatched, Cowboy let his weapon drop on the porch. “You people don’t know who you’re fucking with. Carter is going to be pissed.”
“Carter? Lieutenant Carter Brown?” asked Jenny as she approached.
Cowboy realized he’d already said too much and buttoned his lips. Rick stepped onto the porch, kicked the rifle away, reversed his shotgun and drove the butt into the man’s stomach.”
He doubled over and dropped to his knees, groaning.
Rick bent down to whisper in his ear. “If anything’s happened to my friends you’re going to wish you never lived.”
Jenny freed Ali and then found the roll of tape Carl had used to secure her. They bound both men’s hands behind their backs and dumped them on a bunk with their feet taped.
“We can’t get a call out,” said Ali as she joined them with Axe by her side. “They smashed the radio.”
Rick inspected the cabinet as Jenny poured him a mug of cold water from the sink. “Can you fix it?” she asked, handing the mug to him.
He prodded the shattered control panel with his finger. “Ernie could. I don’t have the skills.”
“We need to get a message out and alert the authorities,” said Jenny.
Ali’s gaze fell on the two buggies parked outside. “I could go.”
Jenny shook her head. “No, we shouldn’t split up again. We should all go.”
“I’m not leaving without the others,” said Rick in a low voice.
“You and Jenny can help free Mike and the others. I’ll drive a buggy back to the main road and get help.” She inspected one of them. “I had a Polaris on dad’s farm. It’ll be a piece of cake.”
Rick nodded. “I think it’s the best option.”
Jenny frowned. “The forest is a maze of trails. You could get lost.”
“This buggy’s got a GPS. I can follow it straight out of the park.”
Jenny considered the plan. “OK, let’s do it.”
“You girls sort that out,” said Rick as he eyeballed the two men on the bunk. “I need to get out of this wetsuit.”
Ali grabbed her backpack, carried it outside and tossed it in the buggy. She realized that the Bloodhound was missing. It must have run off into the woods.
The GPS was an expensive touch screen model with high-resolution maps. It took Jenny a matter of minutes to program a route for Ali.
As she finished Rick appeared from inside the cabin. He’d relieved Carl of his camouflage pants, hacked them off below the knee and somehow managed to squeeze into them. He’d also borrowed a USMC T-shirt that looked two sizes too small. With a pistol belt around his waist and a shotgun slung over his shoulder he looked like a cross between Rambo and a WWE wrestler.
“I’m going to start calling you Rickbo,” said Jenny with a laugh as she climbed out of the buggy.
He managed a grin. “We need to get moving. We’ll go on foot. They’ll have the tracks leading to the plantation covered.”
Ali started the buggy. “Axe should go with you. He’ll find Mike and he’s good in a fight.”
Jenny nodded. “He’s saved the day twice already.”
“Just take care of him. I’ll be back with help as soon as I can.” She spun the buggy’s wheels and took off into the woods.
Jenny turned to Rick who was rummaging through the other ATV. He stuffed a roll of tape, gas stove canisters and other items into his backpack along with boxes of cartridges for the pistol, shotgun and rifle he’d taken from the gunmen. He had one of the men’s radios hooked to his belt.
“What’s the plan?” she asked.
“Recon followed by direct action.”
She watched him shrug the backpack over his broad shoulders and gather up the guns. The man oozed masculinity and confidence from every pore of his muscular body. Despite the seriousness of the situation she couldn’t help but feel a little excited.
“What’s up? Have I got something on my face?” he asked.
Realizing she was staring she blushed, turned away and started off up the hill. Axe fell in alongside her. “Come on, Rick. Let’s get a hustle on.”