CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“What will you do with them?” asked Marguerite.
“Do you really want to know?” asked Frank.
“I do. I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want to know. I’ve never had a man strike me. I wished I had the strength to strike back.”
“They would have harmed you even more,” said Bodhi. “We were waiting to jump in.”
“And I appreciate it,” she said patting his forearm. “What will you do with them?”
“We’ll drop them into the sea and pray that Poseidon accepts them,” smirked Bodhi.
“Put a rock around their feet and he’ll have no choice,” said Marguerite. The men laughed, nodding at the old woman’s spunk.
Changing into their own wet weather gear made of the same stealth fabric, they wrapped the two men in black plastic, securing the tarp tightly around their bodies.
With darkness enveloping the island and power proving spotty at best, they took the two men to the beach, placed them in a small row boat, put a hole in the bottom and started the small outboard motor, sending it out to sea.
With the storm raging, and the direction of the winds, no one would hear the little motor.
They watched it carefully to ensure it was far enough out before it finally went under. The waves were the ultimate kiss of death, not the hole in the boat. Water washed over the sides, turning the boat upside down and eventually sinking to the bottom of the sea.
“Someone will miss them eventually,” said Frank.
“Eventually. Until then we try to protect our protectors. I won’t stand for anything happening to Nico, Leonidas, or Marguerite. Especially Marguerite,” said Bodhi.
“Couldn’t agree more. I thought I would walk through that wall when they hit that sweet old woman. But I wonder what’s changed. They were told not to harm the residents, or so we were led to believe. Something must have changed,” said Frank.
“But what?” asked Bodhi.
It was as if he’d asked a question that shouldn’t be asked.
The skies became the blackest they’d ever seen, rain seemingly coming at them from all sides.
Lightening streaked across the sky as the bolts seemed to circle the cargo vessel docked right where it had been the last few days, rocking violently against the swells and waves.
“I think Poseidon is pissed,” said Frank.
“More than pissed,” said Bodhi.
As they began to make their way back up the beach toward Marguerites house on the hill, two more guards were walking down the road. Hidden in the confines of their stealth material, they ducked behind a small bait shack to ensure they weren’t seen.
“Those lazy bastards probably got drunk and fell asleep somewhere. The boss will kill them himself.”
“When will this be done? I want to go home to my wife.”
“No man wants to go home to his wife,” said the other man laughing.
“That’s not true! I love my wife. She’s beautiful and faithful. She’s an angel.”
“Yeah, an angel that’s been alone as long as you have.”
The men stopped in front of another small wooden shack along the beach road, opening the padlock. They stepped inside, using a flashlight to find what they were looking for.
Bodhi, Frank, Ian and Devin stood outside the door watching, completely unseen to the two men. They could see drilling equipment, dynamite, and other materials.
“Let’s get this shit back to them,” said the man as they walked away. But in their need to get out of the rain and hurry, they forgot to put the padlock back on the shack.
“Ready for some fun?” smirked Frank. Bodhi nodded.
“Always.”
In order to make it appear as an accident, so that the people of the island weren’t punished, they tore a hole in the roof, making it seem as though the wind had done it.
Carefully taking the dynamite to the beach, they dunked each case into the salty water, long enough that it wouldn’t be usable for quite some time.
Then, together they carried the crates of metal equipment, spikes, drills, and more, doing the same. With the salt water on the metal, someone would have to clean it thoroughly, again making it completely unusable.
“That should slow them down,” grinned Frank. “Let’s get out of here before anyone else comes.”
Frank’s voice seemed to carry to the gods themselves.
The storm picked up speed, the winds and rain pummeling the small homes.
He stared at the little village marveling at the fact that the buildings appeared untouched.
Trees were blowing, boats beating against the docks below, and yet the little homes seemed perfectly secure and preserved.
Just as he was about to say something to the others, a flash of lightening ignited the sky in more wattage than Broadway on opening night. The bolt struck the small storage building where they’d just been standing and the explosion was deafening, knocking the men to the ground.
“Holy fuck,” muttered Bodhi. “We were standing right there.”
“Yeah,” nodded Ian. “Damn glad Poseidon and Zeus are on our side.”