Chapter 54
Bark exploded as gunfire chewed up the trees.
We hunkered down behind the big mahogany. I told Daphne to stay down, make like a worm, and keep to the dirt.
The sharp smell of gunpowder drifted through the air.
I took cover behind the tree trunk as more bullets snapped through the air, too close for comfort.
Jack sent another volley downrange.
"Moving," I shouted to him, then darted to the west.
The thugs were on the south side of the meadow and had come up from the beach.
They weren’t sitting still either. Another burst of fire came at me as I hustled through the trees.
I took cover again and returned fire.
They were trying to flank us.
I was trying to flank them.
I pulled a couple of smoke grenades from my tactical vest and tossed them to the west.
Pop.
Pop.
They hissed, billowing white smoke.
A thick fog filled the trees.
I took the opportunity to move farther west with the smoke as concealment.
I took cover behind another clump of trees, took aim, and waited for the scumbags to give away their positions with gunfire.
I didn't have to wait long.
Another flash lit up the night as Dane squeezed the trigger.
I returned fire.
My bullets rocketed across the meadow and smacked the tree by the scumbag’s face.
The unmistakable sound of an AK-47 clattered.
I'm not sure where they got the weapons, but they seemed to have a good amount of ammo by the way they were putting it down range.
I took off running south as more bullets whizzed in my direction.
At another tree, I fired off a quick volley, then moved again.
I dropped the mag, jammed another one in, hit the bolt catch, then took cover behind another tree.
Brock had been circling toward me, and I toward him.
We were close now.
Too close.
Maybe 20 yards away.
Brock angled his rifle around a tree and opened fire.
DAK!
DAK!
DAK!
Bark exploded, and bullets cracked by.
I angled my rifle around and fired. The rifle hammered my shoulder.
Copper screamed toward the scumbag.
Then I got a stovepipe.
The spent casing jammed perpendicular in the ejection port.
I tapped the magazine and cycled the charge handle a few times, trying to clear it.
Brock charged at me like he’d seen too many war movies. His finger squeezed the trigger, bullets flying.
I hunkered behind the tree, trying to make myself slim as bark exploded, splintering in all directions.
Brock screamed with a war face as he closed in.
I tossed my rifle aside and drew my pistol as the flurry of bullets continued to pepper the tree.
I angled my pistol around and squeezed off a few rounds without aiming. I wasn’t about to stick my head out and give him a target.
Then my luck really went south.
The slide locked with another stovepipe.
Talk about a bad day.
I kept these weapons in tiptop shape. They were clean and well-maintained.
Maybe I got a batch of bad ammo.
It happens. But it’s one thing when it happens at the range. This was life and death.
Brock was almost on top of me.
Daphne had followed me through the underbrush.
She threw the dagger. It tumbled end over end, glimmering in the moonlight.
The hungry blade pierced Brock‘s neck, spewing a fountain of blood. It severed his carotid. He flopped to the dirt, gurgling with a mouthful of blood. It only took him seconds to bleed out.
By that time, I cleared the jam in the pistol.
Daphne took cover next to me. “What the hell are you doing? I told you to stay put.”
“I was just trying to stay close to you. I figured that’s where I’d be safest.”
Jack kept firing at Dane.
“Stay here,” I said to her before taking off.
I darted south, then headed east, circling around toward Dane. He’d been relatively stationary.
Jack had Dane pretty well occupied.
I crawled through the underbrush, drawing close.
Dane emptied his magazine, hit the mag release, and dropped it. He slapped another one in.
I took the opportunity to take him out. I popped up, took aim, and my finger squeezed twice in quick succession. My bullets pelted the bastard in the chest and skull.
He went down before he could get a shot off at me.
“Suspect down!” I shouted.
Dane twitched in the dirt as I advanced.
I kicked his weapon away and checked his vitals.
Dane’s spirit had left the island.
I signaled to JD that all was clear.
He and Daphne joined me.
“Are you okay?” I asked her.
With eyes round like saucers, she nodded.
“You’re pretty handy with that blade.“
She had taken it from Brock‘s neck. Daphne held it in her hand, the bloody thing dripping.
“You should probably give that to me,” I said, taking it from her.
I couldn’t get a signal here. We walked back down to the beach, and I managed to get a bar of cell service. I called the sheriff and caught him up to speed.
Before long, the island swarmed with first responders.
Brenda and her crew examined the remains. Dietrich snapped photos, and the bodies were bagged and tagged. We transferred them aboard the patrol boats, then headed back to Coconut Key.
Jack took the helm as we followed the sheriff. We were all still amped up on adrenaline.
The moon glowed overhead, and the salty air swirled. The stars twinkled.
“What happens now?” Daphne asked.
“You go back to jail and get processed out. You lived up to your end of the bargain. I don’t see any reason why the prosecutor won’t hold to the agreement. Dane and Brock are out of commission. You cooperated to the fullest extent.”
“Did I?” she asked with more than a hint of concern.