Young Guns Box Set - Books 1-4: A Tanner Series (Young Gun Box Sets)

by Remington Kane

  “Romeo, talk to me,” Spenser said. Romeo’s eyes looked unfocused, but he was able to talk.

  “Did I make it in time?”

  “Yes, you did, boy. Can you stand?”

  “I need help. My back is screwed up.”

  Spenser and Cody gave assistance to Romeo as he made it to his feet; they then watched as he weaved about like a drunk.

  “Dizzy,” Romeo said. Then he threw up.

  “He’s got heatstroke,” Spenser said. He scooped Romeo up in his arms and moved toward the truck. After Cody opened the door, Spenser sat Romeo on the seat, then wrapped a moist blanket around him.

  “Drink up,” Cody said, as he handed Romeo a bottle of water.

  Spenser got the truck moving. “We’re going to the hospital.”

  As they headed for the highway, Romeo seemed to recover a bit due to the water and the coolness of the air-conditioning. Turning his head to the left, he spoke to Spenser.

  “What do you know?”

  “What’s that?”

  “Your note, what is it you know?”

  Spenser grinned.

  “I know you’re one of the two toughest kids on the planet.”

  “Fuckin’ A,” Romeo said, and then he threw up all the water he’d just drank.

  67

  Goodbye And Good Luck

  LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, SEPTEMBER 2012

  After leaving Death Valley, Tanner had dropped Andrea off in the small town of Beatty, Nevada, where she reported her kidnapping and the murder of her father.

  She made no mention of Tanner, other than to describe him as, “A nice guy who picked me up on the highway and gave me a ride here.”

  Andrea’s description of Mr. Smith matched the one given to Tanner by Phelps, but included more detail, such as the half-moon scar Smith had on his chin. She described Jones and Cord to Tanner as well, and she added that Jones seemed to enjoy it when Cord was hitting her father.

  Tanner had given Andrea a number to call when things settled down. She did so weeks later. She was living with an aunt, her late mother’s sister, who had three teenagers of her own. Andrea liked her aunt and her cousins, so the transition wasn’t too bad.

  Tanner had been in Las Vegas when Andrea called, but he was soon to travel to New York City.

  “Have you found Smith yet?” Andrea asked.

  “No, and I’m not certain I ever will. What did the cops say?”

  “They’re stumped too. They even asked me if my dad was a drug dealer.”

  “Maybe it’s best they don’t know anything, and I’m sure they’ve already stopped searching for Smith.”

  “But you’ll keep looking, right?”

  “As much as possible, Andrea.”

  “I still can’t believe my dad is dead, you know?”

  “Where are you living now?”

  “With an aunt, she’s nice.”

  “Good.”

  “Tanner?”

  “Yeah?”

  “You saved my life. Can I call you sometime?”

  “No, Andrea. Forget me, forget Smith, and get on with your life. If possible, I’ll handle Smith someday.”

  “I understand.”

  “I have to go now.”

  “Okay, and thanks again. I would have died out there if not for you.”

  “I don’t know, kid. From what I saw, you were doing pretty good on your own. You escaped and nearly killed both your captors.”

  “I didn’t tell the cops that I killed Rudy. I blamed it on his brother.”

  “How are you dealing with that, having killed someone?”

  “I don’t feel bad at all. Is that wrong?”

  “Rudy was a scum bag who kidnapped you from your home. It would be wrong to waste time thinking about him.”

  Andrea laughed. “I like you, Tanner.”

  “Take care of yourself, kid. No one else will do it for you.”

  “I will.”

  “Goodbye, Andrea.”

  “Goodbye.”

  NEW YORK CITY, MARCH 2018

  That was the last Tanner had heard from Andrea, and although Smith faded into the back of his mind, he never forgot about the man. Now Andrea had returned to his life, and she had a line on Smith’s man, Mr. Jones. Tanner dialed the number Andrea had left for him and heard a phone begin ringing.

  68

  A Well-Earned Rest

  BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO, JULY 1998

  They kept Romeo in the hospital overnight, then released him with a warning that he take things easy and stay out of the sun.

  After three days of catching up on their sleep and food, Spenser locked up the trailers, loaded up the truck, and headed for Cabo San Lucas. He was so thrilled both boys had passed the test that he gave them an extra week off before training would resume, along with two-thousand each for expenses.

  After spending a day there, Cody and Romeo told Spenser that they would join him back in Cabo for the final week, then they caught a flight to San Diego.

  The garage where they’d left the red sports car had detailed the vehicle, as Spenser instructed upon leaving it there. It gleamed like new. After spending a Friday night in San Diego, the boys pointed the car toward Tucson, Arizona, where they hoped to hook up again with Barbara and Monique.

  The trip took a little over seven hours and they enjoyed every moment of it. They had passed the first test, had conquered themselves, and were on their way to becoming legends.

  “Spenser is going to have to choose one of us someday,” Romeo said. “Dude, there’s no way either of us will screw up.”

  “Don’t feel bad, you can always get a job as a surfing instructor somewhere,” Cody said, and Romeo punched him on the arm.

  When they arrived in Tucson, Cody parked across the street and several houses down from the home where the girls were living.

  “Why did you stop here?” Romeo asked.

  “Maybe we should call first.”

  “Yeah, hell, Monique might not even recognize me. I’ve cut my hair, lost ten pounds, and I’m three shades darker.”

  “I’ll drive back to that gas station and use the payphone.”

  “Hold on, there’s a car parking in front of the girls’ house.”

  The car was a new Mustang. It was midnight black and looked as fast as a bullet. The driver was a big blond dude with muscles to spare, while the guy getting out of the rear was dark-haired and handsome. Barbara and Monique emerged from the car as well, and while Barbara fell into the embrace of the muscleman, Monique linked arms with the dark-haired guy. Barbara appeared happier than Cody could remember seeing her look, and Monique matched her.

  Cody had last seen both of them only hours after they buried their best friend and roommate, Anna. For the first time, he wondered if he would only be a reminder of those sad and tragic days.

  As the girls drifted from sight, Cody turned and looked at Romeo. His friend wore a sad expression.

  “I don’t think we should see them,” Cody said. “They seem happy without us.”

  Romeo gave a nod.

  “You can’t go home again. Isn’t that a line from a book or a poem? I think I know what it means now.”

  “Yeah,” Cody said. “Let’s get out of here.”

  At a restaurant on the highway, Cody and Romeo made the acquaintance of two flight attendants named Cindy and Rachel. The women were both twenty-one, blonde, and beautiful. Cindy told the boys that their tans were, “Epic.”

  That evening, inside a hotel, Cody spent the night with Cindy while Romeo bedded Rachel. The following evening, the women had to head to the airport to work a flight to Dallas. The boys hated to see them leave, but at the same time felt relieved that there would be no emotional entanglement.

  While they had three weeks off, it would be followed by more months of training. Why build a relationship with someone when you weren’t going to stick around?

  Barbara and Monique had moved on, as Spenser knew they would. Cody reminded himself that Spenser had alrea
dy lived through the experiences he and Romeo were facing. The man was not only a mentor, but a role model, and as wise as anyone Cody had ever known, with the exception of his late grandfather, Walter Parker.

  They left the car in the long-term lot at the Tucson airport and boarded a flight down to Cabo San Lucas. It was time to join Spenser and have some fun.

  Romeo spent a chunk of his money buying surfboards for all three of them, then taught Cody and Spenser how to surf. Spenser was a natural, but Cody had a devil of a time getting balanced on the board. However, once he got the hang of it, he was gliding along on waves like he’d been doing it for years.

  Spenser had been spending time with a woman named Marina. She was forty-one, looked thirty, and had two daughters every bit as lovely as herself. The daughters, Alana and Rosa were nineteen and twenty-two; they took to Cody and Romeo right away.

  Marina was in Cabo to celebrate/recover from her divorce. She had been married to a Mexican textile magnate and the divorce had left her very rich.

  Spenser and the boys had a great time in Cabo, which they vacated the day after Marina and her daughters flew back to Mexico City.

  As for the boys, they were headed back to the desert for more training. It wouldn’t be the same instruction they’d already received, although they would work on their shooting and stamina. They would hone the skills they acquired while learning others and going beyond more self-conceived limits.

  After eight more months of training they would face another test. And like the race through the desert, it would decide their fates.

  69

  My How You Have Grown

  NEW YORK CITY, MARCH 2018

  After observing the area where he was to meet Andrea and becoming convinced that he wasn’t walking into a trap, Tanner entered the bar on Eighth Avenue.

  The meeting was Andrea’s idea, not Tanner’s, but Andrea told him that she wouldn’t disclose what she knew until she could see him in person.

  Over the phone, Andrea told Tanner that she was working as an executive assistant and traveled frequently with her female boss. She had come to New York after taking vacation time and was eager to meet and discuss strategy.

  Tanner knew Andrea was thinking that they would go after Smith together. He planned to quash that idea. Smith was a dangerous man, and the girl had been through enough.

  He spotted Andrea right away and was impressed by what he saw. The frightened and devastated teen had turned into a beautiful and confident woman.

  Andrea was sitting alone at a small table and wearing a black dress that caressed her body. As Tanner approached, she stood, and while hugging him, she kissed him on the lips. When the hug ended, Andrea stepped back and looked Tanner over.

  “You’re every bit as sexy as I remember you being, Tanner.”

  Tanner took the compliment in stride as his eyes ran over Andrea. While staring at her enhanced breasts, he spoke.

  “I see there have been some changes.”

  “I got tired of having small breasts, so I did something about it.”

  “Where can I find Mr. Jones?”

  Andrea sat at the table again and motioned for a server.

  “Sit, have a drink, and I’ll tell you what I know.”

  Tanner ordered a beer, while Andrea sipped on red wine. Once his drink was before him and the server departed, Andrea began her story.

  “I found Mr. Jones by pure chance when I saw a brief glimpse of his face during a news broadcast. I was rushing through an airport in Miami when Jones came on the screen. The sound was off, so I had no idea what the story was about.”

  “But you found out?”

  “Yes. Mr. Jones was involved in a legal, but unscrupulous deal, to gut the union pension fund of a company headed toward bankruptcy. The story was about the legal loophole he used to make over seven million dollars.”

  “That’s good, Andrea. Now give me his real name and I’ll be able to track him down.”

  “I’ll only do that if you agree to take me with you when you confront him. I need to see this through to the end.”

  “Didn’t you face enough danger six years ago?”

  “It won’t be dangerous, because you’ll be with me.”

  “If Jones is anything like Smith he’ll have hired muscle around him.”

  “He does. There were death threats after he raided the union pension fund.”

  Tanner studied her face.

  “You’ve seen him in person, haven’t you?”

  “Just once, and from a distance. I know where he lives too. Let me help you, Tanner. I need to be there when you track Smith down. I want to watch that bastard die.”

  Tanner drank some of his beer, as he did so, he thought things over. Andrea had lost her father at sixteen. Tanner had been the same age when he’d lost his family. He knew well the ache for vengeance that she must be feeling.

  “I’ll take you with me, Andrea, but you do what I tell you to do.”

  Andrea leaned closer, exposing a generous amount of cleavage.

  “I’ll do anything you want, Tanner; as you’ve noticed, I’m not a little girl anymore.”

  “What is Mr. Jones’ real name?”

  A look of disappointment flitted across Andrea’s face as she leaned back in her seat. After reaching into her purse, she removed a set of photos and handed them to Tanner.

  “The bastard’s name is Kent Mead. He lives in a mansion on the water. There are guards too, and a security system and cameras.”

  The photos Andrea passed to Tanner showed Kent Mead’s home. Although of a grand style and large, it sat on a quarter of an acre and was surrounded by other houses. It was located in a section of Staten Island known as Tottenville. Tanner guessed the home was worth over a million. There was also a picture of Kent Mead taken with a zoom lens. Mead was early-thirties, wore glasses, had dark hair, brown eyes, and a slight build.

  After memorizing Mead’s face, Tanner slid the photos across the table, then stood.

  “Be outside this bar tomorrow at nine a.m., Andrea, and I’ll pick you up.”

  “My hotel is nearby. Why not walk me there?”

  Tanner smiled at her.

  “You’re a beautiful woman, but I’m with someone.”

  “Oh, what’s she like?”

  “She’s as tough as they come.”

  “I’d guess she’d have to be. All right, I’ll be outside waiting for you tomorrow, but what then?”

  “We go to Staten Island and take a good look at the situation. After that, we grab up Mead and make him talk.”

  “He’ll give up Smith, then I’ll finally confront the man who had my father killed. After six long years I’ll get to watch that bastard die.”

  “Yeah,” Tanner said. “Good things come to those who wait.”

  70

  Older And Wiser

  BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO, MARCH 1999

  After returning from Cabo San Lucas, the boys were energized and eager to resume training. Their probation period had ended, and they were allowed new privileges and the freedom to enjoy them.

  The sports car had been garaged again, but Spenser gifted them with a good used Jeep that they could use on their days off from training.

  Romeo had mastered Spanish to the point where he could converse well. He had used his new skill to pick up the Mexican girls he met.

  Both boys had studied world history, science, literature, and the mathematics of long-range and trick shooting.

  When the boys asked Spenser why they needed to study history and science, he answered them with only five words.

  “A Tanner never stops learning.”

  They had also accompanied Spenser while he fulfilled three difficult contracts. One had been in Mexico, while the other two took place in Los Angeles and Phoenix.

  As they neared the time for their second test, Cody, now eighteen, and Romeo, nineteen, were learning skills that seemed impossible to master, but which Spenser assured them were vital to learn.

 
; Beneath the heat of a desert sun, Spenser put his two protégés through their paces as he trained them to one day be the best at what they do, which was killing.

  However, there were times that one first had to survive in order to kill, and so, he also trained them in ways to do that… with varying results.

  Romeo stepped out of the contraption that Spenser called The Gauntlet and tossed a pair of knives to the ground in frustration.

  The Gauntlet was made up of five rotating poles, each with five arms set at various and adjustable heights, and each arm was tipped with red lipstick. The poles were connected by a system of pulleys at their base and would rotate at the spinning of a handle.

  The five poles with their five arms represented twenty-five men with knives. If you were marked by one, it would leave a trace in the form of red lipstick, red for blood.

  Romeo emerged from the gauntlet covered with over three dozen marks, many that would have been fatal injuries if they were truly the wounds they represented.

  “Shit, man, who the hell could face that many men in a knife fight and live?”

  “I’m standing here in front of you and I once faced over a dozen. I was also trained on The Gauntlet until I could emerge without a mark on me. Tanner Five said I was the only one who ever did that.”

  Romeo looked at Spenser as if he were crazy.

  “Dude, why didn’t you just shoot the fuckers?”

  “I was out of bullets, but I did have two knives. Now enough talk, it’s Cody’s turn.”

  Cody plucked the knives from the ground and stood in the center of the five poles. To do so, he had to bend one knee, hold one arm over his head, and lean backwards slightly. This was the only position in which a lipstick tip wasn’t close enough to touch him.