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

by Remington Kane

  “Oh yeah,” Craig said. “I hate science.”

  The following evening, Monty and Craig were outside the building where Beth Tang lived. They were in a car they had stolen near Yankee Stadium and figured the owner wouldn’t report it missing until after the ballgame ended.

  Their driver was Craig’s brother, Wire. Wire resembled his younger brother, but was bearded, more muscular, and had a shaved head. He was dressed like a biker with a leather vest, well-worn jeans, and motorcycle boots. Monty and Craig wore oversized hoodies which they would pull up to cover their heads before nearing the building.

  Monty leaned forward from the backseat and spoke to Wire.

  “You know what to do, right?”

  “Yeah, yeah. I wait until the lobby looks empty and then I get the doorman to leave the building.”

  “That’s it.”

  “Why don’t I kick the doorman’s ass? Then the three of us can go upstairs together.”

  “That would bring the cops after someone came home and found the doorman. Just get him away from the entrance so Craig and I can sneak in.”

  Wire looked disappointed as he shrugged and said, “Whatever.”

  “One more thing, give us a call if the cops do show, then drive around the block and pick us up in that alley behind the building.”

  “Okay, but this is an easy way to make five-hundred dollars.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with easy,” Craig told his brother.

  Monty clapped Craig on the shoulder, then pointed across the street.

  “That’s her, ain’t it?”

  Craig squinted at the woman walking toward the apartment building. She was carrying a grocery bag from the market that was two blocks away.

  “You’re right, she looks like the bitch in the photo. Good, now we know that she’s home.”

  The three left the car after watching Beth Tang enter the apartment building while saying hello to the doorman.

  Monty and Craig leaned against the building to the right of the front entrance, while Wire went over to the glass doors and peered inside. Moments later, the doorman came out and spoke to Wire.

  The doorman was an older gentleman in his sixties with a pudgy build. He had a foreign accent that sounded like Spanish, and he was dressed in a uniform. There was no gold braid on his shoulders, but his blue slacks had a black stripe on their sides while his matching jacket had large silver buttons. The cap he wore had the name of the building written in white script above its bill.

  “Can I help you with something?” asked the doorman.

  “You got a bathroom I can use?”

  “Our facilities aren’t for the public. Try the Irish pub two blocks away.”

  “Two blocks? Shit man, I gotta go right now.”

  Wire walked several paces then got close to the building and unzipped his fly, when he brought out his penis, the doorman walked toward him while yelling.

  “Don’t you dare!”

  “Fuck you,” Wire said.

  The doorman’s face reddened as he brought out a baton. A flick of the wrist caused the baton to telescope to three feet long. The metal ball at its end looked as if it would cause serious damage if swung hard enough.

  Wire zipped his pants up as he back-peddled away.

  “Yeah, yeah, I’ll pee somewhere else.”

  “Don’t let me see you here again,” the doorman warned.

  Wire nodded, but he wasn’t looking at him. He was taking in the empty space where Monty and Craig had been standing. They had made it inside the building.

  Wire walked away smiling, knowing he had just earned an easy five-hundred dollars.

  97

  Business And Pleasure

  AUGUST 2001, ROBBINSTOWN, CALIFORNIA

  Cody rubbed his sore right shoulder as he stood beside Romeo outside a small home they had renovated. His shoulder was aching because he’d spent hours earlier practicing shooting at moving targets with a rifle.

  He’d always had a knack for shooting with a rifle and had considered himself a marksman. Since training with Spenser, Cody’s skill had improved to a level he hadn’t known was possible. Such expertise required regular training and thousands of fired rounds, but Cody was confident he could make even the toughest trick shot.

  Romeo too had trained hard and was nearly at Cody’s level. Spenser was impressed by both of his apprentices and told them so often. He would someday have to choose one of them to carry on the tradition of Tanner, and neither Cody nor Romeo was making the decision an easy one.

  The house they had renovated was a two-story home with three bedrooms and two baths. They had purchased the foreclosed property at a bargain price then went to work improving it, while also living there.

  Cody and Romeo were good at home repairs, and what they didn’t know they hired out, such as the plumbing. They then watched as the plumbers worked in order to learn a skill they didn’t know. Their friend, Gwen, who played Juliet in the play, had also helped out. She knew a lot about landscaping having worked summers with her father, and she made the outside of the home look fantastic. She had used a combination of colorful stones and succulent plants, including cacti, to beautify and be low-maintenance. The boys had paid her a small amount and promised to give her more when the house sold.

  After seven weeks of working on the property between training and performances at summer stock, the home was done. They had set their asking price at a reasonable level. After deducting the cost of materials and labor, they stood to make forty-thousand dollars.

  The realtor left the house with his clients, a couple in their early-thirties named O’Brien. They had a baby dressed in blue, and a four-year-old girl. Cody could tell by the smile on the wife’s face that they had decided to buy it.

  “Gentlemen,” said the real estate agent, who was an older man with white hair. “If you’re willing to drop the price by five-thousand we can make a deal.”

  Cody and Romeo had discussed their position before they put the home up for sale. They’d decided that they could get what the house was listed for. The home had fresh paint inside and out, new hardwood flooring, and a refurbished kitchen with new appliances and a brand-new furnace. Given that it was a seller’s market and home values were climbing, they expected to have a buyer within weeks.

  “We think we’ll get our price, so no,” Cody said.

  The wife’s smile deflated, and Cody saw her turn and look at the house longingly while patting the baby’s back. The husband was looking at his wife too. He frowned as he saw the wistful expression on her face.

  “You might get it and you might not,” said the agent, “but I’ve got buyers right here, and five grand isn’t so much, is it?”

  “No, it’s not,” Romeo said. “That’s why we think someone will pay it.”

  The real estate agent gestured toward his car.

  “Let’s go, folks. I know another home nearby I can show you. And hey, Mrs. O’Brien, unlike this house, it’s got one of those children’s play sets in the backyard that you were talking about.”

  Once the trio reached the car, Cody saw that the wife was hesitant to get in. After a brief conversation with her husband, the smile returned.

  When the real estate agent approached again, he sent the boys a shrug.

  “It looks like you were right. You’ll get your price.”

  Cody caught the wife’s eye. “We’ll put a new play set in the yard, okay?”

  The wife smiled shyly. “Thank you.”

  Spenser took the boys to dinner at a Thai restaurant to celebrate the sale of the home. He also had news for them.

  “Three contracts?” Cody asked.

  “That’s right,” Spenser said. He went on to explain to Cody and Romeo about the deacons and their past association with the cult leader Damon Wheeler.

  “Who killed Wheeler?” Romeo asked. “Was it you or Tanner Five?”

  “Neither, Wheeler was one of Vince Ryker’s contracts.”

  “Ryker did contracts
for Tanner Five?” Cody said. “I didn’t know he had gotten that far along in his training.”

  “Ryker had learned everything Tanner Five had to teach him. If he hadn’t revealed his true nature he would be Tanner Six and I never would have gotten the opportunity. This is why I warned you to run in the other direction if you ever saw him.”

  “That was good advice when Cody and I first started our training, but I wouldn’t run from Ryker now. I would kill him.”

  Spenser looked at his apprentices as he considered Romeo’s words.

  “No, at this stage I wouldn’t expect you to run. You’re not finished learning, but you can hold your own against anyone.”

  “About these three contracts,” Cody said, “These deacons. Why do we have to kill them on Sunday?”

  “It’s what the client wants. My guess is he’ll have an alibi in place for that time. And given the short window we have, I want to travel there on Friday and do our due diligence.”

  Due diligence was Spenser’s term for checking out the area where a hit would go down. Each successive Tanner added something to the basic technique of the assassin’s craft. One of Spenser’s contributions was to extend and broaden the concept of due diligence.

  Cody and Romeo thought Spenser excessive in his methodology and deemed much of what he did a waste of time. No other Tanner had ever done the things Spenser demanded of them and they balked at the time and trouble it entailed. Having to leave on Friday would also spoil plans the boys had made.

  “Couldn’t Romeo and I join you in Utah on Saturday afternoon instead? We have dates for a concert in San Francisco Friday night.”

  “Saturday afternoon would be too late. We have to go in when these men won’t be home and explore the area. There’s also a storm expected. This needs to happen on Friday at the latest, and don’t you boys have to perform in the play on Wednesday and Thursday?”

  “I know you think due diligence is important, Spenser,” Romeo said. “But aren’t these three men we’re going after just losers? I doubt they’ll give any of us trouble. Hell, we might even kill them in their sleep.”

  Spenser studied the boys. They rarely questioned him and had never balked at doing what he asked of them. Then again, after years of intense training they were right to feel as if they could handle anything. He also felt that way, and he guarded against it. Being cocky or overconfident could get you killed.

  “What is an assassin’s greatest advantage?” Spenser asked them.

  The boys answered as one. “The element of surprise.”

  “That’s right, conversely, being surprised or unprepared would also be your greatest weakness, and possibly the death of you. You can never be too prepared. If you want to participate in fulfilling these three contracts with me come to my motel Friday morning. If you’d rather go to the concert, I’ll understand, but know this, a Tanner doesn’t do anything in a half-assed fashion.”

  Cody and Romeo looked at each other, communicating wordlessly. They weren’t blood-related, but they were brothers all the same and didn’t need to speak to make their feelings known to each other.

  “We’ll be at your motel Friday, Spenser,” Cody said, “but I still think you take due diligence too far.”

  Spenser smiled. “I’m a cautious man and I’ve trained you to be that way as well. Once you two go out on your own, you can do things your way.”

  “When can we go out on our own?” Romeo asked.

  “I think you need more training in hand-to-hand combat, which you’ll receive once we travel to Indonesia.”

  “There’s someone there who’s better than you?” Cody asked. “I find that hard to believe.”

  “Believe it. The man I’m thinking of is an absolute master of the art. Once you’ve trained with him I’ll feel you’ve learned almost everything you can.”

  “Almost?” Romeo said.

  “There’s no substitute for experience,” Spenser said, “and that only comes with time.”

  “What about Vince Ryker, did he train with this martial arts master in Indonesia?” Romeo asked.

  Spenser nodded. “Tanner Five said Ryker was the man’s star pupil. Vince Ryker is a dangerous man.”

  Ryker took an exit off I-15 and entered Cedar City, Utah. After driving a few blocks, he pulled into the parking lot of a bar that served food. The sun had gone down, and Ryker figured he’d have a meal before looking for a place to stay the night.

  Upon entering the tavern, he noted the group of men seated together near the back. The men were dressed in baseball uniforms and appeared to be celebrating a victory. Pitchers of beer littered the table and the men began talking loudly as the level of the pitchers dropped steadily. There was a lone woman seated at the table as well; she was a blonde in a tight halter top. She smiled at Ryker, and he sent her a nod in return.

  The steak meal he’d ordered was better than Ryker expected. He washed it down with two whiskeys and a cup of coffee. He was considering leaving when the blonde from the table sat beside him at the bar. She was in her twenties and the skirt she wore was short. Ryker admired her long legs before sending her a smile.

  “Hello, there.”

  “I’m Wendy, what’s your name?”

  “I’m Vince, Wendy.”

  The bartender came over. Ryker had heard him called Luke. He was an older man with a shaved head and a bushy mustache that was graying. He pointed at Wendy.

  “Why don’t you go back to the table and sit with Roy. I don’t need you to start trouble like you did last month.”

  “What’s this about trouble?” Ryker said.

  “This girl likes to start fights, and her boyfriend Roy is a mean one,” Luke said. “If I were you, I’d head on out of here before Roy takes notice of you. He’s a big son of a gun.”

  “I’m no shrimp myself,” Ryker said. “Besides, I’d like to get to know Wendy better.”

  The bartender leaned closer.

  “Roy don’t fight fair. If trouble starts, those friends of his will back him up, and there are eight men over at that table.”

  “I hear you,” Ryker said. Afterward, he reached out and took Wendy’s hand. “Maybe you can show me where a good motel is around here. What do you say?”

  Wendy smiled, but the grin left her face as her name was called out in a shout.

  “Wendy!”

  A man stood up from the table and Ryker guessed he was looking at Roy. Roy was six-foot-six and about two-hundred and thirty pounds. His dark hair was cut short and Ryker saw tattoos running up both arms. One of them had a Marine Corps emblem with the words Semper Fi. Roy marched toward the bar and grabbed Wendy by the arm.

  “You’d better get your ass back to the table.”

  Wendy twisted free and crossed her arms over her bosom. “You don’t own me, Roy.”

  Roy’s cheeks flushed, and he glared at Ryker.

  “Mister, if you want to keep your teeth you’ll leave right now.”

  Ryker saw movement in his peripheral vision. It was the bartender. He had grabbed a phone from under the bar, a land line.

  “If anyone throws a punch I’m calling the cops, and then you can start drinking somewhere else, Roy.”

  Roy cursed loudly, but he spun around and walked back to the table. After speaking in a low voice to the others in his group, they rose and followed Roy out of the bar.

  Ryker smiled at Wendy. “Where were we? Oh yeah, you were going to help me find a room for the night.”

  “He’s waiting outside for you,” Wendy said.

  “Roy?”

  She nodded. “And the others too. They always back him up.”

  Ryker laughed. “You’re wondering what I’m going to do, aren’t you?”

  Wendy gave him a devilish grin.

  “Luke was right. I like to start trouble, and I would love to see somebody kick Roy’s ass someday. He’s been strutting around like he was king dick since high school.”

  Ryker placed money on the bar and stood. “You’re in luck; that
day has arrived.”

  Roy and his friends were not only waiting outside for Ryker, but they were also armed with baseball bats and tire irons. Ryker pointed his truck out to Wendy and told her to go wait by it.

  “I’ll join you in a minute.”

  Wendy studied his face, as her own expression displayed amazement.

  “You’re not scared, are you?”

  “No.”

  “Why not? They’ll hurt you.”

  “Go wait by the truck.”

  Wendy backed away from him and headed for his pickup, however, she did so while walking sideways. She didn’t want to miss any of the action she had spawned.

  Roy strode toward Ryker while raising the bat above his head.

  “I’m gonna break your fucking jaw, asshole.”

  Ryker was a blur of motion as he struck Roy with a roundhouse kick that connected with Roy’s left cheek. Roy stumbled backwards, lost his balance, and fell to the ground.

  For a moment, no one moved. That ended when two of Roy’s friends charged at Ryker, bats poised to strike. Ryker struck the first man in the throat as he kicked a knee on the second man. The two backed away while rubbing at their injured areas, as Roy made it to his feet.

  Ryker pointed at Roy. “You keep coming at me and I’ll put you in the hospital.”

  Roy spat on the ground. The spittle looked bloody. He waved to his friends and the eight of them surrounded Ryker with their weapons held at the ready.

  Ryker feigned a kick at Roy, then spun and swept the feet out from under one of the men behind him. Once the man was down, Ryker slammed an elbow between his legs and claimed his bat. Afterward, he rolled to the side and avoided a bat that had been aimed at his head. He also smashed into the legs of two men and knocked them off balance.

  After using the bat he’d claimed to block a blow from a tire iron, Ryker swung it in an arc. One man’s nose broke, while another had an eye bashed. The assault continued as Ryker moved in a balletic fashion while wielding the bat. Once all eight men were down and moaning, Ryker stood over Roy.