BLOOD RETRIBUTION

by Blake Hudson

  “Everything okay, Captain?” Rose asked with a hand on her hip and attitude written all over her face.

  “Yeah, sure, so, where were we?” Knox said looking a little sheepish.

  “Oh, for fuck sake, you trigger happy types are all the same! Listen, Captain, I may look like I am just out of Uni. But I will have you know I never went to Uni or much of school for that matter. I was hacking government networks, power grids and NASA to name a few, for fun! I could do more damage sat in my pyjamas watching SpongeBob SquarePants than you with your little dick and an ‘I need to shoot a big gun’ complex, could ever dream about. Have I made myself clear?” Rose said turning into a hot-headed firecracker with a look in her eye that said back off or I will scratch your eyes out with my super computer. Knox instantly respected her. She may have been little and cute but she was tough and he liked it.

  Knox held up his hands.

  “Hey, easy there. I am sorry for any offence taken and look, I am a bit old school, a blunt weapon okay. I know I need to get with the times, so forgive me,” Knox said humbly. Rose relaxed and broke her intense look with a sweet smile.

  “Apology accepted Captain. Now let’s get you kitted out and up to speed,” Rose said acknowledging Knox’s sincerity and moving on after having made her point. She turned around and Knox smirked once more, knowing he had been right about the pyjamas.

  It was the morning of the next day, Knox pulled up to the imposing green gates of the Pérez residence. He looked up at the CCTV camera which trained onto him. Within moments the gates opened. At a slow pace, Knox made his way up the winding driveway, passing groundsmen working on the pristine tropical gardens. Pulling up to the same garage as before, Juan stood waiting. He pointed over to an area which had recently seen building work and the only evidence was the swept-up floor covered in the last bit of building dust. A small car port had been built.

  “Please Mr Knox, it is now your parking area,” Juan said. Knox smiled, rode over and parked up in the welcoming cool shade.

  “Bring my blasted car around!” Howard said as he stormed out of the main house entrance. Knox looked over and watched Howard talk on his phone, irate and agitated as he paced around. Howard spotted Knox, he hung up the call and walked over to Knox with purpose.

  “Lucas, so you came back and didn’t do a runner with my money,” Howard said in his ‘my shit don’t stink’ way.

  “Well, the Boss' cigarettes were too good to not come back.” Knox smiled as he looked at a button half hanging off Howard’s blazer jacket.

  “You may want to give your tailor a ring, everything okay?” Knox added, motioning to the button.

  “Bloody Hell, yes it seems I will.” Just as Howard replied, Juan, pulled up in Howard’s Bentley Continental GT in stunning bright Aegean blue metallic paint. Knox sucked air through his teeth.

  “Very nice, try not to pick up any speeding tickets,” Knox said as he got off his bike and headed to the house. Howard sort of forced a smile out before he got into his car and then looked out his open window at Knox and said.

  “Knox, Isabella wants to go shopping today. Make it happen, there’s a good chap,” Howard said with his normal smug expression. As Knox made his way through the house, armed Armani dressed guards showed him to a staircase and pointed up. At the top of the stairs, Knox found a single door on a large landing area. The door was half open but Knox knocked anyway, then walked in.

  Isabella sat at a vanity unit facing a large mirror, she was all but naked, only wearing purple lace French knickers. There was that toned slender back Knox had admired on the beach. Knox and Isabella’s eyes met in the mirror. Knox’ eyes dropped to her breasts, raising an eyebrow at her blatant and brazen attempt to get attention. She turned instantly to look at Knox.

  “The door was open, I thought you would be dressed,” Knox said unapologetically, not flinching or showing embarrassment by any means and therefore not playing into her games.

  But then it was clear that Isabella had been crying, black mascara running down her cheeks. She stood and walked over towards Knox intently, looking him in the eyes. She picked up a robe and covered herself, also showing no sign of embarrassment.

  “I will wait for you downstairs,” Knox said bluntly.

  “No, it is fine. Give me a moment and I will be dressed.” She walked into a dressing room and slipped on a dress. Knox could see Isabella in the dressing room from a full-length mirror that was positioned just right. Isabella came back out and walked over to her balcony.

  “Coffee…?” she asked as she walked out and sat at a table with breakfast and fresh coffee waiting. Knox looked sceptical wondering why she was acting nice to him and not trusting it, even when he joined her.

  “Again I…” Isabelle cut Knox short.

  “Forget about it, but you listen to me. I don't care who sees me naked. I do care who sees me crying. You tell no-one you saw that, is that clear?” Isabella said with a manner as if she was talking to one of the poor overworked maids. Knox almost rolled his eyes as the bitch re-emerged, strangely feeling more comfortable dealing with her this way. Any other way and he simply wondered what she was planning.

  “Of course, you don’t need to worry about who I talk to. I know the value of privacy,” Knox said pouring himself a coffee. Isabelle looked at him as if waiting for him to pour her one too.

  “I may be working for your father, but I’m not working as your waiter. Now, if you ask nicely I may do. Otherwise…” Knox said and waited for a response.

  “Please, would you be a darling and pour me a coffee?” she said as her eyes narrowed and sarcasm laced her words.

  “Wasn’t so hard now, was it?” Knox said irritating her further as he poured her coffee. She gave him a forced smile that was obviously through gritted teeth, then decided to get back at him another way when she said.

  “I'm going shopping, want to come?” Isabella then sipped at the black coffee smirking, knowing a man like Knox would hate the idea.

  “Ah, I don't think that would be wise,” Knox replied confirming what Isabella first suspected.

  “No problem, you can wait here and if you are lucky, I will let you carry my bags in when I return,” Isabella said as she lit a long thin cigarette.

  “That's not quite what I meant.” Knox pulled out his lighter as hers was not igniting.

  “Yes, I know what you meant which is why I am choosing to ignore it. What do I have to worry about when I have you to protect me, right?” Isabella said as she smoked, with a smirk that was practically begging to be wiped off her face. Knox didn’t rise to it, no matter how much he wanted to.

  “Shopping… No problem, in Malaga?” Knox coolly replied.

  “No… Granada.” Isabella stood.

  “Enjoy the coffee and the view, I will get ready,” she said as she walked off the balcony back into her room.

  Knox took a sip of his coffee, and out of the corner of his eye, he watched Isabella pick up her phone before she swanned off into her bathroom. Knox pulled out the smart phone he had been kitted out with. Flicking through the apps he found the one Rose had shown him to connect and monitor nearby phones. He locked onto Isabella's phone and waited.

  Knox’s instincts were right as a text message alerted on his phone. It was Howard messaging Isabella. Knox paused for a moment, then opened the message and read it.

  Howard: Will you and your new shadow be going out today? I am sorry we fought.

  Isabella: Going shopping in Granada, don’t care about my shadow. I am buying something nice using your credit card. It will be a more meaningful apology.

  Howard: Why am I not surprised? Have fun, doing what you do best then. I have a late meeting tonight. See you tomorrow.

  Knox forwarded the message to the NEST. If Howard was having a meeting it would be prudent for T.I 7 to tail him. Being Pérez’s right-hand man, he would have to be involved. Knox waited and enjoyed the picturesque view dominated by an old church t
ower. When the coffee had gone cold a check of his watch showed over an hour had passed. Knox stood and walked inside.

  “Isabella, will you be much longer? You will be losing shopping time. Won’t that be a shame?” Knox said and he muttered the last part to himself.

  “I am ready now, you can’t rush beauty,” Isabella said from her dressing room.

  “I will go get the car ready, meet you there," Knox replied as he walked to her bedroom door and just as he opened it and was about to walk through, Isabella strolled in, arms across her chest holding up a bright Ferrari red little dress.

  “Be a dear and zip me up,” she said turning around showing Knox her bare exposed back. Knox remained where he was stood, looked at her expectantly and waited. Isabella looked over her shoulder annoyed that Knox hadn’t jumped to her request.

  “Please…” she said with a sigh.

  Knox walked over, looking down at the impossibly small chrome zipper, his eyes being drawn to the small of her back. She was wearing nothing under the dress. He pinched the material below the zip and with the other hand pulled the smooth action zipper up. He paused for the smallest of moments at the sight of the hairs on Isabella’s neck stand on end as goose bumps sent a shiver down her spine once he reached the top. Isabella flicked her hair when she felt he had finished. Knox took a step back.

  “Shall we go?” Knox said extending his arm to the door. Isabella strolled past in her fast becoming trade mark impudent manner.

  “You know it wouldn’t hurt to tell a lady she looks nice. Come, let’s go. I have shopping to do,” she said before stopping in the doorway and looking back at Knox, speaking to him like he was some guard dog.

  “You don’t need to worry about bringing the car around, haven’t they told you?” Isabella looked at Knox’s facial expression indicating no-one had told him anything. Her smirk, however, told him everything.

  “No? Well if you’re going to take care of my safety, I suggest you keep up to date with my travel arrangements, Lucas...” Isabella said pausing as an unmistakable sound grew from in the distance closing in on the property.

  The sound of a helicopter.

  Chapter Eight

  Lunch with a Bang

  Knox looked down over the Sierra Nevada Mountains, finding it hard to believe that they would be covered in snow in just a few months. The Airbus H160 cut effortlessly and whisper quiet through the air even at 185mph. Knox looked around the interior, upholstered in rich leather with wood and metal accents. All customised to Marco Pérez’s specifications, logos of his company and family crest stitched into the soft Nappa leather.

  What a different world it was. A far cry from heading into covert missions in Wildcats and Lynx army helicopters, that was for damn sure. The deafening sound of blade-vortex and engine rumble, metal rattled and sounded like every nut, bolt and rivet holding the choppers together were under strain, moments away from failure. This world had pilots and air crew in a different kind of uniform, clean cut and drenched in expensive cologne and perfumes, champagne and canapés served with a smile.

  Isabella sat with her long legs crossed as she filed her nails with a pout you could hang a jacket on. She looked bored and that pissed Knox off. He took a breath and calmed himself down, telling himself she didn’t know any better, that she was born into it. And her father admitted to spoiling her rotten and letting her get away with everything.

  Knox’s thoughts were broken as he was brought back by the captain’s voice, one which informed them over the intercom that they would be landing in five minutes. Granada city grew on the horizon as the H160 started its smooth descent.

  “Where would you like to shop first?” Knox said to Isabella

  “Hugo Boss or Canali, I need to sort something out,” Isabella said in a drab tone, without taking her eyes off her nails.

  “Something to sort out? You have to return something?” Knox jibed knowing full well Isabella would return nothing and would not think twice about putting something that didn’t fit in the bin, no matter how much the price tag said that was left on it. Maybe it was something of Howards, Knox thought to himself.

  “If I am to be forced into being seen with you then we need to sort out this whole, ‘I buy my clothes from the second-hand Army store’ look," Isabella said as she waved her hand up and down at Knox's attire.

  “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing, Lass?” Knox said pretending to be affronted when in actual fact Knox didn't give two shits what she thought of his ‘attire'. No, in Knox's line of work it needed to be practical and that was that. Besides, a suit in this weather was damn hot and in his opinion not exactly what he would call ‘inconspicuous’.

  Alright, so maybe it would fit somewhere like New York walking into an office building, then he would blend just like the rest of the sheep. But somewhere filled with half-dressed tourists all loaded with bags, kids and cameras? No, Knox didn’t think so. Besides, Knox hated trying to hide his gun in a suit. He was too bulky as it was to even get them to fit right, let alone loose enough to hide his Sig P26.

  “Nothing at all if you work at a biker bar, but you don’t, you work for me,” said Isabella bringing Knox back to the conversation and realising she had answered his question.

  “I work for your father, not you,” Knox said as he held his calm.

  “And you now represent him, and frankly you are making me look scruffy. The Pérez family has an image to uphold. So, you are getting new clothes. Don’t like it? Then quit.” Isabella said knocking her sunglasses down from her head as her pout grew bigger. Knox knew he had to let her have this small victory, or what was his argument with Pérez going to be, without sounding like a whining little bitch like his daughter.

  They circled the helipad before making the final approach, a black car was parked waiting.

  “When we land you wait here until I give you the all clear, understand?” Knox said sternly.

  “That is my normal driver, he is harmless. I use him all the time.” Isabella said with attitude. Knox decided not to bother arguing as he would bound and gag her if it meant he could do his job the way he intended…actually, it was sounding like a good idea if she kept this hissy shit up.

  After they had safely landed, Knox got up and stepped out. Isabella waited for her door to be opened. Knox stopped the flight crew before they reached the aircraft’s door.

  “She stays in the chopper until I have checked over the car,” Knox shouted to the ear of the ground crewman. Isabella looked on with a scowl. Knox smirked before he turned, head down and headed over towards the car, one hand gripped on the gun holstered to his belt at the back. After checking the driver and the car over he gave the all clear. By this time, the chopper had cut its engines and wound down. Isabella was helped down by the ground crew and she swanned over before she stood by the rear door and waited for Knox to open it.

  “Hands stopped working?” Knox said as he got in the front passenger side. The driver, with a look of panic, got out and rushed to open her door.

  “Charming, who said chivalry was dead?” Isabella mocked as she sat down. Knox ignored her and looked out over the airfield.

  “I am here to protect you, not pander to you,” he said as he looked over his shoulder, which Isabella ignored as she now looked out of her window.

  “Why haven’t we left already?” Isabella said to the driver, who in turn looked to Knox.

  “Isabella… seat belt, use it then we will leave.” Knox turned back to face forward and waited. The driver looked as if he was going to shit bricks, Knox saw his discomfort and winked at him.

  “I have all day…” Knox said as he relaxed into every inch of the plush Mercedes-Maybach’s luxury seat, and flicked the seat massage switch. With a huff, Isabella buckled up.

  “Driver, let’s get going,” Knox said as a smile slipped out over his lips.

  Hours dragged by and now with a car boot full of shopping bags, Knox was ashamed to admit, a lot of them were
his. Isabella went to town and she purchased a suit for every day of the week and a spare, all courtesy of Howard’s credit card. If Isabella wanted to let her fiancé know she was pissed off, she was going the right way about it. But Knox wasn’t totally convinced it was all about Howard hiring him. No, it was deeper than that. One thing Knox did know, no matter how super rich they were, family drama was still the same as any other.

  Knox fidgeted in his seat pulling at the starched stiff white shirt cuffs, under the new dark grey suit. He was hot, uncomfortable and pissed off.

  “Knox, I am hungry, take me to lunch. I fancy something hot and spicy. Driver, you know where,” Isabella said from the back seat, texting on her phone.

  “Hold steady Felipe, is this a regular restaurant you go to?” Knox said having taken the time to find out the driver’s name earlier in the day.