Kidnap
By
Murray McDonald
Part One
Chapter 1
So, where to start? I suppose the beginning would be a good place but with my family that’s not very easy. And that’s probably the crux of the problem and why I’m even talking to you. You see, my family’s not like your average family, well not in the conventional run of the mill everyday type of family way. Although, I do have a mum and a dad and they both work, pretty much like most of you. Dad’s a businessman and mum’s a doctor, so far, no biggie, I know.
But how many of you have a sister with no genetic link? OK, I’m guessing, probably quite a few. A second dad? That narrows it down a bit. A second dad who lives with you? Now we’ve probably just narrowed the field way down. So to summarise, I’m Tom, I’ve got a sister Lela and we live as one family with my mum and dad and Lela’s dad Saki.
So, where to start the actual story? Should we start with the team of Irish assassins who tried to kill my dad? But then you’d not know about Saki and how he is one of the most lethal martial arts fighters in the world. Trust me, you’ll want to know about that and then that would explain why Lela can kick some serious ass and why, unfortunately I can’t! But, then, you’re probably wondering why a team of Irish assassins would even want to kill my dad? That would bring me back to why we’re not your average family.
My dad’s a businessman, a very successful one and when I say successful I mean seriously successful. Think Carnegie, Rockefeller or to be more current think Buffet, Gates only much bigger. You won’t have heard of him, he owns companies and keeps out of the limelight, particularly after what happened fourteen years ago. Wait a minute, that’s it! Fourteen years ago. Although I wasn’t around yet, that’s exactly where we should start.
Chapter 2
Fourteen years earlier
“Zulu…come in Zulu.”
“Zulu here…Alpha, are you in position?”
“Yes and the targets have arrived...I repeat, the targets have arrived.”
“Roger that Alpha…the targets have arrived. Confirm final location before pulling out… Zulu out.”
“Roger...Alpha out.”
Zulu switched off the radio and looked at his team - Bravo, Charlie and Delta. They were all highly skilled and experienced ex-special forces personnel, with only one allegiance: money. Of course, those were not their real names. Only Zulu, the Team Leader, knew everybody’s real name. He liked to keep things on a need-to-know basis and his team didn’t need to know. They didn’t need to know about the client and they most definitely did not need to know that they would all soon be dead. Zulu picked up the satellite phone next to the radio and dialled his client. The phone rang once.
“What?!” barked the client.
“The targets are in position. We will attack in 9 hours, at exactly 04.00 hours.”
“Excellent. And remember, I do not tolerate failure.”
“Nor do I,” replied Zulu.
“Good and don’t forget, no loose ends.”
Zulu thought about arguing the point once again but decided not to. The idea of killing his team after they had completed the mission did not sit well with him but whatever the client wanted, Zulu would deliver.
“ARE WE CLEAR??!!” shouted the client, impatient at Zulu’s silence.
“Of course,” replied Zulu quickly.
“Good. Call me when it’s done.” The client hung up, no goodbyes, no pleasantries.
After a few seconds, Zulu lowered the phone and considered whether he should opt out of the mission. From the first contact, Zulu’s mysterious client had unnerved him, a feeling so alien to Zulu that he wasn’t sure how to deal with it.
He walked back to his doomed team and ran through the plan again. Alpha arrived half way through the briefing but rather than risk any confusion, Zulu started the briefing again. The team listened to their instructions intently. They were all terrified of Zulu.
Zulu was an imposing figure. He was six foot four, made of solid muscle and almost as broad as he was tall. Despite his massive stature, his most imposing features were his eyes. Anyone who had ever met him and was fortunate enough to live to tell the tale, remembered his eyes above everything else. They stared relentlessly, unblinkingly at anything that crossed their path, boring into the soul and threatening imminent death. Anyone caught by their mesmerising gaze would swear they had looked into the eyes of the devil himself. Hence Zulu’s real name, Reaper.
As the briefing ended and the men started to filter away to check their equipment, Zulu called Alpha over to him.
“Anything else to report?” asked Zulu, suspiciously.
Alpha was certain he had told him everything but as Zulu’s eyes burned into him he began to doubt himself. Zulu had shadowed other members of the team over the last few days and had picked up on a number of errors and omissions from their reports. Although Alpha was certain Zulu hadn’t shadowed him, he couldn’t be certain.
“Hmm, I don’t’ believe so.”
Zulu just stared at him unblinkingly for a few seconds. When he was sure Alpha had not missed anything, he produced a photo and pointed to the bride and groom in the wedding photo.
“And it was definitely them?”
“Yes, one hundred and ten percent, Sir”
“Good. Dismissed,” barked Zulu, his gaze returning to the photo. Only he knew who they were. He’d spotted the headline in the papers a few weeks before. ‘Billionaire Businessman to wed his childhood sweetheart.’ He’d thought nothing of it at the time but when the photo came through from the client, a few hours earlier, he immediately remembered the headline. Zulu never forgot a face. Up until the photo arrived, all he knew was that the targets were scheduled to arrive at the small guesthouse located on the edge of the jungle in Sabah, a Malaysian province located on the island of Borneo in the South China Sea.
Zulu wondered what Donald Kennedy had done to upset the client but only out of interest; a job was a job and this was an exceptionally well paid one. Whatever he had done, the whizz kid businessman, destined to be the richest man in the world, was soon to be one of the deadest. And there was nothing anyone could do about it. The first night of the Kennedys’ honeymoon was also going to be their last. Zulu looked again at the picture. It was a shame. The wife was very beautiful, a doctor, a paediatrician named Rachel, if he remembered correctly. Brains and beauty.
Zulu turned as he heard footsteps approaching.
“Sir, there was one thing, I’ve just remembered. Probably totally unnecessary,” stammered Alpha nervously. “But another couple arrived at the same time as the targets. I think they were locals but I’m not really sure. They might have looked a bit more Japanese, come to think of it. Anyway, the local woman was pregnant and the female target was helping her.”
“But the targets checked into their room OK?”
“Yes, Sir, just as I reported. I just hadn’t mentioned the pregnant woman as I thought it was irrelevant but that I guess is for you to decide.”
“No, that’s fine,” responded Zulu calmly, much to Alpha’s relief. Zulu thought it was quite natural for a doctor to help a pregnant woman. Everything would proceed as planned.
Chapter 3
Donald and Rachel Kennedy had arrived on schedule for the first night of their honeymoon. After a long and tiring journey, Donald was looking forward to the total relaxation that lay ahead, a two week break, something he hadn’t had for years. Alba Corporation, for once, was taking second place. The location of their honeymoon had been chosen carefully. There were absolutely no phone lines, computer terminals or mobile phone masts anywhere for miles. Donald was effectively cut off and had no option but to relax a
nd enjoy quality time with his new wife, something he was still having difficulty getting used to.
It was everything they had envisaged, the forest opened up as the guesthouse came into view, the trees giving way to a large well kept lawn which itself gave way to a stunning beach with gentle waves lapping against the pristine sands. After checking in, they were shown to their room, housed in a new annex, the room had a spectacular terrace that opened directly onto the beach. Within a minute, Donald was cracking open the champagne and toasting his new wife.
“Mrs Donald Kennedy,” he announced turning to face Rachel and finding nothing but an empty room. The door to their room stood wide open and Donald could just see the back of his wife rushing across the driveway towards a battered old taxi. As he rushed after her, the full picture came into view. She wasn’t running to grab the taxi, she was running to help a young man who was struggling to help his pregnant companion from the taxi. Although relieved his wife wasn’t ‘doing a runner’, Donald had the feeling that he was going to be the only one giving up work during their honeymoon.
As he approached the car, Rachel was in full flow. Orders were being barked to the young man and the guesthouse staff as Rachel helped the young woman into the reception area, sitting her in a chair before grilling the young man who confirmed his name was Saki and informed her that his wife, Tylanni, was due to give birth in less than a week.
“OK, Donald, where are you?”
“I’m here,” replied Donald standing in the doorway behind Rachel.
“Find out what room they’re booked into and make sure it’s a cool one.”
As Donald went to check the room with the receptionist, Saki followed.
“Excuse me but who is that woman?” he whispered quietly, ensuring Rachel didn’t here him.
Donald stifled a laugh but smiled.
“She’s my wife, well I think she is. When it comes to being a doctor, she’s extremely... how can I put it... efficient. And unless you’re her patient, she’s even a little scary.”
“Hmm yes,” agreed Saki. “But she is a Doctor!” he repeated excitedly.
“Yes, a paediatrician. You know, a child doctor.”
As a more relaxed Saki turned back towards Rachel and Tylanni, Donald discovered that the coolest room in the property was theirs as it benefited from the sea breeze. It was also by far the most comfortable. With this knowledge in mind, he traipsed back to Rachel to deliver the news that was going to ensure his wedding night would be a lonely one.
“Right, Donald, Saki, a side each please,” announced Rachel on hearing Donald’s news. “Take Tylanni to our room. I’ll stay with her and you two can share the other room.”
Both wanted to protest, both wanted to be by their wives’ side but both could tell from Rachel’s tone that any protestation would be futile.
Both would later live to regret their decision.
Chapter 4
Saki woke up instantly. He checked the clock glowing on the bedside table. It was 3.53 a.m. He listened for nearly a minute and heard nothing more. As he turned over to go back to sleep, he heard the noise again. He immediately got up.
Saki moved across to Donald’s bed. He wanted to wake him up without making a sound, so he covered Donald’s mouth with his hand and whispered.
“Donald wake up, there’s somebody moving around outside.”
Donald woke up and instinctively struggled against the hand over his mouth. Saki repeated. “There’s somebody moving around outside.”
He motioned for Donald to whisper before removing his hand.
“I’m sure it’s just somebody who’s forgotten something,” said Donald. “It’s nothing, go back to sleep.”
“No,” said Saki listening out for more sounds. “There’s more than one person and they’re highly trained soldiers.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” said Donald almost too loudly. Saki motioned again for him to whisper.
“I can hear them moving, very carefully, not wanting to be heard and one at a time, as if one is covering the other. Trust me, I know these things.”
Donald stared at Saki as he tried to compute in his half asleep state, just what the hell was going on. Rachel had spent the evening nursing Tylanni while Donald had spent the evening trying to keep Saki calm. It was a very different Saki who stood before him. There was a calm quiet confidence that had not been there earlier. He was talking about trained soldiers outside and was completely unfazed. Saki also exuded a raw power that Donald had not noted earlier. With his shirt off, the slim young man had transformed into one of the most toned and defined bodies Donald had ever seen. Donald realised that this was the real Saki. The young man panicking about his wife was a man who was used to being in control and who knew that he was powerless in helping his wife when it came to childbirth.
“What do you think they want?” asked Donald as he fully wakened.
“No idea, but I must get to Tylanni,” said Saki.
Donald saw Saki disappear from the side of his bed and reappear at the door, moving so quickly and quietly it defied belief. Saki paused momentarily, cautiously opening the door just wide enough to check the coast was clear before disappearing into the night. Donald quickly followed. By the time he reached the doorway, Saki was already way ahead and almost at the women’s room. Donald couldn’t help but wonder just who Saki was. His English was perfect but he was a local, having lived most of his life on a small island to the North. All Donald knew from looking at Saki move was that he was delighted to have him on his side.
***
Rachel had not slept at all. She had sat up watching Tylanni and was becoming concerned at her rising temperature. There was nothing else for it, they would have to go to the hospital immediately. Just as Rachel reached her decision, the door handle turned and the door opened. Rachel was relieved, Saki and Donald could get the Land Rover while she prepared Tylanni for the journey.
***
Delta and Charlie slipped into the dimly lit room. They could make out the two targets, one was sitting in a chair facing away from them and the other was asleep in bed. This was going to be the easiest $100,000 they had ever made. Delta moved slowly and quietly towards the chair as Charlie moved towards the bed.
As Delta reached the back of the chair he silently raised his Blackjack, a leather wrapped lead weight with a coil-spring handle which could kill with one blow. In one smooth movement, he swung the weapon towards Rachel. He had selected a spot on the side of her head just above the ear. It offered a 90% likelihood of an outright kill and 100% certainty of rendering her unconscious.
Chapter 5
As Saki turned the corner of the guesthouse, he saw two men disappear into the women’s room. He sped up and entered the room just as the Blackjack was making its deadly trajectory towards Rachel.
Sensing some movement behind her, Rachel turned to see what was happening. As she turned, she instinctively flinched. The Blackjack, which should have killed her, missed its spot just grazing her forehead. Her chair toppled and she fell to the floor. Although relatively unharmed, she was dazed and as far as Delta was concerned, she would be dead before she knew what had hit her. Although a gun would have been easier, the Blackjack offered a ‘clean’ bloodless kill.
When Saki entered the room, he evaluated the situation instantly. There were two threats, both lethal. From the intruders’ movements, he deduced that their only intention was to kill the girls. He calculated what was required and sending signals to individual muscles in his body, he began the movements needed to eliminate the danger. Nobody was better than Saki. Even on Penaraja, he was the best.
Charlie made his way silently to the bed. He had heard the commotion behind him as Delta failed to deal with the woman. The sleeping mass, whom Charlie assumed was Donald, would be easy to deal with as he remained sound asleep. Charlie raised his Blackjack and, as he swung the weapon towards his target, Saki had already begun his silent assault. The first kick landed in the small of Charlie’s b
ack, arching him backwards and dispatching the Blackjack over his head and away from the sleeping Tylanni. A punch landed a micro second later, sending Charlie into the full force of Saki’s kick. The timing was perfect, the force of Saki’s double impact manoeuvre shattered Charlie’s spine, killing him instantly.
Delta had hardly moved. He had noticed the sudden movements out of the corner of his eye but such was Saki’s speed, he did not appreciate what was happening until he heard the sickening snap of Charlie’s spine.
As Charlie fell to the floor, Saki was ready to eliminate the second threat. A roundhouse flip propelled him quickly and quietly across the room towards Delta. As he prepared to land, he threw out his trailing leg and unleashed an almighty kick catching Delta in the solar plexus, propelling him ten feet backwards. Delta smashed against the wall and fell to the floor, already dead. The force had been equivalent to that of a train hitting Delta at full speed, his internal organs exploding from the force of the strike.
Donald burst into the room, having heard the almighty bang as Delta hit the wall.
“What the hell?” he shouted as he entered, surveying the room. “Oh my God, is everyone OK? Rachel, are you OK?” he shouted as he rushed to her side.
“I’m fine, not really sure what happened. Not sure I’ll ever know, it all happened so quickly,” she said, looking at Saki.
“WATCH OUT!!!” Donald screamed, diving towards the window.
Chapter 6
While Charlie and Delta had made their way to the bedroom, Alpha and Bravo had made their way to the Kennedy’s Land Rover. Their task was to drive the Land Rover down the coast where they would meet Charlie and Delta after they had disposed of the bodies. However, they had spotted Donald clumsily making his way towards the room Charlie and Delta were in. Realising that something was seriously amiss, they abandoned the Land Rover and made their way around the building and onto Rachel and Donald’s terrace.
Kidnap (The Billionaire Series) Page 1
