Asp

by Kris Michaels

  "Landstuhl, shit." Anubis shook his head.

  "Yeah, you don't get a free ride to there without having some serious injuries. I'll admit, I was pretty fucked up. They kept me doped up, the military's standard response." Asp ran his hand through his hair and stared at the wall past Anubis's shoulder. "Whoever was in charge of notifying next of kin screwed up. They told my folks that I'd died in the attack." Asp chuckled although it sounded bitter even to his ears. "The CIA showed up and made me an offer. They showed me pictures of my family burying what they thought were my remains. I have no idea who was in that casket. After I got back to the States, I visited my spotter's grave, so at least his parents got the closure they deserved...I guess…anyway those bastards in the CIA played me like I was a fucking violin."

  Asp let out a bitter string of cuss words before he stood and started pacing Anubis' office. "Imagine it, man, there I was hopped up on drugs, staring at pictures of my mom and dad all tore up and grieving and all these 'recruiters' are telling me that because I'm a sniper it was just a matter of time before my folks would have to live through that pain again. They offered me a way to take care of them financially and still serve my country." Asp stopped behind the chair he'd been sitting in and grabbed the padded leather backrest. He dropped his head down between his shoulders and stared at his feet, embarrassed by his display of emotion.

  "They brought you into the black ops side of the house. You were dead, and you were used as a weapon for the CIA."

  Asp nodded his head without looking up. He shrugged and studied his fucking boots for a moment before he spoke again. "I was used, all right." He lifted his head and stared straight at the folder on Anubis's desk. "Cavanaugh used me, and because of him I'll never know if the others I killed while employed by the CIA were legitimate hits." He lifted his eyes to Anubis's face. "I'll never know."

  Anubis stared back at him, and Asp knew to the very core of his soul, that Anubis got it. Anubis understood the need to know what he was doing was for the greater good. His friend had lost sight of that once, and Asp had helped him remember why they did what they did.

  "If the Council codes him, is it your desire to take this case?"

  "He's mine." Ice filled his veins. He would take pleasure in finding Halo One-One and killing him.

  "I'll let Archangel and Alpha know. Are you staying here or floating until a decision comes down the pipe?"

  A shit-eating grin spread across his face. Anubis had just told him where the motherfucker was. He had a picture to go with the name. Hell, he was booking it to Colombia the second his foot reached the exit door. Furthermore, Anubis knew it.

  "Right, that was a stupid question, wasn't it?" Anubis rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged.

  "We are all authorized one or two in a lifetime." Asp spun and grabbed the door handle but paused, halted by a sudden need to acknowledge what his friend had done for him. He’d learned never to ignore his gut. He turned around and waited until Anubis looked up. "Thank you, Kaeden. For everything."

  Anubis froze. "This isn't goodbye." He stood and walked to the door, extending his hand.

  "It isn't my intention, but..." Asp took the proffered hand and shook it.

  Anubis pulled him in for a tight and unexpected hug. "Don't you fucking do anything stupid out there."

  Asp swallowed back a deluge of emotion normally nonexistent in his day-to-day life. "Shit, now you're asking for miracles." He gave his friend a smile he didn't feel and spun on his heel. He had a plane to catch.

  Chapter 2

  Asp glanced at his watch as his four-wheel drive vehicle lurched up another steep incline, the transmission grinding and the wheels slipping on the loose gravel. The road trip from Suriname, through Guyana, crossing the northeastern tip of Brazil, through the lower portion of Venezuela and into Colombia had taken three days, the equivalent of several thousands of dollars in bribes to border guards, and one hell of a lot of patience. The patience was not an issue. If there was anything Asp possessed in spades, it was patience.

  He couldn't risk flying into either Colombia or one of the neighboring countries. He had no idea how far Jarvis Cavanaugh’s reach extended, and as of this moment, he didn't have clearance to go after the bastard. So, Asp spent his long hours behind the wheel formulating a plan to stalk the son of a bitch.

  He mentally ran through the list of what he did know from the briefing Anubis had given him. One, Cavanaugh’s connection to the FARC organization ran deep. Whether he’d made the connections when he was employed by the CIA, or after, was irrelevant. The man had a network to keep him informed. Two, the people who worked for Jarvis were not likely to flip sides for cash so Asp would have to either assume a role as a friend to Cavanaugh, or he'd have to ghost his way through the central foothills of Colombia. The first option might expedite finding his quarry, but undoubtedly, it would also expose him to detection.

  Asp ground his teeth together and gripped the steering wheel hard enough to leave impressions. Just because he hadn't known what his handler looked like, he couldn't assume that Halo One-One didn't know what he looked like. If he made such a stupid leap of logic it would probably get him killed. No, he'd have to ghost through the foothills. Halo One-One was a diabolical son of a bitch. Asp glanced in his rearview mirror and then to his side view. A black four-by-four had been following him for over thirty minutes. He pushed his foot down on the accelerator and glanced at the GPS he'd checked out from the complex before leaving South Dakota. The device used government satellites and rarely if ever lost reception. He'd just crossed the border where the Buenaventura Transverse highway connected Colombia's largest port with the Venezuelan border in Puerto Carreño. The road was abysmal, but it was a road. The road signs that did exist on the Transverse Highway were sparse and helped little in navigating the vastness of the country. Asp glanced at his gas gauge. A half a tank of petrol could get him a couple hundred kilometers, but he'd need to stop. Sooner, rather than later, it seemed. He noticed the black four-wheel-drive vehicle had met his speed and was cruising back there. Not threatening, not demanding...just following.

  Asp dropped his hand to the GPS. He pinched and spread his fingers bringing the secondary roads into sharp relief on the display. He glanced up at the road and back down at the GPS. A small spur to his left would be his first chance to make a desviacion, or detour. He glanced at his rearview and discarded the idea. He'd wait until he had a hill in between him and his new best friend. Until then, he'd play. He let off the accelerator and watched as the SUV behind him similarly slowed. The fucktard following him was either stupid or naive. Asp grunted and slapped his hand against the steering wheel, unless... The driver could be playing with him. His eyes flew to the horizon. He could be being forced into a trap ahead of him, too worried about who or what was behind him to be proactive about what could be waiting ahead.

  His decision was made as he approached the desviacion. He whipped the vehicle onto the dirt road and flew over a small rise. His foot damn near shoved through the floor of the vehicle as he stomped on the brake and jerked the gear shift into park. He exited, palmed his .45s and took aim. A roil of red dust indicated his friend had followed. As the vehicle crested the top of the hill, Asp spread his legs and found where his target would be behind the black tinted glass of the windshield.

  The car skidded to a stop. Asp's fingers twitched when the vehicle’s engine turned off. He held the position for several seconds before the driver's side door opened. Every muscle in his body relaxed at the familiar figure that unfolded from the SUV.

  "Thanatos?" Asp returned the weapons to his twin shoulder holsters and braced his hands on his hips. "Why the ever loving fuck are you following me?" He gave the man a once over. It was the first time he'd ever seen Thanatos in anything but a suit. The jeans, cowboy boots, t-shirt, and baseball hat screamed American. Unlike Asp's tan slacks, ankle high boots, button down and lightweight jacket. Asp's clothing screamed European.

  "Well, that seems to be the questio
n of the day." The slow Texas drawl sounded foreign coming from Thanatos. The man's natural-born Irish brogue was nowhere to be found. Although every last one of the Shadows were chameleons, Thanatos had never before displayed this ability—at least not to him.

  Asp crossed his arms over his chest and leaned on the used-to-be-black back of the vehicle he'd driven across three countries. "Well if that is the question of the day, why don't you tell me the answer?"

  Thanatos crossed his arms and leaned against the front of his black four-wheel drive. "Halo has been officially coded. Additionally, it would appear that Archangel thinks Colombia is a damn big country and finding your mark will be like finding a needle in a haystack." A wide, slow smile spread across Thanatos's face. "So I'm here to be visible and to keep that fucker guessing.

  Asp understood immediately, and he didn't like it. Not one bit. "I'm not going to let you be a target for that bastard. Granted, we don't know where he is, but setting you up to take a bullet in my place is bullshit."

  "I don't plan on taking a bullet, my friend." Thanatos took off his ball cap and scrubbed his hand through his hair. "Hot in this fucking place."

  "It is. It is going to get hotter if Halo One-One has you in his sights. I don't need help. I have a plan." Asp took off his jacket. This close to the equator the outer garment was ridiculous. "Were you given a direct order to perform as the pony in this one-horse circus?"

  "No. Just given a suggestion and told I wasn't going to be needed until after this mission." Thanatos put his ball cap back on and glanced up at the sun. "Makes you long for the green pastures of home, don't it now?" The Irish brogue Asp had grown used to snapped back into place.

  "I don't have a home any longer. Unless you count South Dakota." He locked gazes with Thanatos, who smiled.

  "Those were the pastures I was speaking of, for certain. Seems those rolling hills have taken up a place in my DNA." Thanatos gestured toward the main road. "What is your plan, and how can I help?"

  "Meet me in Villavicencio. There are about five hundred thousand people in the city. It is big enough for us to get lost for a while. There is a small restaurant, not far from Bolera Parque de La Vida Cofrem near the corner of Calle 25 and Carrera 19."

  "When?" Thanatos lifted off the front of his vehicle and went back to open the driver's side door.

  Asp glanced at his watch and did a mental calculation. "Tomorrow night. Seven thirty. Also, lose the cowboy attire. What I need you to do will not require painting a target on your back."

  "So much the better," Thanatos said as he got behind the wheel. He executed a three-point turn and headed back to the main road. Asp swiped away the sweat and dust from his face. It was good to have Thanatos available. The country was huge, and the likelihood of finding Halo on his turf anytime soon was small. But...Asp glanced at the sun and rolled his shoulders. There was always a chance they would go unnoticed. He opened the driver's side door and smiled at the blast of cold air that greeted him. He might as well enjoy the comfort while he could.

  Chapter 3

  The little restaurant where he'd agreed to meet Thanatos hadn't changed in the years since his last visit. The small wooden tables still formed two straight lines with the back, right-hand table standing alone due to a jut out in the wall. It wasn't impressive, but the food was good, and the cerveza was cold. Asp moved to the back of the dining area, near the kitchen door. It was a short five strides through that kitchen to the back alley. He stretched out in the corner and ordered a local micro-brew cerveza, preferring the hoppy tang to a bottle of water. He watched the cars fly by on the busy street out front. People moved at the same speed in central Colombia as they did in New York City. The only difference was the backdrop.

  Asp accepted his beer and observed the condensation on the glass with satisfaction. Nothing better than a cold beer. He leaned back in his chair and waived off the menu. He'd order when Thanatos arrived. He was tired and in need of a few hours sleep. From the moment he'd driven into the heart of Villavicencio, he'd been working the streets, and his time had been productive.

  Like any major city, the outcasts of this society wandered the streets like ghosts, unseen and ignored. If you wanted to know the true pulse of a city, talk to the homeless and the destitute. They knew what happened in the underbelly of humanity, and most times they knew why it was happening. He’d spent the night in el barrio bajo—skid row. He went armed with a backpack full of cheap alcohol, cigarettes, several packages of new socks, a handful of toothbrushes and several tubes of toothpaste. The alcohol was to loosen tongues, the rest, well that was just doing the right thing.

  Thanatos walked past the restaurant. The casual observer would think the man was heading to a business meeting like the people on the sidewalk with him. He knew better. Thanatos would circle the block and make sure they weren't being followed. The last to arrive at a meeting always surfed their six and made sure no one was lying in wait. The wait for Thanatos was minimal, as he expected. Asp had watched the restaurant for over an hour before he approached.

  When Thanatos entered the darkened interior, he took off his sunglasses and made his way to Asp’s corner table at the back. Asp motioned for the waiter and listened as Thanatos ordered a cerveza in fluent Spanish.

  "Our friend at the Complex was briefed on your desire to change the flow of activities. He agreed that you were lead and he'll deal with his bosses. He told me to tell you that you better make sure to get back in time for a certain young lady's birthday party." Thanatos had a smirk on his face the entire time he relayed the message.

  "Not like you'd miss her birthday either." Asp threw the taunt back at his friend. Thanatos was wrapped around the finger of Anubis' daughter just as tightly as he was. "I seem to recall a doll that made its way back from France not too long ago."

  "You are imagining things again. You see, this is why they send me after you. You're going soft in the head." Thanatos hid his smile behind his beer. He chuckled and lifted it further in a toast. "To a successful venture and a speedy return."

  Asp lifted his glass, clanked the heavy mug and drank half the contents. He motioned to the waiter, bringing him closer, and ordered tamales wrapped in banana leaves and two orders of lechona blimense—a slowly roasted pork dish that was normally served during celebrations.

  Thanatos glanced around the little dining area before he leaned forward and cradled his beer.

  Asp mirrored his actions and murmured, "Halo is gathering support in the foothills southwest of here. The population on skid row is flush with men coming from the smaller cities where the new version of the FARC is looking for volunteers. Willing or not."

  "You know for a fact Halo is with them?" Thanatos lifted his beer and took a drink.

  "They described the man giving the orders. Everything I heard leads me to believe Halo is actively working the dissatisfied and disenfranchised. Several of the young men who escaped being pushed into service stated there were five to ten Americans. Two always with Halo and the others came and went. One young man described the weapons. I believe they have at least two snipers."

  Thanatos nodded, absorbing his information. Asp watched as the waiter made his way to their table with steaming platters of food.

  After the waiter left, Thanatos asked, "What is your plan?"

  "I'm going to ghost into the foothills. The young men I spoke with last night indicated Halo was working his way through the smaller villages. One said he overheard several of the men discussing a ready pool of potential men. Farmers."

  "Fuck me. History repeating itself?"

  "Sounds like it. But, we aren't here to stop the FARC from forming." Asp unwrapped a tamale and forked a huge bite into his mouth. The rich masa and seasoned meats floated across his taste buds and reminded his stomach that he hadn't eaten in almost twenty-four hours.

  "What do you need me to do?" Thanatos dipped a fork into the gravy-soaked rice under the lechona blimense and took a bite, rolling his eyes and groaning in appreciation.

&
nbsp; Asp smiled at his friend’s reaction to one of his favorite local dishes. He finished eating the last of his tamale while Thanatos devoured his pork. Finally, Asp switched plates and started on his main course. He stalled his fork only long enough to inform his friend, "I'm traveling tonight. Southwest to the small farming communities nestled at the foothills. If my information is correct, Halo will target those areas, not only for able-bodied men but to pressure the local farmers to start planting coca again. The information Guardian provided indicated that most farmers have switched to other crops the co-ops are selling."

  Asp put his fork down and waited for Thanatos to meet his gaze. "You go south, beyond the foothills. Monitor the areas on the plains for any indication of FARC presence. Cavanaugh’s a cagey son of a bitch. I could be wrong. He could head south. If he does, double tap him and get the hell out of Dodge." Thanatos was a good marksman, he wasn't Asp's caliber, but he was more than capable of a long shot.

  "I thought this kill was personal." Thanatos pushed his empty plate away and grabbed his half-full cerveza.

  "It is. It most definitely is, but getting this bastard is the mission. Would I like to be the one to end him? Fuck, yes. Am I going to let others suffer so I can be that person? No. The bastard has destroyed too many lives. He needs to meet his end." When he considered the damage Halo had done, Asp pushed away his plate, half eaten.

  Thanatos swung his attention to his plate long enough to pull it back and scrape up another meager mouthful of rice and then glanced back to Asp. "How do we communicate?"

  "Routine check-ins.” Asp pulled a small map from his pocket. He dropped his fingertip on the first meeting point. "One week from today, midnight, at the westernmost edge of this village." He pointed again. "Two weeks, same time, this location." They'd find each other. Asp leaned back, and Thanatos looked from the map to him. Neither one of them would ever place a mark on a map. No evidence of anything they talked about existed. They both knew if a third meeting was required they'd discuss it at the second.