Borderline

by D B Steward

  “I’m aware of that Sonny.” Kelly kept her tone even. She didn’t want to fight again, inspite of the fact that she would enjoy the make up sex. “Like I told you before, I can handle Hector. I’m not some hot house flower who swoons at raised voices and angry looks.”

  “What if it’s a trap! What if they are all waiting for you over there ready to kill you!”

  “Would you listen to yourself?” Kelly chuckled. “A trap? Why in the hairy hell would they be setting a trap? Their entire organization is coming down around their ears. They have more important things to think about than your friendly neighborhood redhead.”

  Sonny crossed her arms and huffed. She had to admit that Kelly could be right. Hector might be reaching out because he was panicking. “Okay look, I’m coming with you. No arguments.”

  Kelly shrugged. “Who’s arguing? We’re partners aren’t we?” Kelly smiled seductively and ambled towards Sonny. “Partners stick together right?” She draped her arms around Sonny’s neck, bringing their faces close together.

  “I just got out of the shower Miss King.” Sonny whispered as her lips brushed Kelly’s.

  “Well, my tall beauty. I still need to shower.” She extended her tongue and licked Sonny’s bottom lip. “Perhaps you could help me?”

  Sonny moaned. “You are going to be the death of me Miss King.” Kelly pulled her arm toward the still steaming bath.

  “Not before I drag a few more orgasms out of you.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

  ​Ken ran down the hall toward Pierpont’s office with the militiaman hard on his heels. Ken hadn’t ordered him to follow, but he understood how the man would defer to him. The man was a soldier, of sorts, and followed the chain of command. Ken admired him for it. He too respected the chain of command, it was the reason he was there. It was the reason he had killed his friend Reggie, it was why he had betrayed the Bureau. Orders. He was following orders.

  “Where we goin’?” The man behind him shouted over the chaos outside. “To the general’s office?” Ken kept silent as they drew closer to his destination. “What are we going to do? There are more cops showing up every minute!” Ken reached for the doorknob and found it locked. “Something in there gonna help us?” His constant questions had finally pushed Ken to his limit. He turned on the bewildered militiaman and shot him in the face. As the corpse slid down the wall to the floor Ken fished the key out of his pocket.

  He ducked inside and locked the door behind him. Outside the noise was almost deafening. If he was going to complete his mission, he needed to hurry. There was a small safe under the desk and Ken dialed in the combination. Inside the safe he found the handheld detonator. He switched it on and armed the explosives that had been planted strategically around the compound by Pierpont himself. He lifted the safe and then peeled back the carpet underneath revealing loose floorboards. Ken ripped them off, uncovering the tunnel entrance.

  He climbed inside the cramped tunnel. There was only room to crawl on his hands and knees. Pierpont had told him that it would be over a hundred yards before he got to the opening. He knew he was in for an uncomfortable trek. But he had learned how to handle uncomfortable situations in the Army. Learned it under the expert tutelage of his general.

  He was pulled from his regular posting by Captain Sanchez himself, piquing Ken’s curiosity right away. It wasn’t far to the stockade and Ken made it there fast by jogging. There were two other MP’s on duty that night and both acknowledged Ken when he came in. It was late and there were very few people left working inside. He finally reached the cells and was surprised to be greeted by Captain Sanchez himself. He came to attention and saluted.

  “Reporting for duty sir.”

  “At ease sergeant.” To Ken the captain appeared agitated. “You’re to stand guard here until 0800 when transport will arrive for the prisoner. No one is to communicate with or come near him until they get here. Understood?”

  “Yes sir.”

  Sanchez appeared satisfied. “Alright sergeant, take your post.” Sanchez started to leave but Ken saw him turn toward the cell door with a look of disgust. He spoke to Ken once more. “Do not talk to him. Understood?”

  “Yes sir.” With a nod the captain left Ken alone near the cell door. He was guarding the only occupied cell and the other MP’s were on the other side of the building. The silence was oppressive and his sigh seemed as loud as a freight train. He moved to the side of the door and took his position, too late he realized he probably should have grabbed a chair from the front. Four hours was a long time, thinking about it he sighed again.

  “Hello?” The voice came from the cell. “Somebody out there?” Ken frowned, the voice sounded very familiar to him. His curiosity got the better of him and he slid open the small window at eye level in the door. His eyes opened wide when he saw who the prisoner was.

  “Captain Pierpont?” He said as his eyes widened in shock. The captain was wearing an orange jumpsuit and sat on the edge of the metal cot sticking out of the wall. “What are you doing here sir?”

  Pierpont rose and moved closer to the small sliding door. Ken missed the eye flick downward at Ken’s name tag. “Sergeant McCullough? Good to see you, I wish it was under better circumstances. I’m sorry you drew this duty.”

  “Sir? Why are you here?” His mind was trying to grasp how the most beloved officer on the base could be sitting in the stockades.

  “Well, it seems that I am to be court martialed.” Pierpont grinned. “Some people believe that protecting the enemy is more important than protecting us.”

  “I don’t understand sir.”

  “Well, you recall last week when one of our transports was hit?”

  Ken nodded. “Yes sir. I had a friend who died.” Ken gritted his teeth. The soldier was only twenty and had only just arrived in the country. He was from Indiana and Ken was from Ohio. They had both bonded fast over their college football teams.

  “I found the men who planted the device. And I delivered justice for our fallen comrades.”

  Ken didn’t know what to say. If the captain had broken the law, then he should be court martialed and brought to justice. But what about the justice for his dead friend? Ken had harbored serious doubts about how the war was being fought. He believed that they were fighting with one hand tied behind their back. The enemy was all around them and the powers that be wouldn’t let the Army off their leash.

  If Captain Pierpont was actually fighting to win, unlike the other officers, why should they punish him? “It sounds unfair to me sir.” Pierpont nodded.

  “Sounds like you agree with what I did.”

  “Yes sir.” Ken replied. “I think that we could end this war right away if we fought it right.”

  “You’re right sargeant. You’re right.” Ken smiled. “Where are you from sargeant?” Pierpont smiled his most charming smile as he acquainted himself with Ken McCullough.

  Nancy Timmerman watched in horror at the images being broadcast on the television. As the carnage unfolded live, reporters were saying that the casualties could be in the hundreds. The press was pushed back so far that the cameras didn’t have a clear view of the compound, but the black billowing smoke could be seen for miles. She had watched the profile package on Noah T. Pierpont that was broadcast to the nation. Now his face and name was known worldwide.

  An explosion jolted the cameraman and startled the reporter. Nancy saw a fireball rise over the treetops. “Jesus.” She whispered. It reminded her of 9/11. Once again, she was watching the United States being attacked by terrorists. And like before, she was unable to do anything about it. She was in shock and unsure of what she should do next.

  Soon the connection between Pierpont, the Senator and her boss would come out. It would be disastrous, heads would roll. Nancy’s career could be on the line and she was still unsure what had happened between the three men. She should have Trace do some serious digging into their pasts. If she was going to protect herself she needed to know what had happened
to Pierpont after his arrest. She was about to send a message to Trace when her phone rang.

  “Timmerman here.”

  “I’m going to need you to come up to my office.” England’s voice sounded tense. “Right now.”

  “On my way sir.” She rose from her desk and smoothed out her blazer. She decided the message to Trace could wait until after her meeting.

  Chaos. That was the only way to describe what was happening on the ground in Idaho. Trace was listening in to the radio chatter of the law enforcement personnel. Some of it was downright heart breaking. There were overlapping calls for help. Names shouted as people tried to account for their comrades. Somber announcements about the carnage and the possible death toll. She learned that firefighters and medics were finally let in. The fighting had ended when the compound went up and neutralized the militia.

  Trace couldn’t believe that this had been Pierpont’s endgame. From what she had already learned about him it didn’t strike her that he was suicidal. To her it seemed that he was a vain megalomaniac who would want to tell his story. She thought of him as more of a Manson than a Koresh. She wondered how long it would take them to find his body in all that mess.

  “We have a live one here!” She heard the exclamation on the radio. The background chatter melted away as others on the air heard the report. “I need a medic over here! We have an agent hurt! Repeat, agent down! Agent down!”

  The news helped raise her spirits a little. At least one of the good guys would make it, she thought. But it appeared there were going to be casualties, lots of casualties. That pissed Trace off. She hated sloppiness and that’s all she saw in Idaho right now. Someone had been woefully unprepared on the good guys side. They should have known they were walking into a trap. At the moment Trace was in the dark and she didn’t like it. The only thing she had was a visual of the outside of the compound and the knowledge that Pierpont was behind it all.

  She wanted to start investigating, but she had a mission already. She had to support Kelly and Sonny, their safety was her first priority.

  In her cheap motel room in Texas, Trace refocused herself on her primary task. But she promised herself that as soon as the two women were back in the United States she was going to find out exactly what happened in Idaho.

  CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

  “Got enough guns there Rambo?” Kelly smirked with her hands on the steering wheel of the car Trace had provided. They had stopped at the weapons cache that Trace set up. Kelly had watched Sonny go shopping. “Watching you gear up is like watching Schwarzenegger in Commando. All I need is some ‘80s music playing in the background for a proper montage.”

  Sonny’s lip curled a little in one corner. “I like to be prepared for the situation.” She holstered the pistol she was examining and lifted a rifle and checked the scope.

  “A sniper rifle?” Kelly frowned. “Where do you think we’re going Lee Harvey?” Sonny continued to inspect the rifle.

  “I already told you Miss King.” She locked the rifle into the carrying case. “I like to be prepared for the situation.” Kelly shrugged.

  “I guess. Are you ready to go meet our new buddy Hector?”

  “About that…” Sonny grabbed the case and headed to the car with Kelly trailing behind her. “I think you should go in alone and I will watch your back from the outside.” She closed the trunk and turned her attention to Kelly. The redhead was holding her chin in contemplation.

  “Do you think that’s necessary? You think Hector’s laying a trap for us? Good ole too dumb to be Fredo Corleone, Hector?”

  ​“It’s for your safety.” Sonny was slightly irritated at Kelly’s nonchalance. “I’m surprised that you aren’t worried about strolling into a gang lord’s apartment. I know you like to play like you aren’t concerned about your life, but I would rather you not get killed tonight.”

  ​“You think I’m reckless?”

  ​“Yes.”

  ​“Wow. You didn’t even pause a second there did you?”

  ​“Kelly, what is about to happen is deadly serious.” Sonny sighed and crossed their arms. “And the fact that you have already been through something like this with me and yet you still behave like this is nothing to worry about is astounding to me.”

  ​“What do you want me to do Sonny? Pull my hair out and shake like a rattlesnake because I’m so scared?” Kelly waved her hands in the air. “You need to learn something about me Sonny. I don’t do serious. Maybe that’s why I sucked at being an agent in the bureau.”

  ​“I thought it was because of your gambling addiction and your feeding information to the mafia.”

  ​She shrugged. “Okay, maybe that was a part of it. But this is how I deal with stress. I joke, I laugh. I don’t get rattled.” The cold dead eyes of the woman hanging by her wrists flashed in her mind. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Usually.” Sonny saw the darkness that passed over Kelly.

  ​In that moment Sonny understood what Kelly was doing. Her flippant attitude was her way of keeping sane through all of this. Sonny had to remind herself that Kelly had not grown up around it the way she had. To Sonny the stress of going into combat was like a whetstone that served to sharpen her senses. But now she realized that, for someone like Kelly, that stress could paralyze. In order to function right now, Kelly needed to distance herself from the seriousness of what they were about to do.

  ​At the same time as Sonny had her revelation, Kelly could sense a change in Sonny from the sudden relaxation of her shoulders. “Just try not to screw this up with your lame jokes Miss King.” Sonny grinned to take the edge off of her statement. Kelly grinned too.

  ​“No promises.”

  ​“You know what we need?” The drive to Hector’s wasn’t very long but Kelly’s attention span was reaching its limit. “In The Air Tonight by Phil Collins.” Sonny frowned as she glanced over to Kelly before returning her eyes to the road.

  ​“What?”

  ​“You know, like Miami Vice.” Kelly smiled.

  ​“Miami Vice? Wasn’t that from the ‘80’s? How old were you then? Two?” Sonny chuckled and Kelly rolled her eyes.

  ​“I didn’t see it live, wise guy. I mean the scene where they’re driving at night looking cool and the music is playing.” Her brow furrowed. “You really don’t know what I’m talking about?”

  ​“I guess I missed it.” Sonny shrugged.

  ​“It’s an iconic scene Sonny!” Kelly cleared her throat and began singing. “I can feel it coming in the air tonight!” Her off-key screeching caused Sonny to jump and just before she was going to ask Kelly to stop, the redhead launched into a loud drum solo.

  ​“Kelly! Kelly!” Sonny yelled to be heard over the loud singing and Kelly quieted down. “Thank you!” Kelly started to giggle which soon grew into a loud belly laugh. The sound was so infectious that Sonny couldn’t help but to join in.

  ​They were getting close to Hector’s place so Sonny pulled over to the side of the road and parked. “Alright. I’m going to get into position. Are you ready?”

  ​Kelly nodded. “Yep, my mic is in my ear, casually concealed by my gorgeous red curls. And I have my hold out blade in my bra strap, and thank you for showing me that trick. I’m all set.”

  ​Sonny was still uncertain about the plan. She didn’t like the idea of leaving Kelly by herself with Hector. She would much rather take the shot from long distance and be done with it. But the ex agent was set on pumping Hector for more information and Sonny had agreed, but now that they were close, she was starting to doubt her decision.

  “What are the codes again?” Sonny quizzed her and Kelly rolled her eyes again.

  “When I get the answers from him and I’m ready for you to do your thing I will say ‘I had a dog named Hector.’ And then boom.”

  “And if there is trouble?”

  “If there’s trouble I say ‘Hey, remember Mr.T in Rocky 3?’ And then you bust in and do

  your thing. Okay? Did I pass the exam profes
sor?”

  Sonny sighed. “Yes.” She stepped out of the car and Kelly followed suit. Hector had a smaller home than Kelly would have assumed for the average ganglord. The was pushed back from the street a considerable distance but it was lit well enough to be seen. It was obvious that Hector wasn’t worried about security. Kelly supposed that when you were one of the leaders of the most notorious gang in Mexico you didn’t have to worry about being robbed.

  “Okay Sonny, you get into position.” Kelly watched the taller woman remove her rifle case from the trunk while she moved around to the driver's side.

  “And you be careful. Try to get him to stay near that big bay window. As soon as you get what you need out of him I will take the shot.” Sonny stood close to Kelly. Their eyes met and Sonny’s lips parted. She tried to speak but her mouth couldn’t push out the words through the emotions she was feeling.

  Kelly tilted her head to the side as she began to understand what Sonny was feeling. Her heart swelled. Kelly had always worked alone. No one would have cared if she got herself killed, no one would mourn her when she was gone. But now here was this amazing woman that was showing definite concern for her life. Someone actually cared. Her bright green eyes glassed over with moisture. With her hands she reached out and captured Sonny’s high cheekbones between them and pulled her lips onto hers. Sonny’s eyes went wide and then drifted closed as she moaned into the kiss. It was over all too soon.