Bill and the Sting of Death

by Gary McPherson

  A strange voice echoed in the wind, “Doctor, we have company coming.”

  Joshua spoke faster, “Bill, we have to leave now, but we will come back. I want you to remember everything we have talked about.”

  Bill nodded.

  Joshua continued, “Listen to me. We need to leave the village. Come back with me to the hanger. Will you do that.”

  Bill nodded again.

  Joshua continued, “Okay, I’m going to count to three. When you open your eyes, we will both be back in the hanger with Darla and Frank. One, Two, Three.”

  Bill opened his eyes, blinked, and found himself back inside the hanger. Darla was walking quickly in their direction.

  She said, “Our perimeter confirmed a vehicle coming in this direction with two men. They don’t appear friendly.”

  “What about Garcia?”

  Darla hollered over her shoulder, “Too far.”

  Joshua asked, “What do you want us to do?”

  Darla pointed to a rolling tool chest a few feet away. “Get behind that. I’ll tell you when you can come out.” She hollered across the hanger. “Frank, I’ll take this back door.”

  Frank answered, “Heard.”

  Bill whispered to Joshua, “I can help.”

  Joshua put his hand on Bill’s shoulder, “Stay here. Darla and Frank are more than capable of handling two men.”

  Frank peeked out the front door, shut it, and hollered, “They’re here.”

  Darla yelled out, “Nobody move, make them come to us.”

  Bill spoke to Joshua, “Come to us? Is she crazy?”

  Darla answered, “Bill, sound carries in here, remember that. We want them inside because they could have a sniper. Our people on the perimeter will secure the outside once these two come inside.

  Darla’s radio squawked, “I only have eyes on one, but both have left the vehicle.”

  The front door burst open, and machine-gun fire raked the hanger. Bill watched Darla dive down and flip over the table for cover. His heart started to beat louder. Joshua put a gentle hand back on his shoulder and whispered, “Stay calm. They know what they’re doing.”

  Bill took two deep breaths. His heart still beat loudly but slowed slightly. The back door slammed against the metal wall and echoed through the hanger. The gunfire stopped. Bill ignored Joshua tugging on his shirt, and peaked over the tool chests. A masked man had his arm around Darla with a gun to her head. On the other side of the hanger, Frank’s gun was pointed at his partner.

  The masked man yelled across to Frank, “Let my partner go, and she lives. We only want Bill.”

  Frank’s gun went off, and the side of the stranger’s head exploded as he fell to the ground.

  The masked assailant holding Darla yelled, “Morons!”

  Bill’s heartbeat grew louder and faster. He looked at Darla with the gun to her head and the masked man saying something in her ear he could not make out. The captor slipped his hand off the finger guard and rested it on the trigger. Bill’s world turned crimson.

  His howl shook the metal walls of the hanger.

  Darla yelled, “No!”

  Bill growled, “No.”

  He grabbed the top half of the tool chest. The masked man pointed his gun in Bill’s direction, and Darla’s elbow collided with the man’s ribs. His weapon shot wild before falling to the ground. Bill released the heavy tool chest towards his would-be killer, and Darla dove to the ground.

  The fully loaded tool cabinet collided with the man’s head. The cabinet’s momentum carried the man to the ground and crushed his skull between the tool chest and the concrete. Bill smiled, doubled over, and tried to catch his breath.

  Darla yelled, “You idiot.”

  The sound of Darla’s voice caused Bill to look up. To his surprise, she was marching at a brisk pace in his direction.

  Darla continued to rant, “You just killed our only lead. Who told you to do that? Was it you, Joshua?”

  Joshua slowly emerged, shaking his head.

  Bill took in large gulps of air and tried to regain his strength. “I was trying to save you.”

  Darla walked up, grabbed Bill by the shirt, and stood him up.

  Fire flashed in her eyes, “Get this straight. I’m a big girl and can handle myself. Unless I ask for help, stay out of my way.”

  Bill stammered, “But he had a gun to your head.”

  Darla poked him in the chest, and he back-peddled. His weakened legs gave way, and he fell on his butt on the concrete floor. Darla glared down at him, “I had it under control.”

  Frank walked up and extended a hand. Bill took it and was helped to his feet.

  Frank said, “Bill, that guy didn’t want to die. He was hiding behind Darla. The perp didn’t care that I shot his partner. All he wanted to do was negotiate his way to the back door. He would have rolled in an instant.”

  Darla broke in, “At least he would have before you made a pancake of his skull.”

  Frank went over to check the dead man’s pockets. He looked up at Darla, “Nothing, just like his buddy over there.”

  Joshua spoke up, “How did they find us?”

  Darla turned and kicked the dead man’s legs. “I screwed up.

  “Bill.”

  Bill quickly replied, “Yes, ma’am.”

  “My name is Darla.”

  Bill stammered, “I’m sorry, it’s just, well, it’s just how we were raised.”

  Darla asked, “Do you always say yes, sir and ma’am?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Darla waved him off, “Whatever, I don’t have time for this. Give me your cell phone.”

  “Why?”

  Darla stuck out her hand, “Give it to me, or I’ll take it.”

  Bill handed Darla his cell. She threw it on the ground on stomped on his until it lay in pieces and its broken screen went black. She picked it up and handed it to Bill.

  Darla said, “Now it’s secure.”

  Joshua asked, “I wonder how long they’ve been tracking Bill?”

  Darla answered, “Long enough to create this fiasco. We’re compromised people, everyone on the plane.”

  Bill asked, “What about me?”

  Darla answered, “I said, everyone.”

  Joshua spoke up, “You’ll like where we’re going.”

  “What if I say no?”

  Frank waved around, “Then their friends are coming to find you, and I don’t think they’ll care if you’re dead or alive.”

  Bill nodded and then asked, “What about my house and my friends?”

  Darla sounded irritated, “We’ll talk about it on the plane.”

  She dialed a number, and her team gathered their things. She said, “We’ve been compromised. I need a cleanup team here, stat. Tell Alice that we’re headed back home, and Bill’s coming with us.”

  Darla quickly hung up and grabbed the walkie talkie. “Are we secure outside?”

  A voice answered, “Roger.”

  Darla spoke into the mic, “Okay, wait for the cleanup team.”

  “Roger.”

  Darla commanded the group, “Quickly, to the plane.”

  The crew briskly got into the plane. Darla took the front left seat, and Frank took the right. Joshua and Bill sat across from each other. In less than three minutes, she had the plane airborne. After another twenty minutes, Darla left the cockpit and sat down with Joshua and Bill.

  She said, “Look, I’m sorry I was so harsh. Adrenaline and all that.”

  Bill answered, “I understand, but you need to understand that my world is upside down. I’ve lost my fiancée. Someone is trying to kill me. Suddenly, the CIA is taking me to a secret location with a man I barely remember who did something to my head because of this monster inside me.”

  Joshua spoke up, “We had hoped our reunion would be smoother.”

  Darla said, “We’ll be at our island soon. You’ll meet my husband, your brother.”

  “Harold’s married? To you?”

 
Darla’s brow wrinkled, “Yes, why?”

  “It never made the papers.”

  Darla asked, “Why should it?”

  “Well, the business rags keep up with something like that.”

  Darla said, “We’ve had to stay below the radar. Anyway, you’ll meet Harold and the rest of the gang. I think you’ll find your accommodations acceptable.”

  Joshua spoke up, “Once you settle in, we can continue bringing back your memories and help you understand who you are.”

  Bill asked, “What about the people coming after us?”

  Darla answered, “Don’t worry about that. That’s my job. Your job is to listen to Joshua.”

  Bill looked out the window and muttered, “It doesn’t look like I have a choice.”

  Chapter 12

  The small jet was much like the pictures Bill had seen in brochures. White stitched leather covered the chairs. A small bathroom was wedged in the back of the cabin. The airport’s tension was behind him, but Bill’s body remained taut as he huddled close to Joshua, who sat opposite of him.

  Bill said, “Let me get this straight. A brother I don’t remember signed on with the CIA because his father’s friend betrayed their family, caused his parents’ deaths, and decimated the company.”

  “Yes.”

  Bill continued, “After that, Harold agreed to work with the CIA to save his father’s company. However, a sting Harold was involved in failed because a tracking circuit designed by some CIA engineer blew their cover.”

  Joshua nodded.

  “Now, this guy is after the CIA operative, right?”

  Joshua answered, “That about covers it.”

  Bill raised his eyebrows, “How do you figure? Why would this guy care about any of us? I thought you said he credited Harold and Darla with saving his life once. Why would he come after me? Harold and I don’t even know each other.”

  “You said you think he called you when you were living in uptown Charlotte. Did he believe you when you said you didn’t know Harold?”

  “The guy didn’t sound as if he cared. It was like he was trying to convince me that it was a fact more than fish for information. I thought it was a scam.”

  Joshua answered, “Possibly.”

  Bill asked, “Besides, you and Darla were back in the warehouse. Why didn’t they grab one of you? Those guys asked for me.”

  Joshua shrugged, “I’m afraid you’ll have to ask Darla. That’s a question for the CIA.”

  Bill sat up and looked out over the teal waters of the Caribbean. The shadow of coral, sharks and other objects appeared through the clear water.

  He looked back and to Joshua and raised his voice, “How much longer?”

  Joshua looked out the window, “Oh, we should be landing very soon.”

  “Where are we?”

  Joshua answered, “I’m afraid I never figured that out. Harold and Darla say it’s outside U.S. waters. Harold owns his own little country, in a sense.”

  “So, my brother is a king and a Chairman of the board?”

  Joshua smiled, “Something like that.”

  Frank turned around from the cockpit and hollered, “Buckle up, we’re ready to land.”

  Bill noticed Joshua tightened his seatbelt, so he followed suit. Joshua’s knuckles were white as the plane descended closer to the water. Bill’s seat faced the rear of the plane. The jet slowed, and an alarm sounded intermittently from the cockpit. Each time it clanged, the engines increased and then decreased again. The aircraft was so low that Bill was afraid they would hit the water.

  He barely caught a glimpse of the runway extending out into the ocean when the wheels firmly planted on the asphalt. For a moment, his back was pressed hard into the seat, unable to move. The brakes released, and they slowly rolled several feet before pulling to the side.

  The two men unbuckled, and Darla appeared from the cockpit.

  She looked over at Joshua, “I hope that wasn’t too dramatic.”

  Bill asked Joshua, “You don’t like to fly.”

  “I don’t like small planes. Darla, you did an excellent job as usual.”

  Frank hollered from inside the cockpit, “I heard that. You’re going to hurt my feelings.”

  Joshua answered, “It’s alright, Frank. You’re a close second.”

  The three gave a short laugh, and Bill stretched his arms and touched both sides of the cabin.

  Joshua turned to Bill, “Please, wait here for a moment. I don’t know if Harold knows you’re on board.”

  Darla spoke up, “Trust me, he knows.”

  Joshua nodded once, “Well then, it’s time to meet your brother.”

  Frank remained in the cockpit, checking instruments and writing in the log. Darla opened the door and led the way. Next came Joshua. Bill walked to the opened door, and his eyes grew wide.

  Two men with sub-machine guns stood a few yards away. A young Hispanic woman barreled into Joshua and squeezed his waist until his face was crimson. Darla embraced a large man who was standing just beyond the stairs. Bill was shocked at how different Harold looked in person than his business magazine photos.

  His red hair was no longer professionally styled, and he had grown a furry, red beard. Bill thought the man resembled a lion. A warm breeze hit Bill in the face, and his flannel shirt and jeans that were so comfortable a few hours ago in the mountains only added to the sweat from his nerves.

  Bill made his way down the short steps, and Harold walked briskly in his direction. Bill extended his hand, and Harold caught him up in a tight embrace and lifted his feet off the ground. Bill could feel his face flush for what felt like several seconds.

  Harold finally put him down and said, “I’ve waited for this moment my whole life.”

  Pain emanated from Bill’s side. He rolled up his sleeves as sweat dripped off his forehead.

  Harold asked, “Well, what about you?”

  Bill cleared his throat awkwardly, “I’m sorry, I’m not sure what to say. I didn’t know I had a brother until today.”

  Harold’s eyes narrowed, and his gaze dropped to the asphalt.

  Darla stepped forward and spoke up. “Honey, Chuck’s men gave us a sendoff.”

  He looked up and grabbed Darla’s arm, “What? Are you alright?”

  Darla nodded, “Bill made sure of it. I’m afraid he’s as protective as you. I didn’t have any suspects to interrogate.”

  Harold turned back to Bill, and a broad smile poked out from his bushy face. “Oh, you took out the bad guy?”

  Bill shrugged, “Something like that.”

  Harold gave him a light punch on the shoulder, “I appreciate that, even if my wife doesn’t. It seems the CIA teaches their agents that it’s worth taking a bullet just to gather information.”

  Bill looked down, “I’d rather not talk about it.”

  Harold whispered, “First time?”

  Bill shook his head sadly, and his shoulders sagged.

  Harold spoke softly, “I understand. We’ll talk later.”

  Joshua spoke up, “Why don’t I show Bill to his bungalow.”

  “Bungalow?” asked Harold. “I don’t think so. Bill can stay in the main house.”

  Bill raised his hand, “Do I get a say in this?”

  Harold answered, “Of course.”

  Bill responded, “If it’s all the same to you, I’d like to stay near Joshua, at least for now.”

  Harold took a step back, “Then the bungalow it is. Joshua will show you around. I would be honored if you’d join Darla and me for dinner. Joshua, you and Maria are invited as always.”

  The Hispanic woman Bill noticed earlier walked up and inserted herself between Harold and Bill. “I guess you didn’t notice me. Boys have no manners. I’m Maria Zeev, Joshua’s wife.”

  The twinkle in her eyes made Bill smile. She opened her arms, and Bill gave her a hug. Something was inviting about Maria. For a moment, Bill could imagine himself in his mother’s arms, if he had had a mother.

  S
he released him. “Joshua and I will take you to where you’ll be staying.”

  Harold stuck out his hand and shook Bill’s. “I’m so glad we’re finally together. We’ll talk more at dinner.”

  He and Darla grabbed an empty jeep and drove away. Joshua directed Bill to another jeep, and they all piled in. Maria took the driver’s seat and then turned to Bill and asked, “Did you bring a change of clothes?”

  Bill answered, “Just what I have on my back. We had to leave in a hurry.”

  Joshua answered, “I’m afraid Chuck’s men insisted.”

  Maria pursed her lips and then asked Bill, “Was there shooting?”

  Bill nodded.

  Maria slugged Joshua in the arm. “I told you. You see, you shouldn’t go on these missions. There’s always shooting.”

  Joshua rubbed his shoulder, “We were perfectly safe.”

  Maria fired off a tirade in Spanish that Bill couldn’t understand, but it was not pleasant judging from her tone. Joshua grimaced. She turned, started the vehicle, and spun the wheels as they headed away from the airstrip.

  Maria eased off the gas pedal as they turned a corner. Joshua pointed over towards a narrow road, “Over there is the pier and fishing boat. Do you do any fishing?”

  “What Carolina boy doesn’t?” answered Bill.

  “Ever do any ocean fishing?”

  Bill answered, “Only up in new England.”

  Joshua said, “Good, we’ll have to go out. Harold’s a big fisherman too.”

  “From the looks of him, Harold is a big everything.”

  The three laughed as Maria stopped the jeep between a two-story bungalow with a huge front porch and a single-story building.

  Maria said, “This is where we get out.”

  Joshua asked, “Maria, do you mind if I take Bill by myself to his bungalow?”

  Maria answered, “Okay. I need to call Frank and see if we can get Bill some clothes. In the meantime, I’ll pick out a couple of things from your closet. You two are about the same size.”

  Joshua nodded.

  Bill said, “Thanks.”

  The two men entered the building. Joshua pointed around the open floor plan, “There isn’t much to it. A kitchen over there, and you’re in the great room. Through those sliding doors are the master bedroom and bathroom. I hope you like marble because the master bathroom is covered in it.”