“Sir? What do you mean? Insubordination? We have done everything exactly as planned! What the hell is going on?” Tessa had to stop and admit to herself that she had never trusted Zinsser, that she had half-expected this to happen all along, and it made perfect sense for it to happen now-- they had all fulfilled the only job he felt they could do. Now he’d no use for them.
“NONE of you has done exactly as planned. You all failed last night and provided lame excuses as to why it happened. Now, I don’t know what you little girls had planned, but you’ve been compromised and found untrustworthy. The integrity of this mission is ruined, and Headquarters wants you out of Argentina and back home before you’re seduced too far to the other side.”
“The other side?” Tessa was yelling now. In all her years of service, she had never faced a situation or accusation even close to this one. She had medals of honor. She had marks of distinction. She had top security clearance all over DC, but now, with this weasel, she was being pulled off an assignment for treason?
“I tried to tell them that this plan wouldn’t work. You can’t trust a woman to remain emotionally detached. And, honestly, between the two of us, those brothers have powers we never dreamt of. There is something they can do to lure you ladies in. I saw it happening. I can’t tell what it was, but somehow each of them was playing each of you when it should have been the other way around. I watched all four of you bend to their submission and will. It’s a woman’s nature to do so.”
Tessa couldn’t decide which was making her more sick-- the words coming from Zinsser’s mouth, or the tone of gentle pseudo-sympathy that dressed the words. She was not, however, going to let go of this so easily. “Sir, may I make a proposal?”
“Proceed.”
“Let me get the girls together and we meet you so that we can discuss this face to face. These are serious allegations, and it is devastating news. Don’t you think we deserve the decency of a meeting? Isn’t it protocol?”
“Are you tutoring me about protocol, Agent?” Zinsser scoffed.
Tessa inhaled deeply, exhaled silently. It was taking every ounce of strength to remain calm and think this through instead of reacting the way she really wanted.
“Agent, I will grant you that meeting, but we will not spend much time in discussion. Get the rest of the team and meet me at the safe house. You’ve got an hour.”
“Thank you, sir. One hour.” She hung up, thankful for one small victory. Maybe, just maybe, her day was turning around. . . or maybe she shouldn’t get her hopes up quite yet.
Having enlisted the help of Dallas to find the other girls (something told Tessa that he’d be able to do it more quickly than your average guy), she was able to begin putting all of the puzzle pieces together-- Each of the girls had been successful in attaining private time with their targets, but they had also each failed in contacting the clean up team to extract each of the targets. Somehow, the batteries on Gillian’s phone had been zapped dead, even though it had been fully charged before leaving for the cantina. Then, Melissa and Dara had lost theirs over the course of the evening, which struck Tessa as extremely odd since Melissa was notoriously organized and meticulous. She didn’t simply ‘lose’ anything much less a phone during a mission.
“I just can’t believe that all of this happened simultaneously,” Gillian offered.
“Or at all,” Tessa mumbled. She was dreading the meeting, but she was ready to get it over with. She had a few ideas in mind about the defense she would offer, and she was just hoping that Zinsser’s ego had been stroked enough earlier and she could plea for an understanding and a chance to rectify the situation. She was not above acting the penitent child if it meant saving her reputation and job. She didn’t really know what she was without the job.
“Let’s just go and get this done,” Dara huffed and planted her feet firmly as she popped up off of the sofa.
“For once, I completely agree,” Melissa said as she stood to join Dara. “The less time we have to spend with The Weasel, the better. And I’d like to have some breakfast afterward, so let’s go. I’m starving already.”
“Well, you’re just going to get your appetite ruined,” Gillian offered. “Do what you can to fight it, though. He’s gross, but he’d relish the thought of affecting you so badly.”
Everyone knew what Melissa’s first love was-- food. No one could tell it by looking at her, but she never turned down food, and she’d never met a food she didn’t like.
“Let’s go. We can be early and perhaps that will gain us a few points,” Tessa said. The girls headed to the rented Suburban in the last hour before dawn. The safe house was only a matter of minutes away, but hidden by forest and groves, so they would have to go off-road for a bit.
“Seat belts,” Dara said as she strapped herself in. Then the sound of clicking metal arrested all the girls’ movement.
“Yesss,” came a hoarse, guttural voice from the very back of the truck. “We want to keep you safe.” A man appeared over the seat right behind Dara and Gillian. Two other men with machine guns approached each side of the car, taking advantage of the fact that Dara hadn’t yet closed her door, giving them access to their prey.
Tessa’s mind was whirling as it ran through scenario after scenario of how to get them away from these men, but the tequila still had a hold of her and slowed her usual quickness. And this is why I don’t drink very much, she thought sardonically.
“We have been waiting for what seems like forever,” the man in the back said. His English was good, but his accent was clearly not Argentinean. It sounded to Tessa more Colombian, which put her on edge knowing the Colombian drug lords were infiltrating once-virginal Argentina. “You’re very smart girls, but finally we catch a minute you’re not so smart.” The two men at the side of the car laugh, and the one nearest Dara grabs her hair with one large hand and begins to pull her out of the car.
Fighting against the just-locked seat belt, Dara screamed and coughed as a device once used for safety began to cut into her skin and choke her. Gillian reached over and pushed the button to at least give Dara the ability to breathe. Dara tumbled out of the truck onto the ground before the large guy, landing on her knees, coughing and gasping for air. In the dark with no sound, she looked like she was merely on her knees shining his shoes until the point of his cowboy boot came up and struck her squarely in the stomach, robbing her of breath once again.
“Leandro, you have had your fun,” came the voice from the back. “We can’t play favorites, you know.”
“Get out,” the man on Gillian’s side of the car barked as he poked her with his gun. “You in the front, too.”
Melissa and Tessa glanced at each other in the darkness. They felt they had little choice for now but to comply and seek an opportunity for them to fight back when a door opened. They slowly moved from the front seats to outside of the truck with their hands up. Melissa glanced down at Dara now lying on her side on the ground wheezing and coughing to get her breath.
“Don’t even think about helping your friend,” Leandro said. Then, maintaining eye contact with Melissa, he bent down, found Dara’s shirt, and picked her up, barking at her to stand up. Melissa actually felt sorry for Dara probably for the first time since they had been introduced. Gravel was stuck to her cheek and her hair was a nest of tangles from his grip. Her throat boasted a dark red vertical burn where the seat belt had choked her, and she was white with panic and pain.
The man in the back of the truck kicked the seats down where Gillian and Dara had been sitting and climbed out of the truck easily.
“Buenas dias, senioritas,” he greeted chivalrously. “I’m sorry that we have to meet like this. You’re all such beautiful ladies and so smart and well-trained by your government that I actually feel much ardor for each of you. But it is that government—Senor Zinsser and his men—that are the problema. See, you have been here for a reason-- to bring the Four Fuerzas back to the States, but Zinsser and his men ha
ve been conducting their own “second mission” of which you know nothing-- to use you as bait to begin negotiations with the man I work for. They want to gain access to his business with the hopes of eventually buying him out or merging with us, most likely resulting in shutting us down. Now that doesn’t seem very Americano to me. I always thought you Americans liked the underdog and supported the small businessman who takes life by the cajones and lives out his dream, no?”
By this time, the hoarse-speaking man was looking down at Gillian like a doting father to his daughter. He reached out and smoothed Gillian’s red hair. Then he walked slowly to Tessa, all the while measuring her with his eyes, up and down every inch of her body.
“And, you see, this Zinsser also owes my boss quite a substantial amount of money. I have good reason to believe that he’s holding out on this money so that he can use it to entice my boss to go into business with him. But Zinsser is too greedy. That is his worst mistake. And he has been using you to get these Fuerza brothers, yes, but he isn’t taking them back for your government. No, he wants to use their strength and powers himself to bend us all to his will so that we will work for him and he can become the next Pablo Escobar.”
Tessa met his gaze each time with a calm settled look, a look of calm control, almost as if she were accustomed to being accosted by banditos who told her of their simultaneous desire and disgust for her. She saw this leader swell as his cravings for her intensified.
“Pero, we all know what happened to Escobar, hmmm? Do not fear, mi alma,” he approached, “Tú eres la más hermosa criatura que he conocido. I will protect you from this evil Zinsser. You’re worth something to him, yes? You above the other three, but I believe he will have to come to get you all. And he will have to pay a price to retrieve you. . . safely. Sí, I adore you more than any woman ever. Your strength enhances your beauty, and your danger is intoxicating.” His fingers trembled slightly as he allowed himself to brush Tessa’s cheek. His hazel eyes held hers, and Tessa was almost certain he was going to kiss her at that moment. She actually hoped for it, thinking she could grab a gun or knife from his person while they were engaged. “Pero, while I want you for myself, I cannot have you,” his fingers brushed her lips. “Not yet.” Then suddenly he turned away.
“Nicó!” he barked at the man closest to Gillian. Nicó pulled two black pillowcases from his pockets. Leandro did the same on the other side of the Suburban. Tossing the cases to the girls, Nicó grumbled, “Put ‘em on!” The girls complied and were patted down by the men. The iPhones and Bluetooth radios were tossed. IDs and .22s were confiscated and thrown in a duffle bag Leandro had with him.
Once their hands were locked with zip-ties and their mouths covered with duct tape, they were led and loaded back into the Suburban. Dara and Tessa sat in the back with the ring leader in between them. Gillian and Melissa were placed (quite gently actually) into the back of the Suburban, resting on their sides. Then, just as the first grey light appeared on the horizon, the Suburban sped off in the opposite direction of the safe house.
Gavin felt guilty about leaving Tessa sleeping, especially with such a cute soft snore coming from her, but he’d to be careful. Her phone had buzzed consistently for an hour, and she was not hearing it. While he knew he couldn’t unlock the keyboard, he’d a sneaking suspicion that it wasn’t one of the other girls. The sense of danger was so thick, he decided it best for him to leave. After all, the boys knew that it was ultimately a set-up. The fact that Tessa kept plying herself with tequilas may have actually granted him a little more time, so Gavin quickly dressed, kissed Tessa lightly on the cheek as he brushed back her dark tendrils of hair, and then left, softly walking into the darkness. His phone vibrated in the back pocket of his jeans as he walked his motorcycle down the sandy gravel drive so as not to wake those sleeping. It was a message from Dallas asking where he was. Gavin used the voice commands to text back.
“Leaving the bungalow period. Heading to my crib period. You question mark.”
A few seconds later, the phone buzzed and the image of a dandelion blowing in the wind popped up on the screen. Gavin slid his finger over the screen and then put the phone to his ear, still managing to walk the bike away from the house.
“Where are you?” he asked in a low voice.
“At Lupe’s,” Dallas replied. “I left Gillian at my house for a second. Something’s up. Shadows around the windows prompted me to walk outside. I distinctly smelled old cigarettes—lots of them—when I got outside. I locked up the house and came over here.”
“Were you tracked or followed?” Gavin would hate himself forever if anything happened to Lupe or the kids. She’d always told them that if they were ever in trouble they should use her cellar to hide, but they should never tell her if and when they were there.
“No. I’m sure of it.”
“Do you think you could go back and get Gillian out of there? Perhaps get her back to the bungalow?”
“Maybe,” Dallas began, “But what if they’re there for me. . .for us? Wouldn’t I be walking right back into their trap?”
“You know how to handle that,” Gavin whispered. “I’ll help you out. I’m heading towards your cabin, but you won’t see me, so don’t look for me.”
“Gotcha,” Dallas affirmed and hung up the phone. He crawled up from Lupe’s cellar in the still-dark early morning hours. He hoped fervently that Gillian hadn’t awakened to find him gone. Kicking off his boots and dropping them back down the cellar steps, he stretched his legs, and then took off running at a speed unlike any runner. The mile between Lupe’s and Dallas’ beach cabin was just enough distance for Dallas to create the disturbance he hoped for, even though he’d need to run past his own house to really do some damage. He ran down closer to the shoreline hoping to involve some ocean spray and was able to entice the waters to dance. As he passed his own cabin, the hurricane shutters trembled on the structure and the cattails bowed to his presence. A single shadow grabbed at something that went flying, and then Dallas felt a violent tremor underneath his feet, and he laughed at his brother’s timing as the shadow figure fell to the ground and crawled for a ways towards a car parked on a side road. Dallas watched with amusement as the figure leaned up against the car. At least he’s smart enough to seek some shelter and not try to open the door in this crazy chaos, Dallas thought. He slowed his running as he approached his door, and the trembling earth calmed to a mere shiver.
Dallas entered the bedroom and saw Gillian, exactly as he left her only more beautiful in the calm surrounded by the chaos. He kissed her ear, her cheek, her throat. He nuzzled his face into the red springing curls and inhaled her scent-- jasmine and vanilla. She smells good enough to eat. . . again, Dallas thought, and before he could control himself, he was licking the nape of her neck and kissing her shoulder and the side of her breast, hoping she would awaken to appease this need for her.
She turned towards him slowly, wanting to delight in every touch and every second. She knew that it was long past time for her to contact the cleanup crew, but she didn’t think she could. . . and she didn’t care. She had decided on the ride over that even if she were the only one to defect, she was fine with that. She didn’t want to go back, and she didn’t want Dallas to go back either. She would stay with him here or wherever and join him on his run from the past and the government. She knew well before that moment that she was already his, and so she let him take her again, whispering her promise to never leave him as he slowly entered and filled her completely.
Dallas plunged deeper enticed even more by Gillian’s whispered assurance. He knew she spoke truth. He didn’t know how he knew, and there was no way he could explain it to his brothers, but he was certain. Gillian moaned softly in agreement with his thoughts, and Dallas rolled her over on top of his sweat-slicked body. Her compact form was even more beautiful that Dallas had thought possible. Hers was a body that should never be clothed, and if he’d anything to do with it, he would fulfill all of her wishes
and desires and keep her with him, honoring and relishing that beautiful body for all the days of his life. He ran his hands up to her pert breasts and lightly pinched the nipples, sending chills through her body. She gasped and her nipples stood firmer than before.
Gillian licked her lips in thirst, and the sight made Dallas move faster with desire. She suddenly flung her legs up towards his waist and pulled him to a sitting position as she wrapped her muscular limbs around him, bringing him closer and her higher, allowing him to settle deeper into her wet softness. With the feeling of her legs wrapping around him, brushing slightly against the scarred emblem, Dallas found his release as Gillian tightened her muscles around all of him, helping the euphoria to last as long as possible. In the resituating of her hips, Dallas was able to reach into Gillian and bring her the same ecstasy. She threw back her head in complete joy—not because of one carnal act, but because of the connection of spirits within the carnal act. A strong yet soft and warm wind blew her hair and swept over her breasts in comfort.
And then, they were there again. It was the same place they’d been before when they’d both climaxed before. Only, it wasn’t a place. It was hard to explain. They were both naked and floating in what seemed like gold clouds. They were sitting just as they were on Dallas’ bed, entangled around each other, yet they seemed to be floating, riding a warm current, surrounded by shiny silver shadowy figures that seemed to be dancing in all directions.
This is love, thought Gillian, unafraid of whatever or wherever they were, unconcerned with whatever or whomever this meant she loved. She knew all the government’s facts on Dallas Fuerza, but what the government had no idea about was who Dallas really was. . . and that was what only Gillian was permitted to see and know.
Elemental: Earth Page 8
