“Who needs that mop of blonde mess?” Sue Ann pointed to her sassy short dark hair. “It gets in the way of adventure. Did you see I wore sensible shoes?”
Alex looked down to see Sue Ann’s manicured toes peeking out of four-inch-high espadrille sandals.
“I thought you’d be so proud,” Sue Ann leaned in. “Krystal reminded me I’d be around all these hot men. She helped me get dressed.”
“Are you ready to think about hot men?” Alex’s worried eyes scanned her face.
“My Davey and Danny wouldn’t want me to be alone,” Sue Ann put her hand to the locket she wore with her boys’ pictures in them. “That’s what Luana tells me every day. Krystal too.”
Sue Ann gave Alex a brave smile and Alex smiled.
“Did you bring your running shoes?” Alex asked.
“Those are for running,” Sue Ann said. “Not for hanging out with hot men.”
Sue Ann gave Matthew a sweet smile. He nodded his hello and left the plane.
“Did you bring them?” Alex asked.
“Yes, Miss Alex,” Sue Ann said. “I brought my sensible hiking boots for stomping all over here and back. They are in my backpack with my water and some of Luana’s spicy brownies. It is Christmas after all.”
Alex smiled at Sue Ann. She gave Alex a big smile.
“Where’s your smoking-hot partner?” Sue Ann asked.
“He’s getting me something to eat,” Alex said.
“Oooh, what are we having?” Sue Ann asked.
“I’m having an Ensure shake,” Alex said.
Sue Ann laughed. Sitting at Alex’s side, Sue Ann ogled at all the men who came in. Margaret stopped by to say hello. She and Leena were assigned to help Sue Ann with anything she needed.
“Oh look Alex. A dog.” Sue Ann leaned down. “Hello puppy.”
Master Sergeant Bill Bailey stopped in front of Sue Ann. He sniffed at her. Sue Ann held her hand out and he let her pet him.
“He’s really cute,” Sue Ann said.
“And deadly,” Alex said. “He usually doesn’t let strangers pet him.”
Sue Ann looked up to see Pete. She smiled at him and went back to petting Bill. Pete opened his mouth as if to say something and then closed it. He shook his head slightly as if to clear it. His face was bright red.
“Pete?” Alex asked. “This is Sue Ann Joiner. She’s here acting as head of Pecos Oil tonight. I wondered if you could sit with her while I take care of a few things.”
Pete’s eyes went wide. Margaret popped to her feet to protest the shift in assignment. Seeing Pete’s ardor, Margaret hit Leena on the arm with the back of her hand. Leena looked up. They smirked at the young soldier.
“Yes sir,” Pete said.
“Sue Ann, I hope you don’t mind,” Alex said. “I have to attend to some team business. This is Sergeant Pete Beetle. He’s going to sit with you. Is that all right?”
Sue Ann gave Alex a bright smile.
“Nice to meet you ma’am,” Pete said. “You’re petting Master Sergeant Bill Bailey.”
“Really? You’re Beetle and he’s Bailey?” Sue Ann giggled. “Like Beetle Bailey?”
“Yes ma’am,” Pete gave her a toothy grin.
“I don’t know much about this kind of thing,” Sue Ann said. “Alex is the only person I know in the military. Krystal doesn’t know anyone other than Alex either, but isn’t a Master Sergeant a higher rank?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Pete said. “Military dogs have a higher rank than their handlers. Bill is a decorated soldier.”
“You must be too.”
“Yes ma’am,” Pete cleared his throat. “Is Krystal your…?”
“She’s my life partner,” Sue Ann said.
He blanched.
“Not like that!” Sue Ann laughed. “She’s marrying the cutest male Texas Ranger you’ve ever seen. They just had a baby. He’s a friend of Alex’s.”
“So she’s…”
“Well, it’s complicated.”
“I believe we’ll be in the air for a couple hours,” Pete said.
Smiling, Alex moved away from them to find Bobby Lopez. Bobby had walked onto the plane and into a poker game. He, Trece, and White Boy were already one hand into a competitive game. Bobby had taken them for all of their money the last time they were together. Trece and White Boy had some idea they would win it back. Bobby looked up to acknowledge Alex and then went back to his cards.
“Attention here,” Matthew said. “We have pizza and drinks up here. You have an hour and a half off to eat, rest, and get ready. We have more work to do before we get there.”
“Yes sir,” the team called.
“Everyone’s here, sir,” Matthew said.
“Let’s go,” Alex said.
“You don’t want to go out and say hi?” Matthew asked.
Max walked by with a thermos of coffee. She was about to follow him when Zack stood in her way.
“Come on, Alex. Don’t chicken out,” Zack said. “Get dressed.”
Raz helped her with her jacket and her scarf. She took her Ray-Ban sunglasses from him. She and Zack went down the ramp to hang out with the men and women who had come to see them. They shook hands and talked to people until Joseph whistled that it was time to go. Alex followed Zack up the ramp and onto the plane. Stepping into the passenger compartment, she saw a beaming Pete lean into Sue Ann.
“You’re meddling works sometimes,” Raz said.
“Sometimes?” Alex smiled.
“Come on,” Raz said. “Let’s nap for a while. We’ll have an hour for you to warm up.”
She followed him to their seats. She sat down next to Max. He looked up and smiled. With her twin’s arm around her, she fell fast asleep.
FFF
Three hours later
Saturday evening
December 26 – 5:55 p.m. PST
Chiapas, Mexico
“I don’t like this,” Matthew said. “I don’t like this at all.”
Raz put his hand on Matthew’s shoulder. Frustrated, Matthew shrugged off Raz’s hand. They were standing in a small clearing near Efren’s family village about five miles from the edge of the Pecos Oil property. The sun had just dropped behind the mountains. Alex and Max had spent the last hour on the plane warming up and the time to Chiapas, sparring with Colin and Matthew. She was loose, warm, and ready for action.
“Max isn’t even military!” Matthew said.
“Troy?” Alex asked.
“This entire situation – the hostages, this location, and everything else – is set up with one goal in mind,” Troy said. “To kill every one of us.”
“And you know this?” Matthew asked. “How?”
“It’s on the micro SD card,” Troy said. “Alex seemed to know this already, but I found it while we were on the plane.”
“Raz?” Alex asked.
Raz gave Matthew a computer tablet. Matthew flipped through heat and radar images of the location.
“How did you know?” Matthew asked.
“Seen it before,” Alex nodded to Joseph.
“We made a lot of friends,” Joseph said. “And a few enemies.”
“You’ve done this before?” Matthew asked. “When?”
Alex raised her eyebrows at him as if he should remember. He shook his head.
“When they rescued us,” Colin said. “It was a set up. They knew the Fey Special Forces Team would come for us. Their plan was to kill us when the team was close and kill the team when they arrived. Alex and Max surprised them. They saved our lives.”
Shaking his head, Matthew blinked at Alex. She gave him a soft smile.
“I need to finish getting dressed,” Alex said.
Alex walked to where Max was waiting for her. She wore her tightest, breast mashing bra under her Dragon Body armor and black lycra unitard. Layer by layer, the twins became indistinguishable. Only the white tips on Alex’s hair told them apart. She held out her arms and Max dropped a double holster over her shoulders. Max turned ar
ound and she put the same holster on him. She held up a black bolero jacket with throwing knives in pockets across the back under the neck. Max slipped it on and strapped it tight.
“That’s new,” Raz said.
“We’ve been learning to throw from John,” Max said. “I had this made for us.”
“Is it heavy?” Raz asked.
“Not as much as you’d think,” Alex said. “We’re hoping to be able to use the knives to incapacitate but not necessarily kill.”
“That’s our hope,” Max shrugged.
Alex turned around and Max put an identical bolero over her shoulders. Trece and White Boy came forward with their handguns and ammunition. Alex took a Glock 9mm, checked it for ammunition, and holstered it on her left side. She took the second handgun, checked it and holstered it on her right side. She turned around so that Trece could strap on a utility belt filled with clips of ammunition.
“Your weapons are cleaned and loaded, sir,” Trece said.
He dropped to the ground to strap knives to each of her calves. He clipped her Leatherman Freestyle to her utility belt.
“Where’s your bow?” Trece asked.
Raz held out a micro-compound bow. Trece strapped it onto her back.
“The trick to these micros is making sure it doesn’t jam,” Trece said. “We’ve checked them both a dozen times. Raz just checked yours. We think you’re good to go but…”
“I’ll be careful,” Alex said. She heard White Boy repeat what Trece said to Max.
Trece held out her quiver.
“You only have seven shots,” Trece said. “Fourteen with Max.”
“How many people do we think are there?” Alex asked.
“At least twenty,” Raz said. “Zack said he can drop more arrows to you but you’d do well to conserve.”
“Got it,” Alex said.
“Water on your right,” Trece clipped a water bottle to her utility belt. “Caffeine, vitamins, and the like on your left.”
“Morphine, coagulant, antibiotics, aspirin,” MJ held out a tight package. Trece zipped it into her utility belt.
“Balaclava,” Colin put a thin black balaclava over her head. “Face paint.”
Her younger brother dabbed black face paint around her eyes and cheeks. He did the same to Max.
“I must protest, sir,” Pete said. “Bill and I should go out in front. That’s what we’re trained to do. We want to go.”
“You don’t want to be in front of these two,” Trece said. “Trust me. Too risky.”
“I’ve never shot a friendly,” Max said. Alex looked at Trece in agreement.
“There’s a first for everything,” Trece said. He gave Alex and Max a nod. He and White Boy walked away.
Raz held out an ear buds to Alex and to Max.
“We will maintain radio silence until we get your signal,” Raz said.
Sergeant Dusty gave handheld computers to Alex and one to Max.
“These are turned off in case they are tracking electronic signals,” Sergeant Dusty said.
Alex and Max tucked the computers into their vests.
“Night-vision goggles,” Raz said. “I know you prefer not to wear them, but we believe you should have them in case you need them.”
Alex nodded. She put the goggles around her neck.
“Sir, Wyatt asked me to give you this before you left for your mission.”
Sergeant Dusty held out a Saint Christopher medallion on a metal chain to Max. Smiling, he stuffed it in the pouch on his belt.
“I will be here awaiting your order,” Sergeant Dusty said.
“The team is prepped and ready to move in the second you give the signal,” Joseph said. “Matthew and Colin are getting suited up to follow if you need them.”
Alex smiled her thanks. Alex and Max walked to where Bobby Lopez had been working with Sue Ann and members of the local tribe.
“What can you tell us?” Alex asked.
“We’ve been able to cross reference everything we have with everything you have. This is the location,” Bobby pointed to a patch of land about five mountainous miles from where they were.
“We are…?” Alex asked.
“Here,” Bobby pointed. Consummate cartographers, Alex and Max memorized the topographical map. “The tribe will provide you with guides to get you to the property. It’s very tricky and difficult to reach. This whole region might have oil, but between the mountains and the jungle, it’s tough to get anything in and out. We use the tribe to help us when we come here.”
“These people,” Max said. “The ones at the facility? They aren’t your employees.”
“No,” Sue Ann said. “We do not have employees at this location.”
“Squatters?” Alex asked.
“It’s not suitable for much of anything, Alex,” Sue Ann said.
“This facility is in the development phase. We send someone out once or twice a year to look at everything,” Bobby said. “We had someone here…”
“Two months ago,” Sue Ann said.
“Before the hostages were moved again,” Alex said.
“Until the roads are built, we can’t go in to extract oil,” Bobby looked from Max to Alex. “It’s got to be your hostages.”
“Our best guess is that they expect us to arrive by helicopter,” Joseph said.
“He’d have to know about our friendship with this tribe,” Alex said.
“What was our last official interaction with the tribal leadership?” Joseph asked.
“A big misunderstanding,” Alex said.
“There’s a report of that,” Raz said. “Remember, you and I came here alone to resolve the issues. Ben doesn’t keep those kinds of records. By the time we were out here doing training, you were in charge of record keeping.”
“I don’t keep those kinds of records either,” Alex nodded.
“Keys?” Max asked.
Bobby Lopez held out a ring of keys for the facility. Sue Ann gave Alex a worried smile. Troy came forward and tucked something into Alex’s belt.
“My mini-tool,” Troy said. “In case you need it.”
“Here are the heat signatures,” Raz gave Alex the tablet. “We can’t be sure if all of these are hostages or...”
“Teams of people waiting to kill us,” Max said.
Raz nodded.
“Given the state of their health, I think they’re hostages,” Raz said.
“Or starving bad guys,” Alex said.
“They look like hostages to me,” Raz said.
“Are you ready, Lieutenant Colonel?” Joseph asked.
“Yes Major,” Alex said. “I release the team to your command.”
“Yes sir,” Joseph said. “Try not to kill too many bad guys. It only upsets you.”
“We’ll see you in a couple of hours.”
Alex raised a hand to wave and walked toward their two guides. The young woman, Efren’s sister, was small and compact. There was an older man waiting with her. They were dressed in light active wear.
“You’ll be warm,” the older man said in Yucatec.
“Yes sir,” Alex replied in the same dialect.
He smiled and took off down a barely visible pathway. The young woman nodded for her to go. Alex ran behind the older man. Max followed Alex with Efren’s sister taking the rear. Only five miles as the crow flies, it was a steep, treacherous climb in and out of ravines on the narrow footpath. They moved with the fast, quiet precision of their guides.
When they reached the gates, the guides dropped back. The older man made a distinct birdlike whistle. The whistle was met by similar whistles of other tribesmen. The tribe had surrounded the property. The older man raised his eyebrows slightly. He and Efren’s sister moved off into the jungle. They would wait until Alex and Max had finish fighting their way to the hostages.
Using Bobby’s keys, Alex opened the gate and they slipped inside.
F
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Saturday night
December 26 – 8:25 p.m. MST
Denver, CO
Exhausted, John had excused himself from the general mayhem of the house and gone upstairs. There was no way to know when Alex would return or what condition she would be in. He told himself it was better to be rested and ready.
Mostly, he missed her. It was nice to get to know a few of his siblings but they were strangers to him. Alex and Max were his family. He was about to get in bed when Maggie yipped at the door. He opened the door to her and she hopped on the bed.
He set his netbook next to the bed in case Alex Skyped, checked to see if the ringer was on the phone, and got in bed next to the dog. He looked at the computer one more time then rolled over to sleep. And fell into a dream.
He and Alex were waltzing. She wore the black dress with the red band and those amazing shoes. He wore a hand tailored tuxedo similar to the one he’d ordered from Frederec. They were dancing on a wooden floor under thousands of white mini lights. The night was humid and warm with the smell of coconut on the air. Beautiful music drifted on the warm breeze. As if floating on air, they spun around and around. Smiling, he shook his head.
“I know it’s you,” he said.
“I can never fool you,” the Blue Fairy said. “You must love her very much.”
Horror gripped his heart. The Blue Fairy only visited John when Alex was in desperate danger. John stopped dancing.
“Is she… Has she…” His mouth refused to form the words he was terrified were true.
“She is very much alive and uninjured,” the Blue Fairy said. “Come let’s dance.”
“Tell me,” he said. “Just tell me.”
She held out her arms. Commanded by some unknown magic, he took her in his arms. The music returned and they danced.
“You can’t make me do this forever,” he said.
She laughed and the air filled with the sound of a thousand tiny bells.
“What’s funny about that?” He stopped moving to look at her.
“You are not my slave,” she said. “You dance because you know you must. You dance because dancing is better than the terror that lives in your heart. You dance because in this light I look like your beloved. And dancing in her arms is one of the things that makes this life worth living.”
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