“Mother fucker.”
“One, two, three.” Dan said.
Dan sprung to his feet twisting around and sending several rounds in the direction of the marker. The man jerked backward dropping his gun. He disappeared, but another replaced him. Ryan swung to the right aiming at the roof. When the replacement shooter disappeared, Ryan hurried towards the back door, leaving Dan to cover his back. Two more figures closed in.
“To the left.” Ryan said.
“Come on Ryan. Get the door open!” Dan said.
Gunshots rang out from their right side. Dan turned and shot. There was a thud as a body fell from the rooftop hitting one of the snow-covered vehicles with a crash. Dan was on them now as Ryan worked the key into the lock. Another marker took one of Dan’s bullets. Stumbling forward, the man jerked and then fell into the snow. Blood leaked onto the ice making a giant red snow cone.
Ryan jammed the key into the lock and turned the handle, but the door wouldn’t budge. He pushed into the steel door feeling the stitches in his chest burn from the movement of pulling and pushing, still the door wouldn’t budge.
“Doors jammed.” Ryan said.
“Marker on your right.”
Another truck, between themselves and the marker, was acting as a shield buying Ryan time. Dan disappeared. A spray of dry snow floated from overhead. Ryan stopped pushing on the door as another marker stepped around the other side of the building. The man looked upward to signal his friend, but Ryan was already on it. Ryan shot through the windows of the truck hitting the man in the chest.
“Shit!” The voice came from overhead. The sound of retreating footsteps overhead broke the suddenly quiet air.
Ryan pulled on the door, but it was holding solid. He was about to turn back when Dan stepped in next to him.
“You lost your touch or what?”
“You want to give it a try?” Ryan stepped aside.
Dan turned the knob and pushed then he attempted a kick in. “The door’s jammed”.
“Really?” Ryan said.
“Yep.”
Ryan rolled his eyes, being the youngest Colton wasn’t easy. He had big shoes to fill being Jack’s younger brother. Jack was a sort of hero these days and Ryan was right behind him.
“The front.” Ryan said.
They slipped away from the door to the other side of the building. They rounded the corner on the side only to meet up with the retreating marker. They dodged behind several overturned dumpsters using the metal containers as shields. They waited, but the markers only intention was to run.
They moved to the front of the building where the snow had built up a high embankment. Both entrances and windows had at least a two-foot barrier. Off to the side was an already broken window. The wind had created a thin hole. Without having to break any barriers, Ryan slipped through the opening unheard.
“Can you fit?” Ryan asked.
Dan snorted. “If you can, I can.”
The inside of the building was like a freezer. There were papers and product strewn everywhere. Pieces of furniture lay upturned and scattered. They stood silent. Then they heard a click causing them both to turn at the same time.
The man, camouflaged in darkness directed his gun at Dan and then shifted to Ryan. He moved it from side to side.
“Don’t move.” The man said in a low whisper. A dog appeared out of the darkness and came to a stop beside the man.
Ryan said nothing as he raised both hands upward. The gun in his left hand intact, but aimed up towards the ceiling. “I’m looking for my brother.” He said.
The man wasn’t part of the cavalry outside otherwise Ryan and Dan would’ve already been dead. He leaned in closer. His facemask separated by the whites of his eyes glowed through the darkness. He searched their faces.
“Colton?” Kid asked. He was keeping his tone almost to a whisper.
“Ryan.”
“Kid.” Kid said.
“I know.” Ryan said recognizing him from town. A shimmer of light was beginning to penetrate the top of the windows.
“How many did you get outside?” Kid asked, raising his mask partially.
“Depends. How many were there?” Ryan asked.
“Storms been so bad; it was hard to tell.” Kid replied. “Your brother’s alive. There’s a few wounded, ones a little girl.” The dog let out a low whine.
“A little girl?” Ryan repeated.
“Doctor Kenny and her tech are dead.” Kid stepped in a little closer. “You can lower your hands.”
“You’ve been here all night?” Dan lowered his hands.
“All night. I was out making deliveries when the storm hit.” He kept his weapon drawn, but had it resting on his arm.
“How many men?” Dan asked.
“Seven plus Ringo. You might want to count him as three in one?”
“Where’s Jack now?” Dan asked.
“Good question. They scattered when the bomb went off.”
“Bomb!” Ryan raised an eyebrow. Kid lowered his gun. “Who’s Ringo?”
“The devil. I think your brother pissed him off, either way, he’s pissed off.”
“I’m not surprised.” Dan said. “Jack has that gift.”
“Jack had a little run in with a few men on our property this past week.” Ryan said.
“Let’s go round up your brother.” Kid started to move forward.
“What about the animals?” Ryan asked.
“Some are still here. Watch your back.” Kid said.
Kid led Ryan and Dan forward. Part way down the corridor Kid paused. He pointed the tip of his gun at the covered body on the floor. “Pam Kenny.”
Ryan looked down. “Dam it.”
They passed though double doors stepping over large chunks of broken cement. The blast had destroyed the door, leaving nothing, but a dark gaping hole. The sound of water trickling from somewhere in the room resonated off the cement floor. Wires hung like giant snakes dangling from a rip that extended well up into the beams of the roof.
Ryan felt a chill as the sound of claws clicking on cement drew his attention to the side. Above the carnage, Ryan made out the silhouette of a cat pacing back and forth in her cage.
“Bermuda.” Ryan whispered.
“I put her back in her cage.” Kid said restless. “Stay here. You’re brother’s working on finding and disarming the second explosive.”
“Nice!” Dan said. He appeared more distracted with the cat than he did from the word explosive. “I knew Doc Kenny had some exotics but….”
“We’re missing a cat.” Ryan said in a soft tone.
“Are you serious?” Dan looked at the cougar.
They stared in the direction of the cat. In return, she licked her heart shaped nose still stained with blood. She then flattened her long white whiskers with her tongue never taking her eyes off them. The hiss coming from her throat was long accentuating it by laying her ears flat against her head. She pressed her nose into the bars staring them down. Ryan turned around to say something to Kid, but he was gone.
“Where’s the Siberian Tiger and the Mexican Grey Wolves.” Ryan stepped forward, searching the cages for the bigger animals. The hairs on the back of his neck rose when he saw the deep animal tracks leading to the inside of the hospital.
Dan lifted his rifle a little higher. “I don’t like this.”
“Be ready.” Ryan whispered.
FORTY-SIX
Jack met Kid in the hall. They didn’t exchange greetings, but moved in step with the other.
“Your brother is here,” Kid said. The dog moved with him as if knowing every move her master was about to make. “They’re in the south wing. They took out a handful of markers.”
“What the hell took him so long?” Jack mumbled. “You know how to disarm a bomb?”
“Somewhat. I can be walked through the rest.” Jack handed Kid a headset.
“Let me know when you find something.” Jack said. He disappearing after watching Kid and Shif
t make their way through to the operating room.
Ringo wasn’t about to make this easy so Jack began searching behind shelving and entryways, closets and equipment, and reachable air vents all the while watching out for Ringo and his sidekick. He ran his fingers around objects searching for devices and detonators. Minutes ticked by. He grew anxious. He was wasting time, but if they attempted a getaway, Ringo would detonate the second explosive. Unless Ringo was dead.
“Shift found something.” Kid said. “Through the operating room, take a left.”
Jack stepped in looking down at a container filled with liquid. The explosive itself was rough, made out of hospital instruments and chemicals. It was inventive though crude. Jack went to work. Kid and Shift stood at his back, facing outward. After a few minutes, Jack turned around giving Kid the okay.
“Just one?” Kid asked.
“No. I think it’s time to get everyone out of here.” Jack said.
“They’re going to have the advantage once you leave this building.” Kid said.
“It’s a big building. Too many places to hide explosives inside or out.” Jack said wearily.
They walked toward the door to the studio. Jack tapped on the door twice paused and then tapped again. It opened. Sherry stood in the doorway.
“You ready?” Jack asked. “How’s the little girl?”
“Not good.” Sherry said.
“Bundle up and let’s get her to Nick.”
He helped Matt toward the door. Kid stepped in next to where Megan lay staring down into the little girl’s face. Sherry brushed by him setting a box of supplies at Megan’s feet and hooking her IV onto the table itself and then nodded. Jack led them to the rear office where they’d begun only twenty-four hours earlier.
“Stay here. Lock it.” Jack instructed.
“Got it.” Matt was leaning on the doorjamb for support but in his hand, he held his pistol steady.
Jack and Kid slipped back down the corridor. They went to the left and backtracked to where Ryan and Dan were waiting.
“Glad you listen.” It was the first thing he said to his brother when they met up.
“Good thing I don’t.” Ryan replied.
Jack patted Ryan on the shoulder “Glad you’re here.”
“Where're the others?” Ryan asked.
“Close.” Jack said zipping up his jacket. “Where’s the Hummer?”
“Second bay door.” Ryan said. “Where’s Blake?”
“They should be to the office by now.”
Jack looked at Bermuda pacing inside a less wrecked cage. The cat would starve if he didn’t let her go. It was a cruel way to die. It was time for Bermuda to go back to where she came from and be the wild cat she was. As for the Siberian Tiger, he’d already found his freedom.
“Careful, she’s hungry and pissed off.” Ryan muttered.
Shift became excited.
“I have an idea.” Jack glanced over at the walk in freezers.
“I wouldn’t go in there.” Kid warned.
“Why?”
“Destiny’s in there.” Kid whispered.
Jack opened the door. A young girl sitting Indian style faced him. Her hands wrapped protectively around her body as if trying to hold in impossible warmth. Her skin was no longer pale or tanned by the sun, but rather blue grey. Her eyes were open.
“Son of a bitch.” Jack said kneeling down. He looked into the dead girls eyes. In life, they had been a stunning blue, in death they were a chilling grey. They were out of time and would end up just like her if they didn’t get the hell out of there. He stepped past the girl into the freezer towards the meat hanging on hooks.
Jack dragged a frozen hindquarter of pig to Bermuda’s cage. Kid stepped in taking one end of the meat while Jack took the other.
“Lift the gate.” He told Dan.
The beauty of a feeding chute, the handler could feed without becoming the next meal. They turned loose of the meat. It slid down making a thud on the cement floor. The frozen piece came to a stop several feet from where Bermuda stood. She watched them and then hissed loudly. Her lips curled upward pressing lines into her muzzle. She exposed white blood stained teeth smelling both the meat and them. The distraction would buy them time while allowing her freedom once they were gone. It hadn’t been Ringo’s intent to kill the animals in fact it had been the direct opposite. The cat lay down and began licking the frozen meat.
Jack kept his eye on her, lifting the latch on the outside run. He moved fast now, unlatching the remaining cages holding the badgers. The animals hissed, stepping sideways out of their cages.
“You ungrateful little bastards.” He said stomping his feet.
The badgers ran toward him, but Jack swung the pipe sending them in the opposite direction. All animals were now free.
“You have ten minutes.” Jack said to Bermuda as he passed by her cage.
It was time to go. Jack glanced back one last time, but Bermuda was already gone. Unnerved, he led the team down the corridor towards the center of the hospital. The closer they got to where Pam’s office, he saw Shay and Blake standing outside the door. Their guns pressed forward and their expressions hidden by facemasks, but he knew something was wrong. They were shy one person.
“He took her.” Blake said. He handed the pistol to Jack. “Asshole’s like a ghost. Never heard or saw him. He just reached out of the dark and swiped her up. One second she was there the next she was gone.”
“Where?” Jack asked.
Blake pointed in the direction where they were all together last. “I backtracked. Been looking for her ever since we split apart. He’s gone.”
“Get the others and load up.”
They waited for Jack to say something, but instead he moved them into the office. He barely stepped through the door when another explosion rocked the building. The blast shook the walls sending a spray of fine powder raining down throughout the hallway. The blast echoed through the corridors. They ducked bracing themselves against anything they could find. Blake had laid himself across Megan, Utah holding underneath him. The foundation under the building rocked. When it was over, Jack jumped to his feet and tried to pull the door open. It moved only a few inches.
Kid, covered in a fine white powder, stepped up next to him.
“It’s stuck.” Jack said.
Kid nodded and together they stepped back and then with all their weight, they lunged forward. The door moved only a few inches. This time Dan joined in and three men backed away and then in unison threw their bodies into the steel door. This time the opening was wide enough to allow them to pass. Blake went out ahead of them to clear their way.
“What about Riley?” Sherry said.
“Go.” Jack said.
“You need to find her.” Sherry yelled out to Jack, but he gently pushed her towards the door.
“We need to go.” He said stiffly.
“He’ll kill her.” She cried.
“I’ll find her.” Jack said. “I promise.” He said somewhat softer. “I need you to help me with these guys.” Jack looked over at Megan and Matt.
“Okay.” She nodded taking the bag of fluids for Megan’s IV in her hands.
Utah stood at Jack’s side holding onto his jacket.
“Looks like you got a few.” Jack said seeing the blood-streaked snow. “You ready Coop?”
“Yeah. What about Riley?” He asked.
“She can’t be far.” Jack said helping Matt out. Utah held on to his coat but he barely felt the tug. He was going home but he wasn’t done yet. He’d just gotten started.
“We’ll find her.” Kid said from behind.
FORTY-SEVEN
Riley woke shivering. The cold bit into her flesh like bee stings. The more she tried to relax the harder she shook. The darkness coated her. She couldn’t control it nor did she have the strength to. There was a musky odor of dirt rising from the ground beneath. She had no idea how long she’d been out or where she was. The only sound was dripping water. Dr
ip, drip…drip. Chilling. With a drugged mind images formulated to dreams. Drip….drip….drip. Death. Intoxicated, the sound amplified. Imaginings grated on deep fears, monsters infiltrated her thoughts holding her mind hostage. Words crawled through her throat like spiders wanting out but remained trapped. Embrace darkness was her only option. She wasn’t dead yet.
Moving one limb at a time, she found herself intact. Panic. She bolted upright, her head slamming against something solid. Stars. Cold fear. I’m in a box. The ringing in her head made her woozy buried alive only charged the surge of horror racing through her body. Wrapping her arms around her chest, she rolled into a fetal position. Tears. Then she stared to dry heave. Nothing in her stomach. More spiders tried desperately to crawl from her throat. Focus. She saw tiny threads of light sneaking through the wood slats of her prison. She wasn’t buried. Not yet anyway.
“Kitten, are you awake?” A familiar voice boomed overhead.
I want to kill you.
The door creaked. His footfalls reflecting his size made her shiver, but then more light filtered through. Shiver. Riley closed her eyes hoping he’d leave.
“Hungry?” He asked casual. What edge of insanity are you walking on and how can I use it to my advantage?
He was directly above her. A thin stream of dirt filtered through the cracks falling onto her. I’m not just in a box, I’m in the floor. Panic. More spiders. The light went away. The floorboards groaned under his weight. Keys jingled and a lock released. The top part of the box rose and light spilled inward. Ringo appeared.
“I wanted to be clear. Very clear.” He said.
Her eyes watered. He reached out his hand to her. Hatred. She took it not wanting to remain another second in the hole. With one pull, she was in front of him. When he let go, she swayed feeling the pins and needles pulsing through her legs. She glanced down at the box slash coffin and involuntarily her body crumbled to the floor. Drugged.
Ringo set a plate in front of her as if she were a dog. He knelt there and they stared at each other. Never had she seen eyes like his. If fire and brimstone could be clearly defined, she’d be describing Ringo’s eyes. Had Riley not been delirious, she swore she saw a ring of fire. Evil. Fearing he’d do something, something she’d make sure he’d regret, but instead, he turned and walked out of the room mumbling. “You aren’t so full of fire now, are you?”
Not Alone: The Beginning (The Fighter Series Book 1) Page 20
