Smiling over at him, Kath yelled, "About time you got here!"
Tim looked a little older, but time had treated him pretty well. Constant exposure to the sun had turned his skin to leather, but otherwise, he didn't look all that different. He glanced over at Kath, and loudly yelled back, "Don't get your panties all in a bunch! I told you I was on the way!"
"Quit clowning you two!" I growled. "I got a package that needs coverage! Can one of you keep it safe?"
"I can cover," said Tim. "How big's the package?"
"Not too big," I replied. I waved up at Koda, and she stepped out.
"Shit!" exclaimed Tim. "You weren't kidding about trouble! How old is she? Twelve years old?"
"Old enough to kill five men in a few seconds!" I replied. "I suggest you be nice to her!"
Kath grinned ear to ear, and said, "I like her already!"
Tim was looking past me, scanning passing cars, and said, "I hate to rush this, but I feel naked in the open like this!"
"Fine," Kath agreed. "I know just the place to go! We're taking them out to the ranch. Ya know where I'm going Tim?"
"Gotcha," said Tim. "You lead, I follow!"
I looked down at Kathy's little car, and turning to Koda, told her, "You're going in the van with Tim! If he gets frisky, cut something off him, and toss it out. He likes it when you do that."
"Asshole!" Tim blurted out as I stepped down into Kath's tiny car. By the time I was settled, Koda was out of sight in the van, and both vehicles pulled out into the local Florida traffic. We started heading east, and soon passed under the interstate, driving out into the local countryside. I seldom came out this way, and it was getting late. I felt tired, and I guess I dropped my guard. I normally watch the outside rear view mirrors. This time I missed the problems starting.
My first clue was when I looked at Kath’s eyes, and saw that old killer's gaze peeping out. She was watching the rear view mirror in the car, and I realized she wasn't happy. I glanced out at my mirror, saw the car, and asked, "Friends of yours?"
"Not mine," she observed, watching the mirrors. "At least I don't think so!"
Turning around in my seat slightly, I could see two, four wheel drive trucks, closing quickly on Kath's little car. I had a feeling they weren't nice people. Perhaps it was the passenger in the lead truck hanging out the window with the UZI. He kept trying to get a lock on us. We were clipping along a two lane country road doing about ninety miles an hour.
Kathy suddenly said, "Wrecker! This is Red Bird! I got Haters after me! I need an intercept! Copy?"
I hadn't even noticed the little earbud she was wearing. The damn things keep getting smaller! Kath tromped on the gas, and the little car started to walk off. The trucks were trying to keep up, but having a rough time. I saw the gunner fire once, but the shots went wild. The man had no talent.
A sign flashed past, noting that the road ended in a cross intersection. We were racing toward the intersection at well over one hundred. I heard a thumping noise as we crossed speed bumps meant to warn a driver they were in trouble. Instantly the warning repeated itself, and Kathy slammed on the brakes of her little red car, sending it into a skid toward the left. In a space of less than a hundred yards, she spun the car around totally, coming to rest facing the oncoming trucks, stopping just short of the intersection.
The lead truck abruptly swerved, and started to go into a flipping roll. As the truck's tires left the road surface, I heard the report of the first shot. It had come from my right, at least two hundred yards away. Looking over, the flash from the next shot could clearly be seen. The driver of the second truck fared no better than the first. Being dead, and unable to apply the brakes, he slammed into the lead truck now burning in the middle of the road.
The passenger in the lead truck had been thrown clear when his truck flipped. He stood up, and staggered back onto the road from out of the brush. It appeared obvious he was stunned. Kathy almost cut him in half with her UZI. She didn't even get out of the car. Gunning the small car's engine, she deftly swung the vehicle around, and turned down the frontage road. In seconds, I saw the lights on another vehicle behind us. As it closed on us, I could tell it was Tim's black van. After about two miles, we took another road to the right, and not long after that, a large home appeared before us.
"You still use this place?" I asked. "I thought you traveled too much to keep the place."
She shrugged, and said, "It was left to me when Dad died. I can't stand to give it up."
We had turned onto a wide private road. I had seen Kath's home years ago. It was on the right side of the road. Another home sat across from it now, and there was a third home just a little farther ahead on the right. "New neighbors?" I asked.
"Camouflage," she observed, smiling slightly.
We turned into the first home on the right. It had a long sweeping driveway, and the six car garage was attached to the home by a roof overhang. In effect, the home was a fortress. Once you drove through between the garage and the house, you were trapped.
Kathy pulled up to the right, and Tim’s van eased in on the left. I climbed out of the car, and stood visually scanning the grounds. It had changed since the last time I was here.
I counted six security cameras at a glance. Slits on the wall behind me had replaced the windows that used to be there. It looked like the wall had been armored as well. I suspected that unwelcome visitors would receive a harsh welcome.
Bright overhead lights had clicked on when we pulled into the courtyard. Kathy, Tim, and Koda had all gotten out of the vehicles by now. Kathy suddenly asked, "Are you bleeding Mike?"
"Shit!” Tim exclaimed. “You got blood running down your back!"
"He got shot yesterday," Koda informed them.
"You got shot!" blurted out Kathy. "Why the hell didn't you say something?" She stepped close, and started examining my shoulder. I began trying to back away, until I backed into the wall behind me.
She smirked up at me for an instant, and said, "I gotcha now!"
"I'm smearing blood on your wall," I observed.
"Fine," she said. "Get inside before somebody sees us! We'll look at it in the house!"
"I was afraid of that," I mumbled, only half joking.
Kathy palmed the electronic lock, and the door went "Whoosh" as it popped open. Seconds later we were all inside, and I heard the door seal behind me. We walked down a shot hallway, and into a room set for low night light. It reminded me of the one and only time I had been on a submarine. They had used the same lighting in the conning tower. It helped the sailor's eyes to adjust when they went out into the darkest of nights.
On the farthest wall from the door, a large screen monitor showed the outside of the house. Two dozen smaller monitors showed the house from various locations. Four of them were set to infrared, and were showing no sign of human movement.
Dropping her keys on the table sitting there. Kathy looked at Tim and told him, "Thanks for the back up!"
"It wasn't me! It was her!" he noted, pointing at Koda. "She's a natural with a scoped rifle!"
Koda smiled at me, and said, "I told you so!"
Kathy had stepped over to me, and started to look at my shoulder. I shied away, saying, "Leave it alone Kath! I'll pass out if you mess with it!"
"Have you seen a doctor?" she asked.
"Yeah! I seen a doctor," I responded, trying to squirm away from her.
"A woman doctor!" Koda provided. "She was pissed as hell when she dropped Mike off!"
"You went to Lisa Maginty for help?" Tim asked, eyeing me closely.
"I was passing out," I replied. "It seemed the thing to do at the time."
"Shut up, Tim," snarled Kathy. She suddenly stopped trying to pin me, and said, "Follow me you twit!" Turning, she led me deeper into the house. We went down a darkened hallway, and then she opened a door, flipped on a light, and it looked like I was in a hospital. There was a table set up for surgery, with huge lights overhead.
I wanted to back out
, but it was too late. Kathy shoved me from behind, saying, "Quit being such a baby!"
"Well, it hurts!" I snapped back. Kathy pushed and prodded me till I almost fell onto the table. She leaned down over me, and started probing the wound. I began gritting my teeth, and a wave of fog crossed my vision. I knew I wouldn't last much longer.
My eyes were closed. I heard Koda say, "Wow! I can't believe he just lets you do that!" I had tears in my eyes from the pain as Kathy pulled at the bandage.
"We used to be an item," Kathy noted. "He was my first true love!"
"Bullshit!" I growled.
"Okay," said Kathy. "I loved him, and he just took advantage of my young body!"
"Jesus, Kathy! That hurts!" I exclaimed, almost rolling off the table trying to get away from her. My eyes cleared for an instant, and I realized Koda was helping hold me down. Then Kathy pulled off the blood soaked bandage. I screamed, and passed out.
Chapter 4
Mister Hetrus
I woke up in a clean bed. The room was plush. The bed unbelievably soft. A small monitor beeped by the bed. I could tell it was showing my heartrate. I pulled the small clamp off my finger, and the monitor went flat line. Kathy promptly stepped into the room. Koda walked in right behind her. She looked down at the clip I had removed, and said, "You about scared the shit out of me!"
"That hurt like hell!" I growled. "I swear you did it on purpose!"
"The bandage had to be changed Mike!" snapped Kathy. "That's a bad wound! You need to be in a hospital!"
I tried twice to sit up, but didn't have the strength. Koda quietly said, "Stay down Mike! You've popped four stitches. We don't know how to stitch you back up! You need to lay still!"
I calmed my mind, and forced myself to relax. I learned long ago to control low levels of pain by mentally imagining myself in a place far away. I usually imagine an island, and a nice beach with a slight breeze blowing. I must have passed out for a minute or two, because when I woke up this time, Koda was sitting in a chair watching me.
She quietly asked, "How ya feeling Mike?"
"Pretty doped up," I responded. I could tell I was drugged. I could barely keep my eyes open.
"Kathy got you painkillers and antibiotics," said Koda. "I take it you know she's still in love with you?"
I grimaced, and told her, "You don't know a thing about me!" My mouth was dry, and I was having a hard time focusing.
"I know you were asleep for six hours, and Kathy never stopped talking about you," observed Koda. "She told me you trained her! She said... you're the best!"
"There is no such thing as the best," I mumbled. "Just the good, and the dead!"
"She told me you trained all your people," said Koda. "I want you to train me Mike! I want to be on your team!"
"There is no team," I said more sternly. "I retired twenty years ago. I shouldn't have dragged these people into this." My voice softened, and I told her, "I'm too old for this shit! Too old, and too slow!" I laid there for several seconds, and then added, "I was just desperate, and needed help!"
"So, you called me," observed Tim as he stepped into the room. He smiled over at me, and said, "Well! Help's on the way buddy! Shooter and Harold are on the way. They'll be here in a few hours.
My eyes slowly closed again. I couldn't keep them open. I forced them open again, and Koda leaned close, saying, "Go back to sleep Mike!"
I took her advice.
This time when I awoke, the room was dark. I started to stir, and instantly heard Kathy say, "Where do you think you're going?" She was curled up, sleeping on the covers at the foot of the huge bed I was in. In a sleepy voice, she asked, "Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine if I can make it to the bathroom," I mumbled. I staggered over to the bathroom door, and soon felt much better. I had just enough energy to make it back to the bed. I crawled back under the covers, and laid there shivering slightly. Kathy shifted in the bed, and spooned up behind me, laying her arm over me, gently pulling me close.
"I hope you're just planning on sleeping," I said softly.
"Shut up and rest," she ordered.
I took her advice.
The next time I woke up, Kathy was gone. I used the restroom, and staggered back to bed. I laid there a short while, and for the first time in several days, I didn't fall right back to sleep. I must have laid there for ten minutes, before deciding to get up. I finally got up, and started moving through the house, following the faint sounds I was hearing in the distance.
As I approached the door the noise was issuing from, I could hear Kathy telling tales from the old days. She said, "I walked into the room three minutes later, and all seven men were beaten badly. Mike was standing over the last guy. He let him finish falling to the floor, looking around casually as if he didn't know what had happened to the guys. He was the only man standing!" She shook her head, and noted, "Mike later explained they insulted me after I left the room. I never found out what they said, but I bet they never say it again!"
Stepping into the room, I immediately started to work my way over to the nearest open chair. I basically collapsed into it, and sat gasping for breath. The pain was incredible, and after a moment I realized both Koda and Kathy were staring at me. A few seconds passed, and Kathy asked, "Feeling a little sore today, are we?"
I mumbled my response so badly nobody could hear it. After a few seconds, Kath asked, "Do you even remember Lisa being here last night?"
I glanced up, and gave her the look. I managed to say, "You shouldn't have brought her back into this!"
"I called her for meds," noted Kathy. "She drove out here and hand delivered them for her own reasons!"
"She told us you belong in a hospital," added Koda.
"I swear! I'll shoot the next person that says that!" I growled. After a second, I asked, "Where's Tim?"
"He went to the airport to pick up Shooter and Harold," answered Kathy. "He's due back any time!"
"You shouldn't have let him go alone," I mumbled, trying to get comfortable. The two women sat looking at me a few seconds more. Then Kathy quietly said, "I'll be back shortly!" got up, and left the room!
After a few seconds, Koda quietly said, "You push these people awful hard!"
"If I'm hurting your feelings, you can leave any time!" I snapped. "Need I remind you, I'm here because of you?"
She seemed to ignore the remark. She asked, "Was Lisa's husband a team member?"
This was none of her business, but for some reason, I said "Yeah! I trained Billy long before he knew Lisa! He was good!"
"But..." coaxed Koda. "Tell me the rest of it!"
"But he was always a little soft, and after he met Lisa, he couldn't do the job any more!" I sat a second more. Then added, "He gave it up for Lisa! She changed him!"
"Like Nancy did for you," Koda observed.
I was sitting with my eyes closed. I quietly said, "I told you not to talk about her!" Then added, "I didn't quit because of her! I quit because the people sending me out were worse that the people I was contracted to eliminate."
"And then you met Nancy," Koda corrected. She hesitated, and asked, "Did she know what you'd done in the past?"
"She was damn smart," I responded, almost in a whisper. "We never talked about it, but she knew!"
"All those years, and she never asked you about it?" Koda wondered aloud. "I would had to have asked!"
"She was special," I noted. "And she loved me!"
"I'm sorry she's gone, Mike," said Koda. "I’d have liked to talk to her!"
"I'm sorry she's gone too!" I acknowledged. "Now drop it!"
There was an awkward silence in the room for a few seconds. Then I heard Kathy walking down the hall toward us. She stepped back into the room, looked over at me, and said, "I just talked to Tim. They should be here shortly!"
"I'm going to get a quick shower in," said Koda.
She stepped out of the room, and Kathy loudly yelled, "Don't forget a towel!"
The house became quiet. Almost a full minute we
nt by. Kathy had set down close to me, and said, "I'm glad you called me Mike! I've missed you!" There was another ten seconds of silence. Then she finally asked, "Why didn't you call and tell me when Nan died! You knew I’d want to see you! We didn't have to get married! I could have been there for you!"
"Christ, Kath!" I growled. "Your family is richer than Midas! What the hell would you want with me! I'm way too old to be your boy toy!"
"Jesus Mike! You can be such an ass!" She was pissed as hell! She stood up and leaned down over me, looking like she was going to slap me or something. She seemed to catch herself. She stood back up, and asked, "Is there somebody else, Mike? Are you with someone?"
"No," I said softly. "I haven't touched a woman in over a year! I just can't get over Nan being gone!" I was on the verge of losing it.
Kathy was a step ahead of me. She began openly crying as she said, "I'm so sorry Mike! We all loved Nancy! I just don't understand why you didn't call! We would have been there!"
"I'm just tired of it all," I observed. "My past is catching up with me! I've been shot, stabbed, beaten and generally played hell with my body. Now I'm in almost constant pain. My hearts gone bad, and frankly, I just want to die! After Nancy died, I just wanted to die with her! I can't bring myself to finish it! Too many years spent fighting to stay alive! I've lost the ability to simply die! I just keep fighting on... when all I want to do, is just give up!"
"Oh my god, Mike!" Kathy turned her back to me. She continued crying, but when she turned back toward me, she was angry. "You should have called me! You owed me that as a friend! You could have given me the choice!"
She was right of course. I just sat there. The pain was getting bad, and I reached into my pocket, and took out one of the little pills. I’d feel better in a minute. The pills always fixed it. I'll freaking live forever.
Unless Kathy kills me first!
At this moment, she was beside herself. She took a deep breath, came over, and sat down, softly saying, "Well, I'm in your life now! I'm telling you there are going to be changes! You took care of all of us over the years! If you think we're going to just let you fall along the road, and die, you can forget it!"
The Koda Files Boxed Set - Books 1 & 2 Page 4
