by KJ Dahlen
A few minutes later, five dark shadows slipped off the boat. Four of them carried a blue container. They melted into the shadows and Pappy found an open slip to dock his boat. They were across the way from where the Lila was berthed.
When Slammer tied up the boat, five men came aboard and joined Pappy. Swede, Caine, Dewey, Falcon and Thor gazed at the Lila for a moment then turned to Pappy.
“Did you turn over the containers?” Pappy asked.
“Yeah, Shay had the hazmat team waiting in the parking lot,” Dewey informed him. Handing him some papers he said, “We found this sitting on the table in the master cabin.”
Pappy glanced at the papers in his hand. “What are these?”
“Satellite coordinates. Most of them are along the river, so we might know where the other ten containers are,” Dewey told him. “This might be our first break.”
Pappy shook his head. “Our first break was finding Lacey. Without her, we wouldn’t know as much as we do.” Handing the papers back to Dewey he suggested, “Check out these coordinates and send a team to those locations and see what you can find. He may be staying here but he’s still got his other boat for traveling here and there. So tell your teams to be looking for his other boat as well.” Shaking his head he added, “I wish we would have found more of the containers. He’s had several days to place them and we need to find them.”
Dewey nodded and turned go below deck. He would find these places and let the men in the area know what and who to look for.
Caine, Thor and Falcon followed him.
Swede stayed behind for a moment. “Have you spoken to Bear in the last few days?”
Pappy nodded. “He said to tell you things are going good enough for now. He’s worried about Lacey right now. She’s worried about Leroy finding them.”
“We need to find this guy.” Swede growled.
“I know,” Pappy agreed. “We’re trying.”
“I know we are, but we need to step our search up.”
Pappy looked over at the other man. “We’re doing the best we can. We’ll find him but it’s gonna take time.” He sighed. “Lacey is safe at the moment as long as she’s at the compound with Bear and the others.”
“I know that and you know that but until we find this bastard, Bear will be on edge.” Swede shook his head. “He’s a hands on kind of guy and if he can’t get his hands on this guy he’s more than likely not going to stay a good guy. I’ve talked to Mutzy and he says Bear is ok for now, but his PTSD is beginning to show.”
“Do we have to worry about Lacey’s safety on top of everything else?” Pappy asked.
“I don’t think so.” Swede shook his head. “For some reason, she’s keeping him grounded.”
“We can give this part of the mission to someone else if you want to go back,” Pappy suggested.
“No.” Swede shook his head. “Let’s just get this done. Bear is a grown man, he’ll keep it together. I have to trust he’ll be okay and stay on top of things. This is something he has to handle on his own.” He turned to go below then looked over his shoulder to ask, “Do you want one of us to stay aboard his boat today? That way we can get our hands on him as soon as he boards.”
“As tempting as that may seem we need to just watch his boat today,” Pappy suggested. “We’re going to set a couple of men outside the harbor to watch for his other boat and if he shows up, we’ll have a heads up.”
“What about all the other boats docked here?” Swede asked. “The sun is almost up and already there is traffic. If he comes back during prime time, they could get in the way if we have to take him out.”
Pappy shrugged. “I can’t help that. We’ll only move against him when we have to, but I am not going to miss this opportunity to get him. If we evacuate he’ll know something’s up. We can’t take that chance.”
Dewey rushed back up the steps and told them, “Trudy just called. She found another threat.”
“What kind of threat?” Slammer asked as he came back from tying the boat off.
“Do you remember Lacey telling us he had about a hundred 55 gallon barrels in his cave?”
Pappy nodded. “What was in the barrels?”
“High grade jet fuel and he’s rigged them to blow up in the swamps.”
“What the hell?” Slammer exclaimed.
Dewey nodded. “He plans to set fire to the entire southeast from Florida all the way to the Capital.”
“Damn.” Pappy growled. “Is there any way we can get some men in that area and start looking for those barrels?”
“It could take us weeks to find them all,” Dewey stated the obvious.
“We have to try,” Pappy urged.
“Where would we even start?” Dewey threw up his hands. “That’s a lot of property to search.”
“So okay, it might seem like an impossible task but we have three weeks to get as many of those barrels as possible. If we can get a dozen teams searching while we’re looking for Leroy,” Slammer suggested.
Pappy ran his hands over the top of his head and agreed, “Ok, let’s get those teams in there searching. I’ll let Shay know what we’re doing and he can get something set up. I need to call Sam and Deke and get them to get the call out to whoever they can to be looking for the best place to start a cascade failure. That is what we think sets off Leroy’s little plan.”
“We also need to get his picture out to our people,” Slammer reminded them. “There has to be someone out there who has seen him at some point.”
“He’s been living off the grid for years,” Swede reminded the group. “What makes you think anyone would remember him?”
“No man can be alone for fifteen years,” Pappy pointed out. “He’s been doing business all this time. We have a list of his contacts and such. But no one we’ve talked to knows anything about him. It seems awful strange that we can’t find this man.”
“Could that be what turned him?” Swede asked. “Being alone for that long?”
“No,” Pappy shook his head. “He’s been crazy all his life. Hell, he branded a nine year old girl when he was sixteen. What kind of person does that? There’s been something wrong with this guy since he was a kid.”
“Not to mention the fact that he’s willing to kill thousands of people.” Dewey scoffed. “What kind of man does that? Or is willing to do that?” Shaking his head. “Only an insane man would even think about doing something so heinous.”
“I agree, we need to know more about this fucker,” Swede agreed.
“Why don’t you go back to the compound and see what Lacey and Phoebe can tell you about him?” Pappy told him. “We need to know everything we can about this man, even if they don’t think it’s relevant.”
“OK, I guess I can get started on that,” Swede stated. “Not sure what good it will do, but I’ll try.”
“The rest of us will stay here and wait for Leroy to show up.” Pappy nodded. “Hopefully, he’ll show up before too long. We really need to find him before he gets past us and goes underground. We can’t afford to lose him this close to his own deadline.”
“He might be able to some of it but he won’t get it all done. We’ve made sure of that,” Dewey said.
“But he’s still out there breathing free air. I won’t feel better until we have him in custody.” Pappy felt a sick feeling in his stomach. “Hell, right now, even one life lost is one too many.”
“I’ll head back and see what I can find out,” Swede said.
“I’ll call Shay and get his ass looking for that jet fuel. Then I’ll call Sam and Deke and get the network looking for the most likely place to set up the cascade failure.” Pappy shrugged.
“Me and Dewey can watch the boat,” Slammer offered.
“We got teams checking out the coordinates we found looking for those damn containers,” Dewey growled. “Not to mention everyone back home is still looking for answers.”
“I got two teams in place to let us know when Leroy is on his way into the harbor,”
Pappy told them. “Now all we need is Leroy to show his ugly face.”
“Fuck, I hate playing this damn waiting game.” Slammer groused.
“Me too, but we got no choice.” Pappy shrugged.
“Okay, I’ll be in touch later,” Swede told them.
When Swede walked into the compound a few hours later, he wasn’t surprised to find everyone busy. He’d barely made the flight from St Louis to Houston and from there, he’d rented a car to get him back to Sabine Pass.
Trudy noticed him first and she jumped up to greet him.
Bastian asked, “What are you doing here?”
Bear was sitting in the corner with Lacey eating a late lunch. He jumped up and rushed over to where his brother was standing. “Did they find that sucker yet?” Bear demanded.
“They found the Lila and the last four containers. We found satellite coordinates we think are the location to where he planted the other ten but we don’t know for sure. We put teams on to secure those locations.” He looked over at Trudy. “Pappy called Shay and got him to put teams in the swamps to find those barrels. I haven’t heard anything since I left them this morning. They were waiting on Leroy to come back to the Lila.”
“What does Pappy want us to do next?” Trudy asked.
“He sent me back to talk to Lacey and Phoebe to find out more about Leroy.”
“Why? What could they know that we haven’t found out already?” Jim asked.
“I don’t know,” Swede admitted. “Maybe nothing but we have to try. If he doesn’t come back to the Lila, we need to find him before he goes underground again.” He glanced over at Lacey and said, “He knows someone is hunting him now, and he knows we’re running out of time. He’s done all he can with what he was able to get out of the silo before he took off. What will your brother do if he gets really pissed?”
Lacey shook her head. “I don’t know and I’m not sure I want to find out.”
“Well, we may not have a choice.” Swede stared at her. “We’ve confiscated most of his supplies and we got him on the run. We’ve taken away his women and you and he knows he can’t go back to the silo or his father’s house or the Lila. We’re hoping you or Phoebe can tell us something about the man that might give us another lead in finding him.”
“Who is Phoebe?” Lacey frowned.
“Phoebe is someone who knew him when he was a kid, long before he found you and his mother,” Bastian told her.
Lacey glanced at Bear and shook her head. She looked around the room and when she saw Phoebe standing up, she frowned at her. Then her eyes got huge in her face. “Are you Leroy’s Angel? He told me about this girl he called his Angel. He always told me that she was his girl but he lost her a long time ago.” She paused then added, “He’s been looking for you for a long time. He thought he found you a while back but then he lost you again.”
“She didn’t belong to him then or now,” Michael stated. “Only in his crazy mind.”
“What did he tell you about her?” Bastian asked.
“He told me she had to grow up some before he could make his move but someday, she would be his lady. He said he followed you back to Chicago and then he couldn’t find you again.” She hesitated then added, “I think that’s why he took those other women. It was because he couldn’t find her again. He said she would have his children and they would follow in his footsteps. He was going to set up their legacy.”
“I never wanted him to find me in the first place.” Phoebe shuddered. “Even when he was a kid, he was insane. After all this time, I imagine he’s gotten that much worse. When he left Chicago when we were kids, I prayed I’d never see him again.”
“That’s what I’m praying for today,” Lacey whispered brokenly. “I don’t ever want to see him again.”
Bear wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “He won’t ever get close enough.”
Lacey burrowed into his chest. Her hands gripped his shirt and clenched into fists. “You can’t make that promise,” she whispered in fear. “You have no idea how crazy he is. With his plans screwed up, he’s going to be livid.”
“Leroy doesn’t take rejection very well at all,” Phoebe agreed.
“He wouldn’t be stupid enough to come here,” Swede stated. “You’re safe here with everyone around you.”
Lacey peeked out at the group. “You don’t know Leroy if you think that,” she warned. “He won’t hesitate to kill anyone who gets in his way. He will come here if he finds out where I am.”
“He’ll have to get through me to get to you,” Bear promised her. He frowned at his brother and the other men when he felt her tremble. He thought she would take comfort in the fact that they would protect her but he was caught unaware when she fainted in his arms.
He picked her up in his arms and carried her back to the room they were sharing.
Swede followed but waited at the door while Bear laid her carefully on the bed.
Bear glanced over at his brother and shrugged.
“Take care of her brother,” Swede said as he closed the door. When he walked back down the hall to join the others in the main room it was Bastian who asked, “Is she all right?”
Swede shrugged. “I have no idea. She’s afraid of something, most likely her brother but Bear told her we would protect her. I don’t get it.”
“I do,” Phoebe whispered from Michael’s arms. “She grew up under Leroy’s thumb, too afraid to breathe in case he went off on her. No doubt, he took his frustrations on her and he’s never had any compassion for anyone but himself. He only let her live as long as she was useful to him. She doesn’t have that protection anymore. If I were her, I would be afraid too.” She turned to Michael with tears on her face. “If he finds out that I’m here, he’ll kill me too.”
“We’ll stop him,” Michael assured her. “He won’t be able to get past all of us.”
“God, I hope you’re right,” she whispered.
Bear sat next to the bed and watched Lacey like a hawk. He didn’t understand why she fainted but as soon as she opened her eyes, he would find out. He reached over and took her hand in his. Her hands were so much smaller than his. He couldn’t believe how someone so tiny could have such a huge effect on him. Ever since he first laid eyes on her, he knew she was different. Hers was the only touch he’d had in over three years. Everyone else he didn’t want to touch or be touched by.
He raised her hand to his lips and when he kissed her hand, he noticed her eyes fluttering open.
Neither of them said a word for a few minutes then Bear asked softly, “Are you okay?”
Lacey nodded. “You make me feel safe.”
“Then why did you pass out?”
Lacey closed her eyes and shuddered. “I think it was just talking about Leroy that scared me. I know he’s out there somewhere and when he realizes his plans are gone, he’ll come looking for me. He’ll think I betrayed him and he would be right.”
“You did nothing wrong,” Bear insisted. “Leroy is only one in the wrong here and he’s way deep in shit for what he’s trying to do.”
“Will you hold me for a while?” Lacey asked. “I just need to feel safe and you make me feel safe.”
Bear climbed into bed with her and wrapped his arms around her holding her tight. After a few minutes he asked, “Feel better now?”
Lacey nodded and tried to settle in the bed but her body wouldn’t cooperate.
Bear felt her fidgeting and couldn’t help but respond. His body hardened and he felt his cock thicken. “You need to settle down or you might get more than you bargained for,” he whispered quietly.
She peeked over her shoulder and saw the intense look on his face. She blushed but didn’t look away. Turning around to face him, she reached out tentatively to touch his cheek. “What if I want more?”
Bear stiffened and stared at her. “Do you? Do you want more?”
“Maybe—I don’t know. I know there is more between a man and a woman but I don’t know what t
hat is like.” She blushed and looked down at his throat before raising her eyes to his again. “I’ve never known a man’s touch and at first, I was afraid but I don’t feel that same fear when I’m with you. With you, I feel safe when you hold me. I know we don’t know each other very well but when I feel your arms around me, I want something more. My heart races and it feels like fire is racing through my body when you look at me a certain way.”
“What way is that?” he asked.
“The way you’re looking at me right now.”
Bear leaned closer and whispered in her ear, “I want to show you the ways between a man and a woman. I want to feel your bare body against mine. I want your kisses, your touch and your body. I want to see your eyes when you get excited at the things I plan to do to you. I want to feel you all around me when I enter your body. I want it all.”
“Show me.” She cupped his hard jaw. “Please show me what you want from me.”
Bear closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he told her, “I want to be gentle with you but it’s been so long, I don’t know if I can be. I haven’t touched anyone in three years and I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Something bad happened to me three years ago. We were in the desert overseas and I was captured by the enemy. They held me for three fucking days. They did things to me no one should have done to them. My unit came back to get me and they leveled the compound I was being held at. No one could touch me after that and I couldn’t stand to touch anyone else, until the day I found you. You are the only person I’ve touched in three long years. Swede is my brother and I haven’t been able to endure even his touch in so long.” He paused, sighed and rolled on his back. “I want you. I want to show you the tenderness every woman deserves but I’m not sure I can.”
Lacey leaned over his body and placing her face close to his she smiled. Hovering over his mouth, she brushed her lips over his. “Show me what you want.” Pressing her lips harder on his, she asked, “I need to know what this feeling is. Your touch is not something I fear. Pain is all I’ve ever known, so I do understand the fact that you can’t stand others to touch you, but you’ve never hurt me that way. You don’t flinch when I reach for you.” She paused then said, “If you can’t show me, I’ll understand.” She went to pull away but then Bear pulled her closer.
