* * *
Lynn gripped Clint’s hand with fervor, her whole countenance alive with the estate’s look and feel as Joe guided them through. Clint managed the speculative prospective investor as if born to it. He smiled and grimaced, his eyes taking in everything of note, trying successfully to be the objective balm to Lynn’s groupie type behavior. When Joe led them into an indoor pool area with a tropical motif, Clint had little difficulty acting stunned at the overwhelming grandeur. The hostage couples sipped by poolside in loungers, or together at the ornate table. They welcomed the newcomers with fervor and smiles pasted on their faces.
Clint smiled, waved, approached, and shook hands with everyone, making calculations as to the waiter/guards and positioning. “Wow, honey, this is really nice.”
Lynn acted bursting with excitement. “This… this is so awesome. Even the secrecy seems fine now, babe!”
They sat at the table with the other hostages they had just met with Joe, who was talking nonstop while setting his bag down near Clint. The pretense ended in seconds. Clint gripped the fully loaded MAC 10 in Joe’s bag, bringing it up into targeting form, and wasting the four waiter/guards with double hits from the weapon set on semi-auto. They never had a chance. Lynn grabbed up the other MAC 10 while Clint threw a flash-bang in the direction of the pool area entrance. The explosion quieted the screaming hostages.
“Move all the way back into the corner, folks! Do it now!” Lynn reinforced her order with slaps and kicks while Clint watched their backs. “Move it, Joe! Help me herd these slow pokes back there behind the potted bushes!”
Valois helped Lynn in maneuvering the terrified people into the corner, where they had solid masonry at their backs, and huge potted plants in front.
“Stay quiet! You’ll all be going home shortly if you don’t panic!” Lynn made sure she saw acknowledgement before turning to join Clint at the front. “Go on, cowboy. I’ll look after the Bo-Peeps. Nice shootin’ by the way.”
Clint grinned. “It’s what I do, Cruella.”
He kissed her, sealing off what would have been a vocal chastisement. Then he was running for the blown apart entrance. Clint smiled as he heard the M107 firing. He knew every shot meant a dead Cartel guy. There were four shots before he reached the mangled entranceway.
* * *
Lucas let me know he was in position. Jafar acknowledged we were loud and clear, and he had no visitors. That was our code for Denny holding off all interference. Casey and I were at each side of the garage door, ready to move. Clint’s flash-bang signaled they had handled the meeting. We waited, watching Lucas pick off the Cartel guys on the high ground. A few armed guards ran out of the estate entrance. They died the second they cleared the door as Case and I moved toward them, firing short bursts.
We threw flash-bangs through the front entrance, the explosions heralding screams from guys on the other side with blown eardrums. We carry those ones that are not target friendly. They make the ears, nose and even the eyes bleed. I didn’t even turn when someone died right behind us, knowing Lucas still commanded the high ground. I charged through on point with Casey firing behind me. The plan was for only one prisoner. There were no takers left at the front. Two more flash-bangs went off, letting us know where Clint was. The plan was search and destroy. We threw flash-bangs at every unsecured location, moving toward Clint with careful advances. He was to hold position once the pool area and side access points were secured.
“I have four in the pool area and three more in the access halls dead, DL.”
“Geezer took out five if I counted the shots right and he didn’t miss,” I added.
“Prick!” Lucas’s one word confirmed my number.
“We got two going in,” Casey said, “and four dead I finished at the entrance.”
“Damn. I thought Joe said there’d be a dozen,” Clint said. “I took my shoes off for the count and I’m coming up with eighteen so far.”
There were brief chuckles at Clint’s counting remark, including Lynn. “Still no visitors back here, DL,” Lynn said. “I asked Joe about the count. He said they have a rotating staff, so six of them may have been coming in to relieve six.”
“I’m betting Edwardo is hiding under his bed. Ask Joe if he knows where Godinez’s suite is here.”
“One moment, DL.” Lynn came back on a minute later. “His lavish lodging is first hall on your right past the entrance, and all the way down. I asked, and Joe said there are no other ways to get in other than the hall. He says Edwardo didn’t want windows or any other way someone could get in and do him in his sleep. His entrance is reinforced.”
“Thanks, Lynn. Hold steady. I don’t want Lucas to move, so it will take us other three a while to clear all the rooms.”
“Will do. Our rescued people are unhappy at all the noise. How much leeway do I have in operating my complaint department?”
Laughter.
“Please don’t kill them, Cruella. We’ve come so far to get them out alive.”
“Okay, Sissy Boy, but you’d better get a move on or I may have to conduct a demonstration, and you don’t want that.”
I sighed. “Let’s go boys or we won’t have anything to show for this mission but DNA samples.”
Our room to room search revealed nothing. We were thorough, collecting all computer drives along with anything else interesting. We worked from the opposite end of the estate to the other, ending with Godinez’s lodging. I tried the very impressive door. It was locked. “Hey, Edwardo, we’re here, buddy. Come on out.”
No answer.
“You do realize while we may not be able to knock your door down, we will blow the wall adjacent to it into dust.”
No answer. I shrugged at Casey. Clint and I moved far down the hall and Casey set the charge on the left wall, which was nothing but a wall. Casey ran back with us. We ducked down. The charge blew the wall to smithereens. In comical slow motion the reinforced entranceway fell inward in a single piece. Edwardo was lying in a fetal position against the wall with a machine pistol next to him.
“I don’t love this guy, Case, so if he tries to make me pay for taking the first hit shoot him in the head. We’ll tell Denny he got hit with a stray.”
Casey smiled. “I was wondering when you were going to get tired of that first hit shit.”
“Pussy,” came the pronouncement in my ear from the Geezer.
I ran down the hallway straight at Edwardo. He didn’t move. I kicked the weapon off to the side, and put my MAC 10 barrel to his head. “Hi Edwardo… can you hear me now?”
Casey and Clint bracketed me while I knelt on Godinez, making sure he didn’t have any surprises. He was out cold. I flipped him on his stomach and plastic tied his hands behind his back. I handed Clint my MAC 10 and shouldered my buddy, Edwardo. “Let’s get the hell out of here while our hostages are still alive. I’m glad Edwardo here has more than one vehicle. We have a big load. Bring our guests out, Lynn. We’re heading to the garage.”
“On it.”
Casey and Clint kept in front, having collected Edwardo’s computer drives. We all paused by the entrance until Lynn escorted the hostages out along with Joe. One of the women was crying, clinging tightly to her angry looking husband. I shook my head at Cruella.
“What? Oh… you’re unhappy about crybaby here. Get over it. Hey, DL, look at the rest of them, all cooperative and quiet, right Joe?”
Joe looked down. “Yes, Ms. Montoya.”
“You get the limo with Alto driving Lynn. We’ll ride in front with one of their other cars.”
“Don’t you want to treasure hunt? Let’s wake Eddie up and I’ll get him to tell us where his valuables are.”
“We can’t, Lynn. I’d like to, but we need to get out of here. Our escape without a trace window is closing.”
Lynn patted Edwardo’s cheek where his head rested against my back. “Later, Amigo.”
* * *
At the boat dock, we loaded our cramped cargo. We came up with enough mone
y to give Joe and Alto so they would have no trouble getting out of Cancun. I gave them a number to reach us, and cautioned they would have to ditch everything, including credit cards, cell-phones or any other gizmo the Cartel could trace. Lucas left port in our crowded Wolf, and we called Denny.
“We’ll be in International waters shortly. All hostages are accounted for and well. Godinez is also on board.”
“That’s what I want to hear! I have a Coast Guard Cutter on its way to you.” Denny gave us coordinates only fifteen miles further. “Damn fine op, John! I’m sure Lynn will find out all the really great information Edwardo knows, so I’ll leave you to it. I’ll handle the oil rig aftermath. Take the scenic route home to Corpus Christi. If I can be of service, just ring me up. Captain Blood out.”
I glanced over at the smiling Lucas. “I won’t even say anything to crimp this ending.”
“You better not. I’m with Casey,” Lucas replied. “We’ll have to lay low for at least a year to build up our karma. We’ve caused a major disruption in the Force.”
“Agreed.”
* * *
It wasn’t long at all before we transferred our happy to be rid of us guests to the Coast Guard. That left us with but one more loose end to deal with before the honeymoon pleasure cruise began in earnest with fishing, and adult beverages. Edwardo was sitting comfortably in the living area, his sullen face a mask of discontent. After the transfer, Lucas moved us to a spot a few miles further on and cut the engines. The ocean, tranquil and gorgeous, with wispy clouds drifting above, made for a rather incongruous setting for this last segment of the mission. I came down into the main crew area, and sat down opposite Eddie.
“When am I to be transferred?” Eddie wanted to get some place where his Cartel lawyer could buy his way to freedom. “I am a Mexican National. I demand to be released!”
Lynn giggled. “Oh, you’re going to get released, Eddie… just not the way you have in mind.”
Eddie didn’t like her tone. “Who is this bitch to talk to me in such a way?”
Jafar immediately got up shaking his head. “Oh boy. Let me know when you need me to record, John.” He went to join Lucas on the bridge.
Lynn sighed happily, taking a seat next to Eddie, and draping her arm around his shoulders. “You know, Eddie, one of the most beautiful creatures on earth is a shark: sleek, fast, unstoppable, and very dangerous.”
“Why are you telling me this, you stupid bitch?” Edwardo turned away.
Lynn looked across at me. “Oh my!”
I stood up. “Let’s get him stripped, guys. We’re all out of chum. I wish we didn’t have to use the lifejacket. I noticed pieces getting stuck in our disposal units’ teeth.”
* * *
Casey, Lucas, Jafar, and I were fishing leisurely off the fantail, while Lynn and Clint sunned on the foredeck. Soft strains of music drifted to us from our wonderful audio system. We had decided on Captain Morgan rum as the sipping pleasure for this fishing session, our moderate intake of spirits lulling us into happy contemplation. I leaned back further, with another small sampling of my rum - Voyage of the Damned, my ass.
The End
Table of Contents
HARD CASE
Chapter One: John Harding
Chapter Two: Scapegoat
Chapter Three: Ishmael Ali Returns
Chapter Four: Recruiting
Chapter Five: Preliminaries
Chapter Six: Rankin Fight and Aftermath
Chapter Seven: The Russians
Chapter Eight: YouTube
Chapter Nine: Pseudo-Dad
Chapter Ten: The Sister Card and Meeting Samira
Chapter Eleven: Planning
Chapter Twelve: Mobster Debt
Chapter Thirteen: Unlikely Terrorist Connection
Chapter Fourteen: Complications
Chapter Fifteen: Hunting Chardin
Chapter Sixteen: Unexpected Hostage
Chapter Seventeen: Lora
Chapter Eighteen: New Partnership
Chapter Nineteen: The Slayer
Chapter Twenty: Pirates
Chapter Twenty-One: Night Attack
Chapter Twenty-Two: Final Sanctions
HARD CASE 2
Chapter One: Monsters
Chapter Two: Gronk
Chapter Three: Bills Come Due
Chapter Four: Deal With The Devil
Chapter Five: Bloody Path To Antelope Wells
Chapter Six: Collecting Back Wages
Chapter Seven: Killer Trail
Chapter Eight: Sin City
Chapter Nine: Aftermath and an Airport Incursion
Chapter Ten: Training Day, Killing Day
Chapter Eleven: Take Down at Sam’s Town
Chapter Twelve: Wet-Work
Chapter Thirteen: Slayer
Chapter Fourteen: Date Up North
Chapter Fifteen: Baiting Monsters and a New Home
Chapter Sixteen: Mean Girl and War in Oakland
Chapter Seventeen: Jafar’s Final Word
Chapter Eighteen: Outside Agitator
Chapter Nineteen: Final Reckoning
HARD CASE 3
Chapter One: Little Sister
Chapter Two: Mission For Manny
Chapter Three: The Destroyer
Chapter Four: Deadly Trap
Chapter Five: Belize Black Op
Chapter Six: Brannigan
Chapter Seven: Emerald Bay Sanction
Chapter Eight: Kevin Halliday
Chapter Nine: Deadly Business
Chapter Ten: The Buffster
Chapter Eleven: The Horrific and the Normal
Chapter Twelve: School Attack
Chapter Thirteen: Evil Empire Threads
Chapter Fourteen: Force of Arms
Chapter Fifteen: No Mercy
Chapter Sixteen: The Darkness Works
Chapter Seventeen: Preparations
Chapter Eighteen: Just Business
Chapter Nineteen: Oil Rig
Chapter Twenty: Battle Stations
Chapter Twenty-One: Night Swim
Chapter Twenty-Two: Cancun
Hard Case: Boxed Set Books 1,2 & 3 (John Harding Books) Page 90
