by Jack July
They could hear Tigger coming in to land. Bogus gave Princeton a nod. “Let’s go.”
As they traversed the living room for the front door, the back door opened. Micky showed no expression; his dirty face was tear-streaked. He kicked off his shoes and set them outside. He made no eye contact with anyone. His normal state was, as his grandpa pointed out, full of piss and vinegar. As he started up the stairs, he looked dead inside.
Princeton looked at the floor, shaking his head. “Well, sir, you did it. You broke him.”
In the calm before the next storm, Bogus could not argue Princeton’s point. “The Lady will fix him.”
“No, sir,” Princeton replied. “Only you can do that.”
“Hmm, yes, well, time to focus. Let’s go.”
As they walked down the steps, Bogus began to come to life. The warrior that lay dormant was waking up, and he began to smile. He caught movement to his left. It was Leon taking the tractor back to the barn. Bogus stopped. “Princeton, inform Tigger I will be a moment.”
Bogus jogged to intercept the tractor. Leon saw him, stopped and turned off the engine. Leon gave him a cold stare. “What?”
“Sir, I am going to speak to the man responsible for harming your grandson, killing his horse, and laying bare my inability to communicate with a child. I would like you to come with me.”
Leon turned away and focused on the little silhouette in the window of his house on the other side of the holler. It was his son Sam, who watched with unbridled glee every time a helicopter landed. Bogus broke his concentration. “After all, we are still family, correct?”
“Yeah, yeah, we still family. You need me to get anything?”
“No sir, we will be just fine. You may want to think about how you would like to use this opportunity to express yourself.”
“Express myself? You damn right I’m gonna express myself.”
They climbed aboard the 429, Princeton slid the waterproof canvas bag over to give Leon a place to sit. Fifteen minutes later, Tigger set them down not far from the river in Congressman Stone’s backyard. Floodlights came on in the back yard but didn’t quite reach all the way to the Helicopter. Bogus, Princeton and Leon disembarked and walked directly toward the house. Coming the other way was Congressman Stone followed by his three bodyguards. The groups came together in the center of the yard.
Bogus stepped forward, Princeton to his left and Leon to his right. Congressman Stone stood directly in front of Bogus, his three bodyguards lined up behind him. Stone looked over Bogus’ shoulder. “Good lookin’ bird ya got there. What can I do for you?”
Bogus was cold and direct. “Do you know who I am?”
“Hell, you look just like that Boguslaw Zielinski.”
“That would be correct.” As soon as it left his mouth Bogus laid a vicious slap to the side of the congressman’s face. Stone’s fat left jowl stretched to the other side of his nose as spit flew through the air, sparkling in the lights. He stumbled and fell to one knee. Two of the three men behind him started to move forward, but the former secret service man put out his arms to stop them. The three jumped as military grade laser sights lit up the back yard like a Pink Floyd concert.
Bogus turned his attention to the three. “Can I help you gentlemen with something?”
The former Secret Service agent spoke. “No, sir. No, sir, Mr. Zielinski.”
In a pleasant tone Bogus asked, “Would you please excuse us?”
“Yes sir, and...thank you, sir.” The “thank you, sir” was the spoken part of the complete sentiment: “thank you for not killing us.”
Stone was beginning to panic. “WAIT! I paid ya’ll to protect me!”
The secret service man turned to look at Bogus. His body language was asking for permission to speak. Bogus nodded. “Congressman, there are countries with standing armies that know better than to cross that man. My advice to you is to make peace. I’ll send back your money; good luck.”
As they walked away, Bogus barked at the congressman, “Stand up!” Stone raised himself to his feet. “Why did you kidnap my son?”
“I, I, didn’t know. I didn’t, ah, I’ll call them, I’ll call them now.”
“No need, I’ll let you speak to them here. Princeton?”
Princeton unzipped the bag, turned it upside down and dumped the heads of the kidnappers at the congressman’s feet. It took a moment for Stone’s brain to recognize what he was looking at. He let out a sickening guttural scream.
Bogus smiled. “Tell them congressman. Tell them to release my son.”
The congressman’s mouth opened, but nothing came out. Then Bogus roared, “I SAID TELL THEM!”
The congressman stuttered, “R, r, r, re, re, re, release, ah him, ah, oh god, ah.”
Bogus smiled. “Well done. Like magic, he’s home, safe, in his room. Now, I think his grandfather has a few things to say.”
Leon nodded and unbuckled his thick leather belt. “You know who I am?”
“Yes, yes, Leon, Leon Braxton?”
“Yeah, you son of a bitch.” Leon stomped forward like a man possessed and proceeded to whip Stone like an animal, stopping only to remind him what he’d done to Leon’s first wife, Katherine. He whipped him until he ran out of breath. The congressman lay whimpering as Leon stood over him. Bogus nodded. “Well, I think that’s enough for this evening. Come, father, let’s go home.”
Leon spat on him before walking away. Princeton grabbed the heads by the hair and placed them back in the bag. They returned to the helicopter and climbed aboard. Leon sat down, still shaking from the adrenalin rush. As they took off, Bogus turned to Leon. “Are you alright?”
“Yeah. Yeah, I feel good, real good, thank you.”
Bogus gave him a little pat on the knee. “You’re welcome.”
The G-650 taxied to a space in front of the hanger, where Garrett shut it down. Amy had done some deep thinking on her way home. Her first thought was to go directly to the hospital. Voices from the past changed that. She recalled her mother’s and Granny Patches’ words, “Always make sure your own house is in order ’fore you go messin’ in somebody else’s.”
“Garrett?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Could you drive me home?”
“Oh, yes, sure. Give me a few minutes. I have to secure the plane.”
Forty minutes later, they pulled into her driveway. She thanked Garrett and grabbed her bag. As she walked up the steps to the porch, she could smell the lingering scent of jet fuel. She walked in the back door and saw Athos sitting at the island in the kitchen, reading a book. “Hi, Athos.”
He gave her a little smile. “My Lady.”
“Where’s my boys?”
“Bogus just left with Princeton and your father.”
“My father? Did they take the helicopter?”
“Yes.”
“Wow, I don’t think my father has ever been in a helicopter.” She glanced around. “Where’s Micky?”
“In his room.”
“Well, let me go see my love.”
She turned to go up the stairs when Athos called her back. “My Lady?”
“Yeah?”
“Come, come talk to me.”
She saw his face. “What’s wrong?”
“Sit, sit. Micky was kidnapped.”
Her brow arched and her mouth fell open. “’Scuse me?”
Athos went step by step over the day’s events. When he finished, she sat for a moment processing what she had heard. Then she noticed his olive drab t-shirt and tactical pants. “You rescued him, didn’t you?”
He nodded his head. She jumped off the stool and wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you, thank you so much, thank God for you.” He was a bit stiff, not used to the physical affection. She let him go. He looked up at her. “I do my job.”
“No, no, sir. It’s more than that.”
“Ah, well, I love him too.”
She hugged him again. Trying to control her emotions, she wiped her eyes
. “I’m going to see him.”
Athos nodded. “His face is bruised and he has stiches above his eye.”
“Okay, thanks for telling me.” Amy turned and went up the stairs to Micky’s loft. She opened the door and saw him sitting at his desk, writing. “Micky?”
He looked up and gave her a little smile. “Ma?”
She dragged him off the chair, wrapped her arms around him and pulled him over to the edge of his bed, where they sat. Her hands cupped his face as she looked him over. “You okay?”
“Aye, Ma, I’m fine.”
She began to cry. “I am sorry, I am so sorry I wasn’t here for you.”
“No, no Ma, it’s okay. It was my fault. I was em, irresponsible.”
She pulled away from him and looked him in the eye. That was not a word she had ever heard him use. “No, no, you were attacked. You’re not responsible for that.”
“I left the boundary; I didn’t think.”
“No, honey, no. You were just being you. It’s okay, really. I, I just want to hug you for awhile, okay?”
She pulled him close and kissed the top of his head. She whispered, “I’m sorry about Mathias. I know how much you loved him.”
Micky thought he was all cried out. He was wrong.
They sat together until Amy heard people downstairs. Bogus was home. “I want you to get some rest. We’ll talk more tomorrow.”
Micky nodded. Amy stood up and glanced down at the desk. She saw the letter addressed to Prince William. She reached down, picked it up and read the first couple lines. Then she stopped. Turning her head to look over her shoulder, she saw him turn away. She decided it could wait.
Joseph left with Agent Bell without the need for cuffs. This left Brian trying to figure out what in the hell was going on. He knew Jack came every evening to spend the night with Carla Jo. Just then another agent appeared. He was waiting for Jack. Brian moved quickly to the first floor and caught up with Kelly, who was holding her purse and keys, heading for the door.
“Kelly, wait.”
“Brian, what in the hell does the FBI want with Joseph?”
“They don’t, they want Jack. What time does he show up?”
“I don’t know. For the past two nights it’s been after I leave, and he’s gone before I come in.”
“Okay, don’t you worry’ bout Joseph. They’re just diggin’.”
“Diggin’ for what?”
“I don’t rightly know. But I don’t think Joe does either.”
“I gotta go.” She shook her head and scowled. “This is such bullshit. All he wants to do is make some money and race a damn car.”
“I know. Thanks, hon.”
She turned to walk out the door and stopped. “He parks in my assigned space on the other side of the ER. I told him to; it’s closer.”
Brian nodded. “Thanks.”
Brian checked his watch. It was 10:45. He went back inside, grabbed a cup of coffee, sat outside on a bench and waited. Just past 11:30, the old truck pulled in and parked. Brian didn’t give him a chance to get out. He made his way to the truck and leaned against the door. “Jack, you gotta get the hell outta here. The FBI is waiting for you upstairs.”
“FBI, huh? No shit?”
“Yeah, they have questions about the two men who disappeared.”
Jack took a deep breath and furrowed his brow. “I need ya to do somethin’ for me.”
“You name it.”
“Stay with Carla Jo. Don’t leave her, understand?”
“I won’t. Y’all’s like family to me. Whatever you need.”
“Thanks, Brian. Have you seen Amy?”
“No, sorry, aint seen her. It was Stone, wasn’t it?”
He saw Jack’s jaw clench and his hand tighten on the steering wheel. Brian nodded. “That’s what I thought. Sum bitch.”
“Gotta go. Thanks Brian.” Jack started the truck, backed it out and drove off into the night.
Chapter 40
Amy and Bogus both traveled for their work. One or the other, or both, would be gone at least a week out of every month. Regardless of what was going on in the rest of the world, when they made eye contact it was just the two of them. Both felt a longing combined with relief, quickly followed by a hunger to touch and be close. She made it to the bottom of the stairs and saw him. They locked eyes, smiled, and came together in a tight embrace. They kissed like they hadn’t seen each other in a year. “I missed you,” he whispered in her ear.
“I missed you more,” she whispered back.
Bogus ran his fingers through her hair, framing her face in his hands. “Are you okay?”
She nodded. “Never better.”
“Good, good. I’m glad to hear it.”
“Things around here have gone crazy since I left. We should talk about that.”
Bogus let out an exasperated sigh. “You have no idea. I’m not sure where to begin.”
She glanced around the house. “Let’s start at the beginning. What did you say to Micky?”
Bogus closed his eyes as if he were in pain. “Princeton, will you please excuse us?”
“Oh, no sir. I’d like to hear this.”
Before Bogus could speak, Amy turned to Princeton. “Were you there?”
Princeton looked at Bogus, who was not amused. “Yes, my Lady.”
She pointed at a chair. “Sit.” Then she turned back to Bogus. “Athos told me what happened. I will figure out the why. But something else is bothering Micky. What happened?”
Bogus sat down on the edge of the couch and put his head in his hands. After a moment, he looked up at her. “I told Micky what I thought of his actions.”
Amy arched her brow and pursed her lips. “Really? What did you say?”
“I told him that he made a good show of being a ‘knight,’ but he failed when it came to responsibility and accountability. Because of his decisions, he risked Athos’ life and the hearts of those that love him.”
Bogus looked her in the eye. Hers was not a happy eye. “Was that all you said?”
“Well, more or less.”
Princeton spoke up. “Sir, if I may, there was that other thing.”
She turned toward Princeton. “What other thing?”
Amy turned back to Bogus but he wasn’t talking. “Princeton? What other thing?”
“I was thinking of that part where he blamed Micky for the death of his horse.”
A hurt look appeared on Amy’s face. “Bogus? No, oh no, you didn’t say that. Did you?”
Bogus became defensive. “The boy needed to hear the truth, he is seventeen years old. When I was seventeen—“
In a firm but soft voice, Amy replied, “Whoa, whoa, no sir. No sir. He’s not you. Bogus, your father was a national hero, your mother loved you and your sister loves you still. You had a family. Up until a few years ago, Micky had nothing. Everyone had abandoned him. He was alone, living on the streets with nothing. We’re the first family he has ever had. Mathias was everything to him. Mathias was just like him. Your trainers kicked him off the ranch because they couldn’t train him. Micky gave him what they didn’t. Micky gave him love. He sat in the stall with him and did his homework. He talked to him like he was his best friend. Micky didn’t hurt that horse; the people that attacked him did. Words hurt. You hurt him. You hurt him badly.”
Bogus looked genuinely regretful. “I guess I’m not much of a parent.”
She sat down beside him and put her arm around his neck. “I wouldn’t say that. If he didn’t love and respect you, the things you said wouldn’t have bothered him. You have to go talk to him. You have to fix it.”
“I’m not sure what to say.”
“I would start with the opposite of what you said the first time.”
“Very well, I’ll talk to him.”
Amy kissed him and smiled. “Good. There is one more thing. Do you know what he was doing when I went up there?”
Bogus shook his head.
“He was writing a letter to P
rince William to renounce his Knighthood.”
Princeton sat up quickly in the chair. “No!”
“Oh yes. Understand something. Micky is not a knight. Micky is my knight. He belongs to the castle and me. Any comments about my knight should be positive and uplifting, because I am the Lady, and I said so. Understand?”
Bogus gave her a little smile and a nod. “Yes, my Lady.”
“Okay. Now, Princeton?” She turned on the couch to face him. “Would you mind telling me how he rode almost twenty miles without anyone noticing? What part of the phrase ‘eyes on target’ do you not understand?”
Bogus leaned back on the couch, shot Princeton a little grin and said, “Your turn.”
After a five-minute polite-but-thorough ass chewing about Micky’s security, it was determined that the tracking device was not sufficient and that Athos would have to learn to ride a horse. She told Princeton he could go. When Princeton walked out the door, Amy leaned back on the couch and turned to Bogus. “I have to go.”
Bogus knew exactly what she was talking about, “Yes, I know. Would you like me to come with you?”
“No, I’d rather you stay and talk to Micky. What does she look like? How bad is she?”
“She looks like she’s sleeping. They cut her hair and put a bandage on the left side of her head.”
“Did you call in any specialists?”
“I have one arriving tomorrow from London.”
“Good, good. Adele called me. She told me what she knew. She told me about two missing men and how the FBI was involved. I nearly had a meltdown in the plane. Then I remembered you were here and you would do the right thing. You would take care of things.” She moved closer to him, put her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder. “The smartest thing I have ever done is to marry you.” Her chin began to quiver and the first tear fell. Her voice began to crack. “Jesus, this is gonna be hard. I love that woman so much. She’s been my Mom since I was 12. She gave me all she had.”
Bogus gave her a gentle hug and a kiss. “You need to go ahead and feel what you need to feel. Get it out, because my dear, I do not think this is over.”
Princeton drove Amy to the hospital. She signed in and walked to Carla Jo’s room. It was the kind of walk where you feel every step; where the emotions build until you can get to the door and look in. Before she could do that, the FBI agent intercepted her at the door. She slipped her CIA ID out of her back pocket, flipped it open and held it there until she was sure he saw the ‘S’ code. Hers granted unlimited access: the White House, all military bases and embassies along with director level situational authority. His eyes got big when he saw it. It was the first one he had ever seen.
