The Cleansing

by Shane Crosby

  “There you go. No getting away now.”

  “Have one of them radio to tell them they’re in position and everything is clear.”

  After this part was completed, Mase kicked the boss in the back and promised him he’d be back to kill him.

  It was comical to see three hired killers sitting there naked. I took a picture to commiserate this special occasion. Just like when we were in the Middle East, we were at war, yes, but we always found some time to laugh and take a photo or two. Now, wasn’t much different, even though our lives were in imminent danger, we enjoyed a little laughter albeit, at their expense.

  THE CONFRONTATION

  TIME TO GET SERIOUS

  Trevor

  After we took care of the executioner’s crew, we got back into position. Scott took the radios of our pals. When the home office asked for a check-in, Scott, who speaks Russian fluently, responded to let them know all was well.

  It wasn’t long after the check in, that from a distance, Scott could see a caravan of big black SUV’s coming toward our direction. We used some of Arie’s elite spy equipment to see into the vehicles. Scott prepared Trevor to be ready to take his shot.

  “Get ready. I see them Trevor get into position.”

  “I’m ready.”

  “I see J! He's in the third truck. Trevor, on my go.”

  “Ready.”

  “They’re in position. NOW!”

  Shots rang out hitting the two people on either side of J. I could see J. He was in the center with his head down and a black hood over his head. I didn’t see him move; not even flinch. Deep down I wondered if we were too late and we’d failed our little brother. Flashbacks of years of childhood laughter, pancakes in the morning, snowball fights in our front yard, comforting and lending a shoulder to lean on during disappointments all flooded my mind. Tears began to fill my eyes and then anger. In order to get my brother back dead or alive, I had to focus; not on the grief or guilt I felt for failing to protect him but retrieving his body regardless of the condition and returning him home.

  We didn’t plan on there being a passenger in the front. The driver and passenger looked amazed at what just happened. The passenger picked up his radio to tell the group what happened. But, before he could, Scott gave the order to hit the land mines.

  “NOW!”

  A noise that sounded like the rumbling an earthquake makes ripped through the land. The trucks were twisting and turning from the explosion. The blast created such an intense vibration that it almost shook me off the roof. I started to hear cracking. When I looked down this large opening was forming in the foundation of the building and rapidly moving up the side. I had just enough time to pack up my gear throw the ladder over the side and run for cover. By the time I made it to the bottom, all that was left was rubble. So, that’s another life I can strike off the list. I’ve got two lives left and I’ll probably use those tonight. I found another building to make my perch. My dilemma was getting up there in enough time to provide cover to the guys. When I made it to the top, I could see the others run toward the wreckage. I set up my rifle and confirmed my position.

  “In position, all clear.”

  “We thought you were gone, bro.”

  “I promised myself never to die in the middle of a mission.”

  “I, for one, am glad you kept that promise.”

  “We're making the approach.”

  “Eagle eye is watching.”

  Not every man was rendered incapacitated when the blast went off. They understood and realized what was going on. The first thing they did was run to J’s vehicle. The passenger within his SUV was still alive and trying to maintain control of the SUV. He stopped for his friends and they begin to drag J out of the SUV.

  “Get to J, he’s in trouble.”

  Scott and I took aim and sent them on a permanent vacation. J fell out of the SUV, somehow stumbled to his feet. Mase was calling his name repeatedly.

  “J!”

  “J! No! Stay down!”

  Jared, kidnapped, beaten, tortured for days was disoriented, half dead. He used what remaining strength he had to try and escape his captors. I’m not sure if he even knew it was us who were trying to rescue him. Automatic weapons, explosions, loud yelling is going on around us. J dazed and unaware of his surroundings around him, fell to his knees, got back up on his feet, fell, got up onto his feet again and started to hobble toward Mase.

  As Mase tried to get him to drop to the ground, in Jared’s delirium he didn’t understand. For us, to see this and to witness the execution of our brother, it was more than we could bear. I don’t believe any of us will be able to find a way to live with the outcome of this night.

  “No! J! No! Stay down!”

  A shot rang out and we saw him fall face first into the dirt. Dub, the oldest and protector of all of us, yelled out in a gut wrenching pain as if the bullet hit him. He was about to get off course. His emotions were taking over. He was leaving his position. I called to him.

  “Dub! Mase has him! Focus!”

  Scott’s in my ear asking about the shot to J, was it his back or head? I have no idea. I’m not focused on anything, but the scene playing out in front of me. Mase was cradling J, for a few seconds, just like the rest of us, he’d lost all focus. Then he picked him up and carried him over his shoulder.

  “Where’s that shot coming from?”

  “Scott!” Trevor yelled through the com.

  “Listen! We can’t lose focus! Get yourself together, now! Where’s that shot coming from?”

  “I don’t know!!!”

  “Calm, Scott. Breath. Now tell me where’s that shot coming from?”

  I swallowed my emotions, gagged on my tears and cleared my vision. I wasn’t rescuing my brother, I was engaged in a battle, that’s all that mattered. I got myself together and focused.

  “There he is!”

  “Good. You got a shot?”

  “He’s out of focus.”

  “Keep it on him. He’ll stick his head out.”

  In the confusion, without us being aware it was in the area another truck had joined our five man war. He parked between the buildings, but he didn’t hide himself good enough. He hadn’t planned on sharp shooters being out here tonight. I waited and kept that area within my scope. Then, I saw my target’s silhouette through the driver’s side window of the SUV. Remember, I said when preparing to go on a mission, prepare for plan B? I said a prayer, readied my weapon, looked through the scope, put him in the cross hairs and, thanked God for not being busy. I squeeze the trigger. It was a perfect shot.

  Scott and I could hear Don calling J’s name with the desperation of a mother whose lost her child in a crowded mall. We didn’t need stars tonight. Gun fire was going off so frequently, it lit up the sky.

  Dub, having been successful in killing the last shooter, wasn’t leaving until he killed the person who tortured J. We watched him walk to each pile of twisted metal searching for him with the intensity of a bloodhound on the trail of an escaped convict. He came upon a turned over SUV. The passenger, I assumed was laying on the ground. Dub walked to him and bent down. The injured man stretched out his hand towards Dub for help and Dub smacked it away.

  In a strained voice. “Help me.”

  “I’m glad we could meet in person.”

  “Help me.”

  “I hope you took my advice and kissed your wife goodbye.”

  Dub, put the rifle to his head and pulled the trigger.

  “Dub! Let’s roll man. We got J.”

  Once again, I was packing up my equipment expeditiously. By the time I got back down on the ground, they had loaded J up, carried him back to the safe zone and into the van. When they picked us up, J was in the supine position on the van floor. He was covered with blood; his own.

  Before we could get out of the hot zone, it was like we all heard it at the same time. A whistle. We knew what that meant. We were the target of a missile. Before we could blink, an explosion rocked ou
r van. The van turned over flipped several times and landed on its side. Stunned and bewildered by what just happened, before we could compose ourselves, there was another explosion and then a crash. I prayed it was the cavalry coming to save us because we weren’t in any condition to fight back. Those of us who could still hold their weapon pointed it at any open space we could see. Laying there bleeding and injured on places of our body none of us realized existed, we waited for those doors to open. Then, if I didn’t know better, I would’ve believed it was an angel, but the German accent gave it away.

  “Don, my friend, Arie here. Looks like I made it just in time, yes?”

  As bad as we were hurting, I think all of us mustered up a smile. They pulled us out of our van and placed us in theirs. J, already in bad shape was worsening by the minute. He was placed in the back on the floor and we flew through the streets of Prague to try and save him.

  J didn’t look like he was alive. He looked more like he was three quarters dead. His face was swollen so badly from the beatings he’d endured it was misshapen. If I hadn’t known it was him someone would’ve had to tell me I was looking at my little brother. His side was protruding outward from being punched repeatedly. A broken jaw was preventing him from talking. His fingers were bent in directions a contortionist wouldn’t attempt. A sharp object had been jammed into the tips of his fingers. He had holes in the middle of his hands from an object being hammered into them. We were afraid he wasn’t going to make it to the hospital in time.

  Dub, is the oldest brother. He’s as hard as they come. Nothing can break him, except seeing his baby brother barely clinging onto life. Barely was overstating his condition. His breathing was shallow and rapid. He was struggling to take each breath. It was as if it hurt him to breath. Dub felt responsible and I knew this wasn’t going to be easy for him to get over. I’ve seen my brother cry, sure. But, I’ve never seen my brother weep. He wept unabashedly as he cradled our brother is his arms, like he used to when J was a baby. And, begged, pleaded with him to hold on.

  We were all in pain, but Dub, he was suffering the most. The oldest, he saw that baby brother running behind him when we were kids. He picked him up when he fell. He made him better when he was injured. Tonight, he can’t do that. None of us could look at Dub. His pain was so severe and deeply penetrating. We put our heads down and cried not just for J, but for the one who feels the deepest guilt and remorse for not being there to prevent his baby brother from enduring the level of suffering that he currently feels inside.

  CHAPTER FIFTY -FOUR

  JUST IN TIME

  Trevor

  We made it to the hospital with J still breathing. They rushed him to the back and started working on him. We waited nervously in the hall for an update on his status.

  While we were at the hospital, J’s contact Alexi called to let us know he was recovering quite nicely and he wanted to repay us for saving his life. He had information regarding some of Mary Richter family, the wife of Gerhard Richter. They were still living in Russia and because Gerhardt was rumored to be a bastard to his family; especially his wife, he thought her sisters would be more than willing to talk. When I told the fellas, our thoughts were the same someone above was finally smiling down on us.

  Arie had his people dressed in plain clothes as if they were family. I, for one was glad he sent people to protect us. If not for his assistance, we wouldn’t be able to add this in our story book of military battles and field operative missions. I didn’t want to leave my brother, but if he was awake, he’d encourage us to follow the lead.

  Myself, Don and Scott traveled back to Russia. Mase and Dub decided to stay with J. All the way to the airport, we were on high alert. Everything that moved or made a noise caused me to jump. A horn blew and I pulled my weapon to shoot the old lady in the lane next to us. She was terrified, of course. Through the passenger side window, I apologized over and over, but I understood her horror and unwillingness to accept the apology of the lunatic pointing a gun at her in the next lane.

  “Trevor, man you’re going to have to calm down. You’re going to get us pulled over by the police.”

  “I don’t want to spend a night in a Russian prison. Been there done that.”

  “When?”

  “We were flying over Russia taking pictures and collecting Intel when they sent a plane to fly next to us, this idiot flew to close and we had to crash land in Russia! They had to plan a freaking operation to come break us out.”

  Trevor and I started to laugh. “Scott, man I don’t need to be a SEAL any more I can just live vicariously through you.”

  “Yeah whatever man! I don’t think it’s funny.”

  “You’d be the only one.”

  RUSSIA

  SAFE HOUSE

  Don, Scott, Mase

  Don

  As soon as we landed in Russia, we drove to a safe house owned by the German Government; Arie is a great friend to have. Any hotel we stayed in would’ve been on our enemy’s radar. The safe house was our best option for staying alive.

  “What should we say to them when we get there?”

  “I’ve been thinking the same thing.”

  “I think we should introduce ourselves and just be honest.”

  “How honest? Hello ma’am. We have some homicidal maniacs trying to kill us and everyone we talk to or think about asking for help ends up dead. So will you help us?”

  “Damn man. What’s wrong? Your parents didn’t tell you they loved you enough as a kid?”

  “Since we’re brothers you should know.”

  “We need to come up with something.”

  “Do we really want to go?”

  “Come again.”

  “These women have lived long lives. Us making contact with them could end it sooner than later. Do we really wanna put a target on them like this?”

  “Alexi is a spy for the US. You know he didn’t tell anyone. They should be fine.”

  “Yes, that’s what worries me. Everyone we spoke with should have been fine.”

  “So, to answer the question, I think we should go. We don’t have anything to lose.”

  “No, but they do.”

  NEXT MORNING

  NOTHING TO LOSE

  RUSSIA

  Trevor, Scott and Don

  Trevor

  Up early this morning to make our way to the sister’s house. Scott was still questioning our visit. To tell the truth, we all had a little doubt, but by the time of departure, we’d convinced ourselves that if Alexi found them and they were still alive, there shouldn’t be anything to be alarmed about.

  They lived two hours away from where we were so leaving early will get us there around ten o’clock Russian time. On our way to their home, I couldn’t help but think about our last trip to the countryside. It ended in disaster for someone else. I hope this casual little visit will be different and these little old ladies will be left to live out their golden years as they have up to this point.

  The two hours went by quickly. Time has a way of doing that when your mind is preoccupied every waking moment. Pulling up to their residence, we knew something was off. It wasn’t anything glaring out at us, like an X on the door or an alarm blaring in the distance. I don’t know what it was, but I knew this wasn’t going to end well.

  We got out of the car and walked to the door. Don slowly opened it and was met with a scene out of Helter Skelter. I wondered what kind of person could murder two old ladies. Either way, we were dead in the water. We needed another option.

  “Fuck! I knew it! I told you we shouldn’t come.”

  “Scott calm down. They were dead before we got here.”

  “Our visit didn’t kill ‘em.”

  “Scott, get it together. It’s the case. It’s the murders, killings, dead bodies lying in our path everywhere we go. It’s getting to you.”

  “I guess.”

  “You know fellas? I’m starting to think someone is deliberately killing people in Gerhardt’s family. If I didn�
��t know he was dead, I’d think it was him.”

  “You and me both. Maybe he’s risen up from the dead and has started murdering his family to keep his secret.”

  “Whatever they’re trying to hide they’re doing a damn great job of keeping it quiet so far.”

  “They sure are. It makes me want to know what it is more and more now.”

  “We have to keep going. Maybe Alexi can come across another lead before we leave this country.”

  “My question, when do we stop involving other people? Any time that we do they’re murdered.”

  “Damn man, admit it. It’s getting to you, isn’t it?”

  “How can it not you?”

  “Are we going to need a padded room for you?”

  “Trevor, leave him alone.”

  “No, I’m not going to need a padded room.”

  “The way you’re moaning and groaning, crying about every dead body we encounter, I can’t tell.”

  “You and Dub, I swear you were born without hearts.”

  “No, we just know not to wear them on our sleeve.”

  “Is that what I’m doing?”

  “Hell yes. If you need to go home, we’ll give you a ticket.”

  “Stop it both of you. We’re brothers. I mean it. Stop it. Scott, all I know is after everything we’ve been through, we have to get to the bottom of whatever is going on. No matter what it takes.”

  “People’s lives are at stake. When we stop caring about that, we’re no better than they are.”

  “That’s the thing about chasing monsters, before it’s all over, you’ve had to become one to catch one.”

  We sent word to Alexi that this option was dead, literally. I explained they had beat us to them and we were starting to believe someone had placed the Ritcher family on a hit list. He agreed that he was starting to believe they were cursed or someone was systematically eliminating them one by one. He was disappointed at our news but assured us he had a lot of connections and told us to remain patient. He thought he had another idea and this time he’d follow through on it alone. We were instructed to wait for his call.