by C J Murphy
In the surgical area, Jax noticed a few suture trays and small instruments that would be used during surgery were missing. Jax rattled off what she could tell had been taken. She heard a set of footsteps coming toward them. It was Harley.
“Chance, we’ve got some significant blood out in the parking lot in an empty spot. You need to see Kenny’s dash cam footage.”
Jax’s stomach turned, and she felt Chance’s arms around her. “Don’t jump to conclusions. Let’s see what happened.”
Harley shook her head. “Damn. Sorry, Jax. Not from Doc Hendricks. Probably one of our suspects. Kenny might have hit him when he fired his weapon. Tyson got a piece of someone too. “
“We’ve got some missing medical supplies. Things that might be needed to patch someone up, drugs to fight off an infection and pain meds. Still doesn’t explain Marty’s disappearance though.”
“Whoever’s on the tape has him. We saw them shove him into Jax’s dually and take off after they came out of the clinic. That’s on the tape.” Harley explained.
When they made it back out, Chance and Jax sat in Kenny’s cruiser and listened to the audio while they watched Kenny pull up and put his headlights on one subject pushing Marty toward the door. Jax covered her mouth as she watched her uncle stumble and go to his knees. Kenny got out of the vehicle and released Tyson, who stood at his side. Kenny ordered the man with Marty to show his hands, advising if he didn’t the dog would be released. The man raised a gun, then grabbed his leg as Kenny fired his weapon. Another shot rang out from off screen, and Kenny fell to the ground. Tyson disappeared from the screen before a great deal of barking and snarling could be heard.
Jax watched as the individual near her uncle tied something around his thigh and roughly pulled Marty to his feet, before he opened the door to the clinic and shoved Marty in. Minutes later, they heard Tyson whimper. Something happened off screen. A man ran over to Jax’s truck and busted the window. He pulled the door open and lay on his side on the floorboards.
“He’s hot-wiring your truck.” Chance pointed to the screen. “Where that guy’s at, there’s a small blood trail. Somehow, he got away from Tyson. We need to check Tyson for injuries. That dog wouldn’t have given up unless he was knocked out or hurt.”
The next footage showed the first man with a leg injury coming back out of the clinic. He was pointing a gun at Marty, who had a box in his arms. Doc was forced into the truck. The man who’d shot Kenny walked over and picked up the deputy’s service weapon. He pointed it at Kenny, but a shout from the truck drew him back over. Soon after, the truck backed out of the screen.
Jax put her hand over her mouth to stifle a scream at her uncle’s kidnapping. This is my fault. He should never have been here.
“That bastard was going to execute him.” Chance struck the dashboard with her fist. “Harley, I’m going to assume there’s a BOLO alert for Jax’s truck?”
“There is. If it’s in the open, we’ll find it. The California plates should make it stick out.”
Jax looked at Chance. “That truck has OnStar. I can call and report it stolen. They should be able to track it. If whatever that guy did to hot-wire it didn’t disable it.”
Chance looked at her. “Do it. The quicker we find that truck, the sooner we find Marty. He’s going to be okay, honey. With those injuries, they need him alive. I’m guessing that’s why they took the meds and equipment they did. That one suspect has a bullet wound in his leg and the other a set of teeth marks somewhere. They’re going to use Marty like a doctor. Make that call.”
Jax reported it then passed the phone to Chance. “They need to ask you some questions. I figure if its location information, you’ll understand it better.”
Chance rattled off her law enforcement credentials and advised that she’d have the communication center call OnStar’s emergency number to confirm everything.
“Thank you, we need that as soon as possible. A deputy’s been shot, and another individual’s been taken captive. Anything you can do to get that information to us yesterday, would be greatly appreciated.” Chance handed the phone back.
“Now what?” Jax asked.
“Now we run by my place. I called Maggie and Dee to sit with you, while we go kick the crap out of some bad guys to get Marty back.”
“Oh. No. You. Don’t. You aren’t leaving me behind anywhere. Get that out of your head right now. Wherever you go, I go. Don’t argue with me. If you do, I’ll borrow a vehicle and follow you. Chance, he’s my uncle, and he’s in this because of me. They should have me, not my eighty-two-year-old uncle.”
Jax let Chance pull her close, as the tears began to roll. Great sobs echoed between the silent screams she couldn’t let go. She had to hold it together.
“It’s going to be okay. I need to go to the house and get Zeus and my vest. I’m only carrying one weapon. It won’t be enough. Whatever we’re going into, I don’t want to be underprotected. Now, you can’t argue with me about this one thing. We’re going to have an ambulance standing by at a safe distance. You will stay with Sarah, period. You can’t be involved in whatever we have to do. You aren’t law enforcement, and the risks are too great. These guys shot a deputy. They’ll think nothing of shooting a civilian.
“I was a medic on a SWAT team. I know what I’m doing.”
“Honey, you haven’t trained with any of us. I love you with all my heart. You have to stay with Sarah for my piece of mind. Marty is a tough old bird. He’ll do what he has to do to survive, and they need him with those wounds. I want you to know we’re going to do everything we can. If he was sitting in this cruiser with me, he’d be just as upset thinking it should have been him and not you. I know him that well.”
Jax thought about Chance’s words and knew they were right. Chance would be worried about keeping her safe instead of focusing on rescuing Marty. She nodded. “Okay, on one condition. I want a radio so I can listen to what’s happening. I mean it, Chance. Not knowing will worry me more.”
Chance grabbed Kenny’s portable and handed it to her. “I’ll let you know what channel we’ll be on. Sarah can help you find it.” As they stepped from the vehicle, Chance’s cell phone rang. She answered it and waved Harley over, as she put it on speakerphone.
“Sheriff, this is Willa at the Comm Center, OnStar has a general location. The truck is up Camp 70 Road and stationary.”
“Willa, you keep OnStar on the phone. If that vehicle moves one foot, you call me back. I’m going to have Harley bring in her tactical unit. I’m going to go to the house to gear up, and we’ll let you know where we’ll set up a command post. Probably in the Davis Fire Department. Call the Chief and ask him if we can use the event hall.”
“Okay, Sheriff, you got it. Watch your back.”
“Always, Willa.” Chance hung up and looked at Harley, who was on her own cell phone. When Harley completed her call, she stepped back over to them.
Harley rested her hands on her gun belt. “Okay, the tactical team is assembling and will be headed this way from Elkins. It’s probably going to take us an hour to get them over here.”
Jax went wide-eyed. “You’re not going to do anything for a damn hour?” Jax threw her arms in the air. “They could kill him in an hour!”
Chance gathered her into her arms. “Jax, honey, calm down. Yes, we are going to do something, with or without the tactical team. We need them to get ready and over here in case this turns into something bigger. I’m trained in hostage negotiation and so is Harley. We don’t need to wait on them to move forward. It’s all part of the standard operating procedure. Covering all the bases. Come on, we need to go.” Chance turned back to Harley. “I’ll meet you at Davis Fire Hall in forty. Maggie is bringing Zeus to my house. I need to make some calls…to Taylor and to get a location on Randy. I know it’s killing him to handle the other incidents while this is going on. I’m sure you have every trooper this side of the state on their way over here. I got word the Feds are coming in too. We’ve got to get a h
andle on this before it becomes a huge cluster fuck with no organization.”
Chance led Jax to the truck and they hustled in to make their way to Chance’s house. Jax was trying to process it all and failing miserably. What would she do if something happened to Marty? Her mother was going to go ballistic when she found out. She was trying to decide if she should call her or rely on her mother’s local grapevine spies. If Jax didn’t call, the wrath of Hurricane Jacqueline would destroy everything in her wake. On the other hand, there was nothing she could tell her. They didn’t know where Uncle Marty was, or if he was still alive.
“No, I’ll wait,” Jax murmured.
“You want to wait at the house?” Chance questioned.
“No way in hell that’s happening,” Jax snapped.
“Hey, hey. Settle down. I heard you say you’d wait.”
“I was talking to myself. I was trying to figure out if I should call my mother. I’m sure, with all the scanner traffic, she already knows. I’m amazed my phone hasn’t…” Jax looked down at her phone and shut her eyes. “Speak of the devil and she shows up.”
“Jax, you can’t tell her much at all. You can tell her he’s missing and we’re looking for him. Tell her you’ll call her when you have more information. Leave it at that.”
Jax pushed the answer button. “Mother.”
***
Chance tried to give Jax as much privacy as she could. She concentrated on what she needed to get at the house. When they’d emptied out her wrecked cruiser, she’d put all her equipment in her personal armory. Her semiautomatic rifle and ammunition were in there. When she pulled into the driveway, Jax was still on the phone being berated by her mother. Chance’s patience was wearing thin. After a few more seconds, Chance reached over and grabbed the phone.
“Mrs. St. Claire, this is Sheriff Chance Fitzsimmons. I assure you, we’re doing everything we can to locate your brother. We have local, state, and federal officers working jointly on the operation. When we have more information that I can release, I will call you personally. Jax had nothing to do with his disappearance, and he did not wander off on his own. At this time, that’s all I can tell you. Please keep your phone near you so that I can contact you. We are currently en route to an operational command meeting and Jax is needed.” She hit END on Jax’s phone and placed it in the consol. “Come on, l need your help. I won’t let her talk to you like that when the fault lies clearly with the men who took him. If she calls back, let it go to voice mail. There is nothing more we can tell her until this is all over.”
Jax climbed out of the car and grabbed Chance, pulling her close. She reached up and framed Chance’s face with her hands. “I love you more than I will ever be able to say for all the things that make you extraordinary, Sheriff Chance Fitzsimmons. Now, let’s go get Marty.”
Chance kissed her and grabbed her hand, bringing her into the house where Zeus was waiting. Maggie jumped up and grabbed Jax, hugging her tightly. Dee came from the other room. “Is there anything we can do?”
Chance shook her head. “Not at this point. I have to get ready.” She trudged into the basement of the house and punched in the code. Dee was right behind her and Zeus at their heels.
“I’ll give you a hand.”
She smiled. “Thanks Momma D, I can always count on you.”
“Five Points, all I’m going to ask is you be careful. I know you will, but I wanted to give you that order, personally. Now, let me help you carry what you’ll need.”
Chance squeezed her hand and entered the armory. “Grab that ammo on the shelf there. I need to get my tactical gear on.”
Dee grabbed several magazines for Chance and held out her hand to hold the weapon, as Chance shed her sweatshirt and slid on the tactical body armor with items she might need. She grabbed her ballistics helmet and yellow, vision-enhancing glasses. Chance’s cell phone rang, and she looked at the number. Mya Knolls. Chance sent the call directly to voice mail, only to see the number reappear on the display. Chance again sent it to voicemail.
“I don’t have time for your shit, Mya,” Chance mumbled, as she and Dee left the armory. Chance kicked the door shut.
They made it back upstairs and Chance walked to the closet and pulled out Zeus’s tactical vest. It was slightly different from his everyday vest, with increased protection and a place for a body camera. She bent down and slid the camera into place. “Let’s go to work, boy.” Zeus barked, and she met Maggie and Jax in the kitchen.
Maggie stepped forward and put a hand over Chance’s heart. “Your mother named you Chance. I’m only asking that you don’t take any unnecessary ones, okay? I know you’re healed up. I also remember, it wasn’t that long ago you were lying in a hospital bed. Let’s avoid a repeat, shall we?” She leaned forward and hugged Chance before she kissed her on the cheek. She bent to talk to Zeus, who stood expectantly at Chance’s side. “That goes for you, too, granddog. You take care of her and you both come home in one piece. That’s an order.”
Chance saluted. “Yes, ma’am. Okay, we’ve got to go. Try not to worry, even though you will.” She leaned in to kiss Maggie and whispered to her. “Call Jax’s mother and try to calm her down. You don’t know what’s going on, so there’s nothing to tell her. Try and keep her off Jax’s back, please?”
Maggie shook her head. “Now, all three of you be careful. I expect details later over a beer.”
Chance linked hands with Jax, who was now holding the ammunition. “We will. Now, Team Mom, try not to worry. We’ll be back.”
Ten minutes later, they pulled into the fire hall where the parking lot looked like a Fraternal Order of Police meeting. Her phone rang with a call from Taylor.
“How is he?”
“He’s still in surgery. They came out a few minutes ago and gave us an update. The bullet punctured his lung and did some damage inside. All his vitals are now stable, and they’ve replaced almost all of his blood. Carl’s making calls for a blood drive and arranging a hotel for Becky over here. All the wives are on babysitting duty until family can take over. Everything’s covered there. I talked to Harley. She told me about the truck. Randy is stopping by the BFS convenience store to look at their surveillance camera footage. There’s also one at the water plant, outside of town, that we can check for vehicles that might have headed out to the valley. Maybe they have one stashed somewhere they jumped into. If they’re still up at Camp Seventy, remember that there’s an old hunting shack back in there about three miles. I wonder if that’s where these assholes are holed up?”
Chance thought about it. “Very possible. It doesn’t have any electricity or running water, but if you’re on the run, it’s not a bad place to lay low. We’ll check it out. Tell Randy to call me if he sees anything on the surveillance tapes.”
“You got it. You handle things there. I’ll take care of Becky and coordinate from here. The emergency room had an unused office I’m working out of. You be careful, Chance. I’ll be over there as soon as I know he’s out of surgery.”
“If anyone ever doubts why you’re my second in command, I’ll remind them of how well you read my mind and handle things. We’ll get these assholes. Count on it.”
They hung up and Chance put her phone on vibrate before she slipped it in her back pocket as she walked in. One of Harley’s troopers had Kenny’s camera hooked up to a computer. Two images of the suspects were being projected onto the wall. The photos were slightly grainy. Two males, one Caucasian and one African American. An operational meeting was about to begin.
Chance sat Jax down in a chair and kissed the top of her head. “It’s going to be okay.”
A large whiteboard was rolled to the front, and Harley drew out an organizational command chart with the individual players and their assignments. As they finished the delegation of positions, Chance stepped forward.
“I appreciate each and every one of you being here. I’ve heard from Taylor at the hospital. Kenny is still in surgery. They feel sure he’s going to pull throu
gh. Now with that being said, Kenny wouldn’t want anyone to get a splinter. Please be careful. The Comm Center says Jax’s Silverado hasn’t moved from out at Camp 70 Road. It’s dark blue with California plates. Taylor and I were talking.” She pulled up an aerial map and drew a circle with her finger around a particular area. “There’s a hunting cabin someplace out here. It’s pretty primitive, no electricity or running water. I haven’t seen it in years. It’s possible they’ve rigged up solar or a generator. There was a lot of brush around it when I saw it last. Anyone else been out there?”
A hand went up in the back of the room from one of the Fish and Wildlife officers. “We had some issues out there last year, on government property that joins up with that tract. There are a ton of ATV trails out there. They could be long gone.”
Harley nodded. Quade Peters stood up. “We can take some of my guys and come out of the Timberline area at that gate and work our way to the cabin from that direction. Maybe cut them off if they try to run.”
“Good idea, Quade. I hadn’t even thought about that.”
“Okay, that will take us a while. We’ll head out. Call me if there is anything else I need to know.” Quade stood and gathered his people.
Chance looked out at the officers. “Everybody got their assignments? Everybody know what they’re doing? Last chance to ask questions.” No one said a word. “Okay, let’s go find Doc Hendricks.” She pointed back to a black-and-white still shot from the dash cam. “We have nothing to show that he’s unable to move under his own power, and he’s still a pretty tough bastard—even at eighty-two. I’m betting he’s giving them hell. He won’t make it easy on them, if I know him. Be careful of crossfire. Let’s roll.”
The din of voices and scraping chairs bounced off the walls, as everyone got to their feet. Chance found Jax, who rose to meet her. She pulled her over to a quiet corner.
“I want you to stay here. Sarah and the ambulance crew will be with you. Are you sure you want to listen?” Chance watched her nod. “You may not hear much for a while. I’m putting this radio on the encrypted tactical channel we’ll be working on. Don’t transmit. Listen only. Remember, you won’t understand a lot of what you might hear. As soon as I’m done, we’ll either call for you to meet us with the ambulance, or I’ll meet you back here. No matter what you hear,” Chance pointed to the ground, “you stay put. Do you understand? Under no circumstances do you leave this fire hall.”
