***
He turned, dived, and landed flat on his stomach behind the two men he had previously shot, one of whom was still alive. The two men shooting at him had no compunctions about firing at fallen comrades, as they continued to blast away while closing in.
The survivor of the first shooting, the black man, raised a hand for them to stop, but was ignored, and suffered more wounds as his body acted as shelter for his enemy.
After mortally wounding the man with the .44, concrete dust from a ricocheting round got into his eyes and he swiped frantically at his face with his sleeve, but by the time his vision cleared, he found the last man only a few feet away, taking careful aim.
In the next instant, the man went down from a shotgun blast, a blast delivered by his fallen comrade, who he had so callously treated.
As he turned the man over, the shotgun fell from his grasp, and just before the man died, he mouthed three words. “Fuck all y’all,”
He rose to his feet, rushed past the dead and dying, and went to help Carter.
***
Carter could do little more than lift his face from the cold concrete floor as the men moved closer.
They were speaking, doubtless taunting him, but the words went unheard because of the alarm.
Then, something flashed behind them, something sliding along at high speed atop the rollers of the metal rail system.
In the following instant, the men’s faces contorted in visages that conveyed both shock and pain as their weapons fell to the ground, followed by their bodies.
When Carter looked beyond where the men had been standing, he saw the man he knew as John White climbing off the rollers, while reloading his weapon.
A second later, White bent down and shouted in his ear.
“There should be two more.”
Carter shouted back.
“They’re dead, crushed behind me under the shelving.”
White nodded, gripped a corner of the heavy crate on Carter’s back, and moved it aside as if it were a couch cushion. Afterwards, he helped Carter to his feet.
“Can you walk?”
Carter sent him a thumbs-up, but as he moved along, his broken bones were agony. White helped him into the building’s office and guided him to lay on a sofa in an inner room where the alarm was somewhat muffled.
“How bad are you?”
“I broke a couple of ribs and my left arm, but I’m alive, thanks to you.”
“Try to lie still and I’ll call Lawson and get an ambulance here.”
“I’m surprised the coppers haven’t shown.”
“Lawson probably locked down the area.”
“Hey White,”
“Yeah?”
Carter took out his phone. “Call your wife; I’ll contact Lawson.”
“Thanks.”
***
Jessica answered after the first ring.
“Are you all right?” she said.
“I’m good, but I was going to ask you that.”
“I’m fine, we’re fine, and since the day is nearly over, I think they’re going to miss their due date.”
“I’m in Wisconsin and things are coming to a head here. I should be back by morning.”
“Was there any trouble?”
“Some, but Matthews is on the run with nowhere to go.”
He heard a yawn and smiled.
“You’re tired, have you been up all day?”
“Yes, I didn’t want to miss your call.”
“Go to bed and I’ll be home in the morning, maybe even before you wake.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
As he put his phone in his pocket, Carter ended his call.
“They grabbed Matthews as he got on a boat, and you may have been right about that sub. There’s one on the other side of the Erie Canal, but the Canal is closed. One of the mechanical locks was damaged during the storm, which is probably why Matthews was settled in here. Your navy is going after the sub and Lawson recovered the drive. He sent help by the way, they should be here soon.”
“Then it’s over, good. I need to get home.”
“Thanks mate, I know this cock up wasn’t your problem, but I needed you along to help fix it.”
“You’re welcome, Carter.”
The alarm cut off, and he opened the door to look out at the warehouse. Three men and a woman were walking towards the office, spread out, all dressed in army fatigues, armed, and looking about warily. He stepped out and signaled to them.
“Mr. John White?”
“Yes.”
“Mr. Thomas Lawson sent us sir, is Colonel Carter with you?”
Carter joined him by the door.
“I’m Carter, is one of you a medic?”
“No sir, but we have a med kit and there’s a chopper outside, a Huey, we’ll get you to the base in no time,”
As they walked over, one of the other men went to Carter’s aid, as their leader spoke to White.
“We were told there were hostiles, sir?”
“They’ve been handled, they’re all dead.”
“All?”
“Eight men,”
“Eight?”
“Yes.”
“Damn.”
Two soldiers stayed behind, and as the chopper lifted off, he saw government vehicles entering the driveway.
He spoke to the soldier through a headset.
“Are the airports open?”
“Yes sir, the storm’s passed.”
He smiled.
“Good, I’m going home.”
CHAPTER 9
Lawson shook his hand, while he waited to board a plane in the first hour of a new day.
He was dressed in a set of olive green coveralls, because his own clothes had become bloody during the gun battle.
“This plane will drop you at the airfield near your home and a car will take you the rest of the way.”
“Right.”
“About yesterday, the stupid threat I made, it really was a bluff.”
“I know that, Lawson.”
“Good, but please tell Dr. White that I apologize for that.”
“I’ll tell her, and it’s Jessica, she won’t hold a grudge.”
“I’ll be in your area later today. I want to sit in on Jace’s hearing.”
“I spoke to his lawyer yesterday morning, things look good.”
“I’m glad; the kid deserves a second chance.”
He boarded the plane, a small jet, and found that he was the only passenger.
Just minutes into the flight, he fell asleep and awoke upon landing.
When the car dropped him off at the top of his driveway, he accessed the keypad on the post behind the mailbox and temporary disabled the hidden motion detectors that would cause a bell to chime whenever their beams were broken. It was just past first light, and he didn’t want to wake the house with his early arrival.
He entered silently and the dog greeted him, while sniffing curiously at his borrowed clothes.
When he made his way upstairs, he found her sleeping.
After a quick shower, he padded over to the bed while still naked, and climbed in beside her.
She awoke and smiled as she saw him, but then, a curious look came upon her.
“What is it?” he said.
“Today, they’re coming today,”
***
Jessica was right, and it began just after breakfast, as her water broke without warning.
They arrived at their local hospital a short time later, but it was an hour more until the first wave of labor pains began.
At noon, she was still in labor, but the contractions were coming closer together and gaining in intensity. That’s when they told him to don a mask and gown, and prepare to become a father.
***
Maggie rejoined Amanda in the waiting room after having spoken to her mother.
“How is your mother?”
“She’s so calm, and they’ll be operatin
g on her within the hour.”
“I’m sure she’ll be fine.”
Maggie grinned.
“Twins, this is so exciting.”
“Do you think you’ll ever have children?”
“Oh yeah, I would love to be a mom, but not until after college.”
“Well, you’ve got plenty of time to meet the right boy, or have you done that already?”
“I was dating a boy from my neighborhood, but he moved miles away, and, well, it’s not the same, and so now we’re just friends.”
“Friendships can be enough at your age. You have years to find the right boy.”
“Do you think there is a right one?”
Amanda smiled sadly.
“I’m probably the last person to offer an opinion on that subject, but yes, for most people, I think that there is one special someone out there for them.”
“But how will I know when I meet him?”
“I don’t think it’s something you know, I think that it’s something you feel.”
***
Jace sat in court wearing a suit for only the second time in his life. The only other time he’d worn one was at his trail, and if the truth were known, he liked it.
He was nervous despite what he’d been told, but as he watched Jeff Roman enter the courtroom and be treated like a celebrity, as he received smiles from the bailiffs, his anxiety disappeared.
Roman offered him his hand as he sat beside him. He was a good-looking man around sixty, with a full head of white hair and perfect teeth.
Roman went over his case again in general and then mentioned that there was a small problem.
“What problem?”
“Your employment fell through; the mall manager gave the job to his nephew.”
“Does that screw things up?”
“I doubt it. We’ll just promise the judge that we’ll find you something else.”
“All rise!”
The judge entered a little after nine a.m., but Jace had to sit through two other cases and a short recess before they got to his appeal, when the judge heard that there was no employment in place, he did not look pleased.
“Mr. Roman, it was the court’s understanding that this young man would be gainfully employed. I’m not comfortable placing him back on the streets until I know for certain that he’ll be a productive citizen. We don’t want him going down the wrong path again, now do we?”
“Certainly not your honor and I give you my word that he will find employment in the coming days.”
The judge looked unconvinced, and that’s when a voice spoke up from a seat in the rear.
“If it pleases the court, may I step forward?”
The judge squinted.
“Who are you, sir?”
“An interested party,” said Lawson, and then he sent Jace a wink.
***
The babies were born a mere three minutes apart with the boy coming first at an even 7 pounds and the girl weighing 5 pounds 4 ounces.
When he joined Amanda and Maggie out in the hall, Maggie hugged and kissed him, as Amanda tousled his hair.
He had an unaccustomed wide grin on his face and looked as happy as he ever had. When he escorted them into Jessica’s room to visit her and the babies, both Amanda and Maggie cooed at them, while saying how beautiful they looked.
“I have more good news,” Maggie said, “I spoke to Mom. She’s doing well and the doctors say that the operation was a success.”
“That’s great, honey.”
“She can’t wait to see the babies, and Amanda said that she’ll take me to visit her in the morning.”
“And when she gets released and feels up to it, her grandchildren will be waiting to meet her.”
***
When the nurse suggested that Jessica be allowed to rest, they filed out into the hallway and he saw a pair of visitors approaching. It was Lawson and Jace, and they were each carrying large teddy bears, Jace’s bear was blue, while Lawson’s was pink.
He shook Jace’s hand.
“I see that everything went your way?”
“Thanks to you, I owe you big time.”
“I was glad to help.”
“Lawson helped too, he offered me employment.”
“What sort of employment?”
“He told the judge I’d be his driver.”
“Really?”
Lawson grinned.
“Officially, yes, but unofficially he’ll be one of my agents, but then, my entire department is unofficial,”
***
A few feet away, Maggie grabbed Amanda’s arm.
“Who’s that boy he’s talking to?”
“His name is Jace.”
“He is so cute.”
“Would you like to meet him?”
Maggie smiled, nodded, and followed Amanda over.
“Mr. Lawson, Jace, it’s good to see you again.”
Jace nodded at Amanda and then looked over at Maggie, and when he smiled, she smiled back and blushed a shade.
Lawson and Jace passed the bears to Amanda.
“As you can see, we stopped at a toy store,” Lawson said.
“That was nice of you two, and by the way, have you met Maggie?”
“Not formally,” Lawson said, and shook Maggie’s hand.
When Jace found out who Maggie was, he laughed.
“How’d an old dude like you get a young sister?”
“Maybe someday Lawson will explain the birds and the bees to you.”
“Funny dude, funny, but you know what isn’t funny? I’m starving. I’m gonna hop down to the cafeteria and grab a burger, anybody want anything?”
The others declined, but Maggie stepped forward.
“I’ll come with you. I want a coke.”
As they walked off together, he stared after them.
“If he tries anything with her he’s going to wish he was back in prison.”
“I thought you liked him?” Lawson said.
He smiled. “It’s a joke, Lawson.”
“Excuse me, White, but I’m not used to seeing you in such a good mood.”
“It’s not every day that I become a father.”
“I’m happy for you, truly, and how is Jessica?”
“Exhausted, and even happier than I am,”
***
Later that day, after all their visitors had left, he spent time with Jessica and his children. He was sitting in a chair, his son in his left arm, and his daughter in his right.
“My God, Jessica, look what you’ve created, they’re beautiful,”
“They are, aren’t they, but you helped create them too if you’ll remember.”
He sniffled.
“Are you crying?”
He nodded.
“I didn’t know it was possible to be this happy.”
“You’ve been blessed; you realize that, don’t you?”
“I realized that on the day you first kissed me.”
CHAPTER 10
He returned home that night and was so excited and suffused with hope for the future that he stayed up well past midnight. His personal and professional lives had never been better, and his normally turbulent heart was filled with the light of joy.
When his phone rang at 1:03 a.m., he reached for it, hoping it was Jessica, but then frowned at the caller ID.
“Lawson?”
“I’m sorry to wake you, but it’s important.”
“What is it?”
“I’ll explain when I see you; I’m parked at the top of your driveway. I didn’t want to wake anyone else in the house.”
“What the hell is this?”
“Please, just leave a note and come join me, please?”
The tone in Lawson’s voice unnerved him.
“Something is horribly wrong, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll be right there.”
He scribbled out a note and left it atop the kitchen table, before putting on his boots, grabbing a ja
cket, and marching out to the road.
When he climbed into the car, he saw that Lawson’s mouth was set in a grim line.
“Tell me what’s happened?”
***
They arrived there a short time later and he found the front of the hospital awash with red and blue flashing lights from the numerous police vehicles on the scene.
Lawson flashed his credentials at several points along the way and, as he followed, he saw deep sympathy in the faces of the cops they passed, and something else, something he’d seen in Lawson’s eyes.
It was pity, pity mixed with compassion for his terrible loss.
Soon, they were outside her room, where the first of the bodies lay, looking even smaller in death.
He recognized her as the petite nurse named Jayla. She had been eviscerated and her intestines were strewn about her body and mixed with her long, braided hair. There was so much blood on the floor that there was barely room to pass by, but he did so, and entered his mother’s room to find that it too was inundated with blood.
She had died in great pain, his mother, the woman who raised him from a small child, and whom he had just begun to bond with.
She had been tortured with a knife, and her blood had been used to leave a message. It was written on the wall beneath the television and left no doubt in his mind who had ended her life.
A MOTHER FOR A FATHER!
Jeffrey Mitchell murdered his mother as revenge for the death of Billy Gant.
A PLEA
Thank you, precious reader, for spending time with TAKEN!
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Thank you!
—Remington Kane
THE BOOKS OF REMINGTON KANE
The TANNER Series in order
INEVITABLE I - A Tanner Novel - Book 1
KILL IN PLAIN SIGHT - A Tanner Novel - Book 2
MAKING A KILLING ON WALL STREET - A Tanner Novel - Book 3
THE FIRST ONE TO DIE LOSES - A Tanner Novel - Book 4
THE LIFE & DEATH OF CODY PARKER - A Tanner Novel - Book 5
The TAKEN! Series - Books 9-12 (Taken! Box Set Book 3) Page 29
