by Iris Bolling
Each step she took was measured, as Roc deactivated device after device. “Well darn Absolute how many of these little buggers did you have?” She reached the porch alive, but did not venture onto it, yet. She looked at her handheld. Still no go ahead order .“Okay, you have two minutes to give me the order before I go in,” she said to the handheld.
Examining the area around the porch, Roc determined the best way to gain access to the cabin was right though the front door. The handheld beeped. Proceed. “About time,” she mumbled while reaching down to twist the heel of her shoe. She retrieved a small plastic case and carefully removed a device no larger than a button on a blouse, from inside. She threw the device onto the porch and ducked behind a tree. As expected, the small explosive tore the porch to shreds, but did not penetrate the door. The noise from the explosion wasn’t loud, but she looked cautiously around to ensure she was still alone.
After a few moments, Roc walked over the debris of the shredded porch and peeked through one of the windows. Nothing, she couldn’t see anything. But then she was certain Absolute would not be close to the window, for she wouldn’t be. She would be as far back in the house as possible. “Okay. Let’s try this another way.” From her jacket, Roc pulled out a rubber band type device, placed it around the knob of the door, then pointed her handheld towards it. She pushed a button. Roc ducked back against the building, counted to five and the device began to eat through the lock of the door. Soon the metal knob simply fell to the ground. An uneasy feeling hit Roc. There should be gunfire coming through that door or at least an explosion. There was nothing. No response from Absolute. That was not a good sign.
Roc took a quick peek through the hole left by the melting knob, then ducked back against the building. She had a sinking feeling about this. “Absolute,” she called out. “Ned sent me. I prefer neither of us die at the hand of the other. With that said, I’m coming in. Please don’t make me take you out.”
Roc stepped into the doorway. The sight of the man known as Absolute was worse than expected.
❖❖❖
“Okay now Lord, can you give a brother a break? I know my mother told me to talk to you a little more often and lately I haven’t. But hell, you know my heart and that is supposed to be enough. In case you had some doubts, I’m telling you now, I’ve run out of options here. The clothes may be bullet proof, but it don’t do a damn thing to keep me warm. Sorry about the curse word, but things are a little serious down here. Keeping things moving forward, I have to talk to you to keep my mind sharp, cause I don’t mind telling you I’m losing it. I’ve been a good man, for the most part. Yeah, I killed a few people, but God, they were bad people and needed to die. But I’ve saved some people too, that should count for something. So, I’m just saying, if you have an angel up there with my name on their list you might want to send them on this way or Sally would do just fine.”
Absolute paused for a moment contemplating his family. His mother was an angel. His parents, Joseph and Sally Lassiter, had twelve children. He was number two and the most daring. His father Joe said he was that way because he was always trying to live up to his big brother Samuel. With all his antics as a child, his parents never stifled him. No, they always encouraged him to explore and be adventurous, even after he almost burned the house down. He remembered his mother saying, I’m keeping you close to the church, cause you are headed straight to hell with all your mischief. Joshua was beginning to lose consciousness as he thought about his brother. Samuel was the closest thing to God in Joshua’s estimation. He forced his eyes to open wide.
“Lord, things are getting serious down here. I have no idea what is taking Samuel so long, but could you hurry him along? I know he’s looking for me. It’s cold as hell down here.” He laughed out loud. “Hell isn’t cold, Joshua.” Pain shot through him causing him to grimace. He closed his eyes, thinking about when he was ten years old and he caught a cold from running barefoot across a frozen pond because he wanted to outdo Samuel. Of course, Samuel had on his boots, a coat and gloves at the time. But, no he had to do one better to show his invincible brother he was just as tough. The stunt put him out of commission for a month. His mother fed him hot soup, gave him cool baths, and rubbed his chest with vapor rub. Samuel would come in every night and sleep at the foot of his bed. To make sure his feet stayed warm. How he wished his mother was here right now. “Lord, my mother is going to kill me if I die here. I don’t ask for much, but please don’t do that to my mother. I promised her grandchildren.”
For the first time in his life, he was losing his belief that he would survive. There wasn’t an enemy he couldn’t beat down. Bullets seemed to bounce off him, knives might cut, but they did not penetrate. But this enemy, the cold, was a force he couldn’t blow up, or out smart. This was a force of nature that he could not beat. The human body was warm blooded. The cold was its enemy. This time he knew when he closed his eyes, it would be for the last time. When next they opened, he would be at the pearly gates giving his account of his life. Maybe then he would be sent to Hell. His last thought was, at least it would be warm there.
❖❖❖
The blast from outside the door stole him from that peaceful blackness he had been fighting. It was an indication that someone had located him. Absolute pulled the last explosive from his pocket. If he was going to meet his maker on this day, it would be on his own terms and he was taking some bodies with him. Joshua fumbled inside his pocket with his bloody hand, trying to remove the device from its plastic casing but it dropped to the floor.
“Absolute.”
He heard someone call his name. Ned came to his mind. Maybe, just maybe, Ned had sent Monique to him. His mind drifted back to the last time Monique had come to rescue him. What he thought was bliss, turned out to be one of the worst periods of his life. To this day, some three years later, he still thought of Akande. No, she was Queen Sofiat Ashro of Asmere. She married Prince Raheem Ashro of Emure to merge the two countries. The sound of the fizzle at the doorknob brought his thoughts back to the present. He knew the sound. He had used the same explosive many times to gain access to a locked structure. Someone was about to enter the cabin. Not sure if it was friend or foe, he blinked to clear his mind. He had to be ready. When he opened his eyes, he wondered if he had died during the blink for an angel was standing before him. His eyes closed thinking, a woman? He whispered, “Lord, why hast thou forsaken me...again?”
Chapter Three
Mexico
Day One
Time was of the essence. Roc sent a message to Ned. Absolute located. Critical. Must stabilize here. The reason Roc was sent on this mission was rescue, not recovery. Recovering a body was not in the cards. Roc was determined to take Absolute back to the United States alive.
This was where Roc’s medical expertise came in handy. Bending down next to the cot, which was soaked in blood, the first order of business was to stabilize his condition. It was clear from the amount of blood there were external injuries. Checking his vitals showed his heart rate was slow and his skin was cold to the touch. It was a good seventy-seven degrees outside, yet Absolute’s body felt as if it was in a freezer. The amount of lost blood made it difficult to locate the injuries. Turning his body over, Roc groaned. “Goodness.” Several wounds were in the man’s back. Whoever did this stabbed him from behind, repeatedly with a sharp item. That was a coward’s action. A lot more than applying pressure was needed for the wounds, they would need to be cleaned and closed, before she could move him.
Dropping the backpack to the floor, Roc searched the cabin for an area that could be sterilized and used for what she had to do.
The cabin consisted of one room separated into a kitchen, which was near the door, a living room in the center, and the bedroom area near the back. To the right was what looked to be a bathroom and a closet. Roc pulled her weapon then walked the cabin to ensure no one else was around. After checking the closet, Roc came back into the open room.
Moving swiftly, she wa
lked to the kitchen sink to check for hot water. Roc was pleased to see the hot water running freely. Next the gas stove was checked and found to be in working condition. “Great,” she smiled knowing she could clean the area. She cleared and wiped down the kitchen table. She pulled a sheet from her knapsack, removed the plastic packaging, unfolded it and placed it on top of the table. Next Roc donned a pair of surgical gloves, then proceeded to strip the bloody clothing from Absolute's body. Each piece was folded, covered with plastic wrapping and placed carefully inside the knapsack. Operatives clothing at times carried technology within that could be dangerous if put in the wrong hands or if not handled properly. Once each piece was secure, it was time for the real work to begin.
Working briskly, but carefully, Roc, cleansed his body, removing the dry blood to determine which wound was the most serious. Once that was determined a plan of action came to mind. Roc carried Absolute to the table. Being a part of the military, even women had to have the strength to carry their comrades if needed. At five six, one hundred twenty pounds, Roc had carried men twice her weight. The problem with Absolute was his height. The man had long legs, but she managed. She placed him on his stomach, which allowed easy access to the wounds. His long legs hung over the end of the table, but there was nothing that could be done about that.
Roc unzipped the bottom of the sack to pull out a white box. Inside was a metal pole, which extended to stand on the floor. Next, from an insulated ice filled cooler, she retrieved two plastic medical pouches, one containing saline, the other Absolute’s blood, drawn previously, just for such an occasion as this. Checking the date on the bag, Roc was pleased to see he had given the blood within the last thirty days and it had been treated to prevent clogging. She ran two IV lines into opposite arms. Blood to replace what had been lost, the saline to help with lost fluids. A device, similar to a clothespin, was placed on his finger, the other end was attached to the handheld, sending his vitals direct to Ned’s computer as the procedure began.
Absolute’s blood pressure was low, but that was to be expected. The fluids would eventually bring that under control. His heart rate was rapid and needed to be stabilized, but time did not allow. The blood loss had to be stopped.
Assessing the wounds, there were three open gashes, one dangerously close to a kidney. Roc could not swear by it, but it did not appear the kidney was punctured, maybe just bruised. Attention had to go there first. The two other wounds were deep, but not life threatening. Plan in place, Roc administered a sedative, settled in and began singing, The Battle Is Not Yours, by Yolanda Adams, then went to work doing exactly what was expected of her, saving the man’s life.
❖❖❖
Finally, his mother was there. He knew she would come. Joshua could feel her hands lovingly, washing his body. Ouch, she could be a little more careful around the wounds, that hurt. She may be angry because I got my church suit dirty. “Mom, I’m sorry for getting my suit dirty. I’ll pray that God will keep me out of the mud from now on. When did his mom get so strong? Oh, it’s Sammy. Sammy’s here. Now he knew everything was going to be all right. He was in good hands. Sammy and Mom were there with him. His body began to relax with that comforting thought. As he drifted off, allowing the darkness to capture him, he remembered there was something he had to tell Sammy. “Sammy, NS, White House, don’t trust.” Now he could rest. Hmm, he never knew his mom had such a beautiful voice.
His mind was swallowed back into darkness.
❖❖❖
For a little more than an hour, Roc worked to stabilize his vitals. Afterwards, she closed Absolute’s wounds. She placed pressure dressing on them, then gauze wrapping to secure the dressing around his mid-section. She stood back evaluating her work. Satisfied, she removed the gloves, and washed her hands. Now that stabilizing Absolute was accomplished she felt good about his prognosis. Securing their location was next on the agenda.
Covering Absolute’s body with another sterile sheet from the backpack and a blanket from the closet for warmth, Roc stepped outside for some fresh air and to secure the premises. It wasn’t ideal, but they would have to stay put at least until dark before an attempt could be made to move Absolute. Arrangements had to be made to get him home. There was no way the original plan to drive him across the border would work. The drive alone could kill him, especially with questions surrounding the kidney wound. He needed to be flown out with medical equipment on board. Absolute’s words came to mind, NS, White House, don’t trust. He also said he was praying to God to keep his clothes clean. She had no idea what that was about, however, when an operative made a statement, even while under anesthesia, Roc knew the information could be vital to the mission. Therefore another route had to be taken to get him home.
Roc repaired the door, then proceeded to secure the immediate area surrounding the building. A trip back to the jeep, to gather supplies for a short stay, gave her the chance to set a few detectors in place just in case anyone attempted to venture towards the cabin. When she walked back into the cabin, she glanced at Absolute. His skin color was returning, his breathing wasn’t as labored as before and his vitals, while still not where they should be, were stabilizing. Roc decided to work on an exit strategy. Taking a seat next to the table, where the patient was expected to be under for at least three hours, the first message went to Ned. Patient remains critical, but stabilizing. Changing exit strategy. Will keep under wraps.
An immediate reply came back. Negative. WH request update. “Okay,” she frowned, then looked over at Absolute. His face was turned towards her. She touched his forehead. He was warm to the touch, no longer cold. That was good, his temperature was adjusting. She continued to stare down at him, he had a strong profile, but it was hard to see his face for it was covered with a mustache and beard, but he had the longest eyelashes, lying against chocolate brown skin. Staring at his face, there was something childlike about him. That was not the case with his body. She frowned, “Where did that thought come from? Hmmm.”
She cleared her mind and turned back to the message. Not one to disobey orders, a message was returned. Affirmative. After the plan was set, Roc set up a second exit strategy. She wasn’t ready to dismiss the Absolute’s words. Besides, one can never have too many escape plans. The man indicated there might be a trust issue at the White House. Since Roc did not know much about this administration, what Absolute said would take precedence. A backup plan needed to be in place in case the man was right. After all, if one dies, they both die. Another message was sent, but not through Ned. Need escape route from Mexico.
Chapter Four
Richmond, VA
Sally Lassiter knew something was wrong when she opened her eyes. She did not know what or who, but she knew one of her children was in trouble. Her husband, Joe, had just fallen asleep after working the midnight shift at his night job. She did not want to wake him with her concerns, so she kissed him on the cheek then climbed out of bed. Before her feet hit the floor a long arm wrapped around her waist pulling her back into the bed snugly against his body. A knowing smile formed on her face as she welcomed the warmth and comfort of her husband’s arm.
The moment her body touched his, Joe could feel the tension. He tucked her securely under him, gently kissed her lips, then stared down into the eyes of the woman who brought a daily ray of sunshine into his life. "Which one of my gems or gents has you worried?"
She chuckled low as she rubbed his broad shoulder. "You know me too well Joseph Lassiter." She sighed. “I'm not sure which one it is. I'll have to do my usual roll call."
"Well," he yawned as he rolled onto his back, pulling her 5'4 frame on top of his 6'11 body. "Process of elimination." He gently rubbed her back. "I spoke to Mathew, Luke, Adam, and Jade yesterday."
"Talked to Timothy, Ruby, and Opal." Sally stretched out. "Diamond and Zack are okay."
"Sammy came by the job and had lunch with me last night. That leaves Pearl, Jade and Joshua." They were both quiet at the last name mentioned.
"Did
Samuel mention Joshua?” Sally asked.
"No."
"I talked to Jade and Pearl," last night, their teenage daughter, Sapphire spoke from the doorway as she entered the room. Her parents looked up as she walked right over and climbed into bed with them as if it was the most natural thing to do. Joe, lovingly wrapped Phire into his arms. ”It’s Joshua," she said as she snuggled next to her daddy.
Joe looked at Sally as she slid to his side. "That's your child."
Sally grinned. “Be happy the rest of the children aren’t here.”
“Daddy, are you going to call Mr. JD and make him bring Joshua home?” She looked at him with the most serious eyes and clearly expected him to do exactly what she asked.
Joe looked to his right at his wife, then to the left at his baby girl and laughed. “Phire,” he spoke in a ‘have you lost your mind’ tone. “No, I’m not calling the President to tell him to do anything.”
Phire looked over her father’s chest to her mother. “Mommy, you call then. I know you are not afraid of him. And you tell him we need Joshua home. And make sure you let him know we are still upset with him.”
Joe and Sally lay there listening to their youngest child vent about her displeasure with the President. They halfway agreed with what she was saying, but could not believe she expected them to call the man.
