Fight for Love

by David Manoa

  Shit I have done nearly six tours with her. My mind cast to vehicles that were in the Hercules the tyres are about

  “Where do I find her?”

  “She’s unloading the next shipment from the vehicles that are being serviced on the east side of town. There hiding it in the spare tyres of the vehicles.”

  “Let me up man I told you what I know…”

  “Remember when you dropped my favorite coffee cup?”

  “Huh? Yeah. So what? The fuck does that have to do anything?”

  I sniffled, then narrowed my eyes.

  “Arrgghh!”

  ***

  Claudia

  Brr.. I rubbed my hands together, hoping the friction would soothe this shivery soul. Still no message from Will. My breath started to form a thick fine mist. I stared at the reflection of a steel plate to see my lips turning blue. My face pale, I whispered into the phone.

  “Will… Where are you will…”

  My mind teetering on the edge. The doubt creeping in numbing my brain. I started to weep. I sniffled pressing the button again to take comfort in the light. Trying to stay strong but my body battered by the onslaught of cold. There were cans of mangoes strewn on the floor. I saw the frosted weathered label. The picture of the beach and a palm tree, My heart skipped a beat to remember the time Will and I were on the beach in Rarotonga. I typed up the next message.

  Juliet: Hi Will, it's freezing in here. I’m thinking of that time were went for that ride around those islands in Rarotonga… Gosh, what I wouldn’t give to be on that beach right now. I remember how you made that makeshift tent out sticks and a sheet! Ha-ha. You were so into it all that survival training. Do you remember that fish you caught? Then you collected all that wood and dug a pit to make a fire. It was something out of a castaway island! The irony is that guy, who talks to soccerball, is kinda like me talking into this phone. Missing you heaps will. Thinking of you to keep me warm CC

  ***

  William

  I lifted the briefcase to see the pile of Heroin on the floor. I immediately called up GP to let him know that Natalya is a smuggler. I rang his number there was a long pause.

  “George Speaking…”

  “GP!”

  “William?”

  “GP! They have Claudia!”

  “Calm down Will, What happened?”

  “When I arrived home there was a man who wanted me to carry out an assignation on an afghan warlord. They took Claudia and threatened to kill her if I didn’t comply.”

  There was a pause when he said, “William where are you?”

  “I’m at the penthouse apartment in the City. I followed the man where he met with Natalya she’s been smuggling opium on the Desert Petrol vehicles.”

  “What?”

  “Yes sir, she’s working with them. She’s got Claudia.”

  “Okay, will have you called the police?”

  “No sir, you know they won’t be of any help.”

  “Affirmative, Will. Meet me at my house, well go in together to confront Natalya.”

  “Thanks, GP see you soon.”

  I hung up and left the penthouse, to see the same taxi driver outside again. He drove over the other side and wound down his window.

  “Hey, brother I figured you might need a ride.”

  “Cheers” I got in and gave him another hundred bucks and gave him directions to GP house who lived on the farm in the rural district of Tuakau. An hour drive from the city. I took out my phone to read the next message from Claudia. Her line of ‘Thinking of keeping you warm’ made me reminisce the time we love in that love shack I made. Damn… I remembered the way her body responded to my kisses with the orchestra of waves hitting the beach. The humidity was hot. But the night breeze made it bearable. I remember Claudia wearing a blue rose patterned V-neck smock dress that came halfway up to her thighs. The material was like a cheesecloth the contrast of rough to smooth when I would caress her skin.

  I was lying on my back with Claudia next to me on her front. She was watching the line on the rod, her elbows planted her hands cupped to sides of her face. She said, “This is good…” I remember opening my eyes to see her breasts drop down, the sun kissed skin of her beautiful assets had stray grains of sand that sparkled like little diamonds.

  I raised my arm and swept them away. Claudia’s eyes widened when the side of her face rest on my palm. I whispered “You’re getting sand all over your body…” She smiled then said “Really?” then I nodded. My fingers trailed down to her shoulder where I began to loosen the strap of her dress. I whispered “There’s sand there too…” I sat up with my left arm holding weight. Claudia began to lower her front half of her body. Her hands were intertwined the side of her face facing me. Her face flushed a crimson red. I climbed over my knees on each side of her

  I ran the palm of my hand down her back, she moaned when I began to remove the buttons exposing her bronzed bareback. I unsheathed the dress slowly, applying soft pressure to the points of her back. I let the dress gather at her lower back when I began to massage her back slowly up to her shoulders. Her moans were arousing me, my arousal twitched and became hard with every gasp Claudia made. I leaned forward my chest on her shoulder blades my mouth nuzzling against her neck.

  I whispered, “Claudia when I come back, have a surprise for you…” she moaned “I can already feel it…” Claudia shifted and turned over to me. Her breast exposed her nipples were taught and perky. She smirked as my body wedged up against her. She lifted her head up to give me a peck on the lips before the head lay down.

  The sensations inside me began to stir and needed to take her. I groaned “I want you on this beach...” My mouth delved in like the birds that dove into the water.

  The energy made Claudia’s body shudder, then shiver from the need. I had been without her for so long. Everything inside me thirsting for her body. My kisses began to ravage her body and I started draw from her. She moaned and moaned as my hands started to massage her breasts. My hands trailed down to her inner thighs smoothing them up and down.

  We stopped to reset our breath I pulled back while Claudia watched me removed my singlet. Her hands began to run down my chest and biceps. I started untie the string to my shorts discarding them. I grabbed her dress and unsheathed the rest before delving my naked body against hers.

  I nudged her legs across and soon my arousal was covered in the hot wet flesh of her. The rhythm of the penetration I timed to the sound of the waves. Some of the strokes were long and deep some short and compounding. The nature of it being unpredictable made Claudia’s body gush with ecstasy not expecting how hard or soft, deep or short I would make love to her.

  Soon her body would tense, began to tighten around me when we both came to the twilight of the stars above. I remember than the text she sent those words that embedded in my heart. It fueled me again to keep fighting for the one I love

  ***

  Claudia

  I woke abruptly to the sound of the fans spinning. The whirring and burring of the ventilation system the onslaught of more cold began to infuse into the room. I started to shiver and panic as the blizzard blew inside. I huddled myself more with the clothing in preparation. I could hear the commotion outside the sound of Trucks coming in. People panicking. Could it be that the cops are here? I got up and went to the door.

  I could hear screams of women and the sounds of car doors closing and van doors sliding. I beat against the door of freezer screaming. I was ignored. I had a look the thermometer inside here it -4 and dropping. I didn’t know how long I had before I freeze to death. My thoughts were starting to become fuzzy and body began to shiver uncontrollably. I took out my phone and messaged Will. My battery was down to 4% I didn’t have many more words left to write.

  Juliet: Will they switched on the Freezer in here its -4 and dropping. Please come soon. CC

  ***

  William

  “Brother!” The taxi driver shouted.

  I shuddered broken
out of my day dream. The taxi driver looked upon with a puzzled stare. He said, “I can take you to place for that you know…”

  We arrived at GP’s house parked outside his gate. It was walk 500 meters to his two-story wooden house with the shed to the left his quad bike and car were parked next to each other. It was 7pm when I made the walk up the driveway to look at the new message on the phone from Claudia.

  Shit!

  I started to run up to the house to find the door open. I called out to GP to find it empty. His floorboards creaked as I made my way to the dining room. My vision spiraled to set of stuffed animal heads that stared at me in the hallway. The smell in there was room was damp, before I arrived to see a laptop and maps on the dining table. I called his number and the phone rang the ring came from the lounge. I spotted the phone on the coffee table as it vibrated. I walked over when suddenly I was rushed from behind.

  Thud!

  I turned in time to see GP thrust at me with the combat knife. I sidestepped him when he came at me again as he lunged again then tried to stab followed by a slash. His sequence and timing were perfect, but it never connected I stepped back holding my hands up to deflect the blows. I shook my head.

  “You fucking scum… I fought at your side

  He panted. “You stupid son of a bitch you should have followed orders we would never have this confrontation.”

  “Fuck you. You know we never negotiate with terrorists.”

  “Son.. I’m no terrorist far from it. I’m a patriot.”

  I raised an eyebrow “You're fucking deluded, where is Claudia!”

  “She’s dead.”

  “I never thought of you as a traitor to your country. I’m gonna do whatever to takes to expose you and kill you and Natalya.”

  “Son, what I’m doing is bigger than both of us. You should be disgusted with what the government have done to us, hanging us out to dry.”

  “Save me the story you are a nothing but a crooked drug dealer.”

  “Sometimes you have to embrace evil to finance the good I’m doing. Ever since the defense cuts and draw-back from Afghanistan the suits undid the progress we fought for. Lives lost in vain.”

  “Why you set me up?”

  “I had no choice. When you refused to join the PMC, I devised the plan to capture your girlfriend so you could carry out the kill on the afghan warlord. I wanted you on my team Will and I Wasn’t going to take a no.”

  “So you think by deceiving me I would come back to fight for you? Why the afghan warlord?”

  “Askar Mohamed is undermining Cerberus Petroleum activities in West Afghanistan.”

  “What the fuck are they doing there? There is no oil there.”

  “Son, it's not oil thereafter it’s the vast untapped resources of Lithium-ion they are after.”

  “What?”

  “It powers everything from your smartphone to your cars. The demand for the ore is set to saw with electric vehicles and hybrid cars on the increase the ore is both rare and valuable commodity. Askar Mohammed has been illegally allowing other companies in, taking their bribe money to finance his network of terror.”

  “Why hasn’t the government intervened?”

  “Why would they when they only care about the bottom line of their defense cuts. Calling it a victory when the war on terror isn’t even over. Those bastards don’t realise that the money from it is ten times worse than the opium that use to finance them.”

  “GP! I don’t give a fuck. Just tell me where she is!”

  “Son, I can’t let you live. You will jeopardise the lives of millions in years to come. She will be dead soon enough.” He lunged at me again then screamed “And soon you will join her!”

  I blocked the thrust by deflecting it by kneeing him in the stomach he dropped the knife when I went to grab it GP dived knocking me to the side. He grabbed the knife his whole weight on that single thrust. The end of the serrated blade inches before my chest. I held back holding as the tension pumped up my biceps and forearms. I panted “Damn you GP I turned the knife on him piercing an artery he clenched my wrist when red-rimmed eyes realised he was going to die.

  “Damn you GP why could you fucking leave us alone!”

  “Sorry will…” he coughed up a thick syrup of blood. “

  I sniffled the pain of killing my friend. I understood why he did what he did.

  “GP your gonna bleed out but at least do something right and tell me where Claudia is.”

  I shook him “At Least have some fucking dignity and honor that you died doing the right thing.”

  GP stared at me his soul deep stare made him realise who much I loved Claudia. He whispered

  “The location in my ear, but I was unfamiliar with it. Then he held my shoulder “Son, I’m sorry.” He coughed blood “I should have remembered the look the first time and known, you would do anything for her…”

  I ripped some gauze “GP I need you to take me to the location. I’ll take you to the hospital after I get Claudia, you’ll be okay as long as you don’t take the knife out.”

  He nodded when I wrenched him up on my shoulder to take him to his car.

  From there his breathing stopped his head dropped down and his hand fell off his wrist. I got up and left commandeering his vehicle. I replied back to Claudia

  Romeo: Baby I’m on my way now! Please hold on.

  ***

  Claudia

  Icicles started to form, my head felt fogged. My body shivered. I culminated all the memories of Will and I and realised this might be the end. I shook holding up the phone to see the batt at 1% when I his message came on screen.

  It was like my whole body became warm from the boost in morale I tried to reply, but my fingers couldn’t press the button to respond.

  Romeo: Baby I’m on my way now! Please hold on

  Juliet: K

  Then my phone died.

  It was then I heard the sound of the locks of the doors being opened when I stood up to stagger against the door. My heart beat furiously as the heavy door began to slide open, it open a little then a little again. Then it slid right open.

  It was the masked man.

  I screamed when he grabbed me and took me to the car that was in the warehouse. The masked sat me in the chair when he started to remove his mask. It was no man but a woman.

  I shivered in the chair as she begun to spear her hair to the side. Shaking her head. She took out the cable ties and tied my wrists. I watched as she licked her tongue.

  “Surprised?” “Your faggot of a boyfriend surprised me you know. I didn’t know he would flip like this, but he will be dead soon enough” Another man who wasn’t masked dragged in a dead blonde woman and put her in the freezer.

  I watched as he covered her with clothes only exposing her hair then she held my chin and her tongue ran down my cheek. “Like a popsicle… Part of our training is test our endurance to hyperthermia but seems you are in an advanced stage. Your boyfriend will be in for a surprise when he opens up the freezer to find me in there. I’m looking forward to gutting him like a goat.”

  She opened up the boot and shoved me in there. She sniffled. “You have a nice perfume…” The boot lid slammed down with a hollow thus and again I was alone with the darkness.

  ***

  William

  “Which turn off?” I peered in the rear view mirror to see him going in out of consciousness I shouted “GP!” he shook and pointed to the Mt Wellington turn off on my left as we speed furiously down the motorway.

  GP Face was pale he muttered “I’m sorry will, Its fucked up but when you know you ain't got long to go you realise a lot.” He coughed “I put my fear of being out of the army in front of my mates who fought and put their lives down for me. I was willing to kill for my own selfishness.”

  “Damn it GP! Don’t you fucking die on me here I need you.”

  His eyelids fluttered and opened wide. “The will, we are coming up to the abandoned freezing, works there’s a gravel driveway that
leads to the doors.”

  I veered the car into the long gravel road Speeding up as we left a plume of dust behind us. I spotted the warehouse through the large doors. “GP brace yourself” I clench the steering wheel hard as I accelerated. The Speedo going up to 100km when I broke through the doors.

  The floor was wet when the car spun around hitting the stacks of tyres. I turned to see GP unresponsive. I got out and drew my pistol sweeping the area. The placed reeked of rotting flesh the pungent smell made me almost throw up.

  My eyes flickered to the right the sound of a diesel generator and a car parked next to it. There was the freezer with the door open the cold mist billowing out. I ran over to the entrance. I spotted Claudia in there.

  Whack!

  I was blindsided across the chest and neck. I fell back and slid across the floor. I shook off the blow trying to recover my breathing. I winced looking up to see it was Natalya holding a steel pole.

  “You're too late she’s dead…” she pointed the Claudia in the freezer. I tried to get at her and rushed when she swung the metal pole at my stomach and my back. I was down on the ground winded when she laughed.

  “You know William. Everything worked out quite well.”

  “Fuck you. Your scheme is over.”

  “Ha, its only started. With GP dead I can work undisturbed with m drug operation.”

  “What about the Lithium-ion?”

  She started cracking up. “There was no such thing. When GP caught on my operation I fed him the bullshit about the private military company and all. GP was a pretentious old man who thought he was saving the world. The fool should have known the world left him long ago.”

  “What about the afghan warlord?”

  “That was the only truth the bastard is undermining the new poppy fields that being grown there. He was insistent on having you on the team, to my disdain. Thinking that we are some sort of family and that you would be crucial to taking the warlord out. When he came up with the idea of capturing your girl to coerce you to doing the job, it was a good idea. Ha-ha, perhaps too good.

  My eyes flicked to my pistol on my right. When she stepped in front and she swung the pole nudging the weapon away. She swung at my breaking my right it snapped making me scream out in agony I was used my hands to slide up to the car.