Friction

by Dwayne Gill

  “They found the truck,” whispered Cane. “There are five surrounding it.”

  William could hear the low hum of a nearby engine, signaling the vehicle was gas-powered, as most foreign ones were. In the distance he heard others. The alert must’ve triggered an all-out search.

  “How far to the boat?” asked William.

  “Five miles,” said Dirk.

  William cringed as he considered the long trek, but unless they risked engaging the men on the road, it was what they would have to do.

  “Wayne, call your friend and tell him to move the boat to the backup coordinates,” said Cane. Wayne nodded and walked down the hill. “I’m sure they’re aware of our exit strategy.”

  William had already known much about the assassin, but seeing him work in person was surreal. He’d wanted to meet this man for so long, and here he was, leading the way out.

  However, it looked like they would improvise, and William worried less about his conditioning and more about the time it would take them to return. He waved Cane over. “Is my family safe?”

  Cane looked at him and frowned. “We couldn’t find them.”

  William understood Cane’s frustration, for he’d hidden them well, and only very few people knew their location. One of those people was Marcene, however, so William was shocked they hadn’t recovered April and Mercy before abandoning them to fly overseas.

  “Have you heard of a lady named Marcene?” asked William.

  Cane nodded, and William also saw Daniel’s eyes widen. He realized it was a foolish question, but why hadn’t they known about his family? “I figured Marcene would’ve told you where they were,” said William.

  “She’s not exactly forthcoming with information,” said Daniel.

  William sighed in frustration. “Can I use a phone, please?”

  Cane handed him a satellite phone. “Won’t be the best signal.”

  When William couldn’t reach them, he felt anxious but realized how remote his family was. They didn’t have satellite phones, and cell service was mostly nonexistent where they were located. Even so, it was still frustrating. “I’ve gotta get to them. Now.”

  Cane put a hand on his shoulder, forcing him back into a squatting position. “Wayne,” he said. “Can I get out of Baku on another flight?”

  Wayne didn’t hesitate. “Not only that, but I can get you on a faster jet, if it’s just you flying. We had transportation lined up for more passengers, just in case.”

  The group hadn’t been sure whether William would be the only one evacuated, which was why they brought along an extra boat. William assumed Dirk had warned them how he didn’t fancy leaving people behind, though they’d had no choice this time. The only other captives William had seen were foreign military.

  “Tell one boat to meet me east of the port,” Cane said to Wayne. “The other boat keeps the same coordinates.” He looked at William. “Tell me where your family is,” he said. “I can make it to the other boat in thirty minutes.”

  William cringed, even though this was a sensible alternative. Cane, on his own, could make it to Baku and be back in the U.S. before the rest. The precious hours could make a difference, though William didn’t see how the marked men could ever find his family. Still, he couldn’t take the chance.

  Trusting another man with the location of his wife and daughter, and more importantly, with their rescue, wasn’t something William was thrilled about, even though he knew enough about Cane to know he was qualified for such a task.

  “Let’s face it,” said Cane. “You’re not one hundred percent. I won’t let anything happen to your family.”

  There was something about the vow that meant more coming from Cane. There hadn’t been many promises this man hadn’t delivered on, if the tales were true. Now was not the time for his pride to get in the way. His family needed protecting, and Cane could do so faster and more efficiently.

  William whispered the location in Cane’s ear and looked him in the eye. “There will be a man named Bart watching over my family, April and Mercy. Please…”

  “I get it,” said Cane. “I’ve lost someone.”

  Something in the assassin’s eyes comforted William, like deep sadness coupled with fierce determination. It was a familiar feeling he felt they shared somehow.

  “We have a thing for saving the weak,” said Daniel. “It seems out of place, I know, but trust me, there’s no one you’d rather have watching out for your family.”

  It didn’t seem out of place at all, for William had his own history of saving the unfortunate, which included the mission that landed him here.

  “We’ll need to line you up a flight out of Eglin,” said Wayne.

  “Call Colonel Mathis,” said William. “If you tell him you’re trying to get to my family, he’ll accommodate you.”

  “I’ll call him on the way home,” said Cane. “Good luck.” William and Cane exchanged nods one more time, and the assassin disappeared into the darkness.

  “What now?” asked Daniel.

  “We get to our boat,” said Wayne. “If our skipper needs to move it again, that’s what we’ll do. They could have men up and down the coast.”

  William realized he needed to get his head in the game. He might not be physically up to par, but he was a leader. Cane was gone, so they needed him at full mental capacity to survive. “Wayne, let me see that map.”

  Wayne handed him his tablet, and William looked over the terrain. “They’re coming from the west. If we move east, we can get ahead of their roadblock and use the woods for cover all the way to the coast. If we engage these soldiers on the road, we’ll only alert them to our position and let them know we were here. We can cross the road right here,” he said, pointing to the map where it curved south. “Once we cross, we’re home free.”

  “Until we reach the coast,” said Dirk.

  William nodded. “But that leaves a single engagement instead of multiple. Your guy knows to stay in the clear until we alert him?” he asked Wayne.

  “He’ll remain in neutral waters, yes,” said Wayne. “That’s only safe for so long, though. We have to move fast. The Russians will eventually launch patrol boats of their own.”

  “This route is the most direct,” said William, again pointing to the one taking them through the forest. “It’s also far enough east that they won’t be swarming, if we can beat them to it.”

  “They’ll focus on the ports,” said Orlando. “They won’t have enough men to cover the entire coast. There’ll be plenty of docked boats to distract them.”

  “Let’s move then,” said William. “It’ll be daylight before we know it.”

  *

  8:00 a.m. GMT + 5

  Somewhere over Turkmenistan

  Malakhov wasn’t surprised to hear about William’s escape, though he kicked himself for his ignorance regarding the American’s identity. He’d had this man near death months ago, had nursed him back to health, and even worse, had him contained in a prison. The soldier should have been dead already, and now Malakhov was forced to swoop in and finish the job.

  He had other factors to deal with as well; not only would he need to contend with William, but he’d also be facing the other two killers of their trio. He’d heard all about the assassin, Cane, and even Daniel, the giant, but Malakhov had a weapon of his own to bring to the battle.

  They’d never be able to make it to mainland in time to cut off their enemies, but Malakhov knew exactly where they were headed, for it was their only option. The men would ferry to Baku, so he’d have plenty of time to arrange their welcoming party. The trick was how to do so without first alerting the locals or the American military there. It was a risky endeavor, but he had plenty of men meeting him in Baku. In fact, he’d instructed the guards on the ground outside Turkmenbashi to abandon their coastal watch and head over to Baku. Malakhov needed every hand to assist in the raid.

  Vinson had arranged their safe landing in Baku, though he knew they wouldn’t be welcome long,
once the military recognized their presence. They were landing on a private airstrip outside the main port and would use the coast to move into position. Security at port was light, as well as the American military presence. The biggest forces were stationed farther inland, which would give them a window of time to make their move.

  Malakhov’s biggest wild card would be the man at the back of the plane. He glanced back at Levi, who was restrained from head to toe, sitting, staring forward blankly. His long, dirty hair hung over his face, and what the mop couldn’t obscure, the unkempt beard did. Grooming the beast was nearly impossible, for he wasn’t domesticated enough to let anyone touch him.

  Malakhov was surprised Vinson had requested Levi’s presence, but since none of the lieutenants were close enough to help, it made sense for the savage to tag along. Levi was an experiment that hadn’t turned out as expected; originally designed to be the eighth leader of the marked men, his turning had gone terribly wrong. Similar to the marked men whose minds had been too weak, the giant had never gained control of his. He had to be restrained and caged his entire life. Vinson had preserved him for a use such as this, but Levi would be just as likely to kill Malakhov and his men as their enemies.

  Malakhov was deathly afraid of the beast. Vinson had charged him with babysitting Levi in the caves of Rangkul, Tajikistan, for the past two months, where one mistake could have led to Levi tearing the whole facility apart.

  Malakhov looked away from the savage and shook his head. He’d have to be very careful deploying him. If he could just get him in sight of Daniel, he knew Levi would gravitate to him. He was nearly as large as Daniel, so he‘d like the challenge.

  Mistaken Identity

  October 2, 2028

  10:00 p.m. CST

  Naperville, Illinois

  When Hart saw Cane’s number flash across his phone, he hesitated to answer, but he had no choice. Cane might be calling to give a positive update, which would raise Hart’s spirits, but Barkley’s failed attempt to save Tina would not be the easiest news to deliver.

  Even worse, Hart couldn’t do anything for Barkley; Lindsey had said the local police had her detained until Plumber got there. Hart didn’t know what intentions the interim director had, but him making a personal trip to see her was curious.

  Hart couldn’t leave Chicago, for Lindsey had finally been given the okay to proceed with Dr. Brewer. Now all they needed was the phone call.

  Hart sighed and took the call; Cane sounded like his normal self, and for a moment Hart was jealous of the assassin’s ability to contain or suppress his emotions. Surely, no matter what the report, Cane must’ve had a rough morning, but one would never know by his even tone.

  “William’s out,” said Cane. “I’m about to fly out of Baku.”

  Hart was at once both relieved and curious. “By yourself?”

  “They’re a few hours behind,” said Cane. “I’m on my way to get William’s family.” This made more sense, although Hart still didn’t understand all the details. “Any updates on Bowman and Tina?” asked Cane.

  Hart took a deep breath. “Plumber is helping with Bowman, so I’m hoping to hear something soon.” Hart paused, and he swore Cane sensed his apprehension.

  “What happened?”

  “They took Tina,” said Hart. “Barkley was there, but there were three marked men. She killed two of them, but the other one got away with Tina.”

  There was a heavy silence on the other end, but after a moment, Cane asked, “How is Barkley?”

  Hart shouldn’t have been surprised that Cane took the news in stride, but he was. “She’s banged up, but she’ll be okay.”

  “I’ll be landing in Eglin at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow, your time,” said Cane. “I’m not staying, though. I’ll be flying to Montana as soon as I land.”

  Montana? Hart had hoped Cane would be back to help, but it wouldn’t be the case. “I’m still waiting on the call from Brewer,” said Hart. “The FBI is helping me raid his clinic.”

  Cane didn’t respond. He likely had bigger things on his mind. “I’ll call when I land at Eglin,” he said, and he was gone.

  Hart sat back to catch his breath, trying to process the conversation. There was so much happening at once. After a few minutes, his phone rang again. It was Dr. Brewer.

  “A man told me to call you when the marked men were delivering another shipment of syringes. Do you know what I’m talking about?”

  “Yes,” said Hart.

  “They’re coming at eight in the morning,” said Brewer.

  “How many usually come?” asked Hart.

  “Two, sometimes three,” said Brewer. “You’re going to help me, aren’t you? I want my family protected.”

  “You have my word,” said Hart. “We’ll be in place. Where is your office in the building?”

  “Through the back door, into the hall, take a left. It’s the first door on the left,” said Brewer.

  “Perfect,” said Hart. “Play it cool, Doctor. Act like it’s a normal delivery.”

  “They’ll ask me about the two missing syringes,” said Brewer. “They’ll know. Please be on time. They’re never late.”

  “See you in the morning,” said Hart.

  After ending the call, Hart called Lindsey to update her. “No suits,” said Hart. “We can’t tip these guys off.”

  “Got it,” said Lindsey. “I’m bringing six men. Will that be enough?”

  Lindsey had never seen these men in action before, but any more agents would be hard to conceal. “That’s good,” said Hart.

  “Where do you want to meet?”

  “I’ll text you the address,” said Hart. “We’ll meet at six.”

  Once Hart disconnected, he called to the others in the house to update them. “Everyone’s safe. Cane is on his way back to the states. The others are coming later.”

  “Why is he alone?” asked Kristy.

  “Cane is going to get William’s family. I guess he could move faster by himself.”

  “How’s Barkley doing?” asked Kristy.

  “I haven’t spoken to her,” said Hart. “They won’t let her talk right now.”

  No one in the house knew exactly how to feel at the moment, with so much still in the air. Hart looked at all the concerned faces and wished he had better news, but at least there were a few things to be positive about. “I know things have been tough lately, but hey, at least William’s out and Cane is headed back to the states. I’m gonna talk to Brewer tomorrow, and hopefully the FBI will locate Bowman. The marked men gave us their best shot, and now we’re making ground. So, keep your chins up.”

  Hart wished Barkley was there, for she was better at encouraging people, but he hoped he gave them something to consider. He couldn’t imagine just how hard it was for them all to be waiting around without being able to help.

  “I’ve been going over the list of names from Brewer,” said Lynks. “I’ve found no one else of significance so far.”

  Hart nodded. “Keep trying. All we need is one to jump out.” Hart had his doubts about the rest of the list but hoped by some miracle Lynks would uncover some connection to where Bowman was being held.

  Hart was trying to remain positive for everyone’s sake, but he was burdened as well. He was worried for Barkley, Bowman, Swelling, and Tina. Even Daniel, William, and Cane weren’t in the clear. Cane could be walking into an ambush, and until Daniel and William made it out of Baku, anything could happen. The development with Dr. Brewer was the most encouraging news so far, but it was far from being a slam dunk. There was plenty of reason to be concerned, and all Hart could do was hope tomorrow would be a better day.

  *

  October 2, 2028

  1:00 a.m. CST

  Jordyn stood in the library, staring at the door of the panic room, trembling. Everyone else was tucked in their beds, though no one was really sleeping. Jordyn had slipped by Taryn, but she wasn’t sure what she was doing in this room, feet away from the man she once knew as her father.


  Natalie had been forcing Tom to watch old videos of Jordyn as an eight-year-old, some of Jordyn’s fondest memories. Her dad had worked from home at the time, designing websites for big companies, allowing her to spend a lot of time with him. Jordyn was big into sports, so she and her dad spent many afternoons throwing the softball around and playing basketball.

  In those times, Jordyn remembered Tom being at his best, although he’d always been a good father. He seemed more unburdened and less stressed financially. Her mother, who could sometimes be heard laughing in the background, had filmed the videos. The three of them were a fine example of what a family should be, and it remained that way until the day Tom suddenly changed.

  Jordyn had wrestled with this notion, for although she’d been well-schooled on how the marked men turned people, she still found it hard to believe her dad was gone. Had he not loved her enough to overcome the marked men’s brainwashing? Or were their methods that consuming?

  Natalie had a lot of optimism for the method she was trying and had been in contact with the neurologist several times. Jordyn had yet to see Tom, and she wondered if her personal appearance could have any additional impact on him. Maybe that’s why I’m standing here, she thought.

  Jordyn was afraid. All the times she’d wished she could look at Tom once more, to show him she’d not only survived his attacks but had thrived despite them, seemed like they originated from another person. Thinking about him now only conjured the memory of him standing in front of her with a gun pointed, his eyes empty of all emotion. Would this be the last memory of him she ever had? It was this thought, accompanied by the sudden grief it spawned, that caused her to amble toward the panic room.

  The door was only ten feet away, but her slow, cautious steps and anxiety made it seem farther. Her heart pounded harder as she approached, until she stood in front of the keypad. Trying to resist the urge to turn around, she typed in the code she’d seen Natalie key in, and the door slid open.