Chapter Fifteen
Suds
“Damn. They’re going to execute him.” Gun drawn, I rush out of the car and drop to my belly on the wet grass. While I take aim, someone shouts in Mandarin, they pull Dash to his feet by his tie wrapped wrists and push him up a short set of stairs.
Using the light from the open back door, four guards circle the building, weapons under large parkas. Hopefully, in a small town like this, gunfire will bring the cops. If not, we’re screwed.
“A fucking bounty hunter.” Sam drops beside me. “We should let him reap what he sows.”
“By that, I assume you mean millions of dollars?”
“No, I was thinking more along the lines of death.”
“Shush.” I clamp my hand over her mouth and hold my breath as boots crunch the pavement, inches from our heads.
After he leaves, she peeks over the bushes, then slides down. “Our contract included a risk-your-neck clause which is going to cost our client a fortune.”
“Fine. You convinced me. We’ll save him.” I double check my weapon and click off the safety and she does the same.
When finished, I consider the boarded-up windows and the men piling cardboard boxes on the loading dock.
“So, what’s your plan?” Her trust in my abilities, this time, may be unwarranted. We’re vastly outnumbered.
“To not get killed.” I stole the line from my commander during my first deployment and used it ever since. Up until now, it’s brought me good luck.
“Good start. Anything more specific?” To wait for the cavalry to save us seems the best option but we need a backup plan.
I point to the two white vans. “With everyone busy unpacking, we could enter via the front but follow my orders. Once we’re inside, shoot to kill. No hesitation. Stay low and stay close. Our goal is to get in, get Dash, and get out.”
“Understood.” Biting her lower lip, she presses her comm unit. “Hands, you are hearing this?”
“Loud and clear. Patten’s still twenty minutes out. DEA about the same.”
“Good copy.” I crawl on hands and knees to the closest point to the main entrance then ask, “Do you have eyes, pal?”
“Negative. The drone ran out of juice. I repeat, I got no eyes in the sky.”
Inside, a man screams, and I cringe.Fuck.We’ve run out of time. “Babe, I’m going in. You stay put.”
Hoping for once she’ll obey, I race to the door, shoot out the lock, and enter the building. The huge open space has no foyer. I’m in clear view of about two dozen Asian women who raise their eyes from their workbenches.
“Hey!” A short man with greasy black hair and a wispy long beard points a rifle.
“Don’t shoot.” My arms in the air, I cross the uneven wood planks between bubbling vats of decapitated Muppet bodies.
Not sure the guy can speak English I speak slow and pray he’ll recognize the name of the Detroit gang leader. “Luis Delgado sent me. Del-ga-do.”
Grunting, the height-challenged man walks behind me, raises his barrel and pokes me forward. As I stumble past piles of Smart Sissy heads, a mechanical noise catches my attention. A mouth moves and above it, eyes open. Somewhere, someone is watching.
“Mighty fine operation. Bet those folks in China wish they could see it.” I pray it’s Landy in Seattle and she understands my directive. Otherwise, I’m fucked.
Because I count the plywood covered windows, I know the painted brick wall lies adjacent to the loading dock. When we reach it, my captor points at a corner door and jams cold metal above my back pockets.
“Open it.”
Biding my time, I turn the handle, push, and…Fuck.My fists clench. Lashed to an office chair, a lifeless Dash slumps forward.
Then, his head lifts, his face barely recognizable. He opens one puffy eye a slit and spits out blood. “Who’re you?”
