Alpha mike foxtrot, p.2
Alpha Mike Foxtrot, page 2
part #3 of Witness Protection Series
“That sounded like an explosion,” he gasped, although he was barely heard over her sudden desire to scream out profanities.
The bodice clad, mother-of-the bride didn’t let the rumbling or his words interfere with her good time. “It’s fine,” she gasped nearly out of breath.
He groaned softly and allowed his head to hit the pillow beneath him. “They’re going to leave me here, I know it,” he muttered softly beneath her loud cries.
†
Monroe and Bogart stood before the fuse box within the mansion basement, which was now in complete darkness except for the small penlight between them. Bogart grinned and gave Monroe a thumbs up.
“Our mission is complete,” Monroe announced giving a general nod to the fuse box. “Let’s meet the others at the rendezvous.”
“Before something else goes wrong,” Bogart muttered while rubbing his sore jaw.
Both men hurried through the dark basement.
†
At the same time within the mansion study, the smoke continued to waft across the large room. Gil and Beck stood before the safe with the door torn off its hinges. They tossed large wades of cash and jewelry aside and grabbed a lone manila envelope. Beck glanced inside the envelope while Gil aimed the penlight to reveal the contents.
“Got it,” Beck announced while shutting the envelope and signaled for Gil to go.
Both men hurried past the severely damaged desk with the safe door impaled through the heavy wood and headed for the study door. Beck stuffed the envelope into the inner pocket of his jacket for safekeeping. As they stepped into the dimly lit hallway, several guards saw them and pointed while shouting something neither man could hear. Gil and Beck exchanged frowns. As the guards ran toward them, both men turned and ran down the nearly dark hall. Gil touched his ear transmitter as they ran from the guards almost fifty yards behind them.
“We have the package, but we’ve got some company hot on our ass,” Gil announced without slowing his pace in order to keep up with Beck. “We’re heading for the kitchen now.”
“I’m on my way,” came Ross’s response.
†
Jackie stood outside the mansion not far from the kitchen entrance. The rest of the guests had gathered on the front lawn as instructed. Although she couldn’t see them, she could hear them ranting about the rumbling they’d heard prior to the lights going out. Jackie insecurely rubbed her bare arms while pacing in front of the rented black Mercedes. Some of the kitchen staff and caterers were now collecting on the back patio. If they had seen her on their way from the kitchen entrance to the patio, they didn’t give her presence much consideration. Jackie watched several caterers on the back patio sneaking cigarettes while waiting for the announcement that they could return inside. She glanced at her watch while listening to the guys talking to one another over her hidden ear transmitter. She glanced from the kitchen door to the nearby basement door. The basement door was only fifty yards away, being almost hidden by some shrubs. She groaned softly and pulled her long hair free from the French twist.
“Come on,” she muttered softly.
†
Gil and Beck ran into the empty, dark kitchen. The caterers and wait staff had evacuated upon security’s orders, leaving behind trays filled with tasty pastries. Ross waited for them to pass through the door. Gil had his small tool bag slung over his shoulder while Beck now brought up the rear. Beck scooped up a handful of puffy pastries as they passed the loaded island counter.
“Three guards right behind us,” Gil announced to Ross as they ran across the kitchen.
As the first two guards came through the kitchen door, Ross raised the fire extinguisher and sprayed the white foam into the men’s faces. They were startled and temporarily blinded by the white substance hitting them. The third man tripped over the first two men in the darkness. Ross grinned, tossed the extinguisher aside, and ran after his men toward the outer kitchen door. Ross slowed near the sideboard, snatched a bottle of champagne, and ran out the door.
†
Bogart and Monroe ran along the dimly lit basement corridor, heading in the direction of the outer basement door. Monroe reported their location to Ross through his transmitter, since they were no longer alone. Although from a distance, four guards pursued them through the darkened corridor. They reached the outer basement door and attempted to open it. It was locked!
“What the hell--?” Monroe launched while fumbling with his lock pick.
“I thought this door was unlocked,” Bogart bellowed out with surprise.
“So did I.”
Bogart watched the approaching men in the corridor behind them. “Here we go again,” he muttered then smirked as he blocked the first fist that came at him.
The four men ganged up on Monroe and Bogart, foiling Monroe’s attempt to pick the door lock. Monroe and Bogart attempted to fight the men, but they had nowhere to move to avoid all four of the mansion guards. Monroe and Bogart were punched multiple times then cast to the floor. Both sat up against the wall while bleeding and breathing heavily. Bogart glanced at Monroe as the four men stood over them.
“Well, do you have any brilliant plans?” Bogart asked almost demandingly. “If you do, by all means, share them.”
“This is usually the part where Zack comes in and takes some guy’s nuts off,” Monroe muttered.
“Well, Zack ain’t here,” Bogart suddenly scoffed with irritation.
“Excuse me,” came the familiar female voice.
All four guards glanced a few feet down the basement corridor to the attractive young woman in the teal evening dress. They appeared bewildered by her presence.
Jackie smiled sweetly while posing seductively near the outer basement door. “Could you gentlemen tell me where the ladies’ room is?”
Two of the guards approached Jackie with little emotion and no patience while removing their guns from hidden shoulder holsters. Jackie suddenly sneered and kicked off her high heels.
“No imagination,” she scoffed lowly.
As they reached her, Jackie suddenly spun into a high, roundhouse kick, the slit in her dress allowing for the fast fierce kick. She struck the first man in the chest with her bare foot. Before the second man could react, she was already in the return kick and nailed him in the abdomen. Bogart and Monroe took their cue and tackled the men hovering over them, who were now paying attention to what was happening down the hall. One-on-one, the guards didn’t stand a chance against the two, highly skilled men. Once they had the guards on the ground, Bogart grabbed one of their discarded guns.
Monroe gave him a disapproving look. “No gunplay, Bogart,” he reminded.
“I ain’t shooting no one,” Bogart snapped back at him.
Jackie took out the last man, slamming him into the stone wall, and then casually reclaimed her shoes. She looked at Bogart and Monroe while offering a sly grin.
“Our ride should be waiting outside,” she informed them and nodded to the outer door.
All three hurried for the basement entrance. Jackie had successfully picked the lock to gain access to the basement when she heard the men being attacked from her position outside the door. Once Bogart and Monroe passed through the door, Jackie stopped by the closed door to jam the lock. Gil, Beck, and Ross were waiting by the luxury rental car. Ross had his arms folded across his chest and glared disapprovingly at Jackie by the door.
“Stubborn girl,” Ross scoffed. “She never listens.”
As Monroe and Bogart approached the vehicle, they looked around with surprise and possible concern.
“Where’s Kirk?” Monroe asked.
“He’s a little tied up,” Ross replied casually while hiding his grin. “He’ll be fine. No one’s looking for him. Well, except maybe an irate father-of-the-bride.”
The basement door was violently shoved open, throwing Jackie away from the door. Before she could recover, one of the guards stepped through the opening and grabbed her around the neck. He pulled her against him from behind and aimed his gun at her head.
“All of you,” the guard fiercely cried out. “If you value this woman’s life, you’ll drop your weapons and put your hands on your heads!”
Without hesitation, Jackie rammed her elbow into the man’s ribs then spun into a roundhouse kick for his face. A gunshot rang out followed by Jackie’s scream. The guys reacted with alarm. As Jackie fell to the ground, Ross’s expression shattered.
“Jackie!”
Chapter Three
One month later. Somewhere west of Colorado Springs. The open plains were picturesque in the early morning. Without a cloud in the sky, it would be another warm, dry day. The peaceful morning was interrupted by a faint rumbling that grew louder. The sound of thundering hooves increased as a cloud of dust closed in. A herd of nearly one hundred horses ran across the wide-open fields as if being chased by a predator. Not far behind the herd were three men on four wheelers. They muffled shouts through their bandannas as they chased the horses, herding them with a purpose. The loud crack of a whip caught the herd’s attention. Two fifteen-year-old girls on horseback galloped toward the herd from the side not far in front of them. The first girl wearing a black cowboy hate rode a large black horse and cracked a bullwhip. The second girl rode a brown and white paint horse and intentionally trailed behind.
The dark haired girl with the bullwhip in her hand cut across the herd’s path, cracking her whip the entire way. The sound prompted the horses to veer from their current path. She rode after the lead mare, allowing the rest of the herd to follow, swiftly changing direction like a flock of birds. The men on the four wheelers screamed at one another, although they were almost too far apart to hear what the other had said. They drove after the second teenager, a blond girl wearing a brown cowboy hat, as she rode on the paint horse now chasing behind the last of the herd. The blond girl swiftly removed a rifle from her saddle holster, dropped the reins across the horn, and spun nearly sideways on the saddle. As her horse continued to gallop after the herd, the girl fired the rifle at the men on the four wheelers behind her. The ground exploded just before one of the vehicles, startling the men, but not stopping their pursuit. She aimed carefully despite her sideways position on the horse and fired several rounds. One bullet struck the first four wheeler in the front tire. The ATV swerved and tumbled, tossing its rider. The second ATV took a shell in the front and immediately expelled steam. It sputtered and lost momentum. The third ATV with its determined rider continued its pursuit.
The blond girl spun around, facing forward on her horse, and sat back deep in the saddle, clinging to her rifle with both hands. The horse sank onto his haunches, digging his back hooves into the ground, and skidded to a stop without use of reins. The horse pivoted around in time with the girl as she turned her shoulders and leveled the rifle. She now faced the approaching ATV with her rifle aimed directly at the rider. The man cried out and swerved at the sight of the girl with the high-powered rifle aimed at him. She redirected her aim and squeezed the trigger. The back tire of the ATV exploded and the vehicle floundered to a stop. The girl grinned, replaced her rifle to the saddle holster, and sent the horse back into a gallop without ever kicking him. All three men watched the blond teenage girl ride after the herd.
†
The herd of wild horses trotted back across the invisible line into the game lands with the two girls on horseback bringing up the rear. The wild horses were no longer fearful of those herding them. It had been a long, exhausting journey for the herd. Monique and Colleen were the ultimate tomboys in their blue jeans, cowboy boots, and plaid shirts. The only thing girly about either was their shoulder length hair, and even that they wore in ponytails beneath their cowboy hats. Somewhere beneath the hats and dirt were two attractive, teenage girls, but they didn’t have boys on their minds--only horses. The two girls stopped their horses and watched the herd return to their sanctuary. Both smiled proudly but it didn’t last long. They frowned and exchanged concerned looks.
“We can’t keep this up, Monique,” the brunette on the black horse informed her friend as she removed her black cowboy hat and wiped the sweat from her forehead onto her sleeve. “That’s their third attempt this month.”
“We just need to buy a little more time,” Monique replied then straightened in the saddle and gingerly rubbed her sore butt. “The park rangers will investigate. My father promised.”
“I’m worried they’re going to slip past us and send them off to slaughter,” Colleen remarked while frowning. “Your father and the rangers aren’t working fast enough.”
“I know,” Monique muttered.
Both girls watched the herd and sank into their own worries about the fate of the wild horses. Their survival from the poachers depended upon the two girls, but they were alone and exhausted. They wouldn’t be able to keep up the pace much longer and the herd would fall into the hands of men who just wanted to slaughter the beautiful creatures.
Monique finally looked at her young friend, who wore a defeated expression on her face. “We need to be proactive,” she announced firmly.
Colleen gave her a puzzled look. “What do you mean? What can we do that we haven’t already been doing?”
“We know what direction they were herding them,” Monique replied. “They’d have to be moving them closer to their pick-up destination. They’ll have some sort of corral set up to contain them, and there will be trucks to transport them.” Monique’s face lit up with enthusiasm. “We just need to go back out there and scout out the area they were heading. When we find the corral and the trucks, we’ll have them. I can tell my father, and the rangers can do their job.”
Colleen appeared equally enthusiastic for the first time. “That’s a good plan.”
“I know,” Monique announced and grinned slyly. “I’m a genius.”
Her friend frowned at the comment. “Yeah, in your own mind.”
They turned their horses and rode in the direction they’d come at a leisurely gait.
†
After nearly an hour of riding, the two girls reached an old ghost town in the middle of nowhere. Neither was familiar with the dilapidated old town. It consisted of the main street and two side streets, though most of the buildings on the side streets were reduced to piles of rubble. The buildings along the main thoroughfare appeared almost structurally sound, having survived hundreds of years in the dry conditions. As they rode through the main street of the old ghost town, both paid particular attention to the ground and the fresh ATV tracks. They finally stopped their horses and looked around, seeming puzzled.
“This can’t be right,” Monique groaned with frustration. “There isn’t a corral of any kind to contain the horses.”
“I don’t see any tractor-trailer tracks either,” Colleen remarked.
“The guys came through here, but this can’t be the pick-up location,” Monique finally announced then sighed as she looked around with defeat. “What now?”
Colleen shrugged, not seeming overly concerned. “We have plenty of time before we have to return home,” she remarked simply. “We can ride onward for another hour before we have to turn around.”
“Okay then,” Monique sighed and pointed onward. “Wagon’s ho.”
They rode out of town, continuing their journey. Monique and Colleen rode at a leisurely gait for another hour or longer, stopping once at a stream for everyone to fill up on water. They passed a mildly rocky area on a slight hill, before reaching the top of the small peak, which again turned into lush pasture down the hill. Their perch on top of the hill offered a bird’s eye view of a strange sight in the valley below. Monique and Colleen exchanged bewildered looks.
“Am I seeing correctly?” Colleen almost gasped.
Monique slowly nodded and stared with the same speechless expression. In the valley below lie the overgrown remains of an old, abandoned amusement park, which covered nearly thirty acres of flatland. Despite the vegetation growth, they could easily make out nearly two dozen rides beyond the chain link fence, overgrown with plant life. From their overhead vantage point, they could see the main entrance with the dilapidated gates standing open. Toward the back of the park on the opposite end, a portion of the fence just behind the wooden roller coaster was down as well. What remained of the macadam parking lot was mostly covered in grass, although small portions of blacktop were exposed, giving a general layout of the original parking lot from years past.
Toward the left of the park was what they could only assume to be a haunted house, which looked very much like a mansion. There was an old sky ride high above the park with one or two carts smashed on the ground below. Swampy areas, particularly surrounding the dilapidated flume ride, were all that remained of the water rides. In the greenish water, they could see boats partially submerged from years of neglect. Vegetation has grown rampant particularly around the wet areas.
“I’ve never seen anything so cool and creepy at the same time,” Monique muttered aloud.
Colleen suddenly tapped her friend on the arm and pointed. “Look, over there.”
Although difficult to make out beyond one of the larger buildings from their vantage point, a large tractor-trailer was parked on the other side of the park. It was parked alongside a tall, chain link fence surrounding the massive generator building. The area was large enough to contain the wild horses prior to transport.
“This is it,” Colleen boldly announced with enthusiasm. “This is where they were driving the herd.”
“A long trek, don’t you think?” Monique remarked, expressing some apprehension.
“I doubt those bastards cared what condition the horses arrived in,” Colleen informed her friend. “What do you think? Should we report this place to your dad?”
“I don’t know,” Monique replied while remaining concerned. “Maybe we should nose around and make sure. If my father reports this place to the rangers and they come up empty-handed, they’ll never listen to us again.”
