Alpha dogs, p.25
Alpha Dogs, page 25
part #6 of Witness Protection Series
“Let’s get the survivors.”
Chapter Thirty-nine
“You’re leaving me behind?” Lindsey suddenly squawked while staring at Jackie.
The horror clearly showed on Lindsey’s face at what she was hearing. Conner stood alongside Lindsey and appeared moderately surprised as well.
Jackie showed no reaction while staring at the young woman. “We’re not leaving you behind,” she firmly remarked. “We need to protect you. The moment you step into the sun, they’re going to shoot you in the ass. You need to stay hidden.”
The remaining survivors were hole up in a two-story suite, which encompassed decks eight and nine. The living room, dining room, wet bar, and butler’s pantry were located on deck eight, which had a large balcony off the port side. A brass and curved glass staircase led to the two bedrooms on the second floor, which was deck nine. One of the bedrooms had a balcony while the other had access to the ninth floor corridor. Despite a few years of abandonment, the suite was still luxurious.
Holden moved away from the main suite door and approached the two women in a face-off. His look was commanding.
“Those men intend to kill you and everyone else they come across,” Holden informed Lindsey. “If they see you’re not with those fleeing the ship, they’re less likely to pursue and kill them.” He straightened proudly and indicated the other survivors within the suite. “I’m sure you don’t want to see all these innocent people die because of you.”
“You mean more innocent people,” Sid scoffed from across the room.
Sid received several looks, including those from Lindsey, Conner, and Holden. Jackie didn’t flinch nor look away from the selfish woman.
“It’s not my fault the other passengers died,” Lindsey snarled and folded her arms across her chest in a mild temper tantrum. “I didn’t ask to be pursued by those men. I didn’t do anything wrong. I’m the victim here.”
There was a round of sarcastic chuckles from the remaining nine passengers.
“Why do I doubt that?” Sid scoffed.
Lindsey looked at them with surprise. “I can’t believe you’re all taking this out on me.”
“You’re the reason they’re here,” Kate announced with some irritation. “You’re the reason they shot us down. And you’re the reason they’re still pursuing us.”
“Maybe if we turned you over, they’d leave,” another man interjected.
“We’re not handing her to them,” Holden announced boldly then eyed Jackie, who still hadn’t responded. Her silence was moderately frightening. “Right, Jackie?”
Holden touched her shoulder. Jackie flinched slightly and shook her head.
“Of course we’re not turning her over,” she insisted almost defensively then returned her attention to Lindsey. “Hiding you and your boyfriend on this ship will be like a needle in a haystack for the men looking for you. Your father and his men are here, and our team is still here. It’s just not necessary to put the lives of the rest of the passengers in danger while we eliminate the threat.”
“I don’t like this plan,” Lindsey scoffed while glaring at Jackie and Holden.
“You don’t have to like it,” Jackie snapped coldly. “As long as you cooperate and do what you’re told, we’ll get you out of here in one piece.”
“Remain in this suite,” Holden instructed while pointing a warning finger at her. “Stay hidden and keep quiet. We’ll be back for you once the others are safely aboard the Coast Guard ship.”
Lindsey turned toward Conner, who immediately gathered her in his arms. She pouted and sank against his chest, allowing him to hold her.
Conner cast looks between Jackie and Holden. “I hope you’re right about being able to protect her,” he announced while affectionately stroking Lindsey’s hair. “You’re asking a lot from us.”
“Once the others are safely removed,” Holden informed him, “we’ll be able to concentrate our efforts on keeping you two safe. Trust me.”
Holden returned to the door and peered out while Jackie assembled the remaining nine passengers. Once Holden gave the all clear sign, they hurried from the room and entered the empty corridor. All nine passengers were now armed with confiscated guns they’d relinquished from assorted dead men. Bill and Sid remained at the back of the group closest to Jackie and now carried their M416 assault rifles with renewed confidence. All eleven remained close to the wall. Jackie walked backward and kept an eye on their rear while Holden led the group to the bridge deck just two levels up. The faint sounds of the battle raged on, although it seemed to be further away at the moment. Most of the fighting seemed to be happening on decks five and six.
The faint sound of gunfire didn’t seem to end. Their mission required radio silence, so they didn’t even know who was winning at the moment. The less noise they made the better. If they could reach the bridge without gunfire, they would stand a better chance. Holden paused by the stairwell doorway and quietly opened it. He peered inside, saw everything was clear, and motioned the others to follow him. Holden slipped inside the stairwell followed by the first five passengers. The remaining four were about to follow when one of Cicco’s armed men appeared in the corridor with his weapon aimed at them.
“No one move,” the armed man cried out.
Jackie tensed with her weapon firmly in hand, considering her next move. In that split second, she could easily take the man out before he had a chance to squeeze the trigger. Another man dressed in gray camouflage appeared in the hall behind her. He was another of Cicco’s men. Essentially, they had them boxed in now. Jackie was fairly confident she couldn’t win.
“Drop the weapons,” the first man announced. “We don’t want to hurt anyone.”
The four passengers dropped their weapons on command. Jackie was still weighing her options. She knew she couldn’t possibly shoot both men with that amount of distance between them and expect to take them both out. They would almost certainly shoot her or the other passengers before she achieved her goal. She reluctantly dropped her rifle but remained focused on the gun down the back of her pants, which neither man had seen. She just needed the right moment.
“These people aren’t part of this. They’re just innocent bystanders,” Jackie informed the men. “Just let them go, and I’ll take you to the woman you want.”
The first man chuckled while eying her. “You’re the one they warned us about, aren’t you?” the man remarked. “You can’t be trusted.”
“What am I going to do?” Jackie practically demanded. “You have weapons pointed at me, and I’m unarmed. Trust me; that girl’s been more trouble than she’s worth. I’ll be happy to be rid of her.”
They continued to stare at her with the same disbelieving smirks. Jackie rolled her eyes and groaned.
“So tie me, if you’re afraid I might do something dramatic like bitch-slap you,” she hissed in response. “What do you really think I’m going to do against two big guys armed with big guns?”
The men exchanged looks and seemed to consider the comment. The man closest to Jackie removed a pair of zip ties and approached her while the second man kept watch over the prisoners. Jackie held her hands out in front of her to prove she wasn’t dangerous. As the man slung his rifle to apply the zip ties, Jackie threw herself to the floor and swept the man’s feet from beneath him while drawing her hidden semiautomatic at the same time. She sat up and fired at the man in front of the other passengers, who now aimed his M416 assault rifle at her. Jackie fired two shots into the man. He took two shots to the chest, but his bulletproof vest prevented them from doing any real damage. Her idea hadn’t been perfect, since she’d only ever pulled the ‘drop, roll, and pull’ stunt on men she intended to shoot in the chest.
The man was only momentarily set back by the shots to his vest since the gun was only a 9mm. Jackie took time to set up her shot while he again aimed his rifle at her. She fired at him, striking him in the forehead. The first two men cried out with horror and bolted through the stairwell door, nearly plowing down Holden, who had returned when he heard the gunfire. Jackie spun from her crouched position to face the man she’d initially kicked, but he had already recovered and had his weapon aimed at her.
Before she could react, she heard Sid cry out in anger. Sid charged past her and plowed into the man with a shoulder to his midsection. Sid roughly tackled the man to the corridor floor landing on top of him. Once he had the man on the floor, Sid punched him several times in the face while shouting profanities. Jackie and Bill reacted at the same time and pulled the enraged Sid off the fallen man. Holden stared with surprise then motioned them for the stairwell door. Bill handed Sid his weapon and recovered his own then rushed an energized Sid through the doorway.
Jackie headed for the stairwell as Holden shook his head and disappeared through the opening. The man on the floor groaned. Without looking back, Jackie aimed her semiautomatic behind her and squeezed the trigger. The man took the bullet to the throat and fell back to the floor. Holden returned from the stairwell and looked back at the dead man on the corridor floor as blood spilled from his neck wound. He eyed Jackie suspiciously.
Jackie glared back at him. “What?” she demanded with some irritation.
“We need to discuss all the time you spend with Zack,” Holden muttered. “He’s a bad influence on you.”
“Yeah, well,” she announced with a dramatic sigh. “Sometimes Zack makes a valid argument. One less man who’ll come back and shoot us later.”
Holden groaned and shook his head. He indicated the stairwell with a nod. Jackie proudly passed him and entered the stairway.
Chapter Forty
Despite being a tight fit, the nine passengers along with Holden and Zack, riding shotgun or machine gun, squeezed into the helicopter. Jackie flew the packed helicopter from the ship’s bridge deck across the beach and toward the motorized raft. She couldn’t fly to the Coast Guard ship since it wasn’t very big and there would be no place to land. Having the passengers jump into the water didn’t seem the wise move either. Jackie shut down the helicopter to allow the nine passengers safe passage from the craft to the raft. Holden loaded everyone onboard while Zack remained positioned behind the machine gun within the helicopter.
A few brave souls attempted to charge the distant helicopter, but they were quickly mowed down by Zack’s rapid machine gun fire. Holden loaded seven of the nine passengers into the raft. Bill and Sid remained outside in the water to help push the raft into the surf. Holden returned to Jackie. She stared at him with some surprise.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Fighting alongside you.”
Jackie shook her head. “No, Holden,” she informed him. “Those people need your protection.”
“They’ll be fine,” he insisted. “You’re the one I need to worry about.”
“Do you really think the Coast Guard ship is going to let that raft anywhere near their ship after what’s been happening over there?” she remarked. “You need to pull rank and flash your badge if they’re going to be allowed onboard.”
“I don’t like leaving you in times of danger, Jackie,” Holden responded. “You’ve been injured already.”
“I know you want to protect me, but I’m not the one who needs your protection,” she insisted then indicated the passengers. “They do. Get them on that ship and order the Coast Guard to take them to safety. You know that’s where you’re needed.”
Holden reluctantly nodded then kissed Jackie quickly but passionately on the lips. He pulled back and searched her eyes while touching her face.
“I’m coming back for you,” he informed her. “If you know what’s good for you, you’d better be alive and in one piece.”
She smiled and nodded. “Copy that.”
Holden returned to the raft and helped push it into the surf with Sid and Bill’s help. All three jumped into the raft. Holden started the motor, saluted Jackie, and raced the launch for the Coast Guard ship. Jackie returned to the helicopter, started it, and remained grounded while watching the raft approach the ship. Zack remained focused on any intruders attempting to impede the rescue. As the raft neared the ship, a shot was fired into the water several yards before it. Holden cut the motor, stood up in the raft, and held his badge in the air. The men by the railing hesitated, looked through their binoculars to see what he held, and then exchanged concerned looks. The captain of the ship seemed to consider his options then motioned them to continue their approach.
Back on the beach. Jackie saw the raft dock with the ship and allowed a sigh of relief escape. She flipped several switches and gripped the control while looking back at Zack.
“Time for an aerial assault,” she announced.
Zack grinned with childlike glee. “I love it when you talk dirty to me.”
§
Bogart rested his head against the hall wall while panting from overexertion. He eyed Kirk who leaned against the wall alongside him. Kirk remained focused and moderately annoyed with Bogart as usual. He didn’t bother looking at his bumbling partner.
“You know,” Bogart announced to Kirk while innocently raising his brows. “I’m a little uncomfortable with this ‘no taking prisoners’ ideology. I mean; it’s a little dark, don’t you think?”
“Shut up,” Kirk snarled without looking at Bogart and maintained his fixed stare.
“Yeah, shut up,” a man dressed in black combat gear snarled and punched Bogart across the mouth.
Bogart and Kirk remained against the wall as a man with an assault rifle stood before them. The second man, who had punched Bogart, flexed his sore hand and gave his prisoner an irritated look.
“Tell us where Lindsey Cicco is, and we’ll take you out quick and painless,” the man announced then flashed a Bowie knife already stained with blood. “Or we can do this the fun way; one cut at a time.”
Bogart stared at the bloodstained knife with concern then eyed the deranged man holding it. Bogart’s brows suddenly raised in a slightly arrogant manner.
“Wow, that’s a little dark,” Bogart remarked. “You must be Makar’s answer to Zack.”
Kirk just rolled his eyes in an attempt to ignore Bogart and the trouble his mouth was about to bring upon them. “I’m never being paired with you again,” Kirk muttered under his breath.
Bogart sighed, glanced at Kirk, and shook his head. “Why do you always have to be so negative?” he demanded then eyed the man with the knife and smiled charmingly. “You have to forgive the big guy. He’s been under a lot of stress lately. It’s been months since he’s gotten laid.”
Kirk slowly turned his head as his mouth hung open. He eyed Bogart with surprise and annoyance. “What the hell kind of stupid comment is that?” he suddenly lashed out. “Why would you even say something like that? My God! You’re like a five-year-old on a sugar rush.”
Bogart again looked at the man with the knife. “What did I tell you?” he announced and grinned. “Cranky.”
The man punched Bogart in the abdomen causing him to gasp and double over.
Kirk casually looked away. “I swear; you enjoy this,” he remarked to his teammate. “You must be a masochist or something.”
Bogart remained doubled over and gasped in pain. “If there’s an easier way out of these situations, I haven’t found one.”
As Bogart straightened, he grabbed the man’s wrist and twisted it to keep the knife from slashing him then kneed him in the groin. As the man doubled over, Bogart kicked him in the face. He flew backward into the second man who was about to shoot them. Both men were knocked down to the corridor floor. Kirk casually reclaimed his weapon and shot both men in the head. Bogart cringed then shook his head while glaring at Kirk.
“We need to deal with your anger issues,” Bogart remarked.
“Be happy I don’t shoot you,” Kirk muttered.
Several gunshots struck the wall near their heads. Bogart ducked while Kirk threw himself to the floor and sat up firing at the men down the corridor. Bogart grabbed his AK-47 assault rifle, scurried past Kirk, and ducked into the stairwell. He popped back out and fired several rounds down the corridor allowing Kirk time to retreat into the stairwell with him. They ran up the stairs to the next landing as the two men entered the stairwell behind them. Kirk and Bogart immediately took cover and fired over the railing to the landing below. Both men darted back out the door.
Kirk ran up the stairs after Bogart. Bogart threw his back against the wall alongside the door then eyed Kirk, who nodded. He pulled open the door while Kirk stepped into the doorway prepared to fire. When they didn’t see anyone, they hurried onto the ninth floor deck. The sounds of a helicopter seemed to echo around the entire area surrounding the ship. The constant thumping of the rotor blades turning sounded more like white noise against the faint sounds of gunshots from inside the ship.
Bogart took a moment to look over the railing in the direction of the Coast Guard’s ship. It was sailing away from the action. All that remained was the inflatable motorized raft that seemed to be heading their way, although it was hard to tell if it was manned or empty. Kirk ran along the deck and paused near the first hidden corner. Bogart hurried after him and kept watch on their backside. As Kirk rounded the corner, a man suddenly appeared as if out of nowhere, grabbed the assault rifle, and punched Kirk in the mouth.
Kirk was barely fazed by the relatively hard hit. He tore the rifle from the man’s hands and struck him in the face with the butt of the rifle. The man dropped to the deck floor. The stairway door flew open, and another armed man appeared on deck behind them. Bogart fired several shots at the man, who immediately took cover and returned fire. Bogart retreated around the corner with Kirk. Two more men appeared from the opposite direction and fired at them.
Bogart made a face and groaned. “Ah, hell,” he muttered as he darted for cover alongside the pool bar with Kirk. Bogart kept his back to Kirk’s and had his weapon aimed at the corner. “We’re about to have company up our ass.”
