Alpha dogs, p.8
Alpha Dogs, page 8
part #6 of Witness Protection Series
“I don’t like it,” Jackie snapped.
“Neither do I,” he remarked and cast a look at her. “But what can we do?”
She eyed him. “Hike to that town.”
“I’m not leaving you,” Zack informed her and seemed prepared to shut down the entire suggestion.
“You won’t have to,” she casually announced. “I’m going with you.”
He snorted a laugh. “I don’t think so.” Zack looked out to the ocean and seemed unusually relaxed for a change. “For once, we’re sitting this one out.”
She stared at him with surprise. “Why?” Jackie demanded. “Because I’ve been shot?”
“Yes, because you’ve been shot,” he replied and glared at her with an irritation she rarely saw. “There aren’t any hospitals around here if something happens.”
“You removed the bullet,” she replied. “I’ll be fine.”
“I’d rather not risk it.”
“We’re risking it by doing nothing,” Jackie insisted. “I don’t see a rescue. We need to hike to that town and get someone out here.”
“Not happening,” Zack informed her.
She eyed him and raised her brow. “And how do you intend to stop me?”
“Normally, I’d jump at the challenge.”
“Unfortunately, everything you have in mind will make my injuries worse,” she replied. “So I ask. How do you intend to stop me?”
Zack groaned and frowned while looking away.
§
A few minutes later, the small group of six was walking along the beach and casting glances at the rapidly darkening sky. Jackie and Zack forced Lindsey to join them on their hike to town, which she wasn’t thrilled. Her friend, Conner, felt compelled to tag along. Two fellow castaways, Bill and Sid, volunteered to join them on their trek to the town, which was possibly three to four miles from the plane wreckage. It would take about an hour to walk there.
“I don’t understand why I had to come along,” Lindsey complained while holding her head. “I’m still feeling a little out of sorts.”
Jackie could feel the beach breathing as the painkillers offered maximum side effects with minimal pain relief. She really wasn’t in the mood to listen to a spoiled rich girl whining about her minor discomforts.
“You’re a flight risk,” Jackie scoffed lacking patience for Lindsey’s strife. “If I have to chase your ass through the jungle, I may end up killing you myself.”
Jackie received surprised looks from all five travelers in her group. She didn’t bother looking at them, and she wasn’t about to apologize for her drug-induced threat. On the bright side, it silenced Lindsey for the remainder of the trek. The trek through the sand impeded their speed, so the trip to the small town took a little over an hour. By the time they reached town, the wind had picked up, the sky was black, and thunder was heard rumbling loudly in the near distance. The storm was about to hit them hard within the hour. The remainder of the crash survivors would be safe from the storm within the downed plane. Jackie and Zack’s little rescue party would probably end up seeking shelter in the town until the storm passed.
All six stopped as they reached the town. To their surprise, the town appeared to have been abandoned for years. Most of the small homes were still intact, but the jungle had taken over many homes closest to the wood line. The town only contained a dozen or more homes, a small general store, a bait shop, a church, and a small bar. The few boats that had been docked at the small pier were already rotted and sinking, tugging on their ropes against the mostly rotted pier. As the rain started, they needed to make a decision and seek shelter.
“We should head to the general store for shelter,” Conner announced and indicated the small, sturdy store in moderately decent condition.
“The church seems more secure,” Sid announced while indicating the nearby church.
Zack ignored both and headed for the bar. Jackie eyed the five, offered a knowing smile, and followed Zack. Lindsey frowned, clung to Conner’s hand, and followed them. The remaining two men had little choice but follow them.
§
The white and yellow six-passenger helicopter flew high above the palm trees within the Florida swampland. Gil and Kirk both wore their headsets, so that they could communicate above the loud hum and vibration of the helicopter. While Gil flew the helicopter, Kirk held the tracking device, which pinged on Monroe’s cell phone. Even though there wasn’t any cell phone coverage where they were, the tracker on Monroe’s cell phone still worked. Kirk alternated looking at the tracker and scanning the area below with his binoculars. The helicopter struck the tops of the palm trees, jolting Kirk. He glared at Gil, who struggled to keep the craft just above the trees.
“Can you not get us killed?” Kirk demanded.
Darth sat up from the back seat wearing his own headset and his official, black bulletproof vest. He barked as if agreeing with Kirk.
“I’m sorry; I’m not as good behind the stick as Jackie is,” Gil remarked defensively then turned concerned. “I hope she was able to land the plane. I can’t believe there hasn’t been any word on their plane yet.”
“That’s probably a good thing,” Kirk remarked while continuing his scan. “If they had crashed, it’d be all over the news.”
“Unless they’re keeping it hush-hush,” Gil responded. “If they suspect it was a terror attack, they may want to keep it out of the news.”
“Let’s just concentrate on what we know. Monroe and Bogart are around here somewhere. We’ll find them first then worry about the plane,” Kirk announced while studying the tracker. He set the tracker aside and scanned the area with his binoculars. “We need to get lower. The trees are too thick. I can’t see anything.”
“If they’re down there, they’ll hear us,” Gil informed him. “We need to find a clearing and let them come to us.”
“There’s one to my right,” Kirk announced and pointed to the clearing.
Gil veered right and headed for the clearing that was relatively dry and contained no swampy areas. They hovered over the clearing while Kirk scanned the area with his binoculars. Monroe, Bogart, and Mac ran from the swamp within the woods and into the clearing while waving their hands in the air. Both men appeared relieved when they saw the three. Gil lowered the helicopter. Another helicopter suddenly appeared on their right flank and buzzed past them. Gil attempted to control the helicopter and keep it from crashing. The rotors slashed several branches, easily cutting through them before the last one broke the heavy blade. The helicopter bucked as Kirk cried out while bracing his arms to the interior frame. Monroe, Bogart, and Mac slid to a halt and stared at the nearly disabled craft.
“Oh, shit!” Monroe cried out.
Monroe turned, dove on top of Mac, and took her to the ground, shielding her body with his. Within the helicopter, Gil attempted to lower the teetering craft while Darth bolted beneath the back seat, losing his headset. The helicopter struck the ground with a thunderous boom. Monroe, Mac, and Bogart slowly lifted their heads from the ground and looked back to where the helicopter had crashed. To their surprise, the craft was only twenty feet from them. Despite the landing rungs folding like an accordion, the craft remained intact. Gil and Kirk jumped from the helicopter and immediately threw duffel bags from the back. Darth leaped out of the craft and ran for the trees.
“Grab the gear,” Gil shouted. “We need to go!”
All five grabbed a bag each and ran for the woods after the German shepherd dog. The second helicopter returned to the clearing and hovered a moment. With the crashed helicopter taking up the entire clearing, there was nowhere to land. Two ropes dropped. Two men wearing harnesses slid down the rope, released their tethers, and ran toward the disabled helicopter with their M416 assault rifles prepped for action. When they didn’t find anyone inside, they motioned for the helicopter to circle and find them. Both men searched the area for traces of the men they were hunting, found a set of tracks, and ran for the woods after them.
Chapter Twelve
The hired gunmen walked cautiously in two-by-two formation through the swampy Florida land with their assault rifles prepared to fire upon the first thing that moved. The first man saw something move beneath the surface of a small water formation, which was more of a large puddle. He caught the second man’s attention and indicated the bubbling beneath the water. They fired several shots into the murky water then waited. Nothing moved. Both men took several steps into the shallow water, prepared to fire. A set of eyes suddenly appeared above the surface. By the time the first man saw the set of eyes, the alligator was already lunging out of the water for him.
The alligator caught the man by the leg and pulled him into the water. The second man moved in while yelling, unable to get a clean shot as the first man attempted to break free from the alligator’s grip. He was pulled beneath the surface. Water splashed in every direction, indicating the gator was taking him for a death roll. The second man was about to squeeze the trigger and fire blindly when he heard a twig snap behind him. He spun around and saw another alligator on land charging him. He screamed and attempted to aim his rifle at the creature, but he was already being thrown backward into the swampy, shallow water. His screams echoed through the woods. Bogart and Mac stood behind two trees and watched the gruesome scene from a safe distance. Mac looked at Bogart and shook her head.
“There are a lot of ways to kill a man,” Mac informed him. “That has to be high on the list as one of the worst. We should have just shot them.”
“Gators got to eat too,” Bogart informed her. “Besides, if they want to hunt us, they have to realize there are things out here looking to hunt them as well.” He indicated the woods. “We should go before the rest of the gator posse shows up.”
They hurried through the woods and caught up with the rest of the team.
Kirk shook his head as the man’s distant screaming subsided. “We need to get out of here,” he announced. “I don’t want to end up gator bait.”
Gil clutched Darth’s collar and looked around. “I second that,” he announced while keeping the dog securely against his side. “Darth is a happy meal to an alligator.”
“It’s less swampy up that way,” Bogart announced and indicated the area before them. “Just keep in mind, if you see a puddle, assume there’s a gator in it.”
They walked for nearly two miles without any sounds around them. As they approached a clearing, the team stopped and looked around.
“That helicopter is still around somewhere,” Gil informed them while scanning the mostly quiet sky. “We should remain in the woods and keep out of sight.”
“The woods on either side are swampy,” Bogart announced with some concern. “I’m not a gator whisperer. One or two we can avoid, but if we run into a bunch of them, we’re a lunch buffet.”
“It’s a short run to the woods on the other side,” Monroe offered. “We’ll hear the helicopter from a distance. We can make it to cover before they ever see us.”
“When they don’t hear from their men, they’ll send reinforcements,” Kirk reminded them. “We need to figure out where we are, find civilization, and call for extraction.”
“Can we keep moving?” Mac demanded while glaring at the four men. “Or do you guys intend to stand around and jerk one another off.”
Monroe smirked and indicated the clearing before them. “Ladies first.”
Mac entered the clearing at a brisk jog. The guys exchanged looks and shook their heads.
“She’s pleasant,” Gil scoffed without emotion. “Like a snarky version of Jackie.”
Bogart shrugged and grinned. “She’s not without her charm.”
He received several glares. The four men and Darth hurried into the clearing after Mac. They were halfway across the clearing when they heard the helicopter in the distance. All five ran through the clearing with Darth leading the way. They just made the cover of the woods as the helicopter came into view. They took positions behind trees and watched the helicopter circle the area, obviously looking for them and signs of their missing men.
“I’d love to get my hands on their bird,” Gil muttered while studying the helicopter.
Kirk peered through his binoculars and raised his brows. “They have a machine gun bolted to the floor out the side door,” he announced while secretly approving. “These guys are playing for keeps.”
Monroe turned to face Mac while remaining hidden behind his tree. “Is there anything particular about Lindsey you’d like to share with us?” he demanded. “They’re going to some pretty serious extremes to get this girl. I get that Vinny wants revenge over his dead son, but this--?”
Mac shook her head being just as baffled as the rest of the team. “There’s not much to tell about Lindsey,” she informed him. “When I knew her, she was eighteen or so. She was your ordinary teenager. She was love-starved over her boyfriend, Conner. They were inseparable. They visited her father’s island retreat somewhere off the coast of Florida, and suddenly Conner was out of her life. I heard rumor he cheated on her. Lindsey was devastated.” Mac raised her brows and considered the comment. “She turned into a complete bitch after that. I didn’t want to be around her or her father any longer, so I went to work for Sal. I later heard she was engaged to Cicco’s boy. Seemed a bit fast. I just assumed she was pregnant or something, although that didn’t turn out to be the case.”
“What’s Vinny Cicco like? Have you ever met the guy?” Gil asked while casually leaning against the security of his tree and hugging his AK-47 assault rifle.
“Once or twice. He’s your typical low-life thug,” she casually replied. “Scumbag through and through. A real dick.”
“Don’t hold back,” Monroe remarked. “Tell us how you really feel.”
She cast a glare at him then looked back at Gil. “A lot of these mob boss types have a certain code they live by,” Mac informed him. “If they kill a husband or father, they compensate the widow. Stuff like that.” She wrinkled her nose while shaking her head. “Vinny is just disgusting. I know Dexter didn’t care for him.”
“So why did he allow his daughter to marry the guy’s son?” Bogart chimed in.
“You’ve got me,” Mac replied. “Like I said, Lindsey went off the deep end when she and Conner broke things off. If Conner had cheated on her, maybe marrying Cicco’s boy was her way of punishing Conner. Maybe her father was trying to pull the two families together with the marriage of their kids. I really couldn’t say. I wasn’t around for the aftermath.” She finally straightened and looked around. “We need to get out of gator country.”
“She’s right,” Bogart agreed while keeping his eye on the area surrounding them. “We don’t want to be anywhere near the swamps after sunset. Those boys get restless.”
Kirk then indicated the darkening sky. “And there’s something not so friendly brewing in those clouds,” he announced. “We’ll need to find civilization or shelter soon.”
“At least a storm will get that helicopter off our asses for a few hours,” Gil informed them.
Monroe consulted the compass Gil had conveniently packed then indicated the woods. “If we keep heading this way, we’ll eventually run into a town, but I doubt we’ll make it before dark.”
“Then we should go,” Mac snapped and headed deeper into the woods.
“By all means,” Monroe scoffed with irritation after she’d walked off. “Lead the way.”
Monroe looked at the guys who hid their smirks but didn’t comment.
Bogart finally snorted a laugh, mocking him. “Don’t look at us,” he announced. “It was your idea to include her in this assignment.”
“He does have a point,” Kirk remarked then walked past them and followed Mac.
Chapter Thirteen
The once quaint, little bar was possibly the happening place to be on the island back when the town was in existence. Considering years of neglect, it wasn’t in too bad of shape. Thick layers of dust covered everything, cobwebs hung from every corner, and some of the plaster from the ceiling and walls had chipped away. The old bar itself seemed sturdy, being made from solid wood. The bar stools looked uncomfortable but intact. Lindsey and Conner wiped off stools in front of the bar so they could sit down and rest their weary feet. For a moderately thin woman, Lindsey was surprisingly out of shape. Being Lindsey was from a rich family, it was quite possible she rarely lifted a finger for herself. Zack immediately headed behind the bar and looked around. Sid and Bill followed him and leaned on the bar looking eager.
“Any booze left behind?” Sid asked.
Sid was a handsome man of Latino descent. His jet-black hair was the perfect length combining business with youth, and his black eyebrows set off his dark eyes. He was built more athletic than muscular, but he almost certainly had some power behind him. His friend, Bill, had a younger appearance despite both being in their mid-twenties. Bill’s medium brown hair was styled in that ‘almost a nerd’ cut. Despite his tall, lean build, his boyish smile made him seem that much younger. He had a definite boy-next-door appeal. Zack ignored the young men and continued his search. He removed a ham radio from the bottom shelf and immediately fiddled with it. Despite his creativity, the radio never came to life. He frowned with disgust. Jackie sat on one of the bar stools and eyed him.
“Did you actually think that antique would work?” she practically teased.
“Was worth a shot,” Zack muttered.
“Speaking of shots,” Bill announced cheerfully and grinned in suggestion.
Zack rolled his eyes and reluctantly placed a bottle of whiskey on top of the bar. He continued his search as the two men eyed the bottle. Sid groaned and made his way behind the bar for several dusty glasses. Zack headed out from behind the bar and walked through a nearby door marked ‘office’. Jackie wearily slid off her bar stool and followed Zack. She entered the office and watched as he searched the small room.
“Looking for a generator?” she teased.
