Alpha dogs, p.9
Alpha Dogs, page 9
part #6 of Witness Protection Series
“That would be one small generator,” he remarked then eyed her.
She smirked knowingly.
“With that storm just about on top of us, it’s going to get a lot darker in here,” he announced. “I’m not expecting to find any working flashlights, but with the island location, I’m hoping for kerosene lamps or candles.”
“Walkie-talkies would be nice,” she announced.
“The average battery shelf life isn’t working in our favor,” Zack reported.
She watched while he searched the office. “You know, the church probably has a ton of candles.”
“Yeah, I sort of thought about that,” he remarked with a sigh. “I may have to run out and grab some before the storm gets too bad.”
“Want me to go with you?”
“No,” he replied and eyed her. “You need to rest. You’re still recovering from that gunshot wound. I can’t imagine you’re feeling really good right about now.”
“I’ve felt worse,” she replied.
“Take a lookout position in the bar near the door,” he instructed. “I’ll head out the back door for the church. I can look out back for a generator on my way through.” He leaned on the desk and gave her a serious look. “Do you have the other gun from the plane?”
She nodded and raised a brow. “You?”
“Yeah, I have it,” he replied. “I doubt we’re in any danger, but you know the routine.”
“Yeah, I know the routine,” she replied. “Be careful. It’s getting windy out there.”
Jackie left the office and crossed the barroom. She briefly glanced at the three men and Lindsey sitting at the bar enjoying their whiskey. Jackie brushed the dust from a chair near the window and secured her stakeout position. From her position near the window, she could see a majority of the area surrounding the bar, not that she anticipated any trouble, but it was turning into a nasty habit of hers. She could hear the four talking at the bar. Since she had nothing better to do, she decided to eavesdrop and see what she could learn about her fellow castaways. Their conversation started out with the usual pleasantries but swiftly turned to their current situation.
“Why were those men after you anyway?” Sid boldly asked Lindsey, surprising his friend with his aggressive line of questioning toward the woman.
“A little personal, Sid,” Bill whispered to his friend, hoping to avoid a confrontation with the woman’s moderately muscular boyfriend.
Sid ignored his friend and kept his attention on Lindsey, who immediately shifted on her bar stool.
Conner came to Lindsey’s defense and glared at Sid. “Listen to your friend,” he remarked with some hostility. “It’s personal.”
Sid seemed to consider the comment. “Let me see if I have this straight,” he announced. “Two armed men shoot up our flight, another plane shoots us from the sky, the pilot and co-pilot are murdered, and our plane crash lands on a deserted island.” He then nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. It’s personal and none of our business why we were nearly killed because of your girlfriend.”
Bill groaned and placed his hand over his eyes as if he knew what would happen next.
“It’s not Lindsey’s fault,” Conner launched in anger while attempting to defend his friend.
“I didn’t say it was,” Sid snapped and raised an arrogant brow. “I’d just like to know what it is. Why did we nearly die today? We have a right to know why our lives are on the line.”
Jackie had her head propped against her hand where she sat quietly watching the outside world. She groaned while listening to the conversation because she too knew where it was heading. As Conner continued to defend Lindsey’s right to privacy, Jackie stood and approached the old pool table, which was on a severe slant. She removed one of the pool sticks and wiped the dust from it. Lindsey screamed as the sound of toppling bar stools echoed through the barroom. Bill and Lindsey were on their feet and watched as Sid and Conner had each other by the shirts while throwing punches. It was obvious neither man was a stranger to barroom brawls. Jackie always thought the grabbing of shirts was a bit dramatic. She assumed it was the guy’s version of women pulling hair.
Conner threw another punch and immediately had his hand cracked by the thick end of a pool stick. He jumped back with surprise and clutched his aching hand. The hit could have been a lot harder. Sid attempted to take advantage of the incident and lunged forward only to receive a jab to the abdomen with the same pool stick. Both men clutched their sore body parts and looked at Jackie, who stood nearby holding the pool stick in a threatening manner.
“You boys want to bitch and moan about who’s having the worst day?” she snarled and aggressively twirled the pool stick in one hand. She slammed it against the bar causing a loud crack and making everyone jump. Her eyes pierced through theirs. “That would be me. So if you want to play cock in the henhouse, I’d love to vent some frustration right now.” She took an attack stance with the pool stick. “So bring it on or sit down and shut up.”
All four stared at Jackie and the wild look in her eyes. Bill practically leaped onto his stool and clasped his hands politely on his lap. Lindsey followed suit. Sid and Conner were still slightly stunned by what had just happened but quickly gathered their stools and sat on them. Jackie relaxed her aggressive stance and lowered the pool stick.
“I want you guys to work out your differences quietly,” she announced then pointed to the chair by the window. “I’ll be over there enjoying the peace and quiet.”
Jackie returned to her seat by the window and made herself comfortable when the lights suddenly came on within the bar. Several lightbulbs exploded, startling everyone. She guessed Zack found the generator. When he didn’t return, she assumed he went to the church for some candles. Perhaps there wasn’t much gasoline left, so the generator would only run for a short period of time. She stared out the dirty window a moment then rubbed the dust away to watch the storm, which was becoming steadily worse. She didn’t actually mind since it matched her mood.
Despite only being about one o’clock in the afternoon, the outside world was almost as dark as night. She hoped they wouldn’t be stuck in the abandoned town for long. It was possible there was already a rescue at the crash site, and it would be nice if they didn’t miss it. With the massive storm beating down on them, she doubted a rescue had arrived. The winds were violent, the rain was heavy, and visibility was extremely low. Nothing was coming for them by air or sea in the foreseeable future.
Chapter Fourteen
The sky was dark and threatening over Florida’s interior. The wind picked up considerably, so it was no surprise that the displaced team didn’t hear the helicopter in a couple of hours. The pending bad weather had kept it grounded. Now they needed to find shelter before the storm hit. Monroe had seen plenty of tropical storms while living on a small island off the coast of Florida. This particular storm intended to be frightening, and it intended to hit them in an hour or two. Having found drier terrain, the team hadn’t seen a sign of alligators either. Despite the absence of the flesh eaters, Gil refused to let Darth roam from his side.
Monroe silently seethed while watching Mac lead the way through the woods. He rarely had the opportunity to be in charge, and Mac took it upon herself to lead the team. As they got closer to a large clearing, they could feel the full force of the wind. Mac stopped by the woods edge and seemed hesitant. As the guys approached, they could see the nearly black sky and what was about to fall upon them within the hour. Their eyes immediately strayed from the threatening sky to what had caught Mac’s attention. Over one hundred yards across the field was a large, abandoned stone building. The gray stone exterior of the three-story building was covered with moss and plant life. Despite that the lower windows had been boarded, the second and third story windows were uncovered and appeared intact.
“What is this place?” Kirk asked and looked around the clearing.
The massive estate appeared to be in the middle of the woods, which was in the middle of nowhere.
“Town is a few hours’ walk from here,” Monroe insisted. “This place is oddly secluded.”
“Looks like a private school or college,” Mac remarked, unable to tear her eyes from the building. She looked at the dark sky and frowned. “Doesn’t seem we have much choice. We’ll need to seek shelter in that building.”
Monroe glared at Mac’s profile and appeared ready to lash out at the woman. He looked back at the building and studied the surrounding area. He didn’t want to admit she was right, but they were about to get caught in a nasty storm.
“The area seems secure,” Monroe announced as if it were his own idea. “We’ll stake out the perimeter and check for breaches. Kirk and Gil will take the front. I’ll take the back with Bogart and Mac.”
They headed across the field and parted company nearly halfway to the facility. As they approached the front of the building, it was the first time Gil allowed Darth to run free. Both men kept an eye on their surroundings. Kirk suddenly stopped and slapped Gil’s shoulder. Once he had his attention, he pointed across what was once the driveway, which was now overgrown and part of the field. Both men stared at the tall, chain-link fence barely visible through the plant life growing over it.
“I’ve never heard of a college surrounded by a chain-link fence before,” Kirk remarked. “Who’d put a fence around a place in the middle of nowhere?”
“Plenty of private schools, colleges, and rich people have fences around their places,” Gil informed him. “Even in the middle of nowhere.”
“Yeah, fences or walls,” Kirk insisted. “Not prison fencing.”
Gil again looked at the fence beyond the plant life. “That’s not prison fencing,” he informed him. “There isn’t any barbed wire on top. Besides, prisons usually have two sets of fence as an additional security measure.”
They continued their approach to the front of the building with a renewed sense of curiosity.
“So what sort of posh place in the middle of nowhere uses industrial fencing rather than attractive fencing?” Kirk almost demanded as they approached the stone porch.
Darth jumped onto the long, broad porch and checked out the elegant double doors containing a thick chain and padlock. Gil approached the doors and looked at the moss-covered stone alongside the door. He pulled away the plant life to reveal a plaque. It read, ‘Paddington Institute’. Gil looked back at Kirk and shrugged.
“I’m guessing a rehab facility,” Gil announced with little emotion. “That would explain the expensive building and cheap fence.”
“So would a nuthouse,” Kirk muttered.
“Why do you always go to the negative?” Gil demanded while eying his teammate.
“Because this is us,” Kirk informed him. “We don’t get the institute for bulimic underwear models. We get psychopaths and freakish lab experiments gone astray.”
Gil shook his head without comment. “Let’s check out the rest of the building’s exterior for breaches.”
§
Monroe led Bogart and Mac around to the back of the building where they found several entrances including two large bay garage doors possibly used for deliveries. Some of the doors were boarded shut while others contained padlocks. They found no indication that anyone had attempted to gain access to the large building in years. Mac stood in the overgrown field and observed the vegetation-covered fence. She stared at what was possibly a pond or what had turned into a pond over the years. She rubbed her chilled arms as she studied the pond and then the fence surrounding the property.
“Weird that the place is surrounded by chain-link fence,” she informed them then indicated the woods from which they came. The fence had been torn down almost the entire length of the woods. “The rest of the fence must have been taken down years ago by fallen trees.”
“If I were you,” Bogart announced and nodded toward the murky pond, “I’d keep an eye on the water. Probably home to a dozen gators.”
He walked past them and approached the kitchen entrance containing a padlock. While Bogart checked the padlock on the back door, Monroe joined Mac. He didn’t seem concerned about the possibility of alligators in the pond. Instead, he glared at Mac.
“I’d like to remind you who’s in charge,” Monroe announced boldly.
She eyed him with surprise then raised an arrogant brow. “I know you’re in charge, Monroe,” she announced almost mockingly. “You don’t have to keep reminding me.”
“Actually, I think I do,” he replied while lifting his head proudly. “You seem to keep forgetting that you’re just along for the ride. Honestly, with the direction this assignment has taken, we have less need for you and your bullshit.”
Her eyes immediately narrowed. “My bullshit saved your ass,” she snarled defensively. “Maybe I wouldn’t have to take charge quite so often if you were better at it.”
Monroe’s hostility rose as his patience with Mac dwindled. “Being in charge takes more than being a bull in a china shop,” he snapped hotly. “There’s a reason why men like Zack aren’t in charge. Dangerous situations don’t always require brute force and destruction. Just because you’ve saved the day a few times with your ‘jump in with both feet’ attitude that doesn’t mean you won’t get yourself and others killed next time.”
“Hey,” she launched back. “My attitude has gotten me this far. I think I know what I’m doing.”
“Gotten you where?” Monroe demanded while glaring at her then shook his head. “Your attitude has cost you several jobs, financial security, and no friends to back you up. Frankly, you’re not a team player.”
“And Zack is?” she demanded while folding her arms across her chest then gave him a cocky look. “You just can’t handle a female version of him.”
“We already have a female version of Zack,” he launched back, “and you’re far from it.” Monroe drew a deep breath while collecting his emotions. He again lowered his voice. “I don’t care how you want to live, Mac. It’s none of my business because you’re not my problem. But while you’re playing for my team, you’d better learn to listen more and check your emotions at the door.”
“Can you two wrap it up?” Bogart demanded from the door that now stood open. He then indicated the dark sky. “That storm means to suck us out to Oz, and you two are in a pissing match.”
Monroe looked back at Bogart and held his breath a moment. “Head around the side and see if Gil and Kirk found anything.”
Bogart eyed them suspiciously then nodded and headed for the far side of the building.
Monroe looked back at Mac, who maintained her glare at him. “And you’re wrong about Zack not being a team player,” he informed her. “Zack would die for any one of us.” His brows rose sharply. “Several times he actually had.” He shook his head. “Trust me, Mac; you’re no Zack.”
Once Bogart returned with Gil, Kirk, and Darth, they entered the building. Each removed a flashlight from their duffel bags and checked out the excessively dark area before them. With the windows boarded, there was little light inside the building. With the approaching storm, there would have been little light anyway. They discovered they were inside the institute’s massive kitchen. It contained rows and rows of counters, steel cupboards, several stoves, and two, large freezers. Despite being abandoned for many years, there was little dust or cobwebs. The place had been sealed up fairly tight, which had kept most of the elements out. Kirk locked and bolted the door behind them then secured it with several boards wedged into the corner against the hinges. Nothing short of explosives or a battering ram was getting through the door. The team continued across the kitchen and headed into the massive, grand hallway.
As they shined their flashlights around, the grand hallway gave the impression of some multi-million dollar mansion, but the kitchen screamed hospital or nursing home. The grand hallway was twenty feet across and three times as long. A coating of dust covered the tiled floor, yet there seemed to be recent activity indicated by the many footprints in the thick coating of dust. The once elegant chandeliers were hidden beneath coatings of thick cobwebs, giving the building all the appeal of a haunted house. They entered the massive lobby, which contained all its original furniture, most of which was antique.
Despite having boarded up the place, it seemed as if the owner had intended to return one day. Given the lack of a front desk, it wasn’t a hotel of any kind. Apart from a small desk not far from the main entrance, there was nothing to suggest the place had been a hospital either. Perhaps it was a private hospital or some sort of private school. Gil grinned and held back his laugh as they looked around the elegant lobby.
“What did I tell you?” he announced cheerfully. “Rehab for the insanely rich.”
Gil may have been right. There didn’t seem to be a better explanation for the building layout. Similar to a hospital and a hotel, but it was neither. A rehab center for the wealthy did seem most plausible.
“It seems secure,” Monroe informed them while studying their surroundings. “We should probably have a look around. Bottled water would be a start. Gil and Darth can take this level. Kirk and I will take the third floor.” He then eyed Bogart. “You can check out the second floor with the warrior princess.”
Mac sneered her disapproval.
Chapter Fifteen
Bogart and Mac entered the second floor from the stairwell and scanned the area with their flashlights. The large open area with a wall of windows looked much like a lobby or lounge of sorts, although the positioning of the desk seemed unusual. There were two elevators that also came to the lobby area. Sturdy furniture with faux leather cushions covered with dust seemed to be the theme. The remainder and majority of the floor was beyond the wall behind the desk. There were three doors leading into the area beyond the main desk. One to the right; one to the left; and one directly behind.
“Looks almost like an office floor,” Bogart announced then looked at the black skies and the approaching storm beyond the wall of windows.
