by Hunt, Jack
“Martha. Before you go,” Dan said. She turned. “I’m sorry to hear about Miriam. How is she?”
“Injured but alive. She’ll come through this stronger for it,” she said. “We all will.”
She walked out.
He got a sense that this was a power move. She was shifting her chess piece into place to see how Hank would respond. Seemingly delivering one of her pawns into place to see what move would come next.
And yet it felt like she was already three moves ahead, knowing exactly how this would play out. She had to be. Handing over a Riker was unheard of, a first of its kind.
Dan stared down at the recorder. He rewound it to the start and played it again, then again, trying to discern what the noise was he was hearing in the background. He figured Alby wouldn’t tell him, especially if the recording had been done without his knowledge.
He drummed his fingers against the desk.
He’d been wondering how to deal with the Strickland murders. He wasn’t a fool. He knew the attack on Miriam had come from his family, though whether they would admit to it like Martha had was to be seen. Had she done this to protect her kids? It certainly would appease Hank, though he knew he would have to take Alby into custody before Hank found out otherwise they would take justice into their own hands. How justice would be served under these circumstances was what concerned him. Whether Alby’s imprisonment would be accepted by Hank was another thing entirely.
One thing was sure he could benefit from this. It certainly would speak volumes for his ability to maintain law and order during a breakdown.
He got up and went to the door. “Cathy, you still there?”
“What is it?”
“Is Deputy Johnson here?”
“Hold a moment.”
A few minutes passed, and Johnson stepped into the corridor. “You called?”
“Yeah, get SWAT together.”
THIRTEEN
Colby
Merced County
At night the Spanish mission-style hotel with a nine-story bell tower looked almost magical. He could almost believe that the nation wasn’t in trouble or that the hotel wasn’t being used for nefarious purposes. The hotel was the only building in Santa Nella that was illuminated. Solar lanterns hung from inside windows. Outdoor solar-powered motion sensors kicked in as armed men patrolled the perimeter.
Whatever they were guarding, it had to be valuable.
“And so you’re telling me since they evacuated the town, no police or military have been back?” Colby asked, observing the compound from inside a darkened Starbucks, two hundred and fifty yards from the main entrance.
The hotel was oddly positioned a good five hundred yards away from the town, presumably placed close enough to the highway for travelers to see it, but far enough away from the town to not be an eyesore. The community of homes was to the west and south and the hotel was nestled in the northeastern corner surrounded by fast-food joints.
“If they have, I haven’t seen or heard them.”
“Me neither,” Eva said.
Hector continued. “Town folk left on day six. There was no need to return. The National Guard rolled into town, loaded everyone into older trucks and buses, and carted them away. They took the elderly and the ill first, then the young ones followed. Those who wished to stay were told they wouldn’t be back.”
“That’s why you stayed?”
“It wasn’t a mandatory evacuation. I’m in good health. I had a stock of supplies and with the pandemic in full swing, the last thing I wanted to be in was a bus full of people. I figured this would only last a month, two at the most. I don’t like staying anywhere that isn’t my house, or being carted around like cattle.” Hector glanced at Eva. “I’m sorry about your parents, Eva. Your father was a good man. He deserved better.”
She thanked him as she continued to jot down the number of men patrolling. “I count eight on the ground, two on either side at any given time. That doesn’t include those on the upper tier that I can’t see.”
“Are you sure your sister is there?” Colby asked.
“I can’t be sure. That’s where I saw them take her.”
“And what about you, Hector?”
“I haven’t been out of my house in days.”
“What did they want?”
“Supplies. Women. Control. What does any asshole want in an apocalypse?”
Colby stared out at the armed men. They were taking a huge risk. Even if they managed to put two of them down, the others would hear the gunfire, and they’d come under attack.
They needed a distraction, something to draw them away.
His eyes diverted to the fast-food restaurants: the McDonald’s, the In-N-Out Burger joint. “These men think they’re the only ones here barring you two, is that right?”
Eva nodded.
“Eva. The times they’ve seen you. Did they come after you?”
“Damn right, chased me through the streets. But I’m too fast for them. I know this town like the back of my hand.”
“Good, as we need someone to draw them away.”
“What?” Hector said. “You want to use a kid as bait?”
Colby waved him off. “She’ll be long gone by the time they come to check. We start a fire. Here, over there, and in the In-N-Out Burger joint.”
“And why would we do that?” Hector asked.
“To raise a little hell and see how they react. There’s roughly a hundred and fifty yards between this Starbucks and the McDonald’s, and another hundred between that and the In-N-Out. Three fires. What do you think?”
“I think it’s liable to get her shot,” Hector said.
“I can do this. I got this,” Eva said.
“Every kid thinks they’ve got it. That’s why there are adults to remind you that you haven’t. No, Colby, it’s too risky.”
He shrugged. “Then we walk away.”
“My sister is in there. I can do this. C’mon!”
“You don’t know that,” Hector said, wandering over to the counter.
“Then why would you bother to come with us?” she asked.
“They killed my dog.”
“And your idea of getting back at them was to do nothing?”
Hector leaned against the counter and put his head in his hands. Colby was partially listening to the two of them go back and forth.
He didn’t want to put anyone’s life at risk. If he had his way, he’d stroll in and knock on every door until he found the woman and Kane. He couldn’t believe he could remember the dog. He knew it was his but had very little recollection of how he came to be the owner.
Hector walked back and forth. “Okay, so we start a few fires. Then what?”
“We observe and move in,” Colby replied.
“And so we get in. Then what?”
“I haven’t gotten that far.”
“Shit, man.” He tossed a hand up. “You want to waltz in there and play Russian roulette with our lives?”
He stared back at him.
Hector clicked fingers in front of his face. “Hello. Earth to Colby. Are you with us?”
The mention of Russian roulette brought back another memory. Someone spinning a revolver, recounting what was done to him by Russians. “Manny.”
“What? Who’s Manny?” Hector asked.
“Beats me, but his face is familiar,” Colby replied.
“Well, I’m glad to see you’ve rejoined planet earth. Perhaps you can save those spaced-out moments for another time. I’m going to need you firing on all cylinders,” Hector said. “Now, how do we do this? Give me specifics.”
“You got that lighter on you?” Colby had seen him sparking a cigarette earlier. Hector reached into his pocket and fished out a BIC. “We start here, jog over to the next one and do the same, then move around and do the third, and then approach from the east side. Even if they don’t walk away from the hotel, they will come around to the front to see what’s happening. That’s our moment.”
<
br /> Hector threw up his hands. “Then what?”
“Then we find out what you’re made of, Hector.”
Colby hopped over the counter and had Eva give him a hand collecting packages of napkins, anything that was flammable. He wanted to start the fire in an area of the building that would give them enough time to reach the next building.
Hector didn’t wait. He was already making his way over to the second building when Colby started the first fire.
They dashed out the rear entrance and double-timed it across the lot.
By the time the second fast food joint was ablaze, the Starbucks they’d come from was a roaring inferno. They could already see movement at the hotel.
“It’s working,” Eva said.
Moving quickly, they crossed Henry Miller Avenue and entered a broken window to begin the third and final fire. Outside, the two buildings were ablaze, filling the night sky with smoke, ash, and an orange glow.
The reaction they got, though, was different than expected.
No one approached to investigate. It was almost as if they knew it was a distraction or they’d been ordered to not leave their post. Outside, crouched down behind vehicles, Colby brought up the binoculars. “They’re not moving. Shit.”
“Would you?” Hector said. “The building is far enough away that they won’t be affected by the blaze. Three fires. Looks obvious to me.”
Colby shot him a glance. “Did you have a better idea?”
“Yeah, yeah, I did. I guarantee this will work, but you and Eva might want to get up near the bridge at the highway before I begin.”
“Aren’t you coming?”
“An old man like me will slow you down.”
Colby stared at him. “You’re going to lure them away, aren’t you?”
“Something like that.”
“No. We’ll try something else.”
“There isn’t anything else,” Hector said. “Whatever the hell they’re storing there, a few fires aren’t going to draw them away. You need to bring the fire to them. That will keep them busy.”
“And how do you expect to do that?”
“Using a 1969 International Scout,” he said with a grin.
“Yours?”
“Of course not.”
Colby offered a confused expression.
“Look, I can explain it, or you can go and wait for my signal.”
“And how will I know what that is?”
He turned away. “Oh, you’ll know.”
Colby groaned. “I don’t like the sound of this.”
Hector laughed and slapped him on the back before leaving. “We tried your way, Colby — now it's my turn. Give me twenty minutes. Tops. Head to the overpass and wait beneath it.” He took off at a crouch.
Eva frowned, confused. They waited a moment longer before making their way down Henry Miller Avenue to skirt around the back of the hotel. They stayed low and used darkness to their advantage. The blaze of the three buildings would still serve its purpose if only to keep their eyes facing west. They reached the overpass and moved sideways down a steep slope. There they waited, watching through night-vision binoculars. Eva glanced at her watch. “I appreciate you helping me.”
“Kid, I would like to say it’s because I’m a nice guy, but…” He tapped his head. “I’m not sure what kind of guy I am.”
“What you said about them beating you. Do you really not remember what happened before?”
He dipped his chin. It was frustrating. “No. It’s a blur. There are pieces. Images. Feelings. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle that’s all out of order and doesn’t make much sense.” He looked at her. “Listen, after the signal, you stay close to me. Okay? The only reason I’m bringing you in is so you can identify your sister, otherwise, you’d stay out. Even then I don’t like the idea. If everything goes south, and there is a chance you can get away, you run and don’t stop running. You hear me?” She shrugged. He took hold of her arm. “Eva. Do you understand?”
“Yeah, of course.”
“Tell me about the woman and the dog. You said you saw them.”
“The day after the evacuation. She has dark hair. The dog is a Belgian Malinois. Does that ring a bell?” Colby nodded. The dog he could place, the woman he couldn’t. “They brought her in with a group of other women. She was holding the dog on a leash. They entered through the main entrance.”
“And?”
“That’s it. I didn’t see them come out but then again I haven’t been watching this place around the clock. I need sleep.”
“Right.”
He looked back and peered through the binoculars. “If you find your sister. Do you have any other family to go stay with?”
She nodded. “I have an aunt in Los Banos.”
As he continued to look at the hotel, Eva began to sob. Colby placed a hand on her shoulder. He didn’t need to ask. It was obvious. “I’m sorry about your parents, kid.” He wished he could say more but what was there left to say? She wasn’t the first to have lost someone. He wished he could recollect who he’d lost. Had he lost anyone? In some ways suffering from amnesia was both a blessing and a curse.
Right then, an engine roared. Colby brought up the binoculars and saw a truck barreling up the road toward the hotel. He couldn’t see anyone in the driver’s seat and yet it was moving at a fast clip.
Pop, pop, pop.
Gunfire erupted as guards at the hotel opened fire on the approaching vehicle.
They were unable to stop it. The truck plowed into the front of the hotel, and seconds later a deafening explosion followed. Debris went everywhere. Brick and glass rained down through a plume of smoke before rounds were fired, one after the other. Men at the front of the hotel scattered, seeking cover from a hidden shooter.
He couldn’t see him but Colby knew it was Hector — out there, somewhere, laying down gunfire, taking out as many as he could.
Colby tapped her leg. “You ready?”
She looked scared. He was too. They were venturing into the lion’s den with no hope of coming out alive.
“Now that’s a distraction,” Eva said.
“That’s our signal,” he replied.
“I told you he was a loon,” she added.
He chuckled and jerked his head.
They burst out of the shadows and headed toward the east side of the hotel once he saw armed men at the rear race around to help the others.
This was it, make or break.
At the rear of the hotel was a large courtyard with pathways that snaked around perfectly landscaped gardens, and a concrete water fountain, a koi pond, and outdoor restaurant seating. The hotel was shaped like an H with rooms down either side. On the ground floor, there were huge arches. More rooms were above on the second floor.
Making his way to the rear wall, Colby placed one hand behind him to keep Eva back while he watched multiple guards hurrying toward the front of the property. Gunfire persisted, drawing them away from the rooms. “Let’s move.” They stayed close, with their backs to the wall, moving toward the first door. It was open but empty inside.
Eva ran ahead, checked the second, and said it was the same. “Maybe I should go up.”
“No, you stay with me.”
Suddenly an armed guard bellowed something over the balcony above them.
They pulled back, pressing into the shadows, and waited until they heard him continue. Moving as fast as they could, they went from room to room, checking each one. All were empty. Still in good condition. A few had duffel bags full of clothes. Colby assumed those rooms were used by the guards. Not finding anyone on the lower floor they darted into a stairwell and ascended. Colby was about to open the stairwell door and enter the second tier when a guy stepped out of one of the rooms, head down, zipping up his pants, and slinging a rifle over his shoulder. He looked in a hurry. Distracted. It was perfect. He turned into the stairwell, straight into Colby.
There was this second of registering who he was, but before he had a chance to
do anything Colby shot him in the gut twice, using his body to muffle the sound. He slumped and they dragged him into a darkened corner, taking the radio off him so Colby could hear what was happening.
Moving out, they entered the first room off to their left. Several women were inside, stripped down to just their bras and panties. A glance at the set-up and it was clear they weren’t using these women for trafficking, they were using them to fill bags full of cocaine. In an instant, the women backed up, scared, confused. “Go. Get out now,” he barked. Some grabbed their clothes and darted out. Others just ran. “Head down the stairwell, and head to the rear of the hotel.”
A gun erupted.
Colby spun around to find Eva holding a handgun.
“Where did you get that?” he asked.
“It’s my father’s. And I just saved your life.”
He didn’t have time to argue. He ushered the women out and pointed them toward the stairwell but before the last one exited, he grabbed her arm. “Have you seen a woman and a dog?”
“Yes. But they’re gone.”
“Gone? Dead?”
“No, they took them. I don’t know where.” She slipped by him. He stood there feeling deflated for a second or two before moving on to the next room. Entering a few more rooms, it was the same. Bricks of cocaine. Scantily clad women.
“Callie. Callie!” Eva yelled.
Callie? Colby had heard that name before. Matthew and Delores. The goth girl.
Eva looked frantic as she went from one room to the next and they released as many of the women as they could. Some were in their teens, others in their early twenties. They made it to the far end, and then the same girl he’d seen earlier burst out of a room. Eva hugged her, a tearful reunion. Callie looked his way and appeared as if she wanted to say something, but there was no time.
Several rounds whizzed past his face, tearing into two women and taking them down. Colby twisted and opened fire on another guard who’d seen the women escaping. He dropped the guy and waved the other women out. “Move, move, move!”
He stepped over the dead.
There was no time to stop.
They’d already caused a big enough commotion.