The Engineer

by Rachel Renee

  Noel is on his knees. In the moonlight, I can see the blood trickling from his head. When he fell, he landed just right on a concrete block lying randomly in the middle of nothing else. His hand finds it, his face contorted in disbelief. Mine must be too. Not from the blood, but the position I’ve found myself in. Jose is tied up, and now, the arrogance that brought Noel here is going to get him captured as well.

  I hate to use more force, but desperate times come with desperate measures. There’s nothing on my person to restrain him and he will be to his feet momentarily if I don’t move swiftly. With the same energy as earlier, I roundhouse kick the man in the side of the face, knocking him out fully this time.

  Shaking my head, I run from the scene, knowing I don’t have much time before he awakens. I need to find a vehicle and get back to him before that happens. It would be nice to have a little backup. Selena is gone, Thompson is severely injured and nowhere in sight. Jose had been captured—one person I’m not looking for. That team I’d hoped was coming…there’s no sign of them yet either.

  My mission, at the moment, is to get the women and children out of here. The fires are blazing brightly now, lighting the night with shadows and heat. There’s a truck, the engine already running. It looks to be the one I rode in here with, so I know it’s full of engines and drugs. There’s some space between the crates, enough to get a few more bodies away from the compound.

  I look left and right on my approach. No one seems to be around, which is quite odd. The driver’s side door is closed but I’m sure I’ll be able to get in. Just as my hand reaches the handle, a man’s head pops up in the window space. He’s as stunned to see me as I am him.

  “Dom. You’ve made it!” Noel must have brought him along. Maybe as a negotiation or…

  “Get out of the way!” He pushes me off the door, attempting to close it back.

  Dammit! I didn’t let loose the door, so his effort only jolted me. “What are you doing? We’ve got people to save!” I’m hoping my instincts are wrong, that he’s not trying to get out of here with the drugs.

  “I’m going to save myself. These drugs a fresh start.”

  I grab ahold of his shirt, yanking with all my might to get the man out of the truck. Once he realizes what is happening, he helps me, putting his foot down and stepping onto solid ground. His right arm swings in my direction, the wind from the punch breezing past my ear.

  “Why are you doing this? We’ve got both leaders here, we can take them in. This will be all over.”

  “This will never be over. How long has the war on drugs been going on?”

  He does have a point. “We track down the others. A new mission.”

  “No. I’ve had enough.” His left fist jabs the air. Another near miss. His mind is made up. The look in his eyes is frenzied. Now, he needs me out of his way.

  His arms flail, but he struggles to hit his target. I raise my fists for a little hand-to-hand combat. I have to switch my mind off, forgetting who this man is and only see him as the enemy. Remembering why he’s on my shit list helps. I land a hook to his jaw, and he lands one on mine. Blow for blow, we carry on this way for what seems like an eternity on my already exhausted body.

  The two of us are equally matched, neither giving in or giving up. His eye is puffed up, and his nose is bleeding, the liquid seeping into his mouth. There’s a goose egg on his forehead, one on his cheekbone with blood trickling from it as well. I can’t see my own face, but I’m sure it looks similar. I also feel the warmth spreading out over my shoulder. It was almost time for those stitches to be removed, but the force ripped them again.

  There’s a crowd around us as we separate, both out of breath, but not yet finished. Dom inhales deeply twice and then with a look of desperation in his eyes, he barrels toward me. I whirl around and catch him square in the chest with my boot. Following him to the ground, I remove the knife I’d been holding on to for so long and place it along his throat.

  “It doesn’t have to end this way.” Those words barely come from my mouth before he responds.

  “You’re right, it doesn’t.” He attempts to buck me off of him but only proceeds to allow the knife edge to dig into his throat a little more. The red comes to the surface and breaks free.

  “This is where I have the upper hand. You’ve dangled it over me throughout this entire mission, and now it’s in my grasp.”

  “You know this won’t end with Sanchez and Noel. I won’t even tell them you’re involved. You can take the fame of completing the mission. I’ll send you cash as soon as I’ve sold all the drugs. We can both be set free.”

  “Even if you do this, Dom, you won’t be free. You’ll be looking over your shoulders for the rest of your life. The agency won’t allow you off scot-free. You get away now, you’ll be enemy number one tomorrow. You know it.” I continue to press the blade into his neck, my knee giving me aid in keeping him down. “It’s not too late. Help me get Jose and Noel to the authorities. We can both be heroes.”

  He seems to be processing. Weighing his options. The murmurings of the people surrounding us trickle in. I hadn’t heard anything this entire time, too focused on the task to understand the predicament I’m still in.

  “Let him up,” a gruff voice calls out.

  “Not going to happen. Not yet,” I respond.

  “Cauley, turn him loose.”

  The voice doesn’t sound familiar, too raspy to truly recognize. Without releasing my position, I shift somewhat to see who’s beckoning me. Thompson looks like a true monster, missing half his face, his body covered in blood and gore. I don’t know what he’s playing at until I see soldiers, our own U.S. soldiers, trickling into the compound.

  “Backup has arrived.” He sweetens the deal. “He’ll be remanded too. Just get up. You’re done. Mission complete.”

  Dom and I make eye contact, defeat oozing from his glare. I tilt my head, my answer in the action. “I shouldn’t have let you keep that thing. Who knew a little knife would come back to haunt me at the end.”

  I look to the not-so-little weapon and grin. Once on my feet, I reach down and help the man to his as well. There are guns trained on us and a soldier with cuffs is directly at my side. I place the hand I was releasing into the awaiting ones, the cuffs slapped on Dom instantly.

  My eyes scan the men for Lieutenant. They meet his gaze. “I knew the moment I placed you in the hands of another leader for this mission it wasn’t going to end well. You have a way of drawing out the weak links within the agency.”

  “Can’t say that’s a quality I admire about myself.”

  “Can’t say it’s one I do either.”

  Lieu juts out his hand to embrace my own. “Despite that, another mission successfully completed. Sanchez has been apprehended.”

  “Noel is also within the confines of this encampment. We better get to him before someone helps him get away.”

  “Noel…we haven’t seen him. Where did you leave him?”

  I point in the direction I believe to have come from. With so much adrenaline flowing, it’s possible I’m mistaken. Lieu is shaking his head from side to side. “Just came from there. What was he tied to?”

  A small rumble comes from my chest. “He wasn’t restrained. Merely knocked out.”

  My superior sighs. “Men, be on the lookout.” He explains what Noel looks like once more. “Basically like the man he’s named after.”

  Soldiers disperse. Some are cleaning up, putting out fires. Others attending to the wounded. “I’m going to find him. It’s my fault he’s escaped.”

  “You’ve done enough. Go see the medics.”

  “No. My mission’s not complete. This is the last act.” I disobey my commanding officer and run off in the direction I believe the suspect has fled.

  He could be anywhere, but I have a good sense about the main house. The one still standing among everything else—the preservation of it is not lost on me. There’s something inside important enough to protect.

 
The ranch-style abode seems quiet, a few lights the only indication anyone has been in it recently. A couple of windows are open on the backside of the house but only one is unblocked enough to possibly enter through. Once the screen is pried out, I’m able to easily tuck myself inside. The room is dark, which suits me fine.

  “Looks like someone went in here.” The voices are right outside the window, just after the last of me has gotten inside. No telling if they are the good guys or the bad ones.

  “You want to go in and check?”

  “Nah. Could be a trap.”

  That possible altercation was avoided as I hear their feet scuffle away. I stay low, crawling through the room to stay out of sight in case they decide to shine a flashlight inside. Reaching the door, I pause and listen, wondering who, if anyone, is nearby. After a minute with no sound, I cautiously turn the knob and exit the room.

  I withdraw the pistol I’d acquired, letting it lead the way. There’s such an extreme difference from the outside. Everything is in place in here. The floors are pristine, each knickknack where it was left before chaos ensued. The rubber sole of my boot squeaks on the linoleum, making me pause to listen for the possibility someone else heard it.

  Slowly, I continue on. The office where I first met Jose is in sight. That’s my destination and I don’t hesitate when I reach it. The door’s unlocked, and so is my weapon. The barrel is out in front of me and ready for me to press the trigger if need be. I’d rather take the man in alive, but it may not happen that way.

  It’s bright against the unlit hallway, taking my eyes a moment to acclimate. The click of a latch reverberates through the room. I would’ve missed it had I not paused to allow the adaptation. It wasn’t the entrance I came through, but another within the confines. Someone was just here—liquid is in a glass on the desk swishing back and forth. There must be another way out. I rush to the windows, thinking someone made a hasty exit that way. The pane is securely latched on both windows. I spin, looking for movement. Possibly a hidden door within the bookcases was the way he went.

  Looking back to the door, I calculate the possibilities. There’s only one way he could have gone and narrowly made it out without notice. When I threw open the door, the right side of the room would have been blocked momentarily. The exit would have to be among those bookshelves. I fumble with each, pulling on the shelves, tossing back books in case there’s a secret lever. I know this isn’t a movie, but there’s no way of knowing how the latch is released unless I give every option a try. The second set of shelves is the money mark. Pulling forcefully on the wood piece lying at eye level clicks and releases the whole unit.

  It is well-lit and one-directional so I have no trouble making my way through. That is until I get to a narrow path and have to make a left or right. I perk my ears up and listen for possible noise to indicate the direction in which I should advance. He’s stealthy, I’ll give the man that. I was always trained to go right in a situation such as this and even though I’m acknowledging the thoughts telling me left, my coaching moves me in the other direction.

  When I reach a door that’s locked from the inside, I know I’ve made the wrong move. If Noel is as resourceful as I assume he is, he’s long gone from this house now. I go back the other way nevertheless, fingers crossed I’m wrong. This time being incorrect would be beneficial.

  My legs and feet move swiftly and I’m to the other end. This door is wide open. My weapon is still raised, my arms moving it left to right, scanning the area for my target. There are more people rummaging about, pilfering through the wreckage of the compound. Men are shouting for assistance, and others are doing the aiding. There are multiple trucks loaded down with the women and children. Others, loaded with bodies. Some alive, some that weren’t so lucky.

  I spot a few people creeping in the shadows, apparently trying not to get caught by the authorities who’ve since taken over the area. There’s no sign of Noel. I trust my instincts this time and run in the direction toward the rear of the encampment. Noel wouldn’t have been brazen enough to try the front door. At least, I don’t believe he would.

  There are some side-eye glances from a few men and women as I pass. There must be something about the way I’m acting that indicates to them I’m not the enemy because after they give me a look, they go right back to their own work.

  A whirring of a helicopter stirs in the distance. It sounds as if it’s approaching and there’s no telling if it’ll be a friendly or not. I run toward it, or at least the direction it will be approaching from. If Noel arrived in a chopper, who’s to say he won’t leave in the same fashion? Or, if he’s the culprit behind the attack today, it may not be over.

  Multiple men, some from both sides, stare up in the sky. A large section of the wall at the rear of the compound is rubble, easy to get over and use for an escape route. I’m going to guess Noel is somewhere right outside, the stage for his dramatic exit set. Only, I’m here now. And the sound of soldiers, backup, are pounding toward me in a steady rhythm.

  The helicopter is still in the distance, its spotlights now visible over the horizon. “Noel, I know you’re out here,” I shout out. No sense trying to sneak up on him. He’s likely prepared for such an advancement.

  He doesn’t speak but a small pile of rocks trickles down to my left. I jog in that direction to another small area that was hit by the earlier attack. Barely big enough for a man’s body to fit through. I draw my weapon once again, lifting the pistol out in front of me before re-entering the compound. I yell to the soldiers who were approaching that he’s retreated back inside. We’re coming at him from two angles, hoping to pinch him in.

  The sun begins to rise over the desert, bringing life to the situation. One cartel leader in custody, another on his way to the same fate. The whooshing of the spinning blades is nearly on top of us. I turn back to it momentarily, observing it’s low-flying arrival. No one jumps out, so I bet they’re desiring to load someone in.

  That’s not happening.

  I’m running now, vigilantly scanning the area, looking for any sign at all of our man. There’s a glimpse of white going around a desolate structure up ahead. I motion for the guards to continue on in their leftward route. I’m heading the other way. We should be able to cut him off if we move quickly. Practically at a sprint, I round the corner. Two soldiers are face to face with me at the same time. The white-haired man is moving rather quickly in front of me.

  With everything I have, I push forward, still anticipating taking him down without a kill. He should have to atone for his sins. Noel’s not deserving of a quick and easy end to his story. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a soldier also in hot pursuit. His pace matches mine and we’re nearly at Noel at the same time. I jump first, barely catching my target. His legs are under me, causing him to trip and fall face-first into the dirt with an oof.

  “You’re a sly one, Noel,” I harass him as I turn the man over to face him.

  My breath hitches. Black shocks of hair are peeking up through a white wig. The man’s mouth is spread out wide, his body shaking beneath me with laughter.

  “It’s not Noel!” I shout to the soldiers lined in a semi-circle around us.

  Knowing that it won’t make much of a difference, I turn around anyway, my gun trained on the sky, and begin to fire at the chopper that’s taking off. Noel is crafty, using this man as a diversion to escape us. The soldiers are running in the direction of the flying machine, firing in pursuit. Bullets ricochet off the metal, but none hit the right target. The chopper lifts higher. I’m directly underneath it, firing the last of my bullets into its belly, but escape is inevitable at this point.

  The soldiers have stopped discharging their weapons at the commanding officers’ instruction. I watch as Noel leans slightly out of the chopper, flying his own bird in our direction. Such a childish display of emotion but the point he’s making is clear. I growl in frustration, spinning around to direct the men to shoot them down.

  “What are you waiting for
?” I grab for one of the high-powered rifles the man nearest to me has dropped to his side.

  Another set of hands grabs the butt, attempting to yank it from mine. “I said at ease, soldier.”

  Lieutenant’s stern voice prompts me to halt. I want to argue, the but sitting right on my lips. It will do no good, I realize. “Why are we letting him get away?”

  “Another mission, son. It’ll take him some time to rebuild his empire. We’re tracking him.”

  We could’ve had him now, I want to shout, but my insolence stays trapped inside.

  “And before you volunteer for the second half, I’m going to give you the heads up that it won’t happen. You’ve done our country a great service, but you’re needed in other places at the moment.”

  My eyes widen. He’s going to send me on another mission directly?

  “Home,” he adds with a slight chuckle. “After debriefing, you’re needed there.”

  28

  ON THE WAY TO LANGLEY, Lieu fills me in on the fact that there were two men casing my home. Eliza had been out during the time, but they tried to invade our apartment. Agents had gotten there just as they broke the latch, and now, those two men are no longer a threat. Lieu sanctioned two more agents, those he fully trusts, to keep their eyes on my wife until I get home, just in case. Noel is free and he knows about her. If he still believes I’m a threat, she could still be in danger.

  Now that this is over, I need to be there to protect her.

  Finishing up the case files is tedious. My hand stiffens and cramps as the pen scribbles notes on the documents. Jose Sanchez was correct in thinking I was a threat. He believed I wanted to be a part of his business, and I did. But to take it down, not to enjoy the spoils.

  Even though the mission wasn’t a complete success, there were many wins. One compound was destroyed, and the other is now overrun with soldiers, shutting it down as we speak. The facility in which the engines were designed and my mission began will be thoroughly inspected and many cartel members flushed out.