by Dirk Patton
“We’re going after Katarina, but you need to get out of here. Take my truck.”
He dug the keys out of his pocket and handed them to the old Rabbi.
“And do what, young man?”
“Go home. Forget this happened. Get someone you trust to dump my truck somewhere far away from your house.”
“I do not hide from the things I’ve done,” Saul said firmly, following them inside.
“Saul,” Liam said with a sigh. “That’s a senior FBI official lying dead out in the pasture. There’re four Marines’ bodies out there somewhere, plus the carcass of an honest to God demon. A shit-storm of epic proportions is about to rain down and, trust me, you don’t want anything to do with it.”
They stared at each other until the old man nodded and looked away. Without a word, he began gathering up the items he’d brought and putting them in his satchel.
“Thank you, Saul,” Liam said.
The Rabbi paused and looked at him for a moment before smiling.
“The Lord is strong in you. Both of you,” he said, turning to Baldwin. “Do not be swayed from the course he has set out.”
They looked back at him, neither of them quite sure what to say. Without a word, Saul turned and left the house. A moment later, Liam’s truck started and gravel crunched as it drove away.
“Now. How we gettin’ her back?” Baldwin asked.
Instead of answering, Liam went onto the back porch and brought in a jug of gasoline. Twisting the top off, he began dousing the dry oak floorboards.
“Can that pistol Pettigrew used be traced to you?” he asked.
Baldwin ran out the back door, returning as Liam emptied the last of the fuel. Ejecting all the rounds out of the weapon, he dropped it in the middle of the floor.
“No way to link it to me, but they can do amazing shit with fingerprints and DNA these days.”
“What about all that brass in the forest? Prints?”
Baldwin gave him a look before answering.
“Even Marines know to wear gloves when they’re loading mags.”
Liam nodded and they moved onto the front porch. The receipt from Costco was still in his pocket and he set it on fire with his lighter. Leaning away from the open door, he tossed it and ran. The gas ignited with a loud whoosh and flames were already shooting through the windows when he reached the SUV. Baldwin had them in motion the instant he jumped in.
“Where to?”
“Get me to cell service,” Liam answered, holding the disposable phone up to watch for signal.
Baldwin pushed the big vehicle, unconcerned about the beating it was taking on the rough road. He slammed to a stop when Liam said he had coverage and dialed a number.
“Jimmy,” he said when the call was answered. “Remember what we talked about? Do it now.”
Fifty-Seven
“So, how the hell are we going to find her?” Baldwin asked after Liam ended the call with Jimmy.
“Canada.”
“Canada? What the hell for?”
“There’s only one cartel operation anywhere close that could have been transporting as much cash as was on that plane. The Lin family, and they’re based in BC.”
“Never heard of ‘em.”
“The dad ran a syndicate in Hong Kong in the eighties and nineties. When the British handed the territory back to China at the end of last century, the youngest boy wanted out, so he moved to Vancouver and set up shop. Didn’t take long before he was at the top of the heap, with the help of a lot of muscle imported from Hong Kong. Now, the Lins control the drug trade in the entire Pacific Northwest.”
“Okay, so we’re just gonna go ask them to give Katarina back and forget the whole thing?”
“Exactly.”
Baldwin glanced at him several times, frowning.
“You’re crazy, even for Army. They’re gonna cut our balls off and feed us to a bear.”
“No, they won’t. Not if they want their money back.”
Liam spent a few minutes outlining his plan to Baldwin. As he was speaking, a pair of Sherriff’s SUVs with lights flashing screamed past. Liam turned to watch them through the rear window and noted a bright orange glow on the dark horizon. Another mile and a fire truck being trailed by an ambulance roared by.
“Ransomware all their assets isn’t a half bad idea,” Baldwin said when Liam was finished. “That could actually work. Or it could get us shot on the spot.”
“That’s why I’m going in alone.”
“And what the hell am I doing?”
“Watching my ass. Know anyone in BC that can fix us up with some weapons? Not a good idea to try to take these across the border.”
“Can’t you just flash that DEA badge and make it all good?”
“Doesn’t work that way. The Canadians get all twisted in a knot when there’s an American with a gun. Even a federal agent. Guess they think we’re all going to start shooting at any second.”
“And they’d be wrong?” Baldwin asked with a grin.
“Good point. So. Know someone?”
“Yeah. Got a buddy in Surrey, BC. Ex-Canadian Military.”
“He’ll help us?”
“If he can, sure.”
“Okay, so we still have to dump what we’ve got with us.”
Baldwin nodded and brought his phone out, pressing a speed dial button. The conversation was short and terse.
“Who was that?” Liam asked.
“My brother. He’s meeting us along the way and will take the weapons.”
They drove in silence, reaching Interstate 5 and heading north towards the border.
“How did Kat kill that thing?” Baldwin suddenly asked.
Liam hesitated, trying to figure out how to answer.
“It sounds crazy.”
“Try me.”
Liam took a breath and huffed it out.
“Okay, but you asked. She killed it with a burning sword.”
Baldwin stared at him for several long seconds.
“Always heard you DEA guys use too much of the shit you confiscate.”
“Believe me or not,” Liam said. “Don’t really care, but I’m telling you the truth. That’s the second time I’ve seen her do it, and you saw that thing for yourself.”
“You’re really buying this shit? Demons and God and angels? C’mon, man. This ain’t the fucking middle ages.”
“If that thing wasn’t a demon, then tell me what the hell it was.”
“How do you know it wasn’t some idiot in a suit, like those Bigfoot hoaxers?”
“I put thirty rounds into the bastard. You probably did, too, plus however many your guys hit it with. None of ‘em penetrated. None! So, unless some seven-foot-tall hoaxer has a full body suit made out of Kevlar backed by ballistic plates, that thing was real.”
Baldwin chewed on that statement for a long time before speaking again.
“Then this whole heaven and hell thing is real. And Kat wasn’t crazy when she told me she could see demons.”
Liam recognized the other man was working things through in his head and wasn’t looking for a response.
“And she said they’re coming to destroy our world. Destroy us,” Baldwin said, looking at Liam.
“She did.”
“And she killed that thing?”
Liam nodded but didn’t speak.
“So, she’s what? Some kind of assassin for God?”
“Beats the hell out of me,” Liam said. “But I’ll never doubt her when she tells me something, no matter how crazy it sounds.”
“No, shit,” Baldwin muttered.
Baldwin glanced at his mirror, slowing quickly. Liam looked around nervously, his heart rate shooting up when he saw red and blue flashing lights in the grill of the SUV right behind them.
“Brody,” Baldwin said, calming Liam’s fears.
He took an exit, Brody tight on his tail. The emergency flashers went dark and they pulled to a stop in the empty parking lot for a convenience store that
was closed for the night. Baldwin held his hand out and Liam gave him the weapons and loaded magazines he still had.
“Stay put,” Baldwin said, popping the door and jumping out.
Liam watched through the rear window as the two brothers embraced briefly. Stepping apart, Baldwin spoke rapidly, filling Brody in on what was going on. Soon, there was no doubt they were arguing. With a grumbled curse, he opened his door and got out.
“We don’t have time for this!” he called from the back corner of the vehicle.
Brody’s head snapped around and he glared as he stalked forward. Throwing his hands up in frustration, Baldwin followed behind.
“Your fucking ex-wife?” Brody shouted as he thrust his face to within an inch of Liam’s. “You couldn’t protect her from your goddamn ex-wife?”
Liam held his eyes for a moment before replying in calm, measured tones.
“No, I didn’t. I failed her. But we don’t have time for this right now. She needs our help, not for us to be arguing over who’s to blame. So, maybe we should save this for later so Baldwin and I can get back on the road.”
Brody’s eyes flashed with anger as he ground his teeth. For several long seconds, Liam was sure he was about to be hit. Finally, Brody stepped back and blew out a big breath.
“Goddamn it,” he said. “Goddamn it! You two had one fucking job...”
He stopped talking and turned away, staring into the darkness with balled fists on his hips. Liam and Baldwin traded a glance, then Brody spun back to face them.
“Get the weapons into my vehicle,” he snapped. “I’m coming with you.”
Liam shot a look at Baldwin who was already stepping forward.
“No, you’re not,” he said firmly.
“You don’t fucking tell me what to do, little brother!”
“Yeah, I do,” Baldwin said, standing firm. “Through all of this, her biggest concern has been you being ruined because of something she did. I’m going to make sure her request that you be kept at arm’s length is honored, whether you like it or not.”
“Fuck off, Baldwin! I’m going and you can’t stop me.”
“Going where?” Liam suddenly asked, earning a hard stare.
He and Brody glared at each other, neither man giving an inch.
“Going where?” Liam asked again. “You have no clue where to find her without us, and we’re not taking you. You don’t know me, but Katarina’s talked about you enough that I feel like I know you. I know you’ve got a wife and daughter that need you, and I also know she’d never forgive either one of us if we let something happen to you. Now, please, quit wasting time and let us go get her back.”
“Brody,” Baldwin said gently. “The man’s right. You gotta trust us, man. We’ll bring her back.”
After a few tense seconds, Brody spat on the ground and shook his head.
“Make goddamn sure you do! And you,” he growled, thrusting a finger at Liam. “You’d better be in a motherfucking body bag if you come back without her! You understand what I’m saying?”
Liam nodded without breaking eye contact. Cursing under his breath, Brody quickly helped Baldwin gather all the weapons and ammo and transfer them to his vehicle. When they were done, Brody stopped his brother with a hand on his arm and gave him a quick hug. Thirty seconds later, they were back on the road, Brody still standing in the dark, watching until they’d dwindled into the distance.
“Your brother always like that?” Liam asked after they’d traveled several miles.
“When it comes to Kat, yeah. He is. She’s like a little sister to him. Those two clicked the day they met. Not much he wouldn’t do for her.”
“And you? You in love with her?”
Baldwin shot him a surprised look then refocused on the road.
“She told you about our mistake.”
“Yep. Don’t care. Don’t blame you, either. Just want to make sure we’re not going to have any problems. Getting her back is what’s important.”
Baldwin had been nodding as Liam had spoken.
“We got no problem. I love her, but not like that.”
Liam watched him for several minutes then faced front again without saying anything further. Ahead, he could see the bright lights of the border station. They crossed with minimal delay and Baldwin followed the signs towards Surrey, a small city to the southeast of Vancouver.
“You gonna give your buddy a heads up we’re coming?” Liam asked.
“He doesn’t have a phone.”
“No phone? Why the hell not?”
“He’s, well, Ed’s a bit different.”
“Define different.”
“In the US we’d call him a prepper, but he’s a little more extreme than that. Not sure what the Canadians would call him. He’s completely off grid.”
“Okay, whatever floats his boat. But how the hell is he off grid in a city? Isn’t Surrey pretty built up?”
“He’s more out by Boundary Bay. Lovely place, too. View of the Vancouver landfill and everything.”
“He lives next to a dump?” Liam asked. “You sure about this guy?”
“Pulled my ass out of a burning Humvee and carried me fifty yards through enemy fire in Afghanistan. I’m sure about Ed.”
Liam thought about that a moment and nodded. He didn’t ask any more questions and Baldwin drove through the darkness, lost in memories of combat.
They passed through a series of small towns then moved into an agricultural area. The smell of the sea was strong, and so was the stench of garbage. Baldwin suddenly slowed, peering at a narrow track that headed across an empty field.
“Been a while since you’ve been here?” Liam asked.
“Only been once, and that was in daylight.”
He turned onto the track and drove slowly. It had rained recently and the ground was soft. The heavy SUV frequently squirmed as it clawed for traction. Liam leaned forward, seeing nothing other than perfectly flat fields growing some unidentifiable crop.
“You sure about this?”
Baldwin was also leaned forward over the wheel for a better view and was about to answer when a ruby-red laser flashed across the interior of the vehicle. It settled to a spot on his forehead and after a quick glance in the mirror he brought them to a stop.
“Stay here,” he said quietly.
Moving with exaggerated caution and keeping his hands up and visible as much as possible, Baldwin shut off the SUV’s headlights before popping his door open and stepping out into the night. The laser never left his head as he moved.
“Ed!” he called into the darkness. “It’s Baldwin James, brother. Need your help.”
“Who’s that with you?” a disembodied voice shouted.
“Friend of mine. You can trust him. He ate a lot of the same sand we did. Ed, we’re trying to get a friend out of a jam.”
It was quiet for close to a minute, then the laser dot on Baldwin’s head vanished. Fifty yards away, an indistinct figure stood up out of a field row and waved him forward.
“Leave your phone and tell your buddy to stay in the vehicle! Dogs will kill him if he gets out.”
Baldwin tossed his phone through the open window to Liam who nodded understanding. He watched as the two men approached each other, then breathed a sigh of relief when they embraced. Speaking too softly for him to hear the conversation, they slowly moved away from the SUV. He tracked them, then blinked in surprise when they suddenly disappeared into the field as if they’d been swallowed by the ground.
It was an hour later when a figure suddenly appeared at the same point where they’d disappeared. Liam could tell by the outline that it was Baldwin approaching and was glad to see the shape of a long rifle slung from his shoulder.
“Everything good?” he asked when Baldwin raised the rear hatch.
“No problems.”
Baldwin loaded the rifle and a heavy duffel into the SUV then got behind the wheel and handed a pistol to Liam along with two spare magazines.
“Ed’s
just different,” he said, starting the engine.
“He lives in the ground?”
“Yep. He’s got about ten thousand square feet down there, all built from shipping containers. You’d be surprised how nice it is.”
Liam didn’t say anything, repulsed by the idea of voluntarily living in a space that never saw the sun.
“You any good with that thing?” Liam asked, tilting his head at the rifle in back.
“Adequate.”
Liam nodded in understanding and appreciation of the answer. When it came to shooters, it was always the guys that bragged about their skill that were the worst shots. The ones who downplayed their abilities, even when asked, were usually far more than competent marksmen.
Fifty-Eight
Katarina regained consciousness all at once with a sharp intake of breath and her eyes quickly scanned the room. It was cramped and dusty, furnished with a pair of kitchen chairs and a table with chrome legs. They looked like they’d been there since the nineteen-fifties. Peeling linoleum covered the floor and a weak, yellow overhead light did nothing to chase away the shadows in the corners.
Looking down, she discovered she was handcuffed to the scarred arms of a chair. She tested her bonds, causing a sharp clank of metal on metal.
“You’re awake.”
She’d failed to spot Angela, leaned against the wall in the near darkness of the farthest corner of the room.
“Where are we?”
“That doesn’t matter. It’s very private. No one around for miles.”
After a moment she slowly came forward. She was wearing skin-tight jeans with a large pistol holstered on her well-rounded right hip. The pants were tucked into a pair of canvas jump boots and a form-fitting, black tank top accentuated her braless breasts. Long brown hair tumbled down her back. Katarina grudgingly admitted to herself that she was a stunning woman.
“I can see why he picked you,” Angela said, peering closely. “You’re very pretty. But the red doesn’t suit you. You should wash it out.”
“I’ll get right on that,” Katarina said sourly.
Angela laughed and took a seat in the other chair.
“Well, what are you waiting for?”
“Excuse me?” Angela asked, arching a perfectly shaped eyebrow.