by Blake Hudson
“What, you can beat a guy’s head in, and I can’t break something? It will slow people down from finding out what I have done,” Dani said as her cheeks flushed red. Knox smiled, walked over and took her hand.
“Let's get you out of here," Knox told her taking her smaller hand in his. But then something stopped him and he raised the back of his knuckles to her face and ran them down her soft skin.
“Great job, Dani," Knox told her tenderly, making her blush before he led her out of the office, pulling out the smartphone as he went, to call it in.
“Harris, the device is in place, you are good to go,” Knox said urgently as they picked up their pace making their way down the luxury yacht’s corridors and passageways. He then found his exit and they slipped outside, the cool air making Dani shiver.
“I am waiting at the pickup point, good luck Captain,” Harris said before hanging up.
Two guards appeared from around the next corner, making Knox and Dani stop in their tracks. Knox turned to Dani and suddenly yanked her body to his frame. He lifted her face up with a firm but gentle grip under her chin and the wide-eyed look she gave him nearly had him kissing her instead.
“Do you trust me?” Knox said seriously as he looked Dani in the eyes… eyes he wanted to lose himself in.
“Yes Lucas, I trust…” He never let her finish that sentence as he suddenly picked her up, kissed her quick and said,
“Good girl.” Then he dropped her over the side.
“AHHH! Lucas! You…Crazy…Bastard! What the hell!” Dani screamed as she struggled to swim. The roar of an outboard motor fired into life and a boat rushed over to her position. Harris, at the helm of the powerboat, cut the power to the engine as he rushed to Dani’s aid pulling her from the warm waters and onto the boat. Harris quickly checked her over before heading back to the helm and steered at full power for a swift getaway.
Knox turned his attention back to the two guards who were still looking over the side in disbelief. It was now time for Knox to bring Howard in.
Knox pulled his gun and as he beat the two guards on the draw, he fired off four rounds which sent the two targets back hard to the floor. Knox needed to move fast, the music in the Gala was loud and would have masked gunfire but anyone on the ship near his position would have heard. Knox picked up one of the guard’s weapons and ammo clip.
Knox entered the corridor from the outside deck that led back to the elevator and opted for the stairs. This turned out to be a bad move when as soon as Knox entered the stairway he was greeted by three men. They walked up from half a flight below, all the men looked at each other before it clicked. The three men began to run up the stairs, Knox fired taking one of the three down before he backed out through the door.
As he ran at full pelt, Knox just made it around the corner of the T-junction, when gun shots landed on the wall in front of him. Knox took cover, plastering his back to the wall. The lights dimmed as emergency red lighting came on and an alarm sounded, Knox heard the heavy boots of the men as they ran down the corridor towards his position. One, two, three and Knox ducked and rolled to the other side of the T-Junction and fired at the incoming men. The closest man’s kneecaps took the first shot, the second missing and the third a slug right to his chest. Knox rolled behind cover and lay flat to the ground holding his gun up aimed at the corner and waited. The second guard came around the corner, wary, not looking at the floor, but when he did, Knox shot and hit his target clean in the forehead.
The sound of a helicopter coming into land could be heard. Knox knew it could only be for one man…His target. Knox wasn’t about to let Howard get away so, finding the closest staircase he continued up trying to reach the helipad before it was too late. As he reached the top level and as far as the staircase would take him, he soon realised he needed to get up higher and fast. Knox in his haste, surprised a guard having a smoke. The guard fumbled and Knox ran into him, his momentum sent them to the rail and Knox pushed him clean over, into to the water below.
The quickest way to the helipad was for Knox to climb up over the railings and shimmy over and up some panelling that he could use as a makeshift ladder. The only issue with that was he would be exposed to a sixty-metre drop to the water’s surface.
“Look up, only up…focus,” he said to himself as he almost lost his footing, the roar of rotor blades over the ship giving Knox the added motivation to get a move on. Once he reached the top, Knox cautiously looked over the edge of the deck. Howard, nor any of his personnel, had reached the open helipad, just two ground crew awaited their imminent arrival. Knox had a plan and he would need to be quick about it. He pulled up and over onto a ledge, then took out his smartphone and dialled Gregory.
“Captain, is everything okay?” answered Gregory.
“Gregory, I need you to get your ass up to the helipad, this is the plan,” Knox replied with no time for pleasantries or banter. With the crewmen focused on the now landing chopper, Knox climbed up onto the platform and ran over to the nearest man who was guiding the craft down. Grabbing the scruff of his neck he held a gun to his head, then looking at the pilot he mouthed the words ‘I WILL SHOOT HIM, LAND!’. Knox rounded up the second crewman by waving him over as he and the guy he still had in his grasp backed up to the edge of the helipad.
“I will make it an easy choice boys, get shot or jump. Quick now, I don’t have all day,” Knox said with a glint in his eyes. The two crewmen looked at each other and after one of them shrugged his shoulders, he jumped. The other looked over as his colleague plummeted down and then back up, scared and with no intention of following.
“To be honest lad I don’t blame you so here, let me help you out,” Knox said as he took hold of the terrified man in a tight arm and head lock, and before the crewman had a chance, Knox had him right up to the edge where he let go of his hold, kicked him in the arse and sent him over the rail. Turning instantly and without a second thought for if the crewman survived the fall or not, he aimed his gun back at the pilot who was looking at Knox like a rabbit caught in headlights.
Minutes later, Howard arrived at the helipad with two of his security staff in tow, his private helicopter’s engines still running, ready and waiting. In Howard’s rush to get off the yacht and to safety, neither he nor his security noticed that there wasn’t any ground crew. No, Howard just ran over to the chopper and his guards followed in a crouched position, looking up as the rotors whirled overhead.
“Knox!” Howard shouted over the wind and engine noise. Rightly so, he looked on in shock as he opened the door to see him sat in the back of the helicopter alone and no sign of the pilot.
“Get in Howard, you are coming with me,” Knox said with a gun pointed directly at his head. Howard’s security reached for their weapons.
“I would tell them to back down if they know what’s good for them,” Knox yelled as his eyes stared at Howard with a look that told him he was ready to kill.
“I don’t know what you are playing at Knox, but you are out manned,” Howard said with a smug grin on his face, a look that made Knox want to stamp his size twelve boot on it. But Knox would take his satisfaction in what would happen next.
“Last warning Howard, tell your men to stand down,” Knox snarled. And just as Howard ducked to the ground and his two men drew their weapons, shots could just be heard over the vortex roar and engine whine. The thugs that were Howard’s security fell to the deck as exit wounds exploded with bursts of blood. Howard looked back at his men, then around him before finally seeing the silhouette of a man holding a gun walking with resolve towards him. Gregory had lain in wait to provide cover.
“Get in the chopper, now!” Gregory shouted over to Howard who begrudgingly did as he was ordered.
“Buckle up Howard, safety first,” Knox said with his own smug expression.
“You’re sure you know how to fly this bird?” Knox said to Gregory as he hurried into the pilot’s seat.
“It’s been awh
ile, and I have never flown one as posh as this. But hey it’s like riding a bike, right?” Gregory said as he flicked switches and looked around as if he had no idea what the controls were.
“You know how to inspire confidence, Gregory,” Knox said knowing full well Gregory had years of experience flying army helicopters before he was recruited into T.I.7, but he wasn’t going to let onto Howard as he sat there with the fear of God etched across his face.
“Where do you Cowboys think you’re taking me, who do you work for?” Howard said trying to hide his nervousness.
“You will find out soon enough Howard, now sit back, shut up and enjoy the ride,” Knox said as he tapped Gregory on the shoulder to signal let’s get out of here, to which he nodded as the helicopter effortlessly lifted from the pad and made its way out over the marina steadily as it rose, building up speed.
“Who do you work for… the Cartel, the Africans? What are they paying you? I will double it, you know I am good for it don’t you Knox? Tell your friend.” Howard’s desperation doubled as the realisation of his situation set in. Knox smiled before swiftly leaning over to Howard and cracked an almost jaw breaking punch across his chin. Gregory looked over at Knox with a look of ‘did you really just do that?’
“I warned him to shut up, it will make for a more peaceful flight,” Knox said smiling as he shrugged his shoulders and cracked his knuckles. Gregory swallowed hard as he remembered what one of Knox’s right hooks felt like and he muttered a quiet,
“Right,” before getting back to the job at hand.
It wasn’t long before they landed outside the warehouse of T.I.7’s mobile headquarters. Carter and Harris could be seen waiting, sat inside one of the Jaguar F-space, parked to the side of a clear area of wasteland perfect for the chopper to land on, even if it would kick up a tonne of sand and dust.
It was time to deliver Howard to Carter and for…
Howard’s interrogation.
Chapter Nineteen
Truth or Bull Crap
Howard awoke to darkness, his movement restricted to mere millimetres as gaffer tape bonds secured him to the chair he was sat upon. His breathing became quick and shallow, his eyes almost hurt as they dilated in vain to find some source of light.
“Sir, he is awake,” Gregory informed Knox. Howard moved his head from side to side shocked at the sound of a voice as he tried to work out where in the room the voice came from.
“Are the instruments ready?” Knox asked which sent Howard’s breathing into an even more erratic state as he desperately tried to overcome his fear and speak.
“Almost, Sir,” Gregory replied as he placed metal surgical instruments down on a stainless-steel work surface. The sound unmistakable as each one tapped and scraped against each other, as the two metal surfaces met.
“What do you want from me? Who are you!?” Howard screamed uncontrollably as his fear and survival instincts took over.
“Listen we can make a deal, I can make you very wealthy,” Howard said in a high-pitched panic as he became more and more desperate.
“Trust me, you can be long gone and stinking rich, before whoever you are working for knew you had let me go,” Howard said as his head dropped and he listened for someone to respond.
“Take it off,” snarled Knox, and Gregory pulled the blackout hood from Howard’s head. Bright light blinded him as Knox focused a single spotlight inches from Howard’s face.
“When is the consignment coming in!?” Knox barked out as he stood behind the light looking down at Howard.
“What… I don’t know what you…” Howard shouted, but before he finished was punched hard in his side. His body tried to lurch forward as he gasped for breath but was held in place by its bonds.
“The shipment! When is it coming in? We know you are involved,” Knox barked down at him.
“I am not involved, I am not. Pérez is the one, I just work for him! He’s the one calling the shots,” Howard said in a pitiful tone as he sat with slumped shoulders. The very picture of a man willing to give them everything they needed.
“Why would we believe that, Howard? You look and act like you are partners, if not even running the show.” Knox replied as he nodded to Gregory who took his cue and hit out at him again. Howard rocked on the chair from the force of the blow, then frantically looked around trying to see the room and where his attacker was but his eyes couldn’t focus fast enough. As soon as they came almost close to adjusting to the light Gregory would grab the back of his head and force him to look at the light again. The light was so bright, that even when Howard closed his eyes as tight as he could, all he could see was blinding whiteness bleeding through his eyelids.
“Because I want out! I will give you all the information to bring Pérez down, I just want protection,” Howard said as he winced.
“What makes you think we care about your well-being, why would we offer protection? What’s the name of the ship, Howard?” Knox said as he picked up a sharp, cold steel scalpel. He signalled to Gregory to move the light away, this allowed Howard to see what Knox was picking up before he blinded Howard again with it.
“You are a government agency! MI5, MI6? You are British SIS right?” Howard said as his voice became frantic with panic at the sight of the scalpel.
“Guess again! Now tell me, when is the shipment coming into Malaga, and what is it called?” Knox said as he took hold of Howard’s first finger, pressed the tip of the scalpel blade up under the finger nail and dug it in with a twist, Howard shrieked and shook uncontrollably with the pain.
“You can’t torture me! There are human rights laws, your government will be hung out to dry over this,” Howard said after Knox took away the simple yet effective tool.
“Tut, tut Howard, you are not listening, yet again…” Knox leant down and tapped him twice on the cheek with the scalpel before finishing off his sentence,
“…And if you don’t listen, then how are you expected to learn? So, let me make myself even clearer for you…now are you listening?” Knox asked with deadly calm before taking the cutting instrument to his ear and holding it out as if ready to cut. Then he offered some crucial advice.
“We don’t answer to any government, and they will never find all the pieces of your body, let alone know what happened to you. So, once again I ask you, when is the shipment coming in?” Knox whispered into Howard’s ear after he gripped hold of his head in a vice like hold.
“Do your ears need cleaning out, Howard?” Knox whispered as he placed the scalpel on Howard’s ear lobe. Howard froze with the feel of the cold blade on his skin.
“Maybe you will listen harder if you only have the one ear working,” Knox threatened as he tightened his grip and slowly started to move the point of the scalpel down into Howard’s ear.
“I will tell you, I will tell you, stop, please stop!” cried Howard.
“Time, date and name of the ship!” Knox demanded as he took the blade away and released his grip.
“Pérez will kill me, if the Cartel doesn't kill me first, you have to protect me and I will tell you everything. I need protection,” he pleaded.
“Tell us the name and time of the ship arriving and if the information is right we will do a deal,” Knox said lying through his teeth.
“This evening, Malaga port, Isabella, the ship’s called Isabella,” Howard said as his head dropped, chin firmly against his chest.
“The bloody boat’s called Isabella?” Knox asked as he laughed then turned to the CCTV and nodded, signalling to Carter and the NEST team to start checking it out, if they weren’t already.
“So, you are going to protect me, right? I will give you all you need and more,” Howard said and couldn’t have looked more like a weasel.
“Speaking of the name Isabella, where is your wife-to-be?” Knox couldn’t help but sound disgusted at the man he knew had given her up.
“How would I know, they took her,” Howard said sheepishly, beads of swea
t dripping down his face.
“How about I take your fingernails off one at a time until you tell me, fun for me, not so much for you,” Knox said impatiently as he took hold of the finger he’d first put the scalpel blade under, the nail was now black from the blood congealing under it.
“No, no wait okay, okay. Someone has been hijacking shipments. It started with a shipment of drugs, then weapons. But the last few have hit the Cartel’s money!” Howard said looking at Knox trying to see if he was buying it.
“The Cartel thinks Pérez has something to do with it, but he hasn't and now he is running out of time. The Cartel is demanding he personally pay them back or they will kill him and they want to use Isabella as blackmail.” Howard hung his head in shame.
“And you delivered her to them?” Knox shouted. And Howard’s silence spoke volumes. Knox hit Howard across the face and this time, it wasn’t just to get him to talk, it was in anger.
“You, spineless bastard! Where is she, who did you give her to?” Knox shouted as he hit Howard over and over before a cutting voice spoke over a speaker system…it was Carter.