BLOOD RETRIBUTION

by Blake Hudson

  “The girl is secondary, get back on point. Inform our guest his computer system has given us all the information we need. Unless he has other information, terminate him,” Carter’s emotionless voice said. Knox stopped mid hit, his fist still positioned up above his head ready to rain down on Howard. Knox knew this was a tactic by Carter, but he still couldn’t help the guilty feeling of them not giving a shit about Isabella. Yes, she was a bitch and a nightmare, but she didn’t deserve to be treated like this. Knox stepped back and picked up his gun that was resting next to the surgical instruments.

  “Last chance Howard, they have decoded your hard drives, we have the ship’s details. So, if you have anything useful, then now is the time to share before there is nothing left to stop me from blowing your fucking brains out,” Knox said menacingly as he chambered a round.

  “No, no wait! Just wait! I handed her over to the Cartel and they took her, where I don’t know. I don’t know what is going to happen but they will use her to blackmail Pérez. He owes them more than he can give them.” Howard spoke so fast Knox could only just understand him.

  “I can lead you to who is hijacking the shipments, the person who is turning the Cartel and Pérez against each other," Howard said as he looked at Knox, then to Gregory as if to say he had more information so don’t kill him. Knox put the gun to Howard’s temple.

  “I can give you El Toro, El Toro! I am working with him, I can give you the Bull!” Howard screamed at the top of his lungs.

  “And El Toro is?” Knox asked with a raised eyebrow. Howard took a moment as if speaking the name would sign his death sentence, and the very walls had the ‘Bull’s’ ears.

  “El Toro, The Bull. That’s all I know him as! He is like a ghost, no one knows who he is or fuck, what he even looks like! Yet he has an army of mercenaries and men willing not only to work for him but die for him,” Howard said with an expression that Knox couldn’t fully trust.

  “You talk as though you admire him. How the fuck are you going to lead us to him if you…?” Knox said as he glared into Howard’s eyes and hit him over the head.

  “A, don’t know what he looks like!?” Knox said then hit him again.

  “B, have never met him!?” Again, Knox said before he hit him.

  “And C, you don’t know his real name!? All three mean you don’t have shit to give us!” Knox said as he went to hit him again but stopped as Howard tried to speak.

  “Because I have something he wants and we…we were going to meet,” Howard said, tears in his eyes and close to sobbing like a child.

  “And what is it you have?” Knox stepped back putting the gun down on the side, repulsed at how weak Howard was.

  “Give me protection, and I will give you El Toro,” Howard mumbled through his snivelling.

  “Take a break, Captain.” Carter’s voice sounded over the speaker.

  “Bag the pathetic runt,” Knox sneered as he walked out of the room, as Gregory carried out his orders and hooded Howard.

  “Splendid work Captain, although I would say we have found someone to rival your interrogating, Harris," Carter said looking over to Harris who looked back not at all phased at Carter’s teasing.

  “Thank you, Sir, I am not sure if that is a compliment,” Knox said with a worried look as you couldn’t make out what Harris was thinking.

  “The ship, gentlemen.” Harris’ deep quiet voice spoke.

  “Yes, yes quite right Major. Miss Rose, if you would,” Carter said after clearing his throat and beckoning an anxious looking Rose to speak.

  “Er… hello, gentlemen, we have decoded the whole of Pérez’s computer data, and…” Rose said a little nervous to be speaking but then was interrupted by Harris.

  “You mean you decoded the computer data,” Harris corrected with a firm but unaggressive tone, making it clear to everyone that it was all down to her skills. And then motioned an apology for interrupting her. Knox couldn’t help but take note of the significance of this and if he didn’t know any better, he would go as far as to say that Harris had a thing for the geeky tech.

  “Well, yes…okay. Er… Howard is telling the truth to a degree, there is a ship called the Isabella and it is due this evening in Malaga. It’s voyage patterns stack up with what we would expect if it had MOD shipments booked onto it. It should only be half loaded up with legit weapons, but it’s got a full itinerary,” Rose said with a little embarrassment that Harris spoke out for her, deep down she liked it and her confidence obviously grew the more she spoke.

  “What is the rest of the cargo filling the itinerary?” Knox asked as he watched Harris and Rose look into each other’s eyes a moment longer than was necessary. Harris’ cool persona cracked as he gave the smallest of smiles to a slightly blushing Rose. Knox wasn’t the only one that noticed it, Carter coughed.

  “It says… Agricultural and farming equipment,” Rose said as she flipped through her notes this time on her tablet and not her hand.

  “Thank you, Miss Rose you are excused,” Carter said with a smile. Knox nodded and Harris grinned making the young tech blush. Rose walked away with a slight skip in her step and Knox knew that if she could have got away with it, she would have fist bumped the air. Hell, but she most likely would when she got out of sight, Knox thought with a smirk.

  “Major, I want a team put together and I want you on that ship,” Carter said going into full military mode.

  “We are down on numbers, we will need to pull in some resources, Sir," Harris replied to Carter as he looked over to Knox.

  “I will put in an order for the 22nd who are on training manoeuvres in Gibraltar, they can offer support. Right men, get everything ready,” Carter said with a positive tone to his voice. Knox gave Harris a smile at the fact his old SAS regiment would be called in as reinforcements, as they both made their way out of the tactical room.

  “So, calling in the SAS over the Commandos.” Knox jibed at Harris.

  “Yes, they do tend to get the easy glamour missions, don’t they?” Harris was quick to respond and Knox looked at him with a blank expression.

  “Huh… glamour missions?” Knox asked back with a big grin.

  “You know what they say, Captain…” Harris said reeling Knox in.

  “No Major, what do they say?” Knox asked and he couldn’t help but be intrigued.

  “Stars are for Hollywood, but real actors are found on the stage,” Harris said with a grin, Knox laughed.

  “Come on Harris the Commandos are more like understudies.” Knox winked as they both met Dani as they passed the canteen tent. Harris smirked with a ‘we will finish this later’ look as he nodded to Knox and then smiled at Dani tipping an invisible hat. Harris walked on but looked back at Knox when he was out of sight of Dani and gave him the thumbs up.

  “Dani… look I am…” Knox began to speak but stopped when Dani pulled back her arm and punched Knox in the bicep.

  “I would bloody slap you, but I like that damn handsome face of yours too much. Blast your genes!" Dani said trying to look mad but in truth, she was glad to see him. Knox took the punch and didn't even try to stop the grin that crossed his face. Dani was wearing army fatigues with her hair tied back and her glamorous makeup washed off. But God strike him down now if she wasn’t sexy as hell.

  “I am sorry Lass, I had to do it to keep you safe and I made sure Harris would have your back,” Knox said trying not to sound cheeky and failed miserably. So, he held his arms out for a hug.

  “You have got to be bloody joking! You should see the state of my dress,” Dani said again trying to sound angry, but a smile was playing at the edges of her mouth and Knox could see it. He took hold of both her hands and gently pulled her to him. Dani played at pulling back but then let Knox wrap his warm, strong arms around her and she sank into his chest.

  “I can't lie, Lucas, as mad as I was and looking like a drowned rat, I was worried and I was really scared,” Dani said as she pulled hersel
f into Knox, closing her eyes and taking relief in getting the chance to be close to him and hear his heartbeat. Knox held Dani tighter and took in a deep breath through his nose, losing himself for a moment in her sweet scent, and even now after a dunk in the Marina, she still smelled amazing.

  “Look Dani, my job, my lifestyle, well… it has never worked with a relationship,” Knox said and Dani opened her eyes at the words she feared the most.

  “But… I care for you and you know I think it’s time maybe I change that,” Knox said as he struggled to get the words out.

  “Lucas, what are you saying… are you…?” Dani’s sentence trailed off as she looked up at Knox with hope-filled eyes… eyes that just melted all two hundred and forty pounds of skin, muscle, and bone of him. Knox took Dani’s face in his hands and bent down to kiss her. Dani’s eyes shut as soon as his hands touched her cheeks, and she pushed herself up onto tiptoes. Their lips met and everything went silent around them.

  “When all this is finished with, I want to spend some time together and…” Knox said after pulling his lips away from Dani’s delightful soft embrace but kept his as close as he could when he spoke.

  “And…?” Dani whispered and she swallowed hard before taking a breath.

  “Talk out what this is and see how we can make it work,” Knox calmly said trying to keep his desires at bay and not just take her right there and then. Dani’s face lit up with a smile that could warm the coldest of souls, and Knox just had to kiss her again before asking her,

  “Can you wait here for me?”

  “I don’t know, will I not be in the way?” Dani tentatively asked, still thinking about their last kiss and stopping herself from doing something embarrassing like touching her lips as though she could still feel his mark branded there.

  “You are protected here and I want you as safe as can be when I am away. Please,” Knox said as he looked Dani intensely in the eyes. Suddenly a warmth the likes she had never known ignited deep down, in the depths of her soul. She had never felt safe, something Knox didn't need to know about. But right then and there, just knowing that someone in the world cared that much for her well-being, was like finally finding water after spending years of drowning in sand.

  “Okay, I will wait here. Olivia is lovely and she sorted me out with the…erm… uniform,” Dani said blushing as she showed off the fatigues.

  “Then remind me to thank her personally,” Knox said with a raise of his eyebrow and a cheeky look.

  “Lucas!” Dani said playfully, hitting his hard chest and nearly biting her lip at all the muscle she encountered with just that one touch.

  “Captain…” called Harris.

  “Major?” Knox looked up at Harris with a questioning look.

  “You’re needed,” Harris said and then walked away to give them privacy.

  “Go… do what you do best and I promise to stay safe and will wait here for you,” Dani said with a smile and a feigned light-hearted tone that Knox knew was trying to hide the sadness and worry. So, Knox kissed her forehead and began to walk off.

  “Lucas?” Dani called.

  “Yes, Lass?” Knox looked back with a smile.

  “Stay safe and you’d better come back to me…after all, I need a lift back to the hotel,” Dani replied with a smile and a wink. Knox beat his chest over his heart twice then pointed to her.

  “Well then, I have to come back," Knox smirked and Dani walked into the canteen.

  Knox walked into the kit room and opened his cabinet of weapons. Then with an exhale out and a clearing of his mind, he entered his meditation as he…

  Prepared for the mission.

  Chapter Twenty

  Isabella Raid

  “Whisky one, Bourbon one, ETA on target one minute." The radio comms operator stated.

  “You heard that lads, get your heads in the game, we’re going in!” Harris yelled out at the squad of SAS boat troopers who all replied sternly ‘Sir’ over the roar of the outboard motors. The waves crashed on the side of the rigid inflatable tactical boat with the stench of diesel that overpowered the muggy sea air.

  Over in the distance and coming in at speed, the dark blue N3 Dauphin helicopter operated by six five eight Squadron, dropped down from high off the coastline mountain ridge and down into the Bay of Malaga’s port. Two miles out to sea, anchored down, was their target, The Isabella. The two-hundred-and-ninety-metre Panamax class vessel dominated the horizon.

  “Deploy in sixty seconds, Captain.” Carter sounded over the headset of the helicopter’s intercom to Knox.

  “Copy that,” Knox replied in a locked, focused manner as he held his hand up and gave the eight-man SAS team a signal that they were about to deploy. Ropes, knots and carabiners were double and triple checked all over again as Knox opened the sliding door next to him. He positioned himself at the edge and leant forward until his rope took the strain. He readied his weapon and focused his eye down the sight and locked onto the ship’s deck.

  “Armed targets on deck, targets on deck,” Knox said over the headset intercom.

  “Permission to engage,” Carter replied clinically, as the N3 circled around and then held a hovering position over an area of the deck with the best tactical position for the team to deploy.

  “Go, go, go!” sounded around the chopper, as ropes spiralled down to the deck below with a whip and a snap. Two elite SAS servicemen moved to the doorway as Knox lay down covering fire and took out two mercenaries that couldn’t have looked any more out of place on a ship if they tried. The ship was crawling with a hired band of what looked like a malevolent African nation’s force.

  “Good luck, Captain,” Carter called out as the last of the SAS men had descended to the ship.

  “Sir.” Knox’s final word as he abseiled down at a blistering pace before slowing his descent with a yank of his rope brake. Then he joined the team who had setup in a circular covering formation as they lay down fire on targets as they waited for the arrival of their team leader. Knox took a knee as he assessed before motioning in the direction they needed to go. Each member of the team worked in perfect efficiency as they steadily made their way around the deck and its many turns and corners. Knox had his hand on the shoulder of the last man, in their clearing sweep a hatch lid flung open and slammed back on itself as a mercenary jumped up firing.

  “Down!” Knox and a few others of the SAS team yelled in lightning reactions, hitting the ground, the rear man and Knox fired direct and in controlled bursts of fire from their C8 carbine assault rifles, taking out the threat.

  “Smoke that hole!” Knox called out as he and the rest of the team got to their feet as the body of the mercenary slumped over. His order was quickly executed as one grenade was dropped down the hatch and the blast lifted the body of the mercenary, ripping his lower half into blood soaked tatters of flesh.

  “Keep moving, clear this deck,” Knox ordered and they all moved in sync, a timing and fluidity that was forged in endless drill after drill on the training grounds of their Hereford base.

  “Up high, eleven o’clock!” One of the lead men shouted as they spotted and passed under two mercenaries that came from behind a container above them. Knox grabbed his man in front of him and pulled him into cover as shots rang out around them. Nothing was said, it was just accepted as Knox would expect the same from any one of the team. They all had each other’s backs, no matter what. They both looked at each other as they waited for their cue, click, click, click and the first of the two mercs was out and reloading. They had to time this right, they stood ready to move as they waited…click.

  “Go…!” Knox shouted as he heard the first click of the second merc empty his mag. Locked in his sights, Knox shot at the first mercenary who was just pulling his gun up after reloading. The shot blew the man down, the second merc was too slow, and Knox’s next shot blew the merc’s jaw clean off with his third shot planted cleanly in his chest. Knox carried on moving as he t
rusted his man to take out the second mercenary, which he did with just as deadly accuracy. Their bodies landed with a thud behind them as their focus returned to what was in front of them, forgetting the last two kills as if they were paper targets on a training drill.

  “Team split, fifty-fifty,” Knox ordered as they reached an intersection that took the teams down the port and starboard sides of the ship.

  “Whisky, come in." Knox heard over his comms.

  “Whisky one, receiving over," Knox replied as he fired off two clean well-aimed shots at an assailant thirty or so metres away up on a gantry.

  “Bourbon has boarded and we are making inroads to your location, over," Harris informed Knox as the gantry assailant fell to his demise and his body bounced off corners of different containers.

  “Grenade!” shouted the lead man as it passed him. Knox was pushed back before his partner stepped forward to kick the cheap Soviet F1 hand grenade away, sending it fifteen or twenty metres across the deck. It exploded sending a boom that echoed and reverberated around the stacks of forty-foot containers. As the air settled around the blast zone, Knox and his team setup behind available cover, as their training had taught them that an attack was imminent. Right on cue, four suicide mercenaries came from their cover and fired as they ran with as much skill and accuracy as an overweight, hungover, stag party at a paintball park, and ones in the rain blinded by steamed up face masks at that. The team picked off each of them in succession, it was almost like shooting fish in a barrel.