by Chris Tucker
Vallejos stepped out from the doorway, looking up at the moonlit sky and twinkling stars lighting up the galaxy. Lighting a cigar he pulled from his breast pocket, he slowly made his way down a path towards the soldiers sleeping area. The grounds were quiet without the usual banter and commotion of the soldiers, and it gave him a brief moment to collect his thoughts while strategizing for the next day’s events. He also found himself feeling something he had never experienced before – a sense of uneasiness about his vulnerability.
A man who had always gotten what he wanted, no matter the cost, now felt a shame that he would not dare show outwardly as not to appear weak. After years of being the most powerful man in all of Nicaragua and defeating countless opposition, he now felt helpless against two Americans he had grossly underestimated.
He knew the only way to make amends within himself was to get the gold and kill the NESA agents who had caused him so many grievances over the past few days. The next steps would need to be planned carefully if he was to take back the upper hand in the cat and mouse game being played between the two adversaries.
***
Morning came earlier than they had hoped for. The grogginess took a while to wear off due to the beers from the night before, but Mercer and Vigil were up and ready to go at sunlight just as Hunt had requested. They stopped at the local market to grab some fruit for breakfast, as well as other provisions to last them through the day.
Arriving at the airport, they were greeted by their employer, who showed them to their Jeep. The cache of automatic weapons and handguns at their disposal was nothing short of spectacular. Lifting a tarp in the back, Hunt revealed a decent amount of dynamite that Mercer had requested. Other explosives and gear were all accounted for, so preparations were made to set out.
Hunt spoke directly and to the point when addressing his men. “I don’t think I need to emphasize the importance of what you two are about to take on. All I’m going to say is be careful and come back in one piece. I’ll be in touch on the radio once we’re ready.”
Mercer knew the task at hand was a tough one and it wasn’t being taken lightly by him or his partner. “We’ll only be a few miles away. If this works, you should have a good head start to dig up the gold before Vallejos has a chance to figure out what’s going on. Good luck, Colonel.”
“Good luck to you as well.”
He hopped into the passenger side of the Jeep and Vigil drove off. Hunt waited for them to be out of sight before he boarded the truck convoy that would take him and his team to where the large underground mass was detected. He gave the order to move out and the fleet of vehicles was heading down the road in the opposite direction of his operatives within seconds, leaving nothing but a dirt trail in its wake.
As the convoy disappeared from sight, a man sitting in a car at the edge of the airport picked up a two way radio.
“He’s heading your way. Be ready.”
24
While his partner was unloading the Jeep, Mercer took a walk to survey the area and search for a tactical defensive position. When Vallejos and his soldiers decided to make their appearance, they would be met with a wide perimeter of mines and other explosives.
The goal was to lure in as many of them as possible before setting off any explosives, so he knew the focus at first would need to be on firearms and tactical combat. He was well aware this fight would be brought directly to them, and the only chance they would have to make it out unscathed would be to keep the upper hand.
Having spent enough time handling explosives during their military careers, he and Vigil were fully aware of the consequences of improperly handling the equipment. They had disarmed more devices than they cared to remember and saw firsthand the raw power that could be exerted by these devices if not handled with the utmost respect.
Their time served together formed the friendship that existed between them today, and the hardships of war and their same ideological views is what made that bond stronger. Growing up in the same part of the country gave them a common ground on how to fend for themselves and treat others.
The two comrades followed and lived by the same ethical code, and although Vigil was rarely serious on the outside, Mercer knew he was the most trusted and honorable person he would ever know.
While in Iraq, they discovered they were not in fact being sent on missions to uncover WMDs, but instead on wild goose chases that quickly turned into cover-up operations for seek and destroy missions. It was this unveiling that sent Mercer over the edge.
After an incident in which he struck a superior officer, Colonel Hunt was able to save him from a court martial, and a guaranteed prison sentence. He refused to take his men out on any more of the bogus missions, much to the dismay of a Brigadier General who was infuriated that his orders weren’t being followed.
Hunt knew his men were becoming increasingly frustrated. Before being sent out on their final mission, he demanded full disclosure from the source providing the Intel which suggested a large supply of WMD’s was being stashed at a facility within the city.
When he was told the source was to remain classified, he told the General he could head out into the field himself and that he was done sending his own men on suicide missions. The General became enraged at a Colonel’s defiance to his rank and threatened the entire squad with a court martial if they didn’t follow his orders.
When Mercer found out about the threat, he stormed into his superior’s quarters and angrily pronounced that if any of his men were hurt or killed while coming up empty once again, he would personally stick his fist down the General’s throat.
The General tried to have him arrested for the insubordinate act, but Hunt intervened and was able to calm the situation before it escalated further out of control. Mercer agreed to go out on the mission in the event it did uncover the weapons they were searching for, but told the General he better be prepared if his squad came to any harm while out in the field.
The General shrugged it off as an idle threat from a frustrated soldier who was spending too much time in the field. Hunt warned him not to underestimate his Chief Warrant Officer and that every word of the threat was meant wholeheartedly.
Mercer understood the risks of a combat environment and all that it entailed when it came to defending his country. He simply didn’t believe they would ever find any of the weapons caches or biological warheads his own government said existed.
He took his team out that night and once again found nothing. They encountered resistance on the way back and a firefight ensued, taking the lives of two Corporals. He kept to his word when he returned back to base and headed straight for the General’s tent.
Hunt was unable to get there in time before Mercer took his frustration out on the Commanding Officer. By the time he arrived, the General was lying on the ground from the blow he had just received. Vigil witnessed the entire incident, but never said a word to implicate his friend. He stuck by Mercer’s side through the end and never wavered in his friendship or loyalty, even though it meant a demotion in rank and the eventual discharge of his own service.
Now, they were fighting another war together and Mercer knew there was no other man he would want by his side when the inevitable firefight ensued.
The rest of the morning was spent setting up claymores and other explosive devices that could be used to counterattack the ambush from Vallejos and his men. When everything was in place and ready to be deployed, the two comrades began digging a hole ten feet in diameter.
It took them just over two hours to reach a safe depth for the dynamite charges to be set. The explosives would create a blast loud enough to bring anyone within a few miles that was curious about the commotion. Mercer knew the only person who would come inspecting the loud noise was the same man who had held them captive, and that particular individual was more than welcome.
Sharing very little in the way of conversation, they meticulously placed the dynamite into the large crevasse. Paying close attention to the handling of the explosive devi
ces, they wanted to ensure there was no accidental discharge. Once the dynamite was packed into the crater, they sat in silence and waited for the call from Hunt.
***
The blindfold was lifted from his eyes and he conducted a quick scan of the room. The large desk in front of him was quite elegant, but this was no time for admiring office furniture, he thought. There were two men in the room with him and the man sitting directly behind the desk had a large scar on his right cheek. He sat in an oversized chair with his hands clasped and held up to his chin, looking as if he was doing a mental assessment of his prisoner. The person standing to the left of the desk was a giant man who towered over everyone else in the room.
“I trust that your ride here was not too unpleasant,” said Vallejos.
Hunt stared at his captor without responding. The back of his head was throbbing from where he had been hit and knocked unconscious. The last thing he remembered was a stalled truck in the middle of the road. He gave the order to stop to see if the driver needed any assistance, and that’s when the chaos ensued. His own driver had gotten out offering help, but the man standing next to the stalled vehicle pulled out a pistol and shot him twice in the chest.
Reaching for the handheld transmitter radio attached to his belt, he felt a sharp blow to the back of his head. His vision was suddenly clouded and he was overcome with dizziness before finally blacking out. He regained consciousness on the trip back to his current location, but was unable to see the landscape or where he was being taken as a result of the blindfold.
He looked his kidnapper directly in the eyes and stated, “Whatever it is you hope to achieve by bringing me here, you are wasting your time.”
Vallejos could tell he was dealing with a man as stubborn as his two previous captives. “Very well, Mr. Mercer. Or should I say, Mr. Alan Hunt?”
Hunt smirked with an ear to ear grin, knowing the manager at the hotel had been the one to reveal his presence. “Well, it must have taken your entire army to crack the code of my true identity. I didn’t think your people were bright enough to solve that enigma.”
“It seems that arrogance and cockiness runs plenty in your organization, Mr. Hunt.”
Hunt could tell he was getting under the skin of his abductor and decided to keep poking at him. “Oh, you must be referring to Sean and Pat. Well, if they could escape from your clutches, I don’t see why I should have any problems finding my way out of here soon enough. I have a good twenty years on them when it comes to dealing with psychotic dictators like you.”
Vallejos was losing his patience with the blatant disrespect of the statements being uttered. “Choose your next words very carefully, Mr. Hunt. I will not be as kind to you as I was to your cohorts when they arrived here.”
Hunt, still smirking, replied, “Do what you must. My men will come for me.”
Vallejos returned a smirk of his own as he stared Hunt directly in the eyes.
“That is exactly what I’m hoping for.”
25
Dallas Marks was sitting in his study, analyzing the data Hunt had sent to him earlier in the day. Going over the charts, his eyes widened with excitement at the discovery that had been made.
Looking at the large solid mass lying underneath the surface of the Nicaraguan jungle, he could only imagine what it would look like once it was dug up and revealed for the first time in over a century.
He was astounded at how compact it was. He scanned the area where the photographs were taken and could see the radius of the mass was less than two hundred feet in diameter. He was amazed the cargo had been able to withstand being separated from the ship during the violent blow of the pyroclastic cloud, and yet still remain relatively intact. He knew Hunt and Mercer had found what they were looking for and only hoped they could reach it before other interested parties would make an attempt to get to it first.
He was so immersed in his interest with the maps that he completely ignored his cell phone ringing the first few times. Not recognizing the number, he hesitated on answering. After a few rings, he decided to take the call.
“This is Dallas.”
“Mr. Marks, this is the King County coroner’s office. We have you listed as the person to contact for a man by the name of Tony Morgan.”
He knew to expect this call, as Mercer had told him he was shipping the body of Tony back stateside. Upon arrival of the body, he was to contact Emily Lundy so Tony could be transported back to Portland for a proper burial.
After a few shared words, he said, “I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
***
Upon arrival to the coroner’s office, Dallas took official possession of Tony’s corpse and immediately gave a call to Emily so she could come up to Seattle to positively identify the body. She agreed to make the trip for her friend and said she would be there in a matter of hours.
Dallas could sense the hesitation in her voice, but he admired her composure, knowing it must be difficult to make the journey to see her friend one last time. To his surprise, she made the trip up in less time than she initially quoted.
Having never met or seen her, he was completely in awe of the beauty that stood in front of him. He knew she had been shot in the jungle, and her arm was still in a sling. Her long blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail and tucked under a Seattle Mariners baseball cap, and her sky blue eyes were the most mesmerizing he had ever seen. He had to catch himself from staring too long.
“Ms. Lundy, it’s nice to finally meet you. I’m sorry it has to be under these circumstances.”
“Thank you, Mr. Marks. It’s nice to meet you as well.”
“Please, call me Dallas. How was your drive up?”
“Not too bad. Traffic was light, so it was pretty easy going the whole way. I’ve been dreading this trip for days now, as I’m sure you can understand.”
He could see the sadness in her eyes and did his best to console her. “I understand this is difficult for you. If you need anything at all while you’re here, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll give you a few moments. Take all the time you need and I’ll meet you in the lobby down the hall.”
She waited until Dallas was down the hall and out of sight before opening the door to where her friend was resting eternally. She took a deep breath and prepared herself for what she was about to see. She put her hand on the doorknob and turned it slowly. After one more deep breath, she pushed the door open and walked through to the other side.
The sight of Tony laying there motionless was more than she thought she could handle. She crossed her arms up over her shoulders as she felt a sudden chill come over her entire body. The nightmare of what she had been through suddenly came rushing back to her.
She thought about turning around and walking back through the door. She was there to make a positive ID on Tony’s body, and from where she was standing, she could tell it was in fact him. Nonetheless, she resisted the urge to retreat and slowly made her way towards the gurney where he was laying.
A plain white sheet covered most of his body up to his chest, and his skin color seemed to have drained to a shade of off-white. She noticed how peaceful he looked and couldn’t help but think back to her last moments with him.
She still blamed herself in some small part for his death and regretted ever feeling the need to inquire about where the sporadic gunfire was coming from. She knew it wasn’t her fault, but still felt the pain and sorrow over the loss of one of her best friends. All of this was just a reminder of that tragic day.
She bent over and kissed him on the forehead. As she pressed her lips against him, she felt the coldness of death, but didn’t allow that to hinder the final moments she would share with her friend. Standing up straight, she regained her composure and said one final goodbye. Then, she turned and walked out of the room, leaving him to rest peacefully by himself once again.
The next hour was spent discussing formalities and signing paperwork. Dallas had been given strict orders by Colonel Hunt to see to it that Tony�
��s body was escorted personally by NESA back to Portland under the supervision of Emily. From there, he would be laid to rest in his hometown amongst family and friends.
As Emily got into her car, Dallas made his way over to her. “Ms. Lundy, I would once again like to offer my sincerest condolences. If there is anything I or NESA can ever do for you, please call on us any day or time.”
“You are too kind, Dallas. I could never repay all that your organization has done for me. I am indebted to you and your colleagues.”
“Have a safe trip back and please let me know when you arrive in Portland. The Colonel will have my hide if I don’t report back to him that the prettiest girl in the Northwest is safe and sound.”
She smiled, revealing a glow he had not yet seen from her. “Thank you. Your support through all of this has meant a lot.”
As she drove out of the parking lot and made her way down the road, Dallas thought about heading back to the office, but decided against it. Instead, he got into his car and headed to the pier to catch the ferry back home.
26
The cloud cover had been a welcomed arrival as Mercer and Vigil bunkered down in their makeshift foxhole. The foliage of the trees was enough to protect them from the direct sunlight, but the clouds at least helped to eliminate some of the heat element.
Vigil was throwing rocks at a tree, trying to hit leaves with precision shots in an effort to pass the time. Every miss drew a snide comment from his partner.
“If you had aim like that back in Iraq, you would have never made it out alive.”
Vigil cocked his head and smartly responded, “As I recall, my aim is the only thing that saved your ass in this jungle when we ran into that pretty little blonde you’re so fond of.”
Mercer kept on with the razzing of his friend. “Well, it’s a good thing we weren’t being attacked by the trees, or it would have been an entirely different outcome.”