“It’s nice to know that I can be of use to you sometimes.”
They both agreed that there was no point in staying overnight in Florida. So, after revealing Mostafa’s location by way of an anonymous tip, they went to the hotel, gathered their belongings, and rode to the airport to board Burke’s corporate jet.
Tanner was back in Connecticut that night, where he went to bed beside Alexa and slept like a child. He never felt guilt over killing. Only the thought of failure gave him nightmares.
CHAPTER 2 – Nothing at all
During one of his meetings with Conrad Burke, towards the beginning of their partnership, Burke had asked Tanner if he was in need of anything, Tanner thought it over and came up with something.
“I’ll need a place to train. Somewhere secluded with a lot of room for long range rifle practice.”
Burke smiled.
“I can help there. I have property not far from here that would be ideal. It even has a lake with a path around it that would make a good running track.”
“Are there any buildings on the land?” Tanner asked.
“One, and it’s just an old shack. However, it does have well water and indoor plumbing. I purchased the property last year when I learned that the state was putting in a freeway extension nearby. That didn’t work out, because of budget cutbacks, and now the land just sits there, but eventually I’ll develop the property as a vacation retreat.”
“I’d like to get a look at it today,” Tanner said.
“I’ll have my assistant give you the directions, but I think it will be just what you’re after. There’s no one around for miles.”
***
Sara had gone along with Tanner to see the property, which was just as Burke had described it, including the shack, which Sara declared had a disturbing odor to it.
The odor was similar to the smell of death and decay, but not as intense. Tanner checked the building for a dead rodent but found none, although there were signs that mice had been making the place their home.
After he turned on the water in the sink, which was deeply stained, the odor increased, and Tanner gave a knowing nod.
“That odor is caused by the well water. The well needs to be disinfected with chlorine.”
“Is that difficult or expensive?” Sara asked.
“No. I think I’ll come back tomorrow and do it. It’ll just take me a few hours.”
“You’ve done it before?”
“Yeah, as a teenager.”
“You grew up on a farm?”
“Something like that,” Tanner said, as his eyes narrowed in suspicion.
Sara noted the reaction and sighed.
“I wasn’t prying into your past, I was just curious, and if you’re willing to work on cleaning the well, I take it that you like it here.”
“I do like it. It’s secluded, and that’s mainly what I need. Also, with a little work, this shack could become useful.”
Sara gestured towards the lake, which was visible through the trees.
“Let’s go take a look.”
The lake was large, nearly a mile wide and surrounded by trees, with clear water and muddy banks.
“This is beautiful,” Sara said. “When Mr. Burke begins building I may buy a home here.”
“You’re tired of your apartment already?”
“No, it’s nice, and with Deke as a neighbor, I have someone to go jogging with every morning.”
Tanner raised an eyebrow.
“You and Deke are dating?”
“We’re just friends and jogging partners, although, I do think that he wouldn’t mind being more than friends.”
“You’re a good looking woman, Blake. Deke would be an idiot not to want more than friendship.”
“Thank you for the compliment, but I’m not ready to date anyone. Now, what about you and Alexa, you must be tired of living in that hotel.”
“I can take it or leave it, but Alexa wants to get a house.”
Sara smiled.
“Don’t let her domesticate you too much. I still need you to be the savage killer, at least when you’re working.”
“I am what I am, Blake, and that’s something that no woman will ever change.”
“I get that, but does Alexa?”
Tanner sent Sara a sour look and turned to walk to his car.
“Let’s head back, I want to talk to Burke about using this place.”
***
Tanner and Sara both returned to Burke’s property two days later, along with Deke and Alexa.
Tanner was driving one of the pickup trucks rented out to customers by the nearby home improvement center. He had plans to make the shack on the property serviceable. He would likely be spending a lot of time there training and thought that he might as well make the shack comfortable.
And anyway, he enjoyed manual labor at times, and was skilled at basic carpentry, electrical work, and plumbing. His years growing up on a ranch had seen to that.
Upon arrival, Sara and Tanner showed Deke and Alexa the lake, but then all four of them became busy cleaning the shack. This consisted of clearing out all the old rotting furniture, sweeping, and mopping the dirt and dust off the wooden floors.
Tanner had disinfected the well the day before, and had plans to install new sinks in the kitchen and bathroom, along with a new toilet. They would replace the stained and disgusting fixtures in the building, and make the shack cleaner.
Deke told Tanner that he would assist him and the two men removed the old fixtures while putting in the new ones. The indoor plumbing drew all its water from the well and after Tanner’s cleaning of the pump system, the water no longer smelled odd, nor had a brown tint to it. Still, the water would remain undrinkable for a time, and so Tanner had brought along a case of bottled water.
While Tanner and Deke worked, Sara helped Alexa install new locks on the door, as well as bars on the structure’s two windows.
Tanner was going to use the property for shooting practice and planned to store ammo and guns in the shack inside a gun safe. The locks were two heavy deadbolts that would keep out most thieves, while the bars on the window could be swung aside once their locks were removed.
Alexa installed the equipment with deft movements, and Sara asked her if she had experience with lock installation.
“I do, but my experience is more in ways to bypass them, as well as alarms.”
Sara didn’t ask any more questions about Alexa’s experience with locks, but found her answer intriguing.
***
While the women were enhancing the building’s security, and later, assembling a table and chair set, Tanner and Deke had finished installing the new fixtures, and then went to work hooking up a generator.
Once they had the generator going, Tanner planned to install a new light fixture. Other than the tiny bathroom on the right side, the shack consisted of a large main room with a small sink on the left and a narrow storage space in the rear. There was an ancient refrigerator beside the sink, and Tanner assumed that at some time in the past, power had run to the shack from some source. If so, that connection was gone, and the generator would be their only source of power.
If he continued to use the shack on a regular basis, Tanner figured he might someday hook-up solar panels and connect them to a deep cycle battery in order to keep a refrigerator running full time, since it would be nice to have cold drinks available, as well as the ability to store food, but at best he would only be around the property several hours a week, and the generator would deliver all the power he needed.
The women finished their work while Tanner and Deke connected the light fixture, and when Sara and Alexa went off to buy food, Tanner put together a picnic table outside with Deke’s assistance.
When Alexa and Sara returned, the four of them sat around the picnic table and ate while discussing the shack.
Alexa, in particular, thought the walls could use some work.
“A little paint would make a big difference.”
Sara agreed and said that she would also buy a cheap rug for the floor, and perhaps a few pictures to hang on the walls.
Deke laughed at them.
“There they go, Tanner. It’s that nesting instinct in action.”
Tanner smiled.
“Yeah, but I have to agree, a fresh coat of paint would help this place.”
“Is there any way to connect to the power grid?” Alexa asked. “That generator is noisy.”
“We won’t be connecting to the grid,” Tanner said. “But I can reduce the noise of the generator. I’ll buy some materials and construct an insulated shed for it. That should cut the noise considerably.”
“You’re quite the handyman, Tanner,” Sara said. “It’s an aspect of you that I didn’t know about.”
“There are many things about Tanner that you’ll never know about,” Alexa said, before sending Sara a fake smile.
Sara sighed.
“I wasn’t flirting, Alexa. I thought you understood by now that I have no interest in Tanner.”
“Yes, and yet, you’ve tied yourself to him.”
“Only in a professional sense,” Tanner said.
***
They went on to talk about current events, including the aftermath of the recent earthquake in California, the state where Deke had come from.
As the other three talked animatedly about a TV show they had all seen the night before, Tanner stood and walked down by the lake. Sara soon followed him and strolled over to stand beside him.
“This is a bit more normal than you’re used to, isn’t it?” she said. “Since you’ve always been such a lone wolf.”
Tanner turned his head and looked at her, while realizing that Sara had read his mood well.
“Alexa wanted to see where I would be training, so did Deke, and now it’s all turned into a picnic of sorts,” Tanner said.
Sara smiled.
“Yes, that’s true, but it’s good, right? It’s been a pleasant day and the four of us together have gotten this place in shape quicker than you would have on your own.”
Tanner nodded, but said nothing, and after walking around to stand in front of him, Sara continued.
“As you know, I’ve studied you, and I know that you’re fiercely independent and autonomous. When Mr. Burke first told me that he was looking for an assassin to work with, we both knew that you would be the best man for the job. However, Mr. Burke was concerned that you would be unwilling to work with anyone. That was when I reminded him that you had worked with me in Guambi.”
Sara moved closer.
“I know that you like to work and live alone, but I’ve also seen that you’ve let Alexa into your life and that the two of you are close. That’s good, because it’s a damn cold world out there, Tanner, and each of us can use all the friends we can get.”
Tanner stared into her eyes.
“Are you my friend now, Blake?”
Sara broke eye contact, but then looked back at Tanner.
“We’re not friends, no, but I do think we’re headed that way, and I have no hate left in me, not for you or anyone else. I’m just trying to find my place in this world.”
Tanner continued to look at her for a moment, and then he turned and walked back up towards the picnic table.
Sara followed, and as they drew closer, she could hear Deke and Alexa laughing about something. As Tanner approached the table, Alexa reached out and took his hand.
“Why don’t we all get in some target practice before we leave?” Tanner said.
The others agreed, and the four of them spent the next hour shooting at makeshift targets.
***
Despite his skill as an armorer, Deke seemed to be the worst shot among them, although Sara, Tanner, and Alexa were all exceptional at shooting, and each one had years of experience and countless hours of practice behind them.
“I’m better at making rounds than shooting them,” Deke said.
When Sara reminded him that he had shot the gunner from the helicopter that had attacked them while they were in Greece, Deke simply shrugged.
“I got lucky.”
Sara smiled at Deke, and her eyes roamed over him while he was looking away.
Tanner had noticed this, and wondered if Deke would soon get lucky in other ways.
Tanner was no fool, and so he knew that Deke was attracted to Alexa. If Deke and Sara were to get together, that could only be a good thing, as Deke’s interest in Alexa would certainly wane. However, the thought of Deke and Sara together bothered Tanner on some level, but he himself didn’t know why, or at least, he wouldn’t admit it to himself.
Sara caught him looking at her and raised an eyebrow.
“What?”
“Nothing,” Tanner said. “Nothing at all.”
CHAPTER 3 – The man
About a week after his trip to Florida to kill Mostafa, Tanner was informed by Sara that there was another contract available.
Sara, along with Deke Mercer, met Tanner and Alexa in the lobby of the main building at Burke’s sprawling corporate campus.
“What are we looking at here, Blake?” Tanner asked Sara.
“I don’t know. I’m going to learn about it as you do. I was told that the target would be in Pennsylvania, but that’s all I know so far.”
“That other matter we discussed, have you made any progress on that?” Tanner asked.
He was talking about his attempt to find out who it was inside the CIA who had sold him out to Julien Adams. Because of that person, Tanner had nearly been killed by Adams aboard Adams’ yacht.
“I’ve made no progress and I don’t expect to either, after all, we are talking about people who make their living by pulling levers behind the curtains.”
“I understand, but I won’t forget, and someday I’ll find out who sold me out and deal with them.”
Sara led them up to Burke’s office, where they would learn the details of the target’s identity.
Burke wasn’t alone. There were two men with him. One was a man in a suit who Tanner thought gave off a vibe of a Fed, but the man also emitted a sense of being in charge.
When Tanner locked eyes with him, the man, who was in his forties, looked back at him with recognition at first, and then bewilderment registering on his face. Tanner wondered what had birthed those expressions, as he was certain that he had never met the man before.
The second man with Burke was a military officer, a Marine colonel, as was evidenced by the silver eagles on his uniform. The man appeared to be fit, was in his fifties, and had graying temples. He studied Tanner with a scrutinizing gaze, and then his eyes moved on to admire Sara and Alexa.
Burke introduced the military man as Colonel Vann. Vann acknowledged Tanner’s nod of greeting with a curt nod of his own. Sara and the Fed smiled and shook hands, having apparently met before, but before Burke could introduce the man to Tanner, the Fed walked over and offered Tanner his hand.
“My name is Thomas Lawson, Tanner, and I’m the man behind the government’s granting of approval for Burke to act as a sub-contractor, in order to, ah, procure certain services such as the one you provide.”
Tanner shook the offered hand as the man continued to gaze steadily at his face.
“Forgive my staring, but you bear a strong resemblance to a man I know who goes by the name of Mr. White, does that name sound familiar to you?” Lawson asked.
“It does,” Tanner admitted. “If you’re talking about Dr. Jessica White’s husband.”
“Exactly,” Lawson said. “And you two resemble each other greatly, particularly the eyes. I never thought that I’d see another man with eyes like White’s, but you have them too... that piercing gaze.”
Tanner looked over at Sara and saw that she was taking it all in. He didn’t like that, and changed the subject.
“Why are you and Colonel Vann here, Mr. Lawson?”
The colonel was staring at Alexa with an admiring gaze. He tore his eyes away from her and looked at
Tanner.
“We’re here to see what we’re paying for, and to offer another contract,” the colonel said, and his voice betrayed his Southern roots.
“You’re paying for guaranteed success. If Tanner takes a contract, the target dies,” Sara said.
Lawson spoke to her while looking at Tanner.
“You told me when we first met that Tanner was the best assassin on the planet, Miss Blake. From all I’ve heard and seen, you were right.”
“Mr. Lawson, I take it that you have contacts throughout the government?” Tanner said.
“You could say that.”
“Good, there’s someone I’d very much like to talk to.”
“And who would that be?” Lawson asked.
“That would be whoever it was inside the CIA who tried to sell me out to Julien Adams. I would very much like to meet that person,” Tanner said, and his intention was evident in his tone.
Lawson let out a sigh.
“I can understand your anger. I share it to some extent, and I assure you that the person responsible has been made aware that you are now hands off, and under my protection as well.”
Tanner stared at Lawson. The man wasn’t going to tell him what he wanted to know and he would accept that, however, if he ever found out who it was inside the CIA who sold him out to Julien Adams, he would deal with that person his way.
“What is this other contract the colonel mentioned?” Tanner asked.
“Yes, we’ll discuss that,” Burke said, as he opened a door that was set in a wall of his office. Beyond the doorway was a room with a long table and a dozen chairs. “But why don’t we go into the conference room where we’ll be more comfortable?”
Lawson walked beside Tanner as they headed into the other room.
“You get along well with Mr. White, don’t you, Tanner?” Lawson said.
“Yes.”
“I thought so,” Lawson said. “As lethal as you both are, if there were any animosity between you, one of you would be dead.”
“It wouldn’t be me,” Tanner said.
And as she followed him into the room, Sara was grinning at Tanner’s innate self-confidence. It was a trait she had once labeled as arrogance, but now saw as engaging.
The TANNER Series - Books 13-15 (Tanner Box Set) Page 2