There was a single guard outside the door.
Pathetic. Candy sneered to herself.
She checked her choice of weapons; semi-automatic pistol, taser, dagger, knockout darts.
She selected the darts, after all, this was a hostage situation, not a war zone.
She took aim and hit the tall man in the side of his buttock. He looked around in shock and then slumped to the ground. Another man appeared in seconds and a second dart put him next to the first one.
Candy made ready to enter the office area. There was the sound of a brief struggle and by the time she got to the doorway the last guard was in a heap on the ground at Ruben's feet. Her calm, unbelievably cool boss was adjusting the cufflinks on his linen shirt.
"Excellent work Candy. Good--" He stopped himself, almost calling her a good girl. "Good work." he said.
"Not bad yourself Ruben, I mean… Mr. Mayweather." He had called her his good girl once before… just once.
He looked at her with that crazy, sexy half smile playing on her lips that had always driven her wild. Why she had ever agreed to work with him was beyond her sometimes.
He was a hopeless unattainable dream.
"Ground floor. Main living area. That's where they're holding--"
"The flight crew, security and domestic team. I know. There are four guards outside, I don’t know how many inside."
He gave her a tiny smile of approval that sent a rush through her. She loved it every time and hated herself at the same time for feeling it.
"Just three on the inside. Seven in total that we know of. What do you think Head of Security? Are you up for this?"
She held up a selection of weapons for him and smiled.
He smiled back but instead of choosing a weapon he leaned down and picked up the communications headset his guard had been holding.
"Thanks Candy, but you know how I like to operate. Use the enemy's own weapons against them. Besides, we won’t need guns for this. Tie up these hapless b-movie goons and then watch and learn. This is going to be fun."
It didn't take Candy long to bind and gag the three men and in the meantime Ruben had installed himself at his office command center.
"I have excellent samples of Mitch's voice." He said. "I'll make an announcement via their communication system in his voice. You be ready to enter into the living area via the hidden floor entrance once those idiots have vacated the area. Prioritize security staff first so they can man the doors and prevent re-entry."
Candy nodded in awe. His absolute confidence was a turn on she couldn’t explain and she had never met a man like him in her entire life. If only he wasn't so screwed up in other ways.
She headed to the underground entrance to the living area bringing a headset with her and soon heard Mitch Albstrom's voice in her ear. Through the slight crackle of the radio it was a perfect match.
"This is Mitch. The mission is complete. We have Boyevik. Time to get the fuck out of here boys."
"Huh? Mitch, what you talking about? I don’t see no chopper." A confused voice responded.
"Don’t waste fuckin' time you moron, get the fuck out of there now. These rich pricks have back up on the way. We need to get Boyevik off this rock. I'm on the runway outside, now just fuckin' do it."
"What about hostages?"
"Fuck 'em. We got all we need. Over and fuckin' out."
He sounded exactly like the hard nose, foul-mouthed New Jersey Mafioso.
Candy heard the stamp of feet overhead, mixed with the cries and anxiety of staff.
As soon as things had settled down she scrambled up and made her entrance into the middle of the confused hostages There were cries of relief from all those who knew her. Her face amongst them meant that things were going to be alright.
"Get security free first." She barked. "Here, cut the cable ties with these." She had brought box cutters with her from the lab and soon all the security staff were free. In a moment Ruben was with them as well and there was a raucous cheer from all of his relieved staff. Their beloved boss was safe among them and he had rescued them himself.
But it wasn't the time for celebrations yet.
"Security," he commanded, "man all five entrances including the floor." Men and women sprang to follow his orders as he handed out weapons to his staff.
"Candy, you come with me." He looked to Mark Stalhberg, his head of Big Island security. "I'll want a full explanation Mark." He said gravely. "This happened on your watch."
The man nodded, shamed, knowing how serious his failure had been.
"Keep these people safe." Ruben said to him and then disappeared down the stairwell. Candy glanced at Mark, a handsome man she had conducted a brief affair with. He was an excellent operative but this breach of perimeter was unforgivable. She couldn’t believe she had thought about him as possible relationship material.
Outside the building the remaining seven Mafiosi looked profoundly disoriented. They were down four men and there was no sign of Mitch anywhere. They were all staring up to the sky where a Gulf Stream jet was preparing to come in for a landing.
Ruben spoke into his mic.
"The Gulfstream is our getaway you fucking morons. Put your weapons away and get ready to board."
Candy watched as the seven men exchanged glances and then holstered their weapons to watch the Gulf Stream come in for a landing.
"Mr. Mayweather, do Dale and Clay know--"
Ruben put his hand over the mic. "I've contacted them already from my control room. They know exactly what's going on. Are you ready to take these idiots into custody?"
Candy smiled and nodded. She put her hand to Ruben's face and went to kiss him but he drew back, watching her with his dark, hooded eyes.
"I'm sorry Mr. Mayweather. Of course I am. Let's do this."
This was the closest she had ever come to reviving the past. He would let it slide.
"As soon as the plane lands." He said. "Follow my lead."
"Yes sir."
********************
The chopper came down next to a small enclosure on what was essentially a rock in the ocean. Everything was artificial, military grade survival materials to provide a bare existence under a relentlessly baking subtropical sun and whatever else the forces of nature could muster.
There was no sign of life.
Mitch jumped out of the plane and then dragged Nadia with him. She was still reduced to a state of uncontrollable sobbing.
"Mr. Boyevik, where are you? I have your daughter here. It's Mitch, Mitch Albstrom. We're here to take you off the island."
There was no response. Nadia stared around, her vision blurred by tears. Suzy stayed in the chopper, her heart and mind racing. She had only heard about this man, never seen him, never met him. He was the stuff of nightmares and she still couldn’t quite accept the idea that he was her friend's father and Louise's lover.
And Louise had betrayed them… she had known that kindly old lady most of her life, this was the hardest thing to fathom of all.
She stared out at the barren island and saw a bedraggled figure appear from behind a rock. He was half naked with leathery skin bronzed from the sun and a tangled mass of grey hair covering his head and face.
"Ah shit." Mitch hissed. "Boyevik, it's me - Mitch." It looked like the old man might have lost it during his brief but intense period of isolation. "Your daughter is here." He said, but Boyevik walked straight past them, pushing Mitch to one side.
"What the fuck?"
He continued straight on until he reached the helicopter where Suzy sat transfixed.
"Is he coming over here?" She said, but there was no-one in the chopper who cared to answer her.
The intense old man kept walking until she could see every detail of his wrinkled body, covered in venous tattoos from his time in prison and in the military in Russia. He was covered from the neck down and the effect was hideous. A shudder went through her as he kept up his march, walking straight ahead until he was right up against the g
lass next to her and she could see his eyes.
Her breath froze.
These were the eyes of a psychopath, a born killer. Nadia had asked her to risk everything for… this? And she had dragged Ruben along with her. Who was more to blame here - Nadia or she herself?
The sickening individual pressed his face against the glass and peered inside as Suzy shrank backwards. A goon behind her pushed forwards again and her eyes locked onto the disgusting gaze of Mikhail Boyevik.
It was terror that froze the blood in her veins.
The wiry old man pulled the door of the chopper open and reached his hand in towards her, placing it softly on her neck. She felt indescribably cold, as though she were going into shock.
"Mr. Boyevik, we have Nadia. You're daughter's over here Mr. B." Mitch called out.
The old man didn’t look around. Instead he kept his eyes fixed on the terrified young woman in front of him who locked her gaze down to the floor.
"Look at me." He slurred at her. She didn't move.
"I said look at me." He shouted with vitriolic rage. She darted her eyes up and then back down again, terrified to even hold his gaze for an instant.
He laughed harshly.
"I want this one." He rasped. "Well done Mitch, you fuck head. Now get me off fucking island already."
"What about this one, your uh, your daughter Mr. Boyevik, don't you want her?"
Mitch said with indicated the trembling Nadia with his gun. Boyevik glanced over his shoulder at his daughter.
"My little Nadia." He said. She looked at him, pleading for some sign of recognition, some sign of love.
"Keep her. Little bitch betray me twice already. She is not my daughter. When you finished with her, bring her to me. I decide what I do with whatever is left."
Nadia couldn't speak, couldn’t think. It had all been for this? The utter stupidity of it slammed into her like a bag of wet cement. Why hadn't she just taken the helicopter down when she had the chance?
Mitch pulled Nadia in close and hissed into her ear.
"Looks like your mine pretty girl. Be nice to me and I can be nice to you too."
She stared through him. They still had to get back to big island. They would be in the helicopter again. She glanced over to Suzy but she looked like a terrified animal trapped in the glare of a predator.
Boyevik turned his head to the sky.
"What is this?"
Mitch looked up, saw the rapidly approaching plane and shrugged.
"Airplane Mr. Boyevik."
"No-one flies here you fucking moron, not unless they land on that island over there."
They stared at each other for a moment before Boyevik exploded into more apoplectic rage.
"Get fucking moving. Get us back to other island."
The old man scrambled into the chopper with amazing agility and pushed Suzy into the seat against her guard. He wrapped an arm around her trembling neck and put out his hand for the goon's gun. Appraising it momentarily he pushed the muzzle deep against her throat. Mitch had already pushed Nadia into the chopper on the other side and Mikhail glared at her.
"Anything clever Nadia, and friend gets it first. You are next."
He pushed his nose into Suzy's hair and inhaled deeply.
"Beautiful. I long time without woman in this prison and you are so, so pretty."
Suzy looked at the helicopter controls. It was a short ride back to the big island, but it was just long enough.
Maybe this time she would find the courage, just maybe…
********************
"As soon as the plane lands." Ruben said to Candy. "Follow my lead."
"Yes sir."
The jet was nearing the runway when Candy noticed something in the distance above Small Island.
"Ruben. They're on their way back."
He followed Candy's line of vision to the barely visible rock. By his rough estimate they would be here in under three minutes; the jet would land in seconds. A quick glance at the Mafiosi made it clear they had seen the chopper as well. Soon Mitch would be back in contact with his team on the island and then all hell would break loose.
There was no time to waste.
"Move it out." He said without another thought.
Mitch's voice crackled in their headphones but the signal wasn't clear yet and the jet touching down made it impossible to understand what he was saying.
It was the opportunity Candy and Ruben needed to get the drop on the group of confused men. Ruben fired first sending a tranquilizer dart into the ass of the goon in the middle of the group. He dropped to the ground as the others turned in towards him. The plane was already screeching down the runway as Ruben and Candy raced towards the group firing warning shots over their heads and yelling for them to throw weapons down and hit the deck. One man went for his gun and was tased instantly by Candy. He lay on the ground shuddering while Ruben forced a third man to the ground with a gun to his head. There were four left but one was in Candy's sites. She was screaming at him to get down.
"It's over you fucking meatheads." She screamed. "The cavalry just got here, now hit the fucking deck."
All but one went down. Ruben calmly put a slug into this calf muscle as the man went for his gun. All seven were quickly immobilized with cable ties as the Gulf Stream taxied to a full stop and the door hissed open.
Clay, Dale and their security team came piling down onto the runway, weapons at the ready.
"What the hell is going on Ruben? Who the hell are these guys and where's Nadia?" Clay shouted over the growing sound of the chopper blades.
"And where's Suzy?" Dale added.
"There's no time to explain." He waved his gun over at the descending helicopter. "Take cover and get ready to defend yourselves and your crew."
Bodies scrambled for cover while Candy and Ruben dragged incapacitated Mafia goons to their feet to use as human shields.
The chopper came down slowly and deafeningly in front of them, the blades sending sea spray and particles of sand everywhere.
Ruben was ready for anything. This was his element.
But what if Suzy wasn't with them? What if she had already been hurt or worse?
A slight tremor rocked his hand and a flash of apprehension crossed him unlike anything he had experienced in years.
The doors of the chopper popped open. Nadia fell to her knees on one side and was followed by a Mafia soldier who dragged her to her feet and used her as a shield. Mitch followed behind. On the other side Suzy was pushed out and landed on her feet. A soldier followed and then Boyevik.
Candy took aim, Ruben and the Hargraves got ready for a fight.
"It's over Boyevik." Ruben called out. "Let the women go."
Boyevik reacted by pulling his goon away from Suzy. He shoved the muzzle of his gun deep to her neck again and pulled her head back by her long, dark hair with his other hand.
"Is this your one?" He shouted at Ruben. He pushed his nose to her flesh and inhaled deeply. "Fuuuuckkk, she smell good."
Candy glanced at Ruben to make sure he was okay. Suzy was trembling, her eyes darting back and forth, looking for some kind of opportunity.
Ruben's stare was cold as ice, trying to block out the reality that this was Suzy and lock into his situation management state of mind.
Clay and Dale stood with their weapons ready. They knew this was Ruben's gig; he was a master of the impossible when it came to conflict resolution, but how the hell would he figure a way out of this one? Would this be the time he finally failed? This one time when it counted most for all of them?
"Put gun down Mayweather or I take piece of her right now." He clacked his teeth up and down to demonstrate how that piece would be extracted.
Ruben took aim and pinged a shot past Boyevik's ear that made him duck and wince. When he had recovered from the shock the Mafioso was furious.
"I will fucking kill her you idiot. Are you fool?"
"She dies, you're next." Ruben said coldly. "That goes for you to
o Mitch. We'll kill everyone here or let you starve on that island and no-one will ever know. Let the women go and you live. There's no other way out of here."
Boyevik pushed the gun deeper into Suzy's neck and Ruben took quiet aim.
"Wait." Suzy shouted, her voice half strangulated with the gun. "Just everyone wait one God damn, fucking minute."
"Shut up bitch." Boyevik hissed into her ear, jerking her head back violently.
"I can get you off this island." She said to him desperately.
"No." Nadia shrieked. "Don’t do it Suzy, whatever you're thinking--"
"Shut up." Mitch jerked her into silence while Clay held him in his sights, ready to blow him to hell. He wasn't the marksman Ruben Mayweather was, but his hand was steady and he had his friend's nerves of steel.
Dale watched for a chance, any chance to tip the balance in their favor.
"Take me with you." Suzy said to Boyevik. "I'll guarantee your safety. Just let Nadia go."
"What the fuck?" Mitch protested. "She's mine." Clay skimmed a shot over his head that made him duck down.
"Fucking crazy rich prick, I have your fucking girlfriend here!" He shouted with indignation.
"Take me, leave her. I'll guarantee your safety." Suzy repeated.
Boyevik squeezed her neck tightly and watched Ruben, ready for any movement from the tall billionaire who looked as though he had been carved from stone.
"Something tells me this is not option for rich boyfriend." He said into her ear.
"He'll listen to me. I guarantee it."
"Maybe when I spit girlfriend's earlobe at feet he will listen. What you think, good idea?"
A shiver of fear ran through her. She could see Ruben, that gaze that had so excited her now turned to absolute focus and directed at the man threatening her life. Maybe she should just leave it to him; trust that he had this all under control. Her eyes darted back and forth; it sure as hell didn’t look like it. The men we're risking everything for her and Nadia and she had made it all possible by holding Ruben to a ridiculous promise to obey her.
Her Sweet Surrender: Billionaire Secrets - Book Four Page 7