“Let’s do this, Mike. He’s only two hundred yards in and North of where we are. There’s a camouflaged tent there, covered in tree boughs.”
“It’s a go, Tom.” Mike led the way at a fast jog. “You heard the complications. I hope you ain’t thinking about waiting for the feds to land before we secure Tina.”
Tom kept pace, giving Mike a slap to the back of his head.
Mike looked over and grinned. “Good. I am open to suggestions though.”
“I have a plan which should distract attention from you and Demon. I’ll hike in from Miller-”
Laura’s voice cut in. “Mike! A car approaching from Castro Valley to Cull Canyon Road just called Matilia’s cell-phone. There must be others on the way to Santiago. Agent Alisha Navarone just arrived here at Demon Inc. I turned over everything I have on this. She’s happy with the cooperation, but unconvinced you and Demon should be-”
Mike smiled as Demon Inc went dead. “That you, Denny?”
“Affirmative,” Denny answered in robot voice. “I’m still here, and the coppers ain’t stopping me. I’m already tracking the car carrying the new arrivals toward Santiago. The geniuses used OnStar in their new Chevy to contact Matilia. I’ll let you know when they land.”
“Here’s my idea,” Tom said as they reached Demon’s position. “I’ll wait for you and Demon to circle Santiago. When Denny lets me know you’re in position, I’ll approach from the other side and engage Santiago. You and Demon see if there’s any chance of securing Tina while I draw Santiago’s attention.”
“That’s good thinking, Mike.”
“D likes it. Let’s do it, Tom. Denny will be our eyes on this. With this wind blowing, we should have some cover for our approach.”
“Tell Tom to follow us. I’ll show him where this Santiago’s dragging Tina along on the other side of the road. He should be able to follow the prints from there.”
Mike relayed the message, and the two men followed Demon to the spot at the edge of the woods in the softer earth where Tom could see Santiago’s trail clearly. The wooded area gave plenty of cover. Demon and Mike left Tom in place with Demon circling to the right and inland. Mike followed Demon’s careful progress, concentrating on each step, avoiding all dry brush when possible, while moving around the thick grove of Eucalyptus trees. The rain falling for a brief shower Saturday night had softened the ground a bit. The dry Eucalyptus boughs were the biggest obstacle to avoid or control as Mike passed by them.
Fifteen minutes later, Denny’s voice whispered in Mike’s ear. “You’re directly across from each other now, guys. Start your approach. I’ll let you know if you get off track Tom.”
“Tom’s making his approach now, D. We’re on.” Mike relayed Denny’s directions.
The wind from the Bay, as if heaven sent, whistled through the Eucalyptus trees, carrying any noise Tom made, but masking any Demon and Mike originated. They crept ahead with Demon picking the path with unerring allowance for Mike’s noisier trek. Demon stopped at intervals, listening intently while sniffing any smells caroming past on the wind. The breaks allowed Mike to plot his course in footsteps on their intended course. Demon halted while laying low to the ground.
“We should approach out of his line of sight, Mike. Stay low and pick your progress carefully. From here until Tom makes his move will be touch and go. Once we catch a glimpse of the scene, it will probably be all we have for time. You ready for this?”
“Hell yeah. D, I’ve been meaning to ask this before, but we’ve been so buried in one shit storm after another I haven’t had the chance. You can’t hear my every thought… can you?”
Demon remained silent long enough for Mike to reach over and grab the back of his neck. It was only then the low key snorting note of amusement broke through.
“You dirty… no good… boozing cur. I might have known you’d play me on a question like that. I see Klingon justice ahead for that moment of mental humiliation.”
“Let me know how that works out for you, Cap. Besides, we’re on the front lines of everything lately, my friend. Ride the wave and forget the small shit. Take for instance that attitude adjustment you did on Melissa. That was impressive. You’re in the driver’s seat, pal, and only your lack of imagination can screw us up.”
Mike crawled forward, every sense projected outward to the task at hand. “I’ll need some help on that one. That dark place I inherited from the Haunts can be tricky to control. Forget about the interaction between me and female targets. I have so many conflicting thoughts warping through my head, the last thing in the world I want is to become some kind of predator.”
Demon crept through a stand of trees, halting and settling down to a full crouch on the ground. “That’s his nest there under the trees to the left. See how the loose tree boughs seem out of place like they’re mounted on a small hilltop?”
“Yeah. The wind’s picked up, blowing right at us, D. Think we can get a bit closer before Tom starts alerting our mark?”
“I’m sure of it. We’ll need to wait to see how this goes. I’ll lead us closer once we see how Santiago reacts to Tom’s approach.”
Chapter Four
Permanent Takedown
Ten minutes later, Mike smiled over at Demon as first they heard breaking branches, and then Tom’s voice calling out directions to a nonexistent search team. Demon immediately threaded his way toward Santiago’s camouflaged hideout in a full crouch with Mike mimicking his every movement. They heard a muffled scream as Santiago exited the tent structure holding Tina Kinsler by the hair. He danced around, wildly scanning the area Tom approached from. Santiago had Tina’s head pulled back against him with a knife at her throat. Minutes later, Tom came into view, his 9mm automatic in hand.
“You’re surrounded, Jesus! I have three snipers with your head in their scopes. Put the knife down and no one has to die today.”
“Bullshit! You don’t have no snipers! Drop your gun or I slit her throat right now!” Santiago whipped the muffled Tina around in front of him, his knife held tightly to her neck as he kept shielded from Tom’s line of fire. “Do it! Do it now or I cut her throat!”
“Okay… Okay! Don’t do anything stupid!” Tom slowly put his weapon on the ground. “C’mon, Jesus, I can help you survive this. Don’t make this worse. Let Tina go.”
“Back up with your hands in the air! Right now!” Santiago began moving forward to get Huang’s weapon once he saw Tom stepping back, his knife hand moving away from Tina’s throat. “Move and she’s dead!”
“Okay… here we go. I’ll take his wrist off. You get the rest. Easy… easy… now, Mike!” Demon’s order screamed into Mike’s head as Demon raced forward. He leaped, his jaws clamping over Santiago’s wrist, ripping it away from Tina.
Mike streaked after Demon, only a split second behind. Demon’s jaws clamped onto Santiago’s knife wielding wrist and hand while Mike’s body smashed into the kidnapper, his arms wrapping into a triangle choke hold. Tina fell away to Santiago’s left. Demon tore at the wrist all the way down to the ground, reducing it to bloody pulp. Mike jerked his hold expertly in a snapping motion as his momentum carried Jesus Santiago to the last sight he ever had on earth: the brush covered ground. His neck made a sickening snapping noise. All three bounced slightly upon landing with Mike and Demon immediately releasing and backing away from Santiago’s twitching body.
* * *
Tom retrieved his weapon before charging in to grab Tina Kinsler, dragging her away from what he already knew to be a kill zone. He holstered his weapon. With care and assuring, soothing tones, he undid the gag from Tina’s mouth before releasing her from the plastic tie binding her wrists. When released, Tina cried out, tears streaming down her cheeks, clamping onto Huang in a death grip of fear and relief. Tom comforted the little girl as best he could, watching Mike straighten away from Santiago, while exchanging satisfied grins with Demon.
Repeating a mantra of reassuring phrases, Tom drew Tina further away from Santiago’s
body. Seconds after Santiago’s execution, Mike and Demon both turned toward him in a questioning glance. They didn’t approach, waiting for some sign from Huang. Tom smiled over at them, his attention wavering only for a moment from Tina.
“Tina’s okay!”
* * *
Demon poked Santiago. “That was so good.”
“Yeah, that’s the last time he ever takes another little girl, D.” Mike acknowedged Tom’s indication Tina was okay.
Demon tensed. “Crap! We still have approaching banditos, partner. We got the girl back, kid. Let the authorities have any incoming.”
“Talk to me, Mike!”
Hearing Denny’s voice jolted Mike into the present. He relayed Demon’s warning. “Tina’s safe. Santiago’s dead. Put us back into miraculously restored communication, Den.”
“Will do. Laura confirmed D’s approaching bandito warning. They have exited their car and are on their way in your direction.”
“They’re toast, Denny. Call in the forces of good to overwhelm them, including Agent Navarone. We’re heading out of here with Tina. Have paramedics meet us in the Chabot parking lot. Another bloody Sunday, brother.”
Denny laughed. “Yeah, but in our favor I would say. The final confrontation looked awesome, Mike. It appeared both prudent and needed as far as force goes. I believe it to be so good the SyFy Channel will go nuts making a deal to get the video just like the rest.”
“Yep, except for your interrupted late afternoon of sin, this has been another great day for the world. Between you and me, I was hoping for a more amusing interruption to the ‘Spin the Bottle’ game, brother.”
“Forget about it! I am never being punked again, you-”
“Hey… no need to get testy there, weapons master,” Mike cautioned him. “D, let’s haul our asses out of here and let the heroic FBI invade the scene.”
Demon led the way over to Tom and Tina. “Yeah, they only think they’re high on the popularity list for this one until the weapons master fills in the truth via alternate media and the SyFy Channel. Some Sunday outing this turned out to be.”
“We survived a Haunt exorcism and got a little girl back from a killer. That strikes me as a very good day, D. We have to work on not getting arrested to end this glorious excursion. Think of it this way, Denny and his harem got to do brunch, see a movie, and initiate inappropriate action without consequences. I’d say that ranks on the good day meter too.”
“I wonder if it’s too late to grab Frodo and go over to pick up Joanie and her friends. Now that would be an official surreal ending to the day.”
“Yeah it would.” Mike looked at his iPad. “We have lots of time if we don’t get waylaid by the authorities. You know the drill. We’re the ones who’ll get the third degree because poor little Jesus didn’t survive his kidnapping escapade.”
“Shed some tears of regret, you unfeeling zombie. They’ll eat that up.”
Mike’s laughter as they reached Tom, who had started Tina back toward the Lake Chabot parking lot, drew an annoyed questioning stare from the San Leandro police officer. Demon jogged alongside Tina, bumping into her. When she glanced down at him, he went into his ‘Walk Like An Egyptian’ move. She gasped in surprise before giggling appreciatively. Dropping down again, Demon stayed at her side.
“That was impressive, Mike.”
“It was your idea and it worked. Can we keep that as the plotline for our story when the FBI arrives to try and make us the bad guys?”
“We’ll try.”
“Mike!” Laura called out.
“We’re on our way to the parking lot, Laura,” Mike replied.
“Sheriff’s Deputies, EMT’s, and FBI are swarming toward you from both directions. The ones after Santiago’s cohorts are only moments away from taking them down. I-”
Gunfire sounded from the direction of Santiago’s hideaway, some of it automatic weapons fire. Tina screamed out, clamping onto Tom again as he hustled her in a crouch behind a tree. Demon rubbed against her, and she shifted to put an arm around his neck. Mike stayed on the other side with Tom.
“There’s a gun battle, Laura. I hear automatic weapons, which I’m certain isn’t law enforcement issue.”
“Stay where you are. The force sent out from the parking lot should reach you in minutes.” Laura’s voice sounded tense. “The bad part is Santiago’s reinforcements are retreating toward your position.”
“Keep us updated. I think we’ll stay where we are. If we keep heading back, we might get shot by the good guys. Can you let the approaching team from the parking lot know what our position is?”
“Already done,” Denny said. “We’re hoping the bad guys don’t retreat right over you. Keep your heads down, because you can be sure there’ll be a barrage being fired at them. I tried to suggest getting you three out of there first to avoid a crossfire accident, but the FBI thinks they can get them before they get to you. That seems less likely since they’re the ones with automatic weapons.”
“The sound of gunfire just stopped,” Tom advised. “What’s going on? Did they get them?”
“No,” Laura answered. “The FBI team lost them after the last exchange of fire. Those guys were armed to the teeth, and have plenty of ammo, according to snippets I’m hearing about the action. They’re heading North, and I’m relaying the info of their last position. They figured out we were tracking their cell-phones though and smashed them. I’m blind but since Tina’s safe, they’re sending helicopters over the area to hunt them down. I’ve informed the group coming to you. You should be hearing them soon.”
“Yeah, I hear the approach,” Tom said.
A squad of Sheriff’s deputies and FBI personnel with weapons drawn came into view, with vests and helmets. Tom waved at them until he got their attention. A deputy motioned the EMT’s with them forward. The two medical tech’s ran to where Tom, Mike, Demon, and Tina were. After a quick hug for Demon and Tom, Tina went with the EMT’s and two deputies back toward the parking lot. Deputy Pascolli and an FBI agent took their places. The medium height and build FBI agent with Ruiz on his nametag held out his hand to Tom Huang.
“Hell of a job! Congratulations.” Ruiz then shook hands with Mike. “I’m Special Agent Manny Ruiz. Sorry to do this to you, but I’m under orders to hold you three here until Agent Navarone arrives. I don’t know what it’s about, but they found Santiago’s body. His neck was broken and his wrist nearly torn off.”
Pascolli clapped Mike on the shoulder. “You, Tom, and Demon are golden with me and Anne. If there’s anything we can do, you need only say the word.”
“Thank you,” Mike replied. “We’d kind of like to get free of this media blitz and go home if we can. I can always come in to answer questions another day.”
Pascolli exchanged uneasy glances with Ruiz. “That may not be possible with the dead guy, Mike. The coroner has to view the body at the scene. Maybe Agent Navarone will be able to cut you all loose, and save the questions for later.”
“We’re going to get hosed, partner,” Demon flashed to Mike. “You need to give this Navarone the Haunt treatment. Juice her when you shake hands.”
“Let’s wait until she gets here first,” Mike replied only to Demon. “Tom will back us up.”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Moments later, three FBI agents in full gear came noisily into view. The lead agent was a tall slender woman in her early thirties, with dark brown hair tied in a bun at the back of her head. Mike figured she was at least five feet, eight inches tall. She did not look happy.
“She’s a babe, Mike. Juice her.”
“Shut up, Farfel.”
Ruiz and Pascolli hustled over to greet Navarone and the two agents with her. He gestured to where Mike and Tom stood with Demon.
“Let me do the talking, Mike,” Tom directed. “This Navarone doesn’t look like she’s going to throw us a parade. What’s Demon’s sense of this?”
“He thinks I should juice her.”
&
nbsp; Tom looked confused for a moment, but then he smiled. “You mean work the Mojo on her that you have from being wounded by the Haunts. That may not be a bad idea. Can you do that?”
“Probably, but then what do I do with her?”
Huang turned away for a moment as he saw Navarone begin striding toward them, trying to attain an appropriately serious demeanor. Navarone glanced down at Demon before poking a finger in Mike’s face.
“You’re the Rawlins kid and his dog. What part of stay out of this didn’t you understand?”
Mike assumed a confused look. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. We were asked to find Tina Kinsler.”
“That’s right Agent Navarone,” Pascolli affirmed from her right. He sounded as confused as Mike was trying to look. “Deputy Whittier and I asked-”
Navarone waved Pascolli to silence without turning away from Mike. “I sent orders through the girl at that Demon Inc place for you to hold position.”
“We didn’t get any orders to hold, Agent Navarone,” Haung spoke up, gesturing angrily when Navarone turned on him. “Don’t bother waving me off either, because if you think I’m letting you treat Mike like some kind of criminal, you’ll be real disappointed. I made the decision to have Mike and Demon circle Santiago while I approached from the front as a distraction. I tried to negotiate, letting Santiago know he was surrounded, and no one needed to get hurt. He had Tina with a knife at her throat, and ordered me to put my weapon on the ground. By then Mike and Demon had edged close enough to separate Santiago from Tina. I put my weapon on the ground. Santiago moved toward my weapon. Demon tore his knife hand and wrist while Mike tackled him. Unfortunately, Santiago’s neck snapped when he hit the ground. Tina is alive and well thanks to Mike and Demon, so cut the crap, and tell me what this is really all about.”
Tom met Navarone’s stare of tight lipped rage with an arms folded glare of his own.
“Never mind, Tom just juiced her for us. Back up. I think her head’s going to explode.”
Demon at War (The Mike Rawlins Series Book 3) Page 5