by Sam Cheever
Percy looked up at them, his handsome face swollen and purple and his bright red hair matted with blood. “What took you guys so damn long?"
* * * *
* * * *
The ATV roared up to the gate and Alastair jumped off, ignoring the gun the marine in the booth had lifted toward them in surprise. Angie remained in the seat, her eyes glazed and her body wobbling like a weighted, fat bottomed toy.
"Gunnery Sergeant Honeybun ... where is he? I need to talk to him.” Alastair sounded suspiciously like the aforementioned Gunnery Sergeant.
The young Marine lowered his gun and stood there flapping his lips, obviously unsure what to do with an irate “guest” who was related to a very scary Drill Sergeant and seemed ready to do violence to someone.
Angie slowly placed both hands on the seat in front of her and lifted a seriously shaky leg over the seat until she was standing next to the vehicle. She kept her hands on the vehicle for a few minutes, until she was sure her legs would hold her up. She locked her knees finally and turned, sweeping a hand up to her hair, which was rolled back like Elvis's best hair day and knotted into position from the wind. She tried, without much success, to return it to her head and batten it down. She soon realized it was hopeless and gave up.
She was scraping a bug off her teeth when Alastair started screaming at the Marine.
"I don't care what my brother told you. You need to let me out of here!"
"I can't do that sir. I'm under strict orders from Gunnery Sergeant..."
"I don't give a shit about your orders. We'll just blast through this gate.” Alastair turned and started stalking toward the ATV.
"I wouldn't recommend that sir."
"Why?” He spun around, his face nearly purple with anger. “You gonna shoot me?"
The young marine, to his credit, didn't back down and didn't get mad. “I can't shoot you sir but I can restrain you.” His gaze swung past Angie, and Angie and Alastair turned around.
Several Marines stood in a semi-circle around Angie and the ATV, arms crossed and legs wide in a no-nonsense stance. Two of them held guns.
"Well shit!” Alastair said.
"Um,” Angie said, “why don't you just call Clovis and ask him to rescind the order?"
Alastair looked at her. He stood there for a minute and she could almost see the wheels turning in his head. As the purple color faded from his face he finally smiled. “Well der de der der."
He pulled his cell out of his pocket and hit the speed dial number for Clovis.
"Honeybun."
"Clovis, thank god! We think Jeeves is dead and we had to run away. They're going to kill us."
Angie bit her lip and turned her head nervously as the Marines all stood up straighter and looked at each other upon hearing what they apparently interpreted to mean that she and Alastair had killed Jeeves and run away. She rolled her eyes back to Alastair and lifted her hand to try to get his attention but he was pacing and talking rapidly into his cell phone. The young Marines around her became restless and started throwing hostile glances their way. “Alastair?"
He continued talking, completely oblivious to the drama unfolding around him.
When the first Marine started walking toward her Angie screamed, “Alastair!"
He stopped talking and looked at her, his face clearly showing his agitation. “What Angie? Can't you see I'm on the phone?"
She opened her mouth just as the first Marine grabbed her arms.
Alastair lowered the phone, “Hey!"
The Marine who had been manning the booth slid a pistol up to Alastair's temple and grabbed his arm. “Don't move, sir. You need to come with us now. We're going to go back to that bunker and see what you've done to Private First Class Jeeves.
Alastair dropped the phone, “What? Are you crazy? We didn't do anything to Jeeves. The guys in black did it!"
"Sure they did, sir.” Said the young Marine holding Alastair, “And I bet they came here in black helicopters to do it."
Alastair, if it was possible, looked even more confused than ever, “No, you ass, they came in this thing!” He pointed to the ATV.
"Let's go, sir."
Angie was pulled toward a waiting jeep. It took four Marines to hold Alastair as he strenuously objected to being dragged to the jeep. They were shoved into the back seat and two Marines with guns stood on the running boards on either side of them, holding guns in their faces.
Two more Marines climbed into the jeep. The Marine from the gate reached toward the key to start it.
That was when they heard it.
It sounded like Horton the elephant trying to communicate with the Whos in Whoville. “Are you there? Are you there?” A very small voice floated to them across the distance, carrying a very commanding tone with it.
Angie bit down on her lip to keep from screaming, “We are here, we are here, we are here!"
Everybody's heads started to swivel in search of the tiny voice. Finally, pair by pair, all eyes settled on Alastair's phone, lying in the dirt by the gate.
"It's Clovis!” Alastair said. He tried to stand up and was shoved back down into the seat.
"Stay put, sir."
One of the Marines picked up the phone and held it to his ear.
"Thank god for Clovis's big, drill instructor mouth.” Alastair murmured to Angie.
She nodded, straining to hear the Marine's end of the conversation.
It didn't take him long to look ashamed. “Sir! Yes sir! Right away, SIR!"
Then the young Marine sheepishly walked back to the jeep and handed Alastair back his phone, motioning for the others to stand down.
Alastair grabbed the phone, glaring at the man who'd handed it to him. “Idiots.” He murmured. And then, “Clovis? They tried to arrest us! I know ... I know ... okay ... I said okay stop screaming at me! I will ... yes ... what? Oh thank god, is he all right?” Alastair listened for a moment and then nodded and hung up the phone. He turned to Angie. “They got Percy. He's pretty banged up but basically okay. Unfortunately the guys who were holding him disappeared. They apparently slipped out of the building through a tunnel that leads into the sewers."
"So they knew they were being watched?"
"It looks that way."
Angie frowned at him. “Alastair this is scaring me. How do these guys know so much about what we do and where we are?"
He shook his head. “I don't know but it's time we found that out. We're having a family meeting as soon as we can all get there.” He looked up at the Marine behind the wheel of the jeep. “Clovis ... I mean ... Gunnery Sergeant Honeybun wants you to take us into town. But you'll also need to send some men out to the bunker to check on Jeeves and the two government men. There are two armed men loose on the base. We stole this ATV from them so they'll be on foot somewhere."
The young Marine had the good grace to look sheepish at this news. “Yes, sir."
Alastair sat back and waited while the Marines dispatched someone to find an officer. He looked at Angie. “This is really getting out of hand."
"I hope Jeeves and those other two guys are all right."
Alastair nodded and then smiled suddenly. “I wonder if that guy's foaming at the mouth yet."
Angie laughed.
"Nice hair by the way. Is that a bug on your forehead?"
"Bite me."
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Fifteen
The young Marine wasted no time getting them to the Honeybun family home. He also wasted no time getting the hell out of there as soon as Angie and Alastair exited the jeep. It might have had something to do with the sight of Clovis and Alfric descending from the front porch like a couple of level five hurricanes.
"Are you two okay?” Alfric's James Bond persona was slightly marred by the clump of dark red hair that was standing straight up on top of his head as if he'd been pulling on it.
Angie nodded. “We're fine. But we thought for a minute there we were going to the clink."
&nb
sp; "The hoosegow.” Alastair added, grinning at Angie.
Clovis frowned, “Idiots.” It wasn't entirely clear who he was referring to with this but for the sake of family harmony Alastair chose to believe he'd meant the Marines. “Jeeves is fine. They found him sitting up holding his head, groggy and probably concussed but otherwise okay."
Angie closed her eyes in relief. “Thank god."
"My guys didn't fare so well. They were both shot. But I think they'll live.” Alfric shook his head. “I can't believe they let those thugs get the drop on them."
Alfric grabbed Angie's arm just as a spunky little two door Mercedes shot into the driveway. “There's Godric. Let's get inside."
Clovis remained behind to talk to his brother as Alfric ushered Alastair and Angie into the house. They headed for the kitchen which, like last time, was filled with Honeybuns. At the center of the beehive of activity that Angie was starting to recognize as being Honeybun business as usual, sat a pretty banged up looking Percy.
Momma Honeybun rushed over to give Alastair a hug. “Are you two okay?” She threw a glance in Angie's direction and reached out to clasp her hand.
"We're fine. Just a little tired from running through that damn sand."
Clovis chuckled.
Angie grimaced, “I won't need to work out for a week. My calves are killing me."
Alastair nodded, “Thank god the bad guys left their ATV there for us or we'd still be slogging through the sand."
Alfric grinned, “That was nice of them."
Alastair and Angie shared a look, “Well ... since one of them had a knife hole in his thigh and the other was probably swollen in the face beyond recognition and foaming at the mouth, they weren't really in a position to dispute our commandeering of their vehicle."
A deep, almost guttural voice from behind them said, “Sounds like you two have had an interesting day."
Everyone turned to look at Godric, who was wearing a grin and the usual dark red stubble on his nicely squared chin. He walked over and shook Alastair's hand. “Glad to see you're still with us."
Alastair took the offered hand and slapped his older brother on the shoulder. “Glad to be here, bro."
Then Godric caught sight of Percy, still seated at the table, next to a very cranky looking Brita. “Holy shit man!"
Percy grinned and then squeaked as the scab on his lip split open with the movement. He reached up to touch the bleeding cut. “You got any serious drugs in that bag, Dric?” He nodded toward the small, black leather bag Godric held down at his side.
Godric moved toward Percy and took the chair Brita vacated next to him. “Let's have a look at this mess.” He said as he reached toward Percy's black, blue, and bloodied face.
Alfric entered the room with a couple of fierce looking men in dark suits. He was talking on his phone contraption and lowered it as he approached the family. He looked at Brita. “My people are in place."
She nodded. “Bud should be at the DA's office right about now."
"Whoa!” Exclaimed Percy. “You're arresting the DA?"
Brita just glared at him.
"Brita's just bringing him in for questioning. He seems to have a connection with the kidnappers.” Alfric threw Brita a pleading look.
She sighed angrily. “Not that you deserve to know, but his behavior has been very strange. I think he needs to answer some questions. He feels guilty to me."
Percy shook his head. “You'd better be right, Brit, or the public relations nightmare that's coming will be deadly to your career."
Brita just frowned at him in response.
Mr. Honeybun spoke up for the first time since Angie and Alastair had arrived. “Let's make sure Brita doesn't have any problems then. We need to come up with a plan to ferret out these kidnappers and then we'll get the truth."
Angie perked up. “There are two of them wandering around Clovis’ base right now."
Clovis nodded, “My men are looking for them. They'll let me know as soon as they find them."
Godric rolled up Percy's sleeve and began swabbing the inside of his arm with alcohol. “They shouldn't be hard to track down if one of them is bleeding.” He plunged a needle into the spot he'd cleaned, making Percy jump and cry out in protest.
Percy scowled at his brother. “You have no bedside manner at all you know that?"
Godric just shrugged and pressed a cotton pad to the spot, cranking Percy's arm up to hold the cotton in place. “That's why we have nurses."
Brita smacked Godric on the back of the head none too gently. “You're lucky I'm busy being mad at your brother or I'd bitch slap you for that incredibly sexist remark."
Godric laughed and rubbed the back of his head, “What? We have male nurses too."
His mother smacked him on the head before Brita could do it again, “Now you're just being a snob."
Godric shook his head and collected his things. “I don't think you need any stitches, Perc. There's nothing there that will ruin your delicate beauty long term. It's just a bunch of swelling and discoloration. You'll be back to using your looks to try to entice Brita into being able to stand you again in no time."
Percy grimaced and threw his very angry girlfriend a glance. “Gee thanks, Dric."
Godric shrugged and stood up, offering the chair to Brita. She shook her head. “You sit next to him, you two deserve each other.
Percy and Godric shared a grin. Godric offered the seat to his mother. She frowned at him but sat down.
"Okay,” said Bob Honeybun, “Let's talk tactics."
* * * *
* * * *
Debra Burns was carefully applying slut-red nail polish to her toenails when the phone rang. She cursed and considered letting it ring. But then decided she'd better answer it in case it had something to do with the deal she had going down.
She closed the bottle of polish and hobbled across the room on her heels, careful not to let her toes touch any more than absolutely necessary. “Yeah?” She answered, cursing as she realized she'd smudged her right baby toe. “What is it?"
"What the hell's your problem."
Debra swore again, this time silently. “Sorry, babe. I just messed up my polish and I'll have to do it again."
"Well that's certainly the end of the world."
Debra frowned, wondering why she put up with the sarcasm. “No. But it is annoying. What's up?"
They just took your father into custody."
While she'd been expecting it, it was still a bit of a shock. Debra took a deep breath. “Okay. It's time to move then."
"I'll meet you at the airport. I already asked them to get the plane ready to leave."
"You filed the false flight path?"
"Of course. You just make sure you get the money before you meet me."
Debra frowned. “I haven't heard from Brian yet."
"Then find him. I'm not going to let that little pansy ass ruin this for us."
Debra frowned. “Right."
* * * *
* * * *
Mr. Bigg handed the leather bag filled with money to Brian Davies. “I hope your girlfriend knows what she's doing, Davies."
Brian frowned. “So do I sir."
Bigg stared at the straight laced younger man for a few beats and then shook his head. “You know, Davies, I didn't think you had it in you. Maybe when you get back from wherever you're going with the girl ... when things die down ... we'll have to discuss getting you involved in some of the, shall we say, more legally complex areas of my business."
Brian looked the older man in the eye and thought about telling him off. But in the end it wasn't going to matter so he kept his mouth shut. He simply nodded and turned away, heading out the door with the bag of money. He glanced at his watch as he drove out of the parking lot. Debra would be waiting for his call. She'd already be pissed that he hadn't called to tell her what was going on.
He'd learned while he was waiting for Bigg to count the money that DA Burns had been picked up by the poli
ce. That meant Debra would be moving forward quickly. And it also meant that his own timeline had tightened considerably.
He sighed as he pulled his cell phone from his pocket.
He'd thought he'd have a bit more time.
* * * *
* * * *
DA Burns huddled like a large, well appointed mountain in a cheap plastic chair in Interrogation Room A.
Brita strode into the room and stood across the table from him, just staring. She finally looked at Bud and inclined her head slightly.
Bud's wide mouth spread in a grin. He moved to stand just behind DA Burns’ left shoulder as Brita sat down across from him and folded her hands on the table in front of her. As Brita stared silently into the DA's hostile eyes, Bud leaned close to the man's ear.
"So, DA Burns. Why did you decide to have your daughter kidnapped?"
The DA jumped and then turned his head slightly toward Bud, scowling. “I'm not saying a word until my lawyer gets here."
Bud patted the DA on a well-padded shoulder. “I understand. When you're guilty of extortion, fraud, and kidnapping it's always best to lawyer up right away."
The DA's frown deepened but, to his credit, he said nothing. He crossed his thick arms over his barrel chest and sat back in the hard, plastic chair.
Bud moved to the DA's other side, still staying just behind him so the man would have to crank his thick neck to see the big detective. “Was it for the money? It was killing you that your ex-wife had all that money wasn't it? You've probably been scheming how to get your hands on some of that ‘chedda’ for a long time haven't you?"
The DA snorted but said nothing.
Bud grinned at Brita and moved to stand directly behind the DA. Then he leaned down so that his lips were just behind the man's left ear. “Or was it something else? What possible reason could you have for kidnapping your own daughter, DA Burns? It takes a special kind of parent to plan a thing like that."