“Good. Now, please go back to my friends,” I said. “They need you. Cutter is dying. I need you to use all of the knowledge you’ve learned since you’ve been on this island to help keep him alive. All we need is a few more hours, but I’m not sure he has even that left in him without absolute support, which he needs to feel. And to hear. He’s unconscious now, but I believe that he’s still able to hear you when you speak to him. He needs to hear from everyone. Not just his friends, but from you as well. Will you do that for us?”
“We’ll do it for you. And for him. Now go.”
And with that, I turned to Tank, who took my hand and helped me down onto the boat. Then, with a fierce jolt that came the moment the throttle was pressed forward, we roared across the ocean—and into an adventure that might save our lives.
Or end them.
CHAPTER FIFTY
Three hours later, when we approached Majuro Atoll, it was as if we were back in the first world.
As the boat rocked through the ocean and the warm air cast my hair off my shoulders, I could see what looked like hotels along the beach. Sailboats in the water. Cars moving in the distance.
It was unbelievable to me that this island even existed considering the isolation of where we’d come from. But the men who had joined us—Glenn and Steven, each of whom were fit, friendly men in their early thirties—told us that Majuro Atoll was the most populated island of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. It also was the capital. Apparently, the island even had an international airport, which astounded me. I’d read about the Marshall Islands in grade school, but I’d never given them much of a thought since.
“There are sixty-four islands here,” Steven said as we neared Majuro. “All scattered around in something that might best be described as a crude circle. Bokak Atoll, where we live, is on the outskirts. Unlike some of the islands here, it’s not considered a great spot for fishing or for catching other kinds of wildlife. Beyond that, because there’s no electricity, lodging, or infrastructure there, most people don’t bother to come near it. If they do, they typically stay for just a few days on the beach, and try to fish or to snorkel, but when they see that it’s best to go to the other islands for that, they leave without even knowing that we exist. It’s been that way for years.”
“We should go to the lagoon,” Glenn said to him. “That’s where Wes usually docks because it’s the closest to our bank and to the shops.”
“Who is Wes?”
“Catherine’s husband.”
“What if they aren’t there?”
“If the marina is full, then they’ll choose one of the ports, likely the smaller one for the same reason—it’s closer to the bank. So, we’ll go to the lagoon first. If they’re not there, then they’ll be at that port. I guarantee it.”
With time against us, Steven pushed the boat harder. We swung around to the right side of the island, and I prayed that we’d find their boat there. But after ten minutes of searching for it in the lagoon’s marina, which was packed full of boats, it was clear that it wasn’t there.
They had docked somewhere else.
“How far away is the port?” I asked. “They’ve been here nearly a half hour at this point. They’re probably at the bank now. It won’t be much longer before they leave. I need to make those phone calls before it’s too late. What’s the name of the bank?”
“The Bank of Guam. It’s at the intersection of Main and Kitco.”
“Can you drop us here?” Tank asked. “Jennifer is right. What we need to do first is get to a telephone and make those calls. Those alone could end this.”
“Then make the calls,” Steven said. “We’ll go to the other port and hope that we find the boat. If we do, Glenn will steal it away from them and take it back to the island. But first, I need to know if you have any money on you, because you’re going to need it if you’re going to make those calls.”
“I still have my wallet,” Tank said. “I have money.”
“Good. You’re also going to need protection.” He came over to where I was sitting on one of the benches and asked for me to stand. When I did, he lifted the seat’s lid, pulled out a black leather bag, and removed two handguns from it, which he gave to us after checking each to see if they were loaded.
“Put them in the back of your pants,” he said. “Conceal them with your shirts. They’re loaded, so you need to be careful with them. But should you go to that bank—or if for any reason you should run into Wes and his sons in town—you might need them. Better safe than sorry. Do you know how to use a gun?”
“I know how to use a gun,” Tank said.
“So do I. And thank you for them.”
“Let me get you next to the dock so you can depart.”
As he maneuvered the boat forward, I said, “How will we know if you found the boat? And if Glenn made off with it?”
“That’s the problem with splitting up. You won’t know until you come back here. If I’m here waiting for you alone, you’ll know at once that we found the boat, and that Glenn has it in his possession. But if Glenn is with me, that will mean that we were too late, and that they got away. If that’s the case, we’ll have to chase after them so we can stop them from killing your husband. So with that said, you need to hurry, make those calls, and come back here after you make them. Hopefully, at that point, I’ll be here alone waiting for you.”
He nudged the boat next to the dock.
“Now, go,” he said. “Glenn and I need to get out of here so we can secure that boat if we’re going to make this happen.”
With that, Tank stepped onto the dock and helped me off the boat, and then we started to hurry down the dock toward land.
And whatever waited for us there.
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
When we hit the main street, Tank and I found it crowded with shops, businesses, people walking along the sidewalks, and several hotels near the beach at our left. We entered the first store we came upon, which sold women’s clothing, and when we went inside and moved toward the cashier, a few customers shot us curious looks, likely because of our rough appearance.
Or because they’d never seen anyone as big as Tank.
The cashier was an older woman in her early fifties with dark skin and black hair that curled up at her shoulders. When she saw us, she immediately looked uneasy. After all, Tank’s white shirt was still stained with Alex’s blood.
“There’s been an emergency,” Tank said. “We need to use your phone to call the police. Would you mind?”
“You’d have to ask my manager,” the woman said. “And she has stepped out.”
“Would this make things easier for you?” He removed his wallet from his pants, pulled out a hundred-dollar bill, and gave it to her. “As I said, this is urgent. We need to make two calls. And we need privacy.”
She took the money, stuffed it into her pants pocket, and then quickly assessed us. “What’s this about?”
“Our plane crashed on Bokak Atoll.”
Her eyes widened.
“We’ve been there for nearly two weeks. And then we were abducted. Today, we managed to break free, but there are others on that island now who are in danger. We need your help. Please. Can we use your phone?”
“You’re the ones they’re searching for,” she said with surprise. “I recognize your faces now—you’ve been all over the news. People are saying that you’re dead. They’re trying to recover your bodies now.”
“How long have they been searching for us?” I asked.
“Just a few days ago, the black box on your plane started to emit a signal. They’ve been searching all around these islands since.”
“If we could just use your phone, we’d be grateful,” Tank said. “Time is against us. If you have the number of the local police, that would help.”
“Of course I have their number,” the woman said. “And here—take your money back. I had no idea it was about this. You can make your calls in my manager’s office. Follow me.”
/> * * *
The office was at the back of the store, and when we entered it, the woman went behind the room’s only desk, picked up the phone, dialed a number, and handed the receiver to Tank.
“It’s the police,” she said. “Tell them that you’re at The Unique Boutique.”
Tank took the phone from her and when someone answered, I just listened to him, fearing in my heart that Alex already might have been swept away from us.
“This is Mitch McCollister,” Tank said, giving the police his real name. “I was on a plane with Alexander Wenn and his wife, Jennifer Wenn, when it crashed on Bokak Atoll. I understand you’ve heard of the crash? Yes? That’s right—we landed there. No, five of us died in the crash, but Alexander Wenn, Jennifer, myself, and others did survive. Right now, I’m on Majuro at The Unique Boutique. Do you know of it? Good. Here’s what I need you to do at once—Alexander Wenn has been taken to the Bank of Guam at the intersection of Main and Kitco. Four armed men are with him. They plan to kill him after he wires fifty-million dollars to their offshore accounts. I need you to get plainclothes officers into that bank, and arrest those men before they leave. If they’ve already left, they’re likely heading for their boat now. Before they can leave here, I need you to shut down all of your ports and marinas ASAP. Nobody can leave. Nobody can arrive. I’ll be calling U.S. authorities next to inform them of the situation. Are we understood? Good. Now hurry.”
When he hung up the phone, he asked the clerk if he could make another call.
“Of course you can.”
“I’m calling Ann,” he said to me as he punched out her number.
“To release the funds, Alex would have had to call her. She can tell you how long ago that was.”
“Exactly. And she can inform U.S. authorities that we’re alive but in danger, and that they must get a rescue helicopter immediately to Bokak. If we’re lucky, Cutter is still with us. They’ll have the proper medical equipment on that helicopter to handle his infection until they can get him to a hospital.”
He held up a hand. “Ann,” he said. “It’s Tank. Yes, we’re alive. Have you spoken with Alex? When?” He looked at me in surprise. “Just now? Are you certain? If that’s the case, they must still be at the bank waiting for the transfer to go through before they leave. I need you to kill that transfer now. Do it immediately. Let the authorities know that we crashed on Bokak Atoll—Blackwell, the girls, and Lisa are still there. Jennifer, Alex, and I are on Majuro. Cutter has a severe infection in his leg, and he’s dying. They need to send a rescue helicopter to Bokak immediately if we’re going to save him. I’ll talk with you soon.”
He hung up the phone.
“Is she going to be able to stop the transfer?” I asked.
“She is going to try.” He turned to the clerk. “The bank—do you know where it is?”
“You’re practically next to it,” she said. “It’s just down the street from us.”
“Next to it?” Tank said.
“It’s about eight buildings down from us. It’s right at the end of the block. You’ll see it on the corner. Who knows how long it will take the police to get there? You’re a big guy. If you want to make sure those men don’t leave, you could be waiting outside for them within the next minute.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
“We need to go,” I said to Tank. “We need to stop them.”
“You need to stay here,” he said. “I’ll go.”
“If you think I’m not going to help my husband, you’re wrong.”
“And how do you plan on helping him?”
“I have a gun, don’t I? So do you. I’ll use it if I have to.”
“You have guns?” the clerk asked.
“We were given hand guns to protect ourselves when we were brought here,” Tank said. “I’m a former SEAL, ma’am. There’s no need to worry.”
“I believe there is,” she said with a trace of fear in her voice. “I believe I see where this is headed, and I want no part of it.”
A moment ago, she was looking at us with concern. Now, she was looking at us as if we might cause her harm.
“I don’t do guns,” she said. “And because I don’t, I’ll need to ask each of you to leave now. I let you use our phone. I told you where the bank is. Now, I’m asking you to go. I don’t want any trouble here.”
“We didn’t mean to upset you,” I said. “In fact, I want to thank you for helping us.”
“I’m closing the shop,” the woman said, motioning for us to move out of the office and into the retail space. When we entered it, I saw two women sifting through the racks of clothes. “I’m sorry for what happened to you, but none of this is going to end well. Not with guns, it won’t. It never does. The door is ahead of you—use it. Good luck to you, but don’t come back.”
As we moved toward the door, the woman’s voice lingered behind us: “Ladies, I’m afraid I have to close shop,” she said. “There’s been an emergency, and I need to get to the hospital. I apologize. If you come back tomorrow, we’d be happy to take twenty percent off your purchase for the inconvenience.”
The door was just swinging shut behind us when I heard one of the customers say, “If you’re going to chase us out of here, I’d be happier with twenty-five percent.”
* * *
“I need you to go back to the lagoon,” Tank said. “Steven might be waiting for you. I need you to listen to me on this. My job isn’t just to protect Alex—it’s also to protect you.”
“Everything I have in this world is in that bank,” I said. “Do you understand that? Do you have any idea what that man means to me? There’s a chance that I might have lost our child, but I’m sure as hell not going to lose my husband. I plan to fight for him, just as you would fight for Lisa if you were in my shoes. We’re ending this together. So, I suggest we figure out a plan and move on it.”
“You don’t have my training.”
“Few do, Tank, but I’m hardly useless. And the more time we stand here arguing about this on the sidewalk, the more time those men have to take Alex away from me. We’re wasting time. I’m not going anywhere. If I have the chance, I plan to kill that motherfucker Wes on my own for all that he’s put us through. He deserves to die.”
“And you need to think rationally.”
“Who says that I’m not?”
“Unless your life is at risk, you're not going to fire that gun, Jennifer,” he said.
But when I started to move toward the bank, I didn’t say that I wouldn’t.
* * *
“Listen to me,” Tank said as he stepped beside me. “I need you to calm down. I need you to think clearly.”
“Who says that I’m not?”
“I do. You’re hot. And in these situations, you can’t go in hot. Everything needs to be calculated.”
“Then add it up for me.”
“The bank is there,” he said, pointing ahead of us. “Do you see it? Right on the corner. I don’t see any signs of them on the street, so they’re likely still inside. Our best option is surprise. They won’t kill Alex in the bank. They won’t try anything there because they want to leave with their money intact. Our best recourse is to find a place to conceal ourselves so that we can see them when they leave the bank without them seeing us. Then we’ll act.”
“And how do you propose that we act?”
“I’ll jump them. When they leave the bank, they won’t have their guns drawn. Never underestimate the power of an ambush. All I need to do is shoot one of them in the leg, point my gun straight at Wes, and order the rest of his sons to drop face-first on the ground, or their father will die. If they don’t, I’ll shoot another one of them. If anyone else tries to go for their gun, I’ll just shoot them all, and I’ll shoot to kill to make certain that Alex is safe.”
“If you shoot someone in the leg, what’s to prevent them from reaching for their gun and shooting at you? Do you even know how many rounds of ammunition you have in the gun they gave you?”
&
nbsp; “They gave us each a Glock 23.”
“How do you know that?”
Instead of replying, all he did was give me a look.
“Fine. How many rounds?”
“Nine.”
“That’s cutting it close.”
“I never miss, Jennifer.”
“We’re surrounded by civilians. There are women and children here. What if somebody gets in your way?”
“Then I’ll deal with it.”
“I’m sorry, Tank. I’ve got way too much on the line here. I trust you, but I also trust myself. You need my help.”
“I’m telling you that I don’t.”
“And I’m telling you that you might. At the very least, I can have your back. I might not be as well trained as you, but I do know how to handle a gun. I’ve had plenty of experience shooting one.”
“Not in this kind of situation, you haven’t.”
Alex was my main concern. Arguing with Tank was getting us nowhere, so I decided that I would do what I wanted to do when and if the moment presented itself to me. I looked around us. “Where are the police? Why aren’t they here yet?”
“I asked them to come in plainclothes. Given the situation, they know that was the right call. If they were suited up—which they probably were—they had to go back to wherever their station is, and change into their own clothes. This is a small island with a limited police force—it’s not Manhattan. Getting them here in plainclothes is going to take time.”
“Time we don’t have.”
“You’re probably right. But they’re not here yet. I’d know a cop in a second if I saw one. And I don’t see one yet.”
“That van ahead of us—it’s tall and wide. What if we stood just behind it? It’s close to the bank. We can conceal ourselves while keeping watch on who leaves the bank—and who enters it.”
Annihilate Me 2: Omnibus (Complete Vols. 1-3, Annihilate Me 2) Page 36