by CL Hart
The cattle's fear was growing and the trailer continued to rock wildly to one side, throwing Kenzie off balance. She grabbed at Cori to keep her from falling. "Something's on fire!"
Turning away from Kenzie, Cori saw flames bursting from the rear of the trailer. "It's us!"
As if responding to Cori's realization, the cattle surged toward the women, fearfully moving away from the smoke and flames.
"Son of a-" Kenzie pushed Cori away from the shifting mass of cattle as she reached back for her duffle bag. "Don't get pinned, they'll trample you!" Kenzie yelled as she pulled her silencer from her bag and screwed it into place. She leveled her gun at the closest cow and fired.
"What are you doing?" Cori yelled as she looked from the fallen cow to the flames licking at the rear of the trailer.
"Saving our lives." Kenzie glanced out toward the dark waters beyond the wooden slats. Between the oceanic crosswinds and the movement of the ferry, the smoke was billowing upward and outward, away from them and the crazed animals.
Screams of "Fire!" were shouted in several languages just beyond the trailer walls, as well as panicky orders from the crew and deckhands.
Cori didn't hear Kenzie's shot, but she saw the second cow crumple before her. "Stop shooting them, Kenzie!"
"And what...get trampled by these animals?" Kenzie aimed at her next target. "It's us or them, Cori. Take a look around you...we don't have many options. If I shoot enough of them, their bodies will make a barrier and the rest won't be able to get to us." Kenzie shot another wide-eyed cow and then bent down to look through the slats of the trailer. Some of the crew had unraveled the fire hose, but there was no water coming from it. It was apparent that this was not a well-trained safety crew as people ran about the deck in panicked disarray.
Cori turned back to Kenzie. "We have to get out of here."
"I'm open to suggestions," Kenzie yelled back through the chaos as she shot another cow. It fell on top of the others, creating a makeshift blockade between them and the trampling cattle.
It was then Cori saw Jose's uncle, the owner of the cattle trailer, appear amongst the few spectators on the car deck. "Our problems just got worse," Cori said. "Jose's uncle is here."
Kenzie peered through the slats. She saw him, too, and knew instantly by the look on his face that they were not the only ones in a life and death dilemma. Will he tell anyone that he's smuggling people? She holstered her weapon. "He has his own problems to deal with. We need to find a way out of here, and fast."
Kenzie scrambled back toward the front of the trailer, reaching for her bag as she went. By the light of the growing orange glow, she could see Cori struggling past the carcasses as the flames snapped and crackled.
Outside on the car deck, several of the ferry employees had come up with a plan and were quickly moving to unhook the cattle trailer from the truck. When they pulled the release arm and uncoupled the connection, the entire trailer lurched backward as the weight of the back end lifted the front. The cows bawled in fear and pain as the flames seared their hides. The sudden movement sent Kenzie and Cori tumbling into the mud and manure covered floor. Cori landed hard on the still warm body of one of the dead cows as Kenzie slid toward the stumbling herd, grabbing wildly for the side of the trailer.
Cori scurried in next to her, looking as fearful as the cows at the growing flames. "Kenzie, I'd rather die in prison than burn to death. Hell, I think I'd prefer to be shot than burn to death," She said, her eyes wide with fear. "We need to get out of here."
The trailer was moving, that part was easy to feel, but the question on Kenzie's mind was, where were they moving it? As if answering her silent question, the truck that was parked in front of them backed its bumper up against the gooseneck hitch of the trailer. The two vehicles made contact and the truck's engine roared above the noise as it began to push. Only then did Kenzie realize what was happening.
"I don't think we have a choice anymore," she hollered over the metal on metal noise. The two women struggled to stay standing as the truck pushed the cattle trailer backward.
"Where are they pushing us?" Cori screamed.
Kenzie slung her bag over her shoulder and reached for one of the rings fastened to the front wall of the trailer. Grasping Cori's forearm, she pulled her hand up to the ring. "Hang on!"
The rear of the trailer was now fully engulfed in flames. The cattle were screaming in panic as a sudden gust of wind whipped the flames into a frenzy. Cori saw the opening edge of the ferry coming alongside of them as the rear axle of the trailer dipped down toward the moving waters. She turned to Kenzie in fear. "They're pushing us out to sea!" Cori screamed over the noise.
"I know."
Cori's eyes darted around, seeking another way out, but like Kenzie, she knew their only hope was to hold on. "What about Jose's uncle? He knows we're here! They can't do this!"
"They have no choice. If they don't get this fire out, the whole ferry could go up in flames!" Kenzie yelled. "When we hit the water, we'll hit hard. If you let go," Kenzie's eyes held the reality of the situation, "you'll die."
Without warning, the trailer reached the pivot point and the weight of the cattle slid them off the ferry deck. The dark waters of the Gulf pulled at the back of the trailer, flipping it almost vertical. The trailer lurched violently, shaking and banging them brutally against the wooden slats. The flames were doused with a steamy hiss, as the cattle bellowed and screamed into the night air. Everything in the trailer that was not attached tumbled down into the churning waters as Kenzie and Cori held on for their lives. The trailer bobbed in place for a moment and then began a rapid descent into the ocean.
"KICK THE SLATS! KICK AT THE SLATS!" Kenzie screamed. They would be trapped unless they created a hole.
Cori didn't want to look at the cows splashing and screaming below. The trailer was sinking fast. She began kicking desperately at the old wood, trying to break out of their impending doom.
The weight of the duffle bag swung hard and pulled on Kenzie's shoulder as she felt the wood splintering under the onslaught of her feet. Kicking hard for their very lives, she could see the lights of the ferry becoming smaller as it continued toward La Paz. Except for Jose's uncle, everyone on board was completely unaware of the two stowaways left behind to die.
Kenzie began to rip away at the broken boards with her hands. She could feel the spray of the water against her face as she glanced down at the roiling water rushing toward them. "We need to go!" she yelled.
Cori couldn't have agreed more, but as she started toward the opening, the trailer shifted violently, breaking Kenzie's grip on the steel ring. Cori reached out a saving hand, but it was not necessary, Kenzie had already grabbed hold of one of the wooden slats. Her body slammed hard into the side of the trailer, dislodging the heavy duffle bag from her shoulder. Kenzie struggled to hold on as she grappled for the strap of the bag that held all the tools of her trade.
Leaving the hole she had created in the side of the trailer, Cori reached out to rescue the bag, but as she did, her foot slipped on the wet wood. She cried out in surprise and fear as she wildly searched for a hold to keep her from falling into the rising sea. A powerful grip on her wrist brought her to a muscle-wrenching stop.
"Don't move," Kenzie said between clenched teeth.
Cori had to move. The water was rising fast and she could feel her feet touching the carcasses of the dead cattle. She turned to see that Kenzie had her by the wrist, the other hand holding tightly to the side of the trailer, while still managing to hold the strap of the duffle bag against the edge of a slat with her toe.
"I can't hold both of you!" Pain seared through Kenzie's arm and shoulder as she tried to hook her bag onto her foot. "Grab hold of something."
The rising waters were pushing the dead cows up against Cori's legs as she tried to reach for the side of the trailer. The jostling movement was more than Kenzie could handle. She had to let go of one or the other. The duffle bag sailed passed Cori's face and landed near
by with a splash. Reaching out, Cori strained to grab the bag, but before she could secure it, she felt Kenzie pulling her up and out of the salt water. Her fingers grasped at the air. "But..."
"Let it go!" Kenzie commanded as she pulled Cori up next to the hole she had busted out. "Quickly!" The water was rushing up to meet them, its foaming waves climbing up the trailer walls, sucking everything downward. "Go."
Kenzie didn't have to tell her again. Cori kicked and dragged herself through the opening in the broken slats. The ocean was rising inside, bringing with it the remnants of the trailer, dead cows and piles of floating hay. The flotsam was making her escape much more difficult.
"Now or never, get moving!" Kenzie pushed Cori upwards as the waves and the debris banged against her body. With every ounce of energy she had left, Kenzie pulled herself through the small hole as the chill of the ocean sucked at her waning strength. A slicing pain ripped at her side as she cleared the hole and kicked her way to freedom. They were not out of danger yet. The foamy water swirled as it claimed the wreckage of the trailer and the dead animals it encased. The two women splashed to the surface amongst the debris, both thankful to be alive as the waters finally began to calm.
Cori looked at the distant lights of the ferry as it moved off, dipping below the horizon. She wiped her face as she looked at Kenzie. "Now that was interesting," she gasped turning away from the disappearing ferry. "I can't believe they just kept going."
"What did you expect them to do?"
"I don't know...something."
"As far as they know, it was just a burning trailer and some dead cows. They didn't know we were in there," Kenzie said as she took stock of the damage to her body. She felt her gun banging loosely against her sore side. The holster had been torn sometime during their escape, and she could not chance losing her gun. She reached to take it out of the holster and a zing of pain sliced through her shoulder. She glanced at her companion, but if Cori heard the hiss of pain, she made no comment. With her other hand, Kenzie carefully pulled the gun out of the holster and slid it firmly into the waistband of her pants.
Treading water was painful for Kenzie, but she said nothing as they bobbed up and down with the rise and fall of the ocean. Soon the only sound was the slosh of the water against their bodies.
"What would you suggest now?" Cori asked.
Kenzie frowned and looked at the stars, and then around at the vast darkness. "I'm not sure, but my first suggestion would be to stay afloat."
"Funny." Cori wiped away the water on her face.
"I was being serious. I'm too pissed off to be making jokes. I lost my bag down there. It contained everything we were going to need. Everything. And now we have nothing. Christ!"
"What do you mean, everything?"
"Just what I said, everything. That bag held my life."
"That's kind of pathetic, isn't it? Even for you."
"It means we have nothing - no money, no food, and no water."
Kenzie touched the gun in her waistband for reassurance. "And only one gun." One gun, with how many rounds left? She tried to recall how many cows she had shot.
"Great. Could this get any worse?"
Kenzie moved her hand around her right side where she felt a gash along her ribcage. Swallowing her pride, Kenzie admitted through clenched teeth, "We might have another problem. I think I'm bleeding." She pulled her hand from the water and touched her fingers to her lips. Blood.
"You're hurt," Cori said with concern as she swam closer to Kenzie. "How badly?"
"Bad enough to bring sharks." Kenzie searched the waters around them. "They can smell blood for miles."
Cori studied the serious look on Kenzie's face. "How badly?" she asked again.
"I'm not sure." She could hear the fear in Cori's voice. Kenzie thought it was a little ironic that she might be responsible for Cori's death after all. The ferry was all but out of sight, leaving them surrounded by blackness.
"Can I see," Cori asked.
Kenzie focused on the woman next to her. "Probably not."
"Can I at least have a feel?"
The set up was too good to pass up. "Women usually offer to buy me a drink before they ask that question." Even in their present predicament, Kenzie was certain Cori was blushing.
"I'll put that on my list of things to do, once we get out of this mess," Cori said as she cautiously reached out for Kenzie's side.
With her eyes and concentration on the horizon, Kenzie felt gentle fingers probe her side.
In the darkness, Cori had to rely on what she felt to tell her the extent of the injury. The goose bumps on the tight skin told her Kenzie was as cold as she was. Exploring upwards along the ribcage, she felt the jagged edge of the torn flesh. "It's not good. It feels deep, and long," Cori said with her eyes closed. "Try not to move too much. It will only make you bleed more and stir up the water."
Something in the distance caught Kenzie's attention. "I'll do my best," she said, searching the darkness. She didn't tell Cori about her shoulder because there was nothing either of them could do about it while they were in the water.
Cori opened her eyes. "Well, look on the bright side, at least we're all alone out here in the middle of the ocean and no one is shooting at us."
"It's actually the Gulf of California," Kenzie said, keeping her eyes on the distance. "And I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I don't think we're alone."
Chapter 8
By the time the helicopter picked him up, Cobra had his orders and was eager to eliminate the assigned target. He had killed women before, but never a child, that was his only rule. He pulled the picture out and studied her face again. What a shame. She's quite a looker.
There was no interaction with the pilots during the flight that took them to La Paz. Cobra stared out the window at the water far below. The ocean was dark, but the moonlight illuminated the tips of the rolling waves. Reaching into his vest pocket, he pulled out his Blackberry and began punching away at the buttons until he received the information he had been waiting for. She was still out in the Gulf somewhere. The ferry had not yet reached port and would probably be a few hours longer before arriving. He had time.
Unbuckling his seatbelt, Cobra leaned forward and unzipped his large black duffle bag. Though he had packed it only a few hours earlier, his training led him to check and recheck that he had everything he might need. Running his large hand through his assorted equipment, he satisfied himself that he was ready. He zipped the bag and kicked it off to the side. Leaning back in his seat, he stretched out his long legs and relaxed. If he was lucky, he could catch a few winks before they landed.
Cori felt the panic churning in her stomach, "What do you mean, not alone?" she said, spitting out the salt water that splashed into her mouth when she spoke. The dark water washed over her as she bobbed, making it impossible to see anything. Searching the waters around her for the fin that could mean death, she asked fearfully, "Did you see a shark?"
"Not a shark," Kenzie said as Cori turned to face her. "A boat." She nodded her head in the direction of Cori's left shoulder.
Spinning around, Cori craned her neck above the water. There was a break in the waves and she saw the black silhouette of a fishing boat against the moonlit sky. Cori was certain she had never seen anything so beautiful. "Can we make it?" she asked, keeping her eyes on the boat in the distance, fearing that if she looked away she would never see it again.
"It's further than you think."
Cori heard the doubt in Kenzie's normally confident voice. "But can we make it?"
Kenzie gave her a gentle push in the direction of the boat, "If we don't," she took a breath to spit out a mouthful of seawater, "we'll die trying."
A feeling of dread shivered down Cori's back. "We can't swim too fast or we'll attract the sharks, not to mention you might bleed to death."
"If we don't get to that boat before they fire up their motors, it won't matter."
That lone realization sent another shiver dow
n Cori's spine, but this one went all the way to her toes. The two set out in the direction of the fishing boat in silent determination, both knowing failure was not an option.
Manny Javier was a third generation fisherman. He considered himself an honest man, but recent times had not been good to him and so he had taken to doing some illegal night fishing. It paid a lot better because he could keep whatever he caught with no concerns of limits or species. All he had to do was to keep an eye out for other boats. Thankfully, there were typically not many, just the slow-moving ferries that could easily be seen from a great distance. When he or his crew spotted another boat, they shut down their motors, turned off the lights, and waited for the vessel to pass. In the meantime, everyone kept their eyes on the water. With no light and no motor, there was always a chance that something could go wrong.
"The ferry is almost out of sight. Get ready to fire her up, Al," Manny hollered down to his small crew of relatives.
"Aye, aye, boss man," Al called to his older brother. With a wave of his hand, he headed up to the wheelhouse to start the massive motor.
Young Ramon began his descent from the back arm of the boat, where the roller fed out the fishing line. The lights of the boat suddenly flooded the deck and the surrounding waters, and something white caught his eye in the ocean, just beyond the light. "There's something in the water," he yelled over the grinding motor, pointing toward the starboard bow. "I think...I think it's a body!"
Manny did not hear exactly what his cousin said, but he could see Ramon's distress and the direction in which he was looking. Moving swiftly to the bow of the boat, Manny scanned the dark ocean before laying his hand on the switch for the large searchlight anchored to the side of the wheelhouse. He was hesitant to turn on the light for fear the bright beam would be seen by other boats, but as far as he could see, they were alone. Moreover, if someone was in the water, being seen was a risk he was willing to take.
"There," Ramon said as he scurried up to the railing to stand next to his uncle. "I think it's a body." He pointed to where he had seen it, keeping his eyes glued to the area for fear of losing his bearings.