Aces Wild

by Taylor Lee

  Davy shook his head and his mouth twisted as if remembering the sight. “Damn, he was stark naked. Blood was comin from every where.”

  Davey stopped and ran his fingers through his hair again. “His face looked almost black and his eyes were bulgy. Then I seed that tie around his neck. Jesus, Gabe, they’d tied him to the tree with rawhide. Four or five strips all knotted tight around his neck. I don’t think he had more than a minute or two of breath left when I got to him. I…I cut him loose and then started yellin like a banshee for the other men to come and help me”

  Gabe stared at him for a long moment then looked over to Chao lying in the bed. The doctors had finished working on him and what ever they gave him had taken effect. He looked almost peaceful, but alive.

  Gabe shook his head. His voice was low, awed. “Damn, Davy. You saved his life.”

  Davy put up his hands in protest. “No, Gabe, it was my fault. I never should have let him go in that office…”

  “Look, Davy, there were a lot of screw ups on all our parts tonight. But it comes down to this. If you hadn’t had your wits about you and if some goddamned angel hadn’t decided that Chao had more time to spend on this earth, there’s no way you would have tracked him the way you did. Or found him minutes from death. No, Davy, whatever else went wrong, you saved his life.”

  Davy’s face bloomed, his usual rosy cheeks flamed bright red. Gabe was sure he saw tears in the big man’s eyes.

  Davy muttered. “Yeah, you’re right. I got to him, didn’t I?”

  Gabe clapped an arm around him and pulled him close.

  “In the end, man, that’s what t matters.”

  From behind him, Gunnar gave a discreet cough. When Gabe turned to meet his gaze, Gunnar’s expression was stern, his lips pressed in a hard line. The customary twinkle in his eyes long gone.

  “Davy found something else, Gabe. This was nailed to the tree above Chao’s head.”

  He reached in his pocket and handed Gabe a folded sheet of paper that looked like the other notes, only larger.

  Gabe spread it open. The crude drawings didn’t leave anything to the imagination. An ugly cartoonish rendition showed Chao tied to a tree, his tongue hanging out, clearly dead. There was a black X across his face. Next to him Kai was hanging from a tree, his hands tied behind his back. His eyes were wide open and he looked terrified. The numeral two was over his head. In the lower corner was a cartoonish drawing of Ana cowering on the ground. Her eyes wide with terror. She was surrounded by men all with their faces hidden. The number three was over her head. Gabe took deep breaths to keep the gorge welling up in his throat from spewing. It took him a full minute to clear the haze in his eyes.

  The fourth figure, stripped to the waist, was tied to a rack, his hands stretched high above his head. A crowd of angry looking men surrounded him. Two men wearing executioner hoods had bull whips at the ready. The man they were getting ready to beat to death was Gabe.

  ~~

  Chapter 24

  “Looks like there are four targets, Gabe. Not only are they after Chao, Kai and Ana, they’re also after you.”

  Gabe nodded at Gunnar. “It would appear so.”

  He ran his hands through his hair. He wasn’t surprised. Of course they were after him. He was standing in their way. What bothered him most was the explicit sexual reference to Ana. He closed his eyes to shut out the images the ugly drawing inspired.

  He looked up to see Eagle and Gunnar staring at him, worried frowns darkening their faces. Emil and Davy looked as concerned.

  “Look, men, of course the fuckers are after me. I’m in their way. Hell, you four are in as much danger as I am. But we can take care of ourselves.” He jerked his head over to the bed where Chao was sleeping, his face and body covered with bandages and visible injuries. “Chao can’t take care of himself. Kai can’t. And goddamnit, Ana sure as hell can’t.” He grimaced then pointed to the solarium off to the side of the master chambers. “Let’s go in there where we can talk. I don’t want Chao to overhear us. And Kai and Ana will be back any minute.”

  He nodded to the liquor cabinet and said with an effort at a grin. “I happen to know that Chao keeps a supply of Jameson on the second shelf. Emil, round up four glassed and at least a couple of bottles of that smooth tasking whisky. I have a feeling we’re gonna need it tonight.”

  Gabe waited until they had settled in with whisky and the cigars that Gunnar swiped out of Chao’s humidor on the way into the solarium.

  He eyed them all knowing they were as concerned as he was.

  “Okay, here’s where we are and here’s what we gonna do. First. We’re gonna protect this goddamn family if it kills us. Davy, your job is Ana. I want you to grab four of your best men. Call in anyone you need to. There isn’t a job our Avengers are doing that is more important than this. But, I’m warning you. She is the most stubborn damn woman I’ve ever known. Impossible to control!”

  He glanced up in time to see all of his men exchanging knowing looks. Emil and Gunnar were smiling outright.

  Davy reddened and he glanced down at his shoes. When he looked up Gabe saw the tears in his eyes that he’d seen before. He waited for the young man to get his emotions under control. He had a feeling he knew what Davy would say.

  “Uh..uh, damn, Gabe. I just gotta thank you. I know how important Ana is and hell, after I just about got her father killed…”

  Gabe held up his hand. “That’s the last I want to hear of that, Davy. We’re done with what we should have done. Goddamnit man, you’re a hero. You saved one of the most important men in my life and I will always be grateful. And yeah, now I’m putting Ana’s life in your hands. It that doesn’t tell you how grateful I am, nothing will. You got that?”

  Davy gave him a watery smile. “Thanks, Gabe.”

  Turning to Eagle, he said,” Eagle I want you on Kai. He respects you. There’s a mite too much between the two of us for me to take him over. I have to stay focused on figuring out who’s the fucker behind all of this. And hell if I’ve ever seen a kid who is more like you were when you were twenty-one, it’s Kai.”

  “Damn, Gabe, I’d think that would be reason enough to never let Eagle anywhere near the kid,” Gunnar said with a grin.

  Everyone laughed. Gabe added, “Hell no, Gunnar. It’s you I want to keep away from him. His sister would kill me if you were in charge of him – especially anytime after ten o’clock at night.”

  Gunnar leaned back in his chair with a smug grin. “Yeah, Gabe, you’re right. Probably just as well.” He winked at Davy who blushed ever brighter. “I’ve probably corrupted enough of our team.”

  After their guffaws and laughter died down, Gabe frowned and sighed.

  “Damn, we are so close. I know it in my gut. The back of my neck feels like I got a nest of fire ants under my skin. How about it Eagle? Getting any of those eyes rolling back in your head kinds of insights?”

  Eagle ignored the taunt and spread open the ugly flier Davey had taken off the tree.

  Before he could speak Gabe interrupted. “Glad you see it too, Eagle. But first, everyone needs to understand. No one and I do mean no one is to see that poster but us.

  “That includes Chao, Kai and especially Ana. We all clear?” When the men all nodded in agreement, Gabe turned back to Eagle.

  Eagle leaned forward staring at the flier. He passed his hand over the flier several times as if he had a divining rod in his hand. His expression was serious, his eyes focused in the distance. Gabe watched him closely willing him to put together the pieces that were tearing Gabe apart.

  “Let me start with the obvious. The guy hates Chinese. All three –Chao, Kai and Ana have ugly exaggerated Chinese features. Even Ana who is so striking and frankly less Chinese looking than her father and brother. That’s a given. But it’s important. It is a clue to his rage.

  “It is also telling the way he kills Chao and Kai. Chao was supposed to die slowly, painfully. Ideally pecked by birds and animals as he dies. It’s an old
Apache trick. Unfortunately the fucker who did it wasn’t Indian. He tied the rawhide too tight. He didn’t know that the rawhide contracts over time. Chao was supposed to die slowly, steps away from his family. Able to hear them but unable to call out. Kai on the other hand gets a relatively quick death. A broken neck and he’s gone.

  “The next thing is that he is angry. I don’t have to tell anyone that. But something else strikes me. You notice how in every one of the attacks the perpetrators are a group of men.”

  “Damn. Eagle, you’re right.” Gunnar leaned forward, nodding in excitement.” That means he’s a coward. Has someone else do his dirty work.”

  Gabe scratched at his chin. “Yeah, but there’s more to it. He doesn’t want to get his hands dirty. He wants distance from the violence. Partly because he’s afraid but it’s more than that.” Gabe looked to Eagle for confirmation.

  “You’re both right,” Eagle said. “But Gabe’s point is more telling. This guy does his dirty work from a distance and he hires people to do it. This is an important clue. At least three of the guys on our list revel in violence. The more vicious the better. They’re known for it. This guy isn’t. He hides his violent streak. He has an image to protect.”

  Eagle was quiet for several minutes. No one else spoke just watched him pass his hand over the drawing several more times.

  Finally he sat up straight and pointed first to the picture of Ana and then to the one of Gabe.

  “He’s angry. No, he is enraged that the two of you are together. He’s going to punish you both.”

  Gabe stared at the pictures and then saw what Eagle saw.

  “He is going to punish us in a personal way. He plans to have Ana raped and me stripped and whipped to death.”

  Eagle nodded. “He wants to humiliate you both.”

  Gabe nodded. “The way we humiliated him.”

  Gunnar jumped in. “That’s a big clue. We just have to figure who wants Ana enough to kill both her and her lover.”

  “I don’t know how that helps us, Eagle. Every goddamned man out there tonight wants Ana, including my partners,” Gabe said glaring first at Gunnar and then at Eagle.”

  A small smile crossed Eagle’s lips as if to concede the point. Then his expression got serious.

  “And that, Gabe, is the most important clue of all. He doesn’t want Ana. If he did he wouldn’t let other men rape her. No, he wants to humiliate her. Punish her for something she or someone else did to him. It’s almost like she’s a stand in, a proxy for someone else.”

  “Then who the hell am I?”

  “You’re the man who shamed him most. And you are going to pay for it. First you are going to watch the woman you love gang raped. Then you are going to be whipped to death. Do you have any idea how long and painful a death that would be, Gabe?”

  Gabe forced a harsh chuckle. “No, Eagle, I don’t. And I sure as hell don’t want to find out.”

  ~~~

  Ana pulled the blanket over her shoulders. She shivered. She couldn’t get warm, no matter how many blankets she had. She sunk deeper in the chair as if that would help, keeping her chin above the arm rest so that she could see her father’s face. She looked up startled to see Gabe standing beside her. She hadn’t heard him approach.

  He smiled at her. “An old Indian trick. I learned it from Eagle. I got tired of him appearing out of nowhere, so I practiced, and look Princess, here I am.”

  He frowned then reached down and touched her nose, then felt for her hand.

  “Damn, Ana. You’re freezing. Do you feel sick?”

  “No, no I just..can’t get warm.’

  “I can fix that.”

  Before she knew it he had scooped her up in his arm and sat down in the chair holding her on his lap.

  Ana was horrified. “Gabe, put…put me down. I can’t, Gabe, someone might come in …’

  “Who’s going to come in, Princess? Kai is sound asleep in his chair. Your father is resting. I told Madame Ling that I would stay awake and watch your father.”

  Ana felt his arms around her. She longed to sink into the comfort of them. To just let go and let him hold her. His thighs were warm, hard, strong muscles. The scratch of his whiskers warmed her cheeks. Oh God, she couldn’t…

  Several hours later, Ana woke to the most wonderful smells nestled in a bed that surrounded her, held her. With a start she realized she had fallen asleep in Gabe’s arms. Oh no, she tried to sit up but he held her tighter.

  He whispered in her ear, his voice was low, rumbling. “It’s okay Princess. I’m here. And honey, you needed that sleep.”

  In a strained voice, Chao agreed. “Yes she did.”

  Both Ana and Gabe jumped up. In a tangle of blankets Ana was instantly at her father’s bedside.

  “Father, oh father, are you… okay?

  Gabe was beside her and from his chair, Kai roused. His voice broke when he tried to say Father, instead stumbled to his bedside and buried his face against Chao’s pillow .

  Gabe stepped back but Chao motioned him forward. His voice was a hoarse whisper. “We need to talk, Gabe.”

  Gabe demurred. “It can wait, Chao. We can talk in the morning. I’ll leave now, so the three of you can talk.”

  Chao shook his head. “No Gabe, stay. I want you here. I enjoyed watching all three of you sleeping so peacefully.”

  Ana cried out, “Oh father we were supposed to be taking care of you!”

  Chao stroked her hand. His voice sounded almost normal.

  “But you were, Ana. You never left my side. Neither did you Kai or you Gabe.”

  Gabe agreed. “No, we didn’t. Thank God, Chao. You seem so much better.”

  Chao gave them a weak smile. “I wish I could tell you what happened. Gabe.”

  Gabe covered Chao’s hand with his. “Don’t strain yourself, Chao. It can wait.”

  But Chao shook his head a frown creasing his pale brow.

  “No, Gabe. I need to try. To help you. But all I remember is closing the door to my office. Then someone grabbed me and held that rag over my mouth. I didn’t wake up until they…” He stopped at the sound of Ana’s gasp. “You’re right Gabe, we’ll talk in the morning.”

  He closed his eyes, his fatigue apparent.

  Ana’s voice was soft, scared. “Please rest, father.”

  Chao struggled to sit up. “Yes, yes, Ana. I will rest. But Gabe, I have to talk to you. I may not be able to tell you this…”

  Gabe broke in. “Listen, Chao, whatever it is, it can wait.”

  Chao’s grasped Gabe’s hand. His expression was fierce. “Gabe, you are not your father’s son.”

  Gabe was startled. “Chao, please.”

  “No, Gabe. I’ve wanted to tell you this for so long. Gabe, any decent man would be honored to have you as a son. That your father is not, is about him, not you.”

  Gabe struggled against the vise squeezing his chest.

  “Thank you, Chao. But there is no need. I am long past caring about my father’s opinion of me.”

  Chao said, “If that was true, I wouldn’t be compelled to say this.” He waved off Gabe’s objections. “No, Gabe. Please hear me. You are not your father’s son. You are your own man. A kind, generous, fierce man. An honorable man.”

  Gabe stepped back and took a deep breath, wrestling with the emotions choking him, cutting off his air.

  “Thank you Chao. I’ll think about what you are saying.”

  Unable to quell the anger rising in him, he stared at the wounded man, and prayed to God, he was wrong.

  “One question, Chao. Do you agree that I am in charge here?”

  Chao frowned. “You know you are, Gabe.”

  Gabe came close and grasped Chao’s hand. He couldn’t hide the anger he felt. “That sure as hell better not have been a lousy excuse for a death bed confession.”

  Chao’s lips curled and he shook his head no.

  Gabe’s voice sounded angrier than he meant it to, but he couldn’t suppress his anger or his fe
ar.

  “Okay then. Let me tell you something. You are not going to die. Do you hear me, Chao? Tell me you hear me, that you agree.”

  Gabe leaned down, his face next to this man he loved. “So help me God. You are a hatchet boy, and don’t you forget it. You call on every ounce of strength you have. We need you. We all need you.”

  Chao nodded, a slight smile curling his lips.

  Gabe’s voice was impassioned. “Good. Because I swear to God, Chao. You even think about dying, I’ll kill you myself.”

  ~~

  Chapter 25

  Ana couldn’t rid herself of the fear that she was forgetting something, something important. Every time she convinced herself it was the strain of the last day, the last week, a momentary flash of insight jerked her back. A frustrating glimpse of a memory that flickered then died.

  The day had been challenging. The person least affected was her father. Although his discomfort was obvious, he was talking, sitting up in a chair and surprising everyone with his remarkable recovery. But his bruised face and body swathed in bandages was a constant, chilling reminder that someone tried to kill her father. The sheer brutality of the attack horrified her and infuriated her.

  She knew from Gabe’s stern expression and clipped orders to his team that he shared her anger. He was kind to her and Kai, solicitous, ensuring that they were well cared for. He ordered the servants to bring them food in Chao’s chambers, ordered their water and tea refreshed hourly and insisted that Ana bathe and change. He posted four guards outside Chao’s door and no fewer than three hulking men accompanied her and stood outside her chambers while she changed.