by Mike Ryan
Malloy turned around and watched the cars of his friends pull away before turning back to Recker. “Not as far as we can tell.” By the look on Recker’s face, Malloy could tell there was something else on his mind. “What’s bothering you?”
Recker looked away and shook his head. “Nothing, really. Was just hoping we could’ve taken one of them alive and gotten a lead or something from them.”
“Not this time.”
Recker was sure that Malloy didn’t even try, but he wasn’t going to press the issue. It wouldn’t have changed anything. “How many did you lose earlier?”
Malloy sighed. “Six. Bastards.”
“Looks like we got some more work cut out for us.”
“Yeah. I’d like to know how many more of these jerks are out there.”
“I don’t know. Probably not as many as last time. But it seems they’re not operating like they’re untouchable like last time either.”
“Nah, they learned their lesson. I wonder who’s leading these punks now?”
“I dunno. Doesn’t seem like there’s an obvious candidate. Probably someone that was at the bottom of the pile and instantly rose to the top because there was no one else.”
“Well, we’ll keep plugging away.”
“Yeah. We better get out of here before we get caught up with any unwanted visitors.”
The two men got in their separate cars and drove off, with Recker going back to the office, hoping that Jones had something good to tell him. Once he walked in, Jones spun around, hoping to get some good news of his own.
“How did it go?”
Recker wrinkled his nose, not sure what he was asking. With his disappointment in not getting to the apartment first, he neglected to let Jones know what happened. “Hmm?”
Jones put his hands up. “The Scorpions? The apartment?”
“Oh. That.”
Jones didn’t need anything else. The look of despair on Recker’s face told him all he needed to know. “Judging by how your face looks, I have a pretty good idea already.”
“Yeah. They beat me to it.”
“Malloy?”
“Yeah. I hit some traffic on the way there. Couldn’t get there in time. They were walking out just as I got there.” Recker went over to the couch and sat down.
“Did they give you any details?”
Recker shrugged. “Wasn’t really necessary.”
“I take it everything went down as you foresaw it?”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“Did you get a look at anything?”
“Wasn’t a need. Like I said, it was done by the time I got there. What was I gonna do, go inside and look at the bodies?”
“Well, maybe there was something in the apartment that could have been of some help?”
“Well if there was, Malloy probably took it.” Recker lowered his head, then itched the top of it. “How are you making out?”
“The same as I was before. Nothing’s come up yet.”
“Something’s gotta break. Eventually. Something’s gotta break.”
Mia had just entered the cafeteria. She had her lunch in a bag, so she immediately found a table near the back and sat down. She took her food out of the bag and began eating. Almost as soon as she took her first bite, she felt a hand on the back of her shoulder. Surprised, she jumped in her seat, and let out a short, but high-pitched noise.
Fearful of what was behind her, Mia turned her head, but breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was Thrower. He gave her a smile, then walked around to the other side of the table and sat down across from her.
“You’re supposed to let me know when you’re going to lunch.”
Mia took a deep breath. “Nate, it’s been five days since that last incident. Nothing else has happened.”
“Doesn’t mean it won’t.”
“And you’ve been with me every step of the way.”
“As I’m supposed to be.”
“And I appreciate how dedicated you are to your job. But you’ve been with me outside, you’re with me in the hall, you’re with me when I’m eating, you’re behind me when I’m driving, you’re with me in the elevator… I just felt like I needed a little space today.”
Thrower curled his bottom lip. “So you’re saying I’m bad company.”
Mia huffed and let out a smile. “No, of course not. You’re great company. You’re a nice guy, you’re good at your job, and you seem like a decent person.”
“So you’re just tired of me hanging around.”
Mia opened her mouth to reply, then closed it, thinking of her response. “I just wanted to have a little time to myself. That’s all.”
“Still dangerous with everything that’s going on out there.”
“I figured if there were any problems, you would have seen it and let me know somehow, anyway.” Thrower grinned. “What are you doing in here, anyway?” Mia started looking around. “Is there a problem?”
“Nothing besides my escort trying to ditch me.”
“I wasn’t trying to ditch you. OK, well, maybe I was. But it’s not like I was trying to lose you out on the road somewhere.”
“Still dangerous.”
“Fine. Report me.”
Thrower laughed. “I get it. It’s not easy having someone like me hovering over you throughout the day.”
“It’s not you, believe me. Like I said, you seem like a great guy, and I really do appreciate what you’ve done.”
“It’s a smothering feeling.”
“Yes.”
Thrower smirked. “Believe me, I’ve heard it all before with people I’ve protected. It’s not easy living with this stuff day to day. And in terms of trying to lose me, this is pretty tame compared to what some people have tried.”
“I promise I won’t do it again.”
“Good. Because if you try it again, I’ll have to put a GPS tracker somewhere on your clothes.”
Thrower smiled, but Mia couldn’t quite tell if he was kidding or not. He said it in a sarcastic way, but also in a tone that indicated he might not have been joking.
“What are you doing here?” Mia asked. “You never answered.”
“Oh. Well you’ve worked this same shift the past four days you’ve been here, and you’ve gone to lunch around the same time each day. You were a few minutes late in contacting me, so I figured I’d just come in and look around. And then here you were.”
“I can’t have been that predictable.”
Thrower took out a piece of paper from his pocket and put it on the table. Mia picked it up and looked at it. He’d written down the exact time she went to lunch every day.
“You’re very thorough.”
Thrower looked proud of himself. “That’s my job.”
Mia went back to eating her food, though she was more or less picking at it. Thrower could tell something else was on her mind.
“What else is it?”
“Huh?” Mia replied.
“Is your lunch stale or is it the rotten company?”
She laughed. “It’s neither.”
“You know, some people have told me I’m a pretty good listener. I’m all ears if you wanna say anything.”
Mia sighed, and continued picking at her food, debating if she wanted to talk about it. “I don’t know. I guess it’s everything.”
“That pretty much explains it.”
“No, it’s…” Mia let out another sigh. “I guess I’m just wondering if I should be doing this? Should I be here? Should I have listened to Mike and stayed home?”
“Well, why are you here?”
Mia shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess that’s what I keep asking myself. Why am I here, continually letting myself be a target?”
“What’s your answer?”
“I haven’t come up with it yet. Maybe it’s just because I’m stubborn, and I refuse to let other people dictate how I’m going to live my life. I won’t live scared, or afraid to do things.”
“Even if your li
fe is in danger?”
“Yeah. Even if my life is in danger. Not that that’s anything new.”
“So why do you keep putting yourself into these situations? You’re letting yourself be a target.”
“Because I love Mike. And I can’t live without him.”
“I didn’t really mean that. I meant, you don’t have to be here right now. You’re choosing to put that target on your back right now.”
“What else am I supposed to do? Live in a closet for the next six months? Not see the light of day, afraid of what might happen?”
Thrower grinned. “There are worse things than calling room service all day.”
“I don’t know. For me, I can’t live like that. I don’t want to live like that. I want to live openly and freely, able to go where I want, do what I want, without having to worry about anyone.”
“Or having a bodyguard attached to you?”
“I guess so.”
“I get it. But hopefully they’ll figure everything out soon and it’ll be over before you know it.”
“This time. But what about the next? There’s always a next time.”
“Ever think about going somewhere else?”
“Without Mike?” Mia shook her head. “Never.”
“So convince him to go with you.”
“We were almost there. Twelve glorious weeks in Hawaii, and I could tell, he was almost there. I felt like he was so content. As content as I’ve ever seen him. And I thought he was close to walking away. And now…”
“Now it’s gone?”
“Now it all fell apart. Back to normal. I really shouldn’t complain, I guess. Not when Chris is lying there in the hospital. Seems selfish of me to complain about it.”
“It’s not. Maybe when this is over, you can get him back out there.”
Mia shook her head again. “Unlikely. He’s back into things again. This is always where he’s felt most comfortable.”
“I have a feeling it’s not.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just a feeling. I don’t know him, or you, particularly well, other than our brief conversations. But I can tell he loves you more than anything. I’m willing to bet he’d put your health and happiness above everything else. Including himself.”
“I know he would. I’m not even sure what I’m saying.” Mia let out an uncomfortable laugh. “I guess I’m just craving a normal world again someday. Maybe it’s not possible.”
“Sure it is. You just need the right time, the right place, but you’ll get there.”
Mia forced a smile. “Well, I hope so. We’ll see, I guess. What about you? Do you ever crave for something more normal than this?”
Thrower smirked. “This is about as normal as it gets for me. And I’m good with it for now.”
“No wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, nagging at you to quit and live a quieter, simpler life?”
“Nah. Not the right time for me. My retirement will include a beach house, and maybe a Golden Retriever running around.”
“No significant other? Just you and your dog?”
Thrower snickered. “I dunno. Dogs are more loyal and trustworthy than most people. Maybe if I ever find the right person, we’ll see.”
“You know, you sound a lot like Mike when I first met him. The job comes first, and you have your own code that you live by.”
“Seems to have worked for us both so far.”
“Maybe too well.”
“What do you mean?”
“I hope you’re not tormented by your past and everything you’ve ever done.”
“Thankfully, not so far.”
“I hope it stays that way.”
“Well, I know one way I’ll be tormented by my past. That’s if something happens to you because you didn’t tell me what you were doing.”
“Yeah, yeah, I promise, no more giving you the slip.”
Thrower pointed at her. “I’m gonna hold you to that.”
17
Thrower walked back to his car, keeping his head on a swivel as he kept his eyes peeled for more trouble. With his personal first-hand experience with The Scorpions, he knew they’d be back for more at some point. It wasn’t a question of if. It was a question of when. Unfortunately for him, the question was about to be answered. Now.
Thrower had just reached his car, when a man popped out of the bushes, just behind his vehicle. Thrower stopped, and took a few steps back, ready for a fight. He then turned his head, hearing the footsteps of someone coming up behind him. He turned his body, a shoulder pointed toward each of the men. He was just waiting for one of them to make the first move. Neither took a step, or made a move. They were stationary. Maybe they heard about what Thrower did to their friends, or maybe they had something else in mind, but they didn’t look very eager to start a fight.
Thrower kept turning his head towards each of the men. After a few seconds, he put his arms up, wondering what they were waiting for.
“So which one of you wants to be first?”
Neither man answered. They continued to stand there. A few seconds later, Thrower found out the reason why. They had no intention of getting into a fight with them. They simply wanted to keep him busy. A man appeared on the other side of Thrower’s car. His arms were folded, and there was a coat thrown over his hands, but Thrower could make out the barrel of the gun he had hidden underneath it. And it was pointed straight at him.
“I think the answer is no one,” the man with the gun said.
If the gunman was standing right in front of Thrower, he might have had a different reaction. He might have swatted the gun away, used some of his skills to alter the situation, and maybe had three men lying on the ground in front of him. But as it was, the gun pointed at him from the other side of the car told him this wasn’t the time to try any tricks. Any move he made, and he was dead. And he knew it.
“You gonna kill me right here in the hospital parking lot?” Thrower asked. “Not very smart. They got cameras, you know.”
“Oh, we’re not gonna kill you. At least not right now. Right now, we’re gonna go for a little drive.”
“To where?”
“We have someone who would like to speak to you.”
“Oh? Is this the big boss?”
“Just get in the car.”
“Am I coming back?”
The man smiled. “Not if I have anything to say about it.”
If Thrower was worried, he wasn’t showing it yet. “Are we taking my car or yours?”
“Yours. That way if you go missing, nobody will wonder whose car is still sitting here in a few weeks.”
Thrower grinned. “Sound thinking. Can tell you get paid the big bucks.”
“Move.”
“Am I driving?”
“Get in.”
“Guess that’s a yes.”
Thrower got into his car, sitting behind the wheel. As he did, the man with the gun got in the front passenger seat. The man near the trunk got in the back seat, then took out his own gun once he got settled, keeping it pointed at the back of Thrower’s head. The third man went back to his own car, intending to follow Thrower’s.
Thrower looked to the side at his passenger, then glanced at the man in the back, noticing both guns pointed at him.
“Is it really necessary to have two guns on me?”
“We think so,” the man in front replied.
“You must think I’m a real dangerous man.”
“We think you’re a stupid one for getting involved in something you got no business in.”
“Oh, well, see, that’s your first problem right there.”
“No more talk. Just drive.”
“How am I supposed to drive when I don’t know where I’m going?”
“Just drive. I’ll tell you where to turn when we get there.”
“Secret hangout, huh?”
“Drive, or I’ll tell the boss you weren’t cooperating, and we decided to just kill you in the car. He’ll be disappointed, but he�
��ll understand.”
“You seem like you’re the angry sort.”
The man was starting to get angry. He pushed his gun a little closer to Thrower. “Drive. The last time I’m telling you.”
“OK, OK, I’ll drive.”
Thrower put the car in drive and pulled out of the hospital parking lot. Though he was obviously in a lot of trouble, he was at least relieved that Mia was not in any danger right now. They were focusing on him, which was always his main goal. As long as he got whoever his client was out of danger, he didn’t mind being the target. Plus, he was very confident in his own abilities, and always thought he could get out of any situation. So far, he was always right.
At every light or intersection, the passenger directed Thrower on which way to go. Thrower looked in the rearview mirror and saw the other car tailing him. He had to figure out when the right time would be to turn the tables. He kept glancing at the man to his right, waiting to see if there was an opportunity to pounce on him if he let his guard down. He never did, though.
Instead, Thrower kept obediently doing what he was told. He gave no problems, and said very little. Eventually, after about thirty minutes of driving, he was directed to turn into a property that had a high metal fence around it. A gate opened up as they got there, and they drove up to the building.
Once they parked, Thrower and the others got out of the car. As they did, a couple more men came out of the building to greet them. They looked as unfriendly as the others did. The guns in their hands didn’t do much to help their disposition.
Thrower looked at the building, which used to be an auto mechanic shop, with three bays to the right, and a small office building to the left. It’d been vacant for a few years by that point, and the property hadn’t been kept up with. There were weeds and shrubs that hadn’t been trimmed or cut since the place closed, sprouting up all along the perimeter of the fence. There was some graffiti on the walls of the building, and the place was in some need of some maintenance.
Thrower didn’t seem impressed. “What, you guys couldn’t have sprung for a fancy warehouse or something? I hear bad guys love warehouses. This seems a little small and outdated for you guys.”