by C. P. Smith
I felt my head rise, not of its own accord, then a bottle touched my lips. I was thirsty, so I didn’t hesitate to take a long, deep pull.
“That’s it, just a little more.”
“Okay,” I answered with my eyes shut. The lids were too heavy to keep open.
“Sleep,” the voice purred again.
“Okay,” I mumbled again. “I’ll dream of Kade.”
“You do that, Harley. Rest up because you’re gonna need your energy.” His voice still purred, but there was something sadistic about it. I tried to focus on his words, but nothing made sense. The car started, and the gentle rocking as it moved over uneven ground started to lull me to sleep. But not before I remembered why I should be afraid. Pirate Man had me.
“Pirate Man,” I muttered.
“Yeah, Harley?”
“Just so you know, my boyfriend’s gonna kick your ass . . .”
Deep, blissful slumber claimed me then, but I smiled in spite of my fear as I fell into sleep’s gentle embrace. Kade wasn’t going to kick his ass; he was going to rip his balls off and feed them to the man, and for some reason, that didn’t bother me all that much. I just had to stay alive long enough to watch.
I woke later, my head still floating, to the sound of Pirate Man nearly shouting in his phone. “Trigger, call me back. I need to know what the fuck is going on.”
I smiled again. I didn’t know who Trigger was, but from the sounds of the call, Trigger was an accomplice and he wasn’t checking in.
Kade’s coming.
That thought filled me with comfort and a certain amount of glee.
***
Kade set down the Robinson R22 just south of Boggy Creek Landing in an open field. Janet Williams was wrong when she said he’d have to refuel once. Kade had to refuel three times to make it to Everglade City. That cost him valuable time, time he couldn’t afford to lose, and by his calculations, if White drove straight there stopping only for gas, Kade wasn’t ahead of him, he was behind by thirty minutes.
By the time he’d left Pensacola, Harley had been gone over three hours. He’d had to deal with Harry and calm him down, then with Chapel so he wouldn’t arrest the Mayor until the following morning. If word leaked to the press, it would sign Harley’s death warrant quickly and he needed time to get to her. He agreed to place Williams under arrest and watch him at the hospital while he recovered from his near death at the hands of Trigger White. And he’d delayed Trigger’s booking to avoid him using his one phone call to warn White. Then he’d had to help him see the light about not calling in the local authorities until the following morning.
He’d argued that a single man going in under the cover of darkness would put Harley at less risk than a trigger-happy swat team with flashing lights. That, and as far as rescuing hostages was concerned, there was no one better for the job than a SEAL. More than one would have been better, but he’d insisted Prez and D stay behind. They were active duty and he wouldn’t put their careers on the line. Besides, this was between him and Jared White, and he looked forward to making the man pay for the years he’d lost with his grandfather and for laying a hand on his woman.
Kade shut down the helicopter then reached for his duffle. A light from a truck suddenly shone bright in the darkness and Kade reached for his gun, pointing it through the windshield. He watched as an old man who looked to be in his seventies slowly crawled out of the truck and made his way towards Kade. He lowered the gun, concealing it from the man’s line of sight, but kept it at the ready.
“Hello in there,” the old man shouted, ducking as the rotor blades slowed.
Kade raised his hand and opened the door.
“Sir,” Kade responded.
“I was heading down the road and saw you come in. Are you ok, young man? You got engine troubles?”
Kade set the safety on his 1911 Colt and shoved it into the back of his pants. “No, sir. However, I am in need of directions. Can you point me to Boggy Creek Landing?”
“Sure, it’s about half a mile back the way I came, but it’s closed now.”
Kade knew this, but it wouldn’t stop him. He’d planned on breaking in and borrowing one of their airboats.
“Yes, sir,” Kade replied, “but I still need to find it.”
“You aren’t one of them drug smugglers are you? Flyin’ in under the dark of night seems a bit unusual.”
“No drug smuggling, sir, I’m an ex-Navy SEAL on a rescue mission in the Glades.”
“Rescue mission? In the Glades?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Is it dangerous?” the old man asked, narrowing his brows.
“Yes, sir.”
The old man scanned Kade and took in his size. “You’ll do fine, I’d guess. If you need a boat, I’ll call Randy and have him open. You’ll need his help if you’re heading out in the dark of night. He’s got a few rigged out for gator hunting.”
“Appreciate it,” Kade replied, putting out his hand. “Kade Kingston.”
“Kade Kingston? Hold on now, aren’t you that SEAL who got arrested for that murder and then set free?”
“Yes, sir,” Kade answered, expecting the old man to rescind his help.
“Well, hell, man, get your ass out of there and let’s get you on your way. Are you chasing the bastard who framed you?”
“Yes, sir. He’s got my woman and I need to find them.”
“Jesus Christ,” the old man barked. “Get in my truck. I’ll have Randy meet us there ASAP.”
Kade grabbed his duffle and exited the helicopter. He followed the old man to his truck, stored his gear in the back, and then climbed in the cab.
“I didn’t catch your name,” Kade asked the old man as he started his truck.
“Huh? Oh, right, right. Sorry, my mind wanders. Max M. Gentry. The M stands for Miracle because my momma wasn’t supposed to be able to have kids. But I showed up nonetheless.”
Kade barked out a laugh. “You’re shittin’ me. You’re Miracle Max?”
“Sure am,” Max grinned, then executed a three-point turn and headed down the road.
“Harley will love this,” Kade mumbled, looking towards the Glades, praying he’d arrived before White.
Twenty minutes later, Kade was loading a top-of-the-line airboat with all the bells and whistles. Max was filling the tank and Randy Patterson was pointing out the features of the boat.
“Got it,” Kade answered. “Have any other boats launched tonight?”
Patterson shook his head. “I worked late tonight, was still in the back office when Max called. No one’s launched a boat since this afternoon.
“If a man comes through here in the next hour with a woman, don’t approach them. Just stay inside.”
“If they haven’t launched yet why are you heading out?”
“I can’t risk they launched someplace else and are already at the fishing shack,” Kade explained. “If they haven’t, then I’ll be waiting for him when they arrive.”
Max capped the tank and hung the nozzle up. “You’re all set. Godspeed, son. If you’re not back by the morning, I’ll call your friends like you asked.”
Kade reached out and shook both men’s hands.
“Thank you for your help. I appreciate it more than you know,” Kade said then turned on the engine. Both men stepped back as the huge propellers engaged, sending debris into the air. Kade gave the throttle gas, moving into the main channel. Then he turned on the spotlight, gunned the engine, and flew across the top of the dark water, heading into the night.
“Hold on, baby. I’m coming,” Kade mumbled into the night, looking up at the heavens. “You keep her safe,” he told the stars. “I need this one last thing from you. Just keep her safe.”
The Everglades could be treacherous in the sunlight. At night, they were deadly. Shallow water and beaches can take a boat by surprise, disabling it. Alligators hunting for prey, hidden logs that can sheer propellers off a boat, leaving a boater dead in the water and at the mercy of the eleme
nts. He didn’t have to worry about his propeller, but he did have to keep an eye out for logs and uneven banks. One wrong turn at the speed he was traveling could send him flying out of control. Then, just the predators would be his biggest problem.
He checked the odometer to see how far he’d traveled. The green glowing numbers indicated he’d traveled point seven five miles so he slowed his speed and shone the spotlight on the tree line looking for a Gumbo-limbo tree with a dick growing out the side. There were small inlets that would take boaters into small coves, but a major one that you could travel on for two miles would be easier to find.
When the odometer rolled to the mile mark Kade saw nothing, just hundreds of trees and bushes packed tightly together. He kept pushing forward, batting mosquitoes the size of birds off his neck. Sweat poured down his back as a nagging, deep feeling in his gut took hold.
What if Trigger lied?
“Come on, show yourself.”
A break in the trees caught his light like a beacon and he squinted his eyes. On the east side of an opening stood a huge Gumbo with a limb that had grown crooked in the shape of a dick, protruding like a giant with a hard on. Kade hung a right into the narrow opening and saw water as far as the eye could see. He gunned the engine again and sped down the waterway until he’d reached the one point five mile mark then shut down the engine. He pulled out an oar and began paddling, hoping to come in without detection.
After ten minutes working his large muscles to near exhaustion, he saw the outline of a small shack in the gloom, the moon’s silvery glow illuminating its’ features. It was dark and there was no boat anchored. Moving past the shack, he kept going until he found a patch of overgrown bushes, large enough to conceal the boat. Once he’d secured all evidence of his arrival, he grabbed his duffle and double-timed it back to the shack. He found a bush near the back and stored his extra gear. He drew his 1911 out of his vest, shoved his knife back in his ankle holder, then crept silently up to the door, and listened.
Nothing. He’d beaten them here.
“Thank, Christ,” Kade mumbled.
He tried the door and it opened without hesitation; no need for locks in the Everglades. Pulling a flashlight from his vest, he lit up the one-room shack and scanned. A potbelly stove sat in a corner with wood piled next to it and a rusted cot sat in the other. The floorboards looked like they’d been replaced recently, probably due to rot. He took a step into the shack and found a crate stacked with dirty dishes and a single chair to the left. That was it. A shithole in the middle of the Everglades used for fishing and murder.
Kade moved to a window that gave him the best line of sight and settled in to wait. More than an hour passed while he swatted bugs and tried not to think about what White had done with Harley while he’d had her. Frustration and fear started to gnaw at him as the seconds ticked off and his hard-fought control began to slip. No battles he’d fought had prepared him for this moment. Fighting beside your brothers was one thing; fighting for the life of the woman you loved was an entirely different beast. He could feel his walls falling as his thoughts took him to a place he dared not go. What if she is already dead and White doesn’t show? His composure slipped further the more he thought about that possibility and he began to pace.
Panic began to set it when it hit the hour and a half mark and he was one minute away from heading back to the boat when he paused at the sound of a motor in the distance. He moved to the window and waited; five minutes later, a small outboard came creeping up to the dock. His anger spiked when White lifted Harley out of the boat. Her arms were secured behind her back and duct tape circled her feet. Her head rolled without resistance on his arm and when they moved closer he could see clearly that her eyes were shut. She was unconscious and his anger hit a boiling point.
“You’re a dead man.”
He moved to the door and waited for White to walk inside where he could contain him. Raising his gun, his feet spread wide, he closed one eye and sighted dead center of the door.
When the door swung open, Kade ordered, “Freeze,” and White froze in place with a sadistic grin pulling across his mouth.
“You won’t shoot,” White stated calmly. “You might hit your lady love.”
“Step inside,” Kade demanded.
“Do you take me for a fool?”
“Step. The. Fuck. Inside.” Kade thundered.
White didn’t move, accurately accessing he’d be trapped if he did, so Kade took a step towards White, his gun trained on his head. It took all he had not to put a bullet between his eyes, but he couldn’t risk shooting Harley.
“You want her?” White taunted. “Then come and get her,” he smiled and then turned suddenly and threw Harley into the water.
Kade’s vision turned red when Harley hit the water, but he’d frozen briefly, giving White time to draw his weapon in that moment of hesitation as he’d watched Harley sink.
Both men began firing at the same time, diving to the ground to avoid being hit. Harley didn’t have time for a gunfight, so Kade stood and hit the floor running, rapidly firing as he went. A bullet caught White in the side, spinning him around. Kade dove through the door when he saw White fall, hitting the dark water hard and began searching for Harley. The sound of footsteps pounding and an outboard motor speeding off vibrated the pungent water as Kade felt around blindly. SEALs could hold their breath longer than most but his lungs still burned for air as he searched. Just as he was about to surface, he felt her foot and grabbed hold.
Kade pulled Harley off the bottom, then swam the six feet to the surface. He broke the water, gasping, reaching out for the dock. He pulled Harley’s head above the water line, then grabbed her waist and hoisted her onto the dock. Thankfully, before he could pull himself out of the water, he heard her coughing and choking. Relief spread quickly through his body as he rolled onto the dock. She kept coughing and gasping, spitting the dark water from her mouth. Her hands were still bound and her feet secured, so Kade pulled his knife from his holster and cut the plastic tie from her wrists.
“Harley,” Kade mumbled as he rolled her over. “Baby, talk to me. Are you hurt?”
“What . . . cough . . . took you . . . cough . . . so long?”
“Me? I beat you here.”
“No . . . cough, cough . . . I was awake when he threw me in the water. I held my breath waiting for you to come.”
“I was kinda busy avoiding bullets,” he grinned.
“Oh, God. Were you hit?” Harley gasped, trying to sit up.
Kade’s lips twitched and he pulled her into his arms. “No,” he answered, trying to see her expression in the moonlight. Harley raised her hand, cupping his face, and he closed his eyes at the warmth of her touch.
“You found me,” she whispered.
“Baby, as long as there is breath in my lungs, I’ll scour the earth until I bring you home. You’re my life now and I am so fuckin’ in love with you that I can hardly see straight.”
“I love you, too,” Harley cried out. Her bottom lip trembled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her head. “So much. I’d never survive losing you, so plan for a very long life.”
Burying his own face in her neck, he drank in Harley’s declaration and let it pour over the cracks in his armor that had split open and bled the past twelve hours. “The stars are smiling down on us, princess. It’s gonna be a beautiful life, I promise.”
“Filled with crazy friends and lots of babies,” she asked.
“Yeah,” Kade agreed, holding her tighter.
“Before it can start, though, we have to get out of here. How did you get here?””
“In a rigged-out airboat with all the bells and whistles.”
Harley scoffed. “Figures. Only a SEAL would find a boat like that.”
“That’s right, baby. Only the best will do,” he chuckled. Then he slanted his head and kissed the best thing that had happened to him in his life.
“Let’s get you inside the shack.”
“We aren’t leaving now?”
“Not with White’s still out there. He’d hear us coming and have the advantage. We’ll bunk down here for the night, then head out at first light,” he explained, then cut the tape from her ankles.
Harley’s legs buckled when she tried to stand so Kade picked her up and carried her inside.
“I need to get to the boat and bring it to the dock. I’m gonna leave you with a gun in case he returns while I’m gone. Aim at his chest if you have to shoot.”
“Oh sure, now you wanna teach me how to shoot,” she chuckled.
“All right, smart-ass. Not that I think you’ll ever need a gun again, but I promise to teach you when this is behind us.”
Harley smiled and Kade rolled his eyes. “Get it out of your head that you’re gonna win every argument.” Harley held her tongue, then dropped her shorts and peeled off her top, smiling again. Even in the dim moonlight, he could make out her long legs and soft breasts. It was at that moment that he knew he was fucked.
“I’m fucked,” Kade grumbled as he stared back at the woman he’d die for.
“It’s a two-way street, Kingston. I can’t say no to you either.”
Kade smiled and wiggled his eyebrows.
“Good to know. I’ll be back in two minutes. I stashed my gear around back,” he said then headed out the door and around the back of the shack and grabbed his duffle.
“Do you have a flashlight?” Harley asked when he returned.
“Lost it in the water along with my Colt.”
Kade unzipped his duffle and threw a dry shirt at her. When she was done dressing, he pulled his Berretta from his duffle and showed her how to take the safety off and how hold the gun.
“Aim for the chest, baby, it’s the largest target,” Kade instructed.
The weight of the gun was intimidating as she held it in her hands. Harley never thought of herself as a coward, but she knew with certainty she couldn’t pull the trigger.
“I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to learn how to shoot. I’d rather go with you.”
“Babe, there are snakes and alligators out there and it's pitch black.”
“Right, right. It’s just that every time there is danger, it seems to find me except when I’m with you.”