by Hamel, B. B.
“Okay, one door into the back up ahead,” he said.
“I see it.”
“That’s our entry point. I’ll take lead, and you follow. If we hit trouble, toss a stun grenade and make sure you cover your damn eyes.”
“I got it.”
“Let’s go.”
We moved fast then, running low and silent across the snow-swept yard. There were no animals out and not a single sound except the soft crunch of the ground beneath our boots as we closed in on the house.
After closing the ground quickly, I pressed myself against the back wall while Jared picked the lock on the door. There were no alarms or gunshots, just more silence. As far as I could tell, nobody knew we were breaking in.
He gestured at me to hold as he cracked the door open, pressing his eye to the slit. He watched a moment and then gestured for me to follow.
Warmth hit me right away. We were in a boiler room, empty save for the usual stuff people kept in their basements. The floor was unfinished concrete, and the appliances hummed around us. Jared shut the door and picked his way quietly through the accumulated junk, the old buckets and paint cans and tools, and stopped at the next door.
I covered him as he checked the handle. It was unlocked. He carefully turned it, cracking it a bit and checking outside. After a moment, we crept out together into a short hallway.
It looked almost identical to the other house, almost eerily so. Whoever built the other place clearly had a hand in designing this one. There were a few doors leading off the hallway into various different rooms. It felt almost like a jail or possibly an office building, if that office building were built with concrete floors and dingy, cobweb-covered ceilings.
Jared picked the first one, nodding at me. My heart was racing in my chest as he threw it open and we entered, guns ready.
I was startled at what I saw.
Chained to a chair in the middle of the room was Trip, his face bloodied and bruised. Jared slowly shut the door behind us.
I walked over to him and checked his pulse. He was alive. I yanked his head back and slapped him.
He groaned. “No more,” he mumbled, and opened his eyes. I saw the recognition light up his entire face. “Holy shit.”
“Hi, Trip.”
I looked down at his pathetic body. Clearly the cartel had tortured him at some point, beaten him to within an inch of his life but kept him breathing. For what reason, I had no clue.
“Didn’t expect you here, Cam,” Trip said.
“I didn’t expect you to betray me. I guess shit happens.”
He smiled sheepishly. “Sorry about that. Was just trying to look out for myself.”
“I figured. Didn’t work out too well for you, did it?”
“They got pissed when you escaped. Decided to take it out on me.”
“Good.” I spat onto the floor. “You deserve it.”
“Yeah, maybe I do.” He shut his eyes. “But you know what? I did a lot for you, man. I did all the dirty work back in Mexico. You think that shit was easy?”
“My hands are just as dirty.”
He looked at me with disgust. “You don’t know what it means to be dirty.”
I shook my head. “Keep telling yourself that. I hope it helps.” I raised my gun, checking the silencer.
“Cam,” Jared said from the door.
I nodded at him.
“I always liked you,” Trip said. “Always did.”
“Yeah, same.” I pressed the gun against his skull.
“You don’t have to do this,” he said suddenly. “You can just leave me here. I’ll probably die anyway.” He smiled, pleading. “For old time’s sake?”
“No.”
I pulled the trigger.
And what was left of my old friend and biggest betrayer was gone for good.
I didn’t feel anything. It was over and done with, that was all.
“We have to move,” Jared said.
“Okay.”
I looked away from Trip’s dead body and followed Jared back out into the hall. We checked the next two doors, but the rooms were empty. As we grabbed the last handle, we suddenly heard voices and footsteps.
“Quick,” Jared said. We went back into an empty room, shutting the door most of the way.
Two voices emerged down the stairs, speaking Spanish.
“Fucking dumb white boy,” the one man said. “Thought we weren’t going to kill him for all this shit.”
“What kind of bitch would I be,” the voice of Castillo, aka El Tiburon, said, “if I let him keep breathing?”
“What a dumb fuck.”
“Shit,” Jared whispered behind me.
“Let’s finish this shit,” El Tiburon said.
“Gladly, boss.”
We heard a doorknob turn and a door open.
“What the fuck!” the man I didn’t know yelled. “He’s fucking shot, boss!”
“Someone is here,” El Tiburon replied.
They moved back out into the hall.
Jared moved fast. He slipped out of the door and was firing before I had the chance to follow.
Gunshots blasted the air. Jared killed the other man instantly, but El Tiburon wasn’t fully out of the room yet. He ducked back inside into cover and returned fire. The scream of shots filled the room.
“Our backs,” Jared yelled.
I came out into the hall just in time to fire off a few rounds at the stairwell, forcing several men to back up. They yelled out in Spanish, trying to get reinforcements.
“Grenade,” Jared said, firing at Castillo.
I pulled out a stun grenade, pulled the pin, and threw it up the staircase. I ran back and looked away as a blinding flash of light, brighter than anything I’d ever seen before, mixed with an enormous roaring burst.
There were screams from upstairs.
“Go!” Jared yelled.
I stormed up the steps and turned the corner. Three men were staggering back as I fired my rifle, felling the first two right away. The third dove behind a couch.
And then something punched me in the gut. I staggered back, the breath blown from my chest. My foot caught the stairs and I tumbled backward. Pain lanced up from the wound, screaming in my skull.
I hit the ground with a bang. Jared suddenly was above me, firing his weapon and dragging me back toward the room. I groaned, a burning pain in my gut.
“Fuck,” Jared said. He got us inside and tore up my shirt.
I looked down, expecting blood. I knew I’d been shot, knew it was probably over for me. I was only annoyed that I couldn’t save my parents.
Instead, I saw a bullet flattened against my vest.
There was no blood. It hadn’t pierced the armor.
“Lucky bastard,” he said. “Can you move?”
I tested out my limbs. Everything seemed to be working, aside from the horrible pain where the vest took the impact. I’d have a nasty bruise, but otherwise I was fine.
“Yeah, I can move.”
“Good.” And then he was back out in the hall, firing his weapon at Castillo.
I sat up, breathing deep, and reloaded my rifle. I climbed to my feet unsteadily and then moved back out into the hall and fired at the stairwell again, forcing two men back. I had to keep Jared’s back covered, otherwise we’d get overwhelmed fast.
“Get in the other room,” Jared yelled. “Castillo is mine.”
“Got it,” I called out. I threw another stun grenade up the stairs, my last, although I knew they wouldn’t fall for it again.
Once it went off, I threw open the next door and stepped inside.
Tied to chairs, just like Lacey and I had been, were our parents. Their eyes went wide when they saw me. They were almost as surprised as I was.
“We’re getting you out,” I yelled over the shooting. I went back to the door and fired my gun again, this time taking a man in the chest as he tried to storm downstairs. He toppled down, unmoving. Jared was pressed up against another door, firing back at
Castillo, slowly moving closer to him.
I ducked back into the room and ripped the tape off Jeff’s right hand and then went back to my spot at the door.
“Is Lacey okay?” Jeff yelled out. “Where is she? Where’s my daughter?”
“She’s safe,” I called back. “She’s fine.”
I could practically feel Jeff’s relief.
I kept laying down fire at the stairwell, keeping whoever was up there from coming down. I figured there couldn’t be more than one or two left based on the voices yelling curses.
Jared was still in a gun battle with Castillo down the hall. He was eerily silent, while Castillo was calling out insults and curses the entire time. Jeff tore off the rest of his tape and went over to my mom, ripping off hers. They were free in a matter of a minute or two.
“Camden,” she yelled out.
I glanced back at them and nodded. “I’m here. We’re leaving soon.”
They didn’t look much worse for wear. Maybe a bit thin, definitely exhausted, but they hadn’t been tortured at least. The cartel probably figured they were worth more in one piece. I briefly wondered if they had planned on ransoming them off, or if they were just going to be killed. It didn’t matter anymore, though.
“Jared,” I yelled out. “I got my parents.”
He didn’t respond. The only sound was the scream of bullets.
“Fuck,” I said. “We’re pinned down.”
Jeff was suddenly at my back. “Give me a gun.”
I handed him my rifle, holding onto my pistol. He took over my position and kept firing. I tossed him two extra clips.
“There’s a window,” he said, looking at the far end of the room.
I was surprised at how competently Jeff held the weapon. I couldn’t tell where his bullets were landing, but all he needed to do was keep the guys upstairs from coming down.
I followed his gaze and grinned to myself. Up at ground level was a thin window.
“Mom, help.” I dragged a chair over and she followed me. I shot the window, shattering the glass, and used a bandana to break off any extra small shards.
“Boost me,” I said. She put her hands out and did her best to push me up. I managed to get my head out into the freezing cold, but it was a tough squeeze.
I felt her pushing my feet, and slowly but surely I began to slide through. The ground was cold and wet, but I was out.
I looked back inside. “I’m going around. Tell Jeff to keep them upstairs.”
She nodded, afraid but functioning.
I moved around the house quickly toward the back door. For a brief moment I had the crazy idea that Lacey would mistake me for a guard and start shooting, but the night stayed quiet. Or at least as quiet as it could be with a gun battle happening inside. I kicked the door open and ran through the boiler room, coming out into the hallway.
Castillo was busy with Jared, exchanging shots. I crept up the hallway on the side of Castillo’s door, out of his line of sight. Jared spotted me but didn’t say a word, just increased his rate of fire.
I wasn’t thinking. I couldn’t think. I could only act. I rounded the corner, dropping down onto my side, and fired upward, straight into Castillo’s midsection.
He stumbled back, gasping, and dropped his gun. I scrambled up and kicked it away.
And then Jared was there.
“Stop,” he said as I pointed the gun at Castillo. “I need him alive.”
Castillo leered at me. “Maricon white boy,” he hissed.
I stood down. Jared pulled a radio from his vest and pressed a button. “Extract now,” he said.
“What the fuck?” I asked, staring at him. “I thought we were alone. Who are you talking to?”
“We are. If this went wrong, they would have denied my existence.”
“We need to help my parents.”
“Watch him,” Jared said. He moved back out into the hall.
I looked down at Castillo, who was laughing like mad.
“It’s over,” I said in Spanish, training my gun on him. “You’re finished.”
He shook his head. “Idiot. Nothing is ever over.”
“You’re going to pay for all the shit you did.”
“I will rise again,” he said, cackling madly.
I hit him in the skull with the butt of my pistol. He dropped, unconscious. I checked to make sure he wasn’t dead and nodded to myself.
Crazy piece of shit. Deserved whatever he got.
Suddenly, the gunshots from upstairs ceased. An eerie quiet fell over the house.
I looked up and my mom and Jeff walked into the room.
“Camden!” Mom said, and threw her arms around me.
I returned her hug, relief flooding through me. “I’m so sorry, Mom.”
“I’m just happy you’re okay. They said you were dead.”
“I’m hard to kill.”
Jeff nodded at me but didn’t say a word. He didn’t need to. I knew he’d never forgive me for this, and I didn’t blame him.
I was just glad they were safe.
“He dead?” Jared asked me.
“No. Crazy though.”
He grinned. “Yeah. Guy is batshit nuts.”
Jared grabbed Castillo’s arms and began to drag him outside. I grabbed his legs and my parents followed, walking slowly.
“What happened after we split up?” I asked my mom.
“Trip was nice, honey. Until we made it to Alaska. Then the Mexican men took us, put us in those chairs, and fed us once a day. It was awful.”
I nodded and felt relieved. That was not nearly as bad as it could have been. Frankly, it sounded like they’d had it easy. At least Trip was nice to them.
The motherfucker.
We made it back out into the night, and Jared continued dragging Castillo.
“Where are we going with him?” I asked.
Suddenly, there was a low booming in the sky. The wind whipped up and snow swirled everywhere. We all looked up as it got louder and louder. It was the unmistakable chopping sound of a helicopter, flying low.
Jared grinned at me. “That’d be my ride,” he yelled as a black-as-night aircraft suddenly appeared over the trees and came for a landing not far away.
The sound was tremendous, booming claps of wind torn to shreds. Jared walked over to me.
“Here,” he yelled, giving me the key to the Jeep. “You can keep it. And the guns and the money.”
“What?” I said.
“The money. It’s yours. Consider it payment. And the guns, too. Sell them if you want.”
I nodded. “What about him?”
“Castillo? Well, let’s just say he’ll disappear.”
“It’s over?”
He clasped my hand. “It’s over. You were a good informant.”
“And you’re a piece of shit.”
“Your government thanks you, but will deny any and all involvement with all this.”
“Understood.”
“Good luck, Camden. Tell Lacey I said goodbye. She was a great sniper.”
I nodded at him. He nodded at my parents, grabbed Castillo, and dragged him to the chopper. Two men in black suits jumped out and helped him load Castillo inside. They climbed back in, shut the doors, and took off.
We stood there watching the chopper fly off. I turned and looked at Jeff and my mom.
“So, uh, know of any cars we can steal around here?”
Lacey had come down from the hills, her gun cradled in her arms, as soon as the chopper disappeared. Evidently, she hadn’t even fired the gun, which I was thankful for. Jared probably knew she would be safe up in the hills. Once the reunion hugs were done, we stole another car and headed out. The car ride back was quiet and tense, but at least it was warm and fast. There were only two roads, one leading away from the house and the road we had been traveling down earlier that day. Eventually, we spotted the Jeep parked right where we had left it.
We climbed out and Lacey came around the car, throwing her arms ar
ound me. I kissed her full on the lips, and we laughed together. Her dad moved past me and hugged her too. I’d never felt so relieved, so overjoyed in my whole life, but there I was.
Everything felt like it fell into place. Everything clicked. We were beaten, but we weren’t broken.
We’d made it through. I had my family back. Even if they hated me, wanted to cast me away for my sins, I was okay with that. Because I’d lived today like it was my last day, and I came out the other side.
I’d cheated death twice.
And I was with her, Lacey. The only girl I wanted or needed.
As our parents climbed into the car, I threw my arms around her.
“Ready?” I asked.
“For what?”
“To go home.”
“Only if you promise never to steal another car ever again.”
I laughed. “I swear. I’m done with crime.”
“I know. You asshole.”
“Mad at me?”
“Pissed. Beyond mad. But I’m too happy it’s all over to deal with that right now.”
“I’ll make it up to you.”
She kissed my lips. “You’re damn right you will.”
We didn’t have to explain it to our parents. We just got in the car and started to drive.
We drove until we were done driving and everything was okay.
Epilogue: Lacey
The wind whipped my hair in waves as my bike sped down the busy city street. I wove expertly between cars, loving the exhilaration that came with the slight fear. Ever since I’d gotten a taste of excitement holding that big sniper rifle, for some reason I loved to push my limits.
A lot had changed since we’d made our way back home from Alaska. We ended up selling the Jeep and Camden managed to sell off most of the guns before we bought plane tickets back to Chicago with cash.
Our parents weren’t talking to Camden. His mom cheated every once in a while, but my dad was pretty set on never seeing him again. That was pretty tough, I reflected, as I looked down at the engagement ring on my finger. He was really making the wedding difficult.
It was huge, a ridiculous extravagance, but I loved it. After splitting the money with our parents, it was the first thing we bought.