Jinn & Toxic

by Franny Armstrong

  “Yes, as a matter of fact I did, with a little help from Jennings, Blackstone, Gonzales, Metcalfe, and Chan.”

  The woman was silent for a few minutes.

  “I don’t believe you.”

  Burgess couldn’t see her shake her head in the dark, but Jinn did so anyway and sighed.

  “Believe what you want. At least tell me what’s going on here.”

  “Iceman took me with him hoping to keep me as his latest fling, but I’m not cooperating. He’s pissed so he put me here to think it over. His woman, Solange Salazar is a bitch of the worst kind and uses the Captain’s sister as a tool to keep Iceman in line. She refuses to let him have Tara, but they’ve done something to her. She doesn’t even remember me.”

  “Why is it men can’t think beyond their zippers?”

  “If I had the answer to that, Dennison, I’d be a billionaire,” Jane said in a snide tone.

  “Wait a minute. That was the Captain’s sister? I thought she was kidnapped. It seemed to me like she was in charge, not a damsel in distress. Did you get the layout of the place?”

  “No. I was blindfolded during the truck ride here. I figure it took a good two hours. The road was winding and rough as hell. My ass is on fire from the bumps.”

  Jinn couldn’t help but laugh. Regardless of the woman’s attitude, she liked her.

  “Any idea what they have planned for us?”

  “I know what the bastard has planned for me. As for you, I hope he kills your sorry hide.”

  “Oh, shut up. If you want to believe that I’d betray the troop then go ahead. As for me, I’m out of here the first chance I get and to hell with you all.”

  A sultry voice spoke up from the shadows. “The only place you’re going is outside to play a game for Iceman.”

  The light of a torch came from the dark hall as a woman moved toward the cells and threw something soft between the bars at Jinn then did the same for Burgess. She was stunningly beautiful, her classic Spanish features like that of a movie star. Long black hair glistened as it flowed down her back.

  “Put them on. If you refuse, I’ll have my men do it for you.”

  The material was silky and cool in her fingers as Jinn held it up. Even in the dark she could tell it was a dress.

  “I’m not wearing that! It won’t go with my camouflage makeup and my sexy boots. Oh, I guess that’s why your men and that crazy woman didn’t believe I was lost. I was just playing G. I. Jane.”

  “There’s a bowl of water and a cloth on the shelf behind you. Clean up and be ready, or else.”

  The threat obviously wasn’t false as three men stepped forward into the dim light, leering at her and Burgess.

  “All right! Call off your dogs,” Jinn snapped.

  A sultry laugh echoed softly in the room. Solange said softly, “Out.” The men moved quickly grumbling as they walked back through the doorway.

  “Your time is running out. You have five minutes.” Solange left the room.

  Jinn glanced over at Burgess and could make out that she was changing and followed suit. The silk slid down her body and fit like a glove. It was a low cut V-neck with thin straps. Though she couldn’t make out the color, it appeared to be lighter than her fellow inmate’s.”

  The dresses they wore were slit from the ankles to the knees allowing them both free movements. Jinn reached down and ripped hers higher to ensure she could use her full capacity to kick out. Burgess followed suit.

  Without a bra on, Jinn felt exposed and grimaced. She quickly took the cloth and dipped it into the tepid water then washed her face as best she could. Her hair was a mess, but there was no help for it. After all, soldiers didn’t primp when on a mission.

  When she was ready, she turned in time to see her hostess return with gun in hand and the two armed men who unlocked the doors.

  “Come out, but don’t try anything or you’ll be shot.” The woman sounded like she wanted them to attempt it.

  “Can I use your phone?” Jinn asked in an innocent tone to piss off the woman.

  “Move it,” Solange snarled.

  Jinn’s head felt like it was going to explode as pain flashed like lightning through her brain, forcing her to her knees. She had no choice but to give in and let it ride its course until she could breathe again.

  “Get up and quit the theatrics, woman.”

  The male voice was faint, warbled, and vague as she groaned in agony.

  Jinn?

  The tiny voice inside her head wasn’t Julie’s. Confusion rushed in as something struck her in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her. Curled into a ball on the cold concrete floor, gasping for breath, she tried to pull herself together.

  A pair of boots came into view in front of her head as Jinn fought back the urge to vomit. “I don’t think she’s faking it, boss.”

  Another voice, another moment of blinding torment until the pain slowly receded. She sucked in a deep breath.

  “Get up,” her hostess snapped.

  Jinn staggered to her feet, too proud to let them know how severely the episode affected her. Since arriving in Mexico, they were getting closer together and more intense each time it happened. She knew she had little time left to find her sister and save her. Though light-headed, she forced her legs to move forward and continued down the hallway in an uneven gait, the others behind her.

  “Let’s move it. Our leader is ready for a good fight. I think these two will enjoy the exercise as well.” Solange laughed low in her throat.

  As her head cleared, Jinn realized that she and Burgess were on the menu for the night’s entertainment and nearly groaned. There wasn’t a thing she could do about it except refuse to do whatever they wanted of her. She was a prisoner. Control was something she no longer had.

  One of the men pushed past her and opened the door at the end of the hall. His weapons were so close, she was tempted to reach out and grab one, but a click behind her proved that her captors expected it.

  Outside the hot sun was setting through the trees. Sounds like that of a squealing fan belt proved that the nighttime creatures were ready to witness the match. Jinn heard the rhythm of the forest pause, as though it waited for the fight. The humidity made it hard to breathe as she walked along the beaten path, the scent of the sweet grass rising as the blades broke beneath their feet.

  Tab, are you here? I found Burgess. She’s about to kick my ass.

  When she tripped over a root, one of the guards shoved her with the barrel of the gun. She spun around, eyes blazing as she prepared for the battle.He backed off, waving the gun as he said, “Keep walking.”

  Sweat dripped into her eyes as she followed the path, swiping at it with the back of her forearm. The humidity increased as she walked deeper into the forest. The odor of her body sharp in her senses brought to mind that she needed a shower, badly. Still, she tried to contact Tab, hoping he’d be able to track them down.

  Her headache, almost gone now, left her exhausted but determined to stand her ground.

  Jinn, I’m with you.

  Again the woman’s voice so similar to Julie’s, yet different.

  Who are you?

  Damn it woman, can’t you take orders. Shut up!

  Though Jinn recognized Tab’s furious voice that time, she was sure the other one was someone close by who knew her. She tried to focus on her present issue and ignore the desire to contact the voice since her life was at stake.

  In the light, she saw that the dress she wore was bright red while Burgess’s was black. The woman’s blonde hair was held back in a long braid, a striking contrast to the color. Jinn knew her own reddish-brown hair would look great with the cherry-red of her gown but took no comfort in the fact. Her gut told her that she and Burgess were walking into a bad situation.

  As they rounded the corner of the building, Jinn took note of the high stonewalls and barbed wire surrounding the compound. They were at least ten-feet tall. The small building in the center appeared rather weak in comparison.


  Sunshine barely filtered through the canopy of the trees, the rainforest so thick around the clearing it seemed dark. In the distance, a wildcat chuffed. Monkeys screeched and frogs trilled filling the area with soothing sounds. Thick brush surrounded the compound, buffering the noises.

  Led to a clearing in front of a wide porch, she found a silent audience watching their approach. A Mexican albino male, his white suit immaculate, sat in a chair with his hands steepled as he stared at her, a leer on his face. He wasn’t a big man. The clothing hid his small stature. Beside him sat a little boy of about six years old perched on a stool, frowning. Tara stood beside him, her face devoid of expression as though she were in a trance.

  The boy wore threadbare pants and a torn T-shirt, his eyes full of sadness. She wondered if he was the man’s son or another victim of the drug lord’s careless disregard for humanity. Tara never moved a muscle as her eyes followed Jinn and Burgess.

  Dust rose as a group of Mexicans moved in closer, forming a ring around them. Palm fronds covered a small area that appeared to be a pit. Jinn sensed eyes on her back, the men watching her every move. Burgess sweat through the thin material, as did Jinn, but neither woman complained, their focus on the people waiting for action.

  How can I stop this before it even starts? Burgess has death in her eyes. I don’t want to hurt her.

  Solange moved to stand on his other side, her expression one of distaste. The woman with her guard walked over to the albino and snapped, “Let’s begin.”

  Iceman chuckled. “Patience, my sweet. Let me look them over. You have impeccable taste in gowns. It’s too bad only one of them will live. I’d like to keep them both for a while.”

  “Benito, you are a pig. You can’t handle the woman you have, let alone either of these two.” She nodded to the men beside Jinn and Burgess and took her seat beside the little boy. “Begin!”

  So this is the Iceman. Now I get why he’s called that.

  “”I’m not fighting anyone,” Jinn said, sure she wasn’t going to like what the woman had planned for her.

  Watching Solange, Jinn thought of ways to get to her and take her down. She seemed to be a bloodthirsty bitch. If she could take her time and stall, she was sure that Tab and his team would arrive to save her and Burgess. The only way she could do so was with her smart-assed mouth.

  For once the woman smiled, taking years off her looks. “You will fight to the death and kill or be killed. It’s my favorite version of a cockfight. Much more fun for me, I assure you.”

  Stunned, Jinn glanced over at Burgess, but the woman didn’t react to the statement except to say, “I’m looking forward to killing this traitor.”

  Jinn rolled her eyes. “Again with the traitor thing! I’m not going to fight you, Burgess. Not now, not ever.”

  Her hard cold glare proved to Jinn that she meant what she’d said.

  “Then prepare to die.”

  “What, are we in a bloody movie? Get over your...oof!”

  Burgess landed a kick to Jinn’s stomach, knocking her backward. Anger stirred, making her careless as she struck back, a fist to her opponent’s jaw.

  She shouted, “I’m not fighting you!”

  Iceman laughed, grating on her nerves. “Apparently you are whether you like it or not. The loser is to be tossed into the pit to your left. I made sure there was a little present in there waiting for you.”

  At the wave of his hand, a man speared at something in the pit. The angry, ominous growl proved that it was a wild cat, and a big one.Jinn knew that she would be the one going into the pit. There was no way she’d beat Burgess in the condition she was in.

  A sense of defeat distracted Jinn. She called out to Julie. I’m sorry, little sister. I did what I could. I love you.

  Jinn?

  As quickly as the connection opened, it closed once again, leaving Jinn bereft and lost. A slow, simmering fury built in her as she stood beside Burgess, both of them helpless to battle their fates. Her head still throbbed with pain, but at least she’d go down with a fight.

  “Prepare yourselves.”

  Stubborn to a fault, Jinn refused to budge until Burgess lunged, slamming her fist into Jinn’s jaw. Pain ripped through her head, and she staggered. Iceman’s cruel laughter egged her on until she found her center and spun on heel, knocking Burgess to the ground as she caught her off guard. The woman slammed down hard on the packed earth and gasped for air for a moment.

  Burgess kicked out, knocking Jinn backward then leapt to her feet, breathing hard as she regained her footing. Wary, Jinn watched her opponent, gauging her abilities. With one eye on the pit to the left of her, she kept the woman in sight. The men surrounding them laughed and called out insults, annoying the hell out of her.

  A wild yowl came from the creature within the ditch as though it could smell the blood that dripped down Jinn’s chin from the cut in her lip.The headache increased, blinding Jinn for a few seconds which gave Burgess an advantage. Jinn hit the dirt hard, pain exploding in her brain.

  “You’re toast, Dennison. You might as well give up now.”

  Barely able to catch her breath, Jinn hissed, “Dream on, Burgess.”

  “One of you will die by the other’s hand, or I’ll have you both killed after my men are finished with you,” Iceman growled.

  Neither woman looked toward him as they focused on each other. Jinn knew at that moment what she had to do.

  The next time Burgess moved in close, Jinn edged back toward the hole, knowing in that moment that she’d be buried there.

  I’m sorry, little sister, but I can’t help you.

  Burgess spun on heel and landed a roundhouse kick to Jinn’s chest that sent her flying backward. Falling as though in slow motion, Jinn’s last thought was of Tab’s passionate embrace then she knew no more.

  ***

  TT&T members stood in the shadows of the forest as the fight began, waiting for the chance to move in. Tab wanted to ensure Jinn, Burgess, and his sister were safe before he gave the order to attack, but when Jinn went sailing down into the pit, all hell broke loose as he shouted the silent command, Now!

  Taken unawares, the drug runners began falling fast under the furious onslaught of Tab’s crew. They came from all sides in silence until the shooting began. Burgess tried to escape by running toward the trees, but a shot from Iceman caught her in her thigh, and she fell, unable to get back up. Two of the enemy grabbed her and dragged her off to a truck as their leader, a young boy, and Tara all followed.

  It nearly killed Tab when he had to make the choice of saving his sister, Burgess, or Jinn. He stared at Tara who stood glaring at him from no more than fifty feet away and raised her rifle. She was about to shoot, but her expression changed to one of confusion for an instant, her blue eyes filled with indecision. When Tab took a step forward, she shot the ground at his feet in warning then turned and ran to the truck.

  Stunned, he stared after her for a moment as the truck disappeared down the rough road. She doesn’t know me. His heart broke as the pain of loss hit him.

  The sound of the wildcat shrieking brought his attention back to Jinn. “Shit! Blackstone, Jennings, get that cat out of there. I’m going down.”

  “Yes, sir!”

  Neither of the soldiers asked how they’d do so, but together they leapt into action as Tab jumped into the hole. He landed in a squat beside Jinn’s still body and faced the feline. It paced back and forth but didn’t attempt to attack. Tab waited precious moments for his team to extricate the creature so he could attend to Jinn.

  Please be alive!

  The thought of living without her occurred to him, and he began shaking in reaction. At that moment, he realized that no matter what, she had to live. Still the animal waited, pacing back and forth though Tab could tell the scent of blood excited the wild cat.

  Bamboo poles began to drop on an angle down into the hole to separate Tab and Jinn from the panther. It wasted no time in trying to climb out of the hole, slipping on the
smooth wood until its sharp claws dug in deep enough to give it leverage. The moment it was out of sight, Tab heard a scream of horror followed by shouts and more shots.

  His main concern was Jinn. Turning to her, he found her lying on her back, a broken figure. Her skin was pasty white, her body motionless. Tab shouted, “No!” The terror of that moment stretched on for a lifetime as he sought her pulse.

  “Jinn, baby. Be alive. Please, I need you.” He found a faint thread of life within her but little else. Tab gathered her in his arms and pulled her close. “God, please, don’t let her die.”

  Not one who prayed much, every cell in his body became filled with a burst of light that flowed from his hands into her still form. At first it was steady and bright, but soon it turned to a blinding flare as her back arched and she shrieked. Endless minutes seemed to pass by as the pulsing, healing energy flowed into her every cell. When the light faded, she fell limp in his arms.

  “Jinn?” he whispered, tears flooding his cheeks. He’d never cried before and was surprised to find he could. The fear of losing her was so great that he could barely catch his breath. She lay unmoving. and he wondered if she was already dead but her lashes fluttered then she opened her eyes to stare up at him in confusion.

  “I was in such a beautiful place, Tab.”

  At her words, he knew she’d passed over to the other side, however briefly, and shuddered at the thought of how close he’d come to losing her.

  “You’re okay, Jinn. When the team has things under control, we’ll get you out of here. Rest for now.”

  Her eyelids closed, and she sighed. Tab wasn’t surprised she didn’t argue with him for once. Trembling, he cradled her to his body. The sounds of battle began to fade above. Soon he’d be able to get her out of the pit. To him, it resembled a grave and he held her tighter, a shudder racing up his spine.

  “I love you, Jinn,” he whispered under his breath.

  Her body tensed slightly at his words, but she didn’t open her eyes. A single tear slowly trailed from the corner of her eye to disappear into her hair as Tab waited for the all clear.

  “It’ll be all right. I’m here. TT&T will take care of business and get us out of this hellhole.”