Young Guns Box Set

by Kane, Remington

  In Indonesia, the phone in Romeo’s hotel room rang and woke him from what had already been a fitful sleep. He and Cody had been given a rare day off from training, to rest for the upcoming competition. But now that Emma had left his life, Romeo had lost his enthusiasm for the contest, as well as his appetite.

  When he was informed that he had an early morning visitor, his heart leapt for joy, as he thought it might be Emma.

  “Is it a blonde woman?”

  “No sir, she’s a child. She said her name was Nadya.”

  “Please put her on the phone.”

  “Romeo?”

  “Why are you here, Nadya?”

  “Ayah didn’t come home, Romeo. Father is missing.”

  “I’ll be down in a few minutes. Stay there.”

  * * *

  Romeo came down into the lobby fifteen minutes later with Cody at his side. It broke his heart when he saw Nadya’s red eyes and realized she had been crying.

  “Your father took the old boat out? Maybe it developed engine trouble,” Romeo said.

  “If so, he would have used the radio for help. Something has happened to him.”

  “Did you report that he’s missing?”

  “My mother did, and our friends are out looking. Will you help me find my father?”

  “Yes, but how?”

  “We can take the new boat and go out looking, maybe we’ll get lucky.”

  Cody and Romeo agreed, and headed for the docks with Nadya.

  * * *

  Nine and a half hours later, Nadya stood up from her seat on the deck and pointed east.

  “That way, Romeo.”

  “Do you see something, Nadya?” Romeo asked.

  “Yes, it looks like debris.”

  It was debris, and it was charred on one end. Romeo kept going east and they found an old cooler that was floating atop the water. When Cody fished it out with a hook, Nadya said it looked like the one that had been on the Sea Woman.

  Another hour passed with nothing found, but then Cody spotted a series of small islands that were little more than sand bars.

  “Melihat!” Nadya cried out in her native tongue, telling the boys to look, as she pointed at a spot of blue on one island. Bagus had gone missing while wearing a blue shirt. Romeo moved the boat as close as he dared, and saw that it was a man, but he saw no movement in the form.

  Nadya took the wheel as Cody and Romeo swam to the island, and yes, it was Bagus. The older man looked pale. Three fingers on his right hand had suffered burns, and there was a gunshot wound evident on his left shoulder. Cody thought he was dead, but after Romeo pressed an ear to the man’s chest, he smiled.

  “He’s alive.”

  After holding a canteen to Bagus’s lips, the charter captain opened his eyes and sipped the water. Aboard the boat, Nadya was radioing for help.

  “What happened, Bagus?” Romeo asked.

  “Cramer… threw bottles… started a fire.”

  “You’re saying that Cramer tried to kill you?”

  Bagus said one word before passing out again, “Yes.”

  * * *

  Bagus was suffering from exhaustion and dehydration. The doctors advised the police to wait until the following morning before questioning him. The boys said nothing to anyone about Bagus’s claim that Chase Cramer had tried to kill him. No, they would handle Cramer on their own.

  * * *

  After learning that Bagus had survived his ordeal at sea, Chase Cramer was nervous that the authorities would come to see him. He and the two men that had attacked Bagus gathered on his main charter vessel to talk things over. Cramer sent one of the men below deck to the galley for more whisky. When the blond man didn’t return, Cramer became annoyed and yelled down to him.

  “What’s taking so long?”

  “I can’t find it.”

  “It’s right there in the lower cabinet.”

  “Where?”

  “Marko, go help the blind man, will you?”

  The other man laughed and headed below. When he failed to return, Cramer yelled again.

  “What the fuck, guys, are you both blind?”

  “We’re drinking down here; it’s cooler,” said the blond man.

  Cramer hefted his muscular bulk up and trod down the stairs. The blond man was seated at the small table, but the second man, Marko, was lying on the floor.

  “What happened?” Cramer asked. When Cody and Romeo stepped out from behind a curtain holding pistols, Cramer got his answer.

  He pointed at the boys. “If you fire those guns everyone in the marina will come running.”

  “We know that,” Cody said. In his other hand he was holding one of Cramer’s dumbbells. Cody flung the ten-pound weight at Cramer and hit him in the head. Cramer grunted, then fell to his knees. When Romeo added a kick to the face, Cramer went down to lie beside Marko.

  The blond man kept swallowing while clenching and unclenching his fists.

  “Are you going to kill us?”

  “What do you think?” Cody said.

  Romeo had picked up the weight. He swung it around and bashed the man in the forehead, but not hard enough to kill him. After pulling up a hood to hide his face, Romeo went up top and got the boat underway.

  * * *

  Cramer awoke last, to find himself bound by fishing line that was attached to his weights. Since he was the heaviest of the three, he was connected to the hundred-pound dumbbells. One of the other men was talking, babbling really. It was the one named Marko, with the crew cut.

  “—was all Cramer man, me and Mikey were just doing what we were paid to do. You let me go and I swear I’ll leave Indonesia and you’ll never see me again.”

  Romeo knelt down beside him, then gripped a railing to steady himself on the deck.

  “Who sent those men with the machetes to kill Bagus and his daughter?”

  “Cramer! Everything that happened was Cramer’s fault.”

  “And where were you when Bagus’s boat was burned?”

  “He was throwing Molotov cocktails right alongside me,” Cramer said, the disgust he felt for Marko evident in his voice. “And listen, kid, you can kill me, yeah, but that would be stupid. I’ve got money. I could set you and your friend up good and even give you a new boat, think about that.”

  When Romeo looked over at Cody and asked, “What do you think?” Cramer smiled, as he believed he was about to buy his way out of trouble and be spared.

  That hope was dashed when Cody surveyed their surroundings and sent Romeo a nod.

  “Yeah, we’re good here. No one will hear or see a thing.”

  “No damn it, no! We can make a deal,” Cramer said, the pitch of his voice climbing high.

  Cramer and his cohorts were pushed off the boat after being bludgeoned to death. The blond man, the one Marko had called Mikey, was the last one to die. He went quietly with a stoic expression on his face. Unlike Cramer and Marko who moaned and begged, he accepted his fate as a natural outcome of the life he had led. Strangely, Cody found that he felt a grudging respect for the man.

  After giving the boat a thorough search and cleaning, the boys returned to the dock. They waited until two a.m. to leave and walked back to their hotel on foot. After moving past the broken security camera they had vandalized before leaving, they entered their respective rooms, which were side by side.

  A quick shower and a shave and they met at the car within seconds of each other, then headed off to Maz’s home for what would be the first round of the contest. Neither of them had slept in nearly a day.

  “If we lose our bouts, I guess we’ll know why,” Cody said, followed by a yawn.

  “I’m gonna win,” Romeo said. “Emma left me because of what I am, but if I’m gonna do this, live this life, I’ll damn well be as good at it as I can.”

  “You’re not a bad guy, Romeo. If you were, you wouldn’t have cared about helping Bagus.”

  “That’s not what Emma thinks.”

  “She’s wrong, and you
know she’s wrong.”

  “Have you ever been in love, Cody?”

  “No, and I don’t think I want to be. It screwed up my father’s life when he fell in love with my stepmother, Claire. In a way, that’s what killed my family.”

  “Shit, dude, you can’t think like that. I know I was only with Emma for a short time, but they were the best days of my life.”

  “Was it really that good being in love?”

  “Everything but the ending,” Romeo said.

  24

  One Down, One To Go

  PHOENIX, ARIZONA, AUGUST 2018

  Kayla’s gun had cleared her holster, but she knew she was moving too slow to avoid getting shot. Then, Kuper jerked his head to the left and a look of terror washed over him.

  Tanner slammed into Kuper while driving Tonya’s electric car, sending Kuper airborne. He landed twenty-six feet away, and his landing was not a soft one, as his skull impacted a brick wall. If the trauma to his head hadn’t killed Kuper, his broken neck would have.

  The shotgun Kuper had been holding hit the ground and skidded under Kayla’s van to come out the other side. Kayla noticed the weapon as she opened her door to talk to Tanner, but then saw him take off. She was wondering about Tanner’s actions when she realized he was speaking to her from her phone, which was still clutched in her left hand.

  “Why did you leave?”

  “It’s possible that someone passing by in a car witnessed me hitting that guy. That means the cops will show. You also need to report it, or you might get in trouble. This is Tonya’s car I’m driving, once it’s traced, she’ll be blamed for the hit & run.”

  “You saved my life, Xavier.”

  “You had your gun out; I saw it.”

  “I would have been too late. He was already pulling the trigger.”

  “Call the cops and tell them you witnessed a hit & run. I’ll call you later, after I’ve dealt with Tonya.”

  “No. I want a piece of that bitch. You call me once you’re settled and I’ll come to you.”

  “I have to be the one to kill her, Kayla. She’s a contract.”

  “I don’t want to kill her, but I’ll make her talk and tell us where we can find Russell.”

  “All right. I’ll call you.”

  * * *

  Kayla joined Tanner three hours later at a spot out in the desert that was near an old road that rarely saw use. After leaving her van parked near Tonya’s rental, which had a dent in its hood, Kayla walked for over a mile. She came upon Tanner near an abandoned mining shack. Kayla told him what had happened after he left the alley.

  As Tanner suspected, someone else had seen him run down Kuper. It was a janitor in a building who had been looking out the window while talking on his phone. The man filmed Tanner’s exit from the alley and had captured Kayla’s van. Had she left the scene, she would have been in trouble.

  As things stood, Tonya was now wanted for the murder of Kuper, whose first name had been Elroy. Elroy Kuper had been dishonorably discharged from the army at nineteen and drifted around ever since. A Phoenix native with a connection to Russell, he had recently returned home after living in Africa. He would be traveling no more.

  Tanner had Tonya lying on a blanket with her wrists and ankles bound by tape. Tonya had regained consciousness and had vomited on herself twice. When Kayla gazed down at Tonya’s pale and sweaty face, a look of disgust came over her.

  “She looks like hell.”

  “If I didn’t kill her, the infection would. If left alone, she might not make it through tomorrow.”

  Kayla sent a kick into Tonya’s ribs. When Tonya looked up at her, there was recognition in her glazed expression.

  “You almost killed my sister. You’re going to pay for that.”

  Tonya mumbled something unintelligible, but the tone was defiant. When Kayla put on gloves and took out a knife, fear flickered to life in Tonya’s eyes.

  Kayla held the knife in front of Tonya.

  “You’re going to tell us where to find Russell. The only question is, how much will you suffer before you do so.”

  “I won’t tell you shit.”

  Kayla slid the tip of the knife across Tonya’s chin, causing the woman to hiss in pain. Next, she cut her right cheek, then her left. When she gripped Tonya by the hair and held the blade near an eye, Tonya shouted, “Don’t!”

  “Russell,” Kayla said. “Where is that bastard?”

  “I don’t know.”

  The knife gouged a spot an inch below Tonya’s left eye. She writhed about, only making the wound deeper.

  “The trailer park! Russell is at the trailer park.”

  “Which one,” Kayla said.

  Tonya told her, then told her again, and again, as Kayla kept cutting. When Kayla was satisfied that the woman wasn’t lying, she handed the knife to Tanner.

  “Plant that on Russell so the cops think he tortured her.”

  “Can it be traced to you or Zoe?”

  “No,” Kayla said, as she gazed down at Tonya, who was moaning in agony from her wounds. “I believe she told us the truth.”

  “I’d say so,” Tanner said, as he stared at Kayla.

  He had known her for nearly twenty years but had never seen the tough side of her. Apparently, it was not a good idea to mess with her family.

  Kayla planted a kiss on the side of Tanner’s mouth. “I’ll give you a lift when you’re done.”

  “I won’t be long,” Tanner said.

  As Kayla walked away to head back to her van, Tonya stared up at Tanner. She was a wreck and her face was in ruins from the abuse caused by Kayla’s blade. Figuring there was no need to risk a gunshot attracting attention, Tanner covered Tonya’s mouth and nose with his gloved hands.

  Tonya struggled, and for over a minute, but in her weakened state she had no chance. Tanner removed his hands after seeing the light leave her eyes.

  * * *

  As Tanner joined Kayla in the van, she spoke to him.

  “I’m going to the hospital to visit Zoe, or do you want me to come along with you?”

  “I’ll handle Russell. You take care of your sister.”

  “When you’re done with him, call me. I want us to say a proper goodbye over a meal.”

  “I’ll do that, and I’ll have some money for you.”

  Kayla drove back a different way than she’d arrived, since it was faster to reach the motel where Tanner’s car was still parked. Kayla was quieter than usual. As they neared the motel, she spoke again.

  “I wanted to kill Tonya. I wanted to take that knife and plunge it into her neck, the way she put a bullet in Zoe’s throat. I wondered sometimes how you could do what you do… killing people. I thought it must be tough to live with.”

  “It is, for most, but I’m built differently. I don’t have nightmares or regrets. The people I kill need killing, like Tonya and Russell.”

  “I get it now, I do. If I had killed her, I would have slept like a baby tonight.”

  “I know I will,” Tanner said.

  25

  Friends Again

  PADANG, INDONESIA, NOVEMBER 2001

  Despite their lack of sleep, Cody and Romeo defeated their first-round opponents handily. They were moving on to the second-round, which would take place the next day.

  They had to defeat two men each in the first and second phases. Although they would be facing only one man in the third and final phase of the contest, the competition would be tougher on that final day. If one of them was still standing, they would be in a battle for the trophy.

  Throne had crushed his first two opponents. He kicked one man so hard that he flew over a dozen feet to land outside the sand ring. When Maz checked on the man’s condition, he said he had broken ribs.

  A field of thirty-two combatants had been whittled down to eight, but only one man would be standing when it was over.

  After the competition ended for the day, Cody and Romeo were so pumped up that they didn’t feel like sleeping. Inste
ad, they headed to the hospital to check on Bagus.

  * * *

  The look of delight on Nadya’s face at seeing him made Romeo smile. He was still angry that she had brought about his breakup with Emma, but he couldn’t stay mad at Nadya. Her affection for him was evident in the girl’s eyes, and Romeo didn’t believe she had acted out of malice.

  Nadya took him by the hand, then moaned when she saw the bruise forming under Romeo’s left eye.

  “You fought in the competition today?”

  “We both did, and we won too.”

  “Come see Ayah. He’s doing better.”

  The boys entered the room just as Bagus’s roommate was being rolled out in a wheelchair by a nurse. Bagus looked much better, but his hand and shoulder were wrapped in bandages and there were stitches on the side of his head from a cut he’d suffered.

  When Bagus saw Cody and Romeo, he beckoned them closer to the bed, then spoke to Nadya.

  “Where is your mother?”

  “She’s talking to the doctor.”

  “Go sit in the hallway and wait for her while I speak to our friends.”

  Nadya smiled, pleased that her father considered Romeo a friend once more. After giving Romeo and Cody a hug, she left the room.

  “I was told that Chase Cramer has run off and that the police are looking for him. I’m worried that he may go after my family. Will you help me?”

  “You don’t have to worry, Bagus,” Romeo said. “Chase Cramer won’t be back.”

  Bagus opened his mouth to disagree, then, he saw something in Romeo’s eyes.

  “You’ve already helped me?”

  “Your family will stay safe,” Cody said.

  Bagus’ huffed, as much in surprise as relief.

  “There is a need for men such as yourselves. I see that now, and I thank you for being such good friends. I’m ashamed at myself for how I treated you the other day.”