“I didn’t kill anybody; I was in Scotland until yesterday.”
“We’ll see what you say when we torture you.” Red-face climbed out of the jeep and slung his rifle over his back. “Chauncey, you and I will walk him back to the camp. You others take a look around before heading back. Maybe you’ll find his dark-haired friend.”
Romeo was yanked from the ground and hustled toward the camp. When he looked over his shoulder, he saw the jeep headed in the opposite direction. They were looking for Cody. If they came across him, their plan would fall apart.
Romeo relaxed. They would never see Cody unless he wanted to be seen, and soon, very soon, they would all be dead.
I’m coming, Emma, hold on, baby, I’m coming.
* * *
Cody had watched Romeo’s capture take place. He was lying at the base of a fir tree with the binoculars to his eyes. When Red-face aimed his gun at Romeo, Cody had held his breath. He was too far away for his handgun to be effective and could only watch.
When Romeo was led away, Cody grinned. The plan was working. As the jeep went off to look for him, he followed Romeo’s progress while staying to the trees.
He knew he must be setting off perimeter alarms inside the commune. However, they would be ignored because it would be assumed that Romeo and his captors were triggering them. Slipping inside the small community behind a building that had no rear windows, Cody watched and saw that Romeo was taken into the main structure. It was a building with an office and was where Canterbury spent most of his time.
Cody sighed. Romeo was on his own. That was the plan. After being captured, Romeo was to find a way to escape. It made Cody feel better to know that the razor blade hidden inside Romeo’s boot hadn’t been discovered. With the blade, Romeo could free himself from the plastic cuffs they had placed on his wrists.
As for Cody, his part of the plan was to thin the herd. He was to stay hidden and kill as many of Canterbury’s people as he could before being discovered and pursued. By the time that happened, according to the plan, Romeo would be free, causing Canterbury’s men to fight a battle on two fronts.
Twenty-six men against two potential Tanners, Cody thought. They don’t stand a chance.
He moved among the shadows, while stalking prey with a knife clutched firmly in his grasp.
* * *
Ray Canterbury looked thinner up close than he had at a distance. Romeo guessed the bald man didn’t tip the scales over a hundred and thirty pounds. The man’s blue eyes looked like a pair of lifeless marbles sitting in the middle of the folds of wrinkles around his deep eye sockets.
There was another man present, it was Red-face, whom Romeo had learned was named Evans. Canterbury was pacing in front of the wing chair Romeo had been plopped in and was making accusations.
“You’re one of the men that attacked Livingston’s compound. We know it and you know it.”
“Dude, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t know any Livingston and I don’t know what compound you mean either. I’m out here on a hike. Let me go and I’ll get the hell away from here.”
“We’ll find your partner too, but you could save yourself some pain by telling us where he is.”
“I don’t have a partner. Like I said, I was out hiking alone and then I—”
Romeo stopped talking in midsentence because he had heard a familiar sound. It was the rat-a-tat-tat of gunfire. The noise was faint, distinct but faint; it sounded like it was traveling up from beneath him.
“I think he heard the shots coming from the firing range,” Evans said.
“It doesn’t mean a thing,” Canterbury said. “He’ll never live to tell anyone about it.”
Canterbury walked over to a closet. When he returned, he was holding a tool box.
“We’ll get the Yank to talk.” After sorting through the tools, Canterbury removed a pair of needle-nosed pliers. “I’ll need you to hold him down, Evans.”
Evans and Canterbury moved toward Romeo; he feigned terror as he stared at the pliers.
“What the hell, man, what are you planning to do?”
Evans sprang on Romeo and gripped him around the chest and shoulders, pinning him to the chair. Canterbury moved behind him and held the zip tie binding his wrists. Romeo assumed that Canterbury was intending to use the pliers to rip off his fingernails. If that was the case, he should have made sure that he’d be unable to resist. Having Evans hold him was not going to be enough.
Romeo reared back his head then brought it forward and smashed Evans on the nose. As Evans released him to straighten up and back away, Romeo rose from the chair and sent a kick back at Canterbury. He was unable to see the man. However, judging by the rush of air released when his boot connected, he’d struck Canterbury in the gut.
Evans was fumbling for the knife on his belt when Romeo swept his legs out from under him. With the man down, Romeo moved in and stomped on his throat. Evans’ gray eyes bulged in their sockets and the red face turned even redder.
Without wasting time to check, Romeo assumed that Canterbury was recovered and about to strike. He dove to the floor, did a shoulder roll, and ended up with his feet between Canterbury’s legs. The bald man looked as if he were having trouble catching his breath after the blow to his midsection. That hadn’t stopped him from removing the pistol holstered on his belt. Romeo kicked upwards as hard as he was able and his heel crushed Canterbury’s testicles.
A garbled sound escaped Canterbury as he bent over. With his hands still bound, Romeo had limited options. He snapped his head at Canterbury’s gun hand and bit hard on a finger. The gun slipped from Canterbury’s grip and landed in Romeo’s lap. Romeo leaned back again and delivered a kick to Canterbury’s chin. That sent the man tumbling backwards. Canterbury landed with his top half on his desk, only to slide to the floor. He wasn’t unconscious, but it did appear that he was down for the count.
With Evans turning blue and struggling to rise, and Canterbury no threat, Romeo got to his feet and moved over to the door. If anyone heard the struggle taking place, they would investigate. Then again, they might mistake the ruckus for the sounds of torture.
As he waited to see if the door would open, Romeo twisted his foot around to his back and managed to free the razor blade hidden inside his boot. The sharp blade made short work of the zip tie. While he was doing that, Evans had fallen onto his face. His ruined throat wasn’t allowing any air to reach his lungs.
With his hands free, Romeo claimed Canterbury’s gun, which was an old Ruger. A glance at Evans revealed that he had stopped moving and would likely never move again.
Canterbury was moving though, as he regained his senses. Romeo put a stop to that by giving the man another kick to the face, this time square in the teeth. That knocked the man out. A pair of handcuffs were in the bottom drawer of Canterbury’s desk. Romeo put them on Canterbury then used a roll of clear adhesive packing tape to gag his mouth and bind his ankles together. Duct tape would have been better, but you used what you had.
After locking the door and tucking a wooden chair beneath its knob, Romeo turned his full attention to the sounds he was hearing.
Gunshots, the sound of numerous rifles being fired. It was coming from below him, he was certain of it, and yet, he found no door leading to a basement. Noticing that the sound was more pronounced near the brick fireplace, Romeo studied it in detail.
A slight wafting of air was coming from the right side. After probing the bricks with his hands, Romeo found the hidden latch. With the lock disabled, the entire fireplace rolled aside with a silent ease that was impressive. Whoever had designed and built the hidden doorway was talented.
With the entrance uncovered, the sound of the shooting was obvious. The flip of a switch turned on a dim light and revealed a crude set of stairs carved out of stone. Romeo went down them with Canterbury’s Ruger leading the way, and the sound of the shooting continued.
93
Here’s The Deal
NEW ORLEANS,
LOUISIANA, JANUARY 2019
Playing a hunch, Tanner followed Chief Cross after the man left the farm in the early morning hours, once the bodies had been cleared away. He was hoping the chief would lead him to Randolph Grey, and he did, however, Grey wasn’t at his home.
Chief Cross entered a construction site where an office building was being erected. Although the workers wouldn’t be reporting to work for hours, the main construction trailer was occupied.
* * *
Chief Cross entered the job trailer and found Gator getting a cast applied to his forearm by a doctor. Randolph Grey was also there along with Flash. The scent of gasoline was in the air thanks to the smell clinging to Gator’s clothes. To counteract it, Grey had cracked open a window.
The chief opened his mouth to talk but Grey held up a hand telling him to remain silent, then Grey’s eyes slid to the doctor. The doctor was a retired general practitioner who Grey was friends with. He had agreed to help out Grey but knew nothing about what was going on.
Gator couldn’t risk going to the hospital to have his arm seen to. Not because he feared arrest, no, he had been afraid that Tanner might track him down there.
When the doctor finished putting on the cast, Grey thanked him and said that he’d be in touch. As the trailer door closed behind the doctor, Grey spoke to the chief.
“What’s the situation out at that farm?”
“Fourteen dead bikers, and Kendra nearly died when the barn caught fire.”
Grey’s eyes slid over to Gator. “That woman was not to be harmed. I need her to sign the contracts.”
“I know, that barn fire started as we were leaving. One of my guys ran in there when he was on fire. Hell, I’m lucky I wasn’t roasted with him.”
“Can you charge the Boudreaux woman with murder, Chief?” Grey asked. “If so, she might be willing to sell the farm if the charges could be made to go away.”
“I could arrest her, but it wouldn’t stick. Those bikers were on private property and carrying illegal weapons.”
“It’s Tanner,” Gator said. “Once we kill him that bitch will sell her farm.”
The trailer door opened, and Tanner stepped inside while holding a gun at his side.
“I’m right here, Gator. Why don’t you try killing me now?”
Chief Cross moved back a few feet while holding up a hand.
“Put that gun away.”
Tanner paid no attention to the chief and looked over at Flash. Flash was dressed in a suit with no tie.
“The last time I saw you, Flash, you were a biker like Gator. What happened, did you get civilized?”
“Something like that, mon ami,” Flash said.
Grey had been seated behind a metal desk. He stood and smiled at Tanner.
“I’m Randolph Grey, Mr. Tanner, and you look like a man who might be amenable to a deal.”
“You’re right, and here’s the deal. The Boudreaux farm is off-limits. If you keep coming, I’ll put you down. Take it or leave it.”
“You killed fourteen Dixie Devils, motherfucker,” Gator said, “but there are a hell of a lot more of us. You’re the one who’s going to die.”
Tanner ignored Gator and spoke to Grey.
“This is your show. What’s your answer?”
Grey sat back down as he spoke. “You win. Kendra Boudreaux can keep her farm and I’ll move on to another project.”
“Just like that?” Tanner said.
“I know when to fish or cut bait.”
“Hey, Tanner,” Flash said.
“Yeah?”
“We should have had that duel way back when. If we had, this shit wouldn’t be happening now.”
“If we had, you’d be dead, Flash.”
Flash shook his head. “I was faster than you back then and I’m even faster now.”
Tanner holstered his gun then unholstered it again. His movements were just a blur.
“Damn!” Gator said. “He is almost as fast as you, Flash.”
Flash smiled. “That’s right, Gator, almost.”
Tanner reached behind him and opened the door, before leaving he spoke to Grey. “Keep your word or I’ll be back.” A moment later he was through the door and blending in among shadows.
* * *
With Tanner gone, Grey stood again, to pace about the trailer.
“That man has to be handled.”
“I’ll do it,” Flash said.
“Don’t worry about it, Flash,” Gator said. “I called Drake on the way here.”
“Who is Drake?” Grey asked.
“He’s the leader of the Miami chapter of the Dixie Devils,” Flash said.
“He’s coming here with fifty guys,” Gator said. “Even Tanner can’t kill fifty men.”
Chief Cross let out a moan. “You’re turning my town into a war zone. The fourteen men that died tonight were more dead bodies than we normally handle in a year.”
“One more won’t hurt,” Gator said, “and the next body will be Tanner’s.”
94
Target Practice
THE MEON VALLEY, ENGLAND, OCTOBER 2003
Cody used an unconventional method to kill the fifth man he’d come across while entering the commune. The first four had died without ever knowing why, as he stunned them before stabbing them to death.
The key was to be silent as he killed, and to keep his victims from calling out for help. The fifth man had nearly spoiled that when he had spotted Cody’s reflection in a window. The bearded man had been doing dishes at a kitchen sink. He spun around while reaching for the knife on his belt and opening his mouth to cry out for help. There were others in the home, at the other end of the ranch-style house. They would come running upon hearing a cry of alarm.
Cody had been ready for such a reaction from the terrorist. He’d been holding a rock in his left hand and hurled it at the man. His intention had been to stun the man with the rock in order to stifle his cry of alarm. Instead, the rock entered the open mouth in the middle of the beard and sealed the thug’s airway.
A look of panic gripped the man as he gagged on the stone lodged in his throat. Cody sheathed his knife and took hold of the terrorist, while pinning his arms and dragging him away from the sink. As the air in his lungs dwindled, the man struggled to get free and kicked out wildly. Other than the sound of his scuffling feet, there was little noise made.
Tense minutes passed, the struggle lessened, ceased, and the man went limp. Cody lowered him to the floor then dragged him into the pantry and out of view. With his knife in his hands again, he went after victim number six.
* * *
Romeo crept down the stone steps and emerged into a cavern. Canterbury’s house sat on what had once been a mine of some sort, or more likely a cave. Following the sounds of the shooting, Romeo rounded a curve and saw an odd sight.
There were five men lined up with their backs to him at a shooting range. Each man was separated from the others by unfinished plywood walls that were about eight feet high. The space was illuminated by strings of lights that had been suspended overhead. Power for the lights was acquired through the generators he and Cody had seen.
Each man wore safety goggles and hearing protection as they fired at paper targets that were on a wire pulley system. There didn’t seem to be anyone in charge of the range. Romeo assumed that meant the men were each responsible for keeping things in order.
Since no one had turned to look at him or could hear his movements over the sound of the shooting, he decided to take a look behind a counter that was on his right. There was a door behind that counter, a thick metal door that was sitting ajar.
Peering inside the small room the door hid, Romeo spotted rows of assault rifles and crates of ammunition. There were also wrapped packages that might hold explosives of some sort. After checking to see that no one had yet noticed him or grown closer, Romeo slipped into the room and armed himself with one of the rifles.
When he emerged from the room, Romeo was ready for target prac
tice.
He shot the man on the far left in the back of the head just as the guy was taking a shot of his own. The man had hit the bulls-eye, so had Romeo. The other four men showed no reaction. Romeo was shooting with the same rifle they were using, and it made the same sound, which echoed about the chamber like the others had.
A second man fell, then a third. The fourth shooter, instead of dropping to the rough-hewn floor as the others had, twisted violently to his right and slammed against the plywood barrier separating himself from the fifth man.
That man had been in the middle of changing magazines. He had either taken notice of the thumping sound or maybe he’d seen the barrier shake. Having grown curious, he’d peered around the sheet of wood and saw that his neighbor at the shooting range had slid to the floor with a serious head wound. Given where they were, he must have thought a tragic accident had occurred while the man was shooting. As he turned around to head for help, Romeo placed a shot between his worried-looking eyes.
Sans the minor complication with the fifth man, all five shooters had died without incident. If they had registered Romeo’s shots, they thought they had come from their fellow shooters.
After grabbing more ammunition, Romeo smashed a computer against one of the stone walls so that he could claim the disk drive. He was hoping it contained information they could use, which was likely, since Canterbury felt the need to hide it underground and behind a metal door. When he was done, Romeo headed back up the staircase and into Canterbury’s office.
Canterbury was still out cold, and Evans was still dead. Romeo plucked a hammer from the same toolbox where Canterbury had gotten the pliers. After closing and locking the hidden door leading to the cavern below, Romeo smashed the mechanism that opened it. That would keep anyone from getting their hands on weapons and give him and Cody a huge advantage.
Young Guns Box Set Page 43