by L.T. Ryan
10
Jack stood behind Bear’s apartment building for close to fifteen minutes. He was getting more agitated with every second that passed. “C’mon Bear!” he kept muttering under his breath.
“I’m right here,” a deep voice said from behind.
“Jesus!” Jack said. “I would have killed you if I heard you coming up behind me like that.”
“You didn’t hear me, though. Did you?”
Jack wondered how a man that large could be so invisible and so quiet. He had been in several sticky situations with Bear and not once had the enemy got the drop on him. Jack could partner with any spy, thief, or killer-for-hire in the country. But time again he chose Bear.
“Did you bring everything?” asked Jack.
Bear rolled his eyes at him and sighed. “Really, Jack?” He held out a duffel bag.
Jack grabbed the bag and inspected the weapons one by one to make sure everything was there. “Ok. Looks good to me.”
“When will you stop doubting me?” Bear said with a laugh.
“When we can get through one of these without me having to save your ass,” Jack said.
Bear laughed.
The stress of the day had finally got to Jack. These missions usually didn’t involve personal feelings. But tonight was different. It was his fault that two women and one little girl were in danger of losing their lives. He swore an oath to a dying man to protect Clarissa. He might as well have done the same for Mandy, because there was no way he was going to let her or her mother, if she was still alive, die.
Jack shushed Bear to get him to be quiet, but the large man’s full belly laugh was too much for him and he joined in. They were in hysterics. So much so that they didn’t notice one of the a man sneaking up on them.
“Freeze!”
The two men turned to see the man standing there with a gun pointed at them. Their laughter stopped but the smiles lingered.
“What do you make of this, Jack?” asked Bear.
“Hmmm, not sure, Bear,” Jack replied. “There’s only one, so it’s not an asshole convention.”
Bear chuckled.
“You know you’re not getting paid for this one, Bear. You don’t have to laugh at my jokes,” Jack said.
“In that case I don’t know if this is worth it.” Bear acted like he was going to walk away.
“You two just shut up. Shut up or I’ll shoot,” the man said.
Jack gave Bear a look. The two had worked together so long that they could communicate without saying a word. Time was running out. The man’s partner would be coming around soon. Jack was surprised he wasn’t there already.
Bear winked at Jack. The big man clutched his chest with both hands and fell to his knees. His eyes rolled back in his head. He hit the ground while letting out a loud groan.
“Bear,” Jack said.
“What the hell is wrong with him?” the man asked.
“It looks like he is having a heart attack.”
“Bullshit,” the man said while pointing at Bear. “What are you two trying to pu—“
That was all he got out. The instant the man looked down at Bear, Jack lifted his right knee and pulled out the tactical sidekick boot knife he kept strapped to his calf. In one fluid motion he closed the gap and plunged the knife into the man’s neck severing his carotid artery. Jack regained his balance and sliced the knife across the man’s neck, sealing his fate.
“Let’s get the fuck outta here, Bear.”
They ran for a block and got in one of Bear’s cars. Hopefully the old man hadn’t made this one yet.