Hardened by Steel

by J. B. Havens

  “I fucking said ‘copy that’, now let me go,”

  He jerked back like I had slapped him. There was no respect in my voice in that second. I wasn’t thinking about how much deep shit I was in with Jackson; I wasn’t thinking about losing my command. All I was focused on was Aunt Beatrice and getting her to safety.

  “The ice you’re walking on is thin and melting fast.” He pivoted on his heel and stomped off. He was pissed and I just couldn’t bring myself to give a flying fuck right this second.

  Pushing all thoughts of Jackson aside, I strode quickly into the hangar, my boots thudding harshly on the concrete. Even my footsteps belied my anxiousness.

  “On me, guys!” I shouted. They lined up in a loose formation near the bench in front of our lockers; they were already geared up, looking every inch the bad-asses they were. I quickly jerked on my flak vest and grabbed my MP-5, slipping the sling over my head and across my chest. I was ready to go in less than a minute.

  “Listen up. We need to move. As soon as we’re in the air, Jones, I need satellite feeds for Ambrose, Ohio. I’ll give you the address on the plane. Jordon, you’re going in with me. Rook, stick next to Flynn and Pierce.” I finished pulling on my tactical hood, which I let hang down off my face and around my neck. Grabbing my helmet, I strode to the jet.

  Stepping aboard, I didn’t wait for the captain to arrive. “Flynn, now. Get us in the air.” He nodded, all business, pushing his normal bull-shit aside. They were all tuned into the urgency that I was exhibiting in my tone and actions. “Sit down and buckle up, ladies. We have zero time. Rook, you ready?”

  “Copy,” he said, as he sat in the first seat he came to.

  “Mic, fucking tell us what we are heading into,” Pierce said, as we began to taxi down the runway. The engines roared and we sped up, lifting into the air with ease. “We’re flying blind here.”

  “We’re going to get my aunt.” I think I heard each and every jaw drop onto the floor.

  “Come again?” Jones said, disbelieving.

  “My Aunt Beatrice lives in Ambrose, Ohio. She’s in danger from the cartel kissing-cousin of Mateo and Diego. They’re going after her to get to me. We have to get her first. Period.” There was much more to it than that, but I didn’t care to explain that right now. There would be time for explanations later, after I had my aunt safe at my side.

  “Fuck me,” Jordon groaned.

  “You sure?” Jones asked; he was typing away, fingers flashing on the keys as the monitors above him sprang to life. Satellite images filtered in popping up in quadrants on the screen one-by-one. “What’s the address, Mic?” Jones wasn’t wasting time on the ‘why’ or ‘how.’

  “64 Elm.”

  “Really, Mic, your aunt lives on Elm Street?” Jordon forced a laugh, attempting to inject some levity into the situation. There was none to be had.

  I sank back into the buttery leather of my seat, breathing deep and trying to calm my racing heart. We were going to get there in time. No doubt we were going to scare her half to death. The last time I saw her was shortly after I graduated from basic training. I had been about to be assigned to intelligence and there wasn’t much I could tell her, even then. It was only nine very short months later that I became the first member of Steel. That was five years ago.

  “Yes. Now shut up, Jordon.” His face fell into a familiar angry mask. Fuck. I was really screwing up with everyone today. “Jones, we need transport as soon as we touch down.”

  “Copy, already on it.” The jet leveled out from its climb, we were at cruising altitude.

  Unbuckling, I stood and went into the cockpit, shutting the door behind me. I sat in the co-pilot chair for no other reason than I had never sat there before.

  “Flynn, ETA.”

  “One hour with this headwind.” An hour. I could deal with an hour.

  “I found a small airport fairly close to the town. Here are the coordinates,” he said, handing me a slip of paper. I stood and stepped back into the cabin again.

  “Here’s where we’re landing. I want two SUVs,” I said, handing Jones the paper.

  “That’s going to be a tall order, Mic. This is a small town. I’ll do what I can.” Translated, that meant if I had one SUV and one sedan, I was just going to have to deal with it.

  “Sit down, Mic, relax; tell us what’s going on. You’re not making any sense.” Pierce was right. I was running on an adrenaline high right now; my hands were shaking and fear for my aunt was turning my stomach sour.

  “We all remember Diego, right?” Stares of disbelief greeted my question. “Okay then, before Diego came to visit us, he made a few phone calls. He knew my name somehow. He gave it to his tech people and they tracked my aunt down through my death certificate, of all things. I call her after every mission and leave her a message. I tell her I’m alive and no more.”

  “What the ever loving fuck, Mic!” Pierce shouted at me. “Are you brain dead or something?”

  “Okay, I deserved that.” I ran my hand through my hair, frustrated. Fuck, did I hate being in the wrong. “Now, after we sent Diego to hell, his widow was pretty pissed. She called out a hit on my aunt. The DEA is working with the Mexican Police and they have an informant in the Vega cartel. The hit is happening tonight. We have to get there first.”

  “Then what?” Jordon asked.

  “Then we get her on this plane and we go to the Wonka House.” Flynn let out a huge “Whoop, whoop!” from the cockpit. Flynn loved the Wonka House, it was like having the best playground around and never being able to use it. Anytime we got to go, he was like a little kid at a free toy giveaway.

  “The what, now?” Rook asked. Jordon raised his hand, seconding the question.

  “I can’t explain. You’ll just have to see it.” I thought the name was pretty self-explanatory, but who knew? Maybe it wasn’t. “Flynn! ETA?”

  “Fifteen or so,” he shouted back.

  “Okay, gear up, check your weapons. Jones, do you have that satellite feed yet?” I pulled the slide back on my rifle, making sure a round was in the chamber. Leaving the safety on for now, I let it hang on its sling.

  “Coming online now, Mic.” He hit a button and the main screen lit up. You could see my aunt’s roof and the surrounding houses. Her car was in her driveway, so it looked like she was home.

  “Why don’t you call her? Let her know we’re coming?” Jordon asked.

  “You’re right, Jordon! Fuck me, why didn’t I think of that?” I glared at him over my shoulder until he got the message. “Yeah, Sherlock, her phones are tapped.” I surveyed the screen, looking for any potential threats. It looked quiet and clear with nothing out of the ordinary. Just a normal split-level house with a nice deck. Same as those in half of the suburbs of America.

  “Jones, I want you in this tree. Jordon, on my six. Pierce, take the back with Rook. Flynn, you’re driving and providing our extraction cover; though once I assess the situation that may change. Got it, boys?”

  They studied the live images with me. Seeing what I was seeing, lots of bushes for cover. Deep shadows along the fence, a blind spot under the deck. Just because we didn’t readily see a threat, didn’t mean it wasn’t there.

  I checked my watch—it was nearly midnight. She would be in bed sleeping and completely unaware of the immense danger she was in.

  “Sit your asses down, we’re landing.” Flynn hit the fasten seatbelt sign a couple times, making it do that annoying ‘ding’ sound over and over.

  “Fucking Flynn,” Jordon muttered.

  “Jones, switch to thermal.” He tapped the keys and the screen switched from green night vision to grey and white thermal. There was a heat signature in my aunt’s bedroom. We had a fairly generous view. As I watched three, and then four, heat profiles popped up in the yards of the neighbors. They fanned out and slowly made their way to her house.

  I gripped the back of Jones’s chair as we landed and I pulled my hood up over my mouth, pleased to see that my team did so as we
ll. Before the engines were even fully shut off, we were out of the plane and running to the waiting SUV.

  “Everybody in!” There was only one SUV waiting, but it was better than no wheels. Pushing Flynn aside, I took the driver’s seat. Thankfully the rental company had left the keys in the ignition and I didn’t have to fuck around finding them.

  I knew these roads and could get us there much faster than Flynn. Luckily, this airstrip was only about a ten-minute drive from her house; I would make it in significantly less.

  “Go, Mic, go!” Flynn shouted, as Jordon who was last, climbed in. I was burning rubber before his door was even shut. The gate for the airstrip was closed, but I didn’t slow. I smashed into it doing fifty. The crash shook the SUV, but I didn’t let it slow us; I kept my foot down hard on the gas pedal. The gate was hung up on the grill and sparks flew through the air as I drug the gate about a dozen yards before the tough vehicle released its prize.

  I was practically standing on the gas pedal, but I didn’t care. I was determined that I was going to make it there before those cartel fucks had a chance to touch my aunt.

  “Be ready, boys; as soon as I stop I want you out and converging on those fuckers.” The clicks and slaps of rifles being readied and double-checked greeted me. “Jones, update.” We were almost there; I needed to know the positions of the hostiles.

  “Two under the deck, one trying to hide in the bushes in the front,” he said, watching the satellite feed on his phone. “Fourth signature is gone.”

  “Contact local PD. Let them know we’re coming in hot; to expect gunfire and prepare for casualties.” I didn’t care about diplomacy right now. The Vega cartel fucked with the wrong girl. I was determined to grease every last one of these dirt bags.

  Jones was rattling off an alphabet soup of information to the local cops. Phrases like ‘under control’ ‘will call you when needed’, and ‘national security’.

  I screeched around the corner onto Elm Street, the speed at which I took the turn and the force of it, throwing us all to the side. I didn’t bother to attempt stealth, it would all be over before anyone had a chance to respond.

  “Watch your friendly fire, no shooting the civvies.” I slammed the SUV into park with a screech of tires and jumped out, shouldering my rifle as I ran. The men fanned out behind me; Jones went to his tree, scaling it like cat. Pierce and Rook slid around back; I signaled Flynn to follow, changing my mind on where he should be. I didn’t want them outnumbered.

  The man in the bushes stood up and raised his weapon; I fired before he had a chance. I got him with a solid hit to the chest, and he fell backward into the bush with a crash of breaking branches. Lights popped on all over the neighborhood; we were making a hell of a lot of noise. With Jordon glued to my back, I kicked in the front door. Advancing forward with fast shuffling steps, we checked corners and cleared each room. The thermal images didn’t show any hostiles in the house, but I wasn’t going to be careless.

  I heard shots from the back yard and a scream that was quickly cut short. The door to my aunt’s bedroom opened and I was greeted by the muzzle of a 357 Magnum.

  “Get out of my house!” Aunt Beatrice shouted at me. I dropped my rifle on its sling and raised my gloved hands.

  “Aunt Beatrice, it’s me. It’s Bea,” I softly spoke to her. Her hand cannon never wavered from me. She didn’t keep it just for show; she was deadly accurate with it.

  Looking at her face, I drank her in. I hadn’t seen her in five years and the time melted away like it had not ever existed. It was physically painful restraining myself from going to her.

  “Bea? Is that really you?” She began to lower her pistol when I realized I still had half my face covered by my hood. I jerked it down around my neck and she visibly paled at the sight of me.

  “It is you!” She dropped her gun with a thunk and rushed forward, gathering me in her arms. She enveloped me in her scented cloud. Oh god, she even smelled the same. Chanel No.5.

  “Aunt Beatrice, we don’t have time for this.” I slid out of her arms reluctantly. I wanted to wrap up in her warmth and stay there for the next year, but I had to get her out of here and on the jet. “There are people here who want to kill you; there’s a professional hit out on you. You have to come with us, right fucking now.” I was scaring her, but we didn’t have time to sugar-coat it.

  “You watch your language, young lady!” I felt my face flush and I heard Jordon choking on laughter behind me. I grabbed her and towed her with me, pushing her between Jordon and myself.

  “Package is secure, heading out.” I pushed on my comm and told the others.

  “Copy that,” Jones replied, meaning he had us covered and we were good to exit.

  “Bea, I need to grab some clothes or something. I’m not dressed!” She was in a nightgown with little dancing penguins all over it and a white robe over-top.

  “I’m sorry, there’s no time.” I opened the door slowly. “Coming out now. Cover us to the vehicle, then roll out. Over.” Once again bringing my rifle up, I led the way out. “Aunt Beatrice, get down; stay next to Jordon. Do not fucking move from his side.” I ran in a crouch across the lawn to the SUV, hearing Jordon and Aunt Beatrice behind me. He opened the back door and shoved her in, slamming it closed and standing guard. I knew he would take a bullet for her if he needed to.

  Shots rang out from the back, bursts of two and three. My men were being engaged again.

  “Report!” I shouted into my comm. Not willing to leave Aunt Beatrice unprotected, I made a decision. “Jordon, go!” He nodded and ran off into the dark.

  Aunt Beatrice tapped on the window and tried to open the door. I ignored her as Jones shouted his update. The gunfire cut off abruptly.

  “Two more hostiles held a defensive position. Third tried to flank us. Threat has been neutralized. Over.” I guess that fourth heat signature showed up after all. Jones and the boys left him rapidly cooling on the lawn.

  “Copy. Get your asses in the fucking truck, now.” I jumped back into the driver’s seat and started it up. I had it in drive and was ready to go as they piled in. Blue and red lights were flashing in the dark, making their way closer. Sirens were screaming down on us and I stomped on the gas. I refused to be held up for days with bureaucratic bullshit.

  “Bea Michaels, you slow down right now or you can pull over and one of these men of yours can drive!” I nearly swallowed my tongue when Aunt Beatrice whacked me upside the back of my helmet.

  Flynn started laughing, getting the others going. I didn’t slow down, though, I was nearly to the airfield and I could see the whole town lighting up in my rearview. I would need to have a talk with Aunt Beatrice about dressing me down in front of my men.

  “Jones, update Jackson. He’ll need to send a mop-up crew in. Anyone wounded?”

  “Negative,” Pierce said. “I’m Sergeant Pierce.” Pierce held his hand out to my aunt to shake. The others all took turns introducing themselves. Rook shook her hand and just said ‘Rook’. Her look of confusion did nothing to force him to explain. Later in private I would give her a run-down on each of the men. Jones was last, he gave me a grave look. I would be getting my ass chewed out by Jackson, I’m sure.

  I pulled to a stop on the runway, exiting the vehicle, I left the keys in it. Someone would be by to pick it up—at least this time there was no blood on the upholstery. That was always a bitch to clean and we never got our security deposit back.

  “Double time; get us in the air, Flynn.” I followed him onto the plane. He sat down in the pilot seat and started flipping switches and speaking into the radio.

  Aunt Beatrice came up right behind me. I got her settled in one of the soft chairs and stowed my rifle, snapping the clips to secure it to the wall of the plane. I could feel her watching my every move, analyzing me. I took the seat next to her, for the most part ignoring the men, as they too settled in. The fasten seat belt light chimed a couple of times as we began to taxi.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, this
is Captain Flynn speaking. I’d like to thank you for flying with us today. Here at Air Steel we take your satisfaction seriously and we hope you have a pleasant flight. Do try to keep any blood off the seats and no discharging of weapons inside the jet. We’ll be arriving at our super-secret military installation as quickly as possible. Thank you and have a pleasant flight.” With a screech the loudspeaker shut off.

  “Fucking Flynn,” I said, as I stood and went to the cockpit. Knocking on the door, I waited for him to open up. When he did, he wore a smug grin; he must think he was really funny.

  “Can the shit and just fly the fucking plane.”

  “It’s a jet, Staff Sergeant,” Flynn shot back. I slammed the door shut on his laughing face.

  Chapter 5

  Sitting next to Aunt Beatrice, I took her hand in mine. It felt so good to be with her again, after all this time.

  “Bea, talk to me. What is going on? Why were those men after me?” Her voice drew my eyes to her face. I had to be honest with her, but I was scared. So scared she would be disappointed in me.

  “They called out a professional hit on you; they were trying to kill you. They did all of this to get to me,” I explained, but confusion colored her face. She still didn’t understand. “Those men are from the Vega Cartel, cousins to the remnants of the Fernando Cartel. Two months ago, we had a mission that ended up in us taking out nearly their entire operation in Colombia. They want revenge against us, against me.”

  Her hands enclosed my face, pulling me in close for a hug. I let it happen; let myself have a moment with her. I knew we wouldn’t have much time. Jackson would ship her off to a safe house somewhere, then relocate her after we scrubbed the Earth of the scum coming after her.

  “Oh Bea. What do we do?” She was worried, as she should be. They would not hesitate to kill her if they got the chance. It was how these cartels operated. They didn’t just kill you, they killed your family, your cousins, even your damn dog. Everything you held dear in life, they would wipe it out.

  “For now, you stay with us. We’re going to our secret compound. Well, correct that; our more secret compound. It’s hard to explain what it is, you’ll just have to see it.”