Heroes In Uniform (137 page)

“I should have been more careful,” he said, angry with himself, but she laid her hand over his, the hand that had just saved him, now comforting.

“You’ve been careful, but you can count on me to help.”

He could. She was level-headed. Strong as she had just proven. Not to mention the camo thing.

“I won’t forget that again, Cat. When it comes down to the fight – ”

“I’ll be there,” she reassured with a gentle squeeze of his hand.

“Roger. Let’s head out,” he said and stood, careful to skirt the edges of the missile silo. Even more vigilant as they neared the end of the tunnel and the rusted metal door which he assumed would lead to the ammo storage area where Liliana was being held.

Mick paused at the door and signaled Caterina to take a spot by the opposite wall. Dropping into a crouch, he pushed the door open a bit with the muzzle of his rifle. It groaned from the movement and produced an immediate response.

Rapid-fire gun shots, probably from an AK-47, pinged against the metal doors, driving him back from the opening.

Mick dropped to the ground and proceeded hand-over-hand toward the opening again. The door had remained partially open and as he remained behind its protection, he peered within the ammo room. Even in the dim light he perceived a figure strapped to a chair in the center of the space.

Dead center.

Another burst of gunfire sounded against the metal of the door and ricocheted back into the room, driving him back as he considered how to breach the area safely.

Mick judged the barrage of bullets to have come from the right side of the room.

He couldn’t enter without exposing himself or Liliana to danger.

Looking toward Caterina, he said, “No matter what, stay put.”

Before she could respond, he crawled back toward the opening and called out, “This isn’t much fun, is it, Mad Dog?”

Mad Dog answered with another volley from the AK.

He cursed beneath his breath, but forged ahead with his plan. “Getting soft on me, Mad Dog? Too scared for a little mano-a-mano? Might be more interesting than just wasting ammo.”

The scuff of a foot on cement sounded loudly in the room. “Scared, Carrera? Mano-a-mano it is,” Mad Dog said.

A shadow became visible, falling against Liliana’s feet as she sat in the chair. A clatter followed as a clip for an AK hit the ground beside the chair.

Mick rose from the ground, but remained behind the protection of the door. Releasing the clip on the M16, he tossed it close to the chair as well.

“Now this is going to be fun,” Mad Dog said and stepped into Mick’s line of sight. He had no doubt the other man had at least another gun somewhere on his body, but for now, the AK was useless and to further prove it, Mad Dog dropped it to the ground by the chair.

Mick rose and set the rifle against the door, close to where Caterina stood and removed his satchel. He placed it beside the rifle, and pointed to it, hoping she would remember there was a spare clip inside the bag.

With a last glance at her, Mick entered the ammo room and faced Mad Dog as he stood several feet away from Liliana, who was strapped to a chair in the shadows. Despite the lack of light there, he could see the darker stains of blood on the front of her shirt and the way her head lolled back at an awkward angle.

Fear gripped him followed by anger.

Killing anger.

“You promised to let her go if I brought you Shaw,” Mick said, fists clenched at his side.

Mad Dog chuckled and shook his head. “So where is Shaw?”

“She’s outside, waiting in the tunnel for the exchange.”

Mad Dog laughed again, louder than before. “Perfect. I’m going to have fun letting you watch what I do to your two ladies.”

Somehow Mick tempered his killing anger, marshaling it for when the time was right because he would exterminate Mad Dog today. It had been a long time coming, but this vendetta would end this night.

“Bring it on,” Mick said.

Sins of the Flesh: Chapter Thirty-Nine

Mad Dog copied Mick’s stance, hands held up loosely, feet braced slightly apart. Ready for any attack or defense.

They approached each other, anticipating the other’s movements. Feinting and challenging until Mad Dog finally pressed forward with an attack, shooting out with a drop kick which Mick blocked with his arm.

Mick fell back, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Waiting for another attack as he played his own version of rope-a-dope, understanding Mad Dog well. Mad Dog thought himself invincible. Never a good trait.

Mad Dog charged him time and time again, unleashing flurries of kicks and punches which Mick repeatedly blocked, waiting for his moment. His arms and legs ached from Mad Dog’s blows, but the pain was minor compared to how Mad Dog would feel when Mick finally engaged him.

Mick ducked another drop kick, but Mad Dog surprised him by following up with flying roundhouse kick that caught him across the side of the head. Staggered for a moment, he intentionally let down his guard, inviting Mad Dog closer.

The other man accepted, charging in for the kill.

* * *

Mick had told her to stay put, but Caterina couldn’t keep on listening to the sounds of battle within the room, unaware of whether Mick was dead or alive.

As she neared the door, she stepped on the satchel by her foot and realized why he had left it behind.

She bent, opened the bag, and removed the clip. Forced herself to remember how Mick had loaded the gun and locked the clip home.

As she walked to the door, the white of her hand against the rifle stock shocked her. It was the white of the tunnel walls. Prompted by her fear for Mick, she had gone all camo.

It was what might make a difference in today’s outcome.

Caterina placed the rifle down as she quickly disrobed, even down to removing the Kevlar vest Mick had insisted she wear.

Her body was the same mottled white as the walls and as she entered the room, rifle in hand, neither of the two men noticed her entry.

They were grappling together to one side of the room.

Mick delivered an upper cut to the other man’s midsection, doubling him over then following-up with another blow that lifted Mad Dog’s body from the ground with the force of it. The blow made a sickening crunch as bones broke.

With Mad Dog doubled over, Mick brought his elbow down across the back of the man’s neck.

Mad Dog crumpled to the ground, his body limp at Mick’s feet.

Mick slowly stood upright, bloodied fists clenched at his sides as he glanced down at his opponent. His body heaving as he sucked in breaths heavy from his physical exertions.

Believing the battle concluded, she dropped the rifle, drawing Mick’s attention, although he peered with confusion at where she stood, obviously not seeing her.

Heavy pounding footsteps sounded as something big lumbered across the room and plowed into Mick, sending him crashing into the opposite wall with a bone-rattling blow.

Mick’s head rebounded against the wall and as he sagged to the ground, a trail of blood marked his fall to the ground.

Caterina drew in a shocked breath, earning the attention of the one man left standing.

Santiago
.

She remembered him now from the medical facility. Remembered him fighting with another man the night Wells had been murdered.

Santiago searched out the sound and she reached down, picked up the rifle once again. She shifted toward the shadows, wanting to maintain the element of surprise since she didn’t think she was much of a match for the large hulking man.

As she did so, Mad Dog stirred, coming to his knees as he shook his head, as if to toss off his dizziness.

Mad Dog snared Santiago’s attention, who plodded over and stood there, waiting for Mad Dog to rise.

Once he was upright, Mad Dog stared past the tattooed brute to where Mick sat unconscious against the far wall.

Mad Dog put his hands on his hips and chastised the hulking man. “Hope you didn’t kill him, big guy. That would spoil all the fun.”

Shit
, Caterina thought, tightening her grip on the rifle. Hoping she wouldn’t have to use it because . . .

Santiago surged forward and grabbed Mad Dog around the neck. Snapped it with one swift twist.

Mad Dog fell to the ground, only this time he wouldn’t be getting up. His head rested at an unnatural angle against the floor as his sightless eyes stared toward her.

A moan came from across the room. Mick was beginning to stir.

Santiago noticed immediately.

The big man took a step toward Mick, clearly intending to finish him off, but Caterina couldn’t let that happen.

She pounded the wall with the butt of the rifle, drawing Santiago’s attention away from Mick.

The massive man turned in her direction, immensely muscled arms open wide to draw someone into their deadly embrace. The broad width of his chest providing a huge target. The proverbial side of a barn.

She drew up the rifle, aimed, and pulled the trigger.

The first bullet struck Santiago high up on one shoulder. The bullet did as much damage as a BB might.

Her next shot went wide from the kick of the rifle and Santiago lurched in her direction.

Caterina raced deeper into the shadows so she could prepare to shoot again. Her body color changed as she ran, providing her cover, but as she cut across the room, she stepped into something wet and slippery.

Her feet flew out from under her and she landed hard, just a few feet away from the chair holding Liliana.

Santiago rounded the back of the chair and stopped short, searching the area for her.

Caterina held her breath, waiting for him to charge. Trying to figure out what to do next. She hoped she could get the rifle up in time to get off another round.

From across the room came the scuffle of a footstep and a pained breath.

Mick was on his feet, the wall behind him the one thing that seemed to be keeping him upright.

Santiago turned in that direction and laughed. The large loud laugh of a lunatic. It echoed eerily throughout the room until another smaller sound intruded.

A soft pop. No louder than a soda can opening. Followed by a second pop that finally silenced Santiago’s insane humor.

The colossal man landed barely a yard away from her, shaking the ground with the force of his impact, a neat round hole in the middle of his forehead.

Caterina scrambled to her feet and over to where Mick slowly sagged back down the wall. She kneeled beside him and reined herself in, regaining the normal human tones of her skin.

“Must be in heaven ‘cuz I see an angel,” Mick said, wincing since it seemed every breath cost him great effort. The deep rattle that came from his chest caused her heart to constrict with fear as did his slightly unfocused gaze and the blood on the wall behind his head.

“We need to get you to a hospital.”

A limp and ungraceful nod confirmed that Mick understood, but somehow he managed to say, “Liliana.”

“Give me a second to dress.” Caterina left him the rifle just in case and quickly retrieved her clothes, along with his satchel.

She returned to Mick’s side, eased his arm around her shoulders, and helped him to his feet, but she sensed what it cost him. Mick leaned on her heavily and his breath rasped in his chest, each inhalation clearly paining him.

With heavy plodding steps they approached the chair to which Liliana was strapped, but as they neared the figure in the shadows, fear increased with every step.

The large amount of blood behind the chair became apparent as did the awkward angle of the person’s head.

But as they took another step, they stopped short, realizing the person was much larger than Liliana and was wearing a dark khaki shirt with olive green pants.

“It’s a park ranger. She’s not here,” Caterina said, glancing up at Mick only to see the despair nearly overcome him before he controlled his emotions.

“She’s here. I know it. He’d want to keep her close,” he answered and applied light pressure on her arm to guide her in the direction from where Santiago had emerged.

“To use her as bait again?” she asked and worried at the way he leaned on her, barely able to remain upright.

“He’d . . . want . . . play . . . with her.” It was a sacrifice for him to speak and with each word came a fearsome rattle from deep in his chest.

Caterina didn’t ask anymore, providing him with the strength he needed to take each painful step down the hall until they came to another rusted door.

Mick leaned against the wall heavily and took out his gun. His hand shook as he did so and as their gazes met, Caterina understood.

“Let me have it. I promise not to miss this time,” she said.

He didn’t argue, handing the Glock to her.

Caterina approached the entrance. It was ajar and a spill of low light fell into the tunnel. Gingerly she opened the rusty door which creaked with the movement.

She waited, thinking the noise might have given away her presence, but nothing happened.

Pushing the door wider, she copied what she had seen Mick do earlier, staying low as she peered within to scope out the room.

In the center, someone was strapped to a chair, head of dark hair slumped down toward their chest. Fear crept within her and as it did so, the strange halo sight took over, outlining the figure in the chair with an aura and filling it with colors – the colors of warmth and life, she realized.

As she glanced all around the room, she realized no one else was there and entered, the halo sight receding as she did so.

“Liliana?” she asked as she approached and the person’s head popped up.

A mumbled sound escaped the person and Caterina took another step closer and realized that this time it was Mick’s sister.

Caterina rushed over and kneeled before her. Carefully removed the duct tape over Liliana’s mouth. She tried to avoid the sight of Liliana’s naked breasts and the bruises on her face as she said, “Are you okay?”

“Never better if you and Mick are here,” Liliana said and glanced toward the door, as if expecting her brother to enter.