Isela's Love (23 page)

He has a contact who happens to dabble in explosives and who also owes him a favor. He bribed one of the guards to get a letter out, so the guy’s expecting him. His plan is to set off some explosives around the prison, causing a major commotion.

That’s when you and your boys storm the prison. I’ll have my own group working from this side. We take out Guarros, get control of the prison, get Isela out of here, and alert the Council. Sounds simple. Yeah, right.

One week from tomorrow you need to be waiting outside the gates. Bashua plans on causing whatever mayhem he has in mind around noon. He figures it’ll take less than a day to get to his friend and get the explosives, so you guys would be back here the following day. We’ll be ready. Let me know what you think, somehow.

Take Care,

Brendan

Darrios blew out a breath. He tore up the letter and dropped it into the toilet, pulling the chain to flush it down. He stepped out of the stall, nodding to the man walking in as he left.

He noticed Evan leaning against the doorframe, waiting for him. Just as he reached him, Guarros came into the room.

He clapped his hands together. “Well, gentlemen, care to join me for a drink before venturing out into the wild?”

Darrios shook his head. “Sorry sir, we need to get going. You see, there’s a slight problem.”

Guarros frowned. Evan straightened, giving Darrios a bewildered glance.

“Oh?” Guarros asked, the pleasantries leaving his voice.

Darrios chuckled nervously, extending his hands palms up.

“You see, sir, the load was a little short, I’m afraid.”

“My own trustees?”

“Oh no, sir. They’re terrific. I’m embarrassed to tell you, I let my wife help out with the invoicing. She made a mistake. I didn’t catch it until we were unloading. I shouldn’t have let her in on the business side of things, but, well, you know how women can be.”

Guarros chuckled. “Indeed, Mr. Derosa. So how do we remedy this little problem?”

“We’ll come back first thing tomorrow with the rest of the order, at our expense, of course.”

“Of course,” Guarros replied.

“And I’ll throw in an extra twenty-five pounds of meat for the inconvenience.”

Evan eyed Darrios, remaining silent but nodding in agreement with every word out of his mouth.

“Make it fifty,” Guarros said.

“Fifty it is,” Darrios said with a smile. “I apologize for this, Warden, and I assure you, it will never happen again.”

“See that it doesn’t. We’ll be expecting you tomorrow.”

He snapped his fingers. His assistant came running, following him out like a puppy.

Evan cocked an eyebrow. “Well?” he asked.

“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” Darrios grumbled.

****

Once they were safely through the gates, Evan nudged Darrios, who appeared deep in thought, with his shoulder. “You gonna tell me what the hell that was back there?”

“Huh? Oh, I’m sorry, Ev. It was about Brendan’s letter. You’re not gonna believe this shit. Remember Podredo?”

“Yeah, like I’m gonna forget him. Let’s see, He kidnapped your wife and then my daughter, terrorized my family and nearly killed me. What about him?”

“Did you know he had a brother?”

“So?”

“Guarros.”

“No fuckin’ way,” Evan breathed.

“Yeah. And he’s planning revenge...on me.”

“He thinks you killed Podredo?”

“Makes sense. And better he think that than find out your daughter was the one responsible. Besides, if Eva hadn’t let the taluets loose, they wouldn’t have eaten that foul motherfucker. Then I would’ve killed him.”

“Okay, so what do we do now?”

Darrios filled Evan in on the details of Brendan’s letter.

“Wow, is a week enough time? Can we be ready for something this big?” Evan asked.

Darrios shrugged. We’ll just have to be. Why don’t we swing by Brick’s Place and round up a few of the guys. I’m sure we can find some of the boys who are itching for a good fight.”

Evan nodded. “Okay, but don’t tell Sandra. She hates it when I go there.”

Darrios laughed. “That’s because before she came along, that’s where you’d go to get laid.”

“It was before I ever met her. I don’t know why it bothers her.”

“I don’t know why you told her. She didn’t even ask. You just blurted it out, you dumbass.”

“Yeah, not my smartest move, but it isn’t like I’m going to go there looking for action now.”

Darrios shook his head. “God you’re dense. She knows you’re not out on the prowl, but what’s to stop one of those little honeys you hooked up with to approach you? Sandra’s very territorial. Put yourself in her place. Would you like it if a bunch of her ex-boyfriends were crawling all over her?”

“I’d kill...hey, wait. Whadaya mean, a bunch of boyfriends?”

Darrios laughed again, but his smile faded as four ruffians stepped out from behind a large boulder. Darrios and Evan stiffened. Darrios dropped the yoke of the wagon, glancing at Evan. He let go of his end as well.

There were three men and one woman. They all looked like they hadn’t had a shower in a month. Their long, stringy, hair hung limp around their faces, oily and dark. Nothing but skin and bones with gaunt, pale complexions. One of them stepped forward.

“Nice wagon,” the apparent leader said.

“Yeah, it is,” Darrios replied.

“We want it,” the woman said.

“Sorry,” Evan said. “You can’t have it.”

“We could take it,” the leader said.

Evan shook his head. Darrios snickered, glancing back at Evan. “You hear that, Evan? This guy thinks he can take our wagon.” Darrios turned back to the head ruffian, giving him a deathly glare. “We’ve got no beef with you, buddy, but we’ve had one helluva day, so if you don’t want to get hurt, I suggest you turn around and walk away.”

The man took another step forward. “Can’t do that.”

“Well then,” Darrios said, stepping over the yoke on the ground and toward the ruffians. “Let’s dance.”

The man pulled a gun, stopping Darrios cold. He put his hands up. Where in the hell had he gotten that? Guns were few and far between in Celio, and the Ruffians certainly didn’t have the means to own them. He must’ve stolen it.

The ruffian smiled. He was missing at least three teeth and the ones he did have were rotted with decay. “Now, I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to step away from my wagon,” he said smugly.

Darrios heard a faint whistling noise, right before the arrow came protruding out of the ruffian’s chest. Darrios jumped back as the dead man fell face first into the dirt. His companions all ducked, glancing wildly around for the shooter. Evan did the same.

Maniacal laughter sounded off in the brush behind the ruffians. Darrios relaxed. He glanced at Evan. Evan met his gaze, knowingly. Crouching down, Darrios took the gun from the dead ruffian. He called out, “Loon? Is that you?”

More laughter. A stocky man wearing camouflage and a crazy grin appeared from the brush, bow in hand, poised and ready to fire again. “Howdja know buddy?” he asked. He nodded at Evan. “Evan.”

Evan gave Loon a tense smile and a half-hearted wave. Darrios handed Evan the gun. “Watch them,” he said gesturing to the remaining three ruffians.

“Jesus, Loon, will ya point that thing somewhere else before you accidentally kill me?”

Loon lowered the bow and embraced Darrios. “If I killed you, it wouldn’t be an accident, you crazy son of a bitch.”

Darrios laughed. Evan shook his head.

“His name is Loon and he calls you crazy,” Evan muttered.

“You looked a little surprised when this mook pulled that piece, Darrios.” Loon laughed. “You should’ve seen your face.”

“Yeah, I sure didn’t expect that,” Darrios admitted.

“What brings you out to these parts?” Loon asked him. “I heard you hooked up with some pretty little thing, got married, and settled down. Tell me it isn’t so.”

“ ’Fraid it is. My hunting days are behind me. Got a wife and a child, now. Gotta play it safe. Evan and me, we’re ranching now.”

Gesturing with his head toward Evan, Loon said, “I always knew he’d quit, but you? I never thought I’d see the day. And you married? Damn, maybe the apocalypse is upon us.”

Rolling his eyes, Evan cleared his throat. “Uh, can we forego this happy little reunion for now and address the issue at hand? What are we gonna do with this little band of assholes?”

“Oh, I got this,” Loon said, pulling a rope from his belt.

He began wrapping it around the ruffians, securing their hands and feet. “I’ve been tracking them for a couple of weeks. The family of the man who originally owned that gun isn’t very happy with this group. They robbed him, shot him with his own gun, and left him for the viocomen and scabras.” He tossed the end of the rope to Darrios. “Tie that off, will ya?”

Darrios knotted the rope. These prisoners weren’t going anywhere.

“They paid me a lot of money to find you,” he said to the woman, tapping her nose. She jerked away defiantly. Loon laughed.

“What are you going to do with them?” Evan asked.

“He still the conscience of the operation?” Loon asked Darrios, ignoring Evan’s question.

Darrios chuckled. Loon and Evan had never gotten along, but he was a fellow hunter and he’d saved Darrios’s life on more than one occasion. Mainly because he was completely crazy and feared nothing. A good man to have your back, but a dangerous man to follow.

“Loon,” Evan said more firmly. “What are you going to do with them?”

“Actually, Mr. Morality, “I was hoping we could toss ’em up on your wagon and take ’em on to Brick’s Place. I have a guy meeting me there from the Council.

The woman whimpered.

“Yeah that’s right, you murderous bitch. You’re going before the Council,” Loon said.

“I’m stunned,” Evan said. “You’re not into playing judge and jury anymore?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Loon answered. “Of course I am, but I’m more into money. The family paid to have him delivered to the Council so that’s what I’ll do. When the price is right, I’ll do just about anything.”

“There’s a newsflash,” Evan muttered.

“Actually, we’re heading to Brick’s Place anyway, so we’d be happy to help you with your prisoners,” Darrios offered.

“Woohoo, Evan, I’m shocked. Your old lady let you off your leash to let you play with the big boys?”

“Darrios, put a muzzle on your buddy, here, or I’m gonna kick his ass.”

“C’mon, Loon,” Darrios said.

“Well everyone knows he’s pu—”

“That’s it!” Evan shouted, advancing on Loon.

Darrios stepped between the two men. “Can we please focus? We need to be fighting alongside one another, not against each other.”

Placing his hands on his hips, Evan stood staring daggers at Loon for a minute or two. Loon stared back, grinning like the village idiot.

“Argh!” Evan growled. “Darrios is right. We shouldn’t fight among ourselves.”

He offered his hand. Loon took it. They shook hands quickly.

“Even if you are a first-class asshole,” Evan added.

“And you’re still whipped,” Loon sang out, ducking out of the way as Evan reached for him.

“Enough,” Darrios barked. “Let’s stop fucking around and get moving. I’d like to get home before dark.”

They hoisted their prisoners onto the wagon then continued on to Brick’s Place. Luckily, the viocomen and scabras left them alone. The scent of that many humans together probably kept them away. Darrios told Loon about the goings on at the prison. Loon eagerly offered his assistance.

“In fact, once we get to Brick’s, I’ll bet you’ll get a shitload of volunteers,” he said, laughing. “Hell, I’m betting some of those guys did time there. They’ll love the chance to go after that piece of shit warden. Abusing young women. What a sick son of a bitch.”

****

Brick’s Place hadn’t changed a bit since the last time Darrios had been there. The smell of sweat, smoke, and rotting wood hit him full force as soon as he stepped onto the porch. The seasoned wooden bar was still warped and uneven. None of the stools matched. If you were someone looking to go unnoticed, the dark, smoky atmosphere was perfect. The hard-packed dirt floor gave away all the years of hunters and cowboys pacing over it.

The bartender turned around when the men came through the door. He smiled broadly as he dried his hands on a dirty towel.

“I’ll be damned. Darrios Derosa, as I live and breathe. And is that really Evan Wilson with you? Holy shit.”

“Hey Brick, how have you been?” Darrios asked, shaking the man’s hand.

“Can’t complain. What brings you boys out this way? We heard ya’ll retired.”

“We’re ranching, now, Brick,” Evan said. “The money’s good and it’s considerably safer.”

“Don’tcha get bored?”

“I wish. Definitely not lately,” Evan muttered.

“Can we talk openly in here?” Darrios asked, glancing around.

“Sure, Darrios. Nothin’s changed around here. We don’t let no spooks in here. We got each other’s backs in these parts.”

Darrios assumed that’s why the Council member who was meeting Loon had been waiting outside instead of in the bar. He had taken the prisoners into custody and made a hasty exit.

Darrios pulled out his knife, banging it on the bar to get everyone’s attention. The whole bar quieted, then upon recognizing Darrios and Evan, began cheering. Darrios waved his arms trying to shush them. They willingly gave him their attention.

“Excuse me, fellas. I’m sorry to interrupt your good time, but we have a situation that needs addressing. I thought maybe some of you might be interested in joining up for this cause.”

“How much?” somebody yelled.

Darrios held up his hands. “Just hear me out. Anybody familiar with Midland Prison?”

Several murmurs and mutterings sounded within the crowd.

“How about the warden, Guarros?”

Louder, less flattering words and phrases travelled through the room.

“Good, so you do know that corrupt motherfucker. Due to some recent information Evan and I have obtained about his activities, we want to take him out.”

A man Darrios didn’t know stepped forward. “I hate that son of a bitch as much as the next guy, but taking out a prison official? Sounds mighty risky.”