Keeping You: KJ Elite Inc. (33 page)

“Also, I’m not waiting for the paperwork. Luke already changed your name with Social Security and all those other agencies that matter. You’re Mrs. Jamie Kane.”

His eyes twinkled mischievously as he stood and made his graceful, too-fine, exit. Hate to see him go, but love to watch him leave and all that.

I can’t even complain because I’m no longer stuck with that disgusting name that only reminded me of
him
every time I wrote it.

“You’re not getting out of a wedding!” I shouted after him.

“Make it as big as you want, sug. I’ll be the one at the altar.”

The door clicked behind him and I flung myself back, doing my freak-out-flip-about, seizure dance above the covers. Arms and legs flying as I squeal. That’s when I heard him laughing, again, and watching me.

“Voyeur!” I shout.

“I need a good luck kiss.”

“You don’t need luck.”

“No, but I do need another kiss from my wife.”

“Fiancé.”

“Tomato, Potato.” He laughed, stealing one last kiss.

“I love you, sugar.”

“I love you, No.”

Chapter 16

“All I’m saying, is that’s two bachelor parties we missed out on. How is no one else angry about this?” Charlie complained, sitting in the back of the jet.

“Are you that hard up for pussy, Sheriff?” Baby asked, trying not to grin.

“I’ve got something hard if you wanna see it, Baby.” He winked then went back to his rant. “This is a rite of passage. Why are we being denied?”

“He still hasn’t shut up?” Tommy asked, waking up and taking his headphones off.

For the past hour, we have had to endure the incessant whining of Charlie because he didn’t get to take us to the strip club.

“You still have Luke, Peyton, Mike and yourself.” I pointed out, hoping it would shut him up.

My mistake.

“That’s beside the point but let’s go with that for a second. Luke? Really? Dude can’t talk to a five year old girl. If it has the XX chromosomes, he’s out. Peyton, maybe. I’m never getting married and it’ll be a miracle if we can crack the concrete covering Mike’s face and even then we can’t guarantee the woman won’t run away screaming. That leaves one. One of six, boys.”

I just lay my back against the headrest and block him out.

“I happen to like his face.” Candace defended Mike.

“Yeah, but you’re you.”

“What the hell does that mean?” They both asked, annoyed.

“Well for one, you have to look at him because he’s your boss. Then there’s the fact that you’re you. Sniper, soldier.”

“I have tits and a vagina. Plus a pretty great ass if I do say so myself.”

“I will second that ass statement!” Baby chimed in, raising her finger.

“Here, here.” Mike grunted, nodding.

“Thank you. Your point is null. Shut up and take a nap before I gag you.”

“Ooh, kinky, baby. Don’t tease me.” Charlie grinned, pulling out a gameboy.

He kept it old school. Charlie refused to give in to all the new technology if he didn’t absolutely have to. I was with him on that.

“Finally, sweet silence.” Peyton praised.

Dad poked his head out of the cockpit and announced that we had about ten minutes til arrival.

“Alright, let’s go over the plan one more time before we touch down and it’s go, go, go.” Mike said, sitting up straight.

Candace stood behind him, looking over his shoulder at the table he was using. I noticed how his breath caught or his eyes fluttered shut momentarily whenever her breasts brushed against his back. Oh, Luke was so on point.

Normally, I’d tear into them both and blow their spot up, but I’m feeling generous and we really should go over this again. There would be no take backs or do over’s.

The rest of the team’s gathered around the table and listened.

“Our sources are tracking him in the air still, but we’re going straight to the docks. Giving him the option to hop back on the plane and take off is too risky. We don’t own the airspace and that won’t end well. Dad’s guys have already compromised the guys on Marcus’s payroll down at the docks and have sent them on their way with a little something extra to get gone. His guys are filling the positions as well as some of our individual contacts. I think we’ve all called in a few favors today and we’re all counting on it to make the difference. There will only be one ship docked so his escape routes are severely limited. The people have already been removed from the cargo containers and moved to a safe location. They are being taken care of by a carefully selected staff at University of Miami Medical Center.”

“And they’re isolated?” Baby asked.

“Correct.”

She nodded and he pulled open the map more focused on the Miami-Dade docks.

“We’ve got the Coast Guard on alert as well as the Miami Police Department but pockets run deep so let’s cover our own asses. Teams are as they’ve always been. When we land, I’ll call and check on HQ with Luke. Is everyone strapped up?”

Everyone answered affirmatively.

Mike pointed to two points on the map surrounding the dock. “Baby you’re here and Candace, here. You’ve got full view and are out of the line of sight if he’s got his own. I don’t imagine he will, he’s more of a henchmen in tow kind of guy, but just in case. Scope it out. Do what you do. We flank him once he closes in on the cargo containers.”

Dad stepped out and looked over the map. “Do not underestimate him, yall. He will be strapped and he will have goons planted no matter how hard we try. They’re like weeds; we take out five, twenty grow in their place. He hasn’t eluded this long by being stupid. Don’t forget that he burned a whole building of people alive just to evade arrest.”

Paulie and I exchanged a heated look, an understanding.

“Take a seat so I can land and we’ll go get this rat bastard.”

Our battle cries rent the air as we settled into our seats.

Now, the mental prep began. You’ve got to get in your own head. Going into battle isn’t something you’re prepared for, but you can damn sure get yourself on the path to acceptance and readiness to fight the threat with everything you’ve got. War isn’t pretty, but it’s a necessary evil and there must always be ones like us who are willing to stand up and fight back.

Today, we will eliminate an enemy that American’s know exists, but don’t know anything about. Tonight, families will sit down to eat supper with their loved ones, all snuggled up in their homes, safe for another night because we sacrificed ourselves and our suppers with our families to keep them blissfully ignorant and breathing.

Arriving to your playing field, if you will, is something that has to be done with precision and timing. If you roll up in five black SUV’s, strapped to the teeth and then some, you may as well stand in the middle of it with all your weapons laid down before you. My team arrives first and we deliver Baby to her location, watching one another’s back. This isn’t about making sure she is where she’s supposed to be because she’s an idiot; this is about getting Baby where she’s supposed to be because we watch each other’s back and have to make sure she, our M.V.P. is locked, cocked, and ready to rock when all hell breaks loose. A sniper is the most important person on your team because when your back is against the wall and you’re pinned down, they’re going to start pickin’ the enemy off like flies, giving you a fighting chance to escape or push back. Baby is my number one on the battlefield.

We’ve all got clear ear pieces to communicate with one another but will stick with sign language if we can avoid talking. Everyone is in place. The air gets a little bit cooler and goosebumps dance down my arms. I live for this moment, for this feeling. The adrenaline is kick started in your veins like a glow stick when you pop it and shake, spreading the light all over. Anyone who has ever served will tell you, it’s glorious and terrifying. That moment when the reality of what you’re doing is upon you and your chest swells, your hands tremble, your eyesight becomes perfectly zeroed in on the target while your senses seem to magnify times one hundred. You can hear a car start halfway across town and the sounds of nature you’ve never known to exist otherwise, because you are so focused on survival and winning the war. At all costs.

Could this be my last day? The answer doesn’t matter, because you’re so focused on what the question means. If it means I make a difference on the side of good, then it doesn’t matter.

A sleek black Rolls Royce Phantom with extended wheelbase and black tinted windows rolls up to the dock, venturing further in than the typical visitor. Or employee.

Luke chirps in our ears that our guest of honor has arrived. The message is sent out to everyone but he must only tell Tommy and I, that Jamie and Taylor have accosted him upon false promises of coffee before barricading themselves in his lair. Message received: they are watching our go-pro’s. It wouldn’t mean much to shut mine off now since they can see everyone’s. This is not how I wanted to introduce Jamie to what we do, but she’s already seen some of it when we rescued her from Dillon.

I motion to my team to hold tight in their positions and keep watch. Baby mics me to say she has visual and clean shot, “Awaiting word.”

She doesn’t need me to tell her to hold.

Walking in front of, beside and behind Marcus – Roberto – are two guys per direction, 6 total.

It doesn’t do much good if you have no body armor, moron.

I just need him to move in closer, about twenty feet. Dad has informed us that the FBI wants him in alive.

Too bad I don’t give a shit.

I promised Jamie he wasn’t walking away from this and if I’m taken in for making the call, so be it. But this ends today.

The thing about guys like Marcus is, they never truly stop or go away. They have to be exterminated so they cannot spread their diseases or groom any other pests.

“Lovely day, gentlemen. Wouldn’t you say? Ah, I just love the smell of salt water on the breeze.” Marcus’s voice is deep and rough but cheerful.

Yuck it up, bitch.

“Leroy, Pete, please wait back at the car. I think four is more than enough to look into a box.”

His side thugs turn and make haste back to the Rolls Royce.

“John, please fetch the Dock Foreman for me.”

We’re here, watching their every move and they’ve no idea. Exactly how it’s supposed to be.

I signal for Baby to take out the two by the car and round up dear old John.

In ten seconds time, she tells me she’s done it. Obviously, someone was trigger happy and hit the two without needing me to tell her. So long as she waits on Marcus, I have no issues with that. Baby knows what needs to be done.

Movement at my one o clock pulls my attention. John does not return with the Dock Foreman but someone shows up alright.

Dear old dad. I’m just not used to him working in this capacity.

Curses hit my ear and Luke shuts them up, frantic to hear Dad’s side of the conversation.

“How can I help you, today?” Dad, now donning a pair of long sleeve coveralls and bushy grey beard, shakes his hand cheerily.

“What happened to Bob?” Marcus’s demeanor changed, as one would expect.

“Bob had an unfortunate accident. Name’s Merle.”

“I’ve got some containers here waiting for my approval before they’re shipped. Is the shipping manager available? He’s familiar with myself and my business here, today.”

“Be honest with you sir, there was some big hoopla about illegal activity running through this dock here, and most of the staff has just been cleansed and replaced. Owner couldn’t afford the fines and legal fees he’d be facing if he had kept them all on. Very serious business dealings they were said to be in. I would be happy to help you with anything I can while you’re here. I’m a fast learner and if you’re afraid for the integrity of your contents, I can assure you they will be treated with the upmost care.” 

Dad didn’t flinch, hesitate or stutter. His accent was gone and he was pretty damn convincing.

When he mentioned how there were rumored illegal activities moving through the dock, Marcus cursed and ran a nervous hand through his hair, glancing around.

“Just unlock my containers and give me some privacy.” He spat angrily.

“Yes sir.” Dad gave a weak salute and checked his clipboard.

“Hurry it up, Merle,” He said the name with distaste. “I’ve got business to attend to and a plane to catch.”

“Oh, is that so, now? Where ya headed? Vacation? I tell you, I haven’t been on vacation in nearly twenty years.”

“Yeah, great. I’m going to Tennessee to bring my daughter home. Little bitch can’t seem to listen and thinks she can run off on her own.” Marcus’s temper was getting the best of him, only making my job that much easier. Not like I was even sort of close to being borderline.