|
|
"We've been using this car," Jessica said. "If we've been being watched they have seen us in it. My cars haven't been used much. How about I drive the Escape and you drive your other TrailBlazer?" "Sounds good. Who'd believe I have two of the same old vehicle in different colors? That'll have to do." "I can drop you off at your place and then come back and switch." "That should work." It was nearly a half hour to his farm. Jessica waited while Alex checked the house for any signs of intruders, when he was satisfied he gave her a thumbs-up and she drove away. Inside the house he packed a range bag with the items he wanted and put it in the silver TrailBlazer. It hadn't been driven much - he had used it when he was relearning to drive out in the field and had done an oil change to familiarize himself with the procedure. Deciding to check the shop before he left he went out the back door and walked the twenty or so yards. It didn't look as if anything had been disturbed. He looked around, seeing some things as if for the first time - he still had a lot of memory to recover. He didn't know how long he had been there when the door opened. What the fuck! Gotta stop sayin' that. Jessica don't cuss. Did I use to cuss? Hafta ask her. Not now though. Alex didn't even reach for his gun. He knew it wasn't there. It was probably the first time since Harry had warned them about the threat that he'd even opened the door without being armed. Now there was a couple hundred feet between him and the house, and he was inside a building with only two exits. One was the big roll-up door, which was closed. The other was blocked by... Vinny and Frankie? Looks about right. It's a hit, like Harry said. Followed me here even though I switched cars. They were inside now. Big guys with baseball bats. Aluminum baseball bats. Not taking any chances. Alex retreated, backing away through the narrow space between two large tables. Let them think I'm cornered, easy kill. Seein' as how I AM cornered. He took a quick look over his right shoulder. The left one was still stiff. The fire axe was lying on the workbench, its handle in just the right position. Too heavy. Not room to swing anyway. The hatchet though. Its companion tool was there. A hatchet, with a spike on the back side of the blade, like the axe. He used them to dig out protruding roots around the poplar trees, and had brought them into the shop to clean and sharpen the blades. One of the goons was between the tables now, about to enter the open space. C'mon Vinny. Alex grasped the handle of the hatchet as Vinny came within range, prepared to swing the bat. Alex blocked the first blow, almost losing his grip on the hatchet. Wish this thing had one of those loops on the handle. He moved past Vinny before he could recover, to face Frankie. Not soon enough, Frankie's bat hit his left arm, numbing it. Dammit, hadn't healed good from the fall yet. Fuckers tryin' to kill me. Frankie was preparing to swing again. There was no time to look to see what Vinny was doing. Alex bent his knees, into a crouch to Frankie's left side. Swung the hatchet up, the spike toward Frankie's chin. It penetrated to its full depth, and as Alex pulled it back it brought Frankie's head down with it. Frankie fell face down, the bat rolling away just in time for Vinny to step on it. Some things just meant to be. Vinny managed to stay on one knee and hold on to his own bat, but as he tried to rise Alex brought the hatchet down on top of his head. The crunching sound as it split the skull was sickening. Or maybe it was just seeing and knowing what made the sound that made it so. Vinny joined his associate in a similar posture. Fuckin... dammit, gotta stop this or find some new words.
After Alex departed Jessica went into the house to collect her guns. The place seemed eerily quiet. Spooky, but I have hardly been alone anywhere lately. She got the keys for the Escape and put them in her pocket. What else? I'm sure to forget something important. I should have had Alex wait until I was ready... She went out to the garage where her Corvette and the Escape were parked. All seemed normal. She got into the Escape and started the engine. Fuel. Almost full. Good. She pressed the door opener and waited for the garage door to open before putting in into reverse, immediately saw the movement in the left rearview. Two men rushed in, guns. She was about to yank the shifter back and hit the gas shen she saw the vehicle behind her. A big Ford pickup. The man on her side aimed his pistol at the window and fired, just in front or her. The window disappeared in a shower of glass shards. He pressed the gun against her head. "Don't move. Just do as I say." The other guy came around and assisted his partner in getting her out and cuffed with zip-ties. There was little she could do but let them drag her to the truck. One frisked her and took the Beretta and her phone but missed the Undercover. Skinny girl in jeans and a T-shirt what else could I hide? The Charter is around back covered by my jacket. And the radio. Hope my luck holds out. And I'm as lucky as Alex. And they're going to be after him too. They tossed her into the back seat of the big F-250 crewcab. The one on the passenger side occasionally glanced back at her as they drove.
|
|