Terms (The Experiments Book 3) (24 page)

Jake gave a quizzical look.

Roger explained. “It renders only men unconscious. Which may work in the resort where the pregnant women are being held.”

Jake nodded.

As Roger went to speak again, he looked down at his beeping phone. “Excuse me.” He lifted it, spoke briefly, and then ended the call. “That was the tech center. They said Lt. Colonel Graison may want to get a move on.”

“Why?” Greg asked.

Roger answered. “A severe storm is moving in toward the island. Looks bad.”

Greg turned to Jake. “How big of a problem is that going to be for your infiltration?”

“Actually,” Jake said. “The bad weather … is a bonus.”

***

Dark.

Gone was the sun and the gray skies grew exceptionally dark. A gust of wind tropical strength gushed through the open window of the dining room sending a cascade of water inward and knocking over the items on a tray with a ‘crash’.

The noise startled many in the room that had grown quiet.

Cal rubbed the chill on her arms, the temperature had definitely dropped. The cold room got quiet again, except for the occasional sniffle. A stream of urine trickled across the floor; it came from the huddled group of women.

The gunmen passed out crackers, that was the extent of the food. And a tiny cup of water.

Una and three other men were all that manned the room. Cal studied their actions. Four men were not that big of a threat, guns or no guns.

Una paced toward the open window, stopping just before the broken and spilled items. He stayed, as if in wonder on how it occurred.

Cal mumbled “You may want to shut the window.”

Una faced her, and then walked to her. “First you are hot. Then you are cold. You can not make up your mind.”

Cal slowly raised her middle finger.

Una cocked his rifle.

Rickie growled.

It was a pause in his intimating movements. He looked at Rickie, obviously showing that he heard the growl. He just froze for a second, turned and walked away.

Billy whispered, “Between the two of you.”

“What do you mean?” Cal asked.

“You and Rickie. Did it occur to you to just be silent?”

“Did it occur to you to not be so passive?”

“Yeah, dude, we can take them.” Rickie said.

Billy chuckled. “We can take them? Maybe you can take them Rickie, or take some of them out, until they kill you. But if they shoot me, I’m not returning.”

“How do you know?” Rickie asked.

“I know.”

“You’ve been here at Caldwell. How do you know when they put you under for that leg, they didn’t inject you with a little DNA mutation, dude?”

Billy swallowed. “Thank you for that.”

“Only one way to tell,” Rickie said. “Let’s get them.”

“Then what?” Billy asked. “Yeah, there’s only four here, but what about out there?”

“I didn’t think that far ahead.”

“Yeah, obviously.” Billy grumbled.

“Dude, at least thinking of doing something is better than having scared-dee cat attitude.”

“Scared-dee cat?”

“Yeah.”

“Sit back and go back to growling.”

“Dude, just you wait. I am so telling the Sarge all you did was hit on his woman while you were here.”

“You would.”

Suddenly, Cal sat back. She turned her head to Billy. “What time is it?”

Billy looked at his watch. “A little after four. Why?”

Cal shifted her eyes and looked around. “He’s here.”

“What?” Billy asked.

“I’m telling you. I feel it. I feel safety. He’s here.” Cal repeated. Then with a nudge to her back, slight but hard, Cal looked up.

Around the table, Jimenez walked. “Who is here?”

Calmly Cal peered at him. “My guardian angel, Bill. I believe in that. I sense his spirit.”

Jimenez nodded. “It wouldn’t be your husband that you sense, now would it?”

Cal chuckled, “My husband? Why would I sense him? I hate him.”

“Really.” Jimenez said. “Maybe you sense him because you know he has the background to make a rescue attempt for his dear and …” he nodded downward. “Pregnant wife.”

“I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.” Cal said. “My husband has no skills. He sells cars.”

“Cars,” Jimenez stated. “So you are stating your husband is not Captain Jacob Graison, United States Army, Ranger division.”

Smug, Cal responded. “Oh, he is definitely not Captain Jacob what’s his name.”

“I’m sorry, correction. Lt. Colonel Graison now.”

Cal hesitated, and then responded. “Nope.”

“You lie. Why?”

“I’m not lying.”

Jimenez snapped his finger. A man stepped forward and handed him a folder. Jimenez dropped it to the table. “You of all people should be smart enough of know that medical records are kept in a medical study.”

Cal glanced down to see her file, and her name. “So?”

“So, I know of your husband.”

“Again, so?” Cal shrugged.

“So, I know of him. And I want you to know, I have no doubt that you sense him. I have no doubt that you sense he may come,” Jimenez said. “I also want you to know, your husband is of no threat to me.”

At that moment, a loud crack of thunder erupted, sudden and ear piercing. Jimenez, jolted to his left and raised his weapon in a defense mode to nothing.

Arrogant, Cal produced a smirk, “Not threatened? If that’s so, then why are you so scared at this moment?”

Confident, and not showing anything but that, Cal sat back. But under the table, she grabbed Rickie’s hand.

***

He rose from the ocean with a silent whoosh. Jake had released his air tank early and swam the rest of the way without the burden of the tanks. The small boat brought him within two miles of the island, and it was up to Jake to make it the rest of the way in without being seen or detected.

A waterproof duffle was strapped to his back, and he made his way to shore just as the sky blackened and rumbled.

In a low hunch he hurried to the edge of the trees, slipped into cover and dropped his gear.

The wet suit was heavy, and Jake removed it. He opened the duffle bag and pulled out the Jake-Man belt. After attaching it to his waist, Jake lifted the handheld island map. He powered it up.

Worked!

The island came on the screen and Jake zoomed in. He set the device to look for life signals. Sure enough, two predominant spots lit up. Both showing large groupings. One was the resort, the other a bookstore in town.

Which would be easier? Jake wondered. The town or the resort, which location to hit first? Although the unit gave him a keen foresight of numbers, it didn’t give him building layouts or interiors. Without that knowledge, Jake would have to survey the areas to come up with a plan of attack. Since town was closer, Jake decided to move there first. Watch, surveillance, act.

He didn’t have much time to complete his mission. In 90 minutes, as informed via text by Colonel Roberts, a synchronized military attack would take place, where the US armed forces would storm in swiftly and effectively to secure each seized location.

Just as discussed.

Jake believed by the time troops arrived, the Caldwell Island would be secure.

90 minutes was plenty of enough time. He ensued in his single mission.

Like the computer map dictated, the small patch of trees and nature ran parallel to a main road. The road extended into town, where the foliage stopped. That was Jake’s cover, and until he determined what action and how he was going to initiate, he had to stay within the protection of his cover.

He could see the small town from where he stood, but not a holistic view. Jake had to grasp a better view, a bird’s eye view, and he searched around for a way to get just that.

He had to be careful what type of tree he choose for his ‘look out’, he found one, not too tall, but high enough to put him a good twenty feet above the ground.

It didn’t take Jake long to climb that tree. Securing a footing, he perched himself in a ‘V; opening, wedging in tightly as he raised the ‘extra’ zoom binoculars with night scope.

The rains started beating down, rolling in his eyes. He wasn’t in the safest of places, he knew that. The sky lit up like fireworks and within seconds, thunder crashed long and loud.

Jake grinned.

He saw all he needed to see.

The town would be first. It was by far too easy for him not to hit.

The map estimated about thirty people were in the building. Six men huddled close outside as guards, and two walked the streets, darting in a doorway every once and a while to escape the rain.

That worked in Jake’s favor.

He saw his town opening, climbed down from the tree, and made his way to the southernmost section of town.

The main area of the town wasn’t big. About eight businesses, one main street with four crossing over. On those four streets were homes.

Jake came up Willow, a road lined with homes. They were bungalow style, little, with limited spacing between each unit. Jake ran close to each structure, stopping, ducking in between, watching, and then heading forward once more.

Four houses shy of the main street, Jake spotted the first street guard. He seemed timid about venturing down Willow. Jake thought perhaps the guard was confident that section of town was empty. The guard walked to the top of the street, peered down, then behind him. What was he waiting for?

Jake raced forward...

“It is dumb,” the guard said into this radio. “It is all black. No one is there.”

“Doesn’t matter, you know what you’ve been told. Check it out. Make a quick sweep.”

“Fine.” The guard turned to face the street. The thunder rolled in with bright lightening.

Flash.

Jake

Illuminated suddenly from the dark to ‘Jake right there’ the guard jolted, and lost any reaction. In fact there was little if any time.

Into his throat Jake jammed a knife, and with a quick jolt ripped it horizontally across. The guard toppled to the ground.

After grabbing his radio, Jake dragged his body out of the way, further into the darkness, and then he moved on.

Guard one down.

Onto guard two.

“Rico, come in.” Called the second guard as he made his way toward the main street. “Rico.”

Jake picked up the radio, as he spotted the guard. “Yes.”

“Good. You are there. Are you OK?”

“Yes,” Jake responded.

“Are you angry about having to check that street?”

“Yes.”

“Was it secure?”

“Yes.”

“You are mad. Man, I …” The guard froze when something nudged against the back of his head. He cleared the lump in his throat. “Rico?”

Jake whispered in his ear, soft and graveled. “No.”

“Shit.”

Stepping back, silencer still pressed to the back of the guard’s head, Jake fired one shot.

He dropped to the ground, and Jake, like he did with the other guard, moved him to the side.

Silently, and against the buildings, Jake pushed on toward the book store where he knew the hostages were held. Double checking the hand held map, the life signals were still the same.

About twenty feet away, Jake dodged in between two buildings. The six guards protected the outside, diligently and in a line.

Too easy.

Jake pulled out the pen, lowered his night vision goggles, lifted the target on the pen, and raised it in an aim.

He had one shot for each man, if he pulled it off correctly, they would all go down.

Jake readied, aimed and popped off the darts.

One, two, three four... six.

“Fuck,” Jake whispered.  He had missed the fifth man.

He didn’t hit them all in the same bodily spot, but he nailed them. Each of them in sequence grabbing onto the darted site.

Pulling out his silenced revolver, Jake charged forth before the fifth man could run inside.

The five men he hit, dropped to the ground, they’d be out for hours, and as the lone standing man reached for the door, Jake grabbed him and shot him.

Pulling him from the doorway, and knowing he had only seconds, Jake, back against the wall, snuck a peek through the door.

He could see gunmen inside, and hostages seated on the floor, around tables, very little movement. It was a mixed group

“This is way too fuckin’ easy,” Jake said to himself. He pulled a testosterone gas can from his belt, looked at his watch. After rendering them unconscious, Jake had an hour to get to the resort, secure that area and finish up before the military showed up. It could actually be perfect. Island done, and most of the terrorist wrapped up and waiting for arrest.