Terms (The Experiments Book 3) (25 page)

He placed on the gas mask small, and snug, that Caldwell provided, and then watched the sky. In his head he had been counting how long it took from the lightening to the thunder. It had been three or four seconds. Not much time.

Mouth securing the gas can by the pin; Jake reached for the door handle. He swung around his rifle.

The sky lit up. When it did, Jake turned the knob, and burst through He yanked the gas can from his mouth, tossed the grenade and spit out the pin.

The instant the thunder blasted Jake reigned fire upon the gunman who weren’t even ready.

Screams entailed in the bookstore, but not for long. Within seconds, the men in the room dropped like flies, leaving the seven women, standing, shaking and at a loss for what happened.

***

It wasn’t the sound of it, but more the feeling of the thunder that gave Jimenez a bad feeling. He immediately ordered a radio contact with town. When there was no answer, and no check-in he sent out four men.

“Anything on the news?” Jimenez asked Una.

“Nothing. I have contacted our other leaders. They are experiencing nothing.”

Jimenez shook his head in thought. “No. This is not a military procedure or a military strike. It would be coordinated. This is something else.”

“Like what?”

“Like one man.”

Una chuckled. “One man? You can not be serious.”

“Very. And we need to draw him out.” Jimenez walked to the window and peered out. “He’s there. I feel it. This is him.”

“Maybe it is just tough to communicate with the other side of the island now because of the storm?”

“No. It’s him.”

“Then how do you plan to draw him out?”

After a brief glance, Jimenez walked out and into the dining room.

Cal knew the second Jimenez entered that something was not only up, but it had to do with her. Perhaps it was as easy as the single look he gave before whispering to his men.

Rickie took notice of Cal’s demeanor. She sat up, paid attention, wasn’t slumping in boredom anymore. “Cal-Babe?”

Cal shook her head.

“What is it?” Billy asked.

“Something is going on. Bet me it has to do with me.”

Billy gave a quirky look. “You’ve been quiet.”

“I know. But they look frazzled.”

The second Jimenez turned her way and took a step, was the second another man came flying in. He grabbed the leader, whispered in his ear. This prompted the leader, to leave the room quickly.

Jake swiped the water from his eyes. The six men at the entrance of the resort were down. The only problem Jake had was he didn’t have much time to pull the bodies to a secure distance away. A little searching would breed the discovery of the carcasses.

He knew he would run into problems. He was rushed. In town, with the help of some of the women, he pulled the gunmen who would awaken into a closet, and locked it. He instructed the women to go to the beach in forty minutes. If the men weren’t awake they were to tell authorities where the male hostages were.

It was understood.

Jake headed to the resort.

Guards walked the grounds near the entrance to the resort. Since they made their way via sea, they had only the transportation on the island. That worked in Jake’s favor.

He was able to sneak close enough to the front of the resort to take out those guards. It was when he was making his way around the back, that he saw one of the henchman step out and race back in.

It was a matter of seconds, Jake figured, before whoever it was in charge figured out that something was going on.

Jake rushed to the back of the building. A call for his head would be made soon, so he had to eliminate the backdoor threat.

Gone.

The guardsman protecting the front lobby and entrance of the report were gone. Blood smears and puddles were everywhere. Jimenez could have been an idiot and still figured out what had happened to his guards.

“Don’t waste time looking for our men,” he instructed two of his people. “We are down to a minimum now.” Jimenez said. “Alert the back to be on the look-out for trouble.” He started to walk toward the dining room.

“We tried.”

Jimenez stopped. “You tried?”

“No one is answering. Shall we go look?”

“No, we can’t take a chance.”

“Shall we send out men to search out this missing team?”

“No,” Jimenez answered. “As I said we are minimal. We will draw him out.”

“Him? You really think this is only one man?”

Jimenez peered into the dining room and to Cal. He looked back at his man. “I am positive.”

Cal felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach and the twins kicked violently as if some sort of psychic premonition.

It wasn’t long after that feeling, seconds, if that, Jimenez stormed into the room.

Like a soundtrack to a movie, thunder blasted, lightening cracked at the same time, without words, he swung out his arm, snapped his finger with a point towards Cal.

Una and another armed man moved her way.

Cal stayed focused on them. Not moving.

Rickie inched his chair back.

Closer.

They both aimed their weapon at Cal.

Billy stood to his feet and Una, without hesitation placed the rifle to Billy’s head.

“Sit.” He ordered.

“No.”

Shift.

“Sit.”

“Billy, sit.” Cal urged.

Una, aim on Billy, motioned his head to his cohort. “Get her.”

With a squeal and a rush, Cal pushed back her chair and jumped to her feet. Rickie did the same, but his protection attempt was in vain, when the much bigger gunman knocked him out of the way and onto the floor, as he lunged for Cal.

Billy’s attempts were also futile; Una quickly spun his rifle and used the butt to nail Billy in the forehead.

It was the first time in a long time that the realization of her physical pregnant state hit her. Cal couldn’t maneuver or fight. A quick jolt brought a pain to her stomach. She resisted as best she could.

“Bring her this way.” Jimenez ordered.

Una and the other man, both latched onto Cal’s arms, began to drag her.

They didn’t make it too far.

Billy heard it. Shaking his head, he shifted his eyes to his left when the growl occurred.

In a blur, sounding like a panther, Rickie went from being on the floor to shooting through the air.

He slammed hard into the first gunman, freeing Cal from his grip.

The gunman went down, with Rickie on top.

Screams, of the women, the dying man, mixed with a tearing wet sound, and blood fountain out like rain as Rickie’s transformed jaws ripped his throat to shreds in seconds.

Una released Cal and she dove to the floor.

Jimenez flew back into the dining room. He stood stunned.

“What is it?” one of his men asked.

Una fumbled with his weapon.

“Shoot it!” Jimenez ordered.

Rickie raised his head from his victim. Face distorted, Body rippled and covered with fur, his jaws dripped blood from the long fangs that barely fit in his mouth.

Una looked into the frightening stare when he saw Rickie’s luminescent green eyes.

“Shoot it!” Jimenez ordered, again.

Rickie viciously snarled and just as gunfire ensued , he leapt forward. With a pounce onto Una, using the downed body as a spring board, he ripped across Una’s throat, just as Rickie ejected himself with a fierce crash out the window.

Two men flew to the window and continued their shots.

In the room, the women cried. Cal found herself in a pool of blood; she slipped some as she turned to see the window.

Was Rickie shot? Hurt? She didn’t have time to even think. Staring at the window, Cal worried so much about Rickie; she unconsciously cooperated as they lifted her to her feet and removed her from the room.

Jake knew internally he had those inside the building worried. They weren’t sending out many men, there couldn’t be that many. One, two at a time, easy for Jake to pick off.

It seemed as if he were alone outside, he spotted no more men. That told Jake two things. They were running scared or had a plan.

He wagered on the later.

That was why it came as so much of a surprise to him. Despite the nature’s fury of noise, Jake heard the break of the window. He charged to where he believed the sound came from. Low, in the rain, he ran, rifle clenched in his hand. Turning the bend of the building, it hit him like a freight train. Actually, to Jake it felt as if he were hit by a car. It slammed into his mid section, folding his body and sending him in the air ten feet back.

He crashed hard in the wet grass and rolled three times, before bringing himself to a stop. With a slight slip, Jake turned his body to prepare to stand, when he hear the growl.

Raising one eyebrow, he slowly turned his head, catching the glow of the eyes.

“Fuck,” he whispered.

Growl.

“Goddamn it, Rickie.” Jake grumbled out, grabbing his side as he lifted to his knees. “I think you broke my rib.”

Rickie shook his head, snarling, appearing as if he were trying to snap out of it, but was having a hard time.

“Rickie.” Jake inched his way to him. “It’s OK. What happened?”

Rickie breathed heavily, gurgled breaths, strained. Then … a whimper.

Jake drew closer, and as the lightening flashed, he saw all the blood. “Fuck,” He hurried to Rickie who was struggling to move. “Don’t. Don’t, come out of it. Rickie stay mad.”

Too late.

Jake watched as Rickie did a slow transformation back into himself.

“Sarge,” Rickie said in a weakened state.

“Rickie, what happened?” Jake grabbed onto him.

“They grabbed, Cal.” Rickie coughed. “How bad am I?”

Jake chuckled “You’ll live. You’ll die first, but you’ll live.”

“Figured as much. I went monster on them, guy.”

“I see that.”

“The one dude … he knows you.”

“What?” Jake asked. “What do you mean?”

“He asked Cal-Babe about you.” Rickie said. “She played dumb. Shit.”

“What.”

“Gotta go. Guy. See you in a bit.”

“Rickie.” Jake gently shook him. “Rickie.”

Rickie’s head titled to the side.

Jake closed his eyes. “See you in a few weeks.” Jake ran his hand over Rickie’s forehead, smearing the blood that mixed with rain. So he would be safe, he carried him off into the woods, and set him down. Just as he did, barely through the voice of the storm, Jake heard the call of his name.

“Graison!” Jimenez called out. “Graison. We have something of yours.”

It could only mean one thing, Jake knew it meant one thing, the one and only thing that he had on the island that belonged to him.

But who was this guy. Knowing him played an advantage to Jake. Slipping back more into the protection of the trees, Jake angled himself until he saw who it was calling his name.

Carlos Jimenez.

Had it been that long? How did he escape? The last Jake knew, Carlos was court martialed from the Mexican army and placed in prison for inhumane conduct to prisoners. Jake had been the one who had busted him when the US was working hand and hand with Mexico on operations. But that was years ago. Ten? Fifteen. So many Jake lost count.

Jake had spent weeks with Jimenez, working side by side with him. Watching him as he did the things he did.

Stupid.

Jimenez was militarily smart, but always lacked quick thinking.

He was quick enough to pick up on Cal’s name.

Jimenez had her. Locked in his grip, gun close, Cal was his single prisoner. Jake filled with rage at the view of him holding onto his wife.

“Graison! I know you hear me!” Jimenez shouted. “Look what I have!”

As a smart military man, Jimenez was pulling a draw. He was drawing Jake out. And that told Jake one thing. He was using his trump card, and that card was Cal.

A quick shift of his eyes brought the broken window into view. The window Rickie crashed out of. With that in sight, despite the continuous call of his name, Jake grabbed his gas mask and raced to that window,

It didn’t take long to render everyone … out. At least the men. One toss of the gas can through the window, brought screams from the women, that in turn brought four more men into the room.

They like the other men, including Billy and Stan were down for the count.