The Killing Chase (Beach & Riley Book 2) (27 page)

“Some people know me as the Surgeon. I guess it comes from my advanced field medical training. I trained in trauma surgery for a few months, but never completed the qualification. I guess I must have learned enough though.”

Beach’s face cracked into a broad grin. “Well, I know one former Marine who wishes he could give you a high-five right about now. I think I can do that for both of us.”

Beach and Riley slapped both hands together up top, before Jake turned to Foxx. “My friend, inside you beats the heart of a lion. You’ll kick this thing’s ass, and be back on your feet before you know it. Lean on your friends – I guarantee they won’t mind. Oorah, Jarhead!” 

*****

The prisoner sat staring at the floor of his solitary confinement cell in a federal supermax. Heavy footsteps echoed down the empty hall outside his cell door. The footsteps stopped, and there was a loud metallic clunk as the lock was turned from outside. The reinforced steel door swung open, revealing a tall man of African descent, dressed in a crisply ironed guard’s uniform. He entered the cell, pulling the door closed behind him, and stared at the prisoner for a moment.

“How did you find out?” the guard asked.

“I have my ways.” The tall, salt-and-pepper-haired prisoner with the lean, chiseled face had replied without looking up. “In my experience, there’s almost no obstacle that can’t be overcome by large quantities of cash.”

“If anyone finds out, they’ll just replace me with someone else, and you’ll be back to where you started.”

“What makes you think anyone would find out?” The prisoner looked up now, giving the guard a dark stare. “As you said,
I’ve
got no reason to tell anyone. And if you don’t want anything to happen to
her
,
you’re
certainly going to keep quiet.”

Shrinking away from the prisoner’s ominous glare, the guard said, “But it’s a cell phone. What if they toss your cell? I’d lose my job – maybe even end up on your side of the fence.”

The prisoner smiled coldly, examining the young guard like a school principal would scrutinize a naughty child. His thin lips tightened in contempt. “Are you seriously that naïve? There are only two regular guards authorized to patrol this wing, and one senior officer allowed to search my cell. Aside from trustee inmates who clean the floors, the Warden and Deputy Warden are the only other people with access to this wing. Surely this is not news to you.”

“Of course not,” said the guard. “They did extensive background searches on both of us guards. They made it very clear that only men with no living relatives or significant ties were eligible.”

“Of course they did. They know that men like me have ways of getting to people on the outside. And if I can get to you, believe me, I can get to the others. Mothers, fathers, sisters, cousins, girlfriends – girlfriends seem to be particularly useful. Once someone like me finds your weak spots, people like you will do anything they’re told. And you neglected to tell them about your former sweetheart, didn’t you, Marcus?”

“That was a long time ago.”

“Yes, it was. Before you found religion and forsook matters of the heart and flesh. But you still love the girl, don’t you? Despite your parents’ scorn toward you ‘going against God’ and mixing races. Despite the fact your mama and papa – your only family – died at the hands of your belle’s own father. Shame and remorse drove you from her, but the feelings didn’t fade with time. You still love her deeply – and care for her safety. The thought of her being taken by force, and passed from man to man, over and over, like so much meat, stabs you in the soul, doesn’t it, Marcus?”

Tears welled in the young man’s eyes. He wiped them away angrily. “You’re an evil bastard! If you touch her, I don’t care what they do to me – I’ll kill you.”

“Give me the phone and keep quiet. I assure you – she’ll be quite safe. But any unwanted surprises, and I
will
get word to my people on the outside.”

The guard reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny cell phone. “I don’t know what use it is to you anyway. They jam all transmissions throughout the prison.”

“So pathetically naïve,” the prisoner said, holding out his hand. “Like I said, large quantities of cash can do anything. Just give me the phone, and leave.”

The guard handed him the phone, and withdrew.

“I’ll want this recharged tomorrow,” the prisoner said.

The guard shot the prisoner a hate-filled glare before pulling the door closed and locked it. As his footsteps faded into the distance, the prisoner punched in a number and waited.

“Hello,” a voice answered on the third ring.

“Vasily,” the prisoner said.

“I was beginning to think you couldn’t do what you said, Mr. Devlin,” came the voice of Vasily Koskov. “Certain events have occurred here and in your country. We will have to move our timetable forward.”

“So I heard,” Alex Devlin said. Then his mouth formed an evil grin. “But first, we have to take care of Jake Riley and his friends.”

End

Alan and Jake will be back soon. Watch out for the next Beach & Riley adventure:

THE KILLING COHORT