Part 3
“What do we do now, Vin?” Buck Wilmington asked as he knelt beside the teams second in command.
“We wait till dark, Buck, then we take this guy down.” Vin said savagely.
“Can those men be trusted?” Wilmington asked as he indicated the ten men loaned to them by local authorities.
“I hope so, Buck, we’ll need them to cover us till we get Chris out of there.” Vin said.
“Do you think Chris is still alive?” Buck voiced the question that had troubled him since the broadcast three days before. Now they were poised to attack and he couldn’t help thinking something was wrong and they were to late.
“He’s alive, Buck.” Vin said confidently, “ I just don’t know if he’s here.”
“You’ve been saying that from the beginning, Vin.”
“I know, Buck. Look, you of all people know how close Chris and I are. You know about the strange connection we seem to have. Well that connection is screaming at me that something’s wrong. It’s also telling me that Chris ain’t here and never was.”
“So why are we here?”
“There’s always that tiny chance that I could be wrong.” Vin said, a tiny smile on his face.
“That’s a laugh.” Buck grinned back. “I’ll go let the others know what we’re waiting for.” Buck said.
“Thanks, Buck.” Vin said as he sat and watched the compound set at the base of the mountain. ‘Are you in there, Chris?’ he wondered.
~~~~~~~~
“Move in.” Tanner ordered over the tiny hand held radios. Darkness had fallen and the team were in position. He waited a few moments before leading his own men towards the destination. They slowly made their way to the walls and began to scale them. They knew from pictures and studying the compound that only three guards would be posted at night, one at each open side. The fourth wall nestled against the mountain and didn’t need to be guarded.
Ezra Standish and Josiah Sanchez crept towards the south wall of the compound where waited for the signal from Vin Tanner.
Buck Wilmington and JD Dunne proceeded to the east wall and also waited.
The ten men on loan from the law enforcement agency waited for their signal as well.
Vin Tanner and Nathan Jackson stood on either side of the gate. Vin waited for the electricians expert to tell him the electricity to the gate had been turned off. As soon as he received it he signaled for the assault to begin.
Tanner and Jackson quickly scaled the short gate and dropped quietly and unseen unto the ground. Vin whispered instructions as he pointed Nathan towards the larger of the two buildings.
Wilmington and Dunne quickly covered the ground to their objective, the smaller of the two buildings and were joined by Standish and Sanchez. They made quick work of dispensing with the two guards and then proceeded to enter the building.
Vin watched the approaching guard and as the man turned the corner he slugged him with the rifle butt. Nathan caught him before he hit the ground and propped him up against the wall.
JD hurriedly moved to the gate and opened it for the ten extra men. They moved through the dark as if they were born to it and as soon as everyone was in position the attack began.
Gunfire broke the silence as sixteen men fought Benjamin Nadine’s militants. They swarmed into the buildings and soon controlled both buildings. There was no sign of Nadine or Larabee and Vin’s frustrations became apparent.
He grabbed one of the unarmed men and pointed his gun at his head. “Where are they?” he asked angrily.
“W...who.” the man stammered as the trigger was pulled back.
“Benjamin Nadine and Chris Larabee.” Tanner ground out through clenched teeth. “So help me if you don’t answer me I’ll blow your damned head off!”
“I...I don’t know where they are. Nadine left here two hours ago and took the prisoner with him.” the tiny man told him.
“Where was he going?” Vin asked.
“I don’t know. I swear. He just said he was leaving and taking the prisoner with him.” the man said as his body trembled.
Vin looked at the men present and realized there was something wrong here. These men would never pass for militants yet they supposedly worked for one of the best militant leaders in the world. “How long have you worked for Nadine?” he asked.
“We just started two weeks ago. He paid us ten thousand dollars each to come out here.” the man said.
“What did his prisoner look like?” Vin asked curiously.
“He was about your size, dark hair, brown eyes, and had a scar down one cheek.” he answered.
“Damn, I knew it. Shit, Buck we’ve been chasing our own tales. Nadine doesn’t have Chris.” he said as he angrily pushed the prisoner towards one of the lawmen.
“This guy could be lying, Vin.” Buck said.
“I don’t think so, Buck. Whoever took Chris wanted us looking in the wrong direction. We’ve wasted enough time on this. I vote we get back to Billings and start going through the files again. Maybe we’ll find out who really has Chris. God, Buck, I have the weirdest feeling I know who it is or I’ve seen the person who has him.”
“Alright, Pard, let’s leave this to the locals and head back to the airport.” Wilmington said.
“Thanks, Buck.” Vin said.
“For what?”
“For believing me.”
“Vin, Chris is still alive isn’t he?”
“I think so, Buck, but he’s in trouble. My gut tells me we need to find him fast.” Tanner said as he left the building. He stepped out into the light and was thrown backward as a bullet entered his right shoulder. “Get back, Buck.” he called as he fell to the ground, his eyes scanning the area around the compound. The darkness was complete as the electricity in the compound went out.
“Vin.” Buck called and pulled the younger man back inside, slamming the door behind him. Nathan was quickly at Vin’s side, pulling his shirt away from the wound.
“Ow.” Vin said as Jackson prodded at the wound.
“Just be quiet, Vin.” Jackson ordered as he continued his search.
“Did it go through?” Sanchez asked as he joined the others.
“No, still in there. We’re going to need to get him to the hospital.” Jackson said.
“That’s kinda hard with a sniper waiting outside to pick us off.” Buck said angrily.
“Feel like climbing a mountain, Brother Buck?” Sanchez asked.
“What do you have in mind, Josiah?”
“A little search and seizure. The bullet came from the north side of the compound that means the sniper is up there. If we come up to the east and west we should be able to catch him unawares.”
“Sounds like a plan, Josiah, lead the way.” Wilmington said.
“Ezra, you and JD keep us covered.” Sanchez said as he headed for the back door, followed quickly by Buck.
The two men ran across the open field between the building and the mountain. They could hear gunfire but nothing seemed to be aimed at them. They made the cover of the trees and were soon at the base of the mountain.
“Can you see him?” Buck asked.
“He’s about thirty feet above us and slightly to the right. Let’s move.” Sanchez said as he began to climb.
Buck moved to the right and began to climb up the step face. He nearly slipped on a slick patch of moss but was able to catch himself before sliding back to the ground.
Sanchez moved as if he were born to climb. He found handholds where none should have been and made it to the sniper before Buck Wilmington was halfway up. He was close enough to hear the snipers breath and quietly moved onto the tiny ledge.
The man looked up as Sanchez reached for his rifle pulling it from his grip. The man reached for his pistol but was stopped by a cold voice.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Sanchez said as he kicked the man in the jaw, rocking his head back.
“Damn, Josiah, couldn’t you wait for me?” Buck asked with a grin.
“Sometimes I get a kick out of this job.” Josiah said simply.
Buck couldn’t suppress the tiny laugh. He’d seen Sanchez kick the man before he could grab his pistol. Josiah’s simple statement was so like Josiah. He found a way to make a joke out of any situation if warranted.
“All Clear.” Buck shouted down to the others. “How do we get this one down?”
“I’ll drag him along with me.” Sanchez said, as he pulled the unconscious man after him. Buck just shook his head and followed.
~~~~~~~~
Vin Tanner sat on the edge of the stretcher. He’d been arguing since they’d brought him to the Las Vegas University Hospital. They wanted to put him out and he didn’t want them to. His arm throbbed painfully yet he refused the painkillers the doctors offered.
Nathan Jackson stood before the agent, anger and impatience written on his face, “You’re a damn fool, Tanner. Let the doctors get you to surgery.”
“No, Nathan, Chris needs us.” Vin said stubbornly.
“He doesn’t need you flaking out on him because you’re too damn stupid to let the doctors do their work.”
“If they’ll take it out without putting me under that’s fine. I want to get back home as soon as possible.” Vin told him.
“You need to rest.”
“I can rest on the plane back, Nathan. You know how the anaesthetic affects me. I end up sicker because of that stuff than because of anything else. Tell them to give me something local and they can take the bullet out. Otherwise I’m leaving here now.” Vin said as he got to his feet.
Nathan caught him as his legs refused to hold him. “Maybe we’ll just wait till you pass out.” Nathan said as he sat the injured man back on the bed.
“Nathan, please. I’ll do anything you say once we get home.” Vin said as the room continued to spiral.
“Where have I heard that before?” Nathan asked. “I’ll make a deal with you, Vin, if the doctor says he can get the bullet out with a local, fine, but if he says he can’t you’ll consent to surgery, Deal?”
“Alright, Nathan.” Vin said as he lay back on the bed and folded his good arm over his shoulder.
“I’ll be right back with the doctor.” Nathan told the stubborn man.
Vin heard the door close and finally let himself feel the pain in his shoulder. The throbbing continued unabated as the Nathan and the doctor returned.
“Against my better judgment I’ve agreed to your demands, Mr. Tanner. The nurse will be in to start an IV and I’ll give you a local. The x-rays show the bullet hasn’t damaged the bone so I shouldn’t have much problem getting it out but you do realize you’ve lost some blood.”
“Yeah, I know.” Vin said as he watched a nurse setting up an IV line. She quickly slipped the needle in and started the fluid.
“All ready, Doctor.” a second nurse said as she pushed a well-stocked cart over to the bed.
The doctor took a needle and filled it with a local anaesthetic, shooting it into the areas around the wound. He lowered the head of Vin’s bed so his body was stretched out flat. He gave the medication time to work and then picked up a probe and began to search for the bullet.
Vin bit back a moan as the probe entered the wound. The local didn’t quite keep him pain free but it was at least tolerable. He closed his eyes and waited for the burning sensation to end.
“Got it.” the doctor smiled as he pulled out a small mangled piece of metal.
“G...good.” Vin said simply and tried to sit up.
“Don’t even think about it, Mr. Tanner. I’ve got the bullet out but I still have to close the wound and make sure your shots are up to date. You’ll have to keep the arm in a sling to keep the pressure off the shoulder and keep the wound from reopening.” the doctor said as he cleaned the blood from the wound.
“Relax, Vin, we’ll be heading to the airport soon enough.” Nathan told him.
“Not soon enough for me.” Tanner said with a sigh.
~~~~~~~~~~
Chris had no recollection of time. He had no idea how long he’d been out, the drug keeping his mind fuzzy and refusing to let him think clearly. It could have been hours, days or even weeks since his fight with Simpson. He had no way of knowing how many shots he’d been given.
“Christopher.”
He recognized the voice and tried to move away from her.
“That’s not very nice, Christopher.” Allycia said pulling against his side.
Chris grimaced as her hand came in contact with his injured ribs. “Damn you leave me alone.” he told her.
“I can’t do that, Christopher.” she said as she lay next to him on the bed. She snuggled into his naked torso, oblivious of the searing hatred in his eyes. “You’ll just have to get used to my being with you. Daddy says we have to go away next week so I’m going to spend all my time with you till we leave. I wanted to take you with us but Daddy said no. He said you’d be to much trouble if you knew we were going to be so close to your friends.”
“You’re going to Montana?” Chris asked as his confused mind singled out the last line she’d said.
“That’s right, Christopher, and I just might have time to visit your lady friend. The one who had her hands all over you at the restaurant. Daddy doesn’t want me to do anything to her but I can’t have her thinking she can maul my man now can I?”
“Don’t touch her.” Chris said with more strength than he knew he had left. Whatever drugs they were giving him continued to leave him weak and lethargic.
“I won’t have to, Christopher, I’ll just have a couple of my male friends visit her. Oh she’ll live but I can assure you she won’t be the same woman.” Allycia threatened. She watched his reaction and smiled at him. He had no way of knowing she’d promised her father to stay away from Mary Travis. He’d warned her against doing the woman harm since that would bring unwanted attention to Chris Larabee’s disappearance.
“Don’t hurt her, please.” he begged.
“Will you behave yourself while I’m gone.” Allycia asked.
“Yes.” Chris lied easily.
“You don’t lie well, Christopher.” she said as she pressed against his injured side causing him to groan. “I’m afraid I have to carry out my plans. I may even be tempted to visit Vin Tanner while I’m there. He might need some help with his injury.” she said, once again enjoying the pain that clouded his eyes.
“What did you do to Vin?” Chris asked as he shoved her away, ignoring the pain from his ribs as they protested the unwanted movement.
Allycia moved back and a hand fell on Chris’s shoulder, “Don’t touch her.” Simpson ordered, squeezing tightly.
“What did you do to Vin Tanner?” Chris asked pointedly ignoring his jailer.
“I didn’t do anything to Mr. Tanner. He did however lose an argument to a bullet. I’m afraid he’s not doing very well.” she lied. Benjamin Nadine had informed her of the attack on the false compound and the shoulder injury suffered by the Firm’s marksman. She ignored the fact that Benjamin had said the man was fine and purposely lied to her captive. She wanted to hurt him for what he’d said to her on the beach two nights ago.
‘Oh, God, Vin, I’m so sorry,’ he thought as he swallowed past the lump in his throat. “I’ll kill you for this.” he said to the woman kneeling next to him on the bed.
“I don’t think so, Christopher. Sooner or later you will grow to love me as I do you.” she said.
“Never.” Larabee said.
“Never is a long time, Christopher and if I have to Charles has some neat little drugs he can use to assure your compliance. I don’t want to use them but I will. I love you so much, Christopher Larabee, and I’ll do anything to make sure you feel the same way.” she said and looked up as her father and Charles Shale entered the room. “Hi, Daddy.” Allycia said, smiling contentedly.
“Hello, my dear, are you having problems?”
“Not at all, Daddy, I was just telling Christopher about our little trip next week.”
“Did you tell him where we were going?” Marseilles asked.
“I did, Daddy, but I told him he couldn’t come with us.”
“Good girl. I just came up here to see if you and your beau would like to join us on the terrace for lunch.” Marseilles said.
“Would you like that, Christopher?” Allycia asked.
“Does it matter what I say?” he asked.
“Not really, Christopher, I want you to sit beside me at the table. I’ll even feed you if you’re to weak to do it yourself.” she said with a smile.
“Don’t do me any favours.” he said as he tried to swing his legs over the edge of the bed. The room began to lose focus and he lay back against the pillow with a low moan.
“Perhaps it’s better if he stays here. Broken ribs are dangerous you know?” Shale said.
“No! I want him to eat with us. Give him something so his ribs don’t hurt.” Allycia told Shale.
“I don’t want anything.” the injured man said forcefully.
“You don’t have a choice, Larabee. Charles, give him something for pain and lets get downstairs.” Marseilles ordered.
“I’m fine. I don’t want anything.” Chris said as he once again tried to sit up. He muffled the cry of pain that would have escaped his lips.
“I’m sorry.” Shale said softly as he knelt before the blonde.
Chris felt the cold alcohol swab on his right hip and then the needle was forced into his flesh. “God, I’m getting so tired of this,’ he thought even as the pain receded. Shale helped him sit up, pulling his legs over the side of the bed and helping him pull his black shorts back on.
Suddenly Allycia was in front of him and pulling him to his feet. She helped him into his shirt, wrapped her right arm possessively around his left arm and hurried him towards the door. “I don’t need your help.” he said as he tried to pull away from her grasp.
“Do you think that matters, Christopher?” she asked with a smile.
Chris knew he was dealing with a mentally unbalanced family and realized he’d better remember that if he wanted to escape. He’d have to try and put his feelings aside and work on getting out of here alive.
~~~~~~~~~
“I can’t believe this. Chris has been missing for over a week and except for that Nadine fiasco there’s been nothing.” Tanner said as he rubbed his throbbing shoulder.
“We’re doing everything possible, Vin.” Jackson told him.
“Well it’s not good enough, Nathan. Something tells me Chris is in more trouble and that it’s only going to get worse for him. We’ve got to find him soon.” Tanner said as he poured himself a strong cup of coffee.
“Vin, we’re still running down some leads on Nadine and his militants.” Wilmington told the younger man, hiding his own fears and worries for his missing friend.
“I know, Buck, but I have a feeling Nadine has very little to do with Chris’s disappearance. I think he was a diversion to lead us away from the real kidnappers.” Vin told him.
“Any idea where to look now?” Dunne asked.
“We keep going over old files. There’s got to be an answer in there somewhere.” Sanchez answered.
“Gentlemen, what if this has nothing to do with an old case?” Standish asked.
“What makes you say that?” Dunne asked.
“It’s just that we’ve been going over all the files. We’ve run down every lead we had on the known criminals who’d want revenge on Mr. Larabee and yet we keep coming up empty.” Standish explained.
“Chris has a lot of enemies, Ezra, hell we all do. Sorta comes with the territory. There’s no way we’ve run them all down yet.” Wilmington said.
“OK, Mr. Wilmington, where do you suggest we start next?” Standish asked.
“We start back at the beginning.” Tanner said as he sat at his desk with his coffee.
~~~~~~~~
Chris walked along the beach, the sun warming his face, warding off the chill from the hand on his arm.
“You know, Christopher, this could all be yours if you’d only realize how much you love me.” Allycia said as they neared the boathouse.
“I like to think I have a choice as to whom I love.” Chris said as he glimpsed a boat through the open door.
“Haven’t you learned anything since you’ve been here?” the woman asked, anger causing her eyes to darken. “You do have a choice as long as it’s the right one.” she said.
Chris looked over his shoulder at the ever-present guard. The only time he was without his shadow was when they gave him the drug to knock him out at night or when he went to the washroom. He suspected he was under surveillance when he was there but hadn’t been able to find anything. “And the right one is only the one you make?” he asked softly.
“Of course. After all I know what’s best for you.” she said, the smile returning to her eyes.
“Do you?” Chris asked sarcastically.
“Sarcasm doesn’t become you, Christopher.”
Chris remained silent studying the layout of the island compound. He knew his only chance of escape was to try to appear complacent but it went against every grain in his body. “Where is this island anyway?”
“Do you really expect me to answer that?”
“Why wouldn’t you? If you’re so confident that I’m not getting off Paradesia what harm can it do?”
“Christopher, you may be my prisoner right now but I don’t trust you. That’s something you’ll have to earn. Let’s just say we’re south of the US.” she said. “Would you like to go swimming?”
“Swimming?” Chris asked shocked.
“Sure.” she giggled.
“No trunks.” he said.
“Haven’t you ever gone skinny dipping?” she asked as she rubbed her slim body against his.
“Hasn’t everybody? I just don’t want to with an audience.” he said indicating Simpson.
“Sorry, Christopher, but Jake stays. I’m sure I can rustle you up some trunks if you really wish to go.”
“I’d like to but with my ribs the way they are it wouldn’t be a good idea.”
“Are they still hurting you?” she asked pushing in on his injured side.
He muffled a gasp and glared at her, “Stop doing that.” he said sharply.
“Doing what?” she asked as she continued to snuggle into him.
“How can you expect me to care for you if you keep causing me pain?”
“Am I hurting you?” Allycia asked as she started to nibble at his ear.
“Not now.” Chris told her as he fought the urge to push her away. He’d learned that it was easier and healthier to go along with her for now. He needed to be healthy when the time came to make his escape.
“Oh, Christopher, we’ll be so good together. You’ll come to love me as I love you.”
‘I don’t think so,’ Chris thought but remained silent as he struggled with the attention she lavished on him. She moved from his ears to his neck and he stayed docile hoping she’d think that he was resigning himself to his fate.
“Kiss me, Christopher.” Allycia whispered in his ear.
The blond bent his head to the kiss but fought to keep any emotion’s in check. The soft lilting caress of her lips against his caused his body to react instinctively. He trembled at the betrayal and knew she’d take it the wrong way.
“Oh, Christopher, you do care.” she said softly, pressing her lips to his.
‘Don’t flatter yourself,’ he thought. “Mm.” he said against her lips.
“Would you like me to spend the night with you?”
‘Hell no,’ he thought. “Not yet.” he said and continued when he saw the look of anger in her eyes. “It’s still to soon. I’d rather wait till I know you a little better.” he whispered softly.
“I’ll give you till Daddy and I get back, Christopher.”
“What happens if I’m still not ready?” he asked curiously, dreading the answer he saw in her eyes.
“I’ll get Charles to help you.” she smiled maliciously. “I hope for your sake it don’t come to that.”
‘I do to,’ he thought. “It won’t.” he said as he captured her willing lips again.
“Oh, Christopher, we’ll be so good together. We’ll travel the world when you become mine. We’ll do things you’ve never even dreamed of. You and I will be together forever.” she said against his cheek.
‘Not in this or any other lifetime,’ he thought. “That sounds wonderful.” he told her.
“Let’s go see if lunch is ready. Maybe we can eat on the deck.” she laughed as she took his arm and walked back towards the house.
~~~~~~~~~~
“Why don’t you get some rest, Vin?” Jackson asked.
“I will, Nathan, just want to finish checking these last two files.” Tanner said as he through the papers across the desk. “There’s got to be something we’re missing. The only people with motive enough to go after Chris are either in jail, dead, or broke. I’ve even checked into his background as a Seal. Nothing comes up!” he said, rubbing his head in frustration and anger.
“Have you talked to Travis since we got back yesterday?”
“Yeah, he says they’ve got a location on Nadine and his bunch but honestly, Nathan, I don’t want to go on another wild goose chase. I don’t think Chris can afford the time. I thought maybe JD, Ezra, and Josiah could check out the lead on Nadine while you, Buck, and I continue the search closer to home.”
“You think Chris is alive, Vin?” Jackson asked worriedly.
“I know he is, Nathan, and I know we’ll find him. I just hope we’re not too late.” Tanner said as the headache began to build.
PART 1 / PART 2 / PART 4 / PART 5 / PART 6 / PART 7
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