Part 5
“I’m very disappointed in you, Christopher.” Allycia Marseilles said as she sat next to the sleeping man on the bed. The slow rise and fall of his chest made her heart quicken. The white bandages around his waist and chest contrasted sharply with the bronze tan of his body. She wanted this man, wanted him more than she’d ever wanted anyone else in her life. She knew she’d have to get Charles to keep him drugged if she wanted to keep him here but for now she wanted him to wake up.
Chris Larabee fought his way through the lethargy brought on by the drugs. He hated feeling helpless, hated being controlled, hated that he couldn’t think straight. He tried to find a comfortable spot on the bed but his hands and feet refused to move. His eyes fluttered and he looked into the face of the woman he’d grown to hate.
“Did you miss me?” she asked, her voice soft and lilting.
“No.” he said, closing his eyes again.
“Come now, Christopher, not even a little bit?”
“Not even a little bit.” he said as his eyes shot open. He turned his head and realized why he couldn’t move. His hands were manacled to the posts of the bed and without looking he knew his feet were the same. “Take these off!”
“Not until you earn your freedom again.” she said her eyes dropping their warmth and becoming glacial again. She reached out and touched the bandages covering his stomach and chest. “Charles said Jake broke another one of your ribs.” she said as she pressed slightly on the right side, smiling at his sharp hiss of pain. “You deserved it you know. Stealing the cell phone like that. Did you really think you could get away with it?” her voice rising as she berated him, her hand pressing firmly on his injured side. “Did you call anyone? Did you call that blond bitch I saw you with? I killed her you know?” she said and smiled at the look of anguish she saw on his face.
“Mary.” he said, his voice laced with sorrow.
“Was that her name? I didn’t know.” she said as she leaned over his face and began kissing his dry lips. “She’s dead now and that’s all that counts. Now it’s just you and me.”
“Never.” Larabee said vehemently.
“Never is a long time, darling.” she said as she ground her hand into his side.
He tried to muffle the cry of pain as she put more and more pressure on his already broken ribs. “I hate you.” he said as he thought of the meaningless death of a woman he’d barely begun to know.
Allycia moved quickly striking him again and again. She continued to use her fists on his arms, his legs, his face; anywhere she could reach received her undivided attention.
“Allycia! Stop!” Charles Shale said as he entered the room to find his niece in the same violent mood that had led to the death of Roy Gardner. He raced forward and grabbed onto her wrists, holding her by sheer force as she struggled to escape his hold.
“I have to show him. He can’t hate me. I’m the only one who loves him.” she screamed as she fought the older mans vice like grip.
“You’ll kill him, Allycia, just like Roy.” Shale said and watched as her face returned to normal, all trace of the madness instantly replaced by loving concern.
“Oh, Christopher.” she said as she saw the bloodied face, the red welts from her diamond rings, the rapidly deepening bruises on his upper arms. “Look what you’ve done.” she cried as she kissed his bloodied mouth.
“L...leave me a...alone.” the blond said in a voice laced with pain and anger. ‘Oh, God, Mary, I’m so sorry,’ he thought as consciousness left him.
~~~~~~~~
“We can’t just land on the island, Vin.” Travis said.
“Then how do we get to the island?” JD asked.
“We go in by boat under cover of darkness.” Travis said. “I’ve arranged for weapons and a boat to meet us and take us to the island. We should be there by Midnight tonight.”
“Chris didn’t sound very good when I talked to him. I swear if they’ve hurt him I’ll kill the son of a bitch.” Tanner said, his hands clenching as he thought of the last conversation he’d had with his ‘brother’. The pain he’d heard before they were cut off was ingrained on his mind.
“We all feel the same way, Brother Vin. There’s nothing more I’d rather do then mete out my own form of punishment but it won’t help Brother Chris.” Sanchez said.
“Vin, I want your promise that you won’t do anything illegal.” Travis said.
“I won’t.” Tanner said. ‘Unless there’s no other way,’ he thought.
“Gentlemen, we’re on final approach to St. Petersburg. Fasten your seatbelts, please.” the captains’ voice called over the intercom.
“You heard him, boys, buckle up.” Travis said.
~~~~~~~~~
“I’m sorry, Christopher, but you brought it all on yourself.” Allycia said as she washed the blond’s face.
“L...leave m...me a...alone.” he said through swollen lips.
“I know you don’t really mean that, Christopher. You and I are going to be very happy together. We’re going to be married and you and I are going to have beautiful children.” she said.
“Never!” he said as he fought against the restraints on his arms.
“Have you forgotten what I told you already. Charles has some very useful drugs at his disposal. He can give you something to make you do anything I want. I don’t want to use them but I will if I have to, Christopher,’ she said as she began bathing his neck and arms.
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what?” she asked as she blew against the sensitive skin on his neck, rising tiny bumps as she did.
“Don’t use d...drugs.” he pleaded, ignoring what she was doing to him.
“Will you cooperate?”
Chris shook his head slightly at her question.
“Then I don’t have a choice. You will be mine, Christopher, whether willingly or unwillingly.” she told him as she moved the cloth towards his narrow hips, skipping over the heavily bandaged chest and stomach area. “Oh you poor thing.” she said as she placed a kiss on the injured area.
“Get the hell away from me!” Larabee shouted, struggling to get away and gasping as pain radiated from his broken ribs.
“Christopher Larabee, you behave yourself right now or I’ll have Charles give you your first shot. I don’t want to do that but I will.” the woman vowed as she continued to caress his bare skin.
“Goddamnit! Just leave me alone!” he said as he struggled to get away from her hated touch.
“Jake, tell Charles I need him and to bring his bag.” Allycia said in a deadly cold voice.
“No.” the blond said all trace of fight leaving him at the threat of drugs.
“It’s too late.” she said as she pouted in her chair.
Chris closed his eyes, knowing he’d let his anger get the better of him. He watched as the older man walked into the room.
“What is it, Allycia?” Shale asked.
“I want you to give him something to make him more cooperative.” she said.
“I can’t do that. With his injuries another drug could kill him.” Shale said.
“You’re lying, Charles.” the woman said, anger flashing in her blue eyes.
“No, I’m not. He’s probably got internal injuries and giving him any type of drug right now will do more harm than good. Give him a few days and then I’ll gladly do as you wish.” Shale explained.
Chris knew the man was trying to buy him some time and let his gratitude show.
“I’m going to tell Daddy you’re not doing as I tell you.” Allycia said anger making her eyes even colder as she hurried through the door.
Shale sat on the bed next to the injured man, “I’m sorry. She’ll be back with Francois in a few minutes and I won’t have a choice.” he said as he checked the cuts on the blond’s face.
“There’s always a choice.” Chris said softly. “Unlock these chains.”
“I can’t.” Shale said, cringing as he saw the hope vanish from the blond’s face. “You don’t understand. I’m a coward. Francois knows it, Allycia knows it, and I know it. I’d have nothing if it wasn’t for my brother. I’m not even a real doctor. I’m a fraud in everything I do and they’re holding that against me. A child died because I said I was a doctor.” Shale shook as he revealed a part of himself. “I told her family that I could cure her. They trusted me and I let her die. Do you have any idea how it feels to wake up day after day knowing you’re responsible for a family’s loss? I couldn’t do anything about it but Francois covered for me. He paid people off so I wouldn’t have to face those charges. He covered it up as if it never happened and I owe him for that.” the older man said as he opened his kit and began to load a syringe.
“You don’t owe him anything.” Larabee said as he watched the amber coloured liquid being loaded into the syringe.
“I wish I had your strength.” Shale said as he swabbed the area he’d use for the injection.
“Please don’t do this.” the blond pleaded as the needle was inserted in the vein.
“I don’t have a choice and neither do you.” Shale said as he pushed the plunger on the syringe.
Chris felt helpless as the drug entered his system. He felt as if his nerves were on fire as the drug took control and paralysed him. He recognized the same feelings of helplessness he’d felt when he’d first been taken from his ranch. He remembered one of the warnings Shale had told him about the drug. It was untested and the side effects were not known. ‘Oh, God, Cowboy, did you get my message,’ he thought as he heard Allycia and her father come into the room.
~~~~~~~~~
“You’d better turn off the engine, Pete.” Tanner said as they drew closer to the island fortress.
“I just did.” Pete Tucker said as he watched the seven men dress in scuba gear.
“You sure you’ll be able to handle this yourself?” Tucker asked.
“There’s no choice. We can’t get the locals involved without having to wait for a search warrant.” Travis said.
“Are you sure your missing man is on Paradesia?”
“I’m sure.” Tanner said as he slipped his arm out of the sling.
“Maybe you should wait here, Vin.” Jackson suggested when he saw the younger man grimace.
“No way, Nathan, I’m going.” the tracker said as he slipped on his fins.
“Just take care of that arm.” Jackson said, ever the voice of reason where these men were concerned.
~~~~~~~~~
“Mr. Marseilles!”
“What is it Jennings?” Marseilles said.
“There’s a boat just offshore, Sir, I think it may be the police.” Jennings, head of island security informed his employer.
“Are you sure?” Marseilles came to his feet and hurried into the room with the security monitors. On one he could see Chris Larabee chained to the posts of a bed while his daughter lay beside him.
“It looks like about half a dozen or more men swimming this way, Sir.” Jennings said as he pointed to another monitor.
“Have Martin get the plane ready for take off. You know what to do about them.” Marseilles said as he hurried up the stairs to get his daughter.
“Allycia!” Marseilles shouted as he climbed the stairs.
“What is it, Daddy.” the woman asked as she moved away from the man on the bed.
“We have to leave now!”
“Why?”
“There are men coming this way. We have to get out of here. Come on!” He ordered as he took his daughters arm.
‘Vin,’ the blond thought with relief.
“No! I’m not leaving Christopher!” she screamed.
“Allycia, there’s no time.” Marseilles told his daughter.
“Jake can carry him.” she said.
“Allycia, we’re wasting precious time.”
“Then tell Jake to come get him!”
Chris could hear everything they were saying but could do nothing to prevent what Allycia Marseilles wanted to do. He hoped her father would finally say no to his daughter but the next words drove away even that tiny hope.
“Jake! Get in here!” Marseilles yelled as his daughter released the manacles from the helpless man.
“Yes, Sir.” Simpson said as he entered the room.
“I need you to carry Larabee to the plane. You’ll both be coming with us!” Marseilles ordered.
Jake moved to the bed and lifted the limp body into his arms. He threw him over his shoulder and followed his employer out the door and down the stairs.
~~~~~~~~~~
Bullets parted the water near his body as Vin Tanner neared the shore. He could see at least six men standing on the shore, guns drawn and shooting into the water, ‘Damn, how did they find out about us so quickly?’ he thought as he dove deeper into the water and swam sideways to the shore. He knew the others were doing the same thing and hoped they’d all make it to shore safely.
~~~~~~~~~
“What’s going on, Francois?” Shale asked as he watched Jake carry Chris Larabee out the door.
“Larabee must have got through to someone on your phone you idiot! We have to leave here now!”
“I’ll get my things.” Shale said.
“If I didn’t need you to keep Larabee in line I’d kill you right now! Go, get your bag of drugs and follow us.” Marseilles ordered angrily.
~~~~~~~~~~
The pain from his broken ribs intensified as Simpson carried him down the stairs and out into the courtyard. He struggled to fight but the drug in his system made it impossible. He was a helpless victim of the Marseilles family and could only hope his friends would rescue him before Simpson placed him on the plane.
Chris was desperate to stop the family from leaving Paradesia. He hated the feelings of helplessness caused by the paralysing drug. He heard the sounds of gunfire and smiled inwardly. ‘Vin,’ he thought as he heard a cry of pain from the beach.
“Hurry up, Charles or I’ll leave you behind.” Marseilles yelled as the tiny group hurried towards the plane.
“I’m right behind you, Francois.” Shale said. His eyes were drawn to the man slung over Jake Simpson’s shoulder. ‘Oh, God, what have I done?’ he thought as he watched the blond head sway back and forth as Simpson hurried towards the plane. Visions of Roy Gardner’s lifeless body assaulted his mind and he stepped in front of the larger man. “Put him down!” he ordered in a voice filled with regret.
~~~~~~~~~~
Vin Tanner ripped the protective covering from his gun and returned fire as he climbed from the water. He heard shots from his right and left and knew the rest of his group had made it to shore. A bullet whistled past his right cheek and he ducked to the left, firing from a crouched position and was rewarded with a cry of pain from one of the men standing on the beach.
Buck and JD came ashore at the same time. Both men pulled the wraps from their guns firing at several men on the beach. Two men fell as bullets struck them solidly. Buck and JD hurried forward, conscious of Vin Tanner running slightly to their left.
Nathan, Sanchez, and Standish hurried out of the water slightly to the right of Buck and JD. All three men had their guns out and firing before their feet cleared the water. Ezra rolled to the left as a bullet grazed his upper arm, immediately signaling that he was alright as Jackson moved towards him.
Jackson nodded and turned back to help Sanchez lay down covering fire for the three men racing across the beach. He spotted movement off to the right and his eyes fell on a group of four. He could tell that the largest man was carrying something over his shoulders as he ran towards a tiny airstrip. “Josiah, over there.” Jackson yelled over the gunfire, pointing to the escaping group.
“I see them.” Sanchez said as he fired his gun and watching another man fall to the ground. “Vin! Over there!” Sanchez shouted and saw the younger man look in the direction he’d indicated.
Tanner saw the group headed for the airstrip and changed his direction as he noticed one man in particular. ‘Chris,’ he thought as one of the lights illuminated the familiar blond hair.
~~~~~~~~
“What are you doing, Charles?” Francois shouted.
“Something I should have done long ago, Francois. I’m putting a stop to this once and for all.” Shale said.
“Just how do you propose to do that?” Marseilles asked.
“Tell Jake to put Larabee down. I won’t try to stop you from leaving but you’re not taking that man with you!” Shale said as he pulled a tiny gun from his pocket and pointed it at his half brother.
‘Thank God,’ Larabee thought as he heard Charles Shale’s voice.
“No!” Allycia cried as she saw the gun. “Don’t let him do this, Daddy, Christopher is mine. You promised he would come with us.” the woman cried as she clung to her father’s arm.
“I always keep my promise.” Marseilles said as he stroked the raven hair on his daughters sobbing head. “You will put the gun down, Charles.” he ordered.
“No. Tell Jake to put Larabee down and you can go.” Shale said, the gun in his hand never wavering.
“Put him down, Jake.” Marseilles said softly.
“No, Daddy, you promised!” Allycia cried as she threw herself towards Shale, causing the gun to go off, the bullet slicing into the air. Shale shoved her away and watched as she fell to the ground. “No, you can’t take him away from me!” she screamed.
“Jake, get him!” Marseilles ordered.
Chris felt his body move through the air, he knew Simpson was using him as a shield to get to Shale but there was nothing he could do about it. His body still would not respond to his commands and his silent cries were torn from his throat as he connected with the older man, sending them both to the ground. Shale moved out from under the blond man, his gun clutched tightly in his hand.
Simpson reached down and grabbed Shale’s gun hand, twisting it violently until he heard the bones snap and the man’s cry of pain.
Larabee watched as the larger man picked Charles Shale up and wrapped his arms around his throat.
Shale struggled against the vice like grip tightening around his neck. His eyes met the glazed green eyes of the man lying helplessly on the ground. Sadness filled Shale’s mind as he slowly felt his life draining from his body, ‘I’m so sorry, Larabee,’ was his final thought as Simpson dropped his lifeless body to the ground.
“Oh, Jesus,’ the blond thought as he watched Shale give up his life for him. Without warning he was picked up and once more thrown over Simpson’s shoulder.
~~~~~~~~
”Stop where you are!”
Chris Larabee had never been so glad to hear Vin Tanner’s Texas drawl. He fought against the effects of the drug but to no avail. He was still unable to move any part of his body except his eyes.
“Get him on the plane.” Marseilles ordered as they rushed through the gate.
“Yes, Sir.” Simpson said as he rushed forward.
“You’d better stop where you are or so help me I’ll put a bullet between your eyes!” Wilmington said as he stepped from behind the plane.
‘Buck,’ Chris thought, once again smiling inwardly.
“Hold it right there.” Dunne said as a man stepped out of the plane. “Step away from the plane.” he ordered and watched the small man do as he was ordered.
Simpson stopped before the angry looking moustached man. From the well-lighted airstrip he could see the deadly gleam in his eyes and he knew this was no idle threat. Slowly he pulled Larabee forward as if to comply only to swing the paralysed body in front of him and snaking his arm around his neck. “I’ll snap it if you don’t drop the gun.” he snarled.
“No! Jake, you can’t kill Christopher.” Allycia cried as she picked Shale’s gun up off the ground.
“Allycia, get back.” Marseilles ordered as his daughter stepped towards the larger man. He turned as he heard several voices yelling as one. Jennings and another man ran up beside him. “What are you doing here?” the older man asked as he pulled the gun from Jennings hand.
“We have to get out of here!” Jennings shouted as he heard more gunfire coming their way.
“Don’t you hurt him, Jake.” Allycia screamed as she pointed the gun at Simpson’s back.
Simpson heard the woman’s screams and turned holding Larabee’s still body in front of him as two shots were fired at the same time. Simpson dropped to the ground a bullet hole drilled into his upper back. Larabee went down with him and neither man moved.
“Put it down!” Tanner yelled as he stepped through the gate. “Put it down now you son of a bitch!”
Francois Marseilles lifted his gun and aimed it at the young man. Vin pulled the trigger and Marseilles joined the other two bodies on the ground.
“Vin, get Chris!” Wilmington said as he fired at the two men hurrying towards the plane.
Allycia Marseilles turned the man she loved over and pulled him into her arms. Blood seeped from a wound high on his right shoulder. “No, Christopher, you can’t leave me. It’s all Jake’s fault! I didn’t mean to shoot you. Stay away!” she ordered the newcomers as Tanner, Wilmington, and Dunne stepped towards her.
“Put the gun down!” Vin ordered.
“No! He loves me and if I can’t have him nobody will!” she said as she turned the gun towards the blond head.
“No!” Tanner yelled and released a bullet from his gun.
Allycia tilted her head and tried to move as she heard the trigger being pulled back. Her head snapped back as the bullet hit her and she lay silently beside the man she’d given her unwanted attention to.
Vin Tanner was the first to reach his friend. He lifted the body into his arms and felt tears come to his eyes. “No!” he cried, as there was no movement from the man he held. “Nathan, Oh, God, Buck, get Nathan! JD get something I can use to stop the blood.” he ordered as he held his friends body tightly.
“Nathan’s coming.” Wilmington said as he knelt beside Tanner. “Is he alive?” he asked, afraid of the answer.
“I don’t know, Buck, there’s so much blood.” the younger man said as Jackson, Standish, and Sanchez rushed up to them.
“Let me take a look, Vin” Jackson said as Wilmington moved out of his way.
“He’s not moving, Nathan.” Tanner said worriedly.
Jackson checked the wound in the shoulder, his face showing his worry at the amount of blood that poured from the tiny wound. He checked the back but didn’t find an exit wound. “We need to get him to a hospital.” he said as he noticed the bandages wrapped around his friends chest and abdomen area.
“What the hell did they do to him?” Wilmington asked as he got his first close look at his friend.
“I don’t know, Buck.” Jackson answered as he lifted Larabee’s eyelids.
~~~~~~~~~~
As soon Orrin Travis knew the fighting on the Island had ended he ordered Pete Tucker to drive the boat into the small island Marina. He jumped out of the boat and hurried towards the small gathering near the airstrip. He ignored the bodies around him as soon as he saw the downed man in the circle of six friends.
“How is he Nathan?” he asked as he watched the dark skinned man examine Larabee’s eyes.
“Not good, Orrin, It looks like he’s been drugged. Tell Pete to keep the boat going. We need to get him to the hospital as soon as possible.”
“The boats too slow.” Tanner said, his eye moving to the tiny private jet.
Wilmington noticed where he was looking and a smile covered his face. “Can you fly it, Vin?”
Tanner grinned, one the others recognized from countless times before, “What do you think?” he asked as he turned his injured friend over to the others. He walked to the two men Dunne held at gunpoint. “Which one of you is the pilot?”
“I...I am.”
Tanner sized the medium build man up, his eyes drilling holes in the shaking man. “What’s your name?”
“Martin King.”
“Well, Martin, you’ve just become my co-pilot. Care to join me in the cockpit?”
“Yes, Sir.” King said as he hurried after the younger man.
“JD, turn him over to Pete and tell him we’re taking Chris back by jet.” Travis ordered.
“You heard him. Let’s go.” the youngest member of the team said as he led the other man to the boat.
Chris opened his eyes and looked into the worried faces of his friends. He tried to speak but nothing came out. He moved his eyes from man to man hoping they’d notice. He hated the feelings of helplessness that flowed through his unresponsive body. The pain in his shoulder was almost unbearable and he wondered what had happened to it.
“Chris, can you hear me?” Jackson asked as he noticed the green eyes were open and moving. “Blink if you can.” he said and smiled as the long eyelashes dropped down to touch the pale skin, opening again immediately. “We’re gonna get you to the hospital.” he explained as he placed a gauze pad over the bullet wound. “Buck, give me a hand to get him on the plane.”
“Sure thing, Nate.” Wilmington said as he helped the medic carry the injured man into the plane.
“If any of them are alive bring em on board.” Jackson said, indicating the bodies on the ground.
“Certainly, Mr. Jackson.” Standish said as he began checking the bodies.
Nathan and Buck manoeuvred the injured man through the open door of the jet. “Where do we put him?” Wilmington asked.
“There.” Jackson said, indicating one of four extra large spacious seats. Buck helped him deposit the injured man and went forward to check on Vin Tanner.
“How’s he doing, Buck?” the younger man asked as he started the engines on the jet.
“He’s awake but he still can’t seem to move.” Wilmington answered worriedly.
“What does Nathan think?”
“He thinks it’s some kind of drug.”
“Yeah, I heard him say that. Get everyone onboard so we can get out of here.”
“They’re boarding now.” Wilmington said as he hurried back to help the others inside. He noticed Jackson hadn’t moved from Larabee’s side except to find and utilize the plane emergency first aid kit.
“They’re all dead, Nate.” Dunne said as he entered the jet. “Pete’s gonna call for the locals to come clean up the mess. He says he’ll be able to cover for us. I found this by one of the men. It seems to be filled with vials and needles.”
“That’s great, Kid.” Wilmington said. “Now tell the others we’re ready for take off.”
“No need, they’re right behind me.”
“You guys buckle up back there.” Tanner’s voice advised over the mic.
“You heard him.” Wilmington said as he watched Sanchez close and secure the cabin door.
“JD, let me have a look at that case.” Jackson said as he reached for the bag in Dunne’s hands. He opened it and studied some of the vials. “Hopefully the hospital will be able to find out what they’ve used on Chris.” he said as he put the bag under his seat.
PART 1 / PART 2 / PART 3 / PART 4 / PART 6 / PART 7
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