Chapter Four
Theora heard the rumble of an idling engine. She got up on one knee and peered over the window sill, taking care not to be seen.
She was greeted with the sight of Edison and Curt getting out of a marked Network 23 mobile unit parked in the driveway.
Edison!
"Wonder if he knows we're here?" Edison asked as he and Curt got out of the van.
"We're a few minutes early," Curt replied. "He may keep us waiting, just to keep us off balance."
The door to the shed opened. A red-haired henchman in his late-twenties entered the room. He carried an AK-47 slung over his shoulder.
Theora looked up at the henchman. What do YOU want?
The henchman undid his belt and his pants. He pulled his pants, belt, underwear, and jock strap down to his ankles.
The henchman then grinned and said something in Russian to Theora.
Here? NOW? Theora thought.
Theora looked towards the window … Towards Edison … Towards freedom.
"Do you have the money?" Oleg asked as he arrived onto the driveway to greet Edison and Curt.
"30-million credit electronic bond … just as you requested," Edison replied.
"Let me see the bond," said Oleg.
"Let us see Theora," said Edison.
Theora tugged on the barrel of the gun and patted the floor, gesturing for the henchman (who didn't speak a word of English) to drop the weapon.
The henchman looked at Theora. Nyet.
"The bond … please," said Oleg.
"You want your money, take us to Theora," Edison demanded.
Once more, Theora tugged on the barrel of the gun, and then patted the floor, gesturing for the henchman to drop the weapon.
Once more, the henchman looked at Theora. Nyet.
Theora sat up, crossed her arms in front of her chest, and looked up at the henchman.
Drop the gun … or no sex.
The henchman looked at Theora, sighed resignedly, and then laid the gun down on the floor. You win.
All at once, a man's blood-curdling scream rang throughout the compound.
"Excuse me," said Oleg as he turned to leave.
"Does the scream have anything to do with Theora?" Edison asked.
Oleg turned back towards Edison and Curt. "Come with me," he said, motioning for them to follow.
Oleg, Edison, and Curt arrived at the shed to find the henchman on the floor, grabbing his crotch and writhing on his back in agony like an overturned turtle. His AK-47 was missing. His pants, underwear, belt, and jock strap were wrapped around his ankles.
The henchman screamed in violent Russian.
"What's he saying?" Edison asked Curt in a stage whisper.
"My Russian's a little rusty, but I think it's something along the lines of 'The bitch BIT me!' ," Curt replied.
Oleg peered inside the shed. Theora was nowhere to be found.
Oleg entered the shed, stomped on the henchman's crotch, and barked a reply in Russian, causing him to howl in agony all the more.
" 'You fool' ," said Curt, translating for Edison. " 'You allowed yourself to be defeated by a WOMAN?' "
"OLEG!" a woman's voice called out from behind Oleg.
Oleg turned around in the doorway. He was soon confronted by the sight of Theora standing behind a nearby bush, leveling the red-haired henchman's AK-47 directly at him.
"Throw the gun away … the one in your shoulder holster," Theora commanded.
"Can you shoot that …" Oleg asked. Before he could finish his sentence, Theora fired a shot into the shed, making a neat entry hole just to the right of Oleg's right ear.
"Offhand, I'd say 'Yes'," Curt quipped.
Oleg gingerly took his pistol out of his revolver and threw it away from him.
"You … with the Ponytail," said Theora, cocking her head towards Curt, all the while keeping the AK-47 leveled on Oleg.
"Me?" Curt inquired.
"Are you with Edison?" Theora asked.
"Uh, yeah," Curt replied. "We're friends.
"My name's Curt."
"Grab Oleg's gun," Theora commanded.
"Sure thing," Curt replied cheerfully as he scrambled to retrieve Oleg's .45 semi-auto.
"She doesn't mess around," said Curt in a stage whisper as he retook his place beside Edison.
Edison closed his eyes and shook his head … No, she doesn't.
Curt cocked the pistol and handed it to Edison. "Cover the rear," he whispered to Edison.
Edison nodded and obeyed. Curt then reached down, took a 9-millimeter Beretta out of an ankle holster, and jogged over to Oleg's right flank.
As if on cue, a blonde henchman appeared from the right side of the shed. Curt barked a command in Russian and slammed the blonde henchman spread-eagle against the wall.
Two brown-haired henchman appeared from the left side of the shed. Edison leveled the confiscated .45 at the two brown-haired henchman and shoved them both towards Curt.
"COVER ME!" Curt cried. A few more commands in Russian later, the two brown-haired henchmen joined their blonde companion on the right side of the shed, spread-eagle against the wall.
As Theora, Curt, and Edison were taking care of business in the back of the shed, a convoy of sheriff's cruisers were making their way up the driveway, lights blazing and sirens wailing.
"Here comes the cavalry," said Curt.
Within moments, the shed was surrounded by sheriff's deputies waving revolvers.
"Somebody report a kidnapping?" asked one deputy as he surveyed the scene.