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Chapter Twenty-one

"The Noose Tightens"

"Captain, we've got word of a trio of parked SUVs near the entrance to Ansel's cabin, along with a lot of rubble and debris on the road," Strenlich said grimly. "Apparently, the road leading to the cabin was destroyed."

Kermit grunted. "Ansel pulled that trick from under his driver's seat, detonating buried explosives while we were still close enough to rock that two ton truck of his."

Kermit heard Ansel hooting in the background as he sat with Celeste, remembering the thrill of his defensive devices. For some reason, the old man reminded Kermit of the late Walter Brennan with his antics and laughter.

"Time to move out, folks," Blaisdell ordered grimly.

Kermit looked at his old friend, knowing he'd been working ever since Peter missed his first check-in and hadn't stopped yet. Kermit started to get up to follow the others and Paul gave him a stern glance.

"Don't even try to tell me I'm not going," Kermit growled.

Celeste chimed in. "The same goes for me."

Ansel nodded in agreement.

"Okay, this is what's going to happen. Kermit, I don't like the idea of you moving around with that leg of yours, but you know where we are heading, so you'll ride with me. Once, we round up the newly arrived assassins, along with any stragglers that might still be on the premises, then...and only then, will you two civilians be allowed to go as far as the cabin. We will set up our home base from there, but that's it. From there, we find Peter and Tommy while you stay put."

Kermit could tell none of them really liked the idea, but at least being at the command center, they would know immediately if Tommy and Peter had been found, so they nodded in reluctant agreement.

oOoOoOoOo

As they were driving in the lead of a caravan of off-road vehicles, Paul and Kermit spoke in greater detail. "You sure about this Ansel Crowfoot and his directions? This

doesn't seem to lead anywhere close to the cabin," Paul said with doubt in his voice.

"I'd stake my life on it. He may be aged and cantankerous, but he's a sharp old coot."

"If you say so."

"I do," Kermit said with a smirk.

"How's the leg doing?" Paul asked as he glanced over to Kermit's injury.

Kermit pulled his backpack of supplies over to cover the injured limb. "Forget about the leg. It'll be fine until we find the others."

"Okay," Paul said softly.

Kermit turned to him, radiating irritation. "What does that mean?"

"When you talk like that, I know that it's giving you hell, but you're too headstrong to take care of yourself first."

"Listen, all we need to focus on is finding Peter and Tommy before Clark's goons do!"

It was quiet in the interior of the vehicle for a few minutes until Kermit calmed down. Clearing his voice, Kermit asked, "Did you find the source of the leak on this case?"

"Yes, the primary source and three accomplices."

"The phone call from Skalany right before we left?"

Paul smiled and nodded.

"Well?" Kermit asked.

"The mole was in the DA's office, a secretary with access to confidential files."

"I assume you've got her locked up."

"Oh yeah," Paul said with a smile. "Along with the garage mechanic who sabotaged Peter's car radio and put in a jamming device so no phone signals would go out, along with a few other minor players that the mechanic gave up."

"The mole was caught in the act of trying to contact the hit team and gave up her contact with the team in return for a deal. She said she was trying to contact them because the money man wanted to stop the hit, but she couldn't raise anyone."

"Stop the hit? Hell, that doesn't make any sense after everything they've done to try to kill them."

"It's what she said."

"Do you have confirmation of who hired her?" Kermit asked, his anger rising. "I mean, we know who it is, but did she give him up?"

Paul's fingers tapped on the steering wheel. "Not yet, but she will. I've got Clark under surveillance, so if he tries to bolt, we'll nab him."

"And his asshole son?"

Paul chuckled. "Yes, and his asshole son."

"Don't worry about it. I've got Skalany and Powell tightening the noose around his neck. It's only a matter of time now."

Kermit took a deep breath and turned his full attention to Paul. "Pray tell, how did you come across such specific information so quickly?"

Paul gave him a distant smile.

Kermit cursed. "You called him, didn't you? Dammit, you know how that pisses me off. The man is not to be trusted."

"He came through this time, didn't he?"

Kermit shifted, as if he were brushing away cockroaches. "Yeah, maybe, but I'd be watching your back from here on out. You never make a deal with the devil without him wanting to exact his pound of flesh later on."

"We'll deal with later on...later on."

The rest of the ride was silent. Paul knew Kermit was fuming about the man he'd contacted for information. And Paul just worried over Peter and Tommy and finding them in time.

oOoOoOoOo

Peter and Tommy did pretty well getting into the canoe, and Peter used the oars to navigate downstream. They weren't on the water twenty minutes when they hit some rough white water. Peter did his best to keep the canoe from swamping until they hit a large rock in the creek. Before he could maneuver around it, the canoe went over.

Peter trudged out of the frigid water and dropped onto the sandy shore. His whole body was shaking as he turned around, looking for Tommy. A quick gasp of relief came when he spotted him about ten feet away. He saw the boy was moving, undoubtedly chilled to the bone like Peter was.

"Tommy, are you okay?" he called out. He didn't have the strength yet to go to his side.

Tommy looked in Peter's direction and nodded, and then his eyes widened with worry. Peter spun around and found a man in filthy smelling rags walking up to them.

Peter reached out with one hand. "Mister, we need some help. Please, can you help us?"

The man smiled, but it wasn't a pleasant smile because most of his teeth gone.

"Sure, I can help. I'll be right back..."

Peter watched the man scurry away. He was huge and his hair was matted as if it hadn't been brushed in decades. Between the rags, the man was hairy all over, like he was part Neanderthal.

Something inside of Peter told him to get away from this man. He looked around and spotted the canoe and its oars just beyond Tommy. Though it had capsized, the hull looked to be intact.

Peter forced himself to his feet, groaning and swaying as he stood, wiping away the water dripping into his eyes from his hair. As Peter moved toward Tommy, he found Ansel's cane, along with their knapsack of supplies scattered along the edge of the creek, picking them up as he went.

First, he checked on Tommy, helping the boy get to his feet.

"Tommy, are you sure you're okay?" he asked, peering deep into Tommy's eyes.

The boy nodded, but shivered from the cold.

"I know it's miserable to be cold and wet, but we need to get to safety and fast before that guy returns."

Tommy nodded, and helped Peter right the canoe. They loaded their meager belongings and Peter hefted Tommy into the canoe. Peter was pushing the boat back into the water when he was attacked from the rear. With a final act of self-sacrifice, he pushed the canoe hard, sending Tommy away to safety as he turned to battle with Big Foot.

The man wasn't really Big Foot, but that was the image in Peter's mind. The guy was big...and strong. Peter was weak and injured. He managed to get in a few punches before Big Foot got an arm around his neck and held a knife to it.

Peter put up his hands in defeat. The man lowered the knife and Peter elbowed him in the solar plexus with all he could muster. The man dropped to the ground and Peter began running. He could still see Tommy floating in the canoe down the creek. If he ran fast enough, he might be able to catch him. They were supposed to stay together, no matter what, according to the shaman, Whitehorse.

Peter was nearly to Tommy, and at the end of his strength, when he was tackled from behind. As he hit the ground with Big Foot holding onto his feet, he saw Tommy jumping over the edge of the canoe with the knapsack and Ansel's cane.

"No, Tommy, don't!" he rasped.

He felt movement behind him and turned in time to see a large rock being swung against his temple. There was a blinding flash of pain and then his world went black.

oOoOoOoOo

Paul and Kermit stepped over the wreckage left inside Ansel's cabin. It looked like Clark's men had torn the place apart trying to find their targets. There were several dead bodies scattered on the porch and in the living room. Kermit stood in the center of it all in disbelief. Disbelief that quickly became rage.

Paul called to him from the dining room. Kermit entered the area and his eyes took in many details with a single glance. Someone had been tied up in a chair. The bloodied remnants of a rope made Kermit's hands ball into fists.

There was a good amount of blood on the ground beside the chair. The crimson stains told Kermit that they'd worked Peter over pretty good. A glance to Paul confirmed he was thinking the same thing.

There were two more bodies lying side by side, without a visible mark on them, but they were just as dead as the others they'd found.Blaisdell's walkie-talkie squawked before either man could speak.

"Captain, we've got about a dozen men here still alive. They just turned themselves in without a fight. Said somebody or something has been picking them off one by one. What do you want me to do with them?"

"Bring them up to the cabin for questioning."

Kermit tapped Paul on the shoulder. "There's a cellar where we could lock them up until a paddy wagon arrives."

"Good idea. Yes, Frank, bring them to the cabin."

He paused, asking the question he knew Frank would have told him right away if he had an answer. "Any sign of our missing?"

"No, sir. Not yet."

Paul closed his eyes for a moment. "Bring the captured up here and then spread out in the search grid you've laid out."

"ETA ten minutes."

Paul pocketed the walkie-talkie and turned to Kermit. "Once we debrief the men and they are locked away, you can let Celeste and Ansel know they are clear to come."

Kermit nodded and walked outside. He needed a breath of fresh air. There was too much death in that house. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine where Peter and Tommy would hide out. In one of the shelters? Or make straight for one of the canoes? What would they do?

Looking upward at the trees surrounding them, Kermit whispered, "We could use some help here. Just a sign to point us in the right direction..."

Paul came out to the porch. "Did you say something?"

"No, just yawning," he lied as he stretched out his arms, knowing Paul knew he'd lied, but he didn't care as long as the powers that be heard and honored his request.

oOoOoOoOo