LITERVILLE WOES
Pax awakened the next morning, feeling as if she had a hangover. Donovan didn't appear to be in the room with her, and she couldn't hear the shower running. She hoped he had gone out for some real food and coffee. If she didn't have coffee, she might die. She sat up and realized that she was a mess. She had just taken a shower last night, and would need another this morning. Of course, spending a night making love to Donovan was worth the time and trouble. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and her foot crunched down on the bag of potato chips. Half grumbling, half laughing, she toed the bag out of her way and hit the shower before Donovan returned. When she stepped out twenty minutes later, she felt tons better and had herself almost put together for the day ahead. Donovan had just come in, resplendent in a copper pullover shirt and brown denim jeans. Curiously, she watched as he laid out two paper cups of coffee and saran wrapped sandwiches that looked like sausage and biscuits. God, at least it isn't potato chips and soda pop! Without a word, she approached the small table and reached for a cup.
"Wait a second," Donovan admonished, smacking her hand. "That's mine. Yours is the decaf."
"The hell you say," she said and reached for the cup.
He smiled a little. "The hell I do say." He took hold of her arm and pulled her close. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "Get dressed, Jaeleah, we have a complicated day ahead of us."
"Stupid fuck," she grumbled under her breath as she made for her duffel bag. She continued to mumble and curse as she slipped into jeans and a dark blue pullover sweater. She impatiently twisted her hair into a messy French twist and secured it with one of her industrial strength clips. When she turned back around, Donovan was seated at the small table drinking coffee and solemnly eating his biscuit. She noticed the glum look on his face and was tempted to laugh, but she wasn't in the mood for an ass whipping. Pax approached the table, pulled out a chair, and flipped it backward. She straddled it and chose to ignore her coffee and biscuit. "So, Boss, what's the game plan today?"
He laid down the greasy biscuit, finding it distasteful as hell, and wiped his hands and mouth. "Boss? That's new." He took a sip of coffee and sighed, "Basically, we go back into Literville and look for that damn warehouse, if one even exists. I want us to find a way inside to see what Jones and his friends are into." He took another sip of coffee and became silent for a moment. This next bit might piss her off, but he had no choice but to bring it up. "I know we do things differently than Dicky and his bunch, but I want to wire you for sound the same as when my other agents go out. When or if we find this place, we'll likely have to split up. Without the gear, I have no way of knowing if you're okay, and Cody is defenseless and cannot offer any assistance. We'll be directly linked to Chicago this way."
She looked over at him curiously. "Jesus, Donovan, you act like I became an agent two days ago. I know all about this internal hook up shit."
"I know you do," he said with a sigh, "but I don't want you running off without checking in, do you understand? You've always worked solo, but this time you're with a team, and that means you don't do things without backup." She was about to say something smart, but he pushed her coffee and biscuit toward her. "Don't argue with me right now. Shut up, eat your greasy biscuit, and drink your decaf."
She smirked at him. "I'd rather have some lays."
He smiled a little. "Maybe later."
* * *
Still tired and out of sorts, they climbed into the SUV and drove toward Literville. Pax listened vaguely to Donovan as he barked a few things here and there over his cell phone to Cody. She watched yet more scenery whip by with the weird red bluffs and pink plants. Just before something went down, Pax had always shut down before going into a strange blank mode. She had done that from day one and had mastered it when she began working with the Angels. However, today, her mind was somewhere else. She was jumpy as always, but wasn't normally like this. At first, she couldn't identify the feelings rushing into the pit of her stomach. It didn't dawn on her until she settled her eyes on the engagement ring. Jesus fucking Christ. I'm scared and worried…I'm worried about…Frank? God. Had she ever thought she'd be worried about him ever in her life? Ew ew ew ew ew. I must really and truly love this witless fuck sitting beside me. Without thinking, she reached out and clasped his right hand. He took his eyes off the road for a brief moment and glanced at her. He gave her a smug little smile. Fucker knows he has me wrapped around his fucking little finger now.
Donovan drove them slowly into the town of Literville, noticing that it was just as dead in the daytime as it was at night. There was an abandoned looking service station in the heart of town, or rather it looked like it might have been a hundred years ago. Around the station, other old buildings lurked, most of those had their windows broken out. They appeared to lean against each other for support as if they were aged soldiers. Their eyes didn't identify anything that might have made a nodding acquaintance to a warehouse. Sighing in disgust, Donovan pulled into the station, hoping like hell that someone was inside it. Otherwise, they'd have to take every dirt rode in the county, and he was in no hurry to attempt that. He had barely gotten out of the SUV when a short, dumpy man came out of the station. He was an elderly fellow decked out in oil stained overalls and had a cap shoved down on his head. Donovan watched, amused, as the man pulled a red bandana out of his pocket and sneezed into it. He stuffed it back into his pocket and gazed up at the tall stranger.
"Help ya," he asked.
"Yes, sir, you can," he said. He glanced back at the SUV and then fixed his eyes on the man again. "My wife and I are lost. We were looking for my in-laws. They told us they live close to the Literville Warehouse. Would you know it?"
The man made a rumbling noise deep in his chest before he hawked up and spat into the dirt. Donovan had to bite down hard on the inside of his cheek. He thanked God and all the higher powers that Pax was inside the SUV. "A haiouse? Out by the wairehoiuse? Mister, are you sure yer in-laws ain't yanking yer chain? The only haiouse out that way is all tore up. Oh, lawda mercy. Bad tornader tore into that thang done gone five damn years."
Donovan chewed even harder on his cheek. "Sir, I can assure you that they told me they live near that area. Would you mind telling me where to find it? Even if we have the wrong area, it would give my wife and I a chance to look around."
He shook his head and hawked up again. "Mister, you shore are wastin' yer time, but if'n you wanna go out that way, I cain't stop ya. Turn back to the layft. Once you do that, yer gonna go down…oh…half a mile er so. Hang ya a rite. Go down 'nother five er seven miles. You'll see a tall silo…that's where we store grain up in these parts…at that silo, hang ya a 'nother rite. The wairehoiuse will be standing off'n to the layft. The only hoiuse out thar is big 'n wite and tore all to sheeyet."
"Thank you, sir," Donovan said as he tried to remember the directions. He would relay them to Pax and she could navigate while he drove. Donovan started to walk off, but the man called him back.
"Hey? Fella? Are you that guy who wuz on them Mummy movies?"
Donovan smiled. "No, he just looks like me." He turned and moved toward the SUV and climbed back inside. He handed Pax a pad and a pen. "Take this down before I forget. Left from here and then down half a mile. Turn right. Go down five or seven miles to a silo and turn right. The warehouse is on the left." After Pax finished writing furiously, he brought the SUV to life. He looked at Pax and smiled. "He was quite a character. Glad you weren't out there. By the way, do you think I look like that guy on the Mummy movies?"
She tilted her head and glanced at him. "Hell no. He's hot. You're just…sexy."
Donovan laughed as he put the SUV in gear and pulled out onto the blacktop road. Although the man was a character and a half, his sense of direction was wonderful. He pulled the truck over to the side of the road and killed it. Together, they left the vehicle and Donovan opened the back. While Donovan dug around, Pax scanned the area. If anyone had binoculars, they could easily be seen, but it would take someone a bit to get here. She couldn't see anything for miles. Just when she was about to demand a set of binoculars, Donovan thrust them toward her. She looked around again and saw nothing.
"Anything," Donovan asked.
"Nope. Nothing."
"Gear up. I'll watch. When you're finished, you can take your turn."
It took approximately fifteen minutes for them to get set up. They had donned the earpieces and were strapped before they stopped. "Cody? Are you there? Can you hear me?"
"Sure thing, Boss." His voice seemed tiny and a billion light-years away. "I can hear Pax breathing, so I assume she's juiced as well."
Pax sighed. "Oh hell, Forrester, don't tell me heavy breathing gives you a hard-on?"
Keeping close watch, they approached the warehouse as if they were simply poking around. Again, they didn't doubt that the area was being monitored closely. However, they hoped they had enough time to poke around before being caught. The warehouse was large and rambling and it appeared to have two floors. The door was bolted shut, of course, but Pax found a low window. Before he could utter a single word, she took a rock and burst the damn thing. The loud crashing of glass reverberated around them like a sonic boom.
"What the hell are you doing," Donovan hissed.
"If someone is here, Frankie, it doesn't matter how we get in, now does it? Quit bitching at me and get your ass over here."
"Cody," Donovan said, "Do you detect any movement with the tracking device?"
"Nope, Boss, all clear, even after the shot heard around Missouri."
Donovan climbed in after Pax. The only light filtering in was from the broken window. He took his set of night vision binoculars and brought them up. All around him were wooden crates of every shape and size known to man. "Move right," he called to Pax. He had seen crates like these before. There were weapons in them, dozens… hundreds. He didn't want to imagine what else lay within. "Pax? What do you see?"
"Jesus," she said, her voice drifting into his ear. "Wooden crates. Frankie? Are these what I think they are?"
"Yeah. Cody, we've found a stockpile of weapons. They're all over the bottom floor. There's hardly any room to walk around." He glanced at one of the crates and saw a bizarre etching on its surface. It looked like a seal of some sort, one that a royal family would have. "Pax? I want to hear from you every three minutes; do you understand? I don't care if it's to curse at me. Just do it."
"Aye aye, mon capitan," she said. "Tons and tons of crates, Frankie. Weird looking shit on them. Do you recognize it?"
"No." He continued to move around the decreasing floor space. He was coming close to a ladder. Donovan peered up, but couldn't make out anything. "Pax, keep checking in. I'm about to step upstairs." He climbed slowly but steadily up the ladder until he could see enough to boggle his mind. More weapons. These were more along the lines of armament type weapons. Jesus. He wondered if the town of Literville, Missouri had any idea what was being stored around here. They were packed and ready to ship.
"Still alive and kicking, Donovan," Pax said sarcastically. "What do you see?"
"Enough to give me nightmares for two weeks. Cody? Is the perimeter still clear?"
"All clear, no movement."
"Call in the local police, FBI, or whatever, they have to seize this building before the end of next week. Damn it. I think I see rocket launchers."
"Frankie? Is it time to get out of here yet? This shit is freaking me out," Pax asked.
"What's this, Agent Paxton, are you losing your nerve?"
"Bite me, you fuck. I can hear your heavy breathing, you don't like it, either."
"Uh, I hate to break into your lovers' quarrel," Cody began, "but I think your secret is out. There is some movement outside, quickly approaching. I can't be sure who it is, but I'd suggest you try to get out."
"Shit," Donovan hissed. "Pax? Where are you?"
"Not sure…maybe a few yards to the side and below. Get down to the floor. I hope we can hit the window on our way out."
"Uh, guys, I think you should duck and hide. Company swiftly approaches and they don't seem to be the welcome wagon."
Quickly, Donovan came down off the ladder and as soon as his feet hit the floor, he ducked behind one of the wooden crates. "Get down, Pax," he growled. He could see her head bobbing around. When she was totally out of sight, he moved lower and carefully drew his weapon out of its holster. He listened to the rattling at the front door and heard a couple of voices complaining. He had no idea how much time had passed since they received the warning from Cody. "Check in, Pax," he whispered.
"I'm here," she hissed back. "Fucking shut up."
The double doors came wide open and the gloomy warehouse was bathed in bright light. Jesus, it cut into his eyes like a knife. He didn't say a word, but he could hear Pax's steady breathing in his ear. She was in her faraway mode, readying to strike. Cody's voice told him that the authorities had been contacted, but wouldn't arrive for twenty minutes. Fucking great, we could be dead by then, Donovan thought.
"Hvor er De? Vi vet at noen er her inne. Komm ut og vi dreper De ikke," one of the voices called out. ["Where are you? We know someone is in here. Come out and we won't kill you."]
"Tale English, Dutch. Vær ikke en idiot," another voice said. ["Speak English, Dutch. Don't be an idiot."]
"Fucking Norwegian," Pax whispered in his ear.
"Wait," one said, "Did you hear that from over in the corner?"
Donovan heard the unmistakable sound of a gun cocking. Jesus. If she had kept her fucking mouth shut, they might have gone away. It's not Keith Ahiga, Pax. He's in prison. He could move now or wait for them to get closer to Pax. He was more than certain she was at the ready herself. Before he made one move, he heard one of the men shouting, "here! Here! Over here!" Gunfire rang out and Donovan wasn't sure if it were Pax or they. He didn't ponder half a second. He made his way around the packed in wooden crates, ensuring that he stayed out of sight. The gunfire continued on and on in an endless barrage of roaring and echoing. Donovan caught sight of a tall blond man. His partner was the one who was apparently having the shootout with Pax.
"Drop it," he bit out. "I said to fucking drop it." The man didn't fucking drop anything. Instead, he whipped around with his weapon at the ready. Donovan fired a shot, hitting him in the center of his chest. When the sound of the shot died down, he heard nothing but silence. He couldn't hear anything, even Pax's steady breathing in his ear. He checked his perimeter. "How close is help, Cody," he asked harshly.
"Almost there, maybe five more minutes," he answered.
"Pax? Check in." Nothing. "Pax?" Nothing. "Goddamn it, Agent Paxton, I said to check in. That's a direct order."
"A direct order from who? God," she wisecracked through a groan, "Jesus, you don't have to yell at me. I'm okay."
He sighed in relief. "Tell me what's going on."
"I got one before he got me, but the fucker fell on me and I think I passed out a little. He's dead, but I'm okay. Where are you?"
"Stay where you are, I'll come to you," he said. "Talk me over." When he found her, she had boosted her body onto one of the wooden crates and left the dead man where he fell. She had blood on her right side. "Were you shot, Pax?"
She shook her head. "Nope. It's his."
In the distance, they heard the screaming of approaching sirens. "Are you okay?"
She rolled her eyes. "I told you I was fine. Jesus, Donovan, give it a rest," she complained.
* * *
It took longer to get back to their motor court room than it did to get out to the warehouse. The two men had slashed all four tires on the SUV. Donovan glanced at Pax once they were seated in the truck. Since they had walked out of the warehouse, he longed to really look at her, to ensure that she hadn't been hurt. He longed to kiss her, but neither of them was into PDA, especially with a crowd that large. Tomorrow, they had to drive back to Kansas City and fly to Chicago. Pax didn't say much on the ride back to the motel. He knew she was focusing on the men and the language they spoke. She was more than certain they had ties to Ahiga, but he thought it was a horrid coincidence. When they entered their room, Pax said nothing. She moved into the bathroom and turned on the shower. He waited for about five minutes before he stripped down and joined her.
She looked over her shoulder as he slid the curtain back. She said nothing, didn't complain, didn't utter one single curse. She turned her head away from him and focused her eyes on the tiles. She stepped forward just a bit to accommodate his body. She sighed when she felt the solid wall of his body pressing against her back. He moved her hair over to one shoulder as his mouth found her skin. The blood had soaked through her sweater and had gotten onto her arm. The moment she felt his lips on her flesh, her body stilled and she clutched her washcloth loosely in her hand. He smiled against her shoulder, recalling that this was the same position they had been in during the fake hit. However, this time, the blood was quite real. Then, she hadn't wanted his touch, but now, she longed for it. His hand slid down her arm and took the cloth from her hand. He washed away the blood, taking note of her arm, examining it for injuries. There were none. She was truly okay, as she had said a dozen or more times. He turned her toward him, her wet hair obscuring one of her breasts.
"There for a minute, I thought you were dead," he said.
"There for a minute, I thought I was," she said with a smile. "So, is it later now? Can I have my lays?"
He smiled. "We can work on it."
Donovan leaned down and kissed her, his insistent tongue demanding entrance to her mouth. She parted her lips and allowed it inside where it swiftly met hers. Before long, he'd backed her into the shower wall. With his arms around her waist for support, she wrapped her legs around his. He broke the kiss and gazed into her eyes. "I love you," he said, "I never want you to curse in my ear again. Do you understand?"
She looked up into his glistening eyes. "Then you need to find yourself another woman."
"I'll keep the one I have," he said before kissing her again.
____________________
To be continued…