MASK: Legacy Saga 2: Death Becomes Her
Chapter 8
Author's Note: Because our nice anonymous reviewer wfd asked so nicely not to make the loyal fans wait too long for another chapter, I'm going ahead and posting another one. Hopefully you'll all enjoy the length and the content. Lisa gets a big kudo on this one for bringing out Buddy's "Dark Side". Both she and I agreed that he got the short end of the stick when it came to showcasing his underground talents, so she made sure to give him a bit of the spotlight.
Once again, we appreciate ALL of our reviewers, and special welcome to the two newest: Inferno and The Noble Rot. All of you help make our writing process even more enjoyable.
No quotes this chapter, just the plot moving ever closer to its climatic conclusion….
Meanwhile back in Las Vegas, Buddy Hawks was looking for a lead that would take him right to the source of all the trouble. He could spend days writing a list of possible suspects who wanted to see Annie dead for various reasons of previous convictions, associations with her father or mother, or even Contra World agents out for revenge, but sitting around and writing a list wasn't going to bring him any closer to the answer. That's why his instincts told him to start at the beginning. The only fact he knew was that the contract hit on Annie didn't take place until after the huge weapon's bust in Sierra Nevada Mountains. This information led to him believe that either the supplier or the recipient of the goods took matter into his own hands.
Buddy strolled down the Vegas strip wearing an expensive black suit and tie. Normally this wasn't his idea of work clothes, but to do business in this town you needed to look the part. He entered the Sierra Casino and headed over to one of the security guards, "I'm interested in joining the high roller's table."
The tall muscular black man eyed him curiously, "It's a hundred thousand a pot. You think your wallet big enough?"
"You shoeing your customers away before they give away all there money?" He remarked not amused.
"I apologize sir…follow me," The man lead Buddy to a private bar and poker table on the second floor.
As they entered the room, a man sitting at the poker table sipping a glass of whisky smirked at Buddy's arrival, "I can't believe you let that guy in Mike. He hasn't paid his debt from the last game he played."
"Shall I throw him out sir or cut his finger off?" Mike asked curiously.
The man laughed especially when he noticed Buddy wasn't making any sort of facial expression, "Naaa…he's ok for now. Go back to your post." The large man nodded and left the two men alone. "So Buddy…. hear you went into retirement to work at a gas station for the rest of your life."
"You know my reasons for leaving Leo, but that doesn't mean I went into retirement," Buddy remarked he approached his long time friend.
"I still don't get you my friend. Drink?" Buddy nodded as Leo pored a glass of whiskey, "You know if you wouldn't of left you'd be richer then that Fortune 500 Matt Trakker, but no you threw it all away."
"I guess I got my priorities mixed up," Buddy joked lightly as he accepted the drink.
"Yeah no shit! We were the best this city had to offer, and so close to breaking away and running our own underground operations, until YOU disappeared out in the middle of the night with some chick. What was her name?"
"Sandra"
"Ah yes Sandra. You being the ladies man and all you couldn't resist her. I warned ya that you don't leave this business without paying a huge price…it's ashame that such beauty went to waste."
"Can we not talk about her?" Buddy insisted not willing to relive a painful memory.
"Alright," he backed off, "I'm over it. I got my own place to run and don't got to share it with nobody. What brings ya here? Cause I know you don't have enough to meet the minimum bid."
"I need a shipment of weapons for client."
"Wait…say that again? You need weapons for a client. What happen you finally decided to get back into the business?"
"Just because it looks like I'm being a model citizen doesn't mean I'm not running other things on the side," Buddy insisted.
Leo smirked, "Well said, what do you need I'll get it for ya." Buddy pulled out a piece of paper and handed to him. Leo looked the list over and widen his eyes, "This is very high tech stuff, what exactly is your client planning."
"That's none of your business, can you get it or not?"
"No…I can't get my hands on this stuff, but I know somebody who can.Charles Casanova is the man with all the weapons connections. I can arrange…"
"Charles Casanova? Didn't some of his men get busted?"
"Yeah, but the police got no evidence to trace it back to him. He's good at covering his trails and protecting his clients. In fact he's still gonna make good, with his top client Contra World, by shipping another batch out of his pocket to amend any distrust the situation might of stirred up. So you still interested?"
"I don't know. Getting caught is a risky thing in this business, I think I'm going to have to take my business proposition with Casanova personally to ensure I get my goods."
"The big man normally doesn't do business face to face."
"Then tell him my client willing to give a billion dollars in unmarked bills, if he's able to deliver everything on that list."
Leo examined Buddy faced and it didn't appear the man was bluffing, "Alright I'll contact him. How long are you planning to stay in town?"
"A few days if I have to."
"Very well I'll get back to you as soon as I speak with Casanova."
Matt was ready to head down to the hospital cafeteria for breakfast, until his cell phone started ringing and he recognized the number, "Buddy what is it?"
"I haven't uncovered anything yet, but I'm giving you a heads up. Charles Casanova is sending another shipment for Contra World thru the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I don't have anything time specific, but I think the rangers are going to get more then they can chew off this time around."
"I see what your saying, it's possible VENOM might ensure the second shipment goes through. I'll have MASK up there ASAP."
Matt headed back into Scott room and quietly walked over to Annie, who was fast asleep in the chair beside his son's bed. He gave her a gentle nudge as he said softly, "Annie."
For a moment, Matt thought she was going to pull a knife on him as she bolted upright. Fortunately though, she must have recognized him, because she simply rubbed her eyes and looked around dazed, "I fell asleep again didn't I?"
"It's alright…"
A knot twisted up in Annie's stomach as she caught the look on Matt's face. "What is it?"
"Annie there is going to be another attempt to ship illegal weapons in the mountains. It's possible Contra World is going to give a hand to ensure the shipment carries through. I think the High Mountain Rangers are going to need a little help this time around stopping the culprit."
"Matt and the Rangers will give you any help or information you need when you send the team up," Annie said absently, deliberately avoiding the implied statement in his words.
I should have known it wouldn't be that simple. Inwardly, Matt sighed as he continued persuasively. "I need you to lead that team, Annie."
She didn't even turn to look at him, she just offered a flat statement. "Scott needs me right now. Let somebody else handle it."
"Nobody else CAN handle it, Annie. No one else has the knowledge of both the Rangers and the PNA. Besides, you know as well as I do that if Scott isn't able to carry his duties at leader…your suppose to step up."
"Well I won't." It was like Gloria's accident all over again. Annie was using the same flat, guilt-ridden tone that Brad had used those many years ago. "I can't replace him, and I'm NOT leaving him. Scott wouldn't forgive me if he woke up alone...and he might need me."
"Gloria might need me."
Brad had uttered almost those exact words after Matt confronted him in Gloria's hospital room, asking him to come back to active duty. He knew she wouldn't budge, but he pressed on once more, hoping to appeal to Annie's sense of duty. "Annie…"
She cut him off with Vanessa's firm rasp, enunciating every word to make her point. "I'm…not…leaving."
Matt sighed, running his fingers through his blond hair as he laid a comforting hand on Annie's shoulder. He could see unshed tears in her eyes as he said softly, "You're leaving me no choice but to come out of retirement and lead the team myself. But the job is yours if you change your mind…"
She didn't reply right away, so Matt turned to go. When he reached the doorway, her nearly inaudible reply reached his ears.
"I won't."
Matt proceeded down the hallway with an air of outward calm, while inwardly his mind was racing with thoughts of what to do next. Coming out of retirement didn't bother him as much as the fact that he was the wrong person for this assignment. He took a deep breath and tried to form a plan in his mind as he exited the hospital.
"Everything okay Matt?"
Brad's calm voice startled him out of his thought process, and he simply shook his head as he replied.
"Buddy just called me. He got word another weapons shipment is headed into the mountains, and he thinks Contra World is going to help push it through."
"There's no way the Rangers are going to be able to stop that by themselves."
"I know," Matt concurred, "I was just on my way to send a team up there."
"You're going to need Annie's help on this one." At Matt's pained expression, Brad arched an eyebrow. "You did talk to her, didn't you?"
"She won't go, Brad."
"Bullshit she won't!" Brad thundered, thankful they were still outside where his voice wouldn't carry. "This is her bust, her area, and her job. There's no way in HELL she's not going."
"Unless someone convinces her otherwise, I'm going to have to lead the team myself."
A flurry of emotions flashed in Brad's eyes before his face turned into a hard mask. "Call Matt Hawkes and let him know you're sending a team up, and I promise you that within two hours, Annie will be up there to lead it."
Brad stalked away towards Scott's hospital room before Matt could make any sort of reply. He felt righteous anger burning its way right through his veins, and he knew exactly what he was going to say to his daughter to make her see reason.
He stopped in the doorway of Scott's room and made no attempt to be quiet or hide the anger in his words. "Did your sense of duty suddenly take a vacation?"
Annie jumped up out of her chair, and Brad wasn't sure if she was more startled or angry when she whirled on him. "I already told Matt…"
"Yeah," he snapped, cutting her off, "well, I already told Matt that you'd be up in the mountains to lead that team, and I'm sure as hell not going to let you make a liar out of me."
Annie's eyes flashed orange with anger. She started to fire off a reply, then looked back at Scott's still form on the hospital bed. "Out!" she ordered, adding when she and Brad stepped out into the hallway, "you had NO right to…"
"YOU," he stressed equally forcefully, "had NO right to force Matt out of retirement and shirk your own duty. You told me when you took this job that you wanted to make a difference, well, you certainly aren't making much of one hiding in here and feeling sorry for yourself."
"I'm not…"
"Contrary to what you're feeling, Annie," Brad continued as though she hadn't interrupted, "the world did not stop after Scott's accident. Right now, those weapons dealers you busted are still out there, getting ready to send a second shipment through, and they've got Contra World backing them up this time."
"Matt and the Rangers can handle it."
"Can they?" Brad intentionally mistook her words to prove his point further. "And what happens if MASK doesn't get there in time? What happens when the Rangers find that they're outnumbered in both numbers and firepower? What happens when you have to look Jesse and Jackie in the eye and tell them their boys got hurt because you weren't there to back them up?"
Annie's anger gave way to more tears as she started shaking, "That isn't fair…"
"Life isn't fair, Annie, and it's about time you learned that." Brad folded his arms across stoically across his chest and proceeded to push harder. "Maybe you see everything in black and white, but the world works in shades of gray. Sometimes we have to decide between what we want, and what's right."
Annie's tears started to fall faster, but Brad could tell that he was getting through to her. She swiped the tears away from her eyes, and faced the doorway of Scott's room, running her fingers through her hair. "I don't want to have to choose…" she cried softly.
"I didn't want to either, Annie." He finally softened and pulled her close. "Around twenty years ago, it was me sitting at Gloria's bedside, with Matt pushing me to make the decision to come back on duty. If I hadn't come back and distracted VENOM with Hocus Pocus, it would have been more than just Gloria lying in a hospital bed." Brad paused dramatically, "And it's going to be more than just Scott's life at stake if you don't lead that team."
She pulled away from him and started pacing, but it seemed to be slightly more thoughtfully than nervously. "He took that hit for me, Dad…it just…it just doesn't feel right to leave him here alone. I don't think he'd forgive me."
"Annie, if Scott were awake right now, he'd be the first one throwing your ass out of this hospital and encouraging you to go after the bastards who did this to him…and to you. If you think he won't forgive you for leaving him alone, he's really not going to forgive you if he finds out you let the bad guys get away because you were too busy moping over him to give a damn."
The mental picture of Scott waking up and literally throwing her out of the hospital caused a slow smile to spread across Annie's face. "Something tells me he'd have to stand in line behind you."
"That's right," Brad smirked, "I have prior ass kicking authority. Now get out of here."
"Thanks, Dad."
Annie hugged her father, then turned back toward the doorway of Scott's room, where he still lay unconscious. Maybe it was a trick of her mind, but she swore that she could hear his voice, in his matter of fact, no nonsense, commanding leader tone: 'What are you still doing here?' She padded back into the room and looked down on his sleeping features before she leaned over and gently kissed his forehead. "I never dreamed I'd have to replace you, but I'm damn sure going to try…for both of us. I'm going to nail those bastards, and I'll be back to report the tally, so don't you give up on me."
She thought she saw just the barest hint of a smile cross his features as she left.