The Colonel Vs. The Parson's Boogie Man
[Pastor Annie Coburn, her congregation, and two other women are threatened with their lives by a mysterious man know as "El Llorono", a man who has a dangerous past with Colonel John Casey, and his mysterious brother, Chad Shelton.]
Chapter 3
The helicopter ride to the Pacific Northwest, for the most part, had no conversation between the two men in the front of the chopper. Both jaws were set in grim determination, eyes glaring out of the front windshield, and the only sound between the two were the deep breathing coming over their head phones. Major Chad Shelton, the pilot, was the first to glance at his brother, and he snorted as Colonel John Casey withdrew his Sig Saurer pistol and checked the safety.
"Still using that pea shooter, huh, brother?" Chad grunted, a smirk playing on his lips. Casey shot a death glare his way, and then growled, "blow any innocent bystanders away with your trigger happy
finger, huh, bro?" Shelton instantly stiffened but then he grinned widely, as he handled the chopper's turning fluidly.
"Well, I do admit I love a good gunfight. The bigger the better. 9Mm, Glock, Semi-automatic weapons, M16's, really doesn't matter. As long as there's a lot of noise, and a lot of fire power." Casey snorted at that and grunted in agreement. Chad punched John in the arm, and then placed his open palm on Casey's left arm.
"It has been too long, with too many disagreements between us two. But I meant what I said to the General. It is an honor to serve with you John, and it has been a long time coming." Chad withdrew his hand and then stared at the sky.
Casey nodded quickly, but he spoke no further until Chad asked a question that needed to be answered.
"Pastor Annie Coburn, hum?"
Casey immediately stared at his brother trying to gauge whether Shelton was provoking some kind of rise out of him. Seeing his brother's relaxed body language, Casey could not keep a small grin from his face and said quietly, "She saved my life, Chad. She found me shot and busted up in a the Crown Vic in the bottom of a ravine. I couldn't remember who I was or how I even had gotten there. She took me to her family cabin and nursed me back to health and wholeness."
"The N.S.A.'s top assassin and an ordained reverend. Dad would be rolling over in his grave over that one." Chad laughed freely, and grinned slyly at his brother.
"Yeah, but mom always was praying for us, and maybe...I think her prayers have been answered. Hey, Chad, you hear from Rita any?"
Shelton shook his head, sadly, and then glanced at John. "Last I heard she and Hopper were married and living in some area in Napa Valley, raising grapes and kids."
"Detective Brett Hopper, a vineyard keeper?" Casey burst out laughing, and Shelton chuckled along too.
"Any one special to you, bro?" Casey asked gently, and reached out to touch his brother's arm.
"Nah. I guess Rita was the one for me. Still can't understand what she sees in that s.o.b. Hopper." Shelton was circling the small airfield above Pastor Annie's town, and he begin to reach for his radio, when Casey said loudly, "It's got to be Hopper's good looks!"
Shelton threw his head back, and roared in laughter. He expertly landed the chopper on the asphalt and begin to shut down the engine. He looked at his brother and then asked, "You the good cop, or am I?" Casey thought for a moment, and then grunted, "My turn to be the bad. I look more dangerous."
Chad guffawed at that, and as they alit from the helicopter, he threw his arm around his identical twin brother, reached behind his back and withdrew a Glock from his waistband holster. "Here, desperado, you need a bigger gun then that pea shooter of yours." As soon as he passed the gun to Casey, the Colonel swung around and crashed a fist into his brother's jaw. Shelton reeled back, but step into Casey's body space and the two men began to fight, meeting punch for punch, kick for kick, until Chad struck Casey's left knee cap with his foot, and Casey went down with a grunt onto his right knee. Chad shackled Casey's hands behind his back, and whispered into his ear, "I will let Pastor Annie know we have arrived." Casey grunted in agreement, as he was pulled up roughly by his brother.
Two local policemen came running up and they watched as the pilot pulled out his I.d. and showed it to them. "Major Chad Shelton, National Security Agency, transporting prisoner Jackson to Stafford Creek. We ran low on fuel, so I need to overstay him here." Chad threw the Glock at the cops, and he pulled the Sig and placed it under the Colonel's jaw, pushing it into Casey's jugular. "Make one move, Jackson, and I will blow your head off." Shelton growled, and beaconed the cops to secure Casey into the police car. They moved swiftly, as Shelton, his chest heaving, wiped the blood off his lip. He placed the Sig in his waistband and watched the cops manhandle his brother toward the cop car. Casey was fighting the officers off, and with his large bulk, he was able to get free. He head butted one right into the passenger door, and he karate kicked the other cop to the ground. Shelton raise the Sig at his brother and shouted, "One more step, Jackson, and you will not have a knee cap to kick that poor officer." Casey, sweat pouring from his face, stared at his brother, and saw the slight nod Chad made. He stopped, and allowed the two policemen to get up and over to him. One of the cops, his face red with anger, slammed his fist into Casey's stomach, and the other gun butted his head. Casey dropped like a light and as he lost consciousness, his younger brother was winking at him, and saying in the distance, "that was fun!"
Pastor Annie Coburn was studying in her office, her chairman of the board was acting as guard over
her when the call came in.
"Hello, this is Rev. Coburn speaking, may I help you?" She said cheerfully, and then instantly sobered as she heard a deep, familiar voice in her ear.
"The Eagles have landed, Pastor." The voice emphasized the word "pastor" and Annie knew the voice was not Colonel John Casey.
"I understand. Where will I find this poor man?" She asked and glanced at her friend, Cliff, who was acting as her protector.
"All right. I will be there at the jail in 15 minutes. Can you tell me what is his offense?" Annie jotted some notes down as the voice continued to share some needed facts.
"He is Alexander Jackson, Pastor, and he is wanted to murder. We had to make a fuel stop, on our way to Stafford Creek, and he requested a minister before tomorrow." Chad's voice explained over the phone, and then he softened his tone. "Pastor, don't be alarmed at his face. I'm afraid the local law enforcement suffered at the wrath of Alex Jackson, and he took a beating." The voice spoke louder, and then laughed cruelly. "Yeah, he's a pretty hard case, ma'am. The s.o.b. needed an attitude adjustment, and these fine officers did me a great favor. All right, you are cleared to come talk with him, but only if I am present." He looked up at the Lieutenant in charge, who nodded his clearance. Chad disconnected the phone, nodded to the cops, and took a seat to wait for the pastor.
Annie and Cliff locked up the church building and made their way to the station. The two of them prayed in his car, before she went in, and it helped her nervous stomach to calm down. When she introduced herself to Chad, she was a little disconcerted at his looks, and she tried not to give away her deep concern for the condition of John Casey. They were escorted through the front security door, into the back rooms where the jail cells were. Only one was occupied, and Annie recognized the back of Colonel Casey. Chad banged on the cell bars, and Casey slowly rolled over to face them. His right eye was swollen shut, and dried blood was on the side of his face. He rose slowly, his hands grasped obediently behind his back, his gaze on the jail floor. The man who was swaying lightly before Annie was frighteningly dissimilar to the confident, handsome man she had come to enjoy ever Wednesday for dinner. Instead, she was looking at a rough, hardened criminal, and she gulped loudly.
"Major, this man is injured and none of you have looked after his wounds?" she demanded, and Chad looked at her in approval, and then hung his head as if convicted.
"Let me in and attend to this man, now." The woman of authority came out, and before Chad knew, he had obeyed her and was passing a first aid kit to her. The door was opened, and she approached the inmate slowly, and softly said, "may I take care of your wounds?" The man before her raised his head, and for a moment she saw the man she loved behind the blood and beatings. But he clamped down on that man, and in the next second she saw him take on the facade of Alexander Jackson. He nodded slowly, and sat down on the cot.
"You the preacher?" he growled, and hissed as she cleansed his face, and bandaged the cuts on his forehead. She was clucking the entire time, and when she reached to check the goose egg on the back of his head, he grabbed her wrist and prevented her from touching him. Shelton immediately withdrew His Sig and pointed it at "Jackson."
"Easy, sir, I won't touch it. Major, put that pea shooter away. He didn't hurt me." Casey grunted at the slam against his own gun, but he covered it by coughing slightly. Annie tried not to grin at Casey's verbal growl, but then she asked him, "why did you need a preacher?"
"Killed a man. Need some..." "Jackson" bowed his head, and clasped his hands in front of his lap. "Weren't raised to kill a man. My ma said iffin I did something God didn't like, I need to ask Him...to not kill me." Casey was slowly drawling his words outs, and before her very eyes, she saw him transform into an uneducated ruffian. He looked up at her right into her eyes, for a second and then dropped his glance. "I ain't done right by ma, and I ain't done right by God. You help me do right by God, right, preacher lady."
Annie reached out to touch his hand, and noticed that Chad had raised the pistol and was aiming it at his brother. Casey allowed her to take his hand, and together they bowed their heads. She said a short prayer for forgiveness, and as she prayed, she passed him a small pill. When they finished, Chad helped her stand up, and "Alexander Jackson" stood slowly too.
"Mighty nice of you, Parson, to come help me." Casey raised his head and looked intently at his woman. The use of his favorite nickname for her was not lost on her, and a few tears sprang up in her eyes. But she straightened her back, and nodded at the prisoner. Shelton then led her out of the cell, and locked the door behind them. As they reported back to the lieutenant, Casey swallowed the pill, and waited for the next part of their plan to begin.
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