The Colonel Vs. The Parson's Boogie Man
Chapter 7
Recap: The fire that destroyed the Parson's church building traps one of her congregational members. Colonel Casey is able to rescue Cliff but as a large beam crashes down on the Marine, he is thrust belly deep on top of a shard of window glass.
The ambulance made the airport in under 5 minutes and before the medic car had stopped, Major Chad Shelton was already opening the back of the doors and running for his helicopter. He slide the chopper's passenger door to the side and unbolted the seats and threw them out onto the tarmac. He grabbed some bungee cords and ran back to the e.m.t. to help him get Casey's gurney into the chopper and tied down. Pastor Coburn was handling the I.V. Bag and the paramedic's bag for him, and as she passed it into him, Chad grabbed her hand and led her to the other side of his pilot seat, helping her step up into the high cockpit. He kept his hand in hers for a second longer, and then leaned down to her.
"Parson, pray like you have never prayed." He growled, and she patted his familiar face gently. She smiled through tears, and then said softly, "Major, I believe in the power of prayer or John would be dead a long time ago."
Chad crooked his eyebrow at that remark, and then slammed her door and locked it tightly. He jumped into the pilot seat, passed both of his passengers head phones, and started the chopper up. After putting his dark glasses on, he called ahead to the owner of the airport and reported their destination and received permission to lift off. Once in the air, he glanced in the rear view mirror at the paramedic who was moving around John's body, hooking up heart leads, and getting the blood pressure cuff on his arm.
"What's your name, boy?" Shelton asked, as he checked his fuel gauge and the various instruments on the dashboard. He turned toward the pastor, and noticed already her eyes were shut tight, and her lips were gently moving silently. He reached once more to touch her hand, and she smiled sadly at him and nodded, thanking him for his concern.
Without looking up at the pilot, the paramedic yelled "Dixon, sir, Sgt. Daniel Dixon". Chad startled at the name, and then stared at the young man working frantically on Shelton's brother. "You a military man, Dixon?"
"Yes, sir, served with the Army for seven years as a medic at Colorado Air Force Base." The paramedic was lifting the shreds of John's shirt away from the wound, and as he did, the Parson gave a gasp, as she shifted in her seat to get a look.
Though the shard had been immobilized, the packing was soaked in John's blood, and he was moaning, his head shifting back and forth on the gurney. Shelton glanced again the mirror and snorted out loud. Annie looked at him sharply, and asked, "What is it, Chad?"
"You wouldn't be related to Col. Dave Dixon, would you?" Shelton inquired as he winked at Annie.
"Why, yes, that's my old man, sir. Never could know what he did exactly up on that mountain. Something about..." at the same time, both men said, "space telemetry."
Annie was looking more confused at the minute, especially when Shelton threw his head back and laughed.
"Well, Sgt. Daniel Dixon, you are working on your dad's older brother under that oxygen mask!" Chad laughed again as he watched the paramedic lean back on his heels and stare at him. Shelton removed his dark glasses, and the paramedic's mouth dropped open.
"What?" Annie snorted and swatted Chad's arm in disbelief.
"You're Uncle Chad, aren't you? And this is the famous Colonel John Casey? Oh Lord, have mercy."
Dixon's eyes were huge, and he stared down at his patient. His hands began to shake slightly, and he took a deep, calming breathe in.
"Now, Sgt., don't you up and get nervous on me. Pastor Annie here will say that your tending John is a miracle from God, isn't that right, Parson?" Chad looked over at Annie, who was still trying to get a hold of the idea that her Marine friend had an identical twin and a younger brother named David. She blew out a breath and nodded vigorously. Suddenly, she frowned and glared at Chad. "How many more of your family do I not know of, Major?" She spoke his rank a little harsh, and Shelton saw the spitfire that John enjoyed in his woman.
"Ma'am, if he told you, he would have to shoot you." The medic grinned and continued to work on John's wound, repacking it, checking the blood pressure machine and the I.V. "Major, I need to radio in to Harborview and get them on board. What's our location now?" Dixon asked, through the phones, as he pressed the gauze into John's belly. Casey grunted, and his eyes flew open, searching frantically around the chopper. His intense blue stare landed on Annie, and he tried to reach up to her outstretched hand.
"Parson..." he rasped and then tried to curl up into his stomach. "Chad, you there?" He groaned again, and moved his head to see his brother.
"Sir, hold still. You got a 4 inch piece of glass imbedded in your belly, and you need to hold still." Dixon laid his hand on Casey's chest, but Casey only seemed upset at the invasion on his body space.
He became frantic, reaching all the more towards Annie who was trying to wiggle around to get closer.
The b.p. machine began to squeal, and the paramedic grabbed his bag, pulled out a sedative and injected it into Casey's hand pick line.
"Colonel, stand down." Shelton barked, as he tried to glance up in the mirror and assess the situation. Annie was getting more nervous, and the pilot reached over, unclasped her safety belt and nodded.
"Go, Parson, he needs you. Just don't get in my nephew's way." Shelton began to radio ahead to Harborview and patched the line into the paramedic's head phones. Annie slipped in between the seats, and grabbed for Casey's large, calloused hand.
"Sshh, my love, ssh. You are in good hands, beloved." Her tears renewed, dripping down on Casey's chest, and he reached slowly up and wiped them away. He tucked a loose curl around her ear, and quieted down. She smiled sadly at the tender gesture he did frequently for her, and she glanced at the e.m.t. who was talking on the radio.
"John, the Lord is here, and He personally sent you some family to help." She pointed to the young man who was getting further instructions from the emergency doctors at the Critical Care Hospital. Casey frowned in confusion, and tried to keep his eyes open. "He's your brother David's boy."
Casey grunted, and then softly slurred, "yeah, was going to tell you about that."
"Hmm, why don't I believe you, Colonel?" Annie grinned in spite of the crisis, and as John began to relax into a sedated sleep, she kissed him gently on his forehead. "Vaya con Dios, darling. Sleep well, my love. You really are in good hands."
"Vaya con dios, beloved..." Casey murmured, and his hand fell back onto the gurney. The young Sargent looked amazed at this woman who seemed to tame the savage beast.
"I know, nephew, I know. I don't know how she does it, but John seems to listen to her. Only woman I ever know he did that too, besides our mother. Hey!" Chad yelped as the Pastor punched him in the arm, while she was moving back up front. "Man, he has been teaching you some moves, woman. Isn't there something in the Good Book that says to turn the other cheek?"
"True, Major, true. But it says nothing about blowing your knee caps off. " Annie laughed at his discomfort, especially when he subconsciously messaged his right knee, nearest to her. He rammed the chopper up higher and the rest of the flight was in silence as they flew into the beautiful city of Seattle.
The lieutenant, and Chuck were pulling up to El Llarono's house. In the back of the cop car were two cases of specially made Sig Sauers, all with scopes and silencers, supposedly not available to the general public. Chuck and Sarah were on a mission to not only take down El Llarono as the drug Lord of Pastor's town, but to arrest his contact in the Russian Mafia, Alexi Volkoff. The crooked cop, Lt. Fletcher, had brokered a deal with "The Carmichaels" in exchange for a body disposal of Alexander Jefferson, the undercover name of John Casey. Every step of the way, the cop had fallen into the twin brother's trap, and Chuck only prayed that their good luck would continue. The Lt. was nervous, and kept wiping his hands on his uniform pants, and the steering wheel.
Chuck laughed heartedly at the man's discomfort, and then clicked the safety on, and returned the gun back under his suit jacket. "Your family jewels are safe now, Fletcher, but if I find you are double crossing me and my little lady, you will never live to see another daybreak." He laughed again as the cop nodded nervously, and then put the squad car into park, "Slowly, Fletcher, slowly." Chuck warned as he got out of the passenger side, and trotted to the back of the car. Fletcher beeped the trunk catch, and the two men got the cases out and headed up the back porch. El Llarono himself answered the door, a cigarette hanging from his mouth, four tatooed tears imprinted on his chicken pock marked face. He said nothing, but stepped aside for the men to come in. As they set the cases on the floor, they heard a click of a large pistol, and before Chuck could withdraw his Sig, Alexi Volkoff tisked loudly.
"Gentlemen, do not move fast. Step back slowly. I need to see the merchandise."
Chuck hardened his face, and growled in his best impression of his Marine handler, "And who in God's name are you?"
The lieutenant spoke up instantly as his nerves got the worst of himself. "It's Alex Volkoff, Carmichael! He's the one who wants your guns." In a split second, Volkoff fired a round at Fletcher and that was the last thing the crooked cop ever said again.
"Chuck, Chuck, are you all right?" Chuck heard Sarah's frantic voice in his ear bud, so he grunted again very loudly, "Couldn't stand that weasel Fletcher anyway. Mr. Volkoff, you have done me a great favor." Chuck bowed slightly to the man, whose eye brows shot up at Chuck's strange response.
"Oh, thank you, God." Sarah breathed deeply in his ear, and Chuck snickered a little.
"I would be honored to do business with you, sir." Chuck again bowed and Volkoff grinned widely, and patted El Llarono on the shoulder. "Now, there's a courteous gentleman if I have seen one. I am impressed, Mr...?" Volkoff reached out to shake Chuck's hand, and eyed him right in the pupils.
"Carmichael, sir, Charles Carmichael. I find that providing a product that is beyond my customers' wildest dreams is very satisfying work." Chuck knelt down by the cases, and opened the first one up for Volkoff to inspect. He watched with interest as Volkoff's eyes begin to sparkle. He passed one of the Sigs to El Llarono and then another to Volkoff. They both began to put the pistol through various tests, pulling the scope and silencer off and on as Charles Carmichael ran down the specs on the weapon.
"As you might know, these pistols are not available to the open market, and most of our military have not even got them. But I have ahem, a supplier that needed a favor from me, and after much persuasion, and a bullet to his gut," Volkoff grinned even wider, "I received two cases from him." Chuck kept his eyes on the pistol, watching the two men admire openly the sabotaged weapons. He was praying silently for them not to check the firing pins, since the pistols were not workable in their current state. He stood up, and then opened his jacket, offered them his Sig, showing them the same model.
"Mr. Volkoff, Mr. El Llarono, if I may call you that. If you would like, we can go try my own personal pistol at some target."
The Latino lord offered to take them to his basement, and the three men tramped downstairs where the Boogie Man had a large unfinished room below. The drug lord set up a few targets, empty cans, and then he grinned evilly. ".¡Un Momento, Por Favor! " He ran up the stairs, and the next sound they heard was him dropping the cop's body down the staircase. Chuck tried not to jump at the hideous noise the dead body was making, and his stomach churned at he looked at the Russian's delighted face.
"Why, El Llarono, you are such fun!" Alexi clapped his hands like a child, and took Chuck's Sig from him. The Crying Man chained the cop's body so it was standing up, and Alexi took aim. Chuck closed his eyes briefly so he would not have to see the bullet impact. Volkoff shot the cop one time more and then nodded approvingly at the pistol.
"True sighting, lighter than I expected. Here, Dominguez, try it." Volkoff laughed and passed the pistol to the Latino, who shot several bullets into Fletcher. In Chuck's ear, Sarah spoke quietly, "Hang in there Chuck, we got Volkoff to tell us the man's real name. Now we got to have them tell us who burnt the church down." Chuck grunted his acknowledgment, and Volkoff looked sharply at him for just a moment.
"Well, Charles, this is most excellent. Let's go upstairs and broker a deal!" He clapped Chuck on the shoulder and the three men walked quickly upstairs.
Volkoff went directly to the cases, and then began to caress the pistols as if they were human.
"Charles, is your supplier still alive? I think I may need at least two more cases of these excellent guns." Volkoff stood up again, and turned toward the lanky spy.
Chuck shook his head sadly. "I am afraid I hit him in the place that did the most damage. He will never be digesting again." Volkoff again seemed surprised and then laughed out loud.
"Yeah, he tried to tell me that someone burnt that Pastor's church down next door, while he was bent over the concrete begging me to save him."
Volkoff and El Llarono's body language instantly went defensive, and Alexi raised the Sig at Chuck, who ignored them and looked out the window at the smoldering mess of a building next door.
"Said it was some National Security Agent named John Casey. Some kind of spurned lover of the parson's. Never know what these preachers do these days. But so sorry, good bye Charlie." Chuck made a motion of a gun and turned toward the men. Both were much more relaxed, and even chuckling.
"She was a screw. Deserved the hit on the church." The Crying Man growled, and Volkoff nodded. Sarah's voice spoke again in Chuck's ear bud. "We got it, Chuck. Get the deal and get out. S.W.A.T. Teams are right behind the church."
Chuck clapped his hands together, and laughed also. "So Mr. Volkoff, Fletcher promised me a certain amount, but I wish to continue to do business with such fine gentlemen as you two, so what do you think is fair for these cases.?"
"I don't care what Fletcher promised you, I will easily double it and pay you now in cash." Volkoff nodded and stuck his hand out to shake.
"Now, Mr. Volkoff, that means you will pay me 2.7 millions dollars. Are you sure that is not too much? I want to be fair. My little lady says that I must be fair with my clients."
"Your little lady is very wise, Charles, but 2.7 is not fair." Volkoff motioned to the Hispanic man who opened a large suitcase near the sofa. "I have here in my suitcase 5.0 million dollars, and I will guarantee you that much in cash if and when you can deliver me two more cases. That, Charles, is fair."
"Why, Mr. Volkoff, Mr. El Llarono, I enjoy your business. Deal." The three men shook hands, and Chuck was passed the suitcase. He checked the amount of the cash, and nodded joyfully. He took his leave, and as they followed him out to the porch, watched him get into the squad car, and drive away, Volkoff clapped Dominquez on the shoulder.
"Been nice doing business with you, amigo" But before the two men could reenter the house, two S.W.A.T. Teams descended on the house, and captured both men. Chuck stopped the car a block away and saw the horrid murderers being led away.
"Nice doing business with you, dos hombres estúpidos!" Chuck and Sarah both laughed loudly, and he drove over to their "home" to deliver a cool 5 million back to the Federal Government.
