Disclaimer: The characters of the Stephanie Plum series belong to Janet Evanovich and are used here without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Challenge: Rosa’s May 2008 challenge
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Rescue Mission
By TT
We move almost silently through the forest, weaving around trees, ducking branches, and stepping over fallen logs.
Unlike the jungles we’d walked in the past, the dry leaves on the ground make a soft crunch under our feet – a sound we can do nothing about – but our training ensures that he sound of crunching leaves is as soft as possible. Anyone ten feet away would fail to hear anything. Fortunately for us, a gentle breeze is rustling the leaves of the trees, further covering the sound of our progress.
We are in forest camouflage. Our faces are painted and our weapons are loaded and ready.
There are only the two of us on this mission. He’s here to keep me from going too far. Failing that, he’ll help me bury the bodies
As we approach the location, we melt into the shadows. We’ve done this for so long, worked together for so long that we know each other’s strengths, weaknesses, thoughts and actions almost before we know our own.
Countless times we’ve had each other’s backs. Countless times we’ve headed into a mission with our goal in mind and overcome the odds to complete it successfully.
Never had success been so important. Never had any mission meant as much as this one did.
This mission is about rescuing my woman.
Low-bond skips aren’t supposed to be dangerous. They might be challenging, but have never been worth our notice. Rangeman just didn’t deal with the small time.
Unfortunately, as the past has shown us, occasionally, the low-bond skip was hiding a high-bond nature, or worse, a psychotic killer.
That is the case this time.
It started a week ago when Connie passed along the file. Gary Kupec wasn’t Burg, so that information network hadn’t provided any help. He wasn’t from Trenton either, so the streets were devoid of information on the man.
He was out on a $1000 bond, not big enough to bother running searches on and not enough money to consider bringing in help for the apprehension.
Since he had been arrested for public indecency – the man had taken a leak behind town hall – he was considered non-violent.
Somehow, though, it exploded in her face.
There weren’t threats. There weren’t messages. There weren’t gifts. In fact, there was no indication that the man was completely unstable. At least, there were no signs until she disappeared.
I will never forget the call from Connie that came in a few hours ago. It’s probably a good thing that Hal took the call. He was calm enough to get all the information.
There’s not a doubt in my mind that I’m far too emotionally involved to see things clearly, to get the information I need and put a plan in action. That’s why it’s good to work with someone who knows me so well.
After countless hours doing missions, takedowns, running meetings and just hanging out with each other, there’s no other person I trust to get my back. That’s why he broke the news to me that she was missing rather than Hal doing it.
By the time he came into my office, things were already rolling.
The relief I felt when we realized that she still had the tracker on her was enough to make me dizzy. So often she either lost them or, worse, would find them and remove them. Finding bugs is a skill in which she, actually, all three women at the Bonds office, are far too proficient. I swear they can find bugs and trackers faster than we can and we have equipment.
It took us fifteen minutes to get on the road after she was located. The delay wasn’t in checking the equipment; that was always at the ready. The delay had happened because it took that long to talk me down to the point where I would accept help and not go off on my own. It was only the threat of being knocked out leaving me no place in the rescue that penetrated my fury at that point.
In the end, there are four of us on this mission - two teams of two approaching the target area from opposite sides.
We are wearing earpieces and throat microphones, but everything is silent right now and will remain so until I give the command to move.
From the safety of the shadows, I move closer, barely appearing in the light before disappearing again into the darkness.
Though I haven’t seen or heard him move, I know my partner was now in position as well.
Things are going as planned.
Peering through the trees, I make sure to avoid looking at the fire. It’s not dark yet, but the sun can go down fast when you’re in the forest. It wouldn’t do to be blinded, not when I’m so close to my goal.
Scanning the clearing, I see a beat-up wagon and wonder how it made it this deep into the woods. There is one man sitting in a chair, polishing a rather impressive looking knife.
I see my woman sitting on the opposite side of the fire. So far she looks unharmed, but even in the dancing shadows cast by the leaves overhead, I can read the anger and fear in her eyes.
Looking at my partner, I nod. He returns the gesture and we both set off, scanning the area to make sure there are no traps or other men waiting. With four of us, we will each cover one quadrant and meet our respective partners back at the starting point.
By the time I get back, he is already waiting. Checking quickly with the other team, we all prepare for the takedown.
It doesn’t take long for him Kupec to put down his weapon. As soon as he does, I give the ‘go’ command and we are in the clearing. My team goes straight for Kupec, the other team to set her free.
In my rage at what he had done, I don’t pay attention to what is going on around me. All I can think of is getting my hands on him and squeezing the life out of him.
That’s exactly what I begin to do.
When he finally catches sight of us, Kupec jumps up from his chair, but he isn’t fast enough. I catch him and lift him in the air by the throat. I feel my partner’s hand rest on my shoulder and shake it off. I don’t want reason right now. I dont want to do the right thing. I want him to pay.
Before I can o anything else, a blur slams into Kupec and the two crash to the ground.
I stand in shocked silence as I begin to take in what is happening.
As I begin to comprehend the scene in front of me, I can’t stop the wide, satisfied smile overspreading my face.
She kicks him. “That’s for kidnapping me,” she yells, rearing back and kicking him in a very delicate area with quite a bit of force. “That’s for scaring my man,” she shouts. She brings back her leg and kicks him once more, this time in the stomach. “And that’s for ruining my shoes!”
As she draws her leg back to kick him once more, I let out a laugh. I was so worried about her being scared or traumatized and here she is, giving him what-for. Walking forward, I wrap my arms around her and draw her tightly against my chest.
Placing a kiss on her temple, I say, “Lula, baby. I think he’s got the message.”
Turning in my arms, she looks up at me, searching my face, making sure I am all right, too. “Knew you’d come for me,” she replies before resting her head on my shoulder. “Let’s get out of here. I need some fried chicken, some cake and some Tank lovin’.”
I grin down at her. “You want to bring him in, first?”
“We’ve got it,” Ranger assures, smiling at us. “I’ll go with Hal and Cal to drop him off. We’ll bring the body receipt in for you tomorrow, Lula.”
“Sounds good, Batman,” she replies, dragging me off.
I correct our direction, put my arm around her shoulders and pull her tightly to my side. I kiss the top of her head as we walk off into the trees once more.
She’s safe. She’s with me. Life’s good.
End