Jessica (Tucked In 2) (9 page)

“I can’t believe she fucking did that.” I’ve been pacing back and forth along the access road, trying to calm down
, fuming. I should have known better. I’ve seen that look in Jessica’s eyes before. When her mind is set to something, she does it and there’s no changing it. I can’t believe I fell for her little act. Either she’s going to get herself killed, or she’s turning on us. Only time will tell. Agent Cortez with the FBI walks up behind me, shaking his head.
“It’s stupid, I know, but Tuck, she may just be the diversion we needed. This leak to the press has their entrance blocked. I also need you to know that the Los Angeles Mayor called and tried to get us to not go in there. We have information that this Master has been paying off people, and blackmailing others. The Mayor is on our short list of suspects for that. If we go in there and it goes south, we’re on our own. Their main focus was there. Now, some idiots have went in through the gate she took out, which means we have to be extra careful when combing through the terrain, but I think we’re still ok. Our agent is in the basement you said?”

“Yes. And I’m still going in, with or without you guys,” I respond. My fists clench at my sides. Trying to control my temper, I spin, and come face to face with the Latino agent. His fatherly features are most likely what makes him successful as an agent. He has a way of calming you, just by looking at you.
“Yes, she gave us the exact location. Get your men in and out. Don’t stop for anything. Buzz and I are going for The Master, you said you have a few men you can send with me, and so they can arrest him?” He nods his head. “Ok, well then let’s rock and roll. I need to get in there, quick.”

Heading back, I remember all my guns and ammo were in the Hummer. Opening my mouth to tell him, Cortez cuts me off.
“Here, we have some extra guns you guys can use, besides the one you’re carrying. Buzz said your supplies were in the Hummer. Want a vest?” Shaking my head no, I take the Ruger he has extended towards me from his hand.
“Thank you,” I say. Loading up, I grab Razor.
“You stay here, got it? I can’t get her, worry about you and get out alive. Ok? Please, just listen to me?”

“Yea dude, no problem. This comms chick is hot, she said I can sit in the mobile unit with her, so I’ll be in your ear man. How cool is that?” I can see the excitement flowing off of him. It’s great that he’s excited. I love see him come back to life, growing up, moving on from the drug game which was all he knew before.

Patting his shoulder, I turn to Buzz.
“You ready man?” He just nods his head to me. He chose to put the vest on, and it makes him look burly, not that he was scrawny to begin with. We both turn, to face the compound in front of us. There’s a mile trek to hit the compound, and from there, we have to get through the gate. Jessica had told us where it was weak, and where we can get through undetected. But, is there really any way that fifty federal agents and civilians can go and not be seen? With me, Buzz and Cortez in the lead, we head out. Marching our way down the hill, through the sandy ground between us and there, it’s quiet. Unnaturally quiet for this many people. Most of the men with us are in full on riot gear. Helmets, vests, the whole deal. They are the ones that will be corralling the members. A few of the Feds head towards the camera posts, taking turns snipping wires on each post. We’re given the all clear.

Finally reaching the fence, one of the agents bends down and begins snipping at the wire. Making a hole big enough for us to fit through, we one by one begin to climb through. Not wanting to wait, Buzz, the agent assigned to us, and I head towards the building. No one is outside. The paparazzi seem to have scared them all inside. Reaching the metal door, that just two days ago, I had watched Jessica exit, I pause. Taking a deep breath, looking over at my Hummer, sitting there, driver’s door ajar. I can only hope I’m not too late, again.

Pulling the door open, Buzz rushes in low, the agent high, both with drawn weapons. Ready to encounter anyone who gets in our way. A few curious members peek their heads out of doors, looking to see what the stomping feet in the hallway are from. As the duck back in their rooms, the agents begin to filter in, clearing each room, one by one. Following the map Jessica had given us, we take the main hallway to the end. The closer we get, I notice something laying on the floor. Reaching the last door, it’s a body. My heart stops beating for a moment. Looking down, I can see it’s a man, wearing their uniform of gray, I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. It’s not Jessica.

I don’t bother knocking. Bringing my leg up, I kick the door, as hard as I can, right by the handle. As it blasts inward, splintering where it was attached to the jamb, Chazz sits behind a large desk, but no Jessica. There’s a few camera men, paparazzi, I presume, and Christian Thompson. I can see blood on the floor, in front of the desk. It’s not much, but enough to know someone was hurt. The blonde haired man stands, opening his arms, as if he expected us.
“Welcome,” he says, cheerfully. “I am The Master, how can I help you, officer? Tuck?” A nasty smile emerges from his lips, curling at both ends. 

“Where is she?” I ask.
“Where’s my son, asshole,” Christian pipes in. Swinging my gun, to point at him, he cowers, returning to his seat. This man plays action heroes? But shrinks at the sight of a real gun? Really? This man is an idol to so many guys, this is just too much. Fucking movie stars, whiny worthless fake ass nothings. Without a script, they can’t maneuver through life. Returning my attention back to Chazz, he stares directly at me, no one else.

“
Christian, your son is safe, and alive. That’s all that should matter to you right now. You were about to sacrifice him to this monster. You were leading him to his death,” turning back to Chazz, “Where is she?” I ask again. When he doesn’t answer, I fire a warning shot, into his desk. As wood splinters fly into the air, he doesn’t even budge.

“Mistress, you mean? Because the woman you know as Jessica doesn’t exist anymore. She’s not your fiancé, she’s my Mistress. She belongs to Mother Goddess and the Horned God now.”

“The hell she does. You sick son of a bitch. Where is she?” As my voice gets louder, I can see the agent shifting foot to foot nervously. I hope this rookie doesn’t have an itchy trigger finger, or this could get bad real quick. Nodding my head in the direction of the Paparazzi, Buzz moves towards them, trying to usher them from the room. As they protest, trying to claim Second
Amendment Rights or some bullshit, he reminds them this is a law enforcement sting and to get out of the way, or he will shoot. If this weren’t such a serious moment, I would have laughed at it.

Sitting back down in his chair, Chazz just stares at me, the grin never leaving his face.
“You are the Devils Tool, Mr. Tucker. You have no power here. You should leave. As you are trespassing, I would be within my right to shoot you dead, even the Mayor of LA would agree, just like Jessica shot Brother Elijah.” He waves his hand, indicating the dead body in the hallway. Turning to look at it, I see three members of The Coven trying to sneak up on me. Before I can get a shot off, the large man in the middle rushes at me, like a linebacker. His shoulder lowering, to try and take me out at the knees, I shift, just enough to avoid a knee injury, but in correcting, the man still gets me.

Wrapping his arms around my waist, he pulls me to the ground. My gun goes skittering across the floor. Buzz and the Fed are busy handling the other two men that appeared. My bear of an opponent stands, lifting me with one hand wrapped around my throat, ready to throw me. As I look into his face, I hold his gaze, distracting him from the foot that connects right into his stomach. His grip on my neck relaxes enough for me to struggle free. Falling to the floor, I try crawling to my gun. Before I can get there, he snatches my ankle, pulling me back closer to him. The man and I wrestle on the floor, going back and forth, throwing punches. A gun shot rings out, everyone stops what they are doing, and the room is motionless.

Buzz has a member by the hair, arm raised to knock him out with the butt of his gun. The Fed has his opponent by the neck, fist closed, and ready to punch. The man holding my ankle, dragging me back to him, let’s go. As he tries to stand, I see the blood, pooling from Chazz’s stomach, soaking the gray shirt he has on. Looking up, I see Christian, standing over me, now aiming the gun at The Master. I stand, putting both hands over the weapon, trying to pull it from Christian’s grasp.
“You really were going to kill my son? She was right. Jessica was right. How horrible must a father be, to willingly lead his son to his death?” As the star folds himself onto the chair he had been lounging in, I return my attention to Chazz. This situation just went so off kilter I can’t keep up.
 

“You have quite the laundry list of charges, Chazz.”
“That is not my name, you may address me as The Master.”
“There is no way in hell, I would ever refer to you as that. Your name is Chazz, and right now, you’re under arrest.” Having cuffed the man he was fighting, the agent heads to Chazz’s side, reaching for a second pair of cuffs. He trembles, most likely from the shock of the gunshot wound.

“Don’t you want to know where your beloved is?” he asks me slyly
, even though looking pale from blood loss.

“Where?” is all I can say. My teeth clench, pain shoots through my jaw, as I grind them back and forth.

“You may not have completely missed them, yet. Your old friend, someone from your past, I’m sure you know who. He said he would hold her safely for you, until such a time as you’re able to come pick her up. We are all worried about Mistress’ safety. So, when you feel like retrieving her, you may find her with El Burro.”

As gunshots erupt from the hallways, the agents looks to us, and says he’s got them. Buzz and I rush from the room, to see some of the members with guns, aiming at agents. They have their captive agent, he looks starved and weak, not able to fight his way out of here. The members continue their assault on the Feds. Buzz and I jump into the shootout, trying to make sure these guys get home to their families. Shouts of ‘He’s the Devil’ and ‘Sheep’ come from their mouths, taunting us. Peering around the corner of a door, one of the men take aim, and before I can duck back, and I feel the fire burst in my arm. My side goes numb, and the gun falls from my hand, clattering on the floor. Sliding down the wall, I reach up, touching my shoulder, the already injured one. Pulling my fingers away, they are covered in blood. Damn it. Two gunshot wounds in as many months. Could things get any worse than they already are?

Buzz turns white as a ghost, as he looks at me.
“Hey man, its ok. I have enough scar tissue there, not much more damage can be done.” The agents, having finally taken out the shooters, start wildly discussing their bust. This is a big deal for most of them, having successful shut down a cult. Trying to stand, Cortez comes over, pushing me back to the floor.
“Sit, wait, please, for the EMS. They have been called in.”
“No, I can’t. El Burro has Jessica.” The look of shock from Cortez has me wondering what he knows.
“Burro, really? We’ve been wanting that guy for a while. He’s on our top ten most wanted.”
“Well, I happen to know what he looks like. I’ve run across him a few times. But there isn’t going to be anything to arrest when I’m through with him.”
 

“Listen Tuck, I’ll help you get her back, I’ll help you find Burro, but you really need to relax and let the meds take care of you. Your girl looks like she will kill me if I don’t take care of you.” At the mention of her, the urgency to go builds, and it’s hard fighting it. He’s right. I need to get fixed up, then figure out where they will have her. I can hear the paparazzi talking about how this would make a good movie and how Christian could play the lead agent. Hollywood man. That’s how it goes. As the medics drop their bags next to the injured men, including myself, my cell phone chirps. Pulling it from the leg pocket of my cargos with my good arm, I tap the screen, answering the call. I really have to start looking at the caller id first.

“Sergeant Tucker. How have you been? I told you last time I saw you that you would pay. Now, it seems I can keep that promise. I have someone important to you. Akio’s father, he took someone important to me, because of your actions. You ever want to see this bitch alive again, you’re going to do what you do best, and find my sister. I’ll sms you the details I have.” Hanging up before I can respond, I toss the phone away from me. This is ridiculous. He wants to hire me? My payment is that maybe he will let Jessica live? Because I know for certain that if she’s seen him, he won’t let her go, and he has no regrets or second thoughts about killing a woman. He’s done it before. This is just beyond fucked.

Having gotten stitched up, I was released from the scene. It was just a flesh wound. Nothing too bad. I’ve been shot before, so it was nothing major. Jumping in my Hummer, Buzz and I drive around, dragging Razor away from his new girlfriend.
“Where’s Jess man? She ok?” he asks wearily.
“We have a lot of work to do before we get her back man. You up to it? If not, let me know now and we’ll work something out to get you your own place and a new job.” Looking into the rearview mirror, we make eye contact. The kid smiles, and makes me proud.
“I’m in this for the long haul Tuck, stop trying to ditch me, besides, I think I just found you a great government contact.”