The Deception (12 page)

‘Yes.’ Jaz reached out for it. Cody had stopped what he was doing and watched as she took the gun. Automatically Jaz checked the 9 mm over and the eight shots in the magazine.

‘She knows her stuff,’ said Cody. ‘Thought you were a bit too handy with the paintball gun.’ His lips creased into a smile.

Jaz said a silent prayer, thanking Taylor and his love of guns for making this so much easier.

An hour later they saw a ute and then a car head down the gravel road.

‘That’s two of the cars,’ said Cody.

‘Do we wait for the third?’ asked Ryan.

‘I’m not sure. He might not be coming, but then again he could just be running late. I’d hate to go and him catch us. But we can’t wait too long as they only stop at the crop for around twenty minutes.’ Cody scratched his chin.

‘Your call,’ said Ryan. He was twisted in his seat so he could look out the back window.

‘I say we head in. Just keep an eye on our backs.’

Without a word Ryan jumped out, shut the bonnet and then drove down the narrow gravel road. It was probably only used by local farmers, environmentalists or Western Power out checking the lines.

Now they were driving down the road, towards the thick bush reserve, Jaz felt her nerves kick up a gear. She clenched the cold steel of the gun, checking again that the safety was on.

No one spoke, as if their words would carry and alert their targets.

Soon Cody motioned for Ryan to slow down, then he pointed to a track leading into the bush. They followed it for a few minutes before they spotted the two vehicles upfront.

Ryan parked off to the side and killed the motor. ‘You two wear these, okay, especially when burning the crop.’ He handed them a balaclava, which they put on. Ryan didn’t have one. Next he passed them a few large cable ties. ‘To tie them up with, if we need to.’

‘There is a container of fuel on the back for burning. We will come back for it once the targets are apprehended,’ said Cody. ‘Let’s go.’

Quietly they slipped out of the car and followed Cody’s lead. He knew the way in. They both had their guns, so Jaz held hers out front too.

The bush smelt fresh and moist as Jaz tried hard not to step on a stick. They weaved their way around tree trunks and past prickly shrubs, with guns at the ready. Cody raised his hand. They stopped. He signalled for them to split up and head around in an arc.

They must be close. Jaz went to the right while Ryan took the left. She was even more scared now she was out on her own. Ryan had disappeared from view completely but she could still make our Cody through the bushes.

Cody signalled for them to pause and listen. Jaz could hear voices, one left and another right. Cody motioned for her to take the right. She could see him communicating with Ryan, telling him to get his target on his signal.

When it came, they all moved forward quickly until they came out into a clearing. Jaz had eyes all over the place, trying to assess the area and situation. Big green drug crop was front and centre, two guys at the edge of it talking. The biggest man was directly in front of Jaz, her target. She aimed her gun, and clicked off the safety.

The two men, who looked like your average bogans in jeans, black t-shirts and red checked shirts, tattoos and a cigarette burning from their fingers, paused at the sound.

They turned, eyes bulging, but before they could utter a word, Cody spoke.

‘Don’t move.’ He walked forward and nodded to Ryan who had stepped into the clearing. ‘You boys are in a bit of trouble, hey? Growing illegal substances.’

The big guy glanced at his scrawny mate with the missing tooth. They did look like deer in the headlights. ‘It’s not ours,’ said the scrawny guy. ‘We were just asked to check it.’

‘That’s not what our intel tells us,’ said Cody sternly.

He sounded like a cop, which was probably the effect he was going for.

The big guy’s eyes were spinning around in his head and his hands were twitching like a caged animal. Just as she thought, ‘he’s going to run’, he did just that, straight into the drug crop and out of view. Jaz cursed and took off after him. She heard Cody shout for Ryan to keep the other one under guard. Hopefully he was running around to the other side where the big guy would come out. She could see the red flannelette shirt just ahead and as he broke free from the drug crop, Jaz launched onto his back, knocking him over.

Cody was running towards her but she put her hand out to stop him. She had this. As the big guy went to get up he roared and aimed his shoulder towards Jaz’s stomach, but she saw it coming and dodged it. With her elbow she came down hard on his back and as he arched in pain she unleashed an uppercut to his jaw. The big guy fell back into the dirt, blood pouring from his mouth. As Jaz shook the pain from her fist, she pressed her boot onto his chest and aimed her gun at his head. He wasn’t going anywhere again.

‘Nice. Now be a good man and roll over,’ said Cody. When Jaz took her foot off he rolled over and Cody tied his hands together with the cable tie. Then they lifted him to his feet and headed back to where Ryan held the other one.

The scrawny guy was nearby with his hands cable tied, but he was running off into the bush.

‘What the—?’ mumbled Cody.

Near the bush further up, Ryan was wrestling another man in ripped jeans and a red ponytail. His gun was lying four metres away in the grass. Cody ran off to chase the escapee while Jaz held her guy. Ryan didn’t need her help, he’d taken down five guys at once. This guy should be chickenfeed.

Ryan bent over, Jaz realised he’d gone for his knife. Ponytail man saw it too and he reached out, clutching at Ryan’s arm that now held his knife. The man was grunting as he tried to keep Ryan’s weapon away. But then Ryan dropped the knife. It just fell, as if in slow motion, right into his other hand that was waiting. Ponytail man didn’t have hold of this arm and so with a quick move, Ryan had the knife at his attackers throat.

Jaz felt like applauding. It was a beautiful tactic.

Cody came back with the escapee and they placed them all together. ‘Time to burn some grass,’ said Cody.

While Ryan kept watch, Jaz and Cody covered the green drug crop with the fuel he’d brought. ‘A mixture of aviation and petrol fuel, just to make sure it burns it all,’ he said before flicking a match. The heat was intense so much that it would have sizzled off her eyebrows. The balaclava was a must. They watched it burn for a while, checking it.

‘Right, our job is done. Just know we are keeping an eye on you so I’d watch your backs from now on. Take this as your first and last warning. Next time we won’t be so nice,’ said Ryan, his voice deep and menacing.

Turning, they all headed back to the ute, leaving the fire and the three men. Their job was done.

‘You going to leave them tied up?’ Jaz asked.

Ryan smiled. ‘It’s tempting,’ he said as he waved an old hacksaw blade he found on the back of the old ute. ‘Maybe I’ll leave them some help.’ Turning he went back towards the smoky flames and tied-up men.

‘Well, wasn’t that awesome,’ said Cody coming to stand in front of Jaz as they pulled off their balaclavas. ‘The way you took that big guy down was so hot.’ Cody moved closer to Jaz. His eyes were electric. She moved back, only to find the side of the ute.

‘Tell me you’re not all charged up after that,’ said Cody. His voice dropping to soft and sexy. ‘You know the best sex comes after an adrenaline high,’ he added as he winked at her.

‘The Agency frowns upon that,’ she said. His close proximity was a little unnerving.

‘Na, sex they are cool with. They understand the raw need to let off steam.’ Cody reached out and caressed her face. ‘So how about it Jaz? When we get back, you and me?’

Jaz smiled then reached for his hand and pulled it from her face. She flicked his arm around, twisting him like a pretzel and then kicked his legs out from under him, dropping him hard into the ground. Nothing that would hurt too bad.

‘Ohh,’ he groaned, his head resting against the earth.

‘I told you she could drop you on your arse,’ said Ryan on his return.

As he stepped around Cody, Jaz wondered if he’d overheard the proposition.

Bending down she reached out a hand and helped Cody up. As he brushed himself off, he mumbled, ‘You could have just said “no”.’

She beamed. ‘Where’s the fun in that.’ Ryan masked a chuckle as he got into the ute.

Jaz slapped Cody on the back. ‘No hard feelings?’

‘Just my hurt pride,’ he said, pulling a face before walking to the passenger side.

The ride home was quiet with Cody staring out the window in the front, and maybe sulking slightly. Jaz was watching the rear-vision mirror or, more precisely, she was watching Ryan. His eyes captivated her, so dark and mysterious as if they held all the world’s secrets. She studied the contours of his face and felt the heat burning in her lower belly. She craved to touch him. Cody was probably right, sex after all the excitement would be lots of fun. Just the thought of kissing Ryan right now was setting her on fire; she could only imagine how good the sex would be. If only.

Ryan caught her gaze in the mirror and smiled. A few moments later, he was back watching her. Her breathing grew deeper and more intense with each passing second. She lived for moments like these. Moments when time seemed to stand still. Moments when nothing mattered except them. Moments when she could dream of all the possibilities.

Chapter 11

‘Where were you yesterday?’ asked Simon on their way to school. He enjoyed riding in the front of her Jeep. Ten times better than having your mum drop you off. Just quietly, Jaz enjoyed spending that time with her brother also. He was a good kid and kinda quirky with his humour.

‘I know you weren’t sick,’ he said raising an eyebrow, which made Jaz smile. It was the exact copy of Paul’s interrogation look.

‘I cut school. Pax needed some help in the gym.’ Her lie rolled off her tongue.

‘Are you going to work there when you leave school?’ he asked curiously. ‘You spend enough time there.’

‘Maybe and yes I do.’ Jaz indicated into the school car park. ‘You know, I wouldn’t mind running my own gym. Maybe Pax would let me eventually buy it. I could get some more classes and stuff happening.’

‘If it doesn’t fall down first,’ said Simon, picking up his bag that had been stowed near his feet.

‘Oi, it adds to the charm.’ Jaz studied her brother for a moment. His hair had been brushed flat, his fringe plastered to his forehead. ‘School going okay? Anyone bothering you?’ she asked, practising her protective older sister routine.

‘Yeah, it’s fine. You scared the last problem bully away. Had no trouble since.’ His brow knitted together and his lips tightened. His telltale sign of deep thinking.

‘What is it?’

‘Have you … um … ever done drugs?’

‘Whoa.’ Jaz parked and turned off her car before twisting in her seat to talk. ‘Si, why are you asking me that? And it’s a big fat no from me. You know I don’t do any of that.’ Jaz suddenly freaked. ‘You haven’t, have you? Is someone trying to sell it to you or push you into it?’

‘No. I wouldn’t touch it. After Nigel’s death last year I can’t believe anyone in school would.’

Nigel was top of his class, from a nice family and seemed well grounded. He was trying to be cool, took some drugs offered but reacted to them and died. No one expected it.

‘But … it’s just.’ Simon sighed heavily. ‘Bryce is letting it be known that he’s the “go to guy” for it.’

‘Bryce, as in Minka’s younger brother?’

Simon nodded. ‘Yeah, he’s been asking all the people with money if they want the best time out.’

‘Shit.’ If there was one thing Jaz hated more than bullies, it was drug pushers. ‘I never liked that little turd. Just like his sister.’ Bryce was in the year above Simon but was a year older after repeating a year in primary school. The wrong sort you wanted staying down with younger kids. He looked older as it was.

‘You won’t tell anyone I told you?’ said Simon worriedly.

‘Course not. Just steer clear of him, won’t you.’

Simon nodded and opened the door. ‘See ya, sis.’

Jaz sat for a moment, as she watched her brother merge with other students and wondered what to do with this information. One can’t go to the police or the principal without evidence. But it wasn’t Bryce that needed to be caught, it was the line to his dealer and then the main man who was selling it at the top. That’s who Jaz needed to find. Luckily, that was what the Agency was all about. Inadvertently, she’d just found another assignment.

Anna and Taylor were waiting for her by their tree. Anna had her hands on her hips while Taylor was eating. Anna already knew all the details from yesterday’s events after making Jaz debrief her when she got back to the gym.

‘Oh Jaz, tell Tay how you flattened Cody after he asked to have sex,’ said Anna frankly.

Tay just about choked on his apple. ‘What?’

‘I’m surprised you haven’t told him about it already,’ said Jaz.

Anna flicked her head to the side, causing her high ponytail to flop across her face. ‘He’s only just got here. Otherwise I would have.’

‘Anyway, we’ve got bigger fish to fry.’

‘We do?’ said Taylor. ‘What could be more important than you getting propositioned?’

Jaz told them what Simon had told her and her friends’ faces grew serious. She asked that they both keep their ears open.

‘We will.’ The siren went for class. On the way up the stairs, Jaz kept an eye out for Bryce. Would Minka know what he was up to? Would she be in on it? It was hard to know. One thing Jaz knew was that she had a lunchtime date with Bryce.

***

She found Bryce outside by the basketball area, near the wall that was in a spot away from teachers’ vision. Kids who liked to smoke could get away with a quick one here. Bryce leant back against the wall, his phone in his hand and two mates on either side. He was the same height as Jaz but solid to the point of almost being stodgy around the middle. He was already shaving, the dark hairs noticeable along with his red pimples. If it wasn’t for the blond tips in his hair and the expensive shoes and watch, you wouldn’t think he was from money. His green eyes gave off a criminal vibe, the sort that also said he was only in school to please his parents.