Chapter 20

Dalton

The armed gunmen pushing their weight around were a familiar sight. All roads led back to what we had done on January 1. It was a shock to see them after all these years. The last time was after I had escaped the jaws of death in the water. I was barely with it, but I could hear them talk about me like I was within spitting distance.

“This footage was taken about 20-minutes ago. They could have easily turned the cameras off. This is a message and one we should take seriously. I know that we have never negotiated in good faith with terrorists. This is no different. They are expecting us to come in force and I don’t want to disappoint them.” Jackson was itching for a fight.

I could see his hand trembling with the effort to keep his hand off his gun.

“We have an advantage they don’t know about. Melanie is within the enemy camp. We saw her being ushered into the living room with the others. We need to get eyes in there and find a way to contact Melanie without them realizing it.” We also had somebody who knew their way around every nook and cranny of the estate.

“I know what you’re going to ask. Don’t bother. It’s foolish to think that I haven’t made some considerable progress in finding a way it in and out of the place. I was down in the wine cellar and I could feel this cool air coming from somewhere. I managed to pry back one of the cabinets and found a doorway boarded up. I mapped the exact location and found one of the oldest members of the estate willing to talk to me.” The old cook had many stories to tell and Gillian had been more than willing to listen. The same couldn’t be said for the other people in the family.

“The Hamilton family has been around longer than some. It was one generation after another taking up residence in the very place of their forefathers. They made their money in trading exotic goods overseas. Cocaine was what brought in the big bucks in the early sixties. The estate was completely transformed, but there was always a secret to how they could come and go as they pleased.” I was glad we were working together.

Gillian was a resource of unlimited untapped potential.

“I’m getting the idea you’re no longer willing to play by other people’s rules. I’m surprised it took you this long. The man I knew would have stormed the castle and given them a fight they would never forget.” I had made a mistake of thinking this was a civilized environment and was trying my best not to step on anybody’s toes.

“To be honest, I was doing what I could to mitigate the damage in this town for you. I didn’t want the blowback of a full-scale war between us and them hurting innocent civilians. There are always casualties, but it’s never an acceptable risk in my opinion.” I remembered the harsh words of my commander talking like the victims were numbers.

“That is one of the reasons why I love you.” There was a moment of stillness in the air with the heavy weight of those words spilling from her lips.

“I suppose I would be creating an awkward moment if I didn’t return the same declaration. I’m not sure if I even knew what love was until you came around. I thought it was only an infatuation, but it has grown over time. I do love you, Gillian.” Jackson was shaking his head and I knew he didn’t approve of us being together.

“Love is a waste of time and we don’t have any time to lose. I know I accidentally made this happen by giving Gillian too much information. I have a way to get eyes on the inside by using a military drone.” I stalled with my hand on Gillian’s shoulder to turn and look at Jackson to see if he was serious.

“Do I even want to ask how you got your hands on a military drone? It does stand to reason it might go unnoticed hidden in dark clouds and the cover of the trees.” We had used our fair share of drones in the past with different degrees of success.

“I didn’t ask for your permission. In the military, we might have had respect for one another, but civilian life is different. I’ve done my best to remain off the grid and away from the scrutiny of others. We all know time is a commodity hanging around our necks. The clock ticks slowly on those three years.” Jackson was a brilliant example of military effectiveness.

“Jackson, I do stress a cautious approach without the need to go in there guns a blazing.” I didn’t know what to expect from him and sometimes he was a little too careless for his own good.

“I will go ahead and get into place. The two of you need to find a way to get word to Melanie. Get creative. I’ve seen you both do amazing things when you put your mind to it. You might be a little rusty, but it’s like riding a bicycle.” I wasn’t sure if he was directing his comments at me, but I had a feeling it was mostly concerning Gillian.

“I take offense to your accusation. I’ve never been clearer about anything in my life. I may not like the family, but it doesn’t mean I want them to pay for our sins.” Gillian was obviously not happy about her current predicament.

We had barely scratched the surface to the reason why she was playing house with someone she didn’t even love. I wanted to shake the truth out of her, but this was the time for diplomacy.

“You can take offense all you want, but you know how we need to stay sharp. I don’t have to stand here and debate this issue with you. We all know what we have to do. We take this one step at a time and then we come to a consensus like we always do.” It was the basis of what a good team was made of.

Jackson left us to ponder his words and I watched him carefully as he drove away from the house. I was aware of my surroundings and how every car could be more than it appeared. I could easily revert back to the old days where I acted first and asked questions later. I didn’t like how I could be cold and calculating.

I let the curtains fall back into place and I found myself quite interested in what Gillian was doing. She was mapping out the layout of the estate by memory. It was one of her greatest strengths. This wedding was something she was dreading. Grant must’ve had something to use against her.

“We have to find this doorway on the other side of the estate. It’s probably covered by new siding. We will have to pry it loose to give us the element of surprise against our enemies. I don’t know what kind of resistance we are going to find. The guards on Grant’s payroll are predictable when it comes to scheduling. There’s no way to know how the cartel is going to patrol the area.” She was focused on the task at hand.

The dreariness of the house made only by her absence had been given a fresh coat of paint in my mind courtesy of her feminine influence. The walls didn’t seem so plain with the way she smiled to weaken my resolve.

“It doesn’t look like you need my input. If I were to suggest one thing I would say that the cover of darkness is our friend. I think that I can rustle up a couple of night vision goggles for us to use.” It felt like old times with one glaring difference. We kept looking at one another out of the corner of our eyes like two awkward teenagers passing each other in the hallway in school.

“It feels good getting back to the basics.” We didn’t want to say it, but we both understood the risks.

We might’ve been back under the umbrella of the red, white, and blue flag, but death didn’t take a holiday.

“I have this insane desire to throw you on top of the table and have my way with you. I miss what it feels like to be with a woman there for more than pleasure. We complete one another. It might sound corny, but it’s true.” She listened intently and helped me to amass a range of weapons into black bags with some strapped to our bodies in strategic places.

We were ready to move out in less than 10-minutes. There were several things to take into account, but there was no point on dwelling over something out of our control. It was time to come face to face with the past.