KOWALSKI.



I threw a blow at the punching bag and another. Sweat trickled down my back mixing with the pool of sweat on my shirt. My thoughts were on a certain red-haired imp. Time was running out. Once the ship was ready to sail. She had to be on board with us to China. The boss had been specific on the consequence of failing. I bet that son of his has been waiting to slit my throat and I wouldn’t let that happen.

I felt hands wrap around my biceps and Bertha’s face came into view. She smiled seductively at me.

“You looked so hot doing that. I couldn’t wait anymore.” She moved in front of me and kissed me. I grabbed her arms to push her away. I wasn’t in the mood. Her hand slipped down my chest and massaged my crotch. I changed my mind, I supposed that was another way to relieve tension.

I moved my hands down her arms to her waist and squeezed, pulling her closer to me. She yelped and smiled then kissed me again. This time, I angled her head backward and took control of the kiss. I pushed her against the wall of the cabin and she took off her shorts, pushed up and wrapped her legs around my waist. She wasn’t wearing any underwear, I smiled.

I took off her shirt and threw it to the floor. Her naked chest glistened with sweat and I grabbed a breast and squeezed. She bit her lip and pulled down my pants. I grabbed her hair and pulled it so I could look into her eyes as I pushed into her and she gasped.

“I love you so much, Caleb,” she moaned. I bent and seized her lips, silencing her. She screamed too much.

When I was done, I let go of her and she tried to wrap her arms around me to kiss me again. I moved away and pulled up my pants.

“That’s enough, Bertha.”

She dropped her arms and rolled her eyes. “Fine.” Then she dipped her hand in the pocket of her shorts and brought out something. It was my phone.

“What are you doing with that?” I grabbed it from her. There was a new message on it. She picked up her shirt and wore it then stepped into her shorts. I opened the message.

San Benito High School was all that was typed on it. It came in hours ago. I glared at Bertha.

“You had this with you all this while and you couldn’t tell me I had a message instead you came here for sex?”

She looked unremorseful and it infuriated me. I grabbed her by the neck, lifting her off the floor, and squeezed.

“I thought you needed to loosen up,” she choked out. “I was going to show you later, I swear.”

Her eyes were starting to fill with water and I squeezed tighter just to watch her squirm. “I’m sorry,” she pleaded.

I let go of her and she crumbled to the floor in a coughing fit. I walked out of the cabin and stepped out onto the deck.

“Henderson,” I called and he turned. I threw the phone at him and he caught it. “Find it,” I said simply and he nodded.

I went back into the cabin and pulled off my shirt and pants. Bertha was still on the floor trying to catch her breath. That was enough to teach her not to mess with me. She wasn’t anyone I cared for and I could do away with her when I pleased, she needed to get that into her head.
I moved into the shower and turned the faucet. Cold water splashed down on me and I turned my face up to the flow. Sally Jenkins. I turned away from the flow of the water and took a deep breath. I could picture her in here with me. Once again she was within my grasp and I wouldn’t let her slip away so easily this time. 

When I got hold of her, I was going to make her pay for all the stress she had put me through, and pay she would. I smirked, thinking of all the things I would do to her before I had to deliver her in China.

I stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around my waist as I entered the cabin. Bertha was nowhere to be found. Better. I toweled myself dry, opened my duffel bag, and took out my shorts. I slipped it on and walked back out. Henderson approached me immediately I stepped out.

“I found it, Major.”

“Where is it?”

“It’s a school in San Benito County, Hollister.”

“Gear up, men,” I ordered and they sprang into action. I went back into the cabin and exchanged my shorts for black khaki pants. I slipped on a black long-sleeved shirt and Kevlar then moved to the table where my guns were assembled and slipped a pistol each in both my pants pockets. I put on my gloves and picked up another pistol. I put in a single bullet, one I had made specifically for Sally and slipped it in my holster. I walked out to meet them below deck. They were all organized in a straight line all geared up, even Bertha. She seemed to have recovered quickly.

“Listen up! This time, we’ll go out there and get those kids. There will be no room for excuses. If any one of them gives you trouble, you shoot. You shoot to kill, do you understand me?”

“Yes, sir!” they answered.

“Even if it’s our prime target, you engage. There will be no screw-ups, no fuck ups and if any of you mess it up this time, you’ll get the bullet.” I looked into their eyes one by one making sure they understood what was at stake here. “Understood?”

“Yes, sir!”