One Rough Man - Brad Taylor [68]
Before I could complete the string, the fifth man had managed to put Jennifer in front of himself, using a knife to control her. He was shouting something in Spanish. Unfortunately for him, I didn’t have a clue what he was saying.
I moved forward at a fast walk, closing the distance to her, my weapon raised and ready. The man became shrill, shouting the same thing over and over, his eyes getting wide, attempting to drag Jennifer backward. When I was five feet away, I aimed for the eye orbit and pulled the trigger, knowing that when the bullet tore a channel through his brain it would sever the medulla oblongata, reducing his body to a useless sack of flesh and removing the risk of the knife reflexively jerking and hurting Jennifer. Blood and brain matter sprayed out, coating the right side of Jennifer’s face in a fine mist. She sank to the floor, staring vacantly at nothing. The violence she had just witnessed, in addition to the trauma of her kidnapping, had caused her to shut down. I just prayed that I had gotten to her in time to prevent any assault.
I left her sitting down and searched the bodies on the floor until I found the keys to the handcuffs on her wrists. After unlocking her, I shook her shoulders, constantly talking to her. Eventually, she looked at me with recognition.
“We have to get out of here. Can you walk?”
She nodded in a vacant way. I realized that I had to get her some clothes and shoes. We still had to get to the jeep, and Jennifer would be ripped to shreds moving through the jungle at night nearly naked.
I helped her up, continuing to talk in a calm, deliberate manner. “We’re still in danger. I’m going to have to continue clearing rooms as we leave. We’ll find you some clothes as soon as possible. Stay behind me, but I want you to stay in the last room we’re in, only coming in when you hear me call. Can you do that?”
She nodded again, this time with more focus. I smiled at her, encouraging her to engage me.
“I’m going to lead the way. When we get to a door, I’m going to be aiming at it to prevent any surprises. I can’t turn around to find you. I want you to keep your hands on my assault harness. When you’re ready for me to proceed, squeeze my shoulder. Can you do that?”
She spoke for the first time. “Yes. Just get me the fuck out of here. Please, please, get me out of here.”
I smiled again, lying through my teeth. “Don’t worry, the hard part’s over. You have nothing to worry about now. Let’s get going.”
I moved back to the open door, scanning the courtyard between the mansion and the warehouse facility. To the left I saw the guesthouse. Maybe it would contain some clothing.
“When we leave here, I’m going to focus my attention to our right, on the main house. I need you to focus to the left. If you see anything at all, jerk my harness and I’ll reorient. I can’t see three hundred and sixty degrees simultaneously, so you’ll be the only thing keeping us from getting smoked from the left. Can you do that?”
When she nodded, I said, “We’re going to run to that house over there. Do you see the door in the front? I’m going to stop on the left side of that door. Are you ready?” She nodded again. “Okay. Let’s go.”
I exited the warehouse and sprinted forward, my weapon moving wherever my eyes went, training on every window and door I could see as I ran by them. I fully expected to spot a muzzle flash at any second. What the hell am I doing? Continuing an assault