Part 8

Ezra cursed softly. It was after lunch and he still hadn’t cracked the code. He knew Chris was relying on him. The Gambler was known for his decoding ability. Ezra was determined not to let his team down. He had done so once, and it still ate away at his soul to think he could have considered such an action - but that was before he’d realized what it was to be a member of a team.

The phone on his desk rang.

"Agent Standish." Ezra paused and listened. "I’ll meet you in the usual place in an hour." The E.M.6. agent replaced the receiver and headed into his leader’s office.

"Chris, I’ve just had a call from a source. Says he may have some information on that fifty million dollar contract. I’ve arranged a meeting for an hour."

Larabee nodded. "Take Buck and Josiah with you."

"I really don’t need..." Ezra stopped. He was no longer alone. He didn’t handle things without back up these days.  His team would want to be there to ensure his safety - not because they wanted the information he could secure, but because they genuinely wished to protect him. It was something Ezra still found difficult to accept.

"Be careful," Chris ordered.

"Don’t I always put No. 1 first?" Standish chuckled.

"No, usually you put the rest of us first, which is why Buck and Josiah are going with you to make sure you don’t get your stupid head shot off," Chris muttered, returning to his reading.

"Your concern for my welfare leaves me speechless."

"That’d be a first," his leader stated, glancing up.

Ezra smiled. Larabee winked.

"We shouldn’t be long, Sir." Ezra had vowed on the first day he joined the team it would be a cold day in hell before he called anyone, ‘Sir’. Now, the con man willingly gave the title to one man, and one man only, and he did so because he wanted to - because he respected his leader. Ezra now understood what respect and loyalty was… he’d shoot anyone who disrespected Chris.

An hour later, on a deserted building site, Ezra stood out in the open waiting for the appearance of Frank. Frank was an arms dealer who supplied Ezra with dependable information for substantial amounts of money.

"Stupid bastard should know better than to stand out in the open like that," Buck grumbled, his rifle roving the area.

"Ezra knows what he’s doing," Josiah assured his friend.

"Yeah, well, I wish he’d do it behind the protection of some buildings."

"I’m not waiting all day, Frank," Ezra shouted, interrupting the silence. "I have a manicure booked for two o’clock."

Frank appeared on the agent’s right and approached Ezra apprehensively.

"You appear somewhat jumpy today, my friend," Standish commented.

"You’d be jumpy too if you knew what I did."

"Share the burden."

"Where’s my money?"

"Already transferred into you account as has been our custom."

Frank nodded. He trusted Ezra. "You heard about the fifty million dollar contract then?"

"Do you know who the target is?"

"No, but I know it’s been generating a lot of interest."

"As one would expect."

Frank’s eyes narrowed. Ezra followed his source’s line of sight.

"&*%@, there are a couple of men over there!"

"Relax, they’re with me."

"With you? We always meet alone!"

"They are harmless, I assure you." Ezra turned to Josiah and Buck and waved. The two men stepped out from behind the debris and gave Frank two of the hardest, most vicious looks the man had ever seen. "I just told him that you’re friendly," Ezra shouted.

Buck and Josiah exchanged a glance and then the pair turned and grinned stupidly at Frank.

Ezra muttered under his breath. He turned back to his source. "See, what did I tell you?"

Frank continued to stare at the pair of men who were grinning like clowns. "Yeah well, like I said there was a lot of interest, even though no one knew what the job was."

"And?"

"And it brought some of the big names out. Joseph Quin, Harley Rowbooth and The Arrow were all letting it known that they were interested in taking the contract. But about twenty-four hours ago, everyone pulled out."

"Why?"

"Two reasons. I was speaking to Rowbooth this morning and he said he wasn’t prepared to get involved once he found out who the target was. Said he didn’t want to upset the target’s friends."

Ezra nodded. Clearly, the target had powerful associates the professional assassin didn’t want to irritate. "And the other reason?"

Frank glanced around nervously and lowered his voice. "’Cause someone else threw their hat into the ring and said they were interested in taking the contract. Scared the shit out of everyone. Scared ’em enough so every other assassin pulled out."

"Who?" Ezra couldn’t think of anyone who could scare the likes of The Arrow.

"The Hawks."

"What?  But they don’t usually handle contracts." Starting and finishing wars was more up The Hawks’ alley. "They’re practically an army."

"Exactly. Apparently, they didn’t just put the word out that they were interested. They put word out that the fifty million was theirs and anyone interfering would be found in pieces."

**********

Ezra honestly believed he wouldn’t survive the trip home in the abomination Buck called a van. The ‘Big Banana’, a name Ezra had christened it the first time he had seen the late model Ford, negotiated the traffic as if it were a sleek racing car.

Wilmington and Sanchez reacted very curiously when Ezra passed on the information he  gleaned from his source. Before the con man knew what was happening, he was hanging on for dear life as Buck sent the Banana hurtling back toward base.

"CHRIS!" Buck bellowed as he exploded out of the elevator alone. He had arrived at the carriage before Josiah and Ezra and failed to wait for them. Needless to say, Ezra was unimpressed.

Larabee raced from his office. No Ezra and no Josiah. "What happened?"

"They’re okay," Buck breathed, approaching his friend. "They’re on their way up." Larabee waited. "Ezra’s source says that The Hawks have taken the contract."

Chris’s eyes widened in shock. "Assassinations aren’t their style… any more," Larabee argued.

"Apparently this one is."

"Nathan, call the CIA and warn them. Buck, you contact the FBI. J.D., call Travis and tell him The Hawks are back in the States and are picking up the fifty million contract."

The elevator doors opened. "Of all the..." Ezra started.

"We’re on full alert," Chris stated, cutting Standish off. "Cell phones and beepers on at all times. Keep your headsets around your necks and operational. Everyone is to be fully armed. We’re in pairs until you’re told any different."

Larabee’s team nodded. Full alert meant they needed to be ready for anything. Within minutes, sophisticated radio head sets that enabled Chris to communicate with his men hands free, were draped around their necks, beepers were checked and revolvers and rifles made ready.

"Sir, The Hawks?" J.D. inquired. Obviously he needed some background.

"Mercenaries," Chris explained, inclining his head toward the conference room. His men followed without question. "Highly trained. They were an elite assassination squad in Katinda."

"On our side?" Ezra asked.

"More or less," Buck announced, taking a seat beside Chris.

"There used to be fourteen of them, two died in Kat. but since then, they’ve recruited strongly. Twenty-six men that I know of," Chris continued.

"And again I ask, on our side?"

"No, they work where the money is good. Up until now, they have stayed outside the States in many of the trouble spots, accepting large sums of money to do whatever is asked of them."

"So what would bring them here?" Ezra asked.

"Fifty million is a lot of money," Nathan reflected.

"Perhaps," Chris muttered.

"And I take it you and The Hawks have crossed paths in the past."

Larabee nodded.

"Please tell me you didn’t tell them that you’d shove your rifle up their asses."

Chris grinned. "No, but we did have something of a tense standoff. The Hawks were the elite squad in Katinda for the first few years."

"Until Travis asked you to form the STF1?"

Larabee nodded.

"I’m assuming it didn’t go down well."

"Let’s just say The Hawks didn’t exactly welcome us."

Chris and Nathan eyed the fourteen men who had appeared out of the jungle with rifles raised. The rest of the STF1 had just left to bathe in the creek half a mile away. Nathan licked his lips. At least these men were in Australian uniforms.

Larabee waited. Finally, the soldier wearing a Colonel insignia on his fatigues stepped forward.

"Colonel Larabee," he saluted.

Chris didn’t return the salute, maintaining his intense glare. "You and your men always ambush people?"

The other colonel smiled with satisfaction. "I’m Colonel Doug Kane. My team is The Hawks."

Chris nodded, but obviously failed to look as impressed as the other colonel wanted. "What can I do for you, Colonel?"

"We’ve heard about your squad and just thought we should get a few things straight."

"Oh?"

"Yeah." Kane took another step forward. "In Katinda, we’re the top dogs."

"Then I suggest you collect your bitches together and get them out of my camp," Larabee grilled.

Kane smiled. "I heard you had balls, Larabee, I admire that. But remember you and your little five man squad take second place. If something important needs to be dealt with, my men and I will handle it and you would do well to keep out of it, are we clear?" On the word ‘clear’, Kane’s men raised their rifles at Larabee.

Chris smiled. "Well, Dougy, now it’s time for you to listen. I couldn’t give a rat’s ass for your politics or ego. My team strikes where and when I say. The only thing we’re interested in is ending this war. If you don’t like that, then &*%@ you."

Kane’s men cocked their weapons.

"Chris..." Nathan warned. He’d heard of The Hawks. They pretty much did as they liked and had become so powerful not even the brass questioned them anymore.

"My men could cut you down where you stand, you arrogant bastard," Kane snarled.

"And my sharpshooter could take out half of your squad before they could fire a shot." Kane’s eyes clouded. Instantly he began to scan the jungle around them. His men moved nervously, though their rifles remained aimed at Chris.

"Vin!" Larabee shouted. There was silence.

Kane smiled. "Don’t look like he heard you, Larabee."

Again Chris smiled. "You think he’s stupid enough to answer so your men could pin point his position. I’ve just given him the order to take your head off if any one of your men so much as moves a muscle."

Kane laughed. "Yep, you’ve got balls, Larabee, but..." There was a shot. The rifle Kane was holding casually by his side flew from his hand. The Hawks all tried to get a line on the shot but it had echoed in the clearing -- impossible to tell where it had come from.

"The next one takes the top of your head off. The ones after that will reduce your squad by at least eight."

Kane glared at Larabee and then raised his hand. His men lowered their rifles.

"I guess this is what they call a standoff," Kane remarked.

"No, this is what’s called a warning. If you or your group ever interfere in my business, or threaten any member of my squad, I will personally see to it you go home in a pine box.” Larabee stepped closer to Kane and lowered his voice.  “Your men are good, but mine outclass them. So I’ll offer you a proposition. Neither of us wants war. We’re both supposed to be on the same side. I’ll stay out of your business, if you agree to stay out of mine."

"Sounds fair," Kane agreed. The Hawks’ leader scanned the jungle again. "I hear he can bring down a chopper."

Chris grinned. "I’ll lend you our chopper so you can find out first hand."

Kane smiled.  Larabee impressed him. "All right, Larabee. We’ll stay out of your way, just so long as you stay out of ours."

Chris raised his arm. Kane waited. Three men melted out of the jungle, each with their rifle sited on The Hawks’ leader. Chris nodded to them and they lowered their weapons.

Kane guessed the long-haired young man in the buskskin coat was the sharpshooter. "I’ve heard a lot about you Tanner. If you join me, I can offer you a lot more than Larabee ever could."

"Reckon you should be leavin’," Vin stated without aggression.

"Your men are loyal, Larabee." Kane signalled his troops. The squad began to back away and disappear. "If we’re lucky, we won’t meet again. However, if we do, I suggest that you watch your back, Colonel."

The threat hung for only a moment.

Vin raised his rifle and stepped forward. "He doesn’t need to watch his back. That’s my job. So if I see you within a mile of the Colonel, I’ll kill you."

"You threatening me, boy?" Kane snarled.

"No, I’m warnin’ you. You ever threaten Colonel Larabee again, I have a bullet with your name on it ready an waitin’."

"We all do," Buck added.

"Tell your men to relax. I give my word I won’t come after you, Larabee.”  Doug Kane could feel his rage boiling. Larabee and his men had degraded him in front of his Hawks, but if he wanted to live, Kane knew he needed to walk away and stay away. "Larabee, you have my word I’ll stay out of your business just as long as you stay out of mine.  I’m true to my word. It’s the only thing I have and actually believe in."

"Good. You have my word, I won’t ever seek you out unless you make the first move, Kane."

"We never crossed paths again," Chris finished. "Kane was true to his word. After Katinda, he and his squad found it difficult to re-acclimatize to civilian life and so they went in search of other wars. I’ve always kept tabs on them."

"Vin isn’t around to mind your back any more, Sir," J.D. stated thoughtfully. "Maybe they’ve come to the States to get a little revenge."

Chris shook his head. "Kane’s word is sacred. He may be a lot of things, but he is a man of his word. He won’t come after me. Besides, he’s here to collect on the contract and I’m not worth fifty million - dead or alive."

"Oh, I don’t know, Colonel. Take you out and they effectively destroy E.M.6. We’ve caused a lot of headaches for a lot of very powerful people in the last fourteen months. Some of them rich and powerful enough to take out a fifty million dollar contract."

Chris shrugged. "Kane gave his word he wouldn’t come after me. I accept that."

"So are we going to handle the contract?" J.D. asked.

"Not unless we’re asked to."

"There are twenty-six Hawks now, Chris. We aren’t a match for that many."

"I know, but we’d do enough damage to make Kane change his mind. Maybe just hearing we’re involved will be enough to encourage him to pull out. J.D., I’ve got to know who the contract’s on."

"I’m on it, Sir," J.D. stated, rising to his feet. "Hey, Buck, last time we were on full alert I had to stay at your place for a week. This time you can come to mine."

"You ain’t got a spare room."

"You call your garage a spare room! Besides, I do have a spare room. It’s just full of unpacked boxes at the moment," J.D. complained.

"I’ve got a perfectly good sofa bed in the lounge room," Buck argued.

"You wouldn’t let me use it!"

"Hell, boy, your snoring sounds like a freight train. I had to send you out to the garage or the neighbors would have started complaining."

"You’re full of shit, Buck."

The two men disappeared still arguing.

"You still got a spare set of my keys?" Nathan asked his leader.

Chris nodded and then turned to Josiah and Ezra. "You two going to be okay to bunk in together?" Josiah grinned. Ezra lived in a mansion that sat nestled on two acres of landscaped gardens.

"I think I can force myself to stay at Ezra’s again," the big preacher remarked grinning.

"Oh, fabulous. Does this mean I have to listen to the story about horses, cloth and fish?"

"Have I told you that one?"

Standish rolled his eyes. "Colonel, I implore you. It is someone else’s turn to share Sergeant Sanchez’s engaging company."

"You’d prefer, J.D.?" Chris asked, with an amused grin.

"That is like asking if I would prefer to be eaten by lions or tigers. Bored beyond belief listening to parables that certainly have no meaning or dodging that boy’s enthusiasm."

"Relax Brother, I give my word I won’t re-tell the horses, cloth and fish story. Have I told you the one about..."

Ezra rose to his feet and walked out of the room. Josiah glanced at his leader and winked. "He’s really quite fond of me, you know."

Chris and Nathan exchanged a smile. "Josiah, you should tell Ezra the one about warts," Chris suggested. Both Josiah and Nathan burst out laughing.

**********