Alaska, With Love Assassin-Shifter 02 -

 

~PROLOGUE~

Mark set the hypodermic needles down and turned to face the woman waiting for her injection. Pale skin on a woman who normally had a darker complexion made Mark a little uneasy. The flu was running rampant throughout the village and this patient was just one in a long line of patients waiting. Mark ran a hand through his hair and wiped the sweat from his brow. The humidity was climbing and his shirt was soaked with sweat. Mark’s assistant, Carlos was waiting for the go ahead to give a ten year old boy a dose of antibiotics. Mark checked the child over listening to his heartbeat. He could tell the child was afraid of needles. He smiled and slipped the stethoscope from his neck, putting the ear tips in the child’s ears. Putting the scope on his own chest, Mark smiled. “Hear that?” Mark asked. “That’s my heart.” Mark winked at the boy as Carlos interpreted.

Mark made sure the child got some Tylenol before he left and turned his attentions to the next person in line. Carlos got all the information he needed and translated to Mark. The two of them made a great team, and Mark was extremely thankful Carlos spoke English. When his chief of staff had suggested Doctors without Borders, Mark had jumped on the chance. It was a fulfilling job, and Mark felt like he was truly helping people. The Amazon rainforest was beautiful, but so humid Mark had to drink water all day just to replenish the fluids he was losing in sweat. He’d started to feel the effects after just a few days, the hot summer sun beat down on them mercilessly, and Mark found himself praying for rain.

The line began to get shorter, and Mark took a long drink of water before prepping for the next patient. Most of the people he was seeing were from the surrounding tribes, the more modernized ones wanting more than what their healer could give. The line moved suddenly, and people began screaming. Mark ran out of the tent to see Soldiers driving down the road. “What the…” They were shooting at his patients. Oh Dear God, they were killing them all.

“
Carlos! Run!” Mark pushed people out of the way and into the tree line as he made a run for the tent. There was a loud popping noise and Mark felt a blast of heat in his lower calf muscle. His back leg gave out and he toppled face first into the dirt. Rolling over onto his back, he saw the end of a gun pointed at his head. He put his hands up. “I’m a doctor, El Medico.” Mark was hauled to his feet, drug down the path, and thrown into the dirt again a few minutes later in front of a man he’d never seen before. Mark looked up, and the man smiled at him. Yellowing teeth protruded out of a hard mouth, and thick black hair covered the man’s face and head. The man

was
not
tribal, Mark assessed right away, and he
didn’t
_{look nice.}
“
Doctor Patterson I presume?” The man asked.

Mark blinked and his mouth hung slightly ajar. “How do you know my name?” Mark looked out of the corner of his eye, and saw Carlos motioning to him. He shook his head slightly, telling Carlos to run with his eyes. “And you are?” Mark looked back up at the man. The man crouched down in front of Mark and brought his face level with his. He smelled like cigars and imported beer. Mark’s skin began to crawl at the way the man was looking him over.

“
I am Manuel, and I will be taking you home with me now.”

Mark was hauled up on his feet and held by his arms, courtesy of two goons. “What do you want me for? If you need a doctor, I can help you. However, please leave these people alone. They’ve done nothing to you.”

“
No they have not. They are, however, witnesses. Pedro, kill the man in the trees please.” Manuel nodded to the left.

“
No!” Mark tried to jerk loose, but it was too late. Aloud shot fired, and Carlos fell out of the trees, blood pouring from his head. Blank empty eyes stared at Mark. “Why?” Mark felt the tears coming. “Why would you do this?” Mark shrank back as Manuel came within inches of his face. Fingers gripping Mark’s chin, he forced him to look in his eyes. Manuel’s tongue came out and licked Mark’s lips slowly.

“
I have my reasons. Put him in the car.” Manuel snarled.

Mark found out later what Manuel’s reasons were. For starters, he wanted Mark to deal his drugs to his contacts. No one would suspect a good Doctor like Mark was passing crack through bottles marked ‘penicillin’. To add insult to injury, Mark became Manuel’s toy at night. Brutal beatings were followed by Manuel taking Mark as rough as possible, and then dropping him off in a room to bleed. Mark sat in the corner on the floor and wiped the blood from his lips. Everyone was dead. Manuel had killed them all. Mark let the tears come and closed his eyes. How did he end up here? “Oh God, someone please help me.”
~Chapter One~

Josh pulled his black Cobra Mustang into the driveway of a ranch style stucco home in the mountains of Phoenix, and parked behind his friend Mateo’s black Impala. He cut the engine and smiled at the house. Mateo was one of his best friends and had recently gotten married; ironically, to the man he was supposed to kill a year ago. A setup as it turned out, by Mateo’s close friend Naomi and her brother, Nassir.

Naomi and Nassir were the children of a man Mateo had killed years ago in Afghanistan, during their time in the Army. Josh knew it still hurt Mateo to know that Naomi, or Nimah as it was, wanted him dead. But he’d gotten Riley as a husband in the end, so who was he to complain. Mateo still worked his job as an assassin, but not as often as he once did. Which meant he, Sam and Troy were picking up the slack.

Sam’s truck was already parked to the left of Riley’s Land Rover Defender. Josh got out grinning, and made his way to the front door, ringing the bell mercilessly. He could hear Mateo cussing up a storm inside, and then the door was thrown open.

“
Dammit, Josh!” Mateo huffed.

 

“
What?” Josh grinned, batting his eyelashes as he slid past Mateo into the air conditioned house.

“
Fuck. You are so annoying!” Mateo brushed past Josh, giving him a little shove, on his way back to the living room.

“
But that’s why you love me so much, Mat.” Josh dropped his keys on the side table and went to the kitchen. “Who wants a beer?” Josh stopped and looked at the refrigerator door. “What the hell?” The stainless steel fridge was gone and the new fridge looked like part of the cabinets. “Oh, this will not do at all!”

Mateo had OCD like a motherfucker, and it was Josh’s profound pleasure to push him close to the edge with the little things. Like touching all the stainless steel

appliances that
used
to occupy this room.
Mateo entered the kitchen and put his hands on his hips.

“
Ha! No fingerprints bitch!” Mateo snickered.
“
You suck, take away all my fun.” Josh grumbled.

“
Aw, poor Montgomery.” Mateo mussed Josh’s hair.” Are you going to be okay?”

 

“
Did you see this shit, Sam?” Josh shouted towards the living room.

 

“
Come on, ya big baby.” Mateo dragged Josh into the living room.

 

Riley had a Play Station controller in his hand and was giggling like an idiot. Josh looked at the split screen.
“
Are you serious?” Josh’s mouth fell open. “Army men?
How old
is
that game?”
“
Shut up Josh!” Riley giggled. “It’s fun!”

 

“
Oh shit, you’re playing Mateo? Be careful around his flag, Riley.” Josh sipped his beer and sat back.
“
What do you mean?” Riley looked over his shoulder at Josh.

 

“
Shut up Montgomery.” Mateo arched a brow.

Josh smiled wide. “Make sure you throw some grenades over Mat’s wall before you try to take his flag. He sets up mines all around the perimeter.”

“
Josh!” Mateo narrowed his eyes.

 

“
Oops, better pay attention Mateo, Riley just ran you over with his tank.” Josh chuckled.

 

“
What?” Mateo spun around. “Riley!”

 

“
Ack! Stop chasing me with the flame thrower Mateo!” Riley smacked him on the arm. “I’m melting!”

 

Sam sat back with Josh on the couch and sipped his beer, watching Mateo and Riley.

 

“
Ouch.” Sam laughed. “Mateo, you’re melting in one spot.”

“
It’s fine! I’ll be alive in seconds.” Mateo nudged Riley. “Could I please come back to life? Must you sit there in your tank and wait for me?”

Riley giggled uncontrollably.

“
Um, Riley?” Sam leaned forward. “You really don’t want to run in a straight line down the path to Mateo’s camp.”

“
Why not?” Riley chewed his lip in determination. Seconds later, his little green Army man hit a mine and died. Riley looked over at Mateo, who was grinning like a Cheshire cat. “Really?”

“
What?” Mateo shrugged. “I play to win.”

An hour had gone by with Mateo and Riley killing each other in the game. Josh and Sam watched the two of them play in fascination. Neither one of them had had a rosy childhood, and it seemed they were making up for it now . Both Josh and Sam’s cell phones beeped at the same time, and they pulled them out simultaneously, looking at the message.

Josh looked over at Sam. “You?”
“
Babysitting.” Sam sighed. “You?”

“
Target.” Josh winked. “And we’re off, you crazy kids.” Josh mussed Mateo and Riley’s hair. “Behave and play fair.”

“
Whatever!” Riley pushed Mateo over. “I’m coming for you now, Mr. Esposito!”

 

“
Oh Yeah?” Mateo threw Riley down and pinned him to the floor. “You will be coming for me, Mr. Esposito.”
“
Yeah, on that note, Sam and I are out. Later sex fiends.” Josh smiled and waved.

Josh dropped his half drank bottle of beer off in the kitchen and grabbed his keys, waiting for Sam. As they both left, Josh looked over at Sam.

“
Aren’t you due a vacation soon?”

Sam unlocked his truck. “Yeah, not sure where I’m going though, I owe the parents a visit, but I have a month coming up so I figured I’d hit them last. I need time on my own to think about some shit. I have no relationship, and no one special in my life.” Sam sighed. “The worst part is my parents are pushing for grandkids.”

“
Sounds like my Mom. I’m almost thirty and she thinks I should have two kids by now. I haven’t found a woman yet that I want to marry, much less have kids with, not sure if I ever will.” Josh ran a hand through his hair. “Look, if you need some thinking time, I know where you should go.”

“
Yeah?” Sam leaned over his truck.

“
Yep, I’ll email you the info okay? Be careful Sam.” Josh shook his hand before getting into his Mustang. “Take care.”

~~

Josh Montgomery sat in front of James Pruitt’s desk at the downtown FBI office in Phoenix, chewing his large piece of watermelon bubble gum. He popped a huge bubble and peeled it off his 5’oclock shadow, smiling. James was looking through a file on his desk and eyeing Josh every now and then with a raised brow, it was comical actually. Josh shifted in the chair again and let out a loud sigh. Here he was again, getting ready to take his beautiful Remington 300 sniper rifle out for another exciting trip. Josh wondered what it would be this time, a pedophile. A kiddie porn ring leader, possibly? Maybe it was a drug dealer.

He and three of his closest friends made up a team. They were kind of like The A-Team, but they were backed by the government. Instead of using Rangers or Seals, the government sent the Skull Blasters instead. They were officially under General Derek Jacobs, but James Pruitt of Homeland Security pulled all the strings. “So who is it? A drug dealer, right? You got the drug dealer look James.” Josh smiled wide.

“
Jesus, Josh there’s a drug dealer look?” James chuckled. Josh Montgomery had to be one of the hottest men he’d ever laid eyes on, well, besides Derek. He was six foot three, blonde hair in a buzz cut, and the most amazing emerald green eyes. A strong muscular jaw, full lips and tattoos were traits that made the man even sexier. James sat back and sighed, too bad Josh wasn’t gay. “This guy Manuel Mortiquan is a real asshole extraordinaire. He’s got an American trafficking his drugs for him, we aren’t sure if the American is doing it because he wants to, or not. We can’t find shit on this American. He’s either pure as the driven snow or has never had a run in with the law.” James produced the pictures from another folder. “This is the guy we want taken out. He’s been warned too many times to cease his activities.”

Josh studied the picture closely. Black hair and equally black eyes was the first noticeable thing about the man in the picture, he looked evil. Josh studied the face. Crooked nose and thin lips, his face and head looked misshapen. Most of his face was covered by an overgrown unkempt beard. Josh wanted to throw up just looking at the guy. “This guy gives me the heebie jeebies.” Josh shivered and looked through the rest of the pictures. “Nothing at all on the American?”