Duty Bound (1995) (38 page)

Ted pushed back his chair and took a deep breath. He stood, exhaled, rolled back his shoulders, and walked toward the cabin.

"Remember, be nice," Virgil whispered.

Bonita was washing dishes in the small sink when Ted stepped up behind her. "Supper was good, Bo. You didn't need to go to all that trouble, you know."

Bonita kept her back turned to him and continued to rinse off the plates. "I wanted to do something helpful."

"Uh . . . I couldn't help but notice you colored your hair.

It--it--"

"I know it looks terrible--you don't have to lie to me, Teddy. And I'm sorry about Baby . . . I'll try and fix him tomorrow."

Ted put his hand on her shoulder. "Bo, I don't care about your hair--you could be bald and you'd still look like a million dollars in my book."

Bonita set down the plate and covered his hand with hers.

"Promise me you'll come back to me, Ted. Promise me."

"I promise, Bo. And I promise somethin' else, too. One day you and me are gonna be on a balcony watchin' the canoes and fireworks at Disney World. I still wanna see Sleeping Beauty's castle up close."

Bonita faced him and rested her head on his chest. "It's Cinderella's castle, Teddy."

Peeping through the doorway, Glenn smiled, turned, and raised his thumb to Virgil and Ramon. Both men raised their hands and slapped them together in a high five.

The young man in black held a Sig 210 nine-millimeter pistol to Eli's head as he unlocked the bike chain. "Keep your arms spread and head on the floor, Agent Tanner. It's time for you and Miss Starr to make a trip."

"Where to this time?" Eli asked.

"I don't know, Agent Tanner. We are giving you and Miss Starr to others."

"Look, before we go, would you let Miss Starr and me please use the latrine? We've been here a long time. I'm about ready to bust."

"You may sit up now, Agent Tanner. Good. Yes, you may visit the facilities, as may Miss Starr, but neither of you will have privacy."

Eli felt the thin chain around his wrists and could see the chain around his ankles. He knew escape was impossible but managed a nod. "Thanks for your consideration."

Abruptly, he was lifted to his feet and the piece of sheet that had been covering him fell to the floor. The big man leaned over and spoke into his ear. "I take good care of you, ass-hole."

Eli glanced at Stacy as she was lifted to her feet and her sheet also fell to the floor. The young man picked it up and wrapped it around her shoulders again. "Please walk slowly; the chain around your wrists is also tied to your ankles. It will be difficult, but if you walk slowly, the chain will not rub your skin raw. That's it; walk slowly."

"Please don't do this--just leave us here and go," Stacy said, sobbing.

"Come now, Miss Starr, my associates and I were paid to do a job. We take pride in our work."

Ten minutes later Eli sat beside Stacy on a cushioned seat below the deck of a sleek cigarette boat. They were chained to each other and to the bulkhead. The big man was seated across from them, wearing a Walkman; he was rocking his shoulders back and forth to a beat only he could hear.

Eli whispered, "You okay?"

"Na . . . no, I'm not okay. I'm scared to death. Aren't you?"

"Not yet--giving us to someone means more time for us.

You're doin' real good, Stacy. Just keep it up. Our people will find us--I know it."

"Oh God, we're moving. Ohh . . . why do they have to go so fast?" Stacy asked in a whimper.

Eli winced and closed his eyes tightly. "I hate boats . . . my stomach is already doing somersaults. Why did it have to be in a damn speedboat?"

Stacy glanced at him. "You're pale . . . you're serious, aren't you?"

"I almost drowned once . . . yeah, I'm serious. I . . . I really hate this."

"Eli, we're nude, abducted by armed men, going God knows where, and they're probably going to kill us--and your stomach is upset because we're in this boat?"

"I hate being on water . . . I just told you I almost drowned once."

"I think we have more to worry about than being on this boat. What are we going to do once we get to where we're going?"

"I . . . I think I'm going to be sick."

"Are we really going to get out of this?"

"Our people will find . . . 000h . . ."

The big man wrinkled his nose as Eli lurched forward and vomited on the floor between them.

FBI field office, Miami.

Ashley turned from the window. "It's getting dark, Ed; we're running out of time."

Faraday motioned to the papers spread out on the table.

"We've been over everything twice . . . I don't know what else to do. I just know sittin' here isn't helping Tanner any."

The office door opened and Agent Parker stormed in.

"We've got a break! A DEA snitch came through. He says he saw two dark vans drive into Terres's boatyard about four-thirty this afternoon."

"I thought the DEA had surveillance on those yards,"

Ashley said.

"They didn't get into position until five. The DEA is staging their Tac Team close to the yard and sending up a chopper to see if they can spot the vans with night-vision scopes. I'm going to the yard--you two coming?"

Ashley exchanged looks with Faraday before shaking her head. "No, we'll monitor the radios in the ops room to keep up with events. We're working on a few things on our own."

"You still think Mendez is the one, don't you?"

"I think we've all been taken for a ride by Lopez, so yes, I still think he's behind all this."

"I'll be at the yard if you change your mind." Parker turned and walked out.

Faraday started collecting the papers. "We can go over this stuff a third time in the ops center. What time is it now?"

Ashley glanced at her watch, then turned and looked out the window into the darkness. "It's almost nine."

His chin caked with dried vomit, Eli felt too weak to move when a uniformed man in khaki took hold of his arm and said, "Stand up."

Stacy took hold of Eli's arm and pulled him to his feet as she stood. "You've got to do something," she whispered.

Standing in his bare feet in his own vomit, he felt the rocking motion of the boat. Another wave of nausea surged through him. He began to fall backward but was grabbed by the guard and pushed toward the open hatchway. Eli wondered if they were going to be transferred to yet another boat. They had been transferred to a second cigarette thirty minutes before, and new people were guarding them. He hoped this would be another transfer, which would mean spending more time away from their final destination. But his stomach hoped they were finally at the last stop.

Once on the deck, Eli took in deep breaths of the fresh night air as he looked up at a huge white hull. There was a whirring sound, and a stairway with an overhead canvas cover was lowered into view. Stacy brushed her shoulder against his. "It's a yacht, Eli. They've brought us to a yacht."

Too sick to speak, Eli thought, 1 don't care as long as it doesn't rock.

A uniformed guard took hold of Eli's chain and led the couple toward the stairway. At the yacht's polished wood deck, the couple was met by five men. The one in the middle was thin, middle-aged, and wore a white linen suit.

He ignored Eli, nodding toward Stacy instead. "Good evening, Miss Starr. Welcome to the Princess. I am Raul, your temporary host." Raul shifted his gaze to the guard. "Unchain her."

Once she was free of the chains, Raul handed Stacy a robe. "I apologize for the embarrassment and discomfort we have caused you, Miss Starr. We shall do our best to make amends. These two gentlemen will escort you to your stateroom, where you can shower and freshen yourself. You'll find everything you need. A dinner gown has already been laid out for you, and should you need anything else, don't hesitate to let these gentlemen know. They will be outside your door."

Stacy quickly put on her robe. "You said you were my `temporary' host?"

"You'll have the honor of dining with Colonel Mendez tonight, Miss Starr. He is very much looking forward to meeting you. Please, gentlemen, be so kind as to escort Miss Stan to her accommodations."

Stacy held her ground as two of the khaki-clad men stepped forward. "Will Agent Tanner be dining with us?"

Raul wrinkled his brow as if apologetic. "Miss Starr, the agent will be dining alone this evening. Please don't be concerned for his welfare. He will not be harmed in any way.

Like you, he is a guest. Now please, you must not delay any longer. You are expected for dinner at ten."

Stacy looked at Eli, who nodded. She held his eyes for a long moment, then stepped forward and was immediately flanked by the two men, who began walking her down the deck.

Raul wrinkled his nose as he looked at Eli. "Take him to the holding room and see that he is washed. He stinks."

"Don't I get a robe and stateroom?" Eli asked as the remaining two guards stepped toward him.

Raul waved his hand. "Hurry, his smell is making me nauseous."

Standing on the deck of The Revenge, Bonita stared at the distant yacht with Baby at her side. Virgil stood beside her.

"Don't be worried. Ain't none better than Ted and Glenn when it comes to snoopin' and poopin' underwater." He glanced at his watch. "They should be reachin' the yacht in ten minutes or so."

Getting no response, Virgil glanced at her face. Tears were rolling down her cheeks. "What's wrong, Bonita?"

"He's on board," she said almost in a whisper.

"Who?"

"Carlos. He's on board. The lights in his stateroom came on a few minutes ago--he's there."

Seated in a plastic chair sipping a Coke, Ramon. Had heard the conversation and immediately stood. "He's not supposed to show up till tomorrow night."

"Yeah, it's probably somebody cleanin' his room or somethin'," Virgil said.

Bonita maintained her distant stare. "He's there. He's entertaining. All the second deck's lights are on--they are never on like that unless he's on board."

"Never?" Virgil asked.

"Never. He's there, all right, and that means he's brought all his security," Bonita said, finally breaking out of her trance. "We've got to warn Ted and Glenn."

"How we goin' to do that?" Virgil asked. "Come on, Bonita, so what if he's there? The guys are just makin' a looksee recon and comin' right back. It's gonna be all right."

Ramon looked out toward the distant yacht. "I can just make out the perimeter boats. Ted and Glenn will see them and know he's there. No sweat, Bonita. Relax."

Bonita began pacing. "How much longer till they come back?"

"They said it'd take them twenty minutes to get to the yacht, fifteen minutes for the look-see, and twenty back.

Let's see, they've been gone about fifteen minutes; that means they should be back in about forty minutes. Come on, Bonita, relax. Virgil was right; them squids know what they're doin'. They'll be back."

Bonita nodded absently, and looked once again toward the lighted yacht. * *

Eli sat nude in the middle of a room lined with shelves for sheets, towels, blankets, and cleaning equipment. He was still dripping from being hosed off ten minutes before, but at least he was no longer sick. The door opened and the guard seated in front of him stood.

Carlos Mendez entered the room and nodded toward the guard, who immediately exited the small room. Mendez studied Eli a moment before taking a seat in the guard's chair. "I have been anxious to meet you. I understand from my associates your name is Eli Tanner. Please let me introduce myself. I am--"

"I know who you are, scumbag," Eli said.

"Please, Agent Tanner, refrain from movie dialogue. It is unbecoming in a professional such as yourself. But it does intrigue me that you do know me. How is that?"

"I worked you, Mendez--I ran an investigation on you in ninety. You killed those grocery people who were laundering for you--and you killed my partner."

"Interesting. But I assure you, Agent Tanner, I killed no one."

"You had them killed, just like you had the senator and the others killed, you son of a bitch."

"Please, Agent Tanner, you are becoming upset. And for no reason. You see, the killers, as you call them, are as we speak being surrounded by your DEA friends. Not far from here actually. I understand tomorrow morning at exactly seven o'clock they will assault the killers' base. Oh, I see you doubt me. No, it is quite true. Mr. Terres, a Colombian who can be quite disagreeable, will no doubt be very surprised and agitated by the appearance of these armed, uninvited guests."

"You set Terres up, didn't you?"

"Me? Come now, Agent Tanner, I'm a businessman. Men such as Terres are of no concern to me. What does concern me, however, are those who steal from me. Perhaps you can help. I'm sure you are aware that money was stolen from me. A former friend of mine was involved, a woman. She, I will take care of, but I am concerned about the others who were with her. Perhaps you could tell me what you know about them?"

"What do I get in return, Mendez? I know you're not going to let me go."

"In return? Let me think a moment . . . yes, I have it. I will assure you Miss Starr will have no reason to fear death or injury."