Page 16 of SEAL the Deal

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It was early morning when TJ parked the van in front of a log cabin nestled among the trees on the shore of a lake. He stepped out, took a few paces, lifted his arms wide and sucked in a lungful of crisp mountain air.

The other three occupants of the van were a little slower to gather themselves. Dean and Ernie climbed out of the back of the van and stretched. Rick continued slumbering in the front passenger seat.

TJ opened his door. “Rise and shine cupcake, it’s time to get this place ready for action.”

Rick opened one eye. “You sir, are an asshole.”

The boys unloaded their bags and boxes of supplies as TJ unlocked the cabin. He swung open the door and childhood memories came flooding back. The bunkhouse was exactly how he remembered it. It consisted of a single open room with bunks across the back and a massive fireplace at one end. At the other was the kitchen with its lake facing windows and an old cast iron cooker.

“Wow!” Rick let out a low whistle as he entered carrying a carton of Bulleit Bourbon. “Hey Pops, you shoot that?” He placed the booze on a rough-hewn table in the center of the cabin and gestured to a stuffed black bear in the corner of the room.

TJ shook his head. “Nope, grandma killed that one with her bare hands.”

Rick frowned.

“Chief, this is a pretty special place,” said Ernie as he and Dean entered with cartons of food.

“Yeah, man. Thanks for bringing us up here,” added Dean.

“My pleasure, boys. Right, Rick, you check the raft. Should be in the boatshed. Dean, you get those rations stowed.” He pointed to the shelves in the kitchen. “Ernie, lay the map on the table. I’ll fire up the stove and get some coffee on. Full mission briefing in fifteen.”

The men snapped into action like a well-oiled machine. Exactly fifteen minutes later with mugs of coffee in hand they gathered around the map that Ernie had pinned to the table.

“OK boys, we’re here.” TJ used the tip of a bowie knife to show their location. “Eugene city is over here.” He pointed off the map. “McCredie Springs is here.” He tapped the tip on the edge of the National Forest. “And the river is here.” He traced a thin blue line that ran through the middle of the forest from north to south.

“Looks pretty remote,” observed Ernie.

“It is. Twenty-two miles of untouched wilderness.”

Rick unscrewed a bottle of bourbon and sloshed it in his coffee. “We’re taking guns, right?”

“We’re on the river. What are you going to shoot, fish?”

“The guns are for protection. Haven’t you seen Deliverance?” Rick exposed his teeth in his best impersonation of a hick. “Hey boy, you squeal like a pig?”

TJ rolled his eyes. “This is Oregon, not West Virginia.”

“Same shit. We need guns.”

TJ tapped the bourbon bottle with his blade. “You going to be sober at any stage of this activity?”

Rick considered his point. “Nope.”

“Then no guns.” The Chief checked his watch. “I need to be at the airport in two and a half hours. I’ll drop you boys at McCredie on the way through. You get eyes on the target and when I get back we’ll make the snatch.”

Rick raised his hand. “Question.”

“Shoot.”

“Can I stay here and get things ready for tonight?”

“Sure, but don’t wander off into the woods. The bears are pretty active this time of year.”

“Bears? What the fuck TJ, what hellhole have you brought us to? This is supposed to be a bachelor party not the god damn hunger games.”

TJ spun the Bowie knife in his palm and flicked it into the wood. “Rick, stop being such a pansy, you’ll be fine.” He gestured to the others. “Get your gear sorted. We roll in thirty.”

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