Page 97 of Ozzie

“Get the tarp on the floor,” a man yells.

Rustling sounds echo out to us.

“Are we doing both of them on one tarp?” another guy asks.

“Makes for easier clean up,” the first guy says.

“Yeah, but a heavier load. You want to carry two bodies at once? And think of disposal.”

“You’re right,” the first guy says. “Okay, put another tarp over there.”

Muffled screams ring out.

“They plan to kill them?” I ask. “How the hell are they going to get the weapons from the senator if they do that?”

“Maybe he already refused?” Lightning says. He holds his phone to his ear. “Senator?” he whispers. “Has anyone contacted you asking for a ransom?”

“What are you talking about? No. What’s going on?”

“I’ll call back,” Lightning ends the call and pockets his phone. “No ransom,” he says to me.

“No accents on those men. This may have nothing to do with terrorists.”

Lightning nods. We’ve both been thinking it.

“Which one should we do first?” the second guy asks.

The rustling of the tarps covers the response.

“We’re going to have to stop this now,” I say as I move forward.

Lightning grabs my arm. “Two men showed up with JB. But we don’t know how many others are inside.”

“Let’s find out,” I say as I grab a rock off the ground and throw it as hard as I can to the other side of the open doors.

“What’s that?” the first man asks. “Check it out!”

Four guys run out, looking around. It’s dark, and their eyes haven’t adjusted yet, so they don’t see us crouched around the corner.

“Now!” Lightning says.

We jump out with our guns aimed. I take down two of them, and Lightning does as well.

“What the fuck is going on?” the first guy says as he steps outside.

I shoot him in the leg. He drops his gun as he falls to the ground. Before he can reach for it, I kick it away and scan the interior. JB and his mom are both bound, sitting on the floor with duct tape over their mouths.

Lightning gets to them first and removes the tape. “Are there any more here?”

JB shakes his head. “No, there were only five. Why were they going to kill us? Did my dad refuse the ransom?”

I work to untie them. “We don’t know yet. Right now, we need to get you out of here in case anyone else is coming for you.”

Lightning drags in the man who got shot in the leg. “Why didn’t you ask for ransom for these two?”

The man moans as he grips his leg. “Ransom? I was paid to kill them. But it looks like that sonofabitch double-crossed me and wanted to look like a hero saving his family. Tell him I’ll talk. I’ll tell everyone all about him.”

Dammit, I hope I’m wrong about who this sonofabitch is, for their sake. “Who is the sonofabitch?” I ask.

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