Page 11 of Resuscitation
“Goes without sayin’,” Brick muttered. “You payin’ the bills.”
“Just want to be clear on that.” He looked around at each of the crew in turn. “Next round’s on me, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Mercer ordered the drinks, then left the bar and began the drive up to Shawangunk Correctional Facility.
An hour later, he leaned against his car, anxiously watching the prison gates. A smile broke across his face as he spotted a familiar figure emerging from the building. Looking thinner and more fragile than Mercer remembered, Connor stepped into the sunlight, squinting as he scanned the parking lot.
Mercer pushed himself off the car and strode forward, arms outstretched. “Hey, bro!”
The brothers hugged, years of separation melting away instantly. Mercer felt Connor’s shoulders shake and heard a muffled sob against his chest.
Mercer quickly pulled back. “Hey, c’mon, don’t break on me, man. I’ve got plans, little brother. Big plans,” he said, attempting to keep the tone light.
As they drove away from the prison, Mercer filled Connor in. “Brick’s on board and brought in some solid guys. We’re all set. Now all we gotta do is track down Watts. I want to make sure he’s home when we hit the place, see the look on his face?—”
“I thought we were just gonna take the rubies. We’re not gonna kill?—”
“Yeah, of course we are. The bastard stole our future. It’s his turn to pay.”
“Yeah, but I just didn’t think we’d?—”
“Leave the thinking to me. We’ll get what’s ours, deal with Watts, and get across the border into Canada. I’ve got cash stashed. Enough so we’ll be okay until we fence those rubies.” Mercer glanced over, noticing the apprehension on Connor’s face. “This is our chance. Set things right, take back what’s ours.”
“I don’t know. It sounds risky. We just got out…”
Mercer’s grip tightened on the steering wheel. “I know you’re worried, bro, but trust me. We do this job, we’re set for life. No more worries, no scraping around, no more looking over our shoulders.” He softened his tone. “I need you with me on this, bro. We’re family. We stick together, right?”
Connor nodded slowly, a faint smile touching his lips. “Yeah. Of course, Andrew.”
Connor was the only person alive who called Mercer “Andrew.” The thought made him a little sad to think they were the only two Mercers left.
Mercer gripped the wheel, eyes fixed on the snow-dusted road ahead as they drove north. The van’s heater whirred softly, fending off the chill inside. Connor gazed out the window at the passing landscape, lost in thought.
The silence between them grew heavy, punctuated only by the hum of the engine and the fan heater. Thankfully, the sign for the cheap motel Mercer had booked for the night appeared.
The next afternoon, as they approached Eastfork, the wind whipped up, a new storm moving in from the west. Mercer slowed the car, peering through the windshield at the nearly deserted streets. The town seemed even more desolate than when he’d come here to do recon two weeks ago—shuttered storefronts, faded signs, and an air of neglect.
It was too soon to meet the guys, so Mercer stopped at the diner on the main drag. They ordered a couple of burgers and ate in silence before replacing their sodas with coffee.
Mercer stirred his absentmindedly, the spoon clinking against the ceramic mug. The diner buzzed with low conversations and the clatter of dishes.
Connor sat across from him, scanning the restaurant. “So, you reckon he’s around here somewhere?” he asked, his voice low. “Watts?”
“Can’t hide from the internet,” he said. “Found him in the property tax records. Came up here myself to check it out the week after I got out. Place seemed deserted.” Except for the fancy security system, that was. But he didn’t want to dump too much on Connor all at once. Kid seemed more than a bit skittish. The joint could do that to a person.
Connor seemed relieved by Mercer’s report. “Deserted? Maybe that’s a good thing. Hit it while he’s gone, let him be the one wondering what the hell just happened, ya know? It’d be kinda a form of torture, him coming home to find the rubies long gone.”
“Yeah, but then we’d be the ones looking over our shoulders rest of our life. I don’t want to live like that, do you?”
Connor’s gaze dropped as if his empty coffee cup was more interesting than Mercer’s words. “No. Guess not.”
“Exactly. It’s settled. Watts has to die.”
ChapterSix
Forward Operating Base (FOB) Lagman,
Zabul Province, Afghanistan.
