The Serpent and the Crow

Book 1: Chapter Sixteen

Wade, Douglas, and Jador waited at the bottom of the steel staircase hidden behind the fake bookcase. Wade and Jador restocked their magazines in their tactical vests and outfitted strobe lights on their rifles.

Douglas peered into the darkness of the long tunnel. He was sure that whatever awaited them in the dark recess of the Owl Creek Ridge was aware. The gunfire and commotion above would've alerted them.

Douglas radioed, "Cortez?"

Cortez replied, "The woman is being treated and taken to Armadillo Central Hospital. The PLM soldier is being treated for his acid wounds by his own people. The Chief and a dozen Dead Men move above ground. Over."

"What about the other thing? Over."

"I'm watching the backdoor. Nothing comes out of it alive. Just don't come back this way. Over."

"Everyone switch to the alternative channel. And stay frosty. These fuckers were well equipped and highly motivated. They have the upper hand, now. Over and out."

Wade said, "I was on medical leave before all this, you realize."

"Yeah, well, I was going to retire. And, I still am if we make it through tonight." Douglas said.

Wade looked surprised.

Douglas said, "I don't feel like we make a difference, as cops. I thought I would fold and just be done with it. I have a family. I wasn't there much for my son. I want the girls to have a father. I don't want Halonie growing up without a dad as I had."

Wade put a hand on his shoulder, "She won't. You're going to make it back," Wade turns to Jador, "All of us."

Jador nodded and said, "Affirmative. Doug, you can sit this one out? There's no shame in it. If my brother were alive, I wouldn't be doing this. I would want him to grow up...You should think about it?"

Wade said, "It's the smart thing to do, Doug."

"Why are you doing this?" Doug asked.

Wade looked down the dark tunnel, "Michelle and Mary...they died horribly. I felt they would've been held in a place like this. Praying that he would come for them. I'm doing this for them. Maybe you should sit this out and do it for your family."

Doug picked up his rifle and walked into the darkness. Douglas says, "C'mon, we're wasting time. If that were my kid on that loft, I would want Justice. I'm sure the Harding's want justice, and I promised them just that."

Douglas saw that the tunnels would've cost the AK's a pretty penny. The engineering alone was more immaculate than Solemn Pines' Council Civil Engineers.

Douglas had seen plenty of these tunnels working for Border Patrol. Elaborate tunnels that were used to transport commodities; people, drugs, guns, women, and children. He had never seen one with air vents and drainage. They had elevated the metal grates from the floor of the tunnel.

The light from the hidden doorway faded the farther they went. They put on night vision. Night vision was hardly picking up anything. All it picked up were faint outlines and shadows. Douglas saw another staircase, descended and submerged in the water. He raised his rifle over-head. Wade and Jador followed suit. They came to an opening and steadied their rifles, ready to take on any AK's. Floodlights scrambled the night vision goggles with a searing flash.

"Drop your weapons, do it now!" Shouted an ominous voice, "On your knees," another said.

Wade, Douglas, and Jador dropped their rifles and raised their hands.

"On the floor now," said another voice.

Some Aryans took their goggles off and kicked the back of their legs. Douglas squinted and saw that half a dozen armed Aryans surrounded them. And they looked more professional than the ones they encountered back at the compound.

The AK's bound their wrists with electrical ties and held their rifles to their heads.

Douglas closed his eyes. He knew this was the end and would never get to his family again. His worse nightmare had come true.

Douglas saw a man in a hooded black trench coat come out amidst the armed aggressors.

The trench coat man said, "I've been watching ya'll. Nothing happens in this state without my knowing about it."

Douglas gritted his teeth. Wade spat at the Trench Coat Man.

Jador said, "That's Proctor."

Proctor laughed, "You've done your homework, Jaspreet Jador."

Proctor signaled to an Aryan Knight. The Aryan pistol-whipped Jador.

Wade shouted, "You son-of-a-bitch."

Wade's outburst is cut short as a skinhead burying his rifle into his temple.

Proctor said, "Now, now, Wade. That ain't no way for an IA Agent to speak. We might have to send you back to Corpus Christi with a toe tag."

"We get it. You learn things. We know you kidnapped and murdered a few dozen children, your sick son-of-a-bitch," Douglas said.

Proctor knelt in front of Jaspreet.

Proctor said, "You pegged me wrong. I ain't no snake worshipper. Fucking things scare the shit out of me. Yeah, I move exotics around from time to time. I like a bit of hoochie poochie."

Proctor licked Jador's face. Douglas glimpsed his face. He's a disfigured man, covered in scars from acid burns, most likely from mishaps with meth labs. Jador bit down on the bridge of his nose. She tore at it.

"Fuck. Ooh, I like it when a woman gives me shit."

Proctor kicked Jador in the guts, and she gasped for air.

"When a woman makes that face. Ooh, Proctor likey."

Hank interrupted and said, "Well, Sunshine. You're going to love this."

Automatic fire hits the floodlights. Darkness enveloped the bunker. Douglas lay on his stomach as a cascade of muzzle flashes peppered the darkness with light. An immense firefight ensued during a minute of deafening gunfire. Douglas saw torches turned on. The chief came up to Douglas.

"You alright, Tonto?" Hank asked.

"What took you so long, Kemosabe?"

"Owl Creek Ridge is a bitch to climb."

A few dozen PLM guerrillas check their dead Aryans. The Dead Men lifted their thermal googles. The PLM lifted their rifle in unison, pointing at Proctor, trying to raise a metal grate.

The Chief said, "D.W Proctor. You're under arrest for a few warrants in Cold Cut and Mystic Mountain, Colour-ray-doh. And, a fuck ton of warrants in Armadillo, New Meh-hick-oh. And, you know what you did in my county, you sick son of a bitch."

"Fuck you, and your wet-back, nigger loving..." Proctor said.

Hank sent a balled-up fist into Proctor's jaw. He's dropped like a sack of potatoes.

"And, that's for making old Hank climb that great big turd they call Owl Creek Ridge," Hank said.

Hank turned to Douglas, Wade, and Jador. He holds up his hand.

"Well, let's get to it. I've been waiting to pin the tail on the donkey, all goddamn day."