Gatorbait

"Well hell. If they don't see my shirt they should see my chest. It's the whitest thing on me."

Kari jumps up and down in the mud. Waving her arms and twirling her shirt.

Without warning, the rifle cracks out behind her. It's shot landing short, Kari dives into the mud. Feeling her bra fill with the warm gook, Kari looks up at the helicopter.

Turning and diving, the chopper sweeps over Kari's position. Hugging the marsh, she watches the helicopter skim over the grass behind her.

Kari smiles as she begins to crawl forward again. Oscar is still out there. She's still within range. But now, someone knows where she is.

***************************************

"Base, this is PHI 256. I've located the woman. She is alive. Hostile shots have been fired. Male is behind her. With a rifle. I'll go to safe altitude and monitor. I'll give her location."

"Roger PHI 256. Give location to PHI 388. Agents are on board. Rescue is imperative. PHI 388 are you there?"

"This is PHI 388. Go ahead base."

"PHI 388, PHI 256 has located missing woman. Hostile fire has been received by pilot. Ask agents for next instructions. Tell agents we're a damn oilfield delivery service. We don't take fire. Over."

"Base this is PHI 256. Fuck off. There's a lady down there getting shot at. I did alot worse in Nam. I'm with the agents. PHI 388, let me know what I need to do." The long haired pilot looks back at Mike. His eyes covered in sunglasses.

"We're on your side boss. What do you want?"

Mike strokes the wood of the M-14. Turning to look at the pilot, his eyes show the concern.

"Put us down next to Kari if you can."

The pilot grins and looks over his glasses.

"Hey man, I was in Nam also. We're doing something right here. I'll put you right on top of that lady."

Mike reaches for the pilot as their hands meet and shake.

"Do it bro. Ask 256 if they can keep an eye on the target for me. We also need the Coast Guard to be cancelled. They won't make it in time. We'll use PHI as rescue since you're here."

The pilot smiles and shakes his head.

"Base, this is 388. We are proceeding to location of 256. Agents ask 256 to keep contact with target. We're going to set down right on top of the lady."

"256 to 388. I've got her in sight, male subject is 100 yards behind. Description is middle age. Balding. Really looks like a klutz. But he has her in range if she stands. The lady is staying low. I'm going to sweep."

***********************************

Kari watches as she lays in the mud. The helicopter turns on it side and dives towards the marsh. With it's skids skimming the reeds, it sweeps over Kari and dives into the swamp behind her.

Feeling like she has some time, Kari stands and runs through the marsh. Hearing the helicopter move away, Kari drops into the reeds. Maybe a few more feet away. Just a few. But they add up.

Raising her head, Kari looks at the sun. He'll have me by morning. The night will come shortly.

***********************************

"256 this is 388. Arrival in 5 minutes"

"Roger 388. Sweep completed. You should of seen that prick hit the deck."

************************************

For Ricky, the thought of his lost cousin and the re-election occupied every monent of his thoughts. The idea of helicopters whirling and diving over his parish was unheard of.

Right now, he needed to talk with Uncle Andrew. To find out where Oscar went hunting for bait.

**************************************

"256 this is 388. We're coming in. Show target and we'll extract. I'm dropping off agents to finish the job. Will stay out of sight until contacted. Over."

"Roger 388. Hovering over target now."

**************************************

Kari watches as the bright yellow helicopter hovers above her. The beat of it's prop's bending the reeds away.

From her right, she watches as another chopper approaches. Tilting it's blades, it sits into the marsh.

Lying there, scared to move, Kari watches as the two men approach her. Seeing Mike, Kari feels the tears in her eyes.

Reaching down, Mike grabs Kari's arm and gives her a hug.

"Go with Gibbons to the chopper. I'll catch up to you shortly."

Gibbons looks at Mike. Raising his voice to be heard above the helicopters, Gibbons yells at Mike.

"We got her. Let's go. What you going to do?"

Mike locks the rounds into the rifle and looks over his shoulder at Gibbons.

"Finish the job. Tell the pilot I'll call him and to stay out of sight. Get Kari back to the motel and to Dad. Let Jim talk to her and find out what happened. Now go!"

Gibbons watches as Mike drops into the swamp. Grabbing an occasional reed, Mike begins to cover himself.

"You're not authorized to do that. We'll take him the prescribed way. You can't just kill a man!"

Mike rolls on his stomach and keys the microphone.

"388 target is secure. Return her to base. 256, make a sweep before exiting and give me targets location. After that, stay out of sight.. I'll call for return trip."

Gibbons stares at Mike. Covering Kari with a blanket from the helicopter he looks over the marsh grass.

"You can't do this Mike. You're breaking every law we have."

Mike rolls over and stares at Gibbons.

"Go!"

The young agent stares into Mikes cold eyes. Wrapping his arms around Kari, he leads her to the helicopter.

Turning, Kari watches Mike melt into the marsh.

"Mike. They killed Scott. They cut his throat. He saved me and pushed me out. Kill Oscar."

Mike's mouth opens as he watches Kari being pulled towards the helicopter. Sliding into the swamp, Mike reaches into his leg pocket for the cell phone.

*****************************************

Ricky stares at his Uncle.

"You did what?"

Andrew moves his hand through his balding hair. Turning to look at his nephew, he smiles.

"Where did you think all that money I gave you came from nephew? The damn tooth fairy?"

Ricky feels his world whirling away as he looks around the yard.

"Okay Uncle. He can't be far from here by now. Grab the airboat and let's go take a look. We should reach him in an hour or so. At least before sunset."

Andrew nods his head as he heads toward the boat.

Ricky looks over the marshland that forms his Uncle's backyard.

Mumbling to himself, Ricky watches the sun.

"Let's hope Mike, isn't where we're going. I'd hate to kill my friend."

*********************************************

Mike slides into the reeds as the helicopters pull away As he advances, the bugs crawl over his skin. Mike raises the rifle and aims. Just a few minutes and the target will be in the scope.

"256 you got a bearing on the target from my position?"

The yellow helicopter turns and heads back over the swamp.

"Roger, 50 yards in front of you. Move to secondary call sign."

"Roger 256, secondary call sign now Raven."

Mike smiles as he looks through the scope. Only 50 yards. A shot a child could make. It's time for pay back.

**********************************************

Ricky hops into the airboat as Uncle Andrew guns the craft into the swamp. Looking over his shoulder, he waves at his Uncle over the roar of the engine.

"Which way we going? You think you know where he's at?"

Andrew nods his head at Ricky in understanding.

"We should be there in about 30 minutes. It won't take long with this engine."

Ricky turns and grabs the bow of the airboat. Looking at his waist, he eyes his pistol.

"Let's hope I don't have to use that. But Oscar may need help."

***********************************************

Mikes lays still as the helicopters exit the marsh. The microphone plugged into his ear, he listens for the report.

"Raven, target is moving away. Back in the direction he came from."

Mike smiles.

"Roger 256. I'm in pursuit."

"Raven, this is 388. Orders from Agent Gibbons is do not pursue. Let target proceed. He'll be picked up by team of agents. Airboat from Coast Guard is on the way and be there shortly."

Mike watches the horizon as Oscar moves forward. Looking up at the choppers he smiles.

"Roger 388. Can you retransmit that in about 10 minutes?"

Hearing the laughter on the headset, Mike lays in the swamp and cradles the rifle in his arms. One second, that's all I need. Just one.

Mike places his eye to the scope of the M-14. If Oscar shows anything, he's hit.

***************************************

Ricky watches the marsh fly by as Uncle Andrew guns the engines on the airboat. Faster than any drive he's ever taken, the boat flies across the surface of the swamp. Looking back, Ricky looks at his uncle.

"How long?"

Andrew points ahead of the boat.

"He should be ahead about 10 or 20 minutes. But who knows what direction he went off in."

Ricky nods at his Uncle as he turns and faces the empty swamp ahead of him.

Oscar could be anywhere.

*************************************

Feeling his elbows settle into the mud, Mike watches the marsh ahead. The warm, humid air moves over his face as the sweat begins to form. It's always like this Mike thinks. Wait for the shot. Wait for the clue. Nothing really changes.

Hearing an approaching airboat, Mike lays perfectly still. His eyes are the only thing that move as he hopes the approaching agents will flush Oscar from his hiding place.

**************************************

Andrew yells over the sound of the roaring propeller on the boat.

"Oscar, get out here boy. Let's go!"

Ricky watches the swamp. The helicopters flying on the horizon are yellow PHI choppers. Crews probably going to the rigs.

Pointing, Andrew yells at Ricky.

"Dhere he is. That dumb son'a bitch is lost."

Ricky smiles as he heads towards Oscar, just 75 feet away.

*******************************************

Mike watches the airboat flush Oscar from his hiding place. Standing there waving his gun, Oscar makes a perfect target against the horizon.

Breathing easy, Mike places the scopes crosshairs on Oscar's chest. With a slow squeeze of the trigger, the M-14 explodes in Mike's ear.

Watching Oscar slump, Mike smiles.

"Fuck with my family you bastard."

******************************************

Ricky reverses the prop on the airboat as Oscar falls face foward into the muddy bog. Grabbing Andrew, he looks around the marsh. He'd seen game get shot many times. Oscar was shot. Ricky knew it was from someone who wouldn't miss.

Andrew yells at Ricky.

"Go get Oscar. He's hurt."

Ricky shakes his head as he see's Mike stand from the reeds.

"Not yet Uncle Andrew. We've got business to attend to."

********************************************

Mike watches the airboat turn and head towards him. Waving his hands, he releases the clip of ammunition from the rifle.

"Time to go home. This is Raven. Target down, airboat approaching. I'll catch a ride with them."

"Roger, Raven. You said the airboat is there already Raven?"

"Roger. Thanks for all you're help."

Mike watches as the airboat nears. Seeing Ricky driving the boat, Mike grins. No need to explain anything. Ricky will cover up the shot. He'll just say the bastard was taking aim at him.

Removing the earphones, Mike waves as Ricky brings the boat to a halt in front of him.

"Hiya Ricky. Boy am I glad to see you."

Shaking his head, Mike laughs as he steps onto the boat.

Ricky looks at Mike.

"So am I bro."

Without warning, Mike feels his shoulder explode. Looking at Ricky, he watches his classmate lower the pistol.

"That was cousin Oscar you just shot Mike. Sorry, but you just cost us some bait."

Mike crumbles onto the deck of the boat. His vision getting fading, he reaches down for his knife. Without a word, Mike's face slams against the aluminum deck. The last thought before he blacks out is of betrayal and how ironic life is.

"It never changes."

********************************************

Feeling his aching shoulder, Mike tries not to move as he hears movement around him. With his head slumped on his chest, Mike listens to the sounds around him.

"Damnit Ricky. What we going to do about Oscar? I got to bury that boy. He weren't all that bad you know."

"I know Uncle Andrew. But why? Why did you do it?"

"I told you Ricky. We get the big gators with the right bait. Whenever someone come up missing you never worry about it before. It's not like we do it all the time. Besides, you liked that 10 thousand I gave you the other day. Help's you get re-elected, don't it?"

Ricky turns to look at Mike hanging on the wall.

"Yea it does. But this is different. Now the Feds are going to be worried about Mike missing."

Andrew rubs his hand across his scruffy chin.

"Nahhhhhhh, they'll think Oscar got the best of him. They'll look but never find anything. He'll be fresh bait."

"Well, let's get to work then. We just may get away with it Uncle."

Ricky prods Mike with the barrel of the rifle.

"Wake up Mike. Time to die."

Mike hangs limp on the restraints. Ricky stares at his friend. Grabbing a bucket of water, Ricky throws the cool liquid on his buddy.

"Wake up dammit."

Mike continues to hang loosely against the walls of the shack.

"Damn Ricky. You think he's still alive? He might of bled to death by now."

Ricky motions for Andrew to check on Mike.

As Uncle Andrew approaches, Mike listens to the steps. Feeling Andrew's breath on his face, Mike opens his eyes wide. Andrew jumps at the sight of the man he thought dead looking at him.

Mike lift's his right leg and kicks Uncle Andrew in the balls. With the eruption of his balls, Andrew drops to his knees. Mike wraps his legs around Uncle Andrew's neck as he bends in front of him. Ricky jumps back staring at the scene. Mike tightens his legs around Andrew's neck. The old man grabs at Mike's legs, fighting to escape the grip that is breaking his neck.

Ricky reaches for his pistol and find's that he hadn't replaced it in his holster. Frantically, Ricky looks around the shack as he hears the cracking of Uncle Andrew's neck in Mike's grasp. Ricky grabs the skinning knife off the wall and leaps at Mike as he releases Uncle Andrew.

Mike watches Ricky leaping for his restrained body. The knife poised to strike his abdomen, the room explodes. Ricky releases the knife as he slumps against Mike.

Mike looks at Ricky and blinks. Feeling the warm blood covering his shirt, Mike watches Ricky's eyes stare at him as he slides to the floor. Looking up, Mike see's Jim standing in the door.

"You okay?"

Mike nods his head as he looks down at Ricky's body.

"Funny he got a phone call about his missing cousin the sametime you found the tracks. So I did a check on Uncle Andrew. Seems he's got quite a history. Plus, Kari told Gibbons everything in the helicopter. Next, Gibbons reports you and an airboat when ours wasn't even there yet. I never trusted the guy in the first place. The choppers followed the Sheriff to here. Looks like we got here in the breath of gnat."

Watching Jim undo the straps on his wrist, Mike looks at the two bodies laying below him.

"I knew both of them growing up Jim. I knew Oscar too. Even stood up for him against bullies. I'll never understand it."

Jim watches Mike as he places his pistol in the belt holster.

"It never changes Mike. Evil gives way to evil. Someday you'll learn. Just don't take too long. I'm getting old you know."

Mike looks at Jim and smiles.

"Let's go home Jim. I owe you a bottle of scotch."

Jim runs his hand through his gray hair.

"Just a bottle?"

Laughing, Mike and Jim head to the waiting vehicles. In the shack, Andrew's eyes slowly open.