The Ghost Ch. 02

He felt the hole in his leg, knew it was just a flesh wound from the lack of blood flow. He crawled under the deck to below the men who were walking toward his last position. He heard more coming toward the house, noticing more going toward the back trying to corner him in. He crawled to the side where the dock was located and looked through the staircase. A boat was now tied to the dock, with nobody at lookout.

Going back to the wall under the house, he placed two more charges, then back to the stairwell of the deck. Voices could be heard from above him, one of them he was sure to be Vladimir's. "We have a perimeter set sir; he won't get away."

"Why are you talking to me then, get me Anya quickly, that son of a bitch shot me." Vladimir shouted. Mark smiled as the man went back inside the house. He noticed the man talking to him went to his right immediately calling someone, speaking in Russian. Looking around he watched as the men investigated brushes and the surrounding woods for him. They fanned out then moved back inward.

He then noticed two men approach with flashlights to his right. They were heading to the underside of the deck. He crawled from under the deck just to the left of the stairs, and hid in the brush, then made his way across the yard toward the dock. At the entrance of the dock were two large willows. He took refuge behind them, then looked at what was in front of him.

Most of the men were within the blast range of the charges and knowing that in the chaos he could get to the boat, he just hoped it had enough fuel to get back to the mainland. He pulled out the detonator, and hit the black switch arming the charges. Then with one press he watched the balls of flames through the compound shake the island. The house was reduced to rubble within seconds.

Lawson made his way to the boat, and his luck the keys were in the ignition. Firing the engines up, he pushed the boat away putting it in forward gear heading away from the island. Gunshots rang out in his direction, some hitting the tiny boat, but not close enough to be accurate. The boat was fast, but more bullets were being fired at it from the other side of the compound.

Lawson was stunned by a fireball coming from his right and the sound of the huey overhead. The helicopter swung around and with the gatling gun mounted on the front, the pilot ripped through several of the men who were still firing upon Lawson and the helicopter. Lawson slowed the boat to a crawl and turned around to watch. The helicopter made one more pass and hit the warehouses with two rockets sending any remnants of drugs or paraphernalia in the air in two huge black and silver clouds.

As quick as he came, Stanley was gone. All you could hear was the distance sound of the unmistakable sound of that engine. Lawson put the boat into gear and smiled making his way to the shoreline as fast as he could before being noticed. Heading toward Vancouver, he heard the Coast Guard from the south heading toward the island he had just vacated.

Coming into the Skyline Marina, he found a spot quickly and docked the boat. Heading toward the end of the dock he found a young lady standing waiting for him with a sedan parked still running. She helped him into the car then climbed in herself and sped away, neither speaking until they were a mile away from the marina. She checked her mirrors several times making sure they weren't being followed.

"What's your name?" He asked her

"Lilly, after my grandmother. My grandfather told me about you, but he didn't do justice." A small smirk out of the corner of her mouth forming.

"Would his name be Stanley?"

As she took a curve, an airport came upon their left side. "The one and only." Entering a code into the gate, she drove through straight to a hanger near the end of the runways. "Nice meeting you cowboy, look me up next time." She winked at him as he slowly climbed out of the car. Limping his way over to the hangar he found Stanley standing next to a Lear jet.

"Nice upgrade there Stan."

"Let's just say I've been looking for an employer like you for quite some time." He flashed a smile at Lawson, "Where to boss."

"Back to my car, I need to get out of town."

"Sir, your car and gear have been loaded and are on their way to Olathe as we speak. I just need a destination for you."

Lawson started to climb the jet's stairs, "Home Stanley, Home."

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Las Vegas

July 23rd - 0100

"Boss! Wake up! It's a call from Seattle!"

Sleepy and quite angry, Juan grabbed the phone out of his servant's hands. "Si?"

"Someone beat me to the job. The police are calling him 'The Ghost' because of the pin they found. It's the same one they found in Miami."

"Get the product and bring it to shore. We will figure it out in the morning."

"Sir, there is no product left, it has been blown across the island or destroyed in the fires."

Juan looked out his window, as the darkness enveloped all around him. "We need to find this 'Ghost' and fast. Do you understand?"

"Yes boss, I have a couple of my men sniffing around as we speak. Hopefully we will have clues to his location soon."

"Bueno," Juan hung up the phone and sat in an easy chair continuing to stare out across the midnight sky.

"Corporal, come here," As the soldier ran over to the tall intimidating man, he lit a cigarette. "Send a message to base we need to step up patrols along the western region for uptick in gang activity or crime. We need to respond as quickly as possible, got it?"

"Yes Sir!"

"One more thing, do not let anyone know about the pin you found. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal Sir!" The young soldier took off to send the message to headquarters, while the older man started dialing on his phone.

On the other line was a raspy sounding voice, like someone who was desperate for a drink. "Hello Gunny."

"Wanted to let you know I found Lawson's trail. Guijosa is aware of what happened here but not who is behind it."

A cough came from the raspy voice as he listened, "Gunny, follow his trail. I don't care what you tell the Colonel or Guijosa, but I want Lawson. He ruined my life forever, understand?"

"Yeah, I understand. I just hope you know what you are doing. Going after Lawson won't bring them back. It was Guijosa who took your family, not Lawson."

The raspy voice shouted, "No! He had to pursue this fucking war," the coughing became worse. "Then he brought me into it. Find him Gunny, and quickly, I'm not getting any better."

"I've got this friend."