The Greely Case
The Greely Meats Factory, where Mr. Greely stands tall and mighty. Also the man who can get us into Jacknife Jed's.
Seth, Richie, Santanico and I stood in Mr. Greely's office where he sat in his chair. Santanico and I kept our guns aimed at Mr. Greely while Seth and Richie sat his right hand man in the chair across from Greely.
His right hand man looked nervous as he looked around before looking at Greely. "I'm sorry, Mr. Greely. I'm really sorry."
"Sorry's not gonna cut the mustard, Balthazar. It's the second time in a month my operation's been compromised, and by the same clown squad, no less," Mr. Greely said, eyeing us.
My eye rose, "Well, who you callin' a clown, Colonel Sanders?" I asked, making him look over at me.
"The people who think they're going to take down Jacknife Jed's," He said, already hearing why we were here.
Seth spoke up, bringing the attention back to him. "Malvado's the collector, and you owe him your tribute. When you deliver, we come in as your crew, he's not gonna see us coming."
Greely scuffs, but doesn't respond to Seth. Instead, his head turns to Santanico and me, a smirk playing on his lips. "Well, I do have to say you two are easier on the eyes than these two paperback rejects."
"So you know who we are," Seth says, glad to skip the introductions and explanations.
Mr. Greely nodded, "Oh yeah." His head then turned to me, eyeing me slightly as he spoke. "The human girl with a thing for Seth Gecko. Trades her normal everyday life for a life of crime and Culebras."
"Trust me, my life has never been normal. Besides, this is way more fun," I said, cocking my gun. The action makes Greely nod before moving onto Santanico.
"And you. Why couldn't you have just stayed where you were, like a good girl?" He asked but she didn't respond. "Oh. You still have his taste in your mouth after all these years, don't you? I bet it never goes away, even in your dreams."
When Santanico speaks, her words are as hard as her face. "My dreams are about to become his nightmares."
"Yeah? Payback's like your first lay. It plays better in your head. Gonna kill a Lord, are you?"
"I can kill him. But I need your help," Santanico says. It takes everything in me not to mumble something under my breath about her words, but decide against it. Right now, in a room full of Culebras, minus Seth and me, it's better to just voice those thoughts in your head.
Greely shrugs, looking back at Seth and Richie, "And for my help, I get what? Flayed alive and turned into a saddle? I don't think so." His hands push him up from the seat, but mine grab his shoulder and yank him back down into it. I point my gun right at his head, causing him to raise his hands and get comfortable in his seat again.
Richie goes back to the main conversation at hand. "We checked your books. You paid 38 percent of your profits to him last year. Between Malvado and Uncle Sam, you're getting skinned to the bone."
"You waving the people's flag at me, boy?" Greely half-yells at Richie.
Santanico grabs his attention with a smile, "You see, things are changing, Mr. Greely. You can join the revolution, or you can rot in the past."
"Revolutions are overrated," Greely says, scuffing slightly. Santanico suddenly changed, leaning in, and hissing right in his face. He stares at her for a second before saying casually, "Then, again, I like to think of myself as a compassionate conservative." He revels his own gold eyes, causing Santanico to lean back with a smirk.
Turning back to Seth and Richie, Greely says, "I'm gonna need a new number two."
"What? Mr. Greely, look-" Balthazar starts but Richie cuts him off.
"Yeah, we're gonna need a couple things, too."
"Like what?"
Seeing as he's agreeing with us, for the most part, I lower my gun.
Seth takes a step forward, leaning his hands on the table, "Meat wagon. Chilled." And that is exactly what we got.
While Mr. Greely had a truck brought in and told his workers what to do, I waited patiently in the loading dock. Before we arrived, I made a special call, my hope that he got it and would show up running my brain.
Sure enough, when his cowboy hat was seen in the door, a smile crossed my face.
Ranger Gonzalez walked over to me, causing me to climb off a box I was sitting on and join him on the floor. He held a map in his hand, a map that revealed the tunnels underneath us.
"Hey," I said as he stopped in front of me. "Thanks for helping us," I said, greatful.
Gonzalez nodded, "Anything to take these sons of bitches down. How are you doing?"
"Good," I said with a slight smile. "Really good actually. How's Kate doing?" I asked, letting out a deep breath I didn't know I was holding. When the Ranger didn't answer and instead looked away, I held my breath again. "Ranger?" I asked, worriedly.
The Ranger sighed, looking up at me as he spoke. "Kate's been looking for Scott."
My eyes went wide, anger taking over me along with shock, "What? How could you let her do that?"
"I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen. Last I checked she was hunting him down near the border."
A groan left my lips as I ran my fingers through my hair, "Jesus, Kate. What are you doing?" I asked myself. This was why I didn't want her sticking around, so she wouldn't be tempted to hunt down these creators. Now, I'm fearful I've only pushed her in further.
Gonzalez put a hand on my arm, "Hey. She's be fine. She a brave kid."
My eyes looked back at the Ranger, "I know, that's my fear." With those words it, I turned and walked away.
The second I took a couple steps away from the Ranger, I quickly pulled out my cell again. I dialed up her number, holding it close to my ear. It rang and rang, only to go to voicemail like normal.
"Kate. Please, whatever you're doing, don't. I'm sorry but Scott's gone. I know you want him back, but... listen, I'm in the middle of something right now. But when I'm done, I'll find you and we can work together. Just, wait for me Kate. Please. Just wait for me."
With that, I hung up, looking down at my phone in worry.
"Hey," Seth's voice said, making me look up to see him walking towards me. "You okay?" He asked?
I nodded, "Sort of. Did you talk to Gonzalez?" I asked, shoving my phone into my back pocket.
Seth held up the map, unfolding it as we returned back to the box I was previously sitting on. "Map says the diesel repair is the way in, so we're gonna start there, all right?" he asks, pointing to the Freight Elevator. I nod in response, noticing Seth look past me.
My head turns, noticing the two guys that were loading up the boxes in the back of the truck. Seth quickly stops them, moving over to them. "Hey, don't stack those all together just yet, Hopalong. All right? We gotta make sure we got room for her box."
The two men looked down at us, "Well, we'll mark it, pretty boy. The name's Colt."
"Got it, Little Joe," Seth nodded, slightly annoyed.
Colt eyes us, "Before this is over, I'm gonna sink my teeth in your five o'clock shadow."
In seconds, I've reached behind me and pulled out my gun, aiming it at his heart. "Not before I pop one in your head." Colt glares at me, his breath slow and steady. I motion for both of men to move, "Go on. Get some work done."
The two men returned to work, leaving Seth and I as I slip my gun away. When I return to Seth, I see a cheeky smile on his face. "Did I ever mention how hot that is?"
"Once in a while," I said with a smirk and a shrug. Seth nods, looking away which causes his smile to leave him and a sigh to return. "What is it?" I asked, wondering what his mind is telling him.
Seth shook his head, shoving his hands into his new black pants. "I just don't trust those snakes. Yes, I know Richie's one of em, but I get a bad vibe just looking at em, you know?"
I nod, "Yeah, I do. But we need their help." I'm quick to notice Seth continuous glancing over at the workers, his attention unsteady. Hoping to pull him back, I put my hand under his chin, lightly turning it so he's looking at me. "So look at something else.
A soft laugh leaves Seth, "Not that hard too." He leans in, connecting our lips, making me return the kiss. Seth pulls away, "Let's go to work," He said, stepping back and fixing his suit.
Santanico is placed in a cooling box with a heating box connecting to it. She's out from the cold, her box being loaded up into the back like the rest. Richie rides with Greely in his pick-up truck, biting and turning into Balthazar in the process. Seth drives the truck with me in the passenger seat.
We all head to Jacknife Jed's, Greely staying at the front while Seth and I go to the back.
A man with a small, fancy mustache stood outside, seeming to wait for the okay. Seth and I stopped the truck in front of the garage door, both of us holding our breath as we waited. When the mustache man nodded for us to enter and opened the garage door for us, a sigh of relief left both of our lips.
"Looks like our luck might be turning for us," I said as Seth drives in.
"Yeah, don't jinx it just yet," Seth mumbles, focusing on turning and parking the truck.
My eyes look around, trying to spot the elevator. "Freight elevator," I said, pointing to the open elevator that a man with some cargo was walking on. "That's gotta be the way down there."
Seth nods in agreement, stopping the truck. Immediately, a man is seen checking under the truck, causing Seth to curse. He quickly grabs his papers and jumps out, moving over to the man.
"Yo! Hey! I need you to check my list. (Man speaks in Spanish) No, no, no! I need you to do it, okay? Buddy, I got four deliveries today, okay? I don't have time. Ten seconds, all right? Come on."
I climb out as well, my feet carrying me towards Seth in the back while my eyes follow Gonzalez. The Ranger drops from under the truck and rolls out before casually walking towards the elevator. He gives us one last look before heading inside, ducking behind some boxes as he's carried down.
"Alright. Everything checks out. Come on," The man says. He nods for us to follow him to the freight elevator. We join him on the ride down, his voice silent until the elevator dings.
"You got ten minutes to unload all your stuff. Hurry up," The man says as he opens the gate. Ancient artifacts are spread around the room, closed boxes joining them.
My head leans towards Seth slightly as I notices the shelves of artifacts, "Boy, does this ever remind me of-"
"The Tunnels under the Titty Twister? Yeah, don't remind me," Seth whispers back, seeming to read my own mind.
Both of us begin our slow walk around, our eyes tracing everything over. Boxes upon boxes are scattered or stacked around, isles being formed around them. When we've reached towards the back, a smile spreads on both of our faces. On top of three pallets sits are money, protected in clear wrap.
"Jackpot," Seth whispers.
Colt and his buddy start unloading the boxes from the truck, taking it down below to us. They find their spots for them, placing them in any empty spot they can get. As one skinny long one sits in the ground, Seth and I move over to it.
"Alright. We're not going any further without the proper tools," Seth says, opening the box. Inside reveals to be stake weapons and guns. Seth already helps himself while my eyes move past him at Santanico's box.
"Ah, Seth," I said, moving past him and over to her box.
Seth looks up, noticing my worried expression, "What's wrong?"
I bend down next to the box, examining the two wires that were supposed to heat up Santanico's box. Both of them have been cut. Seth watches me, waiting until I've looked up at him before I say, "They're all cut."
"What the hell? How?" Seth asks angrily, throwing out his arms to the side. My legs pick me up to a standing position once again, only to witness Colt change into a Culebra.
"Shit," Seth curses, reaching for one of the guns.
The sudden impact of Colts buddy, Curley, hitting my side makes my body land on the ground with a thud. Curley's teeth are out, trying to get past my flaring arms as they keep his head away from me.
I land my knee right in his stomach, causing Curley to groan. That gives me enough advantage to kick him off of me and roll over to my stomach. I crawl over to the box, reaching in and pulling out a gun with stake bullets. By the time I've turned around, Curley is gone.
My breath races to catch itself as Seth kills Colt. I stand, moving to one of the posts and hiding behind it, Seth doing the same.
"Looks like you were right," I said, referring to his past comment of not to jinx us.
"Yeah. Sometimes I hate it when I am," Seth says, catching his breath as well. He turns, noticing Curley, and shooting at him. He misses, watching Curley hide behind one of the many boxes.
The room goes quiet, not even a pin drop heard. Seth motions for me to stay quiet as the move around the pole. Both of us keep our guns at the ready as we split up and start searching around boxes. My head continuously looks behind me, making sure Curly isn't sneaking up on me.
I don't have to worry about myself when Seth suddenly gets tackled and slammed into a box. He gets a few punches from Curley while I race around two boxes and over to them. Without even aiming, I shoot Curley, lucky to have hit his heart and not Seth.
Seth pushes him away, watching him burn up to ash.
My feet rush over to Seth who is double checking himself. "You okay?" I asked, checking his neck to find no bite.
"Yeah," He nods, looking slightly nervous for a second. "Come on," He says, taking my hand. We both head over to Santanico's box, slipping our guns in our backs.
Somehow, between Seth and me, we manage to pop Santanico's box open. Seth grabs her, helping her weak and still somewhat unconscious body to the ground. He leans her against some boxes while I go on the hunt for a blanket.
"Thank you," I hear Santanico whisper out.
"Yeah, don't thank us yet," Seth responds. I find a blanket, grabbing it and laying it around Santanico's shoulder. "A little bit of a heater malfunction. Nothin' to worry about, okay?" Seth says, rubbing his hands over her arms to heat her up quickly.
A noise outside the doors is heard, making Seth and I turn towards it. "Shit!" Seth curses before moving Santanico behind some boxes.
Two guys walk in, guns already at the ready. I quickly move away from Santanico, ducking behind some boxes while bullets miss me. Seth does the same, ducking next to me.
"You just had to jinx it, didn't you?!" Seth yells over the bullets. He stands, firing off a few shots only to miss every time. I do the same, my gun running dead in the process.
Seth and I duck down again, both of us breathing heavy.
"Got any ideas?" I asked, a couple of bullets bouncing off the box behind us.
Peeking around the box, Seth notices the gas tank that's tucked away behind the shooting men. He lets out a groan before leaning back again, "Yeah, one. But it's crazy."
He looks over at me, his eyes revealing how fearful he was about his next action. His next words though, drain my fear and replace it with the same emotion. "I love you."
I pause, recording his words in my head so I can never forget them. "I love you too," I respond.
Seth nods, looking ahead before turning around the box again. He fires off one bullet, it hitting the gas tank on the first try. He quickly grabs me, yanking me down to the ground as the fire kills the two Culebras.
Then, just like that. It all goes black.
Long chapter for everyone since the next one will be short. But then after that one is the final chapter for this part! One more pat left! I'm so excited to write the 3rd part.
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