Nightmare in Red (Nick McCarty #5)

“A well thought out plan, brother,” Gus said. “Deke will never let them approach at night, and I know how you sleep and prepare, Muerto. Besides, I bet it rains like hell tonight.”


“I reluctantly agree with Payaso,” John said. “As much as I would like to get to know the family with my MP5, it would be much more appropriate to wait until morning’s light frames the targets. We do not need this, Muerto. The lawyer of Kensky will have a posse looking for the murderer tomorrow some time. Our plan of lying low for a couple of days and returning home was a good one. These men will surely ruin our Karma if we confront them now.”

“Agreed. Let’s go get our drink on. We’ll deal with the Kaders after some rest.” Nick started their vehicle. Before he could drive into the circular approach, two of the Kader boys jumped out in front of their SUV.”

“It is a lucky thing Muerto is driving,” John said. “Go out there and reason with them, Payaso. Perhaps you could explain married life to them. They will be bored to tears within moments and let us pass.”

“Sorry, but I don’t speak stupid. Nick will have to handle them.”

“Very well,” Nick replied. “Be careful what you ask for, Payaso.”

Gus grabbed Nick’s arm as he opened his car door. “I don’t want to drive back into the woods tonight. Show some restraint, for God’s sake.”

“First you wanted it handled, and then you start getting picky. Unhand me, villain. It is time for El Muerto the great negotiator to work his magic in these dire moments at hand.”

Nick walked around to where the two men blocked the way. “Hi, guys. We need to go home. We were on a long trip. How about stepping aside and letting us through.”

“I would rather slit your worthless throat, pig!” The young man with a beard screamed at Nick. “Walk into the house and come back with Cala Kader. Then hand her over to us and you may proceed if we have her here quickly.”

“I can tell you right now none of that is going to happen. What will happen is I’ll call my friend in the vehicle. He’ll come out and kick your ass into next week while I decide whether to shoot the rest of your friends.”

The two men laughed, trading disparaging remarks about Nick in Arabic.

“You have ten seconds,” Nick warned in Arabic. “Then I call my friend and you get your ass kicked.”

Nick’s use of Arabic surprised the two men. They stopped laughing as Nick checked his watch while giving them the countdown with the fingers of his hand. “Time is up. What will it be boys?”

“You will not pass,” the bearded one replied in Arabic.

“Yes… we will.” Nick turned. “Hey, John. We need a demo. Your brother wants a piece.”

John jogged to Nick’s side. He stared at the bearded man skeptically. “This is not my brother. What would you like done?”

“He says they won’t move until I go in and drag your future wife out here for them to have. I told him he had ten seconds to get out of the way or you’d kick his ass into next week.”

John smiled. “Would Wednesday do?”

“Why yes, his ass into Wednesday would be perfect.”

John leaped without any side movement, the side of his foot striking the bearded one in the forehead, pitching the man flat to his back heavily. John turned, slid forward over the man, and delivered an elbow strike to his face, collapsing the man’s nose in a spray of blood. In the meantime Nick aimed his new 9mm Beretta at the man’s companions, who had surged forward. Gus’s MP5 jutted out the passenger side window. John kicked the downed man in the side. He then returned to Nick’s position.

“Well… that completes the demonstration for today of why it is a bad idea to block our driveway. Any questions?”

Silence.

“Good. Drag meatloaf to the sidewalk and stay the hell out of our way or someone will be going to the emergency room with a bullet wound or to the morgue. Today, scrotum-head! Today!”

Two of the others dragged their writhing companion to the sidewalk. Nick and John returned to their vehicle with Gus covering the men. A few moments later they were on their way inside the house after Nick garaged the SUV.

“That was the great negotiator’s best work, huh?”

“We’re walking in the entrance, Payaso. Why don’t we have a drink and leave the whining here at the door.”

Gus chuckled at Nick’s rebuke. He put an arm around John’s shoulders. “That was a nice ass whoopin’, John. I bet it felt good too.”

“It felt real good, brother. Here come our female companions. Tina is frowning. Perhaps she means to slap you around for some indiscretion you as a married man are clueless to identify.”

“Cala seems very happy to see you, John.”

In seeming response to Nick’s words, Cala ran to John, throwing her arms around his neck. John returned the hug with passion. Jean giggled as Deke streaked around her to ram into Nick before even Rachel could reach him. Nick wrestled around with him.