CHAPTER 164 A Coordinated Effort


    Sheriff


    My men and I were stationed at the hidden door, just right outside Hignd Oaks, waiting. for Liam’s


    call, so we could enter the residential area. I was tired, but an absentee Sheriff during a tragic time


    spelled murder for his career.


    Just as Liam said, there were motorcycles parked against the wall, but there was no sign of a gang. I


    had a feeling they were still inside Hignd Oaks causing mayhem, but it seemed. pretty quiet.


    Or maybe… they hoofed it out of here.


    My phone suddenly vibrated. The call I have been waiting for. I took my phone out from pocket and to


    my dismay, I saw Jack’s name on the screen.


    my


    ‘Sheriff, eight out of the nine suspects are dead. I don’t know who did this, but I suspect Liam had his


    hired guns kill these as sholes to shut them up,” Jack said. “Unfortunately, their bodies are sc ttered all


    over the ce, so we need a usible story. Might as well tell the media it was you and the other


    deputies who took these b astards down while they were shooting at all these people. I mean, it


    works… you and some of the men have done training


    with SWAT.”


    “Yes, it does work,” I replied. “As for the dead suspects, it is possible Liam’s hired guns kille them off. I


    heard Liam tell the Colonel earlier to await orders after they brought all the cars to impound,” I said.


    “You knew about this?” Jack asked, shocked.


    “No, I didn’t, but I kind of suspected after you showed me that alert. I actually found it strange Liam


    would want the dead bodies from the Ol’ Barn transferred there. Anyways, we’re here, positioned


    behind the wall. I need an alibi and being part of the team who took down a bunch of punks sounds


    better than Daning over to bring me chicken soup,” I


    said. “I could say we had intel a group of hoodlums were making their way to New Salem. No one else


    needs to know the details. So tell me, what do you know so far?”


    “Nine perps, eight dead. Two died by sn iper, long range,rge caliber, one shot in the chest. One by


    assault rifle, multiple gunshot wounds to the chest. The rest small caliber. Two in the back, two in the


    back of the head, and one in the chest. I have two phones. One phone with messages from a Demon


    looking for a deed of sale. He’s currently on the run. I estimate


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    CHAPTER 164 A Coordinated Effort


    seventeen dead, however with the bodies from the Ol’ Barn, it brings up the casualties to thirty-five.”


    “Anything else?” I asked.


    “Suspects appeared around midnight,ing from inside Hignd Oaks, asking the people to y


    hide and seek, that is, the suspects would give the crowd twenty seconds to hide and after the twenty


    seconds were up, the suspects woulde and kill anyone they found. They killed the guards and


    deputies first, making the people run inside the residential area for cover. Power went off around ten


    minutes after twelve andsted until twelve-thirty. Within those twenty-minutes, the suspects were


    killed.”


    “We were about done at the Ol’ Barn when the ruckus started at Hignd Oaks,” I pointed out.


    “Convenient, don’t you think? Anyway, I’ll see you on the other side, Jack.”


    I moved the brick which concealed the security panel and punched in thebination. The hidden door


    slid open.


    “It’s time to y heroes, boys,” I said, walking into Hignd Oaks. “Remember, I do the


    talking.”


    Earlier at the station, I called the men to my office. I told them to dress into their tactical suits before we


    headed to Hignd Oaks.


    “What’s up, Sheriff?”


    “There are armed suspects at Hignd Oaks. We are going to kill them,” I stated nonchntly. “Don’t


    worry, boys. We are going to be hailed as heroes.”


    “Are we going to be paid extra, Sheriff?” One deputy asked. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    “Sure boys. Just keep your mouths shut and let me do the talking. I’ll tell the press it was a coordinated


    effort,” I assured them. I ced a map of Hignd Oaks on the table. “We go through the back of


    Hignd Oaks and pretend we’ve been doing clearing operations since the shooting started,” I


    exined.


    “Sheriff, how are we going to go through the back of Hignd Oaks? That residentialmunity is


    surrounded by a tall wall,” one of the deputies asked.


    “There’s a door there,missioned by Theodore Cohen. It was purposely hidden for cases like these,


    not even the blueprint shows it. But I know it’s there and when it’s time I need to


    I’m going to tell the now Sheriff of its avistance” I said “We’ll be using dirt bikes to


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    CHAPTER 164 A Coordinated Effort


    cut through town so we can get to the forest behind themunity. After we enter, we proceed to the


    main gates of Hignd Oaks looking like the b adas ses we are. So suit up, gentlemen!”


    It’s a good thing I get to end this day with a smile.


    Xavier


    I was on the phone with Joy, seated in the middle of the van, trying my hardest to stay awake, as Lou


    drove to Mandan. We decided to spend the night there, since, ording to Dina, there were


    checkpoints being set up at all the entrances and exits within the town.


    In the back were the Martíns. Their heads were covered with ck hoods, their ears covered with ear


    plugs, and they were asleep. We drugged them at Arnold County. I couldn’t deal with Norma… she was


    a pain in the neck.


    While we waited for Sebastian and Cristos toe over the fence, I pulled Link to the side.


    “You have the deed of sale?” I asked Link. He nodded his head and patted his coat pocket. “Good. Use


    that as leverage against Liam.” I nced at the motorcycles. We only had three. S hit. “Since we have


    to save these as sholes, we don’t have space for you.”


    “It’s okay. I’ll walk to the front and act like a victim. Liam won’t be able to touch me with media around,”


    Link pointed out.


    “Alright. Tomorrow, I’ll ask Jake to move in with you. He can stay in your guesthouse… you know, just


    as a precaution,” I said.


    “Sure. After tonight, I think I do need someone with me. To even out the odds,” Link said, as we


    watched Cristos slide down with such finesse.


    With Cristos over the fence, it was time to leave The Martíns took one look at our motorcycles and


    shook their heads. I felt offended. My motorcycles were BMWs.


    “It’s the only way out of here,” Link exined. “Look, it’s either this or you go back inside. and deal with


    Liam.”


    “Well, beggars can’t be choosers. Anyway, who are they, Link?” Norma asked, staring at me curiously.


    With the night vision goggles, masks and head gear, she couldn’t identify us.


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    E


    “Some of my pals from the military,” Link answered. “I needed help and they were only twenty minutes


    away. By the way, is there a safe ce we can drop you off?”


    “I have a ce in Fargo,” Tomas said. “Can you lend us a carr


    or something?”


    “Sure,” Link said. “Get on the motorcycle and well get you to that car.”


    “No other way, huh?” Tomas asked rhetorically. He quickly climbed up, seating himself behind


    Sebastian while Ford sat behind Cristos, however Norma, she kept shaking her head disapprovingly.


    “I don’t want to move to Fargo,” Normained. “I like it here in New Salem.”


    “Norma, Liam is going to kill us,” Tomas said. “We can’t stay in New Salem. There’s nothing. left for us


    to stay. Link, I’ll leave it up to you to sell all our properties. I will issue a power of attorney. Just don’t tell


    them where we are.”


    “I won’t,” Link said.


    “I’m not going,” Norma said like a petnt child. “All my jewelry, all my clothes are here.”


    “You’ll get more clothes and more jewelry, I promise,” Link said. And with all his might, he lifted Norma


    and ced her behind me.


    “What about you, Link?” Norma asked before we drove out.


    “I’ll be fine,” Link assured her. “Don’t give my friends any trouble, okay? They’re ris lives to save you.


    And oh, hold on tightly.”


    At the boundary of New Salem and Arnold County, Lou was waiting for us with a white Once she got off


    the motorcycle, sheined about her hair sticking up from the wi


    No wonder Tomas divorced her. Sheined about everything.


    Isecretly handed Cristos and Sebastian each a syringe. We positioned ourselves behind the


    Martins looking as if we were their guards.


    “Please, get in,” Lou said, courteously. Norma eyed him warily.


    “Where are you taking us?” Norma asked, as if we were nning to kidnap them.


    “My boss has instructed me to drive you to Fargo,” Lou said. “If you may…”


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    “Who’s this boss-” I stabbed her neck with a syringe and pushed the plunger. She was out like


    a light. I grabbed her waist to stop her from falling to the ground.


    Finally, silence. She asked too many questions and talked way too much.


    Beside me, Ford and Tomas copsed onto the ground, on top of each other.


    “Smooth guys,” I said.


    “It’s because of this family, people are dead. I mean, why couldn’t they just give Liam the dam n


    pharmacy in the first ce?” Cristos eximed, pulling out his gun. “I should just shoot them in the


    head.”


    “These guys have intel,” I reasoned. “Come on. Let’s load them into the van.”


    I helped Lou carry the two men to the back seat cing them beside Norma while Sebastian ced


    ear plugs and hoods over their heads.


    We took off our goggles and boarded the van. Finally, some peace.


    “Bo, you still awake?” Joy suddenly asked.


    “Gosh, I must have dozed off,” I replied, yawning


    “You need to get some rest. You’ve been up almost forty-eight hours,” she scolded me. “I going to take


    a shower and get some sleep. This day has been something else.”


    “Alright. Get some sleep. We’ll see you at the funeral tomorrow morning,” I said. “Good


    night.”


    “Good night, Bo.” I hung up, feeling at ease. This day may not have started out right, but it


    did end well.


    At Mandan, my men reced us as soon as we got off the van.


    “Drive them to Fargo and drop them off at a motel. Leave this with them,” I instructed, handing them a


    bag of money. “Then follow them when they wake. To make it easier for you, equip this bag with a


    tracker. Once you know where they’re staying, if they have a car, ce


    a tracker on it.”


    “Yes, Beaufort.”


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    “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m going to bed. I’ll see you guys in the mor-”


    “Beaufort, we have a problem,” Max said, running towards me. “I know you’re tired, but this can’t wait


    ’til the morning.”


    You have got to be kidding me!


    “What is it this time, Max?” I asked, yawning. “Gosh, I’m so sleepy.”


    “Randy wants to save his wife,” Max said.


    US


    “Christine? No one will touch her. She’s pregnant and a devout Christian,” I argued.


    “She’s also one of Pete’s drug smugglers. When Randy left, Christine got a call from Dan and he said


    Liam was agreeing to her terms. Randy and Christine thought it sounded kind of fishy, so instead of


    meeting with Dan, she went into hiding. She’s at that motel along the highway near the Biker’s lounge.”


    “Uhm, that’s hardly hiding,” I said. “Unless she changed her car and won’te out until I don’t know


    like… forever.” Sebastian hit me in the chest and gave me a warning look.


    “If we save her, what is in it for us?” Sebastian asked.


    “Information,” Max answered.


    “What kind of information?” Cristos asked.


    “He’s willing to tell us the exact location of the drugboratory.” I woke up… just li


    Finally, an answer to an old question. Where in the world was that drugboratory an


    couldn’t we find it?


    “Well, Sebastian? Cristos? Is that good enough for you?”


    Sebastian smiled. Drugs and smuggling was his arena.


    “Let’s go get her.”


    I sighed. Truly, there was no rest for the wicked.


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