Nemesis Chapter 4

The old faded green van rounded the corner, stirring up dust as it approached the parking lot of the sprawling complex. The prison itself was intimidating, with towers and guards everywhere amidst high fences topped with barbed wire.

"Nice place," Max quipped as he looked around.

"Yeah," echoed Grant, "I sure hope Garcia shows up fast. I wouldn't want to spend too much time here."

"Well, with any luck at all, that's exactly what will happen," replied Jim, as he put the van in park and glanced in the rear-view mirror on the pretense of adjusting his hat. He looked at Grant, whose earring was in place.

"Remember, Nicholas is monitoring," he advised. "Try to keep in touch."

Jim picked up the rifle from the seat next to him and got out of the van. Two prison guards approached him as he opened the van's sliding door.

"May I help you?" one asked.

"I have a couple of transfers from Eastern State," Jim replied smoothly.

"But we're not expecting any transfers," the other guard put in. "Besides, we don't have any room."

Jim feigned a look of exasperation and let out a forceful sigh. "I was told everything was in order," he snapped, "and I sure as hell can't take them back. Not after what they've done at Eastern." He pointed the gun inside the van and stared menacingly at Max, who returned his stare.

"And what is that?" the first guard questioned, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

"The two of them started a riot amongst the other prisoners at mealtime," Jim replied. "Pretty boy here damn near killed one of my best guards."

The guard smiled and held out his hand, and Jim gave him the clipboard he was holding. He read over the papers, then he looked at Max and Grant. "Come on out here. Let me take a look at you."

Jim waved his rifle threateningly, and then Max and Grant slowly shuffled out of the van, their hands cuffed in front of them and their leg shackles clinking as they moved. Both men stared hatefully as the guards looked them over. Each men was wearing a black tank top, and their arms were toned and muscular.

"They'll do quite nicely here," the guard growled, flashing a smile at Jim. "We'll take care of them. Come on, you two."

Both guards drew their weapons, and Max and Grant shuffled toward the prison doors, aware of the cold steel being shoved against their backs.

Once inside, the "prisoners" were tossed into a holding cell while the first guard signed Jim's paperwork and sent him on his way.

As Jim drove the van clear of the prison complex, he keyed his communicator. "Nicholas."

"Yeah, Jim."

"Max and Grant are in position."

Nicholas pushed a button on the IMF computer as Shannon looked over his shoulder. "Yes, I've got them," he replied, as the system picked up the tiny tracking device located in Grant's earring.

"Good," replied Jim. "I'm headed back there now."

*****

Kyle Garcia reached for the ringing telephone. "Garcia," he grunted.  "I have a couple of new ones for you," the guard responded. "Transfers from Eastern."

"What do you know about them?"

"The first guy is Max Herndon," the guard responded. "Ex-Military. Trained as a sharpshooter. Dishonorably discharged after he had an argument with a fellow soldier and used a sniper rifle to pick him off."

"Friendly fire," Garcia observed. "Nice. What about the other guy?"

"Grant Tucker. Drove the getaway car during a drug raid. Used a sub-machine gun to take out half a dozen witnesses."

"Could they handle the job?"

"They're no strangers to hard work," the guard answered. "Wait till you see them."

"I'll be over in two hours."

"Well, hurry it up," the guard urged. "We've got no place to keep them."

*****

Previous Chapter:  Nemesis Chapter 3

Next Chapter:  Nemesis Chapter 5

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