Thumper (The Mandarin Connection Book 8) Read online

  “What…what do you mean?” I asked.

  “Your mother’s ability to love, is what I mean. She was really something, and was able to spread it around, to those whom she did love. I was lucky to be on the receiving end once in a while. But, my job, my duty, is my real mistress. Your mother was unlucky enough to choose me to get over her soul mate. But I just couldn’t cut the mustard,” he said.

  He looked out the window, this man who had shared in giving me life. But he was a total stranger to me, in this moment.

  “I knew about Derek, and her abortion, and all of it. I just figured she could move past it, and I was right. She just didn’t with me. It took Frank, God rest his soul,” he whispered.

  My tears were close now…I felt so sad for him, and my own loss.

  “Your mother, Agnes, was a lot like you. Feisty. Disobedient. A free spirit, I guess you’d call her, in another bygone era. She didn’t mince words, and she loved fiercely. And, she didn’t care what others thought about her,” he said.

  “You got a lot of her in you. But you also have a lot of me. Take that as you wish. I am more than proud as to how you managed to evade and escape some of the best operatives on the planet. But I also lost face there…do you understand? I need to be able to trust you, and Keith David and David Keith. Because, all of our lives depend on that trust,” he said.

  The words weighed heavily on me, and I wanted so badly to share what had happened, but I knew I dare not do it.

  More was at stake here than even he realized.

  My very soul was the prize, and only we three knew it!

  The phone rang, and my father answered it.

  He only nodded, and then hung up.

  “Show time. Let’s go. I love you, Bea,” he added, almost as an afterthought.

  Then, he hugged me tight to him.

  He looked into my eyes, his face proud and anxious at the same time.

  “I truly love you, kid!” he smiled.

  That’s when I broke down and cried, held in the loving arms of my father.

  —————

  The day for the Bowl game has arrived.

  My father and some of the Alpha Team are in the house.

  I feel like a rare jewel, being guarded by a bunch of armed men, who are ready to repel anyone who would dare steal me away.

  Thumper and Stinger are at the stadium, getting ready for the game.

  The plan is for them to follow Norton’s instructions to the letter.

  Both of them hate having to do something that underhanded and dishonest.

  There was some grumbling about them on the last game against the Wolverines.

  They had just barely lost, and a decision by one of the referees overturned one play by the Wolverines, so that the Wasps were declared the winners by a technicality.

  Norton had contacted them, not pleased, but willing to entertain that they had done their part, so he had not applied any repercussions.

  He warned them not to do it again, in the bowl game.

  Their team mates were almost ready to kill them, seeing as how they had almost lost so badly.

  Now, I have to wait it out, just like the rest.

  —————

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  STINGER

  I’m running as fast as I can.

  I have the ball, and the Wildcat’s are closing in on every side.

  I can see Thumper, and the Frenchman racing towards me.

  Where is the fucking goal line?

  There!

  Only twenty more yards!

  Fifteen!

  Ten!

  I get slammed from the side, as the Frenchman clips my legs out from beneath me, and I fall hard, the ball sliding from my grasp.

  “No!” I shout, the air whooshing out, as I hit again, hard, the Frenchman bouncing on my back.

  I feel something crack. A rib?

  There’s no pain.

  Then, Thumper has grabbed the ball and fallen on it.

  He recovered!

  Jesus Christ.

  This is only the first play???

  —————

  We’d won the toss, and chose to take the ball on the kickoff.

  The kicker had hit it a decent one, and it fell right into my arms. Thumper and the others on the team had formed up a decent phalanx around me, and I had managed to cross center field with no problems.

  Then, the Frenchman and his other tackle came towards me. I guess Thumper had managed to get one of them, or bypassed them both.

  I don’t know.

  Now, we’re at the fifteen. Niles is giving orders, but I can’t really hear him.

  Thumper is bouncing, on the soles of his feet, angry as fuck.

  He’s sweating, and I can tell he’s got it out for the Frenchman.

  Still, Norton was very clear.

  We had to lose this game, bigly, or else.

  The huddle breaks, and we’re back in the game…

  —————

  “Wake the hell up, Stinger!” comes a yell from Coach Anderson.

  I see the ball falling in front of me, just within reach.

  It’s fourth and down, and if I miss it, the Wildcats will get it on their own ten.

  I act as if I have the football, but it just passes easily between my fingers.

  If I close them, I will have the ball, and there’s literally nothing in front of me but AstroTurf and the goal posts.

  I fall, gripping air as the ball bounces off the ground, into the waiting hands of a Wildcat defense.

  He grabs it and rolls for the goal, and touchdown.

  I pound the ground with my fists, in frustration.

  It’s not even the end of the second quarter!

  We were behind by a field goal, but not anymore.

  With the conversion, we’re looking at some real trouble.

  I get up, brushing myself off, and return to my disappointed team mates.

  If they only knew.

  —————

  BEA

  I see my father talking into a small radio. He’s speaking to the other Alpha Team members in the stadium.

  The Governor is there, just a few rows below where we are sitting.

  I am supposed to be looking out for anything ‘suspicious.’

  Whatever the fuck that means…

  I sigh, and sip my soda. It’s flat. There’s nowhere to set it down.

  I notice two men off to the right.

  They look like State Troopers, but when they pass another trooper, he says something to them.

  I get up, and walk over that direction.

  My dad is concentrating on his conversation.

  And, I see Travis and Randy anyway.

  Passing a popcorn vendor, I am surprised to see it is Derek.

  He’s got a barely hidden gun under his armpit.

  “How the hell are you managing to not get that thing seen?” I whisper.

  “Hey! Over here! Are you deaf?” shouts a fan.

  Derek keeps on walking, ignoring him.

  “Like that. I don’t sell shit…” he smiles.

  “Do you see anything funny about those two troop…” I start to say.

  But, the two men are gone. So is the other trooper.

  “What is it, Bea?” Derek asks.

  “There were three troopers there a minute ago, now there aren’t any?” I say, somewhat surprised.

  “Over there,” I point.

  “Are you sure?” Derek says.

  I roll my eyes at him.

  “I may be blonde, but I am not blind, Derek,” I chirp.

  He rolls his eyes back.

  He says something into his radio, as we walk higher up the bleachers.

  “Yes, she saw three troopers, section E 3. Might be our guys. Look sharp…oh, wait. I see two of them. Probably just hitting the head, right?” he says.

  He nods to his radio, and I walk away.

  There’s something just not right about that.

  I st
art to move towards them, slowly.

  I bump into someone I know, but she just ignores me.

  What the hell is Michelle doing here, anyway?

  Stuck up little bitch!

  —————

  THUMPER

  I know I am supposed to fuck this game up, but it just is eating at me like nobody’s business.

  The Frenchman is giving me this funny look, like he knows something I don’t.

  Big deal. I know something too, jackass!

  Like how Alpha Team is going to kick your ass later!

  I crouch low, and pick my spot.

  I am going to blast this fucker right off his feet!

  —————

  STINGER

  It’s been a tough damned game, but we’re in the two-minute warning zone.

  This is it!

  The last play!

  We’re behind, and if Thumper plays it right, we will lose in about ninety seconds.

  —————

  THUMPER

  I can’t do it!

  Fuck this!

  Just give me a chance!

  Give me the football!

  —————

  BEA

  It’s not the Governor they are after!

  It can’t be. They aren’t going near him.

  It’s my FATHER!

  Oh, God, no!

  I run through the stands, trying to reach an Alpha Team member, so they can warn him.

  Suddenly, my path is blocked by this big State Trooper.

  “Officer Barton” is the name on his badge.

  Then, another trooper is behind me…

  “Officer Bruce,” is the name on his badge.

  “Come with us, please, ma’am,” says Office Bruce.

  His voice is menacing, and I am not at all inclined to follow him.

  I turn to run, and Officer Bruce grabs my arm.

  Enough of that!

  I shove him, hard, and break away.

  I hope I can make it to an Alpha fast!

  The two troopers are right behind me.

  I leap over a bleacher, and the tall trooper follows, then slips, crashing into the stands.

  Suddenly, there are five more ugly dudes, angling in on me!

  “Help!” I yell, at the top of my lungs.

  The fans surrounding us stare, but no one moves to help me.

  I yell again, and this time I see Mike and Mike 2, and wave at them.

  They point, and are talking on their radios when I run past the stadium doors into the hallway, where there are restrooms.

  Without thinking, I run into the ladies, and then to the opposite side.

  I figure if they follow me in, I will smack one of them with something.

  But, there’s nothing in there but other women, waiting their turns.

  I see Bruce stick his head in, and hide behind the others in line.

  He ducks out, and Bart sticks his head in the other side.

  I think he sees me, so I dart out the front door.

  Mike and Mike 2 come careening around into the hallway.

  “Help! I think they are going to kill my dad!” I yell, and then I feel this shocking sensation, and everything goes black.

  —————

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  THUMPER

  Holy shit!

  Honeybee.

  I can see her in some kind of commotion amongst the bleachers, and then she’s surrounded by some ugly thugs, and now is being chased out of the stands!

  Where are the fucking Alpha Team?

  I see two of them suddenly rushing after the thugs.

  Powerless to do anything, we set up for the final play.

  And then, the ball is in my hands!

  What the fuck!

  How did this happen?

  I get my bearings, and see a path to the goal line.

  But, if I cross them, we win the game!

  I am supposed to lose!

  Dammit! What do I do?

  I see Stinger.

  “Go! Go! Go! I’ll cover you!” he yells.

  I take off, and as I pass, I can see he is worried.

  “Get this done! Bea’s in trouble! Get the goal and meet me in the end zone!” he shouts.

  Stinger takes off, and I see the Frenchman coming.

  Stinger runs at him, and just before he hits him, the Frenchman jerks like a puppet on a string.

  Stinger smashes into him, and they both go down to the AstroTurf, rolling over and over.

  I grip the ball tightly, and run my ass into the endzone. I spike the ball, and then keep running off the field, behind the goal posts and into the tunnel. I rip off my helmet and pads, tossing them away.

  I run into the locker room, to find a shirt to toss over my jersey.

  There, I find Michelle, she of the crossed eyes, and enchanting lisp.

  Only, she’s holding a long rifle, with a big-ass scope.

  And, her eyes are definitely not crossed.

  “What the fuck are you doing here?” she hisses, aiming the rifle at me.

  Just a second too late, she fires.

  The noise is explosive in the small room.

  Al and Randy run past the door, peering into where I am hiding behind the lockers.

  There is a smoking hole near my head.

  Al puts a finger to his lips, and points.

  Randy crouches down, and then hits the floor as Michelle fires again.

  Michelle runs out the door, and races up the stairs, to higher ground.

  “Are you okay?” Randy asks.

  “I’m fine!” I say, panting.

  Al listens to his radio.

  “They’re not after the Governor! They’re after Lt. Colonel Rodgers!” Al shouts.

  Suddenly, there is the sound of a shot.

  “Sniper!” yells Randy, and shoves me to the ground.

  “He’s shooting at your brother!”

  I get up and run out towards the field, the two men hot on my heels.

  —————

  STINGER

  “Oh my God! He did it! We won!” I yell.

  Thumper has managed to score the final touchdown.

  But he wasn’t supposed to?

  I lay there, my breath knocked out of me. Confused…stunned.

  I see the face of the Frenchman, a small black and red hole between his eyes.

  He looks surprised.

  —————

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  STINGER

  Thumper runs up to me.

  “Holy fuck! He’s been shot!” he yells.

  I look at him stupidly.

  Did someone shoot me?

  My sides hurt, but I think that’s from the Frenchman landing on me.

  “Are you okay?” Al asks me.

  I think it’s Al…one of the Alpha Team.

  “A little…short of… breath… but, yeah, I am okay,” I manage.

  The other dude, Randy, looks at the Frenchman, and shakes his head.

  “This dude is NOT okay. Nice shot. Probably over a hundred yards. From up there, above the Governor,” he nods.

  My gaze follows his, and I realize that is just where I last saw Bea.

  —————

  THUMPER