Retribution Road by Jon Coon (e reader comics .TXT) 📕

through his thinning hair, stretched, yawned, and asked, “Did you have fun?”

“Fun? Yeah, I guess. Your life seems to have a lot more excitement than mine. I spend most of my time poking around in the mud trying to pry answers out of ghosts. Not as exciting as blowing stuff up and taking out the bad guys.”

“You could stay, you know. You’d make a great partner.”

“Thanks, I think I’d like that, but—”

“But you’re still not certain about Carol?”

“I think she’s the one who’s not certain. I could make a life here.”

“Then let’s leave it on the table for now. Give it a chance to play out.”

“Sounds good to me. Thanks again.”

They were approaching the marina. “I’ll take her now,” Tom said.

Gabe stepped aside and Tom stepped up to the helm.

“Will they let you keep her?” Gabe asked.

“Keep what?” Tom laughed. “Yeah, they owe me an airplane. Damn straight I’m going to keep her.”

Chapter 25

THE BENSON GIRLS—CHRISTI AND THE twins, Cindy and Celeste—were standing on the bow, holding onto the railing with one hand and waving furiously with the other. The Senator was on the dock with a horde of television and various media reporters from the national networks and cable news.

“What is it about keeping a low profile he didn’t get?” Tom fumed. “Why not just send the cartel an engraved invitation?”

“Mind if I sit out this dance?” Gabe asked. “Just in case we ever need to go back.”

“Right. Of course. Go below and let’s keep Paul and that nurse out of the news if we can. I never had a cover to blow, so I guess it doesn’t matter. But that doesn’t make it smart.”

Tom’s team tossed the mooring lines over, and when the boat was secured and a gangway rolled up to side, the girls took off running, with tears, to be swept up in the arms of their grandfather. Microphones were thrust in his face, and the Senator beamed.

“This is a proud day for Texas,” he began. “In the hard-hitting tradition of our Texas Rangers, this was a hard-fought and bloody battle to rescue these three beautiful children. And I’m proud to tell you that we took the battle to the enemy and dealt him a mighty blow. Our team recovered millions of dollars in drugs and destroyed millions of dollars of cartel assets. And I’m proud to introduce to you, again, the leader of our Ranger task force and the genius behind this successful raid, my friend and Texas hero, Captain Tom Bright.”

“Thank you, Senator Benson. I hope all these good folks know that without your support, our task force wouldn’t exist, and that this mission would never have gotten off the ground. Second, it’s very important to acknowledge the help we had from the Mexican government. Without their full support, especially the tactical support of the newly organized PFM, that’s the Ministerial Federal Police, a world-class elite police force, our mission could never have succeeded. I hope this new level of joint agency cooperation heralds a brave commitment on both sides of the border to stop the vicious reign of cartel violence and the tidal wave of drugs coming into this country. Thank you, Senator Benson. It’s an honor to serve.”

Tom gave a snappy salute and then waved to the cheers from the small crowd. He spoke privately to the senator for a brief moment, then kissed the girls and did an about-face, back up the short gangway to the boat.

“How did you do that with a straight face?” Gabe began. “It was brilliant, but how—”

“I hate politics, but sometimes knowing how the game works can save us from being worked by the game later. Mexico City is blindsided by this. They don’t know what happened, who to blame, or how to spin it. We just gave them a way out, a way to save face, and I hope to God they take it. Or we may be moving to Canada.”

There was a knock on the bridge door and Senator Benson called out, “Permission to come aboard?”

“Come on down, Bob. We’re in the salon. Watch your step on that spiral stair; it can be a little tricky for old farts like us.”

The senator descended the stair unscathed and went directly to the wet bar. “Got anything to drink on this floating brothel?”

Tom got up, stepped behind the bar, produced a crystal decanter, opened it, and took a sip. “Not bad.” He set three glasses on the bar and poured generous servings into each.

Benson raised his glass and said, “Gentlemen, you have my lifelong respect and gratitude. Now tell me what the hell happened.”

Gabe set his glass on the end table beside his chair and listened as Tom gave a detailed after-action report. Benson asked direct, well-informed questions, and when Tom was done, Benson asked the critical question: “What do you think he’ll do next?”

“He’s going to want revenge. I think he’ll try to bring it to us. But I don’t know more than that.”

“Is Maria still down there?”

“Yes. I tried to pull her out, but she wouldn’t come.”

“Have we got other assets on the inside?”

“She’s our best. Also the most vulnerable.”

“I agree. How are we monitoring her?”

“We’re not. She insisted it would be too dangerous.”

“Probably right. Let’s pray God keeps her safe, ’cause he’s the only one who can.”

“Amen to that,” Tom said. Gabe nodded agreement.

“I’ve gotta go. Gabe, son, I can’t thank you enough. If there’s ever anything . . .”

“Thank you, sir. I’m just happy to be here.”

“Stay in the saddle, Tom. You’re my man.”

“Yes, sir.”

They shook hands all around, and Senator Benson went back up the circular stair.

Gabe got up and took his full glass back to the bar. He was going to pour it out, when Tom stopped him. “That’s too good to waste. Just leave it there. I’ll take care of it. I didn’t realize you don’t—”

“My dad was a drunk. I guess that ruined it for me.”

“I understand. I respect you for drawing a line and