Page 51 of Rett

“That should shut them up,” said Barbenza. “How dare they demand pay from us. They could not be trusted.”

“We got what we came for,” smiled Ramos. “Now, we take the photos, send them around the world, and blame the Americans for everything. By next month, we will once again be unrecognizable.”

Trak signed to the triplets to make themselves known. They stared at him as if he’d lost his mind, but when he prompted again, they could only trust him. Clothed in all black, only their faces showing in the darkness, they slowly walked forward to the startled expressions of the two men.

Ramos turned, firing at them. It was a relief to know that Trak had been counting bullets. Both men were out. Eazee turned, smirking at their grandfather’s oldest friend.

“Which one is it?” asked Barbenza.

“I-I’m not sure,” whispered Ramos.

“Not sure?” said East. “But you’re sure when you rape and beat women to death. You’re sure when you steal from poor villagers and farmers, sell your drugs to children, and steal those that aren’t addicted only to be used by someone else. Those things you’re sure of.”

“Really, Mr. Ramos, you should get a hold of yourself,” said Rett. The man’s eyes went wide, shaking his head.

“We are American military officers!”

“No the fuck you’re not,” growled Eazee. “So, which one of us is it? Which one did you want?”

“Well, which one?” asked Barbenza.

“I don’t know! They look exactly alike.”

“You guys probably shouldn’t have killed Barber and Ryder,” said Rett. “They were pretty quick at learning to tell us apart. Let me make things more confusing for you. Look around.”

As the light began to flood the room, the two drug dealers paled, seeing the identical multiples walking toward them. They shook their heads, making the sign of the cross as if thinking the devil himself had come for them.

Perhaps he had.

“Where is the art?” asked Kiel. Again, they shook their heads. “I won’t ask nicely again. Where is the fucking art?”

“Gone. It’s gone, and we won’t tell you where.”

“It doesn’t matter,” smirked Rett. “That’s not why we’re here. We’re here to make sure that the two of you die. We’ll find the art and the gold. After all, we found you.”

Ramos stared at the group of men and knew the mistake he’d made. He’d allowed the triplet to live.

“You took Rosalita,” he said.

“No. We took Morgan. She’s doing beautifully, by the way. A whole new face already. There is nothing you can ever do to her that will send her back to this hell. She is safe. She is whole, and she is loved.”

“No! No! Loved by who? I’ll kill him!” The men all laughed, staring at him, just shaking their heads. “Tell me!”

“It wouldn’t matter if I did tell you. You won’t go near her again,” said Rett. “We’ve stopped you, just like we stopped the three men you sent for us. They’re in prison now. A military prison.”

“You think a prison will hold us?” asked Barbenza. “We have thousands of men who will come for us.”

“Oh, I have no doubt,” said Rett, shaking his head. “Which is why you’ll never make it to prison. In fact, you won’t make it back out to view that beautiful lake. You’re going to die here. Right here inside this tunnel.”

“You can’t do that! You’re active. Active duty, that’s it.”

Rett heard the whoosh of a knife flying through the air and knew who it was. He knew that it would be his Uncle Trak or maybe even his own grandfather. But it was neither. Turning, they were stunned to see Kegger.

“Sorry. I hitched a ride and learned a few things about being quiet while you assholes talk. Even a one-legged man can be silent if he needs to be. I needed to do that for her. I needed to make sure her nightmare is dead and gone.”

With another whoosh of air, Rett couldn’t imagine where this one had come from until he saw his father standing behind the dead body of Barbenza.

“I believe we’re done here,” he said. “Set the charges and blow the tunnels.”

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