Chapter 36: Rescue 2

After Ed left for Washta’s home, Ellen talked on her phone to her head of security.

“Jace, Ed is going to Washta’s home. There’s a villain holding Washta hostage there and demanding Ed go there. I want you to send backup,” she said.

“Okay. I can see his car moving West. Did you give him the vest?”

“Yes, he’s wearing it.”

“Good. I’ve dispatched a team, and they’re en route as we speak.”

“Please don’t let him get hurt. He’ll do anything to rescue his friend.”

“And we’ll do anything to protect him, up to and including the use of lethal force. I’ll update you when I have more news.”

The call ended. Ellen paced about nervously. This was getting insane. What had they done to deserve this?

Ed pulled up near Washta’s home. He didn’t park directly in front, as he wanted to check out the area before the villain saw him.

It appeared quiet in the neighborhood. No police nearby to spook the villain.

As soon as he stepped out of his car, Absaroke, the crow, arrived.

“Ed, thank goodness it’s you!”

“I got a call from the villain. He wants me. Your wife was just a means to an end. Once he has me, she’ll be safe.”

“He got her last night when she came home. I was unsure, so I went for help.”

“Absaroke, I’m sorry, I hadn’t told you I’ve moved.”

“I learned that, so I found Mohe. He’s hiding in the bushes, ready to help.”

“Can you ask Mohe to sneak around back and wait at the kitchen door? Perhaps we can flush him out. Then come back to me,” asked Ed.

“Sure. I’ll be right back.” Absaroke flew over to the bush. Soon, he flew back to Ed.

“Mohe is going around back now.”

“Good. Perch on my shoulder, we’re going in.”

Ed walked up the path to her front door with the crow perched on his shoulder.

He rang the doorbell.

Someone peeked through a window, then the door cracked open.

Ed recognized the gruff voice. “Are you the medicine man?”

“Yes, I am.”

“What’s with the crow?”

“I’m a medicine man. I talk with animal spirits.”

The door opened further. “Get inside.”

Ed stepped through, and the villain closed the door behind him. Then Ed saw the gun pointing at him.

“Keep walking!” said the villain.

Ed had visited before, so he walked into the kitchen. He discovered Washta tied to a chair. She had bruises on her face and she hung forward, unconscious.

Absaroke left Ed’s shoulder and landed on the back of Washta’s chair.

“That’s far enough.”

“I came here without police. You can let her go,” said Ed.

“Not yet. I have orders to give you an unfortunate accident.”

“At least not in front of witnesses. We can go somewhere else, leaving this old woman.”

“I’ll decide what we do or where we go, medicine man,” he said with contempt. He pointed his gun menacingly toward Washta.

Absaroke hopped off the chair and flew a short distance to the kitchen counter near the door. The villain ignored the bird, keeping his focus on Ed.

Ed understood what Absaroke was doing. He distracted the villain.

“Did you know what happened to your predecessor? He failed, and your boss had him killed in a police cell,” asked Ed.

“You know about that? My predecessor was a fool. He got caught. He knew the consequences.”

Ed moved half a step towards the villain and away from the kitchen door.

“Do you know what will happen to you once you’ve served your purpose?” asked Ed. He kept eye contact with the villain, hoping to hold his attention.

Absaroke used his beak to turn the key, to unlock the back door. Again, the villain failed to notice.

“The boss rewards loyalty,” said the henchman.

“He only keeps you alive if you’re useful to him. As soon as he no longer needs you, you’re dead,” said Ed.

Just then, the back door opened.

A full-grown bear pushed in through the kitchen doorway and headed straight for the villain.

The bear raised up on its hind legs, nearly touching the ceiling, and gave an enormous load roar! It was enough to cause fear in anyone, especially in a confined space. If Ed hadn’t known Mohe, he’d be terrified.

The terrified villain pointed his gun at the bear, about to shoot.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. It’ll only piss him off,” said Ed.

The villain showed significant signs of distress. He backed away from the bear as best as he could, then pointed his gun at Washta.

Ed stepped in front of Washta, blocking his shot at the old woman. The vest he wore gave him the courage to shield her from a bullet. “That won’t save you from the bear. You’d better leave if you want to live.”

The villain hesitated, watching the bear approach him with menace, and listened to Ed as the voice of reason.

Just before the bear struck, the villain dashed for the front door. He pulled it open and ran outside, still holding his gun.

After the villain ran off, Mohe sat down in the kitchen. He transformed into a peaceful creature, licking his paw. In another life, he was a Duwamish. He had no ill will towards them.

Ed walked to the front door, hoping to see what happened to the villain.

Before he reached the door, he heard multiple gunshots.

After the gunshots, Ed heard several voices shout, “Clear!”

He peeked outside. A group of his security detail gathered around the dead body of the villain.

One of the detail noticed him.

“Mr. Tanner. Are you in need of medical assistance?” asked a security guard.

“Not me, but there’s an old woman inside who needs help.”

“I’m a qualified medic, Sir. Is it safe to enter?”

“Just a moment.”

Ed looked in the kitchen. Mohe had already left.

Absaroke perched on a chair beside Washta. “Mohe left to avoid getting shot.”

“When you see him again, tell him thank you from me.”

“I will. I owe him too.”

Ed walked back to the front door.

“Okay, it’s safe to enter!” said Ed.

The medic came in carrying his small medic bag. He checked Washta. He also untied her and lay her on a sofa.

“She’s alive, but she needs to go to the hospital for her injuries,” said the security guard. He took out his phone and called for the ambulance.

Ed walked back out front. The villain was gone, together with any bloodstains and spent shell casings.

“Sir, the ambulance and the police will arrive soon. I need to brief you on our story before they arrive,” said the security guard.

“Okay,” said Ed.

“We visited Washta and found her in this condition. We don’t know what happened. Nothing else. They’ll take our statements before we can leave.”

“Understood.”

Ed saw flashing lights coming his way. The ambulance or the police were fast.

They stood and waited outside. An ambulance pulled up and paramedics got out and approached the house. The guard approached them.

“An elderly Duwamish woman is lying on a sofa in the kitchen. She’s stable, but in need of your care.”

“Okay. We’ll check on her.”

The paramedics took a gurney and their equipment inside the house.

A police car arrived. The officers got out and approached Ed and his security guard.

“I understand you discovered the old woman?” asked one officer.

“Yes, officer. We discovered her. We don’t know what happened, but my friend here is a medic. He checked her and immediately called for the ambulance,” said Ed.

The security guard held up his medic bag to emphasize that detail in their story.

“You say you don’t know what happened?”

“No, officer.”

The paramedics came out, carrying Washta on the gurney. “Hey, looks like you saved her life! She needs immediate treatment. We’re taking her to the hospital.”

Washta was soon inside the ambulance, which left for the hospital. A crow flew out of the open front door and followed the ambulance.

Another patrol car pulled up. Officers asked neighbors to return to their homes. Ed recognized Pana, a friend of Washta, who waved at him.

A sergeant approached Ed and the security guard with a clipboard. “I’ll need to take your statements before you can go.”

Those were the words Ed waited for. They repeated their story to the sergeant, who filled in the forms. They signed them, and they were done.

The sergeant escorted Ed and the security guard to Ed’s car. They drove away.

“That went smoothly,” said Ed.

“That’s how it should be. They won’t find the villain, so it’s an unsolved crime.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Sir. It’s our job to protect you.”

“You know, that’s the second time I’ve saved that woman’s life.”

“It feels good, Sir. Doesn’t it?”

“Yes. Washta is like family to me.”

“In the service, we were all family. We left no one behind.”

“Words to live by.”

At the CIA office, Noah Johnson received another call.

“Sir, we’ve got a confirmed location on Joey Barbagallo, the mob boss.”

“Very good. Give me the address.” Noah wrote it down.

He ended the call and made another call.

“Sir?”

“I have a confirmed location for you,” he said.

Noah read out the address.

“Collect everyone you can. Capture or kill.”

“Confirmed, Sir.”

He ended the call. Soon after, two CIA units left headquarters in black vans and SUVs.

Noah walked to his operations room. A large screen displayed a map of the address and the markers for the approaching units.

He took a seat to watch the event unfold.

In his lair, Joey ‘The Beast’ Barbagallo felt agitated. He’d received no updates from his police contact or the new henchman.