Jax: A Navy SEAL Romantic Suspense (12 page)

As they stumbled closer I felt the tension in the rope slack.  They were seven yards out.  At four yards I could almost free my hand.  At three yards my left hand was out.  At two yards one of the thugs came with a running kick in my direction.  I ducked and his leg landed squarely on the cold steel dumpster.  My left hand was free.  My right hand had the rope still attached but was usable.  I moved towards the other thug keeping my hands behind my back.  He came with a jab.  I pulled my hands from behind my back for a block.  The surprise on his face was a combination of shock and anger.  I rotated my hand down and away and grabbed his forearm.  I lifted my right leg and delivered a downward blow with my boot to his shin.  Tibia broken.  I spun back just in time to see a circling fist coming towards my head coming from the thug who had thrown the kick.  I ducked and had a clear shot at his groin.  All is fair in love in war.  I pulled my right elbow back and then thrust my fist forward, delivering the blow no man wants to receive.  Ever.  He was down and not getting up anytime soon.  I put both in sleeper holds I had learned watching wrestling as a child on TV.  Surprisingly they actually work.  I removed the rope from my right hand and tied the two men to the dumpster.  They weren’t finished, but they wouldn’t be able to free themselves anytime soon.  And I was also leaving a trail for law enforcement.  They’d surely find my prints at the scene so I needed to compile as much evidence in my favor as possible.  I’d need it after they found the three dead bodies and I still didn’t know who was dirty and who wasn’t when it came to law enforcement on this case.

“Jerry, take this phone.  Remember I told you to call the last number dialed?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You’re going to run in this direction as far as you can for five minutes.  I pointed.  Go fast, but keep your eyes and ears open as you go.  At five minutes dial the number and tell the girl your full name and that you’re at the Port of New Jersey at Seven Seas Import / Export and Jax Justice is requesting a response.  Can you remember all that?”

“Yes, sir, but what about my mom.”

“I’m going to get her right now.  Now go.”

Jerry took off without hesitation.  I moved around back to the front door just in time to see Kong leading Kate out towards the car.  I put the scope from the gun I took off the dead thug on the back of Kong’s head.

“Let her go, Kong.  It’s over.”  He froze, turning around slowly.  He had the gun pointed directly in her chest.  I couldn’t take a shot and he knew it.

“It’s over.  You’re going to be surrounded in four minutes.”  I wasn’t joking, but with the response time it would be more like seven.

“It’s never over, Justice.  It’s never over, because you can’t finish.  That’s your weakness.  You can make your way to the water, but you can’t take a drink.  Too weak.”

“I said…let…her…go.”

“You want me, Justice?”

“I got you, Kong.”

“You got nothing.”

“You take me like a man and you can have your worthless girl.  Put down your weapon or I shoot her now.”

I knew someone as ruthless as Kong wasn’t joking.  He would kill Kate if he thought there was no chance of his mistake.

I slowly bent down to a knee and laid my pistol on the ground.  Kong pushed her to the side and placed his weapon on the deck.

He extended his arms and called me with his hands.  “You want her?  Come get her.”

“Kate move behind the building.”  Kate looked at me and at Kong.  I could see he wasn’t going to stop her, but there was nowhere for her to go once she was behind.  She would have to jump in the water with her hands tied, and I was pretty sure she had never done 30 minutes of drown proofing.  After she realized what was happening she ran for cover.

Kong was Korean and a taekwondo master so I was expecting a lot of kicks.  Head high kicks and spins were the trademark of taekwondo.  Even at one hundred percent I wouldn’t be able to take him in such a battle.  At my current state of about fifty percent I didn’t stand a chance.  I had to land a single lethal blow or take him to the ground and use my three months of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training we had in the outskirts of Rio to my advantage.  My mind flashed back to those months.  The single SEALs were dialed in on the training, but were also dialed in in Rio’s famous nightlife.  I had already started my family and as a married guy I opted for retiring to my room each night or going for a run on Copacabana’s famous boardwalk.  Being a dad was possibly going to save my life.

I ran directly at Kong.  I could see him smile.  He began the spin for his kick as I was about one meter away.  He was expecting me to stay waist high.  No such luck.  I was about to teach Kong the lessons he seemed to lack regarding American sports.  My mind flashed back to high school baseball.  The slide drill to prevent double plays.  I slid feet first into his plant leg.  He definitely spun, but not the single rotation he though.  He completed a 720 degree turn and went straight down.  I jumped on top of him, knowing I didn’t want to get into a long battle with a healthier, rested competitor.  I delivered a downward punch towards his head, but he rolled to my right throwing me from his body and jumping back to his feet.  One take down, one opportunity lost.  We were back to square one.

“You surprise me, Justice.  You move fast for old cripple.”

Kong slid my direction.  His feet moving in a staccato marching action as he moved his hands in short striking motions.  As he got closer I threw an uppercut and missed.  I was exposed and greeted with a flurry of short, but very painful strikes to my midsection.  It’s amazing how much power martial artists can generate from such short strikes.  Then came the kick to back of my hamstring which dropped me.  I was down.

I expected Kong to remain standing.  The preferred position for his discipline, but instead he came to the ground with a kick.  He missed and I wrapped his down ankle in the back of my knee and flexed my hamstring locking his ankle in position.  I rolled left bringing him down with me.  This time he wasn’t going to get up.  I delivered an elbow to the face and a fist to the gut.  My third busted nose of the night.  Kong reached up with both hands and got me by the neck.  He began squeezing.  My limbs went weak so I dropped my weight down on top of him, which allowed me some wiggle room in his grip and some much needed air.  I put my hands around his neck and squeezed.  It was a battle to see who would pass out first.  I could feel the lightheadedness.  I couldn’t think.  Vision went.  I just knew to keep squeezing.  And squeeze some more.  Then the pressure stopped.  I fell on my side.  Kong had passed out first, unless I killed him.  I coughed for air.  I could hear more coughing to my side.  He was still alive.  After nearly 25 seconds I got to my feet.  I saw a broken off container handle in the distance.  I went for it.  Kong stumbled to his feet.

“It’s not a touchdown.  It’s a grand slam!”  I ran directly at Kong as I got close I pulled the handle back and began my swing.  I hit him square.  Center mass.  He dropped.    I fell on top of him and squeezed his neck.  He squirmed and tried to kick me in the groin.  He landed one, but it was too late.  He didn’t have enough power behind it.  He reached for my eyeballs and squeezed.  I didn’t care.  This was going to be it.  I squeezed, and squeezed, and squeezed.  I could feel Kong kick and shake.  That’s the last thing I remember before I passed out.

Chapter 19

“Agent Koban, we’re going to need you to drop by later today.  The director wants to speak with you personally.”

“Thank you.  Did he mention a time?”

“1700.  Last meeting of the day.  He’ll probably offer you a drink.  Best to take it, even if you don’t drink.”

“Will do.  Thanks, Clooney.”

“My pleasure, and congrats on bringing that scumbag down.”

“Well, we’ll have to thank Justice when he wakes up.”

“Is that his real name?”

I could hear Kate laugh.  “I think that’s the question that’s on everybody’s mind, including mine.  I’ll let you know if and when I find out.”

I opened my eyes, but everything was blurry.

“Agent Koban?”

“Just rest, Jax.  I’ll explain everything later.”

I closed my eyes and was sure I was in a bad dream.  What was going on now?

Chapter 20

I slept until the next morning.  When I woke, Kate was by my bedside.

“Hey, you’re alive.”

“Barely.”

“What’s going on?”

“What’s going on?  You saved the day!”

“Not that.  I heard some guy call you Agent Koban.”

“Oh, yeah.  That.  We need to talk about that.”

“We sure do.”  Kate was silent.  “Who are you?”

My real name is Kate Koval, just like I told you.  I officially changed my name to Koban when I joined the agency, but stuck with the Koval name for the time as I was in the middle of a big case.”

“What case?  What agency?”

“Jax, I’m an FBI agent.  I’ve been working to bring down a Russian trafficking ring for over a year.  We were kind of stuck until you showed up.  Once you paid a visit to Hrytsenko everything started moving fast.  Really fast.”

“So you used me for your op.  Great.”

“I didn’t use you.  I really had a stalker.  And I truly thought it was Hrytsenko.  We all did.  The case was getting old so we lost the approval and funding.  We were off the books.  I thought Hrytsenko was looking for me, but it turns out it wasn’t him, it was Kong.”

“Kong?  Why was Kong bothering you?”

“We were never really sure how reliable Hrytsenko was.  He had too many loyalties and we couldn’t be sure if he had really turned and was working for us, or if it was just a passing fancy that he might change tomorrow.  He was too risky to use as an asset.”

“But how does that include Kong?”

“Kong put a price on my head after those cables were released.  He’s a strong nationalist and when he found out it was my grandfather that worked with the Americans to provide such important information about the Wonsan Harbor during the Korean War he wanted me dead.  That was the case I was actually assigned to.”
 

“So unofficially you were working on the Russian trafficking ring and officially you were working on Kong.  The more we worked on Kong, the more we realized the two were related.  Beyond related actually.  They were one and the same.  Kong was getting girls out of Russia and the former Soviet Republics, especially Ukraine, and bringing them to Asia for prostitution and other forms of indentured servitude.  Maids, house cleaners, high-end escorts, kept women…you name it, they promised and provided it to their Asian clients.  Of course their quote unquote debts for their passage to Asia would never be paid off.  They would remain slaves forever, or more accurately, until they were discarded and replaced with the next Eastern girl hungry for any chance to improve her future.”

“That’s it exactly.”

“Why was I allowed to unofficially pursue this case without the FBI stepping in?”

“You weren’t.  That’s why they showed up at your door that morning.  They were trying to gauge what you were capable of.  They had your records, but knew you weren’t active anymore.  They weren’t expecting you to be so resilient.  I mean they knew you were tough, but not superman tough.  And of course they weren’t expecting us to fall in love, and me to get kidnapped.”

“Why weren’t they expecting us to fall in love?”

“You know how official government business is.  They called me in to warn me not to become involved with you.  I downplayed it.  Told them it was just a fling to get them off my back, but of course I knew.  I wasn’t going to let my job, or anyone, get in the way of us.”

“And you still feel that way?”

“I do.”

I didn’t say anything.  I just rolled my head back and stared at the ceiling.  Kate let a few minutes go by.

“What are you thinking?”

“Well, first I have to process everything.  And I’m still doing that.  Second I’m just thinking about what the Navy shrink said when I was separating.”

“Do you care to share that information?”

“I don’t mind.  She said not only was I physically damaged from the op, but she detected I had undiagnosed mental anguish resulting in trust issues with women.  Unresolved childhood issues she said.  I remember it specifically.”

“And what do you think about that?”

“I think I didn’t like it very much when she said it.  And of course part of the reason I didn’t like it was because she was right.”

“And how do you feel now?”

“Well, a certain woman I know, let’s even say she might be in this room…,” I turned to Kate and smiled, “might not really be helping with my issues regarding women and trust.”

“You’re right, I’m sorry.”

“But on the other hand, maybe she is.  Sometimes trust is not just seeing what is on the exterior and trusting that, but it’s about seeing what’s inside, what’s real, and putting your faith in that.”

“Wow, that’s deep.”

“Very funny.”

“I’m not joking.  It’s deep, and it’s also beautiful.  Part of the problem I have is that everyone just sees what’s on the surface and doesn’t take the time to get to know me.  With my line of work I can’t just trust people unconditionally right away.  I have to keep some things to myself.  In some ways it’s not fair, but I let people know up front there are some things I like to keep personal.  Most people hear that then never take the time to get to really know me.  They just want to skim over my life at a 30,000 foot level in two minutes and then make a snap decision.  Unfortunately that happens a lot.”

“I know what you mean.  You know how many women out there are looking to add a SEAL notch to their bedpost?”

“I thought only guys did that kind of thing.”

“I did too, until I got my trident.”

We both laughed.

“What happened to Kong?”

“He was brought to justice.”

“They’re going to try him?”

“Are you joking?  You don’t remember?”

“I passed out.  I remember that.”

“Well you passed out right after you delivered justice yourself, Mr. Justice.  He’s not going to hurt another woman ever again.”

“Good riddance.  And the rest of his guys and his operation?”

“His guys, well the ones that you left somewhat upright and able to breathe air, are not talking.  It doesn’t really matter though.  They’re going through that Seven Seas bogus operation and putting the pieces together.  The files were encrypted, but our guys cracked it pretty quick.  A lot of names are going to come out.  High level names too.  It’s not going to be pretty, but it’s going to help moving forward.  It’s really going to put a huge dent in human trafficking around the globe.”

“I can’t tell you how glad I am to hear that, especially as a dad to a young girl.  Have you heard from Cole?”

“Of course.  We filled him in last night.  He’s got Jasmine safe and sound back home.  She doesn’t even know so she’s not stressing out.  She just thinks we’re on a vacation.”

“And Jerry?”

“Well, some reporters did manage to get ahold of him.  It was kind of cute though.  They were asking him questions and his only answer was no comment.”

I burst out laughing which led to coughing.

“Be careful.  You’re hurt pretty bad.”

“That kid is great.  He’s a hero and he even knows how to deal with the press afterwards.  He really does have a future ahead of him in this field if he wants it.”

“Oh he definitely wants it.”

“Well he was raised well, so I’m sure he’ll make the choice that best suits him.”

Kate smiled.  “Thank you, and with the way things are going with us I hope that part of his upbringing will include a strong, sexy, man who survives bridge falls and saves damsels in distress.”

Kate reached down and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

“It’s going to.  With his mother’s permission.”

“You definitely have his mother’s permission.  Not only her permission with her son, but her permission to do what you need to do to her.”

“Hmmm, I can think of a few things.”  I winked at Kate.  She smirked.

“And I can think of a few more.”

We laughed and Kate reached in and delivered a big, but soft hug.

“I want to just hug you all day and all night, but the doctor said to limit the physical contact due to your injuries.”

The door swung open.  “You?  You’re back again.”  I burst out laughing.  It was the salty old doc from before.  “I thought I got rid of you.”

“I missed you so I decided to come back.”

“Well I certainly didn’t miss you.  You walked out on us yesterday.  You’re lucky you’re some sort of hero or else we’d have you strapped down.  Is this the gal you rescued?  The one I saw on the TV?”

“That’s the one.”

“Well, at least I can say you made one good decision.  She’s a keeper.  She’s been waiting by your side since you arrived”

“Thanks, doc.”

“Don’t thank me.  Get to sleep so you can get on up outta here.  How’s your memory?”

“I remember most things, but some of it is a little sketchy.”

“Makes sense.  It might come back, it might not.  Most important thing is to remember the big stuff.  Do you remember that?”

“I think so.”

“Then you’re OK.  Now get some sleep.”

He walked out and shut the door.

Kate and I both looked at each other with smiles and held the glance until we burst out laughing.  I started coughing again.

“He’s so cute.”

“Salty old dog.  He’s great.  No PC whatsoever.  Does he even know about malpractice and misdiagnosis?”

“It doesn’t look that way.”

“I think he just told me I have amnesia, but not to worry about it too much.”

Kate smiled.  “Yeah, it sure sounded that way.”  We both laughed.

“Jax, I have one other question I’m dying to ask you?”

“Uh oh.  More surprises?”

“Well, if there are, they’re from your end.”

“OK, shoot.”

“Everybody at the agency, including me, is dying to know.  Is your last name really Justice.”

“You know I used to get asked that a lot, but not so much anymore.”

“OK, and?”

“Yes.  Yes, that’s my last name, but not my given name.”

“What’s your given name?”

“I don’t know.  I was dropped on the doorstep of an orphanage as I mentioned.  When I was old enough I legally changed my name.  The judge asked me about 10 times if I was sure.  All my friends tried to talk me out of it…told me I was going to get made fun of.  My reply?  Who’s going to make fun of the biggest kid around?  One who’s built of muscle named Justice that looks out for others.  Their reply?  Good point.”

“My reply too.  It’s very superhero, but it’s my superhero.”  Kate hugged me then pulled away just enough to look me in the eyes.  “I never properly thanked you.  Jax, thank you.  Thank you for saving my life.  And Jerry’s life.”