Marauder (Oregon Files 15)

The guard spoke into his radio several times asking about the truck, but he got no response. “I don’t know where it is, sir. I sent a man around the building to locate it, but I can’t reach him.”

“Then send more men to find both of them.”

* * *

—

How’s it coming?” Juan asked Eddie from his spot at the window.

“It was a race to the finish,” Eddie replied as he unplugged the USB drive from the laptop, “but I was able to download the remaining files before they got erased. We won’t know if any of them are readable until we get this back to the Oregon.”

“Hold on,” Juan said. He saw Parsons being escorted by two of the guards. The hovercraft pilot had his hands tied behind his back. “We’ve got a new problem.”

Eddie joined him at the window. “It looks like Parsons is going to get the same treatment as the other workers.”

The guards were escorting Parsons through the laboratory area in the direction of the living quarters where the rest of the team was.

“Linc,” Juan said, “you’re about to have some company. A couple of guards. Be advised there is a friendly with them. It’s a guy named Bob Parsons, a Caucasian with a crew cut.”

“Got it,” Linc answered. “We’ll give them a proper welcome.”

As Parsons and the two guards passed the tank holding the jellyfish, he suddenly turned and head-butted one of the guards, who stumbled from the impact and fell to the floor. Then Parsons threw his shoulder at the other guard, and they smashed into the tank. He kneed the guard in the groin, but the guard slugged him in the jaw with an elbow, and Parsons reeled back from the punch.

The furious guard raised his assault rifle. Juan smashed the window with the butt of his MP5, distracting the guard long enough for Eddie to shoot the man with a three-round burst. The guard went down, but one of the bullets went all the way through his torso and hit the tank glass, causing a series of growing cracks.

Seeing what was about to happen, Parsons backed away quickly.

Just as he got out of harm’s way, the tank shattered. The second guard staggered to his feet at the same moment that a gush of water enveloped him and tossed him to the floor. One of the jellyfish landed on his head. He convulsed in agony and let out a piercing scream as he clawed at the venomous tentacles draping across his face.

Parsons looked up at the office, dumbfounded.

Juan pointed at the back door and yelled, “Go.”

Parsons didn’t hesitate and ran.

“We’re hearing gunfire,” Linc called out. “Are you okay in there?”

Drawn by the sound of the battle, more guards sprinted in their direction.

“Change of plans, Linc,” Juan said. “Parsons is on his way, and he’s alone. Get the truck started. It’s time to leave.”

THIRTY-ONE

By now additional guards were approaching, so while Eddie ran for the stairs, Juan fired at them to pin them down. When Eddie got to the bottom, he took over firing, and Juan joined him. Together, they ran for the back door to the factory.

They got outside to find Linc in the driver’

s seat of the truck and Linda and MacD in the back with Parsons, whose hands were now untied.

“Never thought I’d see you out here, mate,” Parsons said as Juan and Eddie jumped in the truck’s bed. “Glad I did, though.”

“How long to start up the Marsh Flyer?” No way they’d get the open-topped Qingdao hovercraft up and running before they were under a hail of gunfire.

“I’d say about a minute to get her off the ground and moving,” Parsons said.

Juan thought they could defend it that long. “Linc, get this truck back onto the Marsh Flyer.”

“On our way.”