Chapter 37 ~ Just This Once

Delaney ~

Venom sent a team of trackers and a team of spotters out to keep an eye on Slate’s mansion. We allowed Captain Unger to take Asbel and his associates back to Washington so the higher ups would ease off him a little bit. He was due back this evening.

They are hoping to be receiving intel from the teams Venom sent out. We want to have a battle strategy.. but we can’t plan until we know the extent of the enemy army.

I won’t be able to go on this ride. I am way too pregnant to sit the back of a bike. I would rather not see that man’s face again. Every time I think about him hurting Maddox.. I want to kill him. Seeing his face, I doubt I could hold Iris back.

Maddox is helping the Sweet Butts paint their rooms.. They have all been so good since Tammy has been gone. Venom is rewarding them.. and they all opted on painting. It became glaringly obvious she was the bad apple.

Venom called me into his strategy room. I didn’t even realize Max was back. “You look different when you’re not in uniform. More approachable. It’s a good look.” He chuckled “Yeah.. Don’t have to wear it when I’m not working.”

Venom pulled me into his lap.. breathing me in. I sighed into the comfort of his arms and he said “I wanted you hear to watch these videos that the teams sent in.. Mrs. Slate is in a couple.. Maybe analyze her body language?” I smiled at my handsome mate “Absolutely.. Let’s see if we can tell what’s going on with her.”

Gizmo started the videos.. and the first two were of the exterior grounds.. We watched as each of them walked into a huge structure.. nearly large enough to house an airplane. I asked what that building was.. and was told it was, indeed an airplane hangar.. Seems Slate owns a Cessna.

Venom was watching.. and said “Rewind.. go back a few minutes. Stop.. am I seeing that right?” I was squinting.. looking at the stilled video.. I was trying to figure it out.. when I noticed it.. “An airplane hangar without an airplane.. But pallets of packaged government issue C-4! Damn.. that’s a lot of explosives.” Max said “What the fuck are you seeing?”

Venom grinned and said “Not too observant.. Look behind the soldier coming out of that side door.. The door is opened just wide enough to see what’s in there.”

On the fourth video, I got my first view of Mrs. Slate. Oh yeah.. she’s got a lot going on. I had also been watching one particular soldier who always seemed to hover closer to the house. While the others patrolled the perimeter.. this one stuck close to the back of the house.. and there is only two reasons.

The second time I saw Mrs. Slate the mystery of the soldier’s behavior made sense. I said “Slate is holed up inside the house. He is also terrorizing his wife.. Are there children in this marriage?”

Max responded “Two. A fourteen year old boy and a ten year old girl.” Venom said “Axe.. why didn’t we know that?” Axe shrugged and told us recon didn’t include looking for children.

I giggled “Be specific.. baby. Mrs. Slate is exhibiting abused behavior.. He is either using the kids against her.. or outright abusing her.. Either way.. she is being persecuted. Do you see the guy sticking close to the house? He’s not doing it because he’s been ordered to. He is either trying to hear what’s going on inside.. or he is involved with Mrs. Slate, somehow.”

Venom told Gizmo to find out who the man was.. and I told them.. “By this time, Slate knows his little plan has failed. By now.. and I am going out on a limb here.. he was either banking on the money from the sell of those women.. Or he accepted an advance on the sell.. meaning he owes beaucoup bucks to some Middle Eastern oil tycoon..and he knows they will be coming to collect.”

Max responded “That makes sense.. but why the C-4.. What is he planning for that?” Shaking my head “Oh.. that’s solely for the grande finale.. He wants to destroy the man who he feels is responsible for destroying his career. He will make his move soon.. if you don’t stop him before he starts moving that C-4!”

Venom nods his head “Max.. gather your troops.. I have already ordered mine to get ready. We roll out in an hour.. Slate is too volatile and unpredictable to leave him walking free.”

Max said “We can’t go in there all gangbusters… We don’t know for sure he is even there.”

I snarled “No! But we know for sure that fucking C-4 is there and I, for one, would rather it be back in the hands of the government.. as questionable as that may be.. than in the hands of a homicidal maniac!”

Venom said “Maybe YOU can’t go in there all gangbusters.. but I can. Who’s going to tell me no?”

Max’s phone rang.. and he stepped outside to answer it. Venom looked at me and asked “I am struggling to trust anything Max is saying, right now. Why wasn’t that warrant he had served at Mrs. Slate’s? Why did we hear nothing from him until the day we took Nathan and his cronies down?”

I nodded “He’s hard to read.. but if you think about it.. he’s hanging out here.. and learning our plans.. he could be passing them on, as we speak. Gizmo.. tell our trackers to be on high alert.. If Max is betraying us.. there will be a lot of activity happening shortly.”

When Max came back in, Venom said “Who was on the phone, Max?” And was answered with “Just work stuff.” Venom nodded and said “This is your only warning.. if I even think you are betraying me.. your life is forfeit. Gizmo is running the location of Nathan Asbel down now. If he isn’t in custody.. You will be.”

Max asked “What changed? We were good before my phone call.. Now you’re acting like I’m public enemy number one.”

Venom laughed “Not public.. and certainly not number one.. But I said it before.. I will repeat.. I don’t trust you. You just better hope I’m wrong.. and you’re not on the wrong side of this shit.”

I said “Nathan is in custody.. They needed a scapegoat.. We handed them one. All wrapped up in a pretty package.”

Snake said “I hope we’re wrong.. Just this once.”