Read Online BRAINRUSH 02 - The Enemy of My Enemy by Richard Bard - Free Book Online Page B

Francesca and Sarafina from the mountains of Afghanistan. His three younger Latino partners, Snake, Juice, and Ripper, had been part of his crew since they all ran together on the streets of South Central in L.A. When they’d joined the Marines eight years ago, as an alternative to prison after a major gang bust, there’d been seven of them. Three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan whittled them down to five. They tried going back to L.A., but when one of the boys got drilled in a drive-by, Papa pulled Snake and two others together and they went to work for an international private security company. That had been four years ago.
    “Keep your speed up,” Papa said to Snake. “I don’t want to trade lead with these fools unless we have to. Ruining their ride will keep them out of the game long enough to let Jake get away.”
    “Got it,” Snake said. He tightened his grip on the wheel. “But I wouldn’t mind giving these salamis the big picture.”
      Papa couldn’t agree more, but now was not the time. Snake raced forward and Papa focused the sights of his assault rifle on the other car’s wheels. At twenty yards he opened fire on full auto. The rear tires exploded and the rear end slammed into the pavement. As Snake sped past, Papa puckered the front grill with a half-dozen smoking holes.
    Snake put the pedal to the floor. The customized pickup answered with a throaty roar.
    “Let’s fly,” Papa said, craning his neck over his shoulder to see four men rush out of the hangar. Their automatic weapons spit fire.
    Snake whipped the pickup around the far end of the hangar just as three hammer blows impacted the side of the pickup’s rear bed.
    “Not even close, eh, holmes ?” Snake said.
    The two men shared an adrenaline-charged grin.

 
     
     
    Chapter 16
     
     
    Zamperini Field
    Torrance, California
     
      “W hich plane?” Tony asked over the speakerphone. His Highlander sped alongside the Jeep.
    “The P-750,” Jake said. “It’s second in line for takeoff.”
    “Skydiving written across the fuselage?”    
    “Yep.” 
    Jake hoped the specialty aircraft was fully fueled. It wasn’t an ideal choice. The cruising speed and range was well below what he would have liked. But it did have one crucial thing going for it—an extremely short takeoff capability. Jake glanced back and forth between the plane and the two vans speeding toward the hangar area. Battista’s men apparently still hadn’t noticed them. That might give them just enough time—
    The vans suddenly steered off the taxiway and headed directly toward him.
    “They’re onto us,” Jake said.
    “Bloody crawlers,” Becker mumbled from the backseat.
    “I’ll head ’em off,” Tony said, steering the Highlander toward the vans.
    “No!” shouted Jake, frightened for Francesca who was in the Highlander.
    “ Hola, compradres!” Papa’s voice chimed in over the speaker. “The Mexican cavalry is on it. But hurry up and get off the ground because we’re gettin’ pretty goddamn tired of pulling your asses out of the fire.”
    “Bad words!” Josh shouted. “Bad, bad, bad!”
    Tony responded immediately, swerving the Highlander back toward the plane. In the rearview mirror, Jake saw Snake’s pickup kicking up dust as it tore across a grassy sleeve between the taxiways, homing in on the lead van.
    Becker reached through the console and offered Jake a 9mm semiautomatic.
    “Keep it. If I need that, it’ll be too late,” Jake said. His eyes focused on the plane ahead. “Bradley, as soon as we stop, I want you to get the children and Max out of the car and ready to board.”
    Becker holstered the pistol and readied his rifle.
    Jake spun the Jeep around the front of the plane. The wide-eyed pilot stared open-mouthed from the cockpit. Jake braked hard to stop the Jeep in front of the port jump door, which was open. Becker rushed out and got into a defensive position behind the Jeep, his rifle trained on the approaching vans.
    Jake