by: MacSas

Remember, this is fiction. I don’t know if a man can switch military codes like Luke has, but its fun thinking that he can!

 

Lex was growing impatient.

He kept an eye on Daisy as he paced the kitchen. Something was niggling at his brain. Something didn’t feel right. He hadn’t become one of the most powerful drug dealers in Texas by not being able to read a situation. And this situation screamed at him. Daisy seemed far too calm. She should be terrified, especially considering their last parting. But no, she was sitting at the table looking calm.

Could it be a façade? Maybe. Lex had dealt with enough people to know the value of reading body language. She looked calm, but her arms were tense in front of her. If he lifted the lid a little, maybe the jack-in-the-box would pop. Yeah, he loved to see people squirm, and Daisy was too at ease for his liking. Why not bait her a little bit? After all, he was the one in control, and control was everything to a man like him.

“So” he smiled, rubbing the barrel of the gun along his chin. “We’re all nice and cosy together huh?”

No response. That irked him.

“Wonder what I’m going to do with you. I didn’t really have a plan, well, other than killing you of course,” he laughed.

A sigh! She actually sighed! How dare she? Didn’t she know who he was? Had she forgotten, so quickly, how dangerous he was? When it came to drug dealing, he was the biggest “individual player” in Texas. A man who didn’t need a mob to support him. He had single handily outwitted Rangers, FBI and SWAT members, not to mention his brilliant escape from custody. His competition called him “invisible” because no one could find him. And this little country girl dared to sigh! Well…

“A little respect here, damn it!” he yelled, slamming his hand on the table.

“Yes Lex”she murmured meekly.

That wasn’t good enough. He wanted reaction, not meekness.

“I shouldn’t have to demand respect Daisy. I should just get it. Don’t you agree?”

“Of course Lex”

She didn’t even look at him.

Furious now, he stalked over to where her cousins sat – and aimed his Glock right at Luke’s head.

Daisy jumped to her feet, while Bo discreetly slid to the other end of the couch.

“Daisy,” Luke said calmly. “Sit down and don’t move.”

‘But…”she started.

“Listen to me.”

That same stern voice that had issued authority over civilians and military folk alike was now aimed at her. It was the same tone that Daisy had often complained about hearing when he used it on her, as a youngster. “I’m not one of your squid people, Luke,” she would moan. Now a more level head won out. She sat down without a word. Luke kept his focus on Lex, while still being aware of both Daisy and Bo.

Bo had decided he could sneak to his feet and try to ambush Lex from behind. He knew Luke would be fast enough to deal with the gun. After all, that Marine training had to account for something. Hopefully.

Luke picked up on what his cousin meant to do. He focused on Lex, and that gun.

“Lex, just stay calm now.”

“Calm,” Lex laughed. “Oh I am calm, Mr. Sergeant, sir.”

“That’s Admiral, sir, to you pin head.” Luke muttered.

“What did you say, squid boy?” Lex poked Luke’s head with the muzzle of the gun.

“I said you’re a pin head”

Seeing Bo had made it to his feet, Luke decided to engage Lex in verbal banter.

“What makes you think that you know anything about me?” Lex asked.

Luke was only too happy to tell him.

“I know you’re a coward because you beat on a woman. I know you’re selfish because you use other people’s addictions to line your own pockets. And, I know your dub because you don’t see how hopeless you truly are. You made a huge mistake when you messed with my cousin.”

“Really?” Lex sneered.

Luke threw him. It wasn’t what he was saying, rather how he was saying it. The man had yet to raise his voice. In other circumstances, one could mistake this for nothing more than friendly banter. Except that Lex was now starting to get antsy. He had never come up against a man of this demeanour. What would it take to shake him?

“I ain’t going to let you get away with what you did to my cousin,” Luke warned him.

Lex refused to be baited. He knew that Luke had been with the Marines in Vietnam. A paratrooper, nonetheless. He also knew that Luke had returned to military life by, re enlisting with the Navy, to help train new recruits. He had been trained in Seal work himself; but it wasn’t until he took up the chance to captain an aircraft carrier that he found his ‘dream’ job. When Desert Storm had started, he was in the thick of it. His crew were one of the carriers that provided air support for the ground troops. He had also volunteered to go to Iraq at the height of the war on terror, before finally dusting off that law degree he had shelved in favour of military life. He was accepted by JAG, and had just finished a tenure of sitting as a judge for the military court. His experience made him ideal. It also made him a man not to be taken lightly.

Lex knew all of this because Daisy spoke of him as if he were Superman or something. Lex laughed to himself. Didn’t look much of a Superman now, did he?

He wondered what Daisy was thinking. Was she worried, seeing a gun at her cousin’s head? He loved it!

Just as he was about to spill another tirade against her, Lex felt a presence behind him. Damn! The other cousin. How could he have been so stupid? He had had his back turned to Bo this whole time. He spun round to face the blonde man, gun aimed high.

“What do you think your doing, pretty boy?”

“Nothing,” Bo smiled, adding “but you might want to ask him the same thing.”

Lex followed Bo’s pointed finger to Luke. This time his reflexes were too slow. Luke caught him with a quick clip to the jaw. Lex stumbled but refused to go down. Bo backed away, deciding it was best to leave it to Luke. In the kitchen, Daisy once again jumped to her feet.

“Luke be careful.” She warned, watching the gun wave wildly around.

A lucky shot to the stomach allowed Lex the upper hand, which he promptly took by pistol-whipping Luke.

Now Bo stepped in.

The ensuing melay got confusing. Daisy stood in the kitchen, trying to keep track. She knew Lex could fight real well. He had to be able to fight to keep his ‘business’

Luke was getting to his feet again. Daisy swore she could see blood I his eyes, he was mad! He advanced towards Bo and Lex.

“Eh…Shepherd to Lost Sheep. Shepherd to Lost Sheep. Got ya ears on boys, this is Jesse. Come back.”

As if in slow motion everything stopped, and all eyes turned towards the CB system.

“Jesse?” Lex muttered

“Oh no” Daisy groaned, covering her face as she sat down again.

“Shepherd to Lost Sheep. Come back.”

The CB seemed to be mocking her.

Daisy glanced at Lex, who had somehow maintained control of the gun throughout the scuffle. Now he waved it at the boys while addressing Daisy.

“Thought he was away,” he said.

“He is” all three cousins answered.

Gee, that’ll put his suspicions at rest, Daisy thought. No wonder Lex didn’t look convinced.

He motioned Daisy toward the CB.

“Answer him”

Daisy slowly made her way towards the box. Clearing her throat, she picked up the hand piece.

“Hey, Shepherd. This is Bo Peep.”

“What?” came the surprised reply. “When did you get back honey?”

Busted, Daisy thought. She desperately grabbed at something to throw Lex off, but all she could come up with was, “Remember I was here when you left?”

The CB was silent for too long. Daisy looked at Lex. She shrugged as if to say, you know how some old folks can be. Yeah, there was no way he was buying this.

“Um” came Jesse’s voice. “Okay. Well, can you let Luke know that it looks like I will be here longer than I thought? I know I told him last week that I should only be a few days, but I think I’ll stay on for a couple of weeks at least. Oh, and remind him that contact will have to be through the CB as there’s no phone here. Got that Daisy?”

Daisy’s shoulders slumped. If only Jesse knew the slop he had just planted them in.

“No problem Jesse. Bo Peep out”

“You lying…” Lex spat as he pulled the cords from the CB. Silence filled the room. Daisy could see Lex’s mind working, recalling the phone call she’d had. She knew the moment he’d figured it out. She knew because she saw the back of his hand flying towards her.

“Hey…”

“You son of a …”

“Quiet!” Lex yelled at the boys.

With one hand aiming the gun at them, he used the other to drag Daisy to her feet.

“You and I are leaving”

“The hell you are,” Luke started towards them.

“You don’t have a say in the matter!”

Lex backed up towards the door with Daisy in front of him. Seeing that Luke was moving stealthily towards them, she turned sideways. Luke leapt at the same moment that Daisy dropped to the floor. Lex aimed just as Luke grabbed his arm. One shot hit the ceiling. It gave Luke a chance to wrestle Lex’s hold from Daisy. She crawled over to Bo and the pair watched the fight.

Just as Luke was getting to his feet, a second shot rang out…