Quaranteam - North West

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QT:NW continues the official Spin-Off for the Quaranteam universe originally created by CorruptingPower. You do not need to have read the original series to enjoy this one, but you really do need to start with Chapters 1-4 (I really suggest you read the original though, it's great!). Fans of the original should be pleased to know CP has approved the story and the continuity.

In this chapter you can expect preparation for a rescue mission, spreading news and mounting the raid.

Returning Dramatis Personae

House Black

- Harrison 'Harri' Black - Sheriff of Black County, 'Jason Momoa-looking motherfucker' mountain man (mixed heritage), former Army MP - Kyla Bautista - Trained dancer, Fillipina Spy, Harri's Deputy Sheriff, Raven hair - Vanessa Peters - Construction Forewoman, Daughter of Brent Peters the head of the construction project, Brunette - Erica LaCosta - Fiancee of Harri, Leo's sister, Italian Tattoo Artist, Dark Brunette - Ivy Gauthier - Quebecoise stripper, half-tattooed, Dirty Blonde anal queen

House LaCosta

- Leo LaCosta - Harri's best friend and former roommate, Italian carpenter, Erica's brother - Danielle 'Dani' - Australian stripper, Brunette

Guns of Thunder MC

- Kashm - Short Persian woman with an attitude, daughter of???. Big tits, hourglass figure. Dating Chuck.

Other

- Brent Peters - Vanessa's father, the Project Manager for the Valhalla Hills construction project, very overweight - Agent Greerson - Senior 'OGA' that negotiated Harri's land deal and dropped Kyla into Harri's life

Referenced Characters

-??? - Leader of the Guns of Thunder MC, somewhere in his mid-fifties. Served as a Marine in the Gulf War, and the early invasion of Afghanistan. Father of Kashm. - Lt Col Miriam Abarbanel - Military friend of Harri's, Air Force Lt Col, Jewish heritage, Commanding Officer for Valhalla Hills construction and the Oregon Quaranteam research project - Captain Laura Bloomberg - Air Force JAG serving as Miriam's second, Blonde

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The drive out to the grocery store wasn't any longer than usual, but the heavy, dark clouds in the sky were making things feel more on edge. At any minute the sky was going to open up and drop a torrential downpour, and with that rain would come thunder and lightning. The wind was causing a constant rush of rustling from the trees already that cut through the noise of the truck engine and into the cab.

Kyla and I pulled into the grocery store parking lot to find it much less busy than usual - apparently, the storm was keeping most people indoors for the day. Who knew that rain was a better influence on quarantine than all the public pandemic messaging could be? We hadn't dressed in our police 'uniforms' and were in simple jeans and sweaters.

It wasn't difficult to find the delegation from the Guns of Thunder. Kashm was leaning against the front of her car, an all-black Firebird that must have been a restoration job. It gleamed even in the overcast light, the only part of the car that wasn't blacked out was the classic firebird motif on the hood. Kashm was dressed all in black as well; black heeled boots, black jeans and her black leather jacket. Her dark hair was loose and blowing a little in the wind and if I was a photographer I would have tried to snap a picture - she looked like an American classic waiting to happen with the overcast sky as a backdrop.

"You didn't mention she looked like

that

," Kyla said as we pulled in a couple spaces over from Kashm. "She's got bigger tits than Erica on a smaller body."

"Wasn't really a top priority when I was using her as a hostage to get out of there," I said dryly.

Kyla rolled her eyes and we got out of the truck. I came around to her side and we approached Kashm directly.

"I thought you promised me a date," the Persian woman joked through her black fabric mask. "I don't do third wheels, cowboy."

"This is my partner, Kyla," I said. "Kyla, this is Kashm. Let's get this moving - every hour these guys have the women and children is a problem. Do you have the location confirmed?"

Kashm grimaced behind her mask as she took a breath. "We do," she said. "My father was able to confirm it's the right place and the right group. Which means we need to negotiate the price and that's why

I'm

here and not him."

"Did he think Harri would be more malleable to a pretty face or something?" Kyla asked. "Or is that why you've got the girls out?"

Underneath Kashm's jacket she was wearing a very low-cut top, showing off a ridiculous amount of cleavage. The Persian woman quirked an eyebrow at Kyla's comment. "Maybe I was just trying to pay him back for tittyfucking me with a shotgun," she said. "And I'm here because my father and the club have their own things to deal with."

"How much?" I asked.

"We don't want cash," Kashm said. "Which, I think, is a little ridiculous but apparently you got to him last night with whatever you said. I'm here to negotiate jobs. We know that you're associated with the big construction site that's outside of town; the one that's got people billeted in every motel in a 50-minute radius. That's a big operation, so I'm sure you'll be able to swing a few positions our way."

That

was an ask that I hadn't been expecting. I glanced at Kyla, who met it, but she didn't seem to have anything either. We were both wearing disposable medical masks but I could tell she was pursing her lips slightly in thought. I looked back at Kashm. "The site is being run by the Air Force," I said. "They managed all the hiring, and they are running security for the site now too. Do any of your guys even

have

construction experience?"

"It doesn't matter what the jobs are," Kashm said. "We just need some income coming in that isn't through the market."

"Again, not how that works," I said. "If you guys are just trying to get on-site to sell drugs or something else, it can't happen. It's a

military base

, not some industrial site where you can sneak drugs or hookers in and as long as things stay quiet no one will mind." Not to mention that, with the vaccine pairings, I doubted there would be much of a market for some secret prostitution. The stories Vanessa had told me about what industrial construction workers got up to when they were 'in camp' on a big job away from civilization were almost impressive, but usually they weren't living with their wives or girlfriends.

"My father got the Guns out of the drug game more than a decade and a half ago," Kashm said. "And I won't lie, we've had our hands in Girls before, but not for a while. We seriously just need steady, protected work here."

I had major doubts that was their only goal. Another glance at Kyla only got me a shrug - she knew as much as I did - and I sighed. We

needed

the information.

"Let me make a call," I said. "See if there's something that can be worked out."

"You do that," Kashm said, leaning her ass back against the hood of her car again.

I took a few steps away back towards our truck, Kyla following but keeping her eyes on Kashm, while I pulled out my phone. Miriam was probably the 'right' person to approach with the demand since it was her command, but if I went to her and she said no then my hands would be tied. I had to go with the other option I had.

"This is Brent," Vanessa's father answered his cell.

"It's Harrison," I said. "I need two minutes."

"I thought you were out doing the thing with the guys?" he asked, obfuscating for whoever else was in hearing range of him back on site. He hadn't moved into one of the barracks buildings yet, but he was on-site pretty much every day. I also wasn't surprised that Vanessa had been keeping him up to date on things, particularly considering I had a hunch that the kidnappers were the same people who did the raid on his site.

"This is about that," I said.

"Alright, hold on," he said, and I could hear him moving around and then a door opening and slamming closed. He lifted his cell to his ear again and I could hear him huffing a bit. "What do you need?"

"They have the location, but the price they're putting on it is jobs. As far as they say, they don't have any construction skills but they really are just looking for work."

Brent's sigh was heavy and deep. "I've got nothing," he said. "Unskilled labour? You know I'm swamped with that already, plus I would need to get them into the system somehow which would mean them getting vaccinated and partnered. Do they know about that?"

"No," I said. "At least, not that I can tell."

"I... I really can't see getting them into the system," Brent said. "And Vanessa has made it clear that, protest or not, you're trying to help

people

. There are just too many hoops to try and sneak that through. Although... Is it that they want jobs

on site

, or just jobs in general?"

"Steady, protected work is the ask," I said. I was watching Kyla while she watched Kashm; I was turned away from the biker babe just in case she could read lips or something. Kyla glanced at me and winked softly. "What are you thinking?"

"The drivers for the delivery trucks with all the supplies aren't on the vaccination train yet, so they never get out of their cabs. I know a couple of the vendors I've been dealing with are stretched thin on drivers. Any of those guys able to drive a big rig?"

"One sec," I said, and pulled the phone from my ear as I turned back to Kashm. "Any of your guys able to drive truck?"

She hesitated. "Maybe one," she said. "The others can learn."

"Possibly one," I relayed to Brent. "They'd be willing to learn though."

"I'll see what we can work out," Brent said. "These are bikers, right? Like old school?"

"One percentres," I said.

"Hmm," he grunted. "Trustworthy?"

"More than most, I'd guess. Their leader is an ex-marine and he's got a soft spot for vets and civilians."

"If I can't get them all jobs with training, I'd bet at least one of these vendors would be willing to shell out cash for protection runs," Brent said. "Truck hijackings haven't hit us yet, but they are on the rise like crazy and it isn't just electronics. Food deliveries, Walmart trucks, pretty much anything carrying commercial goods. They'll get paid to ride their bikes and do what they love doing."

"Alright, I'll pass it on and see," I said. "Thanks."

"I'll start making calls," Brent acknowledged, and we hung up.

I shot Kyla another glance, just staying connected with her, and went back to Kashm. "Alright, so that was the project manager for the entire site," I said. "He says there are way too many hoops to jump through to get any of your guys a job on the site, but he does have connections with the companies that transport all the equipment and supplies. The best we can do is a maybe training your guys to drive, but he's fairly certain some of the owners would be interested in paying you guys for security runs, which means jobs for all of you, and based on the amount of construction that's going to go on it'll be steady."

Kashm let out a long breath and nodded. "Let me make a call," she said.

"Just- I can't guarantee it," I clarified, knowing I should have just left it open but I didn't want to start a new problem while taking care of a current one. "If, for whatever reason, it doesn't come through then I'll promise to find a way to make it good."

Kashm narrowed her eyes slightly, looking me over shrewdly, before motioning me away and pulling out her phone from her jacket. As she made her call Kyla and I went back to our truck. Kashm didn't lower her voice for her call and instead spoke in Farsi, which meant she was likely talking to her father. I only then realised that I'd never gotten the guy's name despite our run-ins.

"It's worth it," Kyla said to me quietly.

"Hmm?" I asked in a hum.

"The trade," she said. "It's worth it. Even if those jobs could go to someone else."

I had to chuckle, just once, and shook my head. "For once, hon, you didn't read my mind."

"No?" she asked. "Don't tell me you're daydreaming of Princess Jasmine over there."

"Just processing how fucked up everything is that I'm making a deal with her and her father, and I never even got his name. We've pointed guns at each other, I've taken his daughter hostage, and demanded he help me with this hunt, and I don't know the man's name."

"Maybe that's for the best," Kyla said. "Keeps it less personal. In my training, and at school, it was always easier to do things if I didn't know anything about the target. Didn't humanise them too much. That's what we need to do today. We can't humanise them when we find them."

"No problems there," I said and cracked my knuckles. "I-"

"We have a deal," Kashm called. We turned back to her and approached as she was putting her phone away. "My father says if things fall through, you can just hire the Guns of Thunder as your deputies. Sheriff."

"Funny," I said. "Maybe you, your old man and Garret. The old fuck looked like he could sniff out a narcotic through three layers of cellophane."

"You just want to see my ass in tight slacks," Kashm said. "Seriously, cowboy. You back out of this and there

will

be problems, good cause or not."

"I know," I said definitively, meeting her eyes.

"Alright," she said. "I still feel like we could have gotten more out of you, but like I said - you hit my Dad's weak spot. Here's the location." She pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to me. "You know Castle Rock?"

"The outcropping off the coast?" I asked.

"No, the town," she said. "Or village or whatever. It's a little campground community southwest of Mount Hebo on the 22. The compound is south of that, up in the hills a bit. The coordinates there should get you to the mouth of their driveway. The place belongs to a group who call themselves Freedom's Wrath. Real anti-government anarchist guys. Used to fight it out with bikers for their little corner of the state. They used to cook bathtub meth too, but they got religion a few years ago or something and the drugs stopped but supposedly the weirdness got weirder. My father says there's no way of knowing how many of them there are with the pandemic, but it's definitely the right group."

"Alright," I said, pinching the paper in my hand tightly as my chest felt lighter with a proper name and place to keep up the hunt. "Tell your father I say thank you, and I'll get in contact with him when I can to follow up on the jobs. You can also let him know the idiots from up at the Golden Beaver wiped themselves out with the sickness and infighting, so they shouldn't be problems for him anymore. There's probably more out there, but one cluster of stupid took care of itself."

"Good to know," Kashm nodded. "I assume you're going hunting, then?"

"Yes, we are," Kyla said.

"I guess there isn't much of a chance that your old man wants to come along?" I asked.

Kashm smirked behind her mask. "I wouldn't let him even if he wanted to. Again, good cause or not, I'm not letting my father walk into a death trap. If you do rescue any kids, send me a picture, I'm sure he'll get a kick out of knowing he helped."

I nodded, knowing it had been a long shot, and then Kyla and I turned to get back into the police truck.

"Do me a favour and don't die out there, cowboy," Kashm called after me. "Chuck isn't nearly as pretty after you broke his nose, and he's moping around everywhere like a little bitch. I might just want that date after all."

I just shook my head and went around the truck and got in. Kashm was leaning back against her car, arms and shoulders back and thrusting her cleavage out provocatively from between the sides of her jacket as she watched us leave.

"Well, she's fun," Kyla said flatly.

"She's a piece of work," I said. "Hot, but maybe a little crazy."

"Sounds like your type," Kyla said, smirking as she took off her mask.

"I've got more than enough on my mind in that regard," I said, then fished my phone out. "Do me a favour and call Greerson. I realised when we were leaving he's one more line I've got on some potential help."

"Who's Greerson?" Kyla asked.

"You don't know Greerson?" I asked. "He's the guy who orchestrated you landing in the family, and your parents getting vaccines. He also set up the whole land thing, and I'm pretty sure he got Miriam put in charge of the project just because she had a connection to me."

"Never met him," Kyla shook her head. "What is he, military? CIA?"

"Maybe CIA," I said. "Though I think he's... spookier than that."

"Mm," Kyla nodded. "I think I understand."

She called and the phone rang through the speakers and I half-expected it to ring through to a voicemail, but it picked up in the sixth ring. "Didn't think you'd have the cajones to actually call this number, Mr Black," Greerson said. "Don't tell me you've suddenly discovered a problem with our friendly Filipina Princess, have you?"

I glanced over at Kyla as she raised one eyebrow at me. "No, Agent, though she's here in the car with me."

"

Magandang umaga

, Agent," Kyla said. Her native language always struck me as strangely throaty coming from her even if it sounded natural.

"Give me a damn warning when I'm on speaker, son," Greerson sighed.

"You didn't exactly give me the chance," I said. "Look, I'll cut right to it - Kyla is all in on our American Dream. I have zero per cent doubts about her; so low that she's carrying my child."

"Mazel Tov to you both," Greerson said. "But you aren't calling me out of the blue to share the good news."

"I'm not," I said. "I need a favour."

"You're going after the women and children," Greerson said.

"You know?"

"It came up," he said. "You think I don't keep tabs on one of my new favourite corners of this country as it falls apart around our ears? What are you hoping for from me?"

"Shooters, if you have them close by," I said. "I've got myself and Kyla, and three more coming in from out of town. I've got a location and a group name, but an unknown number of hostiles mixed with an unknown number of hostages."

Greerson grunted. "I assume you want to go as soon as possible? With three days I could get you a half dozen shooters."

"We're still under 24 hours missing," I said. "And who knows what awful shit these guys are doing to women and children. Or if they are getting split up and moved."

"I can get you one more shooter," Greerson said. "She's mid-recruitment for my organisation and has the sorts of skills you're looking for. And most importantly, she's in the area. This is a big ask though, Black. I'm going to come calling for something in the future."

"Noted," I said. "How fast can she get to us?"

"She's waiting for you at the site," Greerson chuckled.

"God fucking damn it," I sighed.

"Good hunting, son. And try to keep him alive, Miss Bautista. You need him whole."

"That's what I intend, Mister Greerson," Kyla replied.

He hung up.

"Spookier doesn't cut it," Kyla said to me. "He already knew about the kidnapping, what you would be doing, and sent you back up. In 15 hours or so. That man is dangerous to have as a friend, Harri."

"Yeah, well right now he's a lot more helpful than dangerous," I said. "And sometimes it's good to have someone dangerous close to you. Why do you think I love you so much?"

Kyla snorted softly and shook her head. "Don't tell Erica that. You'll only encourage her."

- - - - -

I was a little surprised that the helicopter made it in. The wind was picking up significantly and I was sure that I heard a few soft, far-off rumbles of thunder as the skies continued to darken. When it appeared over the main camp I was already outside, getting the trucks ready - we weren't going to be able to fly down to the Mount Hebo area with the way things were looking, but I also definitely wasn't going to wait for the storm to break.