Aztec Treasure Ch. 31-40

"I've had that feeling all day," she replied. Maritza was fussing in her car seat, wanting to run around, and we couldn't do that. The baby's safest place is in her car carrier. "Do you think Julio's demands are just a bullshit diversion? Look at that money; there's no way he's going anywhere without a truck and outside help. Who the hell is going to help him? The Feds will come down on them like hellfire."

"I was wondering the same thing. Even if we take off, the military will track us to wherever we go, and you can bet the military has prepositioned SEALs and Special Forces to get us back. And ten million? That's nothing. Not even the Cartels will risk war with the US over a lousy ten million. Frank, what do you think?"

"I've been wondering the same thing. The President is damn near a billionaire. He could have asked for ten times that, and she would have paid it in gold, diamonds, bearer bonds, even bitcoin."

"It's almost eight. Where the hell is he? Do we have anything yet?"

"Nothing. No sign of Julio at all."

I looked over to Maria, who wasn't part of the Pack Link conversation. "Frank is wondering why he didn't ask for a hundred million in bitcoin instead."

"He got you here, and he killed the CIA Director at five hundred yards. Is it that simple? Is he planning to shoot you in front of the cameras?" There were news vans everywhere outside the airport, reporting live.

"I can't see Julio being satisfied with a long-range kill. These Sons of Tezcatlipoca assholes, they like their vengeance up close and personal. Our Club in Orlando had an ex-DEA agent who testified against the Sons and another club. The Sons compromised Witness Protection and found him twenty years later with his wife and daughter. They raped and tortured his wife in front of him before they killed him. The Sons want the whole bloodline wiped out."

Maria looked off towards the setting sun. "So if he wants vengeance on you, why are you here instead of your family?"

"Frank?"

"She's right. Killing the First Husband before the President fits the pattern, but you don't. Unless..."

The answer hit me like a thunderbolt. "Julio's not here because he's at ARROWHEAD! Son of a BITCH! He's going after my family!" I pulled my phone out and called the Pack security line. "It's Chase. RED ALERT ARROWHEAD! Get Rori and the babies to the safe room NOW!"

Ch. 39

First Husband Andrew Kettering's POV

Chevy Chase Club, Maryland

I couldn't find a fairway with a guide dog today.

My tee shot on thirteen had gone into the trees on the right near the boundary fence. "Dammit!"

"You just don't have it today," Senator Fairchild said with a laugh. "Drop me at my ball, then meet your detail in the woods. Maybe they know where it is."

I slammed my driver back in my bag. Five hundred dollars for that piece of ham on a stick that was supposed to cure my slice, and it was as worthless as the last three. Maybe the golf pro was right. I'd asked for a lesson at the range while we were warming up, and she had watched me take a couple of swings. "I've got good news and bad news for you, Mr. Kettering."

"Better give me the good news first."

"You have fantastic hand-eye coordination for a man your age," she said.

"And the bad news?"

"With that swing, you need it." I rolled my eyes, then ignored her recommendation that I leave the driver in the trunk and carry a trouble-seven wood instead. "You'll never keep that in the fairway, and you aren't strong enough to make the driver a better choice than a three-wood."

Well, if I did that, I might as well put on a skirt and swing from the Ladies tees. She did give me some advice; I wasn't as limber as I had been a decade ago, and when I tried to wind up for a big hit, I'd lift my head. Focusing on keeping my head still helped, but it cost me distance, and I couldn't abide that. By the fourth hole, I was trying to kill the ball again. My drives started right and kept going. If I aimed down the left side to compensate, they didn't stay on the fairway. One time by some miracle, I hit it straight and long, but I was aiming so far to the left that I went straight into a fairway bunker.

The Senator had his ball just off the fairway on the left side, so I left him there and drove across to where my Secret Service detail was sitting in their golf cart. "Did you see it, Jack?"

"It went into those bushes," he told me. The detail worked in teams of two, the second trailing behind us. One guy watched the surroundings while the other watched me.

I was lifting some branches when I heard a POP POP POP. "GUN!" I looked over to the lead cart just in time to see Jack's head explode into a red mist; his partner tried to get his weapon up, but he took two in the chest. I dropped to the dirt as the gunfire continued, watching in horror as the two trailing agents fell to the ground.

The sounds stopped, and I heard footsteps approaching. I saw a man coming my way, and he was scary as hell. He grabbed my belt, hauling me to my feet, and shoved the hot barrel of a rifle into my back. "MOVE," he said.

I moved. My kidnapper pushed me to the fence and through a hole cut through the chain link. A plumber's van was waiting by the street; he tossed me inside, then stabbed me with a needle before closing the door. I felt myself getting dizzy before I blacked out.

I had no idea how long I'd been out when I woke up. I was cold, hungry, sore as hell, and I smelled blood and urine. I had a cloth gag in my mouth and handcuffs on my wrists. There was no light; I lifted my hands to find I was in a coffin-sized box. I couldn't move my elbows out or up, and my knees could only go up a foot or so before they hit metal. I could feel a sharp pain from my left collarbone, and I realized he'd found and removed the tracker the Secret Service implanted there.

If they couldn't track me, I was screwed. I could be anywhere by now.

I knew from the road noise and vibration that I was in a vehicle, but I had no idea where. I screamed into the gag and pounded on the metal until I sensed we were slowing down and coming to a stop.

I heard the sound of latches before the top opened on a side hinge. I was inside a van, and it was dark out. I could see only the shadow of the man who captured me as he unzipped his white coveralls. "Who are you," I asked.

"My name is Julio Salazar," he said as he stepped out of his clothing. "And your wife has offended me." A moment later, a large cat stood in his place, big white teeth bared at me as he growled.

I promptly wet myself, then tried to turn away, but I was still in the box. My shoulder exploded in pain as the teeth bit down. I screamed into the gag until the bite stopped. I was breathing hard when I saw him again, now back in his human form with my blood on his lips and teeth. He held up a syringe, plunging it into my neck, and it was lights out again.

I woke up once, and this time he didn't say anything as he injected me again.

It was noticeably cold in the box the next time I woke up. I'd learned my lesson; there was no point in making noise. No one could hear me anyway, and it would only get me a shot. My shoulder ached, but the bleeding had stopped. I tried not to move, knowing any motion could rip the scabs open again.

I tried to focus on any clues as to where I might be. The cold was one big one; I wasn't in the DC area. The road was smooth, with regular expansion joints, so it was probably a freeway.

I had no idea how long I'd been awake when I figured out we weren't on a freeway anymore. It sounded like I was in a city, then we were driving fast again.

I was hot, and I knew I was coming down with a fever. The big cat bit me, and I knew what that meant. With werewolves, you'd get a fever within 24 hours, leading to a painful death. Alpha Chase and his people figured out a way to save a couple of people, but it wasn't easy. The werejaguar must be the same.

I started singing songs in my head to pass the time; I was about one album in when we turned onto a road with stoplights again. I was sweating profusely and getting the chills, making it difficult to concentrate. Twenty minutes later, after making slow turns at much lower speeds, we came to a stop, and Julio put the van in park.

The lid opened, and Julio looked down at me. He was holding a strip of cloth. "Resistance would be both futile and painful," he told me. "Sit up."

My body wouldn't cooperate, so he reached down and grabbed my shirt, pulling me to a sitting position. My shoulder was in agony, and I gritted my teeth to keep from crying out. He let go and pulled a bandana out of his pocket, tying it as a blindfold.

I heard a door open then he pulled me out of the box and out. I felt the cool breeze on my face as my feet touched pavement; my body was sore, and I had trouble standing. "Listen carefully, and you'll be free. Stand here and count to five hundred. When you finish counting, remove the blindfold and walk down the hill until you find help. If I see you peeking, I'll shoot you in the head. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," I said through the gag.

"Start counting." I heard him get into the van and drive off by the time I got to twenty-five. I kept counting until I reached five hundred, then pushed the blindfold off with my thumbs and untied the gag. I was in the woods, and I could see a lake ahead of me. The sun was just below the horizon, but I didn't know if it was morning or night. I started walking downhill slowly as the feeling came back to my butt and legs.

I could see some homes to my right, but I kept going towards the stop sign at the bottom of the hill. I could see and hear people to the right side as I got there; looking over, I was shocked to see a news van with the satellite dish up. "HELP! HELP ME!"

One of the men standing outside the van turned my way; he stumbled a bit as he saw me. "HEY! CALL FOR HELP!" A few people came running, and the driver turned his lights on to illuminate me better. "IT'S THE FIRST HUSBAND!"

I got plenty of help, and three cameras were rolling live as one of the men sat me on the back of his truck. "He needs an ambulance," he said to the driver.

"Ambulance is fifteen minutes out," he called back.

He shook his head. "Arrowhead has a nurse and a clinic. Call them now!"

I looked at him in amazement. "Arrowhead? Where am I?"

"North of Duluth in Minnesota, sir. We're outside the Arrowhead Pack entrance."

Ch. 40

Beta Vic Knightly's POV

Arrowhead Pack Beta Residence

"Oh, God! Vic! Yes! Right there!"

Spider Monkey was moaning in pleasure as I worked my thumbs into her back and neck. I worked my way down her spine, my big hands massaging the stress right out of her body. We'd gone to dinner early, and I'd noticed her wince when she stood up. All I had to hear was that her back was sore, and I carried her home to take care of her.

I'd put an old sheet down over the bedspread, put a throw pillow down to make her more comfortable with her pregnancy belly, and broke out the massage oil. Now I was straddling her thighs, both of us naked as I worked her muscles. The tight spot I was working was on her lower back, and it was as stubborn as she was. I dripped on more oil and started using the heels of my hands from the spine out towards her hips. I smiled as Spider's moans became louder and near-continuous.

I could scent something else; her arousal was becoming overwhelming. It always happened, and I always enjoyed the fruits of my labor. I teased her as I moved down from her back, kneading her gluteus maximus before going down to the backs of her thighs. She tried to move to get my hands where she wanted them, but I was wise to her ways and kept them clear. Instead, I kept going down her legs, working her thighs and calves before ending at her feet.

Spider Monkey was a small woman carrying a big baby, and her feet and back paid the price. Marcellus Wallace was right; a foot massage was a sensual thing. I worked oil in as I rubbed her instep up to her toes. She moaned with pleasure as I rolled her onto her back and started working my way north again.

"Please, Vic, I'm so horny right now," she said as she grabbed my head and guided me down. "YES! That's it, right there!" I slid my oiled hands under her tiny butt and lifted her hips as my lips and tongue went to work. She came quickly as my tongue flicked over her swollen clit, but that wasn't enough for me. It wasn't long before she lost the ability to speak, and I lost the ability to breathe as she held me in place. She came twice more before she let go of me, exhausted from the pleasure.

"Better?"

She nodded as she caught her breath. "I need you, baby. Please."

"Carefully," I said. Doc said she could continue to have sex as long as it wasn't painful or uncomfortable. Our size disparity was such that I wouldn't get on top anymore, and her belly was too big to ride me for long. I grabbed her thighs, scooting Spider until her butt was at the edge of the bed, and held her legs as I pushed inside her. She was hot, tight, and wet; I wouldn't last long.

"More," she begged me. I sank in halfway, watching her for any sign of pain. Her head fell back, and she let out another moan as she pulled me deeper. I stopped before I could bottom out, slowly backing up and then moving forward again. I set up an easy rhythm, enjoying the sensation of the coupling. "Faster," she begged.

"No," I told her as I started rubbing her clit with my thumb. "I can't lose control." It didn't matter; we were building to a climax that nothing could stop. I forced myself to hold back as I waited for her to peak with me.

"Beta Vic, you are needed in the security center. Chase and Maria are about to land in Leesburg."

"I'll be there shortly," I told Larry, the warrior running the Security Center.

"What's going on?"

Spider Monkey didn't have the link, but the glazed-over look and my disappointment made it clear someone had talked to me. "Work. Not until I'm done with you, though." I speeded up my thrusts and held her thighs closer together, making her sex even tighter on my throbbing cock. It only took ten more strokes before she went off again, and I came with her. I filled her up as she came down from her peak. "I love you so much, baby," I told her as I rolled her onto her side.

"I love you too, baby, but I'm a mess here."

I grabbed a towel and held it in place while I carried her to the bathroom. I had just enough time for a quick shower before I pulled on my clothes and headed out, leaving Spider Monkey alone in the shower. "What's going on," I asked Larry as I walked into the state-of-the-art security center. From here, we could monitor perimeter alarms, monitor the motion-sensing cameras, and control all of the people and equipment that made up our Pack defensive plan. High-def monitors of all sizes filled the walls, and one was showing the live news from Leesburg. Chase's plane was on its final approach.

"I don't like the Alpha being out there, and I don't understand risking Maria," Larry said.

"It's their call. The Feds need to draw Julio out; there is no way Chase is getting on a plane with that guy."

"I'm more worried he'll kill the Alpha on sight."

"We know Julio wants Maria and Maritza alive, so he won't do anything that endangers them. I won't worry until they are outside the plane." We watched as his plane landed and taxied to the terminal area. Three FBI vehicles were waiting as the stairs came down. Chase was out first, carrying Maritza's car carrier seat, followed by Maria and the warriors forming his protective detail. The group loaded up and drove across the airport to where the government jet waited, ten million in cash inside the open cargo bay.

We watched as they stood on the tarmac and nothing happened. The deadline passed, and still nothing. The news team had cameras focused on the group, and I saw Chase pull his phone out. Our phone rang a few seconds later; Larry hit the button for the speakerphone. "It's Chase. RED ALERT ARROWHEAD! Get Rori and the babies to the safe room NOW!"

Larry was hitting the emergency alarm while Alpha Chase was still talking. Alarms started sounding in all the buildings. I opened up the Pack link to everyone. "Red alert, red alert, man defensive positions and lock down all entrances. All others get to the safe room." I knew Chase could hear the alarms going. "Alpha, what's going on?"

"Julio isn't here; he never was. He wanted us out of the way so he could take out my family before he kills me."

"DAMN!" I knew Spider Monkey would be high on his list. I made sure one of the warriors was escorting her to the Safe Room. "We've got nothing on the sensors, Alpha. Roads are clear. In two minutes, we'll be at full readiness, and the safe room will be secure."

"I want to know as soon as Rori and the babies are secure," he told me. Three more people entered the room, each taking a station monitoring different parts of our defenses. The last defender reported to Larry she was in place; a Red Alert meant attack in progress, so everyone had rounds chambered. Vehicle barriers were in place across the roadways that could stop a truck. Building exterior doors and tunnels entrances were all locked down, and all ground floor windows shuttered closed. Trained snipers were in position on the rooftops and deployed to prepared fighting positions. It would take a company of infantry with armored vehicles to make it through the killing field now.

Soon after, Rori linked to me that everyone else was in the safe room and the door was closed. It would take a truckload of explosives to get at them now. "We're locked down and ready, Alpha. There's still nothing on the alarm screen or cameras."

"He's around there somewhere," Chase said. "I need to talk to Frank. Call me if anything changes, Vic."

"Yes, sir," I said before he hung up on me. You could cut the tension with a knife as we waited; I filled the Pack in on what Chase had told me. "Make sure weapon safeties are on, and keep up your scanning routines," I told everyone. "This could be a long night."

"I don't think it will be," Larry said. "If Chase is right and Julio did this to get them away while he attacked, he has to do it in the next four hours. Chase isn't going to stay in Washington if his family is in danger, and it's a three-and-a-half-hour flight time."

I called Oxbow Lake and let Alpha Michael know what was going on. Many of his warriors were in Washington, so he decided to go on alert just in case. I'd just gotten off the phone when Larry pointed to the television. "I don't believe it! It's the First Husband!"

The live cameras showed Andrew Kettering sitting on the back of a news van parked along the road outside our main entrance. One of the technicians was cleaning an injury to his shoulder. "Son of a BITCH!" I said as the camera closed in on his shoulder. "Julio fucking BIT him!"

"The wounds are scabbed over, Beta. He must have bitten him hours ago."

I nodded at Larry. "Form a detail and bring him to the clinic. Tell them that we're the only ones with experience treating bites if they want to put him in an ambulance instead. Possum will have to take care of him until I can get Doc here from Oxbow Lake." I made that call to Alpha Michael.

It wasn't about Rori at all. Biting Andrew sentenced him to a long, painful death that the President would have to watch along with the entire world. I didn't know if we could stop it, but I was sure we'd get blamed for it.