Fight for Love (3 page)

I remember telling you about the dormant
volcano while you stared. I wondered what you were thinking. I
still do, Maybe you can tell me huh?

Love you CC

***

William

“I’m relishing this moment.” That’s what I
was thinking clutching the phone, the tips of my fingernails was
pink white when my mind cast back to that time. I remember reaching
over with my hand to touch the cute dimple under her eye with my
index finger. She always smiled at my odd fascination with it, but
it’s what made her unique. Her smile was something that made my
heart beat stronger. I loved it how her head angled on my hand to
rest on it like a pillow. She closed her eyes for a moment when I
lay back on the ground and looked up to the pine cones in the
trees. Then she puts her arm around me her chin on my chest.

I shook off the nostalgia, and I followed the
tosser down to the terminal when he got back to the car. I snuck
around to taxi rank two cars back on the opposite side and jumped
in the passenger seat.

The Indian taxi driver turned seeing me in
uniform when I pointed to the car to follow. I ducked down in the
back when the driver spoke.

“Hey brother do you want me to call the
police?”

“No just follow that car.”

“Ok. Ok. Are you military? Army? Crazy
man?

“Special Air service.”

“Oh, like Rambo?”

“No.”

“Like the movie Top Gun?”

“No.”

“James Bond?”

“Just follow the damn car will ya!”

“Ok, ok relax. Crazy man it is.”

I peeked up to see Claudia’s car take the
motorway to the city. Gridlock. Shit. I peered at my watch to see
23 hours left. It was 8am and the Auckland city white light
sunstrike blinded me. We were right behind the tosser in a dead
slow crawl. I could see the wisps of smoke while he puffed on a
cigarette. I estimated he might be heading to the city. There was a
reason why I couldn’t respond to Claudia not to arouse any
suspicion, by now I would be over the Tasman Sea. Little did they
know I’m coming for the fuckers.

***

Claudia

There was no reply from my message. I put the
phone against my chest to take comfort in its warmth. It was 9am
and I saw no warmth or light of day. I looked around to see boxes
at the end of the room and a shelf. In the middle. I went to the
door to see the latches I was locked outside in. I was worried they
might turn on the freezer. The water pooling at the bottom of the
hanging Caracas. But it was still cold the ice in here still making
me shiver.

I walked over to the pile of boxes and opened
them. They were bundles and bundles of women’s clothes. I went
through them all different sizes. What the heck are these doing in
here? I found a weathered purse of a woman named Toni Mclean. These
must be the clothes of the women in those tents.

I took as many clothes as I could fit to
layer myself. I looked around to see the ventilation with 3 huge
fans. I swallowed in fear that they don’t switch it on. I saw a box
that was dripping with white liquid I swiped my finger against it.
Ice cream! I opened up the boxes, ripping the cardboard to use as a
spoon.

The sugar hit my system instantly. The
insulin shot up it was a needed break from the hunger and stress. I
sat on the dry pile of boxes and took out my phone. I began to type
a memory of when Will took me to an ice-cream place called
Ollies.

Juliet: Hey will me again. I’m in some
freezer room, but it’s turned off so I’m ok. I’m eating some
Vanilla ice-cream. Your favorite! Keeping my energy up. Reminded me
of the time on that hot summer day when we were sharing that
massive ice cream sundae. Do you remember? Gosh. I couldn’t believe
you ate nearly six scoops of it. I remember wiping your mouth like
a baby then you kissed me smearing it on my face. Still remembered
your cheesy line. Such a pig. Miss you CC

***

William

I looked with watery eyes at the next
message. I remembered it well. It was so messy, but I loved
smooching her again and again. Wincing from the cold, wet kisses to
her cheeks nose and mouth. I remember her laughter as she fought
back. I said the only thing sweeter is you…

My attention jolted when the Taxi driver
piqued up “He’s parking by that hotel!” We parked on the opposite
side while he had his phone by his ear. He got out casually and
walked a few meters before entering the lobby of the Quadrant
Hotel.

I watched as he took the key from the
receptionist before he went into the elevator. I got out in there.
Running over in my ACU, I realized I was attracting attention. The
cafes by the hotel had groups of people sipping coffees who raised
an eye. I straightened my uniform outside when a bus of tourists
started to come out. They began to unload their baggage when I took
one of the bags and walked into the lobby. It had shiny white tiles
and the desk was made of white polished wood with gold accents.
There were four silver balls that reflected the light of the lifts
were to my left, but I had to get to floor the tosser was on.

The receptionist greeted me.

“Hi how can I help you?”

“Yeah, there was a guy in here before that
took my bag by mistake I have his” I raised the bag when the
receptionist asked.

“What he look like?”

“Olive skin Black hair, gay ass
mustache.”

She chuckled “Oh him!”

“I’ll page him to come down she was about to
lift the phone “

“I don’t want to bother him. What room is he
in? I’ll drop it off.”

“He’s in the penthouse suite top floor room
22.”

“Thank you.”

I walked down the ramp and pressed both
buttons to both elevators to the top floor. Standing beside a
couple and their kid. Watching the lights from the right side come
down to the left seemed to take infinity. It was like a race to see
which one would reach the ground floor first.

When the one on the right opened first it was
packed so I waited for the one the left. Then my jaw dropped seeing
Natalya walk out from the elevator. My mind seized putting it all
together as I made the accent up.

***

Claudia

I woke abruptly to the sound of the fans
spinning. The whirring and burring of the ventilation system the
onslaught of the cold began to infuse into the room. I started to
shiver and panic. When I huddled myself more with the clothing in
preparation.

I took out my phone and its light flickered
in my face like a flame. I looked at the 2 bubbles of my messages
that went with no response. I started to worry. I remembered
something Will said to me once about how they try to break your
spirit in the SAS the things he endured to become who he is today.
He told me when embracing the pain he took his mind to a happy
place while they beat him senseless in a room.

I closed my eyes and listened to the rumbling
ambient sound it brought back memories when Will took me on a boat
cruise in the Auckland harbor. I typed another message.

Juliet: Will do you remember the time we went
on that boat cruise? Gosh, I would love that warmth of you holding
me right now. I still remember everything you said that day. I
still wondered why you were so edgy that day what is something I
said? I loved sipping our wine while the sea breeze brushed against
us. I know there are things in your head you keep to yourself. I
enjoyed the time none the less especially when we had that dance up
there. Oh and that kiss!!! Love you hun CC

***

William

That kiss… I finished reading the message
wanting so much to reply. I took a deep breath while the elevator
went up. I remember the dancing on a summer afternoon on that boat.
Just ourselves I held her hand. The softness and the warmth are
what I felt as we waltzed on the surface. My edginess was me
acclimatizing to happiness she brought me. When you’re straight off
deployment you become accustomed to the warmth following a sense of
uncertainty and fear.

But I wasn’t in some blood soaked desert. I
was on the boat with the woman love. I remember bringing her close
to me. I still recall word for word the talk that led to that
kiss.

“Baby… the next deployment to Afghanistan is
my last.”

Her eyes shifted up glassy, shocked and
surprised. “Really?”

I nodded. “Yeah, it’s time. In the special
air services, they talk about total obsession and commitment. I
realized I couldn’t serve two masters.”

I brushed aside a lock of her hair and I
kissed her. “Only one.”

Claudia wept and then laughed. “So I’m your
master now?”

“Always…”

“I can’t wait you know. I think you have done
your time.”

I remember exhaling my shoulders dropping. “I
felt like I was holding you back as a woman you know.’

“What do you mean?”

“When I met you as pimply young
18-year-old…”

“Shut up, I didn’t have pimples when I met
you!” She pinched my arm. “I’m joking…Hun but seriously. You have
waited on me ever since then, I put you through a lot of shit in
the last ten years and you stuck by me. “I paused “I took you away
your youth.”

“I’m 28 Will I’m not that old!”

“But you get where I’m coming from…”

“Yeah, it will be different now with you
around more. I’ll definitely be reading fewer books now. I have
been cheating on you a lot with my romance book boyfriends.”

I laughed “I’m afraid it means the sex won’t
be as ravenous, and hungry, anymore.”

She smirked then raised an eyebrow
deadpanning a nod “Oh! I think you shouldn’t quit then…”

We both laughed, I could help give her a
squeeze around the waist for being so cheeky. We wrestled for a
while then The moment went still. “I whispered “I love you…” Then I
leaned in to kiss her lips soft her tongue smoothed against mine as
we made love with our tongues in the orange soaked sunset.

Ding!

The sound of the elevator alerted me. I shook
then I walked out looking at the numbers on the first apartment.
Room 22 was right to the end of the hallway. I ditched the bag and
drew my pistol. I walked across the blue carpet. It was so soft I
felt like I was walking in mud. The light was dim the wall coated
with piss yellow paint. The doors of the apartments were solid dark
wood.

I would have shot the interior designer too
if I saw him. I came up to the door and knocked loudly using a fake
voice I shouted room service. The door opened when the tosser

“I didn’t order room service!”

Whack!

The edge of the door hit him on the bridge of
the nose. He fell back on the glass table the briefcase fell to the
floor bags of white powder fell out as he clutched his nose. I
swept the room with my weapon. It was a studio type apartment he
was the only one in there. I pointed the gun at him when he tried
to grab his phone. I kicked it away.

“You son of a bitch! You broke my nose!”

I wrung his collar and shifted the barrel of
the gun against jaw

“Where is she?”

He started laughing and hissing the waterfall
down his nose drenched his mouth.

“Dead.” He said spitting.

I shoved him into the wall

“Where is she!”

“Definitely dead now you didn’t take that
flight. You dickhead.”

“What was Natalya doing here?” I shoved him
“Tell me!”

His eyes widened when I mentioned her name. I
glanced at my watch realizing I didn’t have time.

The tosser had a light wiry body he weight
maybe 80kg I punched him in the stomach and grabbed him by the
collar and took him to the balcony window. We wrestled a bit, but
my frame and build was no match for this skinny runt.

I lifted him over the edge holding him by
ankles the guy was so light I could do barbell presses. He was
agitated and started screaming. The wind was minor. The view of the
docks and the Auckland harbor bridge with the volcano in the
background.

“Tell me what you know!”

“Fuck you!”

I feign a drop letting fall he screamed like
bitch.

“Okay! Pull me up first”

“No. Info first. Then I pull you up.”

“Fuck off then I ain't telling you
jackshit!”

I let go of one hand when he was dangling on
my right hand

“Okay! Okay! I’ll tell you! Jesus
Christ!”

I put both hands on his ankles. “Hurry up, or
you will be seeing him!”

“Natalya was the one who asked me to give you
the tickets she organized the capture of your girlfriend.”

“Why us? we had nothing to do with this
shit.”

“That’s what you need to ask her! Shit man!
Let me up”

“Why did they want me to do assignation the
Afghan warlord?”

“I don’t know! I’ve never even been there I
just move the product maan!”

My vision flicked to the briefcase and the
bundles of white powder then back.

“I have served with Natalya, what’s your
involvement with her?”

“She’s the one who dropped off the heroin
man. They have been smuggling the opium paste on the trucks from
the start.”

Shit I have done nearly six tours with her.
My mind cast to vehicles that were in the Hercules the tyres are
about

“Where do I find her?”

“She’s unloading the next shipment from the
vehicles that are being serviced on the east side of town. There
hiding it in the spare tyres of the vehicles.”

“Let me up man I told you what I know…”

“Remember when you dropped my favorite coffee
cup?”

“Huh? Yeah. So what? The fuck does that have
to do anything?”

I sniffled, then narrowed my eyes.

“
Arrgghh
!”

***

Claudia

Brr.. I rubbed my hands together, hoping the
friction would soothe this shivery soul. Still no message from
Will. My breath started to form a thick fine mist. I stared at the
reflection of a steel plate to see my lips turning blue. My face
pale, I whispered into the phone.