Young Love Murder (40 page)

Brent let’s out his breath in a loud whoosh. “But cool as hell.”

“Yeah,” Jackson agrees. 

From somewhere in the room a voice whines, “This better be good. I was taking my afternoon nap.” Followed by, “At least you’re not that devil-woman.” 

I walk over to the black leather sectional sofa and peer over the back, seeing Porky all rumpled from sleep. I point at his Superman fleece blanket and ask, “Is that your blankie?”

“Damn straight it is,” he mumbles groggily. “Don’t hate on the blankie.”

The guys follow suit and peer over the couch at Porky. Brent eyes the blanket. “I have the same one.”

“How’d you monitor us outside from the couch?” I ask. 

From under the blanket, Porky pulls out a remote unlike any I’ve seen before. With a push of a button, the large television turns on. The screen is broken up into numerous rectangle squares, all showing different video feeds, monitoring areas around and outside of the facility. 

“I’ve got skills,” Porky smugly boasts. 

Jackson snorts. “Yeah, mad dork skills.”

Porky sits up. “You’re just jealous cause all you can do is point and shoot.”

Jackson makes a move to go around the couch after him, but Porky is on his feet instantly. He may not be a trained killer, but the boy works out and Simon makes sure even his geeks can defend themselves. With curly blonde hair, hazel eyes and a lean, muscular build, I can see why Diana went for him. Not that I was ever tempted myself. I go for the tall, dark and handsome types, one in particular. Jackson gives up on the chase after Porky dodges him a few times by using the sofa as a buffer.

Thinking of Diana, I have to ask, “So, you and Diana, huh?”

“We’re in love,” Porky says defensively. 

Brent crosses his arms over his chest. “If you two are so in love, why’d you flee the Middle East in such a hurry and are now hiding in a metal fortress?”

“It’s complicated,” Porky mutters, looking dejected. 

I plop down on the couch. “Oh yeah? How so?”

Porky shakes his head sadly. “She thinks I cheated on her.”

“And now she’s trying to annihilate you?” Jackson asks. 

“I don’t think she’s actually trying to
kill
me. She’s just a little irrational right now. I’m giving her time to cool off,” Porky states and walks over to a panel on the wall. Pushing some buttons on the keypad, a rusty door slides open. When it gets stuck halfway, Porky has to manually jerk it open the rest of the way. His situation with Diana sounds kinda familiar.

“Oh yeah, how much time?” Gabriel asks. 

Not turning around, Porky shrugs. “A few more months should do it.” 

We file into the adjacent room and take a look around. Gabriel is the first to comment, “This room is dope.” Along one entire wall is any type of gun you can think of, from submachine gun to shotgun to pistol. 

I point with my thumb to a gun that’s on display with the others. “Paintball gun?”

“State of the art, tinkered with it myself,” Porky brags. Gabriel laughs mockingly and Porky turns around to give him a dirty look. “Hey man, if I shot you with that . . . well, it would hurt a lot.”

I walk over the wall and pull down a G3 fully automatic battle rifle. “This is what I’m talking about.”

Brent walks over and pulls down a M40 bolt-action sniper rifle. “No,
this
is what I’m talking about. Don’t even have to get up close and dirty. Just sit on some rooftop or hill somewhere and wait for the target to come to you.”

I smirk at Jackson then innocently ask Porky, “Do you have anything in pink for Jackson?”

“Ha, ha, ha,” Jackson says humorlessly. He gets an evil gleam in his eyes. “Porky, you haven’t been officially introduced to Annabelle’s
boyfriend
yet.” Gesturing from one to the other, he introduces them, “Porky, meet boy toy. Boy toy, meet Porky.”

Looking at Gabriel, Porky gives him a friendly smile. “Is your name really boy toy?”

Gabriel’s eyes go artlessly wide. “Is your name really Porky?”

Shaking his head, he answers, “Nope. I was a fat kid when I was younger. Name just sort of stuck with me into adulthood. My name’s really Arthur.”

“Oh,” Gabriel says indifferently, losing interest, and walks over to a metal table with various explosive devices lying on top. 

“So, what’s the job?” Porky is leaning against a long desk with various computer monitors and equipment hovering above. Wearing red basketball shorts and a white hoodie, he looks sloppy, but his hazel eyes are gleaming in anticipation.

Brent fills him in, “There are five targets, a gang of sorts, who specialize in illegally shipping guns made by Lead Dynamics to terrorists in the Middle East.”

“Lead Dynamics in Oakville? What are they shipping out, the Lead T3 MK6 Series
weapons
?” Porky questions us, excitement written on his boyish face. 

“Yes and yes,” I answer, surprised he doesn’t already know. Simon must have another one of the geeks gathering us information for this assignment. “They all live and work out of a large house on the beach down the coast from Sydney. Unfortunately, from what Simon says, they’re a suspicious bunch and only deal with people they already know.” I smile ruefully and add, “Only date women they already know.”

“So, you’re going in blind?” Porky asks in disbelief.

I shrug one shoulder, unconcerned with the situation. “It can’t be avoided sometimes.”

Porky lets out a big breath before speaking, “Well, I have everything you need. If one of you will help me, the rest can go relax in my game room.”

Brent and I decide to assist Porky since this is technically our assignment. Jackson and Gabriel go out to
play
in the game room. 

I chuckle to myself, thinking about how they’re spending quality time together. 

Chapter 30

Gabriel

“I hardly ever play video games anymore,” I inform Jackson. 

“Whatever, kid. Make all the excuses you want, but I’m still beating you,” Jackson says with a cocky grin, killing my character again on the video game. “Booya!” he shouts and jumps to his feet to point a finger at me. “In your face, boy toy!”

Really, who even says ‘booya’ anymore? Dorks like Jackson, that’s who. I toss my controller onto the cushion next to me. “Whatever, I’m tired of this game. And you’ve obviously played it many times before.”

He looks at me in fake innocence. “Dude, this is my first time playing it too. I can’t help it that I have a gift.”

Mumbling some curses, I get up and walk away. “Whatever, I’m going to go see what’s taking them so long.” When I go into the ‘weapons room’, I see that Anna, Porky and Brent have been playing some games of their own. Alternative rap music has been blaring from there almost since I left the room.

“Again!” Brent orders a moment before Anna shoots him in the chest with the paintball gun. 

He grunts, but manages to stagger back only one step before regaining his footing. If what Porky was saying earlier is true, Brent is going to be sporting some bruises. He’s wearing a clear plastic disposable raincoat with neon pain splattered on it.

“Aim for the face,” I suggest, just trying to be helpful.

Anna turns her head to look back at me with a smile. “Miss me, baby?”

I give her a sour look. “Your brother cheats at video games.”

She laughs while placing the paintball gun on a nearby table and walking all sexy-like over to me. “Aw poor baby. Did Jackson beat you?”

“I’d like to
beat
him,” I mumble loudly. When she leans up to kiss me, all negative thoughts fly out of my head. Damn, I wish I had her alone right now. Unfortunately, the only places around here involving privacy also involve rust and caked dirt. 

Pulling away from the kiss, I sigh woefully. From the look in her eyes, I can tell she knows exactly what I’m thinking. “Tonight,” she whispers meaningfully.
I can’t wait.

I hear the sound of a zipper closing and look over to see Porky hauling two jumbo-sized duffel bags over to us. Brent, who’s stripped off the raincoat, grabs one from him as he passes by. When Porky reaches us, I grab the other one from him before Anna can. 

She huffs in exasperation, “I can carry that.”

Ignoring her, I ask Porky while using my free hand to point to a table against the far wall, “What’s up with the lab equipment?” On the table is an array of science equipment. Sitting on it is a microscope, beakers, test tubes with tubing and even a stack of Petri dishes.

He smiles while shrugging. “It looks cool, huh?”

I give him a skeptical look. “But, what’s it for? Do you make your own explosives?”

“No way, man, that’d be too much work. I have a wholesaler. I just think all that equipment looks cool, like I’m a mad scientist or something. Makes me look smart,” Porky answers. 

Anna laughs at him. “But you are smart.”

He shakes his head. “You just don’t get it.”

Brent slaps him on the back. “Don’t worry, buddy, I get it. Now what kind of food do you have around here?”

Porky grins, grabbing a wallet from his computer desk. “I know of a really great place on the way back to Sydney, my treat.”

Guy is probably starved for the company of other people. From what I understand, he spends most of his time in places like this, alone and hibernating. We agree to take him up on his offer, all sensing that the guy needs interaction with the outside world. 

About an hour and a half later, as we follow Porky’s vehicle into a restaurant parking lot, I ask Anna, “Where the freak is he taking us?”

Following Porky in his burgundy SUV here was a lot more comfortable than the ride to Newcastle earlier today. Brent rode with Porky in his vehicle, so I got the whole backseat of this compact car from hell to myself. The sign a mile or so back said that we’re in Gosford, New South Wales. This city isn’t too far from Sydney. 

The restaurant that we’re parking in front of is not exactly what I had in mind when Porky suggested dinner. The sign in front of the place says the name ‘Romp and Stomp’ in bright colors and there’s a green dinosaur cartoon character next to the ‘p’ in ‘Stomp’. This can’t be right, he can’t seriously mean for us to eat at this kiddie restaurant. 

We park in the back of the parking lot next to Porky and climb out of the car. Jackson beats me to it, asking Porky, “You can’t seriously mean this place?”

“They have video games,” Porky says in an enticing voice to Jackson.

“Hey, I don’t care what they have,” Brent says, “I’m starving. No one told me it was going to take so long to get here.” Rubbing his hands together in anticipation, he announces, “Let’s eat!”

Anna bumps her upper arm against mine. “Come on, baby. I’ll win you a stuffed animal or something.”

“I want a squirt gun,” I joke with her. 

“Okay babe, but if there’s a pink one, Jackson gets it,” she says loudly enough for him to hear. Without turning around, Jackson gives her the finger over his shoulder.

Upon entering the place, I imagine that adding fire and brimstone would make this place my own personal hell. There are kids screaming in both delight and tantrum, running around like maniacs and just acting all-around chaotic. Damn, I was in the mood for steak or ribs.