5-Hunter

5

Hunter

 Ein shut the large metal door behind him, leaving only himself, the doctor and Mr. Machete.  Ein had pushed everyone else out of the room, the minute their unwanted guest had awakened screaming in pain.  Ein turned back to the man who was tied up in the chair.  His face was marred with pain and anger; his dark eyes seemed to take in the situation as fast as possible, assessing his captors.

As he seemed to examine Ein and the doctor, his outlook seemed to change.  Slowly he looked less and less like a cornered tiger and more like the butt of a cruel joke. Suddenly, he began to laugh out loud.  The laughter was a low and sultry noise, something that would come out of a Bond Villain.  He spoke, something in low rolling Spanish.  His voice was hypnotic, like Antonio Banderas, Robert Molteval, or that Dos Equis guy.

The doctor twisted to look at Ein.  “Do you speak Mexican?”

Ein raised an eyebrow.  “No, because that’s not a language, I took a little Spanish.”

“What did he say?”  The doctor asked, ignoring the sarcastic insult.

“I think he called himself a bad word…”  Ein said trialing off confused.

“I said,” The Mexican began.  His English was dripping with accent, “That I am a damn idiot because I have been captured by tourists.”

Ein did his best to look like a seasoned soldier.   It looked more like he had to poop.  “How do you know we are tourists?”

The Mexican grinned, “Well, my first clue is the flip flops on your feet.”

Ein looked down and sighed, he indeed was wearing a pair of red flip flops.

“My second is the fact that this one,” The Mexican nodded to The doctor, “is not wearing a shirt, it doesn’t help that he has been staring at me, scared shitless since I woke up.”

“Okay, we’re not combat trained.”  Ein admitted, “but we aren’t tourists.  This is my oil rig.”

The Mexican looked confused, “Yours?”

Ein nodded, still trying to look stern.  The Mexican chuckled again, “Well that will be very interesting news to Chavez.”

“Is that your name?” Ein pressed.  “Chavez?”

The Mexican shook his head, “No my friend, I am not Chavez.”

“I’m not your friend.”  Ein stated angrily.  The doctor whipped his head around at Ein as if to ask what the hell he was doing.

The Mexican’s eyes narrowed.  “You do not want to be my friend.  That is too bad, Mr. Tourist.  It is better to be my friend.”

“Who are you?”  Ein pushed ahead, his confidence peaking.

The Mexican’s smile returned.  “You can call me…Cazador.”

“Who is Chavez?”  Eisenhower pressed.

The Mexican just laughed, “Oh, I am sorry Mr. Tourist, but that is information for my friends only, and you have clearly stated you are not my friend.”

Ein nodded.  “Alright, fine.  Look, my friend here is going to fix your eye while I try to figure out what to do with you.”

“Kill me.”  Cazador spoke instantly.  His low seductive voice became menacing and serious.  His dark eyes seemed to peer into Ein’s soul.  “You should kill me Gringo.  Every second I live, the chance I will get free increases.  If that happens, I will repay you for my head.

Ein tried to hold steady but his confidence was beginning to break.  “I’m… I mean we’re… I am not a monster.”

“Too bad for you, Mr. Tourist,” The Mexican continued.  His eyes locked on Ein like a hungry wolf, “because if you are not a monster, you are a victim.”

****

What none of them knew, was that Cazador had woken up in that chair long before The Doctor had started to patch him up.  Cazador had realized that he was bound and faked being unconscious so that he could gather information.

 This had worked perfectly.

Cazador knew that there were ten people in the little group.  Seven were female and three were male.  Six of the women seemed to be eye candy or party favors.  There was one smart one and that was the one the would-be leader was in love with.

He knew that she didn’t share the emotion.

Cazador had learned that, from the hallway and the show in front of him when the short, weird-looking man was seconds away from confessing his love to the girl.  Cazador had watched her face while he had stammered through his words.  He had watched her face contort and become full of pain, already trying to find away to let him down easy.

It was funny to Cazador that the men who become infatuated with women never think that the women know about it.  Like it is some sort of a deep dark secret.

The women always know.

Cazador had also figured out that the one good-looking man had wanted to kill him and the short stubby one had fought hard for that not to happen.  This was interesting to him.  Then, of course, there was the third man.  The coward. Cazador was not worried about the coward.

In conclusion, Cazador knew that these ten young people were, not only, not here to kill him, but had just accidently bumbled into the situation.  No matter what the reason, however, Cazador had to get free because Chavez was due for a visit.  Cazador could not be visible when that happened.

He felt bad for the kids, but such is life.

The Doctor had fixed Cazador up without a word while Ein sat in a corner worrying himself into an ulcer.  After that they had left the room and shut the door behind them.  In the hall, the stubby one had told the rest that under no circumstance are they to enter this room, until they figure out what to do.

Cazador knew that it was only a matter of time.

****

Thad

Cazador had started to believe he was wrong.  He sat for, what felt like days, waiting in silence.  Passing the time, he had searched the room for away to free himself.  Failing.  The he had counted the panels on the ceiling and sung his favorite CD to himself, start to finish.

Finally, he heard the door click and begin to open and Cazador smiled.  He would finally get a shot to get free.  The door slid open and he saw the coward standing there.  His eyes filled with something dark.

“Ah, I see.”  Cazador’s words rolled off his tongue with a knowing ring to them.

Thad shut the door behind him.

“I should have known you would come.”  Cazador continued, condescension dripping from his tongue.

Thad calmly walked over to Cazador then raised his hand and slapped him across the face.  It made a loud cracking noise that echoed inside the room.  “SHUT UP!”

Cazador took the blow and gritted his teeth, before working his tongue at his lip to see if it was bleeding.  He then looked back to the tall skinny wisp of a man in the Hawaiian shirt, trying to look tough.

“I want answers.”  Thad said, his voice on the verge of cracking and his eyes watering.  The rage inside him was destroying him.

Cazador shook his head.  “No, you do not.”

Thad closed his fist and punched Cazador.  The punch was pathetic, and Cazador could tell he had never punched anyone before.  The coward had probably done more damage to his hand than Cazador’s face.

“You know, your slaps hurt more than your punches."  Cazador said, and Thad ground his teeth and clenched his fists.

“I SAID I WANT SOME FUCKING ANSWERS!” Thad shouted and then began a desperate striking combo, punching and slapping for a good minute.

The blows were pathetic.  The boy positively oozed self loathing.  When he had finished, he was breathing hard and Cazador had a small cut on his lip.

“You did not come here for answers boy,” Cazador said, beginning to get angry.  “At least not the ones I can give you with words.”

Thad started to catch his breath and began to get a second wind.  Cazador finally exploded.  “You came here because you are a COWARD!  You could not even stand up to me when your friends’ lives were on the line.  You are here to beat me, in hopes that it will make you feel better, but it won’t.  You want to punish yourself?  Untie me and I will punish you!”

“YOU AERN’T GOING TO DO SHIT!” Thad screamed, tears streaming down his face.

“FREE ME!  Redeem your cowardice, and become a man!”  Cazador’s ploy was strong.  The boy was weak in this state and he might be able to manipulate him into it.

The thought rattled in Thad’s brain, but slowly, he brought himself down and caught his breath.

Cazador smiled.  “I did not think so.  Leave me now, coward.”

Thad scowled then turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Cazador sighed and took a deep breath.

Damn it.

****

Harriet

Hours passed and Cazador occupied himself by trying to name all the James Bond movies in a row.  Eventually, began to open again.  This time, it was the woman.  The woman that was not dick candy.

She was, however, not what anyone on this rig thought she was.  At least, not anyone but Cazador.  She slowly shut the door behind her and Cazador went to work.

“Hello senorita.”  His voice had dipped into seductive again.

She stepped into the room not speaking.

“I can see in your eyes you are wondering why you are here.  Let me answer this question for you, senorita.” He began to speak, his eyes locking with hers.  “You are here because you are someone very different than these people think you are.   You are here because you have a secret.”

Harriet stood there listening.  Cazador continued, “Your secret is that you are attracted to violence, drawn to it in a sexual manner.  I would guess that you go out to clubs to find the scariest man you can and take him home with you.  This is a side which none of your friends have ever seen.  Especially not the stubby one who is in love with you, by the way.”

Harriet nodded and finally spoke, “I know.”

Cazador smiled, “Of course you do.”

A silence fell over the room as the two stared at each other, Harriet then exploded forward grabbing Cazador’s lips and pressing her own to his.  Hard.  She kissed him, full and robust, giving him tongue.  Cazador was surprised by her aggression.  Finally, after some time, she released him.

“Untie me and I will show you.”  He said with a smile.

She seemed to think about it then turned and began to walk out.

“Wait.”  He said and she stopped, “Someone is coming, probably this week, his name is Chavez.”

She looked over his shoulder, “Who is he?”

“He is a smuggler, he has been using this rig to hide merchandise.  He will come to do his pick up and he will bring men.  These people are killers,” Cazador explained.

Harriet took a deep breath.  “I can’t trust you.”

She walked out.

Cazador took a deep breath.

Damn it.

TO BE CONTIUED…