AT the instant he gave the order, about three to four guards swung into action, diligently carrying it out, in matter of minutes, they dragged the body away.
Then Jeremy turned to the other guy, although weak, he still had a breath in him.
“Gotten the IED?”, he asked.
“Yes Boss”, Math replied and with the help of Nathan and two other guards, they planted the device on him.
“Done!”.
“Good, get him up”, he ordered and they obeyed, two of them holding at each arm, trying to make him stand on his feet.
He had the red substance all over him, covering almost all his face, and making him unable to see clearly.
“Boss, he really looks weak, would he be able to do this?”, Nathan asked.
“He will, I know”, Jeremy replied confidently.
The men with him were still struggling to get him on his feet.
“Let him be now”, Jeremy commanded and they left him, he stood, but couldn’t stand straight, he was bending forward.
“Hey, listen and listen real good”, Jeremy began, “you can get back home I know you can, at least, unlike your pig headed friend, I have released you, it is left for you to do something meaningful with the second chance…”, he trailed off and signalled for the bag to be handed over.
Nathan picked it up and handed it over to the weak guy, he was reluctant to accept it and then impatiently, Nathan hung it over his shoulder.
“That is a sweet and thoughtful gift from me to your boss, say me well to him when you get home, and… make sure you do deliver, don’t forget”, he said, chuckling.
“Robert?”, he called and a guard came in instantly and bowed.
“Boss”, he said.
“Take care of this guy, lead him home, I know how so good you are in this”, he said.
Robert nodded.
“Sure Boss, noted”, and with that, he dragged him out of the room.
***
The tension in the semi dark room was so much felt by all and sundry, as Jack the hacker man sat in front of his laptop, his two eyes well fixated on the screen, his fingers dancing across the keyboard.
For hours on end Mr Redford and his men had been trying to get a hold of the location and whereabouts of the two men they had sent out to spy on Jeremy.
It has been hours, just few hours left to mark it a day, yet, none of them were back, none of them could be seen, and the location of none of them could be verified, they had placed a tracker on them this time, the last time, they didn’t and they had learnt well, or so they thought.
They were five men in all, at one of Mr Redford’s bungalows, one of the many that he had, scattered all over New Jersey.
“Are you sure you guys had put a tracker on them? Because it is obviously impossible trying to get their location”, Mr Redford asked.
“We did Sir, we did. We actually placed it inside their bodies, just to make sure we won’t get beaten in our own game”, Jack replied.
“Then why is nothing coming up on the damn laptop? Hmmmm”, he growled and turned away from the laptop, then angrily walked out of the room, heading for the small living room.
“Okay Sir, I think I have gotten it now”, Jack squealed out from the room, abruptly, Mr Redford turned and headed back for the room.
“You did?”, he asked walking up to them.
“Yeah, I think though, the signal is fluctuating, that is it here”, he said using his left index to point at a red spot on the screen.
“Really? What could possibly make it fluctuate?”, Scott asked.
“Anything. Can be either the trackers has been tampered with, or…”, he trailed off and suddenly looked up, at the others, “jeez!”, he exclaimed.
“What?”, they asked.
“They must have been dealt with… again, hence the signal fluctuating”, he added and sharply turned back to the laptop.
“Ahh!”, Mr Redford gnashed his teeth.
“Oh wow!”, was what came out of Scott’s mouth.
There was silence for a while, as Jack worked as though his life depended on it, well maybe it does.
“Okay okay, I think I have gotten it this time”, he said and they all leaned forward.
“You think again? Just get the damn stuff. Shit!”, Mr Redford cussed.
“I get it Boss, this time for real”, he said and adjusted on the tripod seat he was sitting on.
“I can see just one signal”, Scott said.
“Yeah, just one”, the tallest amongst them said, he was like an aide to Jack, he was Sparrow.
“Why one?”, Mr Redford questioned, to no one in particular.
There was total silence as no one could provide an answer, Jack himself was confused.
“Jack say something”, he barked.
Jack began stuttering.
“Sir, I… I think one has been… whacked”, he said.
The silence that followed was unexpected, it was felt by all and sundry. Mr Redford on his own part, was speechless and lost for words.
Jack then cleared up his throat to talk.
“Alright, the location has been detected, few houses away from here, we need to dispatch some of the men to go get him”, he said.
Mr Redford stared at him for a while, then turned and left without saying a word.
Scott sighed and turned to Sparrow.
“Sparrow?”, he called.
“Yes”.
“You and two others should go get him, Frost should be included, don’t forget to be protected”, he said and began heading out of the room.
“The location?”, Sparrow asked, turning from leaving Scott to sitting Jack.
“Here”, Jack said, handing over a device to him, “make use of this”, he added.
Sparrow collected it, and then dashed out of the room.