they don’t forget that this is a job and not just a revenge mission.”
Bokeem only shrugged in reply.
“Didn’t really learn much from the weed bitch,” Tank Top said, “except that they know we’re after them.”
“Ballantine wouldn’t be Ballantine if we caught them by surprise,” Bokeem replied then nodded to the five other ships. “The real question is whether or not he knows we have backup.”
“Lady didn’t say,” Tank Top said, “but it would have been good information to get from her.”
“You leave her alive?” Bokeem asked.
“You fucking kidding me?” Tank Top laughed. “After she shot Slaps?”
“You said that was an accident.”
“Accident or not, it was her gun,” Tank Top said. “Oh, and Took is dead.”
“I was wondering where he was,” Bokeem responded.
“Turned out he was a rapist,” Tank Top frowned. “Even after all that vetting, a perv still got through.”
“Can’t always know what’s inside a man sometimes,” Bokeem said. “Slaps take it hard? He vouched for the skinny fuck.”
“He was the one that put the bullets between the sick fuck’s eyes,” Tank Top replied. “It was cathartic.”
“Look at you and your big words,” Bokeem laughed.
“I graduated high school,” Tank Top said.
“I have a fucking Master’s degree and don’t know when the last time I used the word cathartic,” Bokeem said then slapped his hands on the railing and turned back to the bridge. “Thirsty? I have some beers on ice in here.”
“I’m fucking dying,” Tank Top said. “We killed the bitch outside a bar and I didn’t even think to grab a drink before leaving.”
“You’re slipping,” Bokeem said as they stepped into the cool dark of the bridge.
Tank Top smiled at the sight of the bridge equipment. All of it was next generation technology and part of the upfront payment for taking the job to hunt down Ballantine. Bokeem cracked open a beer and handed it to Tank Top before he opened his and sat down in the Captain’s chair in the middle of the bridge.
Tank Top took a long swallow from his beer, belched, then pointed at a screen that showed a satellite image of the ocean surrounding them.
“The Beowulf is about a day ahead of us,” Tank Top said. “If we push it, we should be able to catch up to them.”
“Weird hearing that name after all this time,” Bokeem said. “I thought we were done with that.”
“Me too,” Tank Top said as he reached out and patted the wall, “but sometimes, you can’t whitewash the past even if you do give it a new name.”
“That new boat of his has some heavy steam in those engines,” Bokeem said. “We may not make much headway if they are pushing it as well.”
“Ace up our sleeve,” Tank Top winked, “don’t forget.”
“That ace could just do us a favor and blow that ship up,” Bokeem said. “That would save us a lot of time and effort.”
“It would also lose us a good amount of money,” Tank Top said. “They want Ballantine alive. The cartels want the junkie and the Somali’s want the junkie’s dad. We let the ace blow up that ship and we no get paid, partner.”
“I know, I know,” Bokeem nodded. “The ace could at least turn on the beacon so we could pinpoint where they’re at.”
“Not yet. Not with the fucking techies they have on that ship,” Tank Top said. “If the ace turns it on too soon, then they’d find the beacon and know they have a traitor on board. Too risky.”
“Are you going to shoot down everything I say today?” Bokeem asked.
“Just the stupid stuff,” Tank Top smiled and took another drink from his beer.
Tank Top swiped at the screen in front of him and widened the view until their ship was nothing but an almost imperceptible dot.
“If they are a day ahead then they have to be within this radius,” Tank Top said as he drew a circle with his finger. “My guess is they are heading that way. Our employers believe Ballantine has some secret asset in that
Bokeem only shrugged in reply.
“Didn’t really learn much from the weed bitch,” Tank Top said, “except that they know we’re after them.”
“Ballantine wouldn’t be Ballantine if we caught them by surprise,” Bokeem replied then nodded to the five other ships. “The real question is whether or not he knows we have backup.”
“Lady didn’t say,” Tank Top said, “but it would have been good information to get from her.”
“You leave her alive?” Bokeem asked.
“You fucking kidding me?” Tank Top laughed. “After she shot Slaps?”
“You said that was an accident.”
“Accident or not, it was her gun,” Tank Top said. “Oh, and Took is dead.”
“I was wondering where he was,” Bokeem responded.
“Turned out he was a rapist,” Tank Top frowned. “Even after all that vetting, a perv still got through.”
“Can’t always know what’s inside a man sometimes,” Bokeem said. “Slaps take it hard? He vouched for the skinny fuck.”
“He was the one that put the bullets between the sick fuck’s eyes,” Tank Top replied. “It was cathartic.”
“Look at you and your big words,” Bokeem laughed.
“I graduated high school,” Tank Top said.
“I have a fucking Master’s degree and don’t know when the last time I used the word cathartic,” Bokeem said then slapped his hands on the railing and turned back to the bridge. “Thirsty? I have some beers on ice in here.”
“I’m fucking dying,” Tank Top said. “We killed the bitch outside a bar and I didn’t even think to grab a drink before leaving.”
“You’re slipping,” Bokeem said as they stepped into the cool dark of the bridge.
Tank Top smiled at the sight of the bridge equipment. All of it was next generation technology and part of the upfront payment for taking the job to hunt down Ballantine. Bokeem cracked open a beer and handed it to Tank Top before he opened his and sat down in the Captain’s chair in the middle of the bridge.
Tank Top took a long swallow from his beer, belched, then pointed at a screen that showed a satellite image of the ocean surrounding them.
“The Beowulf is about a day ahead of us,” Tank Top said. “If we push it, we should be able to catch up to them.”
“Weird hearing that name after all this time,” Bokeem said. “I thought we were done with that.”
“Me too,” Tank Top said as he reached out and patted the wall, “but sometimes, you can’t whitewash the past even if you do give it a new name.”
“That new boat of his has some heavy steam in those engines,” Bokeem said. “We may not make much headway if they are pushing it as well.”
“Ace up our sleeve,” Tank Top winked, “don’t forget.”
“That ace could just do us a favor and blow that ship up,” Bokeem said. “That would save us a lot of time and effort.”
“It would also lose us a good amount of money,” Tank Top said. “They want Ballantine alive. The cartels want the junkie and the Somali’s want the junkie’s dad. We let the ace blow up that ship and we no get paid, partner.”
“I know, I know,” Bokeem nodded. “The ace could at least turn on the beacon so we could pinpoint where they’re at.”
“Not yet. Not with the fucking techies they have on that ship,” Tank Top said. “If the ace turns it on too soon, then they’d find the beacon and know they have a traitor on board. Too risky.”
“Are you going to shoot down everything I say today?” Bokeem asked.
“Just the stupid stuff,” Tank Top smiled and took another drink from his beer.
Tank Top swiped at the screen in front of him and widened the view until their ship was nothing but an almost imperceptible dot.
“If they are a day ahead then they have to be within this radius,” Tank Top said as he drew a circle with his finger. “My guess is they are heading that way. Our employers believe Ballantine has some secret asset in that
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