Noble Intentions: Season Two (Episodes 6-10) by L.T. Ryan Page A

bulge protruding from his mid-section. He had a dark beard and a bald head.
    Jack opened his door and started to get out. Jasmine waved him back in. She walked past her door and opened the back door. The man got in the backseat without saying anything.
    Jasmine got in the car. “Jack, this is Igor. He is going to lead us to a house. Isn’t that right, Igor?”
    The man nodded with a groan.
    Jasmine continued. “If he acts up, reaches for me or tries to leave the car, shoot him. OK? Your piece is in the glove box.”
    Jack opened the glove box and removed the pistol and holster. He wondered what would have happened if someone had broken into the car while it had been left unattended at the gas station. He inspected the gun, a Glock 17 9mm with a 17 round magazine. Not his weapon of choice, but it would do.
    “Works for me,” Jack said.
    The man in the back seat started giving directions. He had a thick Russian accent.
    Jack leaned toward Jasmine. “Where are we going?”
    She turned her head to the side and gave him a look that indicated she had no intention of telling him.
    “Fine,” he said.
    Igor spoke up as they passed a white cape cod with green trim. “There.”
    Jasmine kept the car steady and turned left at the next street and then left again. She pulled up to the curb and parked. She reached under the steering column. Pulled a lever. There was a click and then the trunk popped open.
    “Get out, Igor.”
    The man protested. “Why?”
    “Just get out,” she said. “Want to help, Jack?”
    Jack got out of the car and walked around to the driver’s side. He opened the door and grabbed Igor by his arm. Yanked him from the car and then pushed him around back. He gestured to the open trunk.
    “Here’s your chance, friend. Easy or hard?”
    Igor shook his head and spit on the ground.
    Jack swung fast and hard and hit the man in the abdomen. The man bowed over and Jack pushed him into the truck and closed the lid. Igor started kicking against the trunk interior a few seconds later.
    Jasmine told Jack to stay put and she opened the trunk again. This time Jack stood there with his Glock 17 aimed at the man in the trunk.
    “Listen up, Igor,” Jasmine said. “If I need to tie you up and gag you, I will. I can’t leave you in the back seat. If I did and you decided to run, that would be bad. Or maybe you would decide to run into the house after us—”
    “I wouldn’t do that,” Igor said.
    “—and that would just cause a big old mess that would result in you and your friends being shot. Is that what you want?” She didn’t wait for him to respond. “No, of course it’s not. Trust me, as soon as we are done we are going to return to this spot and let you out of the trunk. OK?”
    Igor exhaled and seemed to relax. He lay down and closed his eyes. Said nothing.
    Jasmine nodded at the trunk and Jack closed the lid. She ducked into the driver’s seat, rolled up the windows, locked the doors and joined Jack on the sidewalk.
    “Best we walk from here,” she said.
    Jack nodded.
    “What’s the plan?” he asked.
    “We knock on the door.”
    “And then?”
    “Depends on what they do after we knock.”
    “Say they answer.”
    “I ask them some questions.”
    “And if they don’t answer?”
    “The questions or the door?”
    “Christ,” Jack said. “Are you always this difficult?”
    Jasmine smiled and nodded.
    “Every second of my life.”
    They turned right again and then crossed the street. Walked up to the white cape cod with green trim. Jasmine stood in front of the door and Jack stood to the side in between the door and a window. Out of sight. She knocked on the door. Waited a minute and knocked again.
    Jack heard muffled sounds from inside.
    “They’re inside,” he said.
    She nodded and lifted an eyebrow.
    “Ready to kick this door down for me?”
    “You hardly strike me as a damsel in distress.”
    “I’m not. These are expensive shoes, though.”
    She stepped aside and Jack stood in