Double Takedown

Carl glances at the clock on the dash and then at the dark sky. I hope he gets here before the storm sets in. The rain wouldn't dampen his plan, but it'd make things difficult.

Snuffing out a spent cigarette in the overflowing ashtray, he lights another. I sure could use a stiff drink about now. He's taken up both habits since his precious Millie died. His hands tremble when he brings the smoke to his mouth. I don't know why I'm so nervous; it's not like this is my first stakeout. He gazes at the empty seat beside him. It's the first on my own, I guess. He recalls a few of the watches he and his partner were on. He sure knew how to keep things interesting. He chuckles.

He looks up to see a tall, stick figure of a man walking towards him. His long arms, legs, and small body reminded Carl of the stuffed monkey he had when he was a child. "Lights, camera, action." Carl grabs the game controller beside him and turns it on. The device's blue lights brighten the trash-infested cab. He presses the button in the center. Lights shine down the dark alley from either side of the truck. High-pitched whistling noises drift through the starless night when the device lifts into the air.

Frightened, the man wobbles back. A bolt of lightning flashes across the sky, illuminating the desolate area. "It's only a drone." The man laughs. The bolt strikes again. A roar of thunder quickly follows. The man jumps. "I better get home before it pours."

"Rain is the least of your worries." Carl presses a blue lever. Two high-priced gadgets fly closer. They stop when they're a few feet away.

The man nervously glances around. "Ok, boys, jokes over, you've had your fun."

"You're so wrong. The fun has just begun." The drones move closer to their target. Carl pushes a button, their metal fingers open. A clear cover falls over the perp. The drones swoop down and scoop up the nets drawstrings.

The sudden shift causes the man to lose his balance. His scrawny body falls against the cover and then slides to the ground. Lightning flashes again and again. The material closes in around him.

"That should do it." Carl moves the joystick. The drones fly up. The hostage lifts off the ground.

Large drops of rain pour from above him, soaking the man to the bone. The wind picks up, causing the man to swing back and forth. "Help me, please somebody help me," he yells.

"There's no one around to save your sorry ass." Carl laughs. He pushes a button; the drones release their grip. The red, half-ton pickup shakes when the victim crashes into the bed. Carl exchanges the game remote for the truck fob. He presses a button. A plastic cover slides across the back. He's going to make a fine specimen for the doc. Smiling, Carl starts to pull away when he sees someone watching from afar.

"Two for the price of one. You can't beat that." He laughs.

***

Carl keys in the security code at the black steel gates a few minutes later. The rusty doors creak open. Hoping in his truck, Carl makes his way across the uninhabited land. The area was an old military base located in the middle of nowhere. He and the doc agreed this would be a perfect spot for their new project, harvesting organs for well-deserving people who can't make the donor list.

These scumbags will do one thing right in their life if I have my way about it. He figures they own the world at least that much for all the trouble they've caused. I'm going to make sure deserving people like Millie get a second chance. He pictures his beautiful wife in his mind. I wish I would've done' this for her. He lost his wife of forty years a few years back to kidney failure. Because of her age, her existing health issues, the doctor refused to put her on the list. Carl looked into the black-market only to find the asking price was well above his pay grade. So, he was forced to watch Millie die a slow, agonizing death. I'm going to make sure others don't have to go through what I did, he thinks, wiping a tear from his cheek.

He pulls up to the concrete building that he and the doc have transformed the inside into a surgical ward while leaving the exterior in its original rugged state. They figure the crudeness will add to the disguise.

There's a large cement platform in front of him. The adjacent walls are decorated with multicolored layers of graffiti. A ramp is to his left and a set of weathered stairs to his right.

I hope he's ready for our first patient. Carl honks his horn twice and waits. This was another security measure the two put in place.

Unlocking the rusty, steel door, the doc steps outside, a grin on his face.

That looks promising, Carl thinks, hopping out of his truck.

"Your timing couldn't be better."

"Everything is set up; I take it?"

"Just the way I like. The doc is particular about the order. A place for everything and everything in its place, he always says. "So, let's see what you brought me." His eyes sparkle as he walks to the pickup bed.

Carl shifts his weight in anticipation, waiting for the cover to slide back.

The doctor glances in. His eyebrows arch, he turns his head to the side and says, "He's a young one, that's for sure."

"Not a lot of miles on his organs." Carl teases.

"How old is he?" The doc specifically told him he would not touch a kid.

"He just turned 18 last month most of which he spent behind bars."

"So, he's one of the frequent fliers you were telling me about."

"I think every cop in Atlanta has arrested him. at least once."

The doctor shakes his head. "It's such a shame, a waste of youth."

Carl points further back. "The guy beside him is his dad. He came out of the bar as I was airlifting the boy to my truck."

"You need to be more careful, Carl. A mistake that that could end us before we even start."

Carl thrusts his hands against his hips. "I took care of it didn't I?"

"This time, but what about the next?"

"There won't be a next time. You better help me get them inside before they wake up. Just so you know, the medicine you gave me took forever to work. "