RICK DRAGO: HELL IN PARADISE

Drago was combat-ready with his special LCR.38 and silencer attached. He fired three quick rounds at the shooter. There was a scream, then a crashing sound as the man fell and tumbled down the stairs, landing inches away from Drago.

Drago searched the body and found a driver’s license in the name of Ryan Gallagher.

Irish. What is an Irish gunman doing here with Bianco? Drago thought to himself. Could it be that Antoine Bianco is working for the Irish family?

Drago paused on the bottom step. Then climbed slowly, and he kept looking up. The stairwell curved to the left, ending at a landing where the Uzi, with a silencer attached, fell from the Irishman’s hand after being shot by Drago.

Reaching the last step, Drago peaked over the landing. An empty floor leading to the left greeted him. Only a door at the end of the hall with an exit sign above was visible. Drago picked up the Uzi. He checked the magazine. Plenty of firepower was still in it. Drago holstered the 9mm and swung the Uzi over his shoulder.

Staying low, Drago moved along the hallway, heading for the door. The sound of a powerful engine and tires eating gravel came from outside. Drago thrusts open the door and releases a burst of lead from the Uzi at the speeding car. Bullets hit the car, damaging the rear lights.

Drago sprinted after the speeding car and continued firing from the Uzi until he heard the clanging sound of the empty chamber. Rick Drago came to an abrupt stop, inhaling deeply, and tossed the Uzi in the bushes at the side of the road. “Damn!” he said.

Drago wasn’t sure if he had hit the person driving the vehicle.

That had to be Bianco driving the get-away car. Drago speculated. Why did Bianco not return fire when Drago shot at him and ran away? Something big was about to happen, and Bianco was sure he was fit and available.

Drago searches the rooms, starting with the only room on the floor that Bianco occupied. He hoped to find a clue why the hit-man didn’t get into an altercation with him.

Drago found bits of paper in the garbage can, confirming that Bianco was working for the Irish family.

Satisfied with the information his search provided. Drago left the villa.

Today is one of those days that Dan McCall wishes he was still working out in the field. Instead, he is heading for the office. His cell phone hasn’t stopped buzzing since the early morning hours.

Dan had worked late at the office the previous day, catching up with long overdue paperwork. He had only returned from his trip to Asia one day before.

They backed the traffic up on Route 125, caused by road repairs. Sitting in his car, the call he’d been waiting for came. It was Drago calling.

“Yes, Dan here,” McCall said.

“How are you?” Drago asked, knowing Dan had just returned from his trip to Asia.

“Tired. Wishing I was with you at this moment, enjoying the Caribbean atmosphere.

“The weather here is beautiful. That’s the only good thing.”

“Sounds like you are on the move.”

“Yes. I am.”

“Where to?”

“A search. Running wild,” Drago said.

“Running wild?” (Code for target has eluded him and was on the move)

“Yes.”

“How long ago?”

“Thirty Minutes to an hour.”

“The enforcer could be anywhere at this moment.”

“I have an idea where he is going. Although he may decide not to go there,” Drago said.

“I am minutes away from the office. Check with me later.”

McCall entered and sat behind the desk in his office. The papers he had left the night before were still on his desk. He buzzed his secretary, Dorothy Adams.

Dorothy Adams, a long military career woman, was one of the toughest drill sergeants in the military.