Merc: Retribution

By Sean M. Campbell

Stephanie found herself alone, afraid, and freezing to death, on a small ledge. Her family was gone. Then from an unknown place a strange man came down the cliff to save her.
Then this strange man was also shot right in front of her eyes. She tried to scramble out from under his dead body, but the men who shot him and killed her family, were coming for her. Quietly, a voice whispered in her ear. “Close your eyes and do not open them ‘till I tell you it is okay.”
After the mercenary had saved her from the men that had killed her family, she saw a sight that would change her life. The mercenary’s bullet wounds healed right before her eyes. In astonishment she stammered out a question, “How?”
A voice from behind her answered the question. “He is Tannis Cladain, and that is about all the explanation anyone will give you right now.”
Stephanie was drawn into a life she never dreamed of. She was taken in by this strange man, as the quest for vengeance on her parent’s killers was brought to fruition. Stephanie became one of the companions of this man and a citizen of his country. Stephanie became a Merc.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sean M. Campbell
• Release date: Jul 17, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310757907

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MERC - By S. M. Campbell

MERC

By S. M. Campbell

Copyright 2014 Sean. M. Campbell

Published by Sean Campbell

Smashwords edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

I would like to dedicate this story to a friend who is no longer with us. Gene, you were my brother in so many ways. I will miss you until the end of my days.

- Sean

Chapter One – To Save a Child

He moved along the coast quickly. The operation had been successful, but there had been a few hitches along the way. There were always hitches along the way. He and his team had split up to make for the second pickup zone. The primary had been compromised, the chopper had been waved off.

As darkness closed around him like a velvet blanket, the mercenary knew he would have to make camp for the night. He chose an area of trees a short way back from the cliffs, above the ocean, and shed his heavy pack. From the pack, he pulled out a small tent and began to set it up. The fabric of the tent was impossibly thin and light. The two man tent could be rolled into a bundle less than six inches long and four inches across. As he was pushing the last of the stakes into the ground, he heard an animal make a soft cry in the distance. His imagination told him it was the sound of a young girl in distress. He shrugged it off and continued to set up his camp.

The sleeping bag was also tiny when rolled but, would keep him warm on even the coldest nights here in Oregon. The food he brought out of the bag was a compact meal in a box. He had gotten used to the bland taste of them over the years. As he prepared to heat the food on his little battery operated warming plate, he heard the soft cry again. When his ears tuned into the noise, he realized it was coming from over the edge of the cliff.

He rose from warming his dinner and worked his way over to the edge of the cliff, trying to see down. The darkness did not bother him, but as hard as he searched, he could see nothing below. He was pulling back to go to his meal when the cry came again, followed by a sobbing sound and then quiet once again. His eyes turned quickly in the direction the sounds had come from and he strained to see. Was that a foot sticking out of that dark shadow? He watched until he saw what he feared. The foot moved and a small dainty hand reached out of the shadow to pull it back into the darkness. There was a child on that ledge below, and her leg and hand had been bare. The cold tonight would kill her.

Quietly, he pulled back from the edge and moved to his pack. From it, he pulled a coil of rope and a blanket of the thin light material. He locked a canteen of water to his belt and headed for the tree line. At the edge of the trees, he tied off the rope to a large tree and then checked its strength with a hard pull. He walked back to the cliff, uncoiling the rope as he did.

At the edge of the cliff, he measured out the amount of rope he believed he needed to reach the ledge and tied it off to his waist. The rest he left in a coil on the ground at his feet. He looked over the cliff edge and spotted the ledge. He turned his back to the cliff and just stepped off backwards as if he did it every day. No hesitation, no second thought, just the step of a true believer.

The girl cried out and shrank back against the cliff as he landed. She started begging incoherently for him to please not kill her. The mercenary just stood there with his hand out. In it he held the canteen.

Drink, was all he said, it was in an amazingly soft and gentle voice.

Trembling and shaking, she reached out and took the canteen. The girl sipped at it at first, then she began to drink greedily.

Slow, he said in that same soft voice, you will get sick if you drink that fast.

The mercenary looked her over. She was young, maybe sixteen at most. The child had very dark skin, maybe of African descent. Her hair was down to her mid back and black as a raven in the dreams of a madman. She also was completely naked. He pulled the rolled up blanket out of his vest and unrolled it. She jumped a little as he pulled out the knife from his belt.

I did not jump down here to kill you, little one -- I came to rescue you. With those words, he cut a hole in the center of the blanket and handed it to her. Pull it over your head like a poncho.

He pulled on the loose end of the rope, which was mostly on the cliff top. As it slithered down, he neatly snatched the end out of the air. He cut a short piece off the rope with his knife and handed it to her. Belt, was all he said.

As he put his knife away, the girl saw the gun under his vest, and looked wide eyed at him.

How long? He asked softly.

Two days, I think. she answered as she began to wonder about this stranger in front of her. She finished putting on the poncho and tying the rope in place.

As the mercenary began to speak, the other end of the rope started slithering past him. His reaction was as swift as it was accurate. One hand pushed her back into the cliff, the other reached out and caught the end of the rope neatly, as it tried to slither past.

As he looked for signs of who might be above them now, he said to her. It must have come untied. He knew his knot would not have come untied on its own.

As he turned to gather up the rope, he reached into his vest and clicked off the safety on his pistol.

He began to run the rope around him in loops, stopping occasionally to tie a knot in it here or there. She watched him fascinated trying to figure out what he was doing. As he tied off the last of the rope, he looked at her and said, Jump up on my back and sit in the sling. Put the two upper loops around your arms and then hold on good and tight, little one.

Once she was in place and holding on, he reached out with his hands and began to feel the cliff face. She watched him as he grasped onto a small point sticking out and dug his fingers into the top of it. He pulled himself up with her on his back.

Slowly, inch by inch he began to climb the face of the cliff. The girl rode on his back in awe of his strength.

At the top of the cliff, he worked himself over the edge and onto level ground again. He lifted up onto his knees and told her, Climb out of the sling, little one, and be careful -- I don’t want to make that climb again.

Once she was standing, the mercenary started to look her over and check for any injuries. He was pretty sure all she had were some bumps and bruises, when he saw her eyes go wide in terror. He tensed and shifted slightly, so his body shielded her completely, just as the shots rang out.

The mercenary thought to himself Saturday night specials, as the slugs ripped into his back, and, Damn! That hurts! He slumped over the girl, pinning her to the ground. As she started to squirm, trying to get out from under him, he whispered softly in her ear, Close your eyes and do not open them ‘till I tell you it is okay.

He felt a foot try to move him, but he was too much dead weight. Then he heard the gun of the one closest to him slide into its holster, and strong hands begin to roll him over. The look of surprise on the man’s face was rather amusing to the mercenary, just before his forty-four magnum roared like a beast out of hell itself. The first man’s head exploded as the second one was trying to bring his gun back up. The mercenary’s second shot took the second man dead-center in the neck. The second man crumpled to the ground, and his eyes slowly clouded over.

Keep them shut, the mercenary said, as he stood up.

I want to see them, she said, as she opened her eyes. They killed my parents and my sister.

Suit yourself.

The girl looked at them and started crying softly to herself, as the mercenary began to search the bodies. He piled odds and ends onto one of their shirts. A couple of wallets, their guns, some extra ammo, and some loose money.

After he finished, he rolled the men to the cliff and pushed them over.

He gathered up the shirt and used the sleeves to tie it up nicely, then picked it up and walked over to the girl. Hungry? he asked in that gentle voice, as he extended his hand to her. She nodded and took his hand.

He led her to his camp and pointed to the food still heating on the hot plate. She looked at it dubiously as he handed her a fork and plate. She poured the contents of the square can onto her plate and looked at it even more dubiously, What is it?

It is shredded chicken Marcella, with marbled carrots, and sweet potato pie for dessert, he said with a touch of sarcasm in his voice. She smiled as she poked a fork into the food and put it into her mouth. Then she smiled even broader as the taste hit her. It was actually quite good. About halfway through the food, she thought to herself that her sister would like this, and that thought caused her to burst into tears.

The mercenary stood up and walked around to her, as he squatted down next to her he reached out and pulled her into a hug. They will be avenged, little one. I will make sure their spirits are free to rest.

As she slowly stopped sobbing into his chest, she pulled back and looked into his face. A thought crossed her mind. I wish I could see what he looks like, but it’s so dark here.

What is your name? she asked softly.

My friends call me Tan, my acquaintances call me General, or Mister Cladain, and my enemies never call me. He said with an odd humor in his voice.

Tan, my name is Stephanie. Thank you for rescuing me, twice, tonight.

He looked at her and said, You could thank me by doing me a huge favor, little one.

She looked at him nervously. What a man like this could want from her, when she had nothing to give. I will do anything I can.

He held up a pair of needle nose pliers in front of her, and smiled ruefully. The slugs in my back hurt badly, and I won’t heal right until they are out.

She gulped and said, I am not a doctor.

Just stick them in and pull the slugs out, little one. Don’t worry about hurting me.

She took the pliers from him. He then handed her a small flashlight and turned his back to her. As he lifted his shirt up, she turned on the light and gasped at the roadmap of scars on his back. There were thousands of them. She had never seen anything like it. She shined the flashlight on the first bullet hole. It was slowly oozing blood, and she could just see the back of the bullet, down deep in the hole in his back.

She pushed the tips of the pliers into the hole and bumped the back of the bullet. He did not make a sound or even flinch. She felt the pliers close on the bullet and she started to pull. It slid free with amazing ease and just a little more blood came out with it. She turned to look at the second wound -- this one was deeper. It took her a few minutes of prodding to find the bullet. Then she slipped a few times trying to grasp it. Finally the bullet slid out and was free. Again, just a little more blood came out. She asked him for something to clean the wounds and he handed her a rag and a bottle. She uncapped the bottle and poured some of the liquid onto the rag. She wiped around the first wound and then across it gently. As the rag moved away she stared at the wound in shock.

There was nothing there but a small puckered scar, already fading into the roadmap on his back. She wiped the second wound and it also was nothing more than a memory, among the thousands already there.

How? she squeaked.

He is Tannis Cladain, a voice said from behind her, and that is about all the explanation anyone will give you right now.

Evening, Cutter. Tan said quietly. I see you got my message.

When you break chip silence, I know something is up.

The others?

On their way, and double-checking all the surroundings for any other monkey suit boys with pea shooters

The chopper?

ETA ten hours, twenty-six minutes.

The glorious life of a mercenary is always changing Cutter, always changing. Set up your tent and get some sleep I will build a fire, I think it is safe. We will keep walkers out and wait for the chopper. Wake you in three.

Tan then turned to Stephanie, Thank you, little one. Now, why don’t you crawl into my tent and try and rest, tomorrow is going to be a busy day.

Stephanie crawled into the tent and watched through the flap, as Tan piled small bits of wood together and began to make a fire. Soon the warmth of a small fire began to warm her. Then Tan looked into the tent. Take off the poncho and get into the bag, little one, then spread the poncho over the top. You will get much warmer and stay that way.

He backed away from the flap and she did as she was told. Soon Tan returned with a small inflatable pillow, and passed it in to her. She laid her head onto the pillow and waited in fear for him to slip in beside her. She fell asleep waiting for something that didn’t happen.

Chapter Two – The Ride of a Lifetime

Stephanie awoke to the smell of frying bacon. At first she did not know where she was. She had this terrible dream about being thrown off a cliff and laying there for two days. As her eyes focused around her she was in a tent and everything came rushing back. She heard a quiet chuckle in a man’s voice from outside the tent. Then she remembered Tannis, the man who had allowed himself to be shot protecting her.

She started to get up and realized she was still naked. She reached for the poncho he had given her the night before and saw a small bundle of clothing at the foot of the sleeping bag. They were hers. The clothes she had been wearing before the men had stripped her and thrown her over the cliff, in front of her parents and sister. Where had they come from?

As she reached for the clothing, the tent flap opened slightly and a man looked in. He said softly One of my men found your campsite. He gathered up the stuff there and brought it to you. The rest is packed up and the men are breaking camp to be ready for pickup. The chopper will be here in about three hours.

A voice from outside the tent chuckled and said Three hours eighteen minutes. Be precise, Tan.

Tan smiled gently, and nodded towards her. Get dressed, little one -- breakfast will be ready in a few minutes and we need to talk. You have a big decision to make.

As he withdrew, she grabbed her clothes and began to put them on. She was dressed faster than any woman in the history of time. She nearly scrambled out of the tent, as she looked around at the men assembled in the area. There were six of them. Tan she knew. He was the big one. He was massive next to the other men -- not tall, only about five feet, ten inches, but massive. His arms looked like they should be sticking out of the side of an oak tree. His hair was a