Karma

By Shawn P. Lytle

Gabriel Hernandez made a name for himself on Special Ops missions among the best of them– until he was discharged and left scrambling to find a job.
While surfing the internet for employment opportunities, he stumbles upon a peculiar site promising lucrative employment opportunities for veterans like him. A quick skim through the site points to a litany of black market gigs that pique his interest. It doesn’t take long for him to find one right up his alley – reconnaissance and surveillance. He figures easy in, easy out; and it pays a hell of a lot better than his mail sorting job.
His clandestine work ignites a level of excitement he hasn’t felt since his days with Special Ops. He enjoys it so much, he quits his day job and becomes a full-time hired gun. Within a year, he’s completed over a half dozen assignments, each more brazen than the one before. But soon, reconnaissance leads to kidnapping and kidnapping leads to murder.
Now, deeply embedded in this perilous world, a new danger arises – Gabriel’s accounts have been hacked and his clandestine operations have been exposed. If he can’t outsmart his enemy, he’ll become someone’s next target.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shawn P. Lytle
• Release date: May 24, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310179518

Shawn P. Lytle

Shawn P. Lytle is a South Carolinian living in his adopted home of Orlando, Florida where he splits his time between raising his kids and writing. He is an avid reader of fiction and philosophy. He is a graduate of Florida State University where he obtained his bachelor’s degree in English. Writing has always been his first love since his adolescent days. He learned to express his emotions through his poetry, his concerns through his essays, and his wild imagination through his stories.

Book preview

Part One

THE END OF THE BEGINNING

1

Longwood, Florida

A dog’s bark, bold and unyielding, was heard coming from inside of the 2,000 square foot, Mediterranean style home. By the sound of the high pitched growling, the canine was small and non-threatening; possibly a Yorkshire terrier. Despite being miniature in stature, the terrier was known to be keen of eye, sharp of tongue, and excellent at announcing strangers.

Standing in the shadows of a line of Magnolia trees, Santiago Gomez held his position and listened intently. Within a few seconds, he was able to determine that the fiery canine would be more of a pesky problem than a serious obstacle.

A five a.m. wake up call had brought him 235 miles away from Miami to Longwood; a small suburban town outside of Orlando. He made the trip with five of his most trusted comrades. All were known killers.

Despite his penchant for violence, Santiago wished he would have ignored the call; because it forced him to leave behind two naked curvaceous Brazilian chicks in his bed. A two hour ménage á trois had turned his usual run-of-the-mill night into another check mark on his bucket list. That was one of the things he loved about Miami; life could go from zero to a hundred in a blink of an eye. One minute, you could be at the local Walmart talking to two sociable females in the checkout line. And the next, you could be back at your condo with the same women playing Truth or Dare with a handful of Ecstasy pills and a bottle of pineapple Ciroc.

Turning his attention back to the house, Santiago looked for movement inside. He did not see any. He took a deep breath and exhaled. His patience was wearing thin, but a $100,000 was being offered for his crew to make Gabriel Hernandez disappear permanently. They all stood in a heavy downpour of rain, in black camouflage, waiting for the right moment to enter the residence.

Time was flying. It was midnight. A full moon hovered over the area. Its presence commanded Santiago’s attention with its luminous and mysterious glow. For a second, he felt uneasy. It was something about the full moon that created a bit of weariness in his spirit, but he quickly pushed it out of his mind. He watched as the rain turned into a drizzle. The conditions were changing in their favor. He stared at the house, while he lightly squeezed and released the trigger on his gun repeatedly. He was ready to kill and get back to Miami. He turned to his crew and held up five fingers. They watched in anticipation like they were in Time Square on New Year’s Eve waiting for the ball to drop. He lowered one finger at a time until his hand turned into a fist. It was killing time.

Rain drops bounced off the crews’ ski masks as they began to move in a single file line. The woven acrylic material was a thinly veiled attempt at concealing the faces of several cold-blooded killers. The sound of crushed leaves was barely audible, as the crew slowly made their way to the front of the house. Six Heckler & Koch VP9 handguns were raised to eye level as they ascended the front porch steps. When they reached the front door, the dog’s barking became louder.

Santiago raised his hand. Everyone came to a complete stop. He peered through the window. The house was dimly lit. Still no signs of movement on the inside. He quickly glanced over at the driveway. There were no cars, but his Intel had never been wrong. If he was told someone was supposed to be there, then he would bet his last dollar that they were in there. The sound of the dog barking pulled him away from his thoughts. He turned back around and focused on the house. He waved over the giant of his squad.

Armando Cruz, all six-foot-four and two-hundred and eighty-five pounds of him, strolled casually to the front. His eyes traveled up and down the front door, then stopped and focused on the lock for a second. He turned to the group and motioned for them to back up. The group took several steps backwards. He raised his size fourteen Timberland boot in the air and slammed down hard on the door like a battering ram. The lock gave way. The door swung open.

The house was quiet for the most part, except for the flat screen television on the wall that had Sportscenter on. There was a Sprite can on the living room table, alongside a full bowl of Tostitos chips. Next to the bowl was the television remote that sat on top of a stack of napkins.

The items on the table reinforced what Santiago already believed. Someone was in the house and he was sure of it. The person had to be hiding.

All six men entered; guns raised high, moving from left to right.

Santiago raised his hand. Everyone stopped. He listened closely. He heard the fain’t sound of a dog’s bark. It sounded like the dog was being muffled. He smiled. Finally, a sign that someone was in the house. He waved the group forward. They were back on the move; slowly approaching the master bedroom through a hallway that led to the left sector of the house.

Once the group reached the bedroom door, the dog stopped barking. Santiago pointed to Armando, who raised his foot, but at the last second Santiago stopped him. Instead of kicking the door down, Santiago grabbed the knob and twisted it. The door opened right up. He looked back at the group, put his index finger up to his lips, and slowly walked into the room. He took two steps inside. His foot hit a hard object and he fell to the floor. He looked down at his boots. A wire was tangled around them. His eyes stretched.

Trip wire!!!!! He yelled.

Armando reached down and grabbed Santiago off the floor. The group sprinted down the hallway in the direction of the front door. The hall’s walls exploded, sending chunks of plaster in their direction. The plaster pounded their bodies as they sprinted for the exit. They covered their faces with their arms.

Shit! Santiago shrieked. A piece of plaster struck him in his right eye. He sprinted faster. His eyes focused on the door which was a few feet away. Almost there! He yelled.

Another explosion. The living room walls burst into pieces. The force of the blast lifted the group off their feet and sent them crashing to the floor.

Santiago landed hard on his back. The impact knocked the wind out of him. He struggled to catch his breath as he looked around the room. He spotted his crew near the front door. They were stretched out and motionless. He attempted to sit up, but he could not feel his legs.

A loud cracking sound was heard above him.

He looked up.

The ceiling collapsed and the roof came with it.

Everything turned dark.

2

Thick smoke and flickering flames spread amongst the rubble. The images were sharp on the iPad’s fully laminated LCD display screen. Gabriel sat in silence at his desk watching the action unfold. The high tech cameras from his home security system captured the live feed from start to finish. From the moment the hitmen arrived and huddled behind the Magnolia trees, until the time of the fatal explosion.

Leaning back in his leather Executive chair, Gabriel sat deeply absorbed in thought. What he witnessed bothered him. Had he not relocated his family in time then they all would have been in body bags. He shook his head, turned off the tablet, and dropped it on the desk. The thudding sound brought Poncho, his Yorkshire terrier, running around the corner barking. He tapped his leg and the canine ran over and hopped into his lap. He rubbed its head and all of the barking stopped. His hands were cold and clammy. Poncho hopped off his lap, electing to return to his warm spot beneath the corner chair in the living room.

Gabriel rubbed his hands on his Levi jeans. The friction warmed them up and the denim fabric soaked up the sticky moisture. He wished he would have thought of drying them off earlier, because he knew Poncho deserved better after his latest performance.

Poncho’s barking was the main reason the hitmen entered the house. His erratic barking, which echoed through the hidden wireless speakers throughout the house, baited the intruders to enter.

Gabriel rose from his seat. It was time for a drink. Not a celebratory one, but one to calm his nerves. He walked over to the mini bar, grabbed a cup, dropped some ice cubes in it, and poured him some Grey Goose vodka. After a couple of sips, his heart rate returned to normal. He put the cup back on the table, then paced the room with his hands behind his back. He looked around his office at the awards he received from his ten years of service with the Army’s special forces unit and felt a sense of pride. The Silver Star for Conspicuous Gallantry in Action in the Global War on Terrorism was his most prized achievement. He was trained to locate, observe, and kill the enemy. The adrenaline rush he got from participating in dangerous missions was like a drug. He was hooked from his first taste of action and there was no cure for his addiction.

Standing six-foot-four with a six-foot-ten inch wingspan, Gabriel was an impressive specimen. He carried lean muscles on his two hundred and forty-five pound frame. He was proficient in close quarters combat and mastered most of the combative fighting styles, martial arts, and self defense techniques.

After an honorable discharge from the military, he found it hard to assimilate back into civilian life. He accepted a post office job as a mail handler, but months of repetitive sorting of mail led him to frantically search for something more exciting. A Goggle search for veteran employment led him to a website that offered opportunities that would, like they explained, make you feel more like you were back on the battlefield. Their mission statement was simple. Good versus Evil. Go on missions on U.S. soil to eradicate domestic crime. It was black market work, similar to the special forces, in the sense that it was off the books.

Ultimately, Gabriel accepted several assignments. And over the course of a year, he had traveled throughout Florida dispensing his form of vigilante justice. But all of that changed one day, when a security breach of the website disclosed personal information of individuals who had accepted several assignments. A bounty was soon put on his head. The ticket was for $100,000. The website’s owner informed him of the breach and the subsequent bounty, just before he shut down the website. Gabriel immediately moved his family to a safe location, then traveled back to his old house and set up a trap for the oncoming hit squad.

Despite the successful demolition of his enemies, the moment still held a bit of suspense. Gabriel strolled back and forth from wall to wall. He pondered his next move. Leaving his family seemed to be the best solution. After a brief moment of contemplation, he exited the office and strolled down the hallway. He stopped in front of his son’s room for a second and peeked inside. Javier looked up after spotting his father standing in the doorway. He gave a quick head nod, then returned his attention back to the video game he was playing. He was a typical teenager; eyes glued to a television screen with little interest in the outside world.

Gabriel made it to his bedroom. On the bed, stretched out and snoring, laid his wife Maria; all five-foot-nine and one hundred and sixty pounds of pure sexiness. Every inch of her well toned, butterscotch colored body gave him the chills. He loved her naturally curly hair and beautiful walnut colored eyes; evidence of the shared DNA from her Dominican mother and African American father. After fifteen years of marriage, her beauty still amazed him.

Baby, wake up. Gabriel leaned over and nudged Maria on the shoulder.

She stopped snoring for a second, but did not respond.

He shoved her again.

A pillow was hurled from the bed. He ducked. Another pillow followed. This one smacked him in the face.

For Christ sake, is it possible that I can get any sleep around here? Maria screamed; visibly upset.

Gabriel chuckled.

His laughter only infuriated her.

I don’t find a damn thing funny.

Stop being so dramatic, He said, We need to talk.

Maria closed her eyes for a second, then opened them back up. She looked over at the alarm clock on the nightstand. It’s one o’clock in the morning. This couldn’t have waited until later?

Gabriel watched his wife pull back the bedspread and sheets and sit up. With no bra on, her nipples stood at attention. His eyes traveled down to her black lace panties that outlined her well proportioned hips and backside.

Leaving is going to be hard.

Extremely hard.

The bulge in his pants meant he was thinking literally.

Despite the temptation to have sex one last time before his departure, he stayed on topic. No, this can’t wait. I’m leaving tonight.

Leaving? What are you talking about? She asked; while rubbing her eyes.

After listening to Gabriel’s explanation for his late night departure, Maria eyes watered.

So there was no gas leak at the other house? Why did you lie? I knew something was fishy about us leaving so fast. Why would you do this to us? I know we don’t have all the money in the world, but we’re getting by. You didn’t have to go out and break the law, She said, glancing down at her hands that were shaking.

It was not so much about the money. It was more about what I was missing. Gabriel closed his eyes, then rubbed them with his fingers.

What possibly could you have been missing that meant more to you than your family?

The truth carried a heavy burden and Maria’s question weighed a ton. Gabriel looked down at the floor and avoided eye contact.

Why do you have to be so damn selfish all the time? Everything has to be about you! Maria shouted. She rose to her feet and shoved him away with both hands.

Stumbling backwards, Gabriel tried to grab her arms, but to no avail. Come on baby, let’s not overreact.

Overreact, are you kidding me? Your ass is selfish and you’ve always been that way. Have you forgotten that you got me and another woman pregnant at the same damn time? The same damn time Gabriel. We had our kids a week apart for Christ sakes. What other woman do you know, would have stayed with your ass under those circumstances? Maria snarled her retort.

Baby, I thought we were over that.

Over what? I can forgive, but I will never forget that shit. Do I look stupid to you?

Gabriel searched his mind for a response, but came up blank. His mother had told him on many of occasions that he had selfish ways. She even joked that she thought about changing his name from Gabriel to Me First when he was growing up.

You made your point Baby, but I was not trying to be selfish this time. I just can’t shake the adrenaline rush I get when I go on missions. I don’t have any control over this urge to continue to do what I was trained for. I was taught certain things and those things changed me. It’s something I just can’t turn on then turn off.

Look, if you’re looking for some type of adrenaline rush, then why don’t you take your ass down to Gatorland and wrestle a gator or something.

Gabriel chuckled, I wish it was that simple. His smile subsided. I have an addiction to calculated aggression and violence. I was trained to watch and kill people and I’m good at what I do.

Maria sat down on the bed. She patted her hand on the open space next to her. Gabriel walked over and took a seat. She cradled his hand and slid her fingers in between his. Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I wish you would have come and talk to me about this earlier. Maybe I could have helped or got you some help.

Gabriel laid his head on her shoulder. He squeezed her hand tightly. They rocked side to side in silence. His mind was all over the place.

I got to get out of here, He whispered, then hopped off the bed.

Maria sat in a daze. Her eyes were fixated on the carpet; searching between the wool fibers for hidden answers.

I’m willing to move to another state. Hell, we can move to another country. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep our family together, She mumbled.

I wish it was that simple, but these people won’t stop until they find me. They will destroy anything in their path.

Maria eyes watered. Gabriel leaned over and lifted her chin with his index finger. She closed her eyes and kissed him. It was the same kiss they had shared on the swing in the park on their first date. Neither wanted to leave each other that night, and this night would be no different.

Lord knows I don’t want to leave, Gabriel said.

And you know I don’t want you to leave. We’ve never been apart.

Gabriel’s eyes watered. Listen, I got to get going. I will call you once I make it to my destination.

Maria nodded her head reluctantly. She hugged him one last time and watched him leave the room.

Gabriel hustled down the hallway and entered his son’s room. Javier was sitting on the edge of the bed with his arms crossed.

What are you up to? Gabriel asked. He sat down next to him on the bed.

Just sitting here thinking?

Thinking about what?

About what we’re going to do while you’re gone.

Gabriel smirked. So you’ve been eavesdropping on our conversation again. Boy, what have I told you about that? He rubbed his son’s head in a circular motion leaving his hair disheveled.

Javier ducked his head away from his father’s hand. Come on dad, you’re messing up my hair.

Gabriel stopped and addressed his son. I need for you to listen to me very carefully. He glanced down at the fifteen year old and waited for his awkward head nod.

Javier cocked his head to the side, craned his neck, and nodded.

Gabriel cracked a half smile, then continued his spiel. I need for you to protect your mother while I’m gone. He paused for a second after hearing footsteps in the hallway but continued after seeing Maria’s silhouette near the doorway. You’re the man of the house now.

Javier lowered his mocha colored eyes and stared at his bare feet. He tapped his right foot up and down. Gabriel spotted the jitters so he made his son stand up. He reached down and gave him a hug to comfort him. His six-foot-four muscular physique towered over Javier’s lanky, five-foot-eleven inch frame.

Don’t be afraid. You have nothing to worry about. No one knows you and your mother are living here.

Javier raised his left eyebrow. He stared at his father for a second.

I’m not afraid Dad. I’m confused. Why would someone want to hurt you?

A year ago, Gabriel would have been asking himself the same question. While stuck in the back of a mailroom, working a boring 9 to 5, he had no enemies, nor did he have a need to hide his family. But after the discovery of the black market website, all of that changed.

It’s a long story, Gabriel said. He looked down at the spitting image of himself that stood before him and paused.