The Deuce

By David N. Thomas II

When former Soldier turned Dive Ship Captain Matt Ritter gets involved with Mercedes Khalid, a beautiful Politician with a checkered past, he and his crew of former Soldiers fall into a web of violence when she becomes a suspect in a DEA Task Force investigating her former employer and boyfriend Manuel Serna. Serna: the one of the largest importers of Heroin and Cocaine in Miami fights back against the DEA and kidnaps Khalid in an effort to escape the country using her as a hostage. Now Matt Ritter and the crew of The Deuce must muster up their own deadly skills in an effort to rescue Mercedes Khalid from Serna's yacht in Havana, Cuba.

• Language: English
• Publisher: David N. Thomas II
• Release date: Aug 3, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005534554

David N. Thomas II

My name is David N Thomas II and I retired from the U.S. Army as a Staff Sergeant in 2013 and am now living in Upstate New York. I spent 26 years in the Army both as an Infantryman and as a Chaplain's Assistant, and have had numerous security jobs since then. I enjoy travel, skiing, scuba diving and camping.

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The Deuce

By

David N. Thomas II

The Deuce

Published by David N. Thomas II at Smashwords.

Copyright 2020 David N. Thomas II

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage others to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

AUTHORS NOTE

PART ONE

PART TWO

EPILOGUE

ABOUT DAVID N. THOMAS II

OTHER

AUTHORS NOTE

The more I write and research my stories more I enjoy writing and what I write about. I enjoy stories that thrill me and get the blood pumping at times; I enjoy creating interesting characters readers will care about and be intrigued by and that are believable and interesting. Mostly, I enjoy writing about things I enjoy doing and places I’ve visited and take the reader there.

The Deuce is similar to my Stephen Thomas series in that all the main characters are military veterans starting new lives and trying to set aside some of those demons that haunt their pasts.

The Deuce in the book refers to a number of things: the name of the Boat as well as the nickname of 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry, 10th Mountain Divisions, which was commonly referred to as The Deuce or Triple Deuce by those of us who served there.

I would like to dedicate this book to my three beautiful Grand Daughters Addison, Kennedy and Quinn: they do own my heart.

PART ONE: The Soothing Seas

CHAPTER ONE

Miami, FL. 1230 hours

The Salsa music helped them relax as they sat on the balcony waiting for the waitress to bring out their lunch. A soft warm breeze brought the scent of saltwater and a hint of rain. It had been the first time they’d seen each other in a while and the mood was cordial but cautious.

He was noticeably nervous and fidgeted with his napkin whenever she looked at him and she was uncharacteristically quiet for such an outgoing woman who enjoyed the spotlight.

The man was tall with short blonde hair and a neatly trimmed mustache and kept in impressive shape that was apparent under the tight fitting Polo and slacks. He was well tanned, and had a rugged look to his face, with a strong jutting chin, squared off cheekbones and sad, blue eyes that had seen plenty of pain and regret.

She was several inches shorter with raven black hair that stretched down to the middle of her back, voluptuous curves and large breasts that stretched her shirt out suggestively. She had large brown eyes set into a round face and smooth olive skin that displayed her Persian heritage.

When their food finally arrived the mood broke and she smiled at him.

You’re looking good, Ken, work is treating you well. You look more relaxed.

He smiled at the compliment and nodded.

Sitting behind a desk instead of out on the streets is a lot less stressful, he admitted with a chuckle. I miss it.

She nodded.

You look as beautiful as ever, Mercedes, maybe even more so.

She blushed, looked down at her salad and stabbed a piece of carrot.

I’ve missed you, Ken. I really am very sorry for what I did. She looked back down at her salad. I never meant for any of it to get out of hand like it did. I didn’t realize the consequences of what I was doing.

Ken shook his head and shrugged.

Of course you did, Mercedes. It’s just politics and politicians will use anything to get what they want regardless of the consequences. It’s what they do to get ahead: I just didn’t think you’d use me the same way.

She looked down at her salad once more, fighting the urge to break down and cry and fought back the tears of guilt that suddenly welled up inside her. She had used him to win an election: it was something she hated herself for doing but also something she couldn’t undo. The consequences had torn them apart in a devastating and painfully public way she still suffered for after winning office.

It had been over a year since they’d spoke: He had been an undercover cop working to expose a child prostitution and human trafficking ring involving prominent businessmen and politicians who’d been dating the nurse-turned-politician who had used him to expose her political rival during a closely contested election.

They had been doomed when she’d decided to quit her job at an Urgent Care Center to seek political office. Social and then the news media began coverage that almost guaranteed her the election until her rival, seeking re-election had turned her lack of experience and ideas against her. Then, in a moment of weakness she’d opened a folder Kenneth had absentmindedly left on the table in the apartment they’d shared and found the smoking gun she needed to turn the tables.

Her opponent was a suspect in Grey’s investigation and she’d quickly seized on it. She had held a press conference several days later where she had exposed her opponent, as well as several others being investigated and called upon the Police Department to make the arrests.

Kenneth Gray, the lead officer in the Task Force had been suspended for leaking the information, the Task Force disbanded and the entire investigation had been shut down. No arrests had been made because her actions had rendered the evidence inadmissible in court. She’d been sworn in as Congresswoman for the State of Florida two weeks later.

Her opponent disappeared and had been found dead several weeks later from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. A follow-on investigation into his death had dismissed the original suspicions and his family was still deciding whether to sue Mercedes for defamation and hold her responsible for his death.

Mercedes Khalid, on the other hand, had struggled to use her new-found notoriety to her advantage and had become a staunch supporter of Law Enforcement and in particular the Customs and Border Patrol. This did little to warm her relations with the Miami Police Department who made every effort to marginalize her support for law enforcement simply as efforts to make up for destroying their investigation.

Why did you call me after all this time? You’re the last person I ever expected to hear from again.

He shrugged.

I didn’t expect it either to be honest. You’ve taken a lot of shit from the department for what you did. I just wanted you to know that I’ve forgiven you for it. I can’t forget what you did and I can’t trust you, but I can forgive you.

Tears welled in her eyes and she blinked.

For a moment she was too choked up to say anything and she reached a trembling hand out to him and held his. She nodded and let the tears run down her cheeks.

I’m so sorry, Kenneth.

He nodded and smiled softly.

I know you are, Mercedes and I believe it when you tell everyone you are going to support us. I just wanted you to know that. That’s why I called you.

Thank you.

You’re welcome.

He watched her cry for a moment before handing her a napkin to dry her eyes and she turned away for a few minutes to fix her makeup.

Thank you for meeting me without your staff or the media. I just wanted it to be the two of us.

I didn’t want to ruin things again.

Let’s finish lunch and catch up for a bit before you have to get back to work.

She smiled and nodded, wiping one last tear and still trying to fix her ruined makeup.

I would really like that.

They watched the couple talk and eat lunch for a few minutes longer before they set their binoculars down and stopped the recorder.

Well, I’ll be damned, he really got her to show up without her posse.

Another shook his head.

Never underestimate someone’s need for friends, especially if they’ve fucked up badly in the past.

From what I’ve heard so far she has no idea how much he really hates her.

I told you he was a natural at this. Getting him back into the game, even just for this operation is perfect. Nobody will suspect he’s working with us.

The five men sat in a half-moon facing a sixth man and his partner.

Chief of Police Harold Nelson and his Chief of Special Operations, Jack Hartman were still debating the idea of using the Congresswoman as bait for the men from the Drug Enforcement Agency. Nelson hated the woman almost as much as Kenneth Gray did but for it wasn’t as personal for him as it was for Gray. He hated Congresswoman Khalid for exposing his men and women to danger for her own political gain and then having the nerve to make herself out to be their biggest supporter afterwards.

There is a lot of potential in using her. We can get her to investigate corruption within the department with your man pulling strings. We know that she has connections all over the community that might help us track Manuel Serna’s shipments and locate his product storage centers. What’s the worst that can happen? We draw a blank and go back to the drawing board and nobody knows any different.

I don’t want Officer Gray being exposed again: that is the problem. The closer he gets to her the greater the chances of the media latching on and then we’re all fucked again. Contact with her has to be kept to the minimum: as in only if there is no alternative, is that understood?

We were thinking only when we need her to actually look into something or make some noise.

Nelson gave them a dubious look, then glanced at Hartman who echoed his doubts.

If you need him to make contact with her you meet with me first and I have to okay it. We meet in a secure location and you justify why we need to take the risk.

The man in the middle nodded and cleared his throat.

Chief Nelson, Chief Detective Hartman, I completely understand your concerns and have no problem agreeing to your terms. We’ll continue to conduct regular meetings with you to discuss the operation so you and your people are kept up to date but your need-to-know list needs to be very short.

Nelson nodded.

I think that can be arranged. We have a secure briefing room in the basement of the main station we can use. Say once a week?

The DEA man stood up, walked over to Nelson and stuck out his hand. The two men were rough the same height, close to six feet tall but Nelson was years older than the DEA man he hadn’t learned the name of.

Call me Sam, Chief.

Sam it is.

They shook hands.

Sam was muscular with a red crew-cut and thickly muscled arms, a barrel chest and thick legs. Overall he looked like a professional bodybuilder with plenty of Marine Corps tattoos on his chest and back and three weeks of red beard.

The other four had the same hard, military look to them and had remained silent during the short conversation. They missed nothing behind their dark sunglasses.

We’ll see you next week, Sir and we will continue to coordinate with Officer Gray for his resources. We really do appreciate your cooperation, it has already been very helpful.

Hartman nodded.

Just keep him out of trouble or you won’t get any more of it.

Sam grinned and nodded.

Nelson and Hartman left the room without another word and the room was silent for a moment. Sam turned to the others and sighed.

Okay, let’s get back to work. What’s on the block for today?

One man cleared his throat.

I was asked to accompany my contact to Serna’s yacht for an introduction. Apparently he’s throwing a party.

Sam nodded.

Go in clean. We’ll get pictures of anyone boarding or leaving that boat before it takes off. The man nodded. When is this happening?

In a few days: Saturday night.

Good, that gives us some time to have everyone in place. Just take it easy and don’t press your luck with him. You know the drill.

The man nodded.

Just another scumbag drug dealer to me, Boss.

Sam nodded.

Yeah, but the biggest in the area.

CHAPTER TWO

Gentle Swells Dive Center, Miami, Florida 0730 hours

Matt Ritter stepped down the gangway and onto the pier to greet the line of guests walking towards their slip and waited proudly for them to arrive.

He was both nervous and excited at the prospect of their first charter, as were the rest of his crew. They had worked hard to renovate and transform The Deuce: formerly a sixty-foot ocean-going Tugboat into a luxury live-aboard dive boat. It had taken two years of customizing, redesigning, and installing new equipment to bring them to this day and they wanted nothing to go wrong.

The original bridge had been taken apart and turned into an extended saloon and galley. They had built a fly bridge and second helm on top of the saloon with a private tanning deck and a retractable roof and windows. It now had a state of the art electronics and navigation suite. The crew and storage rooms had been turned into luxurious staterooms and an entire onboard repair shop for maintaining their dive equipment had been built beside the engine room.

Painted a shimmering metallic blue and gold, The Deuce was unique and stood out against the rest of the fleet of dive boats that worked out of the Dive Center.

Today’s customers were a middle-aged, wealthy businessman and his family who had specifically requested their boat from the Dive Center and wanted to give the new crew a chance to strut their stuff.

Matt was nearly six feet tall, with broad shoulders, thickly muscled arms and legs and a trim waist. He had black hair, a goatee and dark, leathery skin from countless hours under the sun. He had just turned forty a few weeks before, and was thoughtful, laid back and almost always had a gracious smile on his face.

Welcome onboard The Deuce Sir, I’m Matt Ritter: Ship’s Captain and one of your Dive Masters.

He shook hands with the older gentleman.

Thank you, Captain Ritter, we’re looking forward to some great diving. She’s a handsome vessel.

Matt beamed proudly.

Thank you, we’ve worked hard to restore her. You are our first guests.

I’m Andy Parker. I’ve heard that you and you crew have been hard at work on her. Two years? The man at the Dive Center said you would not disappoint me.

Ritter nodded.

Yes, Sir: just about two years. It has been our dream.

Well, as someone who has followed his dream I want you to see yours come to fruition. I look forward to some great diving. I assume you also have a bar onboard?

Matt laughed at that and nodded.

And a humidor with a decent selection of cigars.

Parker laughed and nodded.

Ah, now you have my attention.

Well, let’s get you settled into your staterooms and we’ll head out.

Parker nodded and followed Ritter onboard the twenty-year old tugboat that could now comfortably sleep a dozen guests and crew: more than enough room for their six guests.

The rest of the crew was standing side by side waiting to greet them.

Matt introduced them in turn: David Ryan, Pamela Griggs, Brian Meadows, Chris Hayes and Walt Gerard. All of them were close friends with a passion for the water, all were experienced divers and with the exception of Pamela, experienced boatmen.

They were all dressed alike in khaki cargo shorts and blue t-shirts with their ship name: The Deuce emblazoned above a blue and white shield with gold arrows forming a circle in the middle. They shook hands with Parker, his wife, his brother and their three daughters Matt judged to be just into High School.

Sir, if you will follow David and Pamela, they will escort all of you to your rooms while we bring in the lines and head out, Matt suggested but Andy simply shook his and handed his backpack to his wife.

If you don’t mind I’d like to watch you and your crew at work.

Matt shrugged and nodded.

Fine with me, Sir.

Please, call me Andy: this is a vacation after all.

Absolutely, Andy.

Matt took a step to his side as the rest of the Parker family followed Pamela and David through a set of glass sliding doors and into the lounge area. He looked to the others and nodded.

Okay, let’s do this. Switch on the radios.

They all nodded and a short, thickly muscled man built like a fire hydrant turned and disappeared through a side door to the engine room. He was Walter Gerard. He had been a mechanic in the Army but knew how to fix and run anything. He was the first to laugh and tell a joke but was also the first to throw a punch if needed.

He double checked the engines again then keyed his radio.

Both engines are online, go ahead and start them up.

Roger.

Outside, Brian Meadows, a tall, lanky kid with shoulder length blonde hair stood on the dock uncoiling the bow line from its iron cleat while Chris Hayes did the same at the stern. They secured both lines with a long strip of heavy Velcro and tossed them up onto the deck before scampering back aboard.

Chris was a few inches shorter than Brian with tightly curled black hair and ebony skin. He spoke with a mildly British accent, having moved to the States from Manchester, England as a teenager. He sported a knife scar along his right cheek he rarely spoke about. His family roots stretched back to British Colonial Kenya where his Great Grandfather had worked for the British Ambassador as a personal secretary.

On the Fly Bridge, Matt made slight adjustments to the side thrusters while answering various questions Andy threw his way and the boat slid sideways away from the dock. He cut the thrusters, letting the bow drift sideways into the channel before gently adjusting the main throttles and they slowly pulled forward.

The powerful Volvo engines that had made this craft such an able sea-going tug in years past bristled with power and Matt resisted the urge to show off them off for his client.

Andy smiled broadly and nodded as he watched the pier slip away.

That was very smooth, Captain. I’m impressed. For a new ship your crew seems to work very well together.

Matt nodded and smiled.

We’ve been friends long before we bought this ship.

Oh? I’ve found that going into business with friends can be very difficult at times.

Matt laughed and nodded.

Yes, that can be the case in some instances but we’re more like a family.

Oh? Including Miss Griggs? I’m curious now.

Matt hesitated then shrugged.

We all served in the Army together: in the same unit.

Parker’s surprise was evident.

All of you? Were you ever in combat?

Matt nodded, not volunteering anything further.

Andy nodded in admiration.

Well, thank you for sharing that with me, Captain.

Please, call me Matt.

Alright, Matt. I supposed you were the leader?

Matt shook his head.

No, that would be David.

But you’re the Ship’s Captain.

Matt nodded.

I’m only the ship’s captain because I’ve got the most experience working on boats.

I see, well you seem to be a good leader from what I’ve seen so far.

I appreciate you saying that.

Parker was quiet for a moment and watched as the ship turned to starboard and entered the main channel heading out of the harbor. Off to their right in a separate deep water channel huge cruise ships were docked and taking on passengers. Matt waved at the passengers as they slipped by.

Once free of the seawall and in open waters Matt relaxed and sat down in the leather Captain’s chair. He checked the surrounding area for traffic before setting the autopilot and turned to Andy Parker.

Sir, there are drinks down in the lounge area if you want to relax with your family. We have about a four hour trip to our first dive location.

Parker nodded and smiled.

Would you like something? I’d be happy to bring something up for you.

Matt smiled and shook his head.

No thanks, I keep a stocked cooler under the chair but I appreciate the offer.

I wish you would start calling me Andy.

Matt chuckled and nodded.

Sorry, force of habit. I will work on that.

Thanks. Do you know what we are having for lunch?

Because we are going to be doing our first dive I believe it will be salads and cold cut sandwiches. Nothing heavy: we don’t want anyone cramping up while we’re down there.

Parker nodded.

That makes sense. Well, I think I will head down to see what else is going on. Thank you for indulging my curiosity.

Not a problem, I appreciate you taking an interest in us. I hope you enjoy your trip.

Parker nodded.

I’m looking forward to it.

Parker stepped to the rear of the fly bridge and climbed down the stairs.

Matt watched him leave, his thoughts wandering for a moment, then turned his attention back to the navigation suite. He plugged in the location of their first dive from memory and the autopilot corrected their course slightly.

This was also their first overnight charter and he was nervous about everything going just right. He knew the boats systems were in top shape but he still double checked everything. He heard voices below and some laughter and relaxed slightly.

He stood up from the chair, pulled open a hidden door, and slid out a small cedar humidor. He selected a cigar, clipped the end and produced a butane lighter from a pocket. He drew a slow pull as he lit the end and the tip glowed softly. He dropped the zippo into the humidor and slid it back into place before closing the door once more.

More laughter and female voices coming up the ladder startled Matt as he sat back down in the chair and took another slow puff of his Cohiba. Pamela Griggs and the three Parker daughters climbed up onto the fly bridge to join him.

Pamela was tall and slender with long auburn hair that was pulled back into a pony tail. She had soft brown eyes and a small pouty mouth over a delicate chin and dark tanned skin. She bore a scar on her right forearm that she kept hidden with makeup.

As attractive as she was, she was viewed by the others more like their kid sister and they jealously guarded her as such. She’d always had a crush on David, but he’d never harbored the same feelings for her and they had become close friends instead.

As the duties were divided among the crew, she and David had become both cooks and room attendants since they always seemed to pay attention to details others ignored. Both of them loved to cook and David had briefly attended culinary school after he’d left the Army.

Pam stared disapprovingly at the cigar as the last of the three daughters, clad in shorts and swimsuit tops reached the top of the ladder and looked around.

What?

You know what, you aren’t venting it.

I just lit the damn thing!

He shook his head and spun around to the helm and toggled a line of switches. All around them the tinted windows lowered into the walls.

Thank you.

He chuckled as she led them past him.

The fly bridge level was as long as the lounge and kitchen area directly below it, with faux-leather couches, the helm station, and a door that opened out onto the private deck one could sunbath on. This was what the girls were interested in and Pam led them out the front door, closing it behind them.

The breeze cut the sun’s heat and he found a pair