Operation Arachnid: On High Alert

By Tim Conley

Sam Benton was on his first assignment as a rookie police officer in a suburb of San Francisco when an urgent call came in that a convenience store was being robbed and people held at gunpoint. He and his partner answered the call and both were shot. Sam was placed on life support and almost died - if not for the groundbreaking surgery and drugs that were used by a new physician on the docks. Sam's mother couldn't pay for the procedure but the doctor took him in anyway and started his training to return him to an active life style.
His doctors injected Sam with the venom of a spider that helped him heal quickly. He dedicated his life to taking down the mob who had been behind the series of attacks on his community. When he healed and was trained - he had the speed and agility of the Fennec spider. Read & Enjoy!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tim Conley
• Release date: Aug 16, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005217471

Tim Conley

Hi, my name is Tim Conley. I live in Philadelphia, MS with my beautiful wife, Carmela. My son,James (JD) is in the Air Force and has a son Joshua who is 21/2 with another boy on the way. Carmela's son - Enrik just graduated from Mississippi State University with a degree in Teaching.I have been writing for over twenty years and have published 67 books so far - two recently with Amazon/Kindle. I'm currently working on a fantasy anthology of 28 books called The Rhumgold Sagas.I have always been interested in publishing via eBook format but just haven't found the venue until now. I'm really looking forward to participating in the eBook experience. There are 22 e-books available now and 16 more that are being prepared for release in 2020. Read, explore and enjoy!

Book preview

Operation Arachnid:

On High Alert

TIM CONLEY

Copyright © 2012 Tim Conley

Dragon’s Breath Publishing

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 1-5115-3741-8

ISBN-13: 978-1-5115-3741-4

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

About the Author

Acknowledgements

Appendix 1

Dedication

Other Books by Author

C1 Negotiations with SWAT Backup

Rodrigo looked closely at his partners and was satisfied that he couldn’t detect their sawed-off shotguns underneath their black knee-length trench coats. ‘A good touch when we lifted these London Fogs from those old farts. Makes us look like we own the place.’ His thoughts were coming swiftly as they strode into the 7/11 and fanned out.

He had one goal in mind and that was to cut off the path of escape from everyone who remained in the store. They needed hostages. Lots of them. So, they had chosen lunch time as the most likely time to have a store full. Rodrigo counted at least twenty as he and his brothers removed their shotguns and began herding the guests.

Alberto was off to his right and rammed the barrel of his gun into a woman’s stomach. She bent over and crashed into the floor, but not before she reached out and raked cans off the middle shelf on her way down. She gasped in pain as Alberto kicked her in the face and stepped over her fetal position.

Sergio was behind and to the left. He didn’t like causing undue pain to anyone, so he just gestured with his shotgun. Everyone moved around in front of him. Rodrigo moved on the manager who was reaching under the counter.

Don’t do that, amigo. I will blow your head off. He moved on up to the counter and pointed his gun over to cover everything.

Now come on out and get to know your fellow hostages. And make no mistakes. We are here to kill some people. Don’t know who, but someone is gonna die today. So let’s just settle down and let the SWAT do their thing for a while. You did hit the button, didn’t you?

The manager shook his head and Rodrigo checked that the button hadn’t actually been pushed.

I was counting on you doing your job, mister man.

Rodrigo pushed the red button and after a few minutes they all heard the sirens as cop cars began filling the road and lot outside the 7/11. Fire trucks rumbled up to provide support to their police brothers. SWAT vans finally made it through the maze of cars and trucks that were being turned away from the area.

Alberto, we need to show them that our resolve is rock hard. Choose someone to walk outside with our demands.

Alberto’s eyes landed on the manager. I have him. He moved around some of the people who were already sitting on the floor. He placed his gun barrel against the temple of the manager and indicated for him to get up.

Rodrigo grinned. Yes. I agree with your choice. The manager should do his job and convey our demands to the pigs.

He placed his hand on the man’s back and pushed him toward the door. They had to step around some of the hostages who cowered away.

You are to give the men outside our list of demands. You got that?

The man nodded and swallowed. Yes, sir. I got it. What do you want me to tell them?

Only one thing – to die! Now get out there and tell them what we want.

He pushed the manager out the door and the man immediately yelled for the marksmen not to shoot. He took several steps and the policemen began to rush in to take him to safety.

The manager looked back at the man who was still standing in the door. He screamed as he saw the 9mm Beretta come out of the man’s pocket. The slug hit him in the back and tore out a portion of his spine. He looked down at the bloody hole in his stomach where everything seemed to want to come out all at once. He slapped his right hand over the gaping wound and sank to his knees. A moment later a stupefied look came over his face and he collapsed.

Rodrigo slipped back inside the store before anyone could get a shot off. He had timed things just right. SWAT teams were still setting up and the negotiator hadn’t arrived yet. It was best to send a message early in these kinds of situations. He smiled viciously as he made his way back to the cash register area and indicated for his boys to round up everyone in a heap in the middle of the floor.

Now. It’s like this, people. I give the orders around here and my posse carries them out. You blink and you die! Got that?

Outside SWAT and the medical teams were set up. All the focus suddenly centered on the negotiator, Sam Benton. Teams of uniforms were trying to get the streets cleared of onlookers. Police cruisers and nearby ambulances were being positioned so no innocent passersby would become embroiled in the hostage situation now taking place. The 7/11 convenience store was surrounded and looked more like a European warzone than anything else.

At least three men are holding anywhere from ten to twenty hostages. They’ve just sent one man out to die. I think he was the manager of the store. Looks like they wanted to send a message that they mean business. Lt. Alvarez briefed Sam on the situation.

OK. Make sure your men support the SWAT and that no one shoots without my approval. Got that?

Alvarez nodded vigorously and moved off to brief his squad. Sam took a deep breath and looked over at the body on the gurney behind one of the waiting ambulances and wondered how many of them would be full by the end of this situation. He had a bad feeling about this one. It had already gone south when they murdered the manager.

Releasing the breath, he didn’t know he had been holding, Sam prepared to negotiate. Inside the hostages huddled together in fear, while the three hostage takers stomped about the store yelling and waving their guns in the air.

Snipers were on rooftops nearby, SWAT team prepared to run in on command, media crews were uncomfortably close nearby, convenience store windows were covered with the shades pulled down. The snipers were not able to determine where the hostage takers were standing and where the hostages might be.

Not wanting to risk a hostage being harmed, Sam Steward tried to open up the negotiations.

Sam lifted the megaphone in his left hand and triggered the talk button.

We all want this to be settled peacefully. My name is Sam. What is that you want?

You to clear the street and let us go free. No one dies! Rodrigo shouted around the edge of the door from where he lay behind stacked cans by the door.

Show a good will gesture, let the women and children in there go.

Not a fat chance, pig!

Meanwhile the media reporters were getting geared up for full time broadcast.

We’re standing here just outside the 7/11 store on 14th street where two armed assailants have been holding an undetermined number of hostages for the past two hours. It is not known at this time the current conditions of the hostages. At this time, negotiations are underway in hopes of a peaceful surrender. Uh, man, get out of the shot!

Can you tell us if anyone is injured in there?

Maybe there is and maybe not.

Captain Maynard had just arrived on the scene and been briefed on the situation.

We’re going to have to end this. They’ve been stalling for an hour and we don’t have any more information now than we did when we started the negotiations. I think it’s time to send in the SWAT.

Sam looked back over his shoulder and couldn’t believe the man was going to interfere.

If you do, they could shoot everyone in there!

We don’t know that they haven’t. They could be dead already. They simply won’t surrender. We must consider using the tear gas. Captain Maynard threw his gloves on the ground in frustration. Do you know how far up my ass the mayor’s foot is gonna be over this? He doesn’t want the media to break any stories like this and you’ve allowed them on the scene.

They weren’t my doing. Captain, you need to me give them one last chance.

Alright, but if they don’t offer us at least one hostage, we will have to take the next step with the gas, alright?

Alright Captain.

Sam raised the megaphone again. Please hear me, I am trying to help everyone get through this safely. I would like to ask you to send one hostage out, let us see that you are willing to cooperate, otherwise we won’t be able to settle this peacefully.

There was quiet for a moment and then the convenience store door opened slightly, and an elderly woman began to walk from the building. Before she could take ten steps, Rodrigo shot her in the back. She plopped to the ground like a melon that had just opened up.

Oh, my God! Sam moaned.

Captain Maynard wasted no time, waving his hand - FIRE!

A resounding round of shots fired back and forth across the street. Inside the store people scrambled to hide from flying bullets. Onlookers scrambled to take cover. Media took cover behind their vans. Police officers took cover as they tried to return shots. Sam also drew his Glock 19 and raised it to shoot. The scene carried on for several seconds. Then all was silent.

C2 Taken Down by a Bullet

The officers behind their cars looked at one another and Captain Maynard was preparing his team to enter the building. Sam stood up.

It appears we’re done here.

A single shot sounded from the front of the store. Sam was hit square in the chest. The cop cutter penetrated his vest.

Captain Maynard saw him fall. BENTON! GO! He gave the SWAT team clearance to enter the convenience store as he simultaneously moved over to Sam’s side.

Sam! Sam, look at me! Maynard saw the blood seeping from behind the vest and thumbed open the vest. He tried to