Penance: Unredeemable

By Seth Sjostrom

FBI Agent Alex Penance chases after a cartel's human-trafficking ring, uncovering horrific scenes as the gang's safe houses are found throughout abandoned farmhouses of rural Mississippi and swamps of Louisiana. Each location he uncovers reveals a more sinister treatment of a group of missing girls who find themselves in the middle of the cat-an

• Language: English
• Publisher: wolfprintMedia
• Release date: Mar 8, 2021
• ISBN: 9781736102640

Seth Sjostrom

Seth Sjostrom is a Camas, Washington resident. He grew up in Uncasville, CT and Southport, NC; going to college at University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Seth is a serial entrepreneur, adventurer and author. His books include the thrillers Blood in the Snow, Blood in the Water, Blood in the Sand, Penance, and Dark Chase as well as the romances Back to Carolina, Finding Christmas, The Tree Farm and The Nativity.

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Penance

Unredeemable

Seth Sjostrom

wolfprint, LLC

Camas, WA, 98607

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

Copyright ©2020 by Seth Sjostrom

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or any portion of the book in any form whatsoever.

For information, contact wolfprintMedia.

ePub Digital Edition

ISBN-13: 978-1-7361026-4-0

Penance Unredeemable

1. Alex Penance (Fictitious character)-Fiction. 2. Terrorism-Crime-Political- Fiction. 3. Penance Series-Fiction I. Title.

First wolfprintMedia print edition 2021. wolfprintMedia is a trademark of wolfprintMedia, LLC.

For information regarding bulk purchases, please contact wolfprintMedia, LLC, at [e-mail].

United States of America

To all who are broken, there is hope.

To the first responders, the law enforcement and trauma teams who help pick up the shattered pieces, knowing each is a life that can be put back together again.

To God, who through all things is possible.

Penance

Unredeemable

One

Ty pulled Becca tight as the farmhouse came into view for the group of teenagers. Better stick close, he whispered in her ear.

Aw, you’ll protect me? Becca giggled.

So, what do you think guys, boogie man, ghost, zombies…? Danny mused as they walked around the abandoned structure.

"I don’t know, but plenty of people driving by have seen something going on here," Rachel shuddered.

Travis grinned, turning his camera on to document their expedition, Whatever it is, I’ve got my phone ready to record. It’s going to go viral, if we’re lucky.

Raymond slogged behind his friends, I think it’s a bunch of scaredy cats. You know, the kind of people who get the willies anytime the breeze blows a curtain away from an open window a little funny.

The group paused. Standing in front of the farmhouse, its paint nearly chipped off from years of neglect on its sagging front porch.

It’s all kinds of creepy, Rachel whispered.

Hang on, this shot is perfect with the moon over the house, Travis backed away from the crowd and snapped a photo. Did you guys see that?

See what? Raymond groaned.

In the window, something moved, Travis exclaimed.

Ty pulled Becca closer, This is getting good!

I don’t know… should we be doing this? Becca asked.

The group cast glances at one another, taking an unspoken poll.

I gotta take a leak. You guys look for a way in, take a few more pictures, whatever. I’ll be right back, Raymond declared.

Stepping away from the group, he used the moonlight to illuminate a path around to one of the outbuildings where he would be out of sight of his friends. Just as he zipped up, he thought he caught a glimpse of something reflecting inside one of the buildings he used as cover.

Pulling the door further open, he peered inside.

Travis clicked his phone camera as Ty and Becca posed in front of the farmhouse. Danny stared, peering in the direction Raymond had gone.

What, you have to go too? Ty asked.

Danny frowned, No, I just figured Raymond should be back by now.

Ooh, the boogie man got him, Ty giggled, tickling Becca, making her squirm.

No, he’s right, Rachel said. We should go look for him.

Ty’s eyes brightened, We should do like they do in the movies and split up. Uhm, you guys go look for Ray and we’ll stay here, under the moonlight. Alone. He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

You’re a dork, Becca rolled her eyes.

You know what a dork is, right? Danny laughed.

Oh, I know, Becca giggled, elbowing Ty in the ribs.

The group was already moving in the direction Raymond had disappeared. Using the flashlight feature on their phones, they scanned the shadows between the various outbuildings of the farm that were still standing.

One building’s door hung open, swinging ever so slightly in the evening breeze. Danny swung his light towards the structure, catching a reflection from inside the building as he did so. Moving forward to investigate, his friends peered over his shoulder.

Swinging the door all of the way open with his free hand, he aimed his phone inside the tool shed. As he did, the source of the reflection became horrifyingly clear. A machete gleamed against his camera light, almost causing him to blink. His heart froze as he realized the machete was connected to an arm. Just as his friends crowded in to see what he saw, the blade came slashing down, slicing from one side of his neck to the other.

In panicked fear and streaked with their friend’s blood, the teens shrieked in horror. As the man with the machete took an irreverent step over their friend towards them, they turned and ran.

Racing away from the garden shed, they instinctively ran towards the drive where their car was parked. The man chasing them dodged around the building to their left and shortened the distance between them, cutting them off from the path to their car.

Veering as a group, the teens ran to the farmhouse, seeking shelter from the predator keeping pace behind them. Racing up the porch, ignoring its proclivity for collapsing on itself and pounded on the door, the machete-wielding attacker on their heels. To their surprise, the door opened.

Without a thought, they pushed inside and pressed their backs into the farmhouse door, slamming it shut. As they tried to catch their breaths, their hearts raced as wildly as their minds. As they looked up, their pounding hearts sank to their stomachs. Moving from the dusty floor of the abandoned house, theirs eyes traced a pair of figures looming in front of them.

The figures stepped into the moonlight streaming through the dirt clad windows of the old house, revealing two men, each holding a pistol directed at the teens. Reaching out, the men grabbed the girls, spinning them with an arm around their shoulders, their pistols pointed at their heads.

Motioning them forward, the door burst open. The man with the machete stood in the doorway, an evil sneer crossing his face. The man brought the machete down in one swipe and then back up in another, making a slashing ‘X’ out of the boys’ chests. Travis and Ty dropped to their knees as the girls screamed.

With final blows to the boys’ necks, the man with the blood-soaked machete motioned for his compatriots to move with the girls. Understanding, they jostled the girls, moving their hands to cover their mouths and stifle the screams, not that they would be heard at their remote location in the Mississippi countryside.

The machete wielder opened the door to the farmhouse’s cellar. As though they were dispensing with bags of laundry, the men released the girls down the stairs, each tumbling until they hit the hard, earthen floor below. Tears dripping into tiny puddles of mud formed in the dirt.

The girls were shocked as they looked up. Peddling with their feet to get distance from the horror they were witnessing, they saw a dozen female pairs of eyes, ragged girls much like themselves, standing over them, staring at the newcomers.

Before they could begin to comprehend what was happening to their worlds, the door at the top of the stairs slammed shut, eliminating what little light made its way into the cellar, enveloping them into a blanket of darkness.

Two

FBI Agent Alex Penance drove through the streets of Sawyer, early on a morning that had a soft dew on the leaves of the magnolias that he passed. His focus wasn’t on the signs of tolerable weather in rural Mississippi, but on the town itself.

Enduring a vicious attack from a drug cartel that descended into an all-out war with the town, it amazed him how quickly they began erasing the signs of their struggle and came together to rebuild. Debris from the shelling, barrage of bullets and fires was quickly cleared away. In their place, patches for potholes, mended walls and roofs began to take form all over the small town. Neighbors helped neighbors until one project was completed and they moved on to the next.

Pulling alongside the diner, he parked the Porsche SUV he commandeered from a drug trafficker, his first coup as an agent when he was exiled to the forgotten FBI outpost as a punishment. With a wave, he walked past a work crew getting an early start on repairs near the center of town, he entered the diner. He felt as though he were invited into a prestigious club as he joined several men from town that met on a weekly basis for breakfast.

FBI Deputy Director Denny Dixon waved him to a seat between Pastor Carson Roberts and Mayor James Hollis.

I’m glad you could join us, Police Chief Pruitt smiled.

Sheriff John Day nodded to the agent.

District Attorney Colton Jennings merely scoffed a weak greeting before adding, Normally, this breakfast is for leaders, permanent members of this community.

"After all Agent Penance has done for us, he’s a lifelong honorary member of the Sawyer Leadership Breakfast Club," Judge Lonnie Doyle gleamed.

Thank you, Judge, Penance nodded. Ignoring Jennings’ comment, he peered out of the window. I have to admit, the people of Sawyer have amazed me with their grit and fierceness in how they are coming together to get things put back together in town. Even saw the Whatcom boys pitching in.

The wood and plaster can all be mended rather easily. The hearts of those who lost loved one's face a much harder task, Mayor Hollis grimaced.

Pastor Roberts leaned forward, But even then, I see those families out there every day, working alongside the others. Moving forward to cementing the legacy of those they lost, rebuilding the town in their sake.

Well said, Pastor. Why don’t you lead us in prayer and we’ll get some biscuits, grits and ham on our plates, Mayor Hollis suggested.

Pastor Roberts bowed his head and shared a blessing over the breakfast table. Even Penance had taken to bowing and listening to the words that the pastor spoke.

So, have you given anymore thought to staying in Sawyer? While coming to breakfast in rural Mississippi wearing a spiffy suit might be a tad odd, I think you’ve come to fit rather nicely, Judge Doyle asked.

District Attorney Jennings took a keen interest in the question, gawking at Penance as he awaited the reply. So intrigued, he forgot to object as he, too, typically wore proper business attire, though with lighter fabrics more suited for the hot and humid summers.

"Well, I am on track for my next assignment. Commendations from capturing the Las Piratas cartel lieutenant and rescuing a room full of girls from their human trafficking ring raised my Bureau stock," Penance began to explain.

He’ll be with us a bit longer, though, Deputy Director Dixon bellowed. Got a few loose ends related to the case the Bureau needs him to wrap up before he gets to get away.

The cartel was running drugs and abducting girls throughout this region. While we were able to save quite a few girls from our efforts to stop the cartel, there are still a number unaccounted for. We are hoping that the disruption from taking down their regional lieutenant means the operation stalled. They might be holed up, somewhere out there where they feel safe, Penance said.

Jennings swirled the bits of ham in his grits, pondering the news, That must be what Annie, I mean Assistant District Attorney Hunt wanted us to meet on this morning.

The missing girls were a pet project for the A.D.A. that her heart ached over.

My job is to make sure no stone is unturned. To ensure that if they are still in Mississippi… or anywhere in this region, I find them, Penance nodded. He looked down at his bowl of grits. Sliding it forward, he decided to stick with the eggs and slab of ham on the plate next to it.

Dixon spied the agent’s maneuvering of his breakfast offerings and chuckled, The southern transformation isn’t quite complete.

Penance shrugged.

Did y’all hear the town council decided to go through with the Harvest Fest? Mayor Hollis announced.

I think that is a good thing. The town needs an event like that, a reason to celebrate together, Pastor Roberts said.

Sheriff Day and I already had plans drawn up for our teams to participate and patrol, Police Chief Pruitt said. Judge, you still up for the fireworks?

The judge laughed, Still have a stockpile, but I can rustle some more up for the event.

The door to the diner jingled. A large, jolly man pushed his way through. His face brightened when he saw the men at the table, in particular, that of Agent Penance. "Well, now. That is a sight," the big man called.

Penance rose from his chair to shake the man’s hand, but instead, a meaty palm pulled him in for a bear hug. The agent gave in, in spite of himself, Good to see you, Bubba.

Good to see you, my friend, Bubba gleamed.

Officer Jeffries, aren’t you on patrol soon? Chief Pruitt asked, chiding his officer.

Bubba nodded, Yes, sir. Just stopping by to see if they needed anything from Momma. Everyone’s been sharing supplies until the orders get back on track.

Glad to hear it. Take your time and give your momma my best, Chief Pruitt said.

You can swing on by and tell her yourself, Chief. She’d like that, Bubba suggested.

The chief nodded, You know, I will. Been needing to fill her ear about my star officer, anyway.

Bubba’s mahogany face got darker as he blushed.

Penance glanced at his watch, and excused himself, I should get to the office. I want to pull together my notes for our meeting.

With a nod to the table, he strode for the door, pushing it open, he held it open for a man. The newcomer scanned the room and found a man holding his hand up, Dwight!

The man thanked Penance for holding the door and greeted his friend, Jonas!

The two men endured years of racial tension between each other throughout their childhood and into their adult years. Coming together in the town’s fight against the cartel, they found common ground and forged a genuine friendship.

Penance nodded approvingly as he slid his sunglasses on his nose and left the diner.

Alex Penance looked up from his desk as the door announced an arrival emitting a long, complaining groan. The FBI agent wasn’t disappointed to see Assistant District Attorney Annie Hunt walk through the door.

He couldn’t suppress a smile, You’re a sight.

Annie cocked her head and frowned, This? I wear this all the time.

Penance’s well-trained eyes keyed on the slight creases of the dress from being wedged with others from shipping, and the slight scent of fabric dyes that new clothes emit prior to their first washing.

Had breakfast with the powers that be, including Colton, Penance admitted.

Annie was taken slightly aback, You were invited to the breakfast club?

Penance shrugged.

Wow, you must have really hit celebrity status around here, Annie said. How was Jennings?

He was alright. The whole saving the town thing bought me a little grace, I think, Penance said.

He didn’t bring up the whole you ‘putting the town in danger in the first place’ thing? Annie grinned.

Not in the mixed crowd. Too much of a sore spot for that group, Penance declared.

Annie floated around Penance’s desk, So, you’re staying for a little while longer?

Penance nodded, "I… the Bureau, wants me to see this through. Clip the remaining ties the Las Piratas have in the southeastern region. Finding the girls in these files is the priority."

Annie Hunt sat on the edge of the agent’s desk and pulled the top file. Leafing through the photos of the missing girls. These poor girls, she sighed.

The front door made the next arrival’s presence known. Annie scurried off of Penance’s desk, smoothing out her dress, she stood awkwardly with the file in her hand as she fumbled to lean against the neighboring desk.

Field Director Dixon burst in with District Attorney Jennings on his heels.

Let me hang up my jacket, and we’ll get started, Dixon called, heading into his office.

Jennings eyed Penance and Hunt suspiciously as he paused upon entering the office and seeing the assistant D.A. scramble.

I’m, uh, I’m going to put a pot of coffee on, just don’t get used to it, boys, Hunt said, carrying the file with her.

Jennings watched Penance’s eyes subconsciously follow the attractive woman across the office. The lanky district attorney strode over and leaned towards the FBI agent, Forget about it, Penance. She is all in for a southern gentleman, and that, my friend, is not you.

Penance stifled his own flashes of mental images of being close to Annie Hunt, You know, you’re probably right. Maybe she’ll meet one of those southern gentlemen someday.

The dapper, lifelong resident of Sawyer bristled at the implication.

You boys playing nice? Dixon asked, rolling up his sleeves as he approached the area of the office with the whiteboards. The look on Jennings’ face told him the two were up to their bantering again.

Just excited to put this case to rest, Director Dixon, Jennings smiled and nodded. And then the talented Agent Penance can be free to pick up his next assignment, right?

The comment brought Annie’s head spinning from the coffeemaker.

We’ll see. There is a lot of work to do and my focus is on finding these girls, and God willing, bringing them home safely, Penance declared.

Coffee anyone? Annie asked as she filled a cup.

All three men nodded and added an affirmative.

Great. Pot is done, you know where the mugs are, the assistant district attorney quipped, carrying her cup over to the meeting area.

While Jennings and Penance scowled, Dixon chuckled at the woman’s posture and wit. All three men strolled over to the coffee maker and filled their mugs. Coffee in hand, they joined Annie, who was studying a bulletin board littered with photos, notes, strings linking items together and maps with big circles drawn in highlighter.

Dixon turned to address the team, "We had a lot to unpack over the past couple of weeks. This was likely the largest forensics footprint I have ever seen in my, well, very long FBI career. We know we took down the Las Piratas lieutenant and most of the U.S.-based cartel is either dead or behind bars. We also know, there are some missing pieces."

The FBI director nodded to the assistant district attorney. Annie Hunt walked up to the board and forcefully pinned the photos of the missing teen girls to the board, filling the right half of the large display. Spinning, she took the helm, "We can’t be sure that all of these kids were abducted by the Las Piratas, but, the timing of their disappearances to the activity of the cartel matches up. The age ranges of the girls line up. If they were abducted, we can’t be sure they are in state or even in the country, or… even alive at this point."

We know the cartel’s M.O. and utilization of abandoned buildings–old stores, gas stations, hunting lodges… they use locations that are off the beaten path but with lots of ways in and out. We know their penchant for using parties to their advantage to lure kids in, giving them drugs and disappearing with them. We know their propensity for sifting males out of the equation in most cases,, focusing on young girls, Penance added.

There were six more missing persons that came in over the wire last night, Dixon added, handing the papers to Annie.

She sifted through, They are a bit younger than the rest but in the range.

Jennings frowned, "You think if it is the Las Piratas, they are still active?"

That wouldn’t make any sense. They would either go underground in place until the heat blew over, in which case the missing girls might be still alive or blow out of town, which would… not be a good prognosis. Remaining active? That would be asinine on their part. Too risky, Penance agreed with Jeffers.

If they just came across the official wire, then it means these kids here have been missing for what… seventy-two hours? Annie asked, handing the new files for Jennings and Penance to review.

That’s right, Penance nodded.

Annie looked concerned, One last score and out of town?

Maybe, Penance shrugged.

Before they could expand on the thought, Dixon’s cell phone and the office phones suddenly came alive.

That can’t be good, Penance muttered.

Dixon paced towards his office and then back towards the group as he hung up. A farmer reported some bad smells near some unused buildings on his land. Called in Amite County Sheriff’s Department who found some dead bodies. Looks to be a few of those missing kids, the Field Director announced.

Let’s go! Annie blurted, already heading for the door.

Penance looked at his director and then at Jennings, each who shrugged.

Alright, I’ll drive, Penance nodded and gathered his things from his desk and scurried after the assistant district attorney.

Three

Penance pulled the Porsche into the drive of the farm nestled deep in a rural part of Mississippi. Cut through a swath of trees, the dirt road emptied into a wide-open field. Flanked on one side with a marshy creek, a dilapidated house with a half dozen outbuildings made up the centerpiece of the farm, as well as the anxious attention of the Amite County Sheriff’s deputies.

This looks like the place, Penance muttered. He was surprised to see the deputies waiting for him at their vehicles instead of investigating.

Seeing the concerned look on