Running Hot - Jacob long (classic book list txt) 📗

task of sawing the wire off of his legs. Soon the wire fell away and Reed was free. He stood and threw the knife back onto the table.
There he looked down at the maid. “What a waste.”
Reed then snatched up the detective’s gun; returning it to its resting place at his belt. Then he took a rag and wiped as much salt as he could off of his hand. It burned with every stroke but he grimmaced all the way to the end. In that moment he heard Comber cry out and his head slowly turned toward the fallen D.A.; a look of malice playing across his face. He let out a low growl as he stomped toward him, grabbed him by what hair he had left, and began viciously bashing his head against the stone wall. He did it again and again and again until he was sure the D.A. was dead. However, a moment later he finished up with an angry kick to the stomach.
“Reed!” Laurel called.
Reed snapped out of his rage and went to her aid; snatching up the knife again and releasing her from her bonds.
“Thank you, Reed, for…killing them,” Laurel said. “I understand why you did it.”
Reed seemed confused by her statement. “You make it sound like I needed you to understand,” he answered finally.
Laurel didn’t have a response for that.
After a while of silence Reed said, “Let’s go.”
Reed grabbed Laurel by the wrist and pulled her along as he made his way up the stairs. He opened the door and led her outside.


Devlin and Angela were still sitting in the car at the end of the driveway. They’d been waiting for the signal from Reed for a long time and had taken to playing a spirited game of wha they called “List.”
“Chrysler,” Devlin said.
“Car,” Angela responded.
“Gas,” Devlin came back.
“Diesel.”
“Unleaded.”
“Leaded.”
“Pencil.”
“That’s not lead; it’s graphite,” Devlin corrected.
“Fine; a mine,” Angela changed her answer.
“Miners,” Devlin continued.
“Digging.”
“Moles.”
“Blemishes.”
“Wait.”
“What does that have to do with-?”
“No, wait,” Devlin held his hand up to stop her.
Angela saw that Devlin was staring into the distance and she followed his gaze down the road. Three black cars were pulling up to the end of the driveway. Ten big men in black masks and vests stepped out; along with Officer Hutchison, whose arm was still bandaged from the bullet wound Reed gave him and now sported a leg brace and crutch.
“Shit,” Devlin breathed. “I thought that guy was dead.”
The men proceeded to get guns out of the trunks of the cars; assault shotguns, assault rifles and the like.
“We need to warn Reed.” Devlin started the car.
Angela was confused. “What are you doing?”
“We’re going through there,” Devlin answered.
Angela gasped. “Don’t you even think about it!”
“I never do.”
Devlin slammed down the accelerator and the car roared; the wheels kicking up dirt and the muffler spraying smoke. The Cuda sped across the grass toward the gang. The goon at the front of the pack heard the noise and peered in its direction; a look of utter terror spreading over his face. He screamed loudly just as Devlin turned the car at a forty-five degree angle and hit him with the back end. The man’s legs were swept out from under him and his face smacked against the trunk just before his body was tossed 10 feet onto the grass; motionless. A blood stain was smeared on the black mantle of the Cuda.
Devlin hit the gas again; this time the wheels kicked up the gravel on the driveway. The goons were assailed by flying rocks and dirt as the two sped away.
Hutchison regained his composure after the incident. “Sh-shoot ‘em!”
The goons lifted their guns back into firing position and took pot shots at the two. A couple of the bullets broke the other tail light and put a bunch of holes in the trunk, but after Devlin and Angela rounded a bend in the driveway they were safe. As they sped up to the estate they spotted Reed and Laurel just coming out of the house. Devlin hit the brakes and swerved to a complete stop.
Reed immediately noticed the bullet-holes in the trunk and freaked. “What the shit happened to my car?”
“You swore,” Angela muttered.
Devlin hopped out of the car and jogged up to Reed. “Reed! We were just waiting for your signal when a bunch of armed gunman pulled up. I think they’re here for you!”
Reed looked up the driveway. Sure enough; a bunch of armed men were trooping in their direction. He walked swiftly to the trunk and tried to open it; but it would only budge about an inch. Reed was forced to kneel down and peer into one of the bullet holes. One of the bullets had pierced the release system and twisted it around itself.
Reed took instant decisive action. He pulled out the detective’s gun and said “Stand back!” before unloading the entire clip into the area. The now hopelessly damaged trunk opened of its own volition. Reed threw away the gun and opened the cache; pulling out a sniper rifle and tossing it to Devlin.
“Find a good vantage point,” Reed ordered.
Devlin nodded and ran off.
Reed then pulled out two Ruger .45 caliber ACP pistols and a sash of fragmentation grenades; throwing it around his shoulder. At that he crouched down behind the Barracuda and said, “You two; find somewhere to hide!”
Angela took Laurel’s hand and the two girls ran inside the house.
Reed peeked his head over the top of the car. The attackers were obviously not trained officers. They assumed no attack formation and appeared to have no qualms about running into an open field. Suddenly there was the loud report of a sniper rifle and one of the goons collapsed to the ground. The others went into a panic and fired blindly at the house. Reed ducked back behind the car as the bullets connected with the broad side of the car.
“Geez, it’s like some divine prank,” Reed muttered to himself. They haven’t won yet so far, and yet they keep trying!” Bullets hit the Barracuda again and Reed tucked his head down into his collar to avoid any that might find him. The firing ceased for a moment and Reed brought his head back up; twirling the guns on his fingers. “Well fuck ‘em if they can’t take a joke!”
Reed jumped up from behind the car and began unloading on the goons with both guns. Immediately two of them twisted in reaction to impact and crumpled to the ground. The rest of the goons opened fire on Reed and Reed fell back behind the car. He moved to the other end of the car and poked out with guns blazing. A goon was running toward him. When the bullets hit he stumbled for a moment before falling onto the grass.
The goons finally got wise and fell to the ground in prone position. Another sniper report sounded and a swift plume of blood sprayed out of one of the goon’s heads. One group of goons saw the muzzle flash and began firing on the bushes. Devlin jumped from behind them and ran for the trees. Reed saw him running. Halfway there, a bullet caught Devlin just above the Achilles Tendon and he fell to the ground.
Reed pulled a grenade off of his sash and pulled the pin out. “One-onethousand, two-onethousand, three-onethousand,” he counted, and then lobbed it at the group.
It was a well thrown grenade. It landed on one’s back and rolled to a point maybe two feet behind them. The three rolled over to look at it just as a huge plume of fire and destruction exploded into their faces!
Only one more goon remained; Reed knew. He peeked over the car and saw him holed up with a cop near a lonely bush that broke the clearing.
“Hutchison!” Reed growled,. “Thought I killed that guy!”
Reed glanced back over at Devlin; he’d began crawling over to the trees.


“Maybe we should just get out of here,” Hutchison’s last goon cried to him. “They had position on us the moment we got here and we were slaughtered!”
“I’m all for that,” Hutchison replied. “Let’s go!”

Reed looked back over the car and saw the two get up and run for the driveway. He was relieved. He didn’t really want to risk his life trying to attack their position. He put the guns in his jeans and stood up.
After a brief moment of thought he turned and looked back at them. ‘No,’ he thought. ‘Hutchison’s not leaving.’
Reed walked back to the trunk and pulled out a Remington 870 semi-automatic shotgun; then he turned and ran after them. The goon had already far outdistanced Hutchison; who was slowed by his broken leg. Reed caught up to him swiftly. He raised the shotgun and fired it into Hutchison’s other leg. The buckshot tore into the muscle tissue of his calf and shredded it.
“Oh! My leg!” Hutchison screamed as he fell to the ground.
“That was for Devlin,” Reed said to him; pumping the gun.
Hutchison rolled onto his back and began inching away from the constantly advancing madman.
“Please don’t kill me!” Hutchison pleaded.
Reed ignored him. “Ya know, I don’t get it. Where did you get all of these guys from? Cuz I’ve been trying to get some hired help for a while now and I just don’t know where to look! Is there a phone number? Huh? 1-800-HENCHMEN?”
Reed fired at him again; this time shredding his previously uninjured left arm. Hutchison’s other hand grasped the wound as he screamed in pain.
“That was for Laurel,” Reed continued; re-pumping the shotgun. “This is all your fault.”
Hutchison had scooted backward far enough that he came to a rock and rested his head on it. “You kill me and you’re a dead man- oomf!”
Reed shoved the barrel of the shotgun into his mouth. “And this is for me.”
Hutchison’s face turned deep red, his eyes began to water, and he let out a long, pitiful, squeal.
Someone, somewhere screamed, “Noooo!”
Reed heard the voice but paid no attention to it. He pulled the trigger; a spatter of blood spraying onto his face.
Reed stared at what remained of Hutchison’s face for a long while; a look of cold, calculating, indignation on his own face.
“Why did you do that!?”
Reed snapped out of his trance and looked to see that it was Laurel who had screamed.
She rushed from the front door of the house, ran across the field, and began beating her fists on Reed’s chest. “You don’t have to kill!” Laurel was in tears. Suddenly her strength failed her and she dropped her head onto his chest, sobbing. “You don’t have to kill.”
“He would have only caused me more problems later,” Reed muttered to her.
Laurel stopped crying; instead she looked up at his face in shock. His response was so unbelievably cold.
Devlin came limping out of the trees. “Guys, I need some bandages or something.”
Reed walked away from Laurel and helped to hold him on his feet. He threw Devlin’s arm over his shoulders and carried him to the car. There Devlin sat down in the front seat while Reed got bandages from the emergency kit.
Devlin looked around at the car. “Well, I know what I’m doing when I get back.”
Reed smiled as he unwrapped the gauze from its packaging. “I’m glad you’ll stay on.”
“Yeah well, you pay me too well to do something I enjoy,” Devlin said.
Reed was surprised. He thought he had to worry about Devlin’s strength, and he