Frederick was lounging in a folding chair next to the fire pit drinking a warm beer. Unable to light a fire due to some silly park ranger coming by and telling them that there is a drought and the woods are susceptible to a forest fire. One of Frederick men tried to call the man’s bluff by lighting a cigarette. Not only did that man got punched in the face hard, losing some teeth in the process, but he got slapped with a huge fine. A fine Frederick had no plans to pay, despite the man’s mumbled pleading.
Sitting in the folding chair by fire pit; Frederick was still wondering where Chelnik and his two techie nerds were. For Chelnik, the last Freddie saw of him was earlier this morning when he told the ex Spetsnaz to get back at Benton by damaging his very expensive and very rare Lamborghini. Not knowing that the man is now dead; Frederick was given some very bad news that Chelnik was wanted for war crimes. Crimes that even a mobster would be loathed to commit.
“Mass genocide,” Frederick mumbling as he sipped his beer; “ethnic cleansing, if I had of know you did that Chelnik I would of let the Mexican cartels turn you into cactus fertilizer.”
“Did you say something boss?”
Frederick looks to his right to see his assistant; the one person in his retune that had a few working brain cells within him, farting around with his laptop trying to get some sort of signal. Ever since the techies went missing, Frederick instructed the diminutive man to start looking into his finances; find out why they are disappearing. Unfortunately, being in a heavily wooded area meant no internet connection, and the nearest Wi-Fi signal was a ranger station not too far off; yet said Wi-Fi signal was secured and Freddie’s assistant didn’t have the skills to crack it.
“It’s nothing you need to be concerned with,” Frederick in a sullen mood; “what's the status of my finances? Have you found anything?”
“With all due respect,” the assistant responding; “ever since your techies have vanished, you’ve demanded that no one leave the area. That being said,” The assistant closing his laptop in frustration; “I can’t get a signal for shit under the trees.”
“So what do you intend to do,” Frederick glaring at the man.
“Get a bottle of Jim Beam I got in my bag and drink it,” The assistant getting up; “because It’ll be a cold day in hell before I drink that piss water in the can you are holding.”
Frederick was stunned at how moody the man got real quick. In fact his remaining men all looked grumpy; even the one with a rag up to his mouth after getting punched out.
‘Guess I’m not the only one who loathes camping,’ Frederick thought.
Sipping his warm beer again, Frederick grimaces as finally tastes the beverage. Finding the liquid bland at first then giving him a soapy after taste; he tosses the still half full can just as his assistant comes back with his bottle of Bourbon.
“Your right,” Frederick looking glum; “that beer does taste like piss water.”
“Which is why I picked up some Kentucky Bourbon,” the assistant opening up the bottle; “before we left.”
“Then Beam me up,” Frederick grinning; looking at the dark amber liquid being poured into a glass.
*******
Not far off behind a grouping of trees, alone man stares at the Parker party. Spending hours watching the men pitch their tents and then silently chuckling as the park ranger he bribed came by to tell them some lie about their being a drought and as such there is a fire ban in place. Watching one of Frederick’s men get slugged for trying to ignore the warning; he nearly doubled over in laughter as he saw the man spit out teeth and get handed a slip of paper.
“A fine no less,” the man smiling; “best hundred dollars I spent. I just hope King Talbot will reimburse me for it.”
***********
“In other news, a massage parlor that doubled as a brothel was just raided in the Oakland suburb of San Francisco just a few hours ago. Police getting a tip about the operation thanks to the new owners of the building complex the business was in; was soon busted up. Causing several prominent members of the community to be caught with their pants literally down; even Oregon’s state senator who was in San Fransisco on a fact finding mission was seen being hauled out in handcuffs.”
Benton turned off the television and smiled as he got up. Feeling pleased that his code Omega is in full swing against Frederick Parker as he walks into the kitchen to make himself a sandwich. With his tail twitching happily as he was in his fursona; the were-panther opened up the fridge to grab an assortment of goodies for a sandwich he has yet to decide in making.
After Amanda came back after dropping off Frieda at her friends place; Benton was hoping to talk to her about their row earlier. Instead she just ignored him as she headed off to the pool room. That was a few hours ago and the sun was just finally starting to set.
“I wonder if we have any tuna fish,” Benton making a beeline for the pantry door; “perhaps Amanda would like a sandwich as well.”
*******
Back at the camp grounds the lone watcher was observing Frederick getting thoroughly wasted on a bottle of Bourbon. Relaying his thoughts to other member of the were-lion pride as they stalk the woods; the lone observer can’t help but think.
‘If this guy passes out stinking drunk; we could be as noisy as we want in getting the rest of his men to disappear.’
He continues to observe as he tries to listen in on what Frederick is saying; cautiously getting closer to the group so he can listen in.
*******
“God dam that son of mine,” Frederick feeling the effects of the alcohol in him; “if he had of listened to me and… hic… drove straight to Canada, I wouldn’t be stuck here having to get him out. I’d be… I’d be…”
“Have another drink boss,” the assistant pouring him a glass.
“Thanks…hic,” Frederick slamming the whiskey down; his throat long since numb to the alcohol burning his esophagus. Where was I,” Frederick pausing as his assistant pours him another drink; “oh that’s right! I’d be back in San Francisco titty fucking this Asian tart who pronounces her ‘TH’s’ as a ‘D’. I always found it...hic... funny watching her trying to say thirty dollars...hic... only for it to sound like dirty dollars.” Frederick was laughing as he spilled more of his bourbon than drinking it; "god dam I could use a good woman to screw with right now."
Frederick is still rambling as the one man who had his teeth knocked out looks on disgusted. Deciding he has had enough of this, he looks at another man who also nods his head. Both getting up from their chairs as they head to the out-houses to relieve themselves before retiring for the night.
******
“Heads up,” the lone observer whispering in a walkie-talkey; “two are head to the jakes.”
“We see them approaching,” a voice could be heard on the other end; “we are going to let them do their business before snatching them up. Father doesn’t want them to soil the van during their drive up north.”
“That will leave three left then,” the observer commenting; “not including Frederick Parker, who I can smell from here is clearly soused.”
*******
Frederick was now clearly drunk; the bottle of bourbon half drunk and the assistant stone sober. Only having one glass of the stuff; he watches as Frederick trying to take another drink, only to fall face first from his chair into the dirt. The remaining men who observed look at Frederick’s assistant close up the bottle and then getting off his chair.
“Help me get him into the tent,” The assistant speaking; “he’ll feel like shit in the morning, but by then back up will be here and we’ll have the manpower we need to bust Daniel out of jail during this town picnic.”
********
The lone observer who was watching swore; thanks to his enhanced sense of hearing as he was a were-lion, he heard everything the assistant just said.
“Get King Talbot on the line,” the observer on the walkie-talkie whispering; “inform him that Frederick has backup arriving and they intend to bust out Daniel Parker during the Labor Day picnic.”
Putting his walkie away, the were-lion wasn’t paying attention to his surroundings and accidently steps on a twig; the loud snap caused the men helping a passed out Frederick Parker turn their heads to his direction as he quickly fell to the forest floor, using the cover of a fallen log to conceal him.
********
“When those two come back from the restrooms,” the assistant looking at one of the men; “go check out that area. Find out if that twig snapping was some animal or someone who is nosy.”
“What if it is Chelnik or the techies,” the man speaking.
“Then they share a tent with you,” the assistant answering; “and will get a severe chewing out by a hung over boss in the morning.”
“Best to check it out now then,” the man heading over there; “if it’s an animal it would have been long gone by now.”
“Suit yourself,” The assistant coming out of Frederick’s tent; “just make it quick.”