Canyons of Steel - Lawman in a Lawless Land Pt 7

Sometimes yer gonna find that the best way we can help ourselves, is by doin' worse 'n what some men do. We may have ta take jobs we ain't gonna like. But we make a promise. Ain't gonna take no job 'gainst no honest folk. Any o' them scumbags out there, if we get word on somethin' they got an' we can use, then we take it. Just pray that we may be judged in a way less harsh.

Marianne and Monty quietly entered the ship. The old barge creaked as it rocked on the waves. They'd heard word that the vessel was carrying some cargo that might help them build their medical center. Because they certainly didn't trust the island's Medical System. They were given the job, snatch a few boxes, deliver them to their contact and leave.

The boxes, they found, were crates that they had to divert to the United States. And they contained a disease.

"Annie," Monty said in a whisper. "I gotta say, don't feel right 'bout this, love."

Marianne looked to Monty for a moment. She'd grown used to the nickname that he and Walker had given her, asking that they only use it while they were in the field. "Bloody hell. You pick now of all times to grow a conscious? We're halfway to Paragon. What do you propose?"

Monty furrowed his brow, and then gave Marianne a stern look. "There's a coupla people I know in Interpol. Give it ta them, an' then we scram."

She gave him an incredulous look. "Interpol? Are you completely loony?" She sighed in frustration and looked around the cargo hold of the ship. The containers of the disease sat in a false wall, just in case the coast guard stopped the boat for inspection. "Wait a minute. I've got an idea." She opened the false compartment, dragged out the four containers and moved toward a few packing crates. Carefully openning them, she slipped the containers in amongst food stuffs. "This will nail the boat captain. I've seen him around, not a very nice fellow. Come on." She motioned toward false compartment, and crawled in.

Monty stared in wonder at the woman. "You expect the two of us to fit in there?"

Marianne had crawled in and was sitting in what appeared to be a rather uncomfortable position. "Fine. Then you explain to the coast guard what your doing in the hold of this ship." Monty looked around for a moment for another hiding spot, then moved to the false wall, muttering as he crawled into cramped quarters with Marianne. "Get your bloody foot out of my face."

"Little hard, mate."

Once they both were comfortable, they replaced the false wall. "There. Now just to make sure the coast guard gets a call."

"Marianne," Monty said quietly as they sat in the cramped space.

"What is it?"

"Shouldn't we have done that before crawlin' into here?"

"Grab my comm, it's on my left hip," Marianne replied in a huff. "That's not my bloody comm, you pervert!"

"It's bloody dark in here."

Mariannne's muffled voice explained the situation to the coast guard. All they had to do was wait and it would be all over. In their cramped quarters, Monty spoke in a near whisper. "Marianne?"

"What?"

"You owe me a back massage for this, mate."