Sam’s launch rounded the headland of North Haven Island and almost came to stop as he left the relative shelter of the North Haven and Vinalhaven Islands and out into the main bay. The waves battered the small launch and Sam could only pull the throttle harder in a vain attempt to close the mile and a half distance to home. After what seemed like hours, the outline of the speedboat came into view just as the deafening sound of gunfire ripped through the air. Sam twisted the throttle further. The knot in his stomach released. His worst fears had come true. They had found him.
As each shot rang out, adrenalin pumped through his veins and with each bullet, the feeling of impotence flowed through him. His wife and child needed him and he was failing them. As the launch mounted the beach next to the speedboat, the gunfire stopped and silence fell. Sam bounded out of the launch and almost stumbled over his dog, its blank eyes staring up at him. Tears streamed down his face, Sam loved three things more than life itself and Goldie was on that list. Until ten months earlier, she had been top of the list but now she sat firmly at number two.
Sam hardly missed a beat as he stormed to the top of the hill. Three men stood watching the house as another made his way towards the front door. Sam ignored the state of the house as his only focus was overcoming the men and ensuring his family were safe. He ran around the hill and approached from the rear, sprinting down the hill out of the sight of the three guards and grabbed his wood axe as he ran past his firewood stockpile. With three heavily armed men on the other side of the house, he had only one advantage, surprise.
As the front door crashed to the ground, Sam ran round the side of the house and at full sprint, ran at the first guard, the axe swinging in a powerful arc. Sam leapt up and using all of his 6’ 2” frame to maximize the force at which the axe fell, the razor sharp blade sliced through the man’s neck at a forty five degree angle and removed not only his head but right arm in one fluid motion. As the axe cleared the man’s torso, Sam spun round and sent the axe flying end over end into the second guard standing directly in front of the door. A short scream was instantly silenced as the axe embedded itself into the man’s stunned face, killing him instantly. Sam was rolling back towards the head and right arm of the first guard and his XM8 assault rifle even before the axe had landed.
By the time the third guard had managed to react to the deaths of his colleagues, it was too late. Sam already had him in his sights and was squeezing the trigger. A three round burst ended the encounter and dropped the last guard where he stood.
Sam didn’t hesitate. He ran and dived through the front door and into the lounge just as Alex rushed towards him and the butt of his gun. Alex’s face hit the immovable force and stopped dead despite the momentum. His cheek and nose bore the full brunt of the collision while his body continued its forward motion, crumpled to the floor and landed at Sam’s feet.
Sam stamped on Alex’s right hand, crushing the bones, rendering it useless. He kicked the gun from the man’s hand before walking into the kitchen and seeing his worst nightmare. The lifeless bodies of his wife and son sat awkwardly under the window. Sam turned and walked back to the last of the four men. Tears streamed down his face as the memories of his wife and son flashed through his mind.
A kick to the ribs brought the man round.
“Who sent you?”
“You know who sent us!” replied Alex who already knew he was dead.
“Who gave the order?”
“I don’t know.”
Sam stamped on Alex’s hand, grinding it further into the floor.
“Who?”
“I don…”
Sam raised the gun and shot Alex’s kneecap clean off. Alex passed out almost instantly from the intense pain but was kicked back to consciousness.
“Who?”
“I really don’t know,” struggled Alex through gritted teeth, the pain unbearable.
“Well you’re absolutely fuck all use to me!” spat Sam as he shot the other kneecap.
Sam walked outside and taking a shovel, he began to dig, ignoring the screams from Alex. Within twenty minutes, he hit metal. Ten minutes later, he had retrieved a trunk that he had hoped he would never see again. Pulling the trunk from the hole, he loaded three of the bodies into the now empty hole and covered them with earth, carefully replacing the turf on top. Comfortable the hole wouldn’t be found, he walked back to the shingle beach and retrieved Goldie and carried her back to the cabin, placing her carefully at his wife and son’s sides.
Kissing them all goodbye, Sam stood up and walked out of the kitchen. He doused the cabin in petrol and with a heavy heart and vengeance in his mind, he set fire to his family and home. The final screams of Alex reverberated around the small island as the cabin burned to the ground.
Sam Baker was back and all hell was about to break loose.