About Tripwire
Written by Sean Michael
171 pages / 66600 words
ISBN: 0-9762384-8-9
Available file types - html, lit, pdf, prc
Set in the steamy jungles of South America, Tripwire introduces an irresistible cast of characters, including Trip a merc for hire, just out for his next adrenaline rush. And his next paycheck. Bones is on the payroll of a major tree hugging organization, gone native and patching up the people who wander into his camp.
When Trip and Bones get together, they generate enough heat to set the jungle ablaze. This is not just a good time, even if they do manage to spend more time apart than they’d like.
Their good time blows right up in their faces when someone puts a price on Bone’s head. Can they figure out why in time to save their skins? And can love overcome a merc’s greed?
Sample
Damn, if Pappy could see him now.
Knee-deep in shitty water, rifle slung over his back, surgeon's hands tugging some rough-ass rope attached to a raft, tugging a family across the river, woman gravid and fixing to go into labor, skinny child covered in shrapnel wounds, clinging to her.
''Va a estar bien. Soy un medico.''
Her dark eyes flashed to him, then to the men behind him and he held out one hand. ''No les dañaré.''
They got her onto shore and into the little jeep, heading straight for the hospital. Tony pushed his braid back, ball cap keeping the sun out of his eyes.
The vegetation kept brushing the top of the jeep, the toucans flying and squawking as Eduardo flew through the jungle. Tony dug through his pockets, hunting a bit of candy, finding it and offering it to the kid.
The tents were well-appointed, at least for a MASH-type setup. His employers were generous, allowing him to treat the natives, so long as he treated the people that were sent to him without question, without hesitation.
Sure as shit, the compound was buzzing like a fire ant bed when they pulled in, some strangers in cammou arguing with Marco and Marco's boys, Spanish flying hot and wild. Tony hopped out, motioning to Carla to take the child, barking orders. ''Necesito un ensanchador por esta mama. Carla, alimenta a este muchacho y le dice que su mam sea bueno. ¿Quien es ese? ¿Marco, quien los envio?''
Come on people! Stretcher! Answers! He didn't have all fucking day, this woman was fixing to blow baby.
Marco started jabbering, Mama started screaming, and Viejo and Xavier appeared with the stretcher as the baby's head crowned and he prepared to work right here. Shouldn't be too bad, barring the prerequisite postpartum ook in the Jeep. Hell, if the fucking loggers hadn't been burning her fucking village to the motherfucking ground, she could be doing this with a midwife and her family, not with some strange gringo making things difficult.
''Empuje, Mama. Casi hecho.'' Come on, honey. Push it out, I got armed company.
Xavier backed away, hiding his eyes, calling for some women to come and help 'el esqueleto'. Tony chuckled, shook his head. There were a handful of families who settled close by -- some for supplies, some for medical help, most were families of his boys, his guards.
It didn't take too much more, a little girl plopping into his hands with a little tug and a wiggle. Two or three women came up, clucking and bitching and muttering about bad luck and women's work and bad spirits.
Viejo grinned at him, leathery face wrinkling. ''Leave them. They will make it right, Esqueleto.''
''Yeah. Get someone to clean out the jeep. I'm going to meet our guests.''
He clapped his old nurse's back, grabbed a towel off the stretcher and headed over. ''Who the hell are y'all and what're you doing disturbing my camp?''