Poet . Author . Trucker

New Release

Surviving Evil

“Detriment to a very Good Purpose an Evocative Approach of Heroism”
Scheduled release is August 31, 2021

Kay wakes up screaming, “He’s here, he’s here! Oh, Joe, he’s here!”
Joe leaps out of bed, taking the gun from the nightstand, and asks, “Who’s here?”
“Whose here honey?” he asks Kay as he carefully scans the bedroom for movement.

Joe knows who she’s talking about and slowly moves closer to her, taking her into his arms. He holds her, gently stroking her hair as he scans the room looking for movement and listening for footfalls or other sounds that could warn him of pending danger. He sits on the edge of the bed and holds her until she starts to relax. Then slowly he stands up and says, “I’m going to check the house.”

Opening the door to their room, he walks down the hall and sees Logan walking around with a pistol in his hand. approaching a window, he scans the area. “Did you hear or see something?” he asks as he watches Logan’s reflection in the glass.
“Just Kay screaming,” Logan responds. “ Scared the shit out of me.”
“Yeah, me too,” Joe says. “she’s having horrible dreams about what happened in the desert.” They knocked her around a little, she claims, but that was it.”
Opening the sliding door, he steps out onto the rear deck. Moonlight bathes the ranch yard, making it almost as vivid as daytime. Joe raises his eyes to the bright Montana night, then carefully checks the area for movement or anything out of place.
He turns as Logan walks up behind and says,” She just stopped dreaming about the plane crash in Alaska that happened over a year ago. Then we did that camping trip to Bob Marshall that nearly killed both of us. Now this. I’m not sure how much more she can handle.”
Together, they turn and walk back inside. Logan closes and locks the doors. Turning and watches as Kay and Rene both walk into the room. Stopping next to the fireplace Rene asks, “Did you guys see anything?” Joe replies, “nope, not a thing.”
Taking Kay’s hand, they turn and start walking back to their room. When suddenly, the sliding glass door explodes showering the room with shards of glass.
 
Several men burst into Logan’s private living area, pointing rifles at them. Joe and Logan carefully put their pistols on the table, hoping beyond hope they will get a chance to get them back. Logan gives Joe a “What the hell” look.
 
When Hector swaggers in, his gun trained on Logan, and tells the others to keep an eye on him. smiling as he walks up to Joe, then looking at Kay standing in her nightgown. He slams his fist into Joe’s stomach.
 
Unprepared for the attack, Joe clutches his stomach and doubles over. Kay cries out and reaches for Joe.

 

Hector grabs her by the hair and stops her from assisting her husband. “You bitch, you shot me. You nearly blew my balls off.”
 
Rene says,” To bad she missed.” Then looking at Logan she continues,” You need to check the sights on that rifle.”

 

Hector snaps around and makes one step towards Rene when Joe’s left hand flashes and his fist connects with Hector’s jaw snapping his head back and sending him crashing into the wall. as he rebounds forward, Joe’s right hooks Hector’s jaw again. Then he slams a wicked left into Hector’s solar plexus followed by another bone crushing left that lands just below his eye cutting his cheek to the bone.

 

Watching as he slowly side to the floor. Joe spins just as Carlos’ takes a step forward and slams the stock of his rifle into the back of Joe’s skull. Joe sinks to the floor, fighting to stay conscious, struggling to stay awake while his vision gradually dims. He fades into blackness.
 
Logan leaps to Joe’s defense and drives his fist into Carlos’s face. With a sickening crunch, his nose breaks, sending a spray of blood and gore down his shirt. Carlos’ cries in agony as he drops his rifle and brings both hands to his face as he collapses to the floor.
six months earlier.

Fight To Survive

Joe and Kay West novel.

From the mountains and desserts of Afghanistan to the jungles and drug cartels of Columbia. Randy served his country many ways. After 15 years of continuous under cover work, being captured and tortured he managed to escaped and fight his way to the US Embassy in Bogotá. Severely wounded he fell through the Embassy gates and survived. Now in the federal witness protection program can he learn to live in peace. Meeting and falling in love with Kay. He must now adapt to life he never knew existed, along with protecting her from his past.

Deadly Desire

Joe West a professional hunter and big game guide that specializes in tracking down and live trapping dangerous game is contacted by the Mexican government to live trap a couple of mountain lions that are terrifying a small village in Mexico. With Kay now retired the two head for Mexico for what should be a easy job and a well deserved vacation. Joe watches in horror from the top of a mountain as Kay is taken at gun point. After contacting the Mexican government he finds out that the man who had hired him is actually wanted by the Mexican government for drug smuggling and human trafficking. A few hours later he receives a video, telling him to pay a ransom or she will be addicted to heroin and sold as a human sex slave.
With his back against the wall he contacts his long time friend and the one man he knows will do whatever it takes to get Kay back. Although Logan has a problem. He has started a new relationship and Rene threatens to go alone if Logan won’t take her with. Can two men and a woman on horse back save Kay from a fate worse than death. Out manned and out gunned can they survive a running fight across the dessert of Mexico and get back to the United States alive.
As he rode in a northerly direction trying to get ahead of what ever he thought he saw. The trail down the mountain was steep and narrow. He came out of the trees and could see several hundred of his cattle grazing on the rich grass in the valley along the river. A little over a hour later he got into the general area and found one set of tracks moving deeper into the ranch.
It was getting towards dark looking around Logan thought,” I don’t want to have a battle on my hands. At least not after dark.” Turning CJ back towards the ranch house he figured he would come back the next day and follow the tracks.
Logan rode across the valley looking at the beauty of his ranch. He started thinking about his parents and the ranch history.
Logan smiled as he thought about sitting on his great grandpas lap as a child listening as he told stories about the ranches early days.
About Indian attacks and rustlers. Outlaw gangs that hid from the law in their valley. Grizzly bears, mountain lions and wolves that tried to feed on the beef they raised. About hunting trips into the high country. Snow storms that held them captive in the valley for months at a time.
His parents where both gone. Killed in a plane crash as they headed home from a business meeting. Being the only child at age fifteen Logan had inherited the ranch.
With the help of some of his parents friends plus the ranch foreman that stepped in and dedicated himself to Logan and the Rocking L it grew to where it was today.
He was a fifth generation rancher. His fraternal great grand parents had come west on a wagon train in the mid 1800’s. The wagon train was headed across the Montana territory and had stopped in Billings.
Jim was at the livery stable and over heard a man talking about a valley to the south. Jim had talked with the man a few more times. When the wagon train left Jim Lathrop his wife Kathy and their two children did not follow. They had hired the man and turned south looking for the valley.
Their guide was a trapper and knew the country. The trail headed south was narrow and steep. From the trail high in the mountains they had seen the valley. How the trail had gotten so narrow and steep they had to abandon the wagon and pack their meager possessions out of the mountains and into the valley. So started the Rocking L.
The first time Logan heard that story he told his great grandpa he wanted to find that wagon and figure out a way to get down to the ranch.
Over the years while hunting and just riding he finally found it. It took him months to dismantle the wagon and pack it off the mountain. Then finally months later with the help of his dad and grandpa. They finished restoring it. Now the wagon that carried his ancestors from Illinois to Montana sets on the turn around in the middle of the ranch yard.
Over the generations the ranch grew and grew. To where it was when as a young man Logan started to put is mark on it.
At the age of eighteen Logan had purchased two other ranches. The Rocking L had nearly doubled in size.
It was starting to cool off after a warm day for this part of Montana in combination with the elevation of the ranch. About a half way across the valley he started turning up his collar when he saw someone running a horse across the far end on the valley. “At least they were headed out and looked to be alone”, he thought.
The paint stallion could have been chiseled from black and white marble. He had purchased the horse as a colt a three years earlier from the lazy M. CJ had an explosive start. In six or seven passes he was running all out. With the natural strength of the quarter horse plus the build of the mountain mustang he had gotten the best of both along with being very intelligent. As they headed for the ranch house Logan could hear the wolves howling in the distance. CJs ears moved continuously picking up all the sounds of the evening.
There was only one trail out of the valley they were in and it had a spot that Logan hated. It twisted around and passed between two rock walls that were narrow and confining. As they entered the narrow passage Logan reached down platted the Winchester. Just a reassuring touch.
Just as they came around the last corner.
The snarl of a mountain lion shattered the silence. The large cat leaped from the rock wall, CJ always aware of his surroundings bolted. Logan still not used to his explosive starts, slid out the saddle and hit the ground only feet from the crouching lion.
As Logan scrambled trying to regain his feet. The the large mountain lion leaped. Logan dove to the side trying to get out of the way. The two collided. Logan was knocked sideways, in the fall his head struck a rock and was knocked unconscious.
As he laid there, total helpless. The cat slowly started walking towards him. CJ sensing his friends emanate danger spun around and charged the huge cat. It was nature at it’s savage furry. Hunter and hunted survival of the strongest.
CJ having the stallion survival instinct to always protect his heard.
The huge cat leaped at CJ and was met with deadly striking front hooves. CJ came down on the cat. One CJ’s front hooves scraped the cats front shoulder, raking down it’s leg. Leaving a deep bloody cut. The other the scraped down the side of its head. Then spinning around he kicked out with both rear legs. One connected solid with the cats ribs sending it running for safety.
CJ stood over his fallen friend watching for any more danger that may come their way. After a few minutes the stallion reached down and bit Logan’s jacket collar and started dragging him toward the ranch house and safety.
As they came out of the timber a couple of the ranch hands stood in amazement and could not believe what they were watching. Looking at each other then started to run towards the stallion and their boss.
Speaking softly along with moving very slowly they were finally able to get a hold of the bridle. Slowly they coaxed CJ away. Getting to Logan they started helping him just as he started to come around. The two ranch hands told Logan what they had witnessed. They then helped him back on CJ and together they all headed for the ranch house.
Thanks and have a fantastic day ​ To Be Continued…

Author: Lance Figgins

This book segment is copyrighted and may not be used without permission.

Blood in the Dessert Sand

A Joe and Kay West story

Kay slowly moves the crosshairs away from Joe as she scans the area. With his hands tied behind his back there’s no way he can protect himself.

She knows Hector will kill him if she fires or shows herself. It’s only two hundred yards. Although Hector is way too close to Joe. Thus, putting Joe continuously in the sight picture. She knows the light bullet could drift just a few inches. In that case she could or would hit Joe.

Joe had yelled,” Kay run!” As he ran at the men charging the camp. With a knife in one hand and a 9MM pistol in the other he met the charge with deadly force. Killing the first guy with two shots in the center of his chest he spun and knifed the next in the chest as he swung the pistol like a club into the side of his head. With two down a shot rang out killing the next as Logan charge into the free for all. Hitting the group of men like a wild bull he screamed,” You bunch of low life assholes.”

He picked the next one up by the throat and crouch and threw him into the rest. Looking around he sees more coming and yells to Joe,” Come on let’s get out of here.”

Logan runs over a small hill as Joe spins to meet the new comers. Firing two shots he kills one and wounds another. 

 

Placing his thumb on the magazine release he lets the empty magazine fall to the ground as he slips in a full magazine. Moving his thumb to the release he’s hit from behind. Dropping to his knees then falling forward into the desert sand he slowly he fades into darkness.

Kay knows she is seriously out gunned. She has no idea where Logan and Rene are or if they are even still alive.

Hector and his gang executed a perfect raid and separating the four friends. Kay managed to grab a rifle as she ran for cover. Her .22/250 is flat shooting and deadly accurate.

As the gang of claim jumping, drug running, human trafficking slime balls charged into camp. Joe yelled run but instead of running. He attacked giving the others a chance.

She continues to move the scope from target to target. Suddenly she sees a flash of light coming from something or someone above and beyond where Joe is being held.

Hector draws back and punches Joe in the kidneys dropping him to his knees. Just as a shot ring out. She watches as Juan grabs his shoulder and then drops from sight. sight. Kay’s finger tightens on the trigger as Hector runs for cover. Forgetting momentarily about Joe laying just a few feet away. She slowly squeezes the trigger.

Kay’s shot is off just a couple of inches as the bullet hits him in the upper shoulder instead of high in the chest. He had started turning and dropping just as the gun went off. That and that alone had saved his life. Kay is pissed beyond belief and has absolutely no patience left.

A smile comes to her face as she watches Logan rise from behind a clump of brush and watches as he carefully crawls forward trying to get to where Joe is laying. She swings the scope back to where Hector had disappeared from sight. Just to see someone pop up. Slowly she squeezes off another shot. Hitting Pedro in the forearm just before he fired. Causing his shot to go wide. He screams with pain as the .55 grain bullet hits his forearm at nearly 4000 FPS tearing apart mussel and destroying bone.

Logan reaches Joe grabbing him by the collar and drags him up, over and behind a dead tree and to temporary safety. As Kay and Rene both open up. Picking target after target. Keeping the would be claim jumping, drug running, human trafficking slime balls pinned down.
With deadly accurate shot placement one by one the gang of slime balls find themselves being ventilated and bleeding as the two women continue to give Logan cover fire.

With Joe and Logan start moving back towards the gold claim she watches as Rene disappears and reappears working her way towards where the guys had disappeared jest seconds before. Kay continues to find a few more targets of opportunity. As she carefully scans the area for slime balls that are still moving trying to get closer to where Logan and Joe had disappeared.

Then carefully Kay slides backwards out of between the two rocks she was using as cover and slowly works her way around and back to where Logan and Joe were waiting.

Then carefully Kay slides backwards out of between the two rocks she was using as cover and slowly works her way around and back to where Logan and Joe were waiting.

As she comes around a corner, she sees Logan standing with his hands up and Santiago moving towards him with a pistol in his hand.

Kay slips back taking a deep breath she shoulders her rifle just as Rene walks in from the other side. She hears Santiago say,” Drop your gun and keep your hands where I can see them! Juan will pay dearly to get you. He’s told us all that whoever captures you will be very well rewarded.”

Kay slowly moves around the corner. Placing the cross hairs on the back of his head she says,” Will it won’t be you. Don’t even think about it. Or the next person you’ll be talking to, will be Satan. Just drop your gun before I blow your damn head off.” Santiago has no choice. Slowly he lets his arm fall and his fingers release the pistol as it falls to the ground. “Now kick it towards the others. I’m done running from you and Hector. If you so much as twitch. I’ll put a bullet in your skull. You’ll be out of this forever. I have something I want you to tell him and you are going to deliver a message.”

Taking a deep breath Kay looks around then back at Santiago Continuing she says,” He has pushed us for the last time and you are going to deliver a message to him and that dumb ass Juan. Now listen and listen well. If we so much as see any of you we’ll start hunting you and we will shoot to kill. So far, we have all been just trying to wound so you’ll leave us alone. That ends and it ends now.”

Kay continues to move towards Santiago. Sticking the barrel in his back she pushes him forward. She then kicks Santiago’s pistol towards Rene. Who picks it up? Walking up to Santiago, she kicks him in the nuts dropping him doubled over to the ground. Looking down at him she says,” Do you think you can remember that or should I just put a bullet in your worthless ass and deliver your dead body to them or better yet just leave your just leave your sorry ass here for the buzzards?”

Santiago closes his eyes and says,” Yes I’ll remember.”

“Good”, replies Kay,” Now crawl back to that ass and tell him to either leave us alone or make his peace and to get ready to die.”

Stay Up-to-Date with Lance Figgins

© 2023 lancefiggins.com All Rights Reserved. Developed by WebstarX