Authors: Bernard Lee DeLeo
“If you would try to keep a little decorum around here,” Connor pointed out, “instead of walking around like a cheap hussy, you wouldn’t be complaining.”
“Who said I’m complaining,” she whispered.
Nate passed Karen on the way out to her car. He gave her a little wave, but Karen stopped him. “Nate, do you think Thomas is okay?”
“You obviously just spent the night with him,” Nate laughed. “Why in the world would you think I knew anymore than you about his condition? What happened, did you tell him you had a headache, and then he sent you to the roach and rat hotel for punishment?”
“Beetles.”
“You know Karen,” Nate sighed, “you are getting to be as big a smart ass as that mutant miscreant. Now what makes you ask?”
“I just can’t comprehend these changes he’s going through, the powers he keeps adding.”
“So you think he will just blow up or something?” Nate asked. “Relax Karen, and take things as they come. You should have seen me when he projected that naked woman next to me on the way home to my wife.”
“Kathy,” Karen said, with her lips tightening.
“Uh oh.”
“Was the naked woman’s name Kathy?” Karen asked through clenched teeth, “and don’t give me anymore of that uh oh crap.”
“Well,” Nate observed, “you didn’t expect him to screw around with me using your naked body, did you?”
Karen turned back toward the building, “I’ll.”
Nate caught her by the shoulder. “Now where do you think you’re going Karen?” Nate turned her back towards her car as she fought to get back in the other direction.
“C’mon now Karen, our young crew will be here soon. He didn’t mean anything by it.”
“I’ll slap his little mutant head until his eyeballs rattle. I’ll. I’ll. oooooooohhhhhhhhh,” She turned angrily to her car, as Nate watched her with much amusement, although he gave no outer sign.
Karen turned back towards Nate, “you tell Tommy Terrible I will be back later, and I am not happy.” She got in her car and slammed the door before Nate could reply. He stood watching as she pealed out of the parking lot. Connor had come out with his coffee cup in hand to stand next to Nate.
“Good morning Nate, what’s all the noise about?”
Nate put his arm around Connor, and walked him towards the building. “I may have mistakenly mentioned you putting a naked woman on the seat of my Lincoln with me.”
Connor choked his coffee up through his nose as Nate pounded him on the back and brayed with laughter. Connor took a handkerchief from his coat, wiped his face and blew his nose. He looked up finally at Nate. “Oh, you no good. rotten. dog. How could you do something like that to me, you dolt?”
“Oh my Lord,” Nate wheezed. “What a way to start a morning. Payback’s a bitch, ain’t it partner?”
Connor put a hand through his short-cropped hair. “I am in sooooooo much trouble.”
“I forgot to tell you the message she gave me for you. She said ‘tell Tommy Terrible I will be back later, and I am not happy’.”
“Road trip.”
“You chicken-shit,” Nate teased him. “Just do a mind meld on her again. She needs discipline.”
“She didn’t need anything until you decided to bring something from a top secret confidence between us to her attention,” Connor replied.
“Top secret confidence my ass,” Nate objected. “She threw me off stride, asking me about whether you were getting too scary.”
Barf met them at the doorway. Nate ruffled the fur on his head and shook hands with him. He turned to lead the way inside, and over to the bar. Connor poured himself another cup of coffee and gave Nate a cup.
“Hey Mutie, you planning on drinking any of that this time, or are you just planning on inhaling it?” Nate asked.
“Oh, you are so funny,” Connor said, shaking his head. “I am toast. You know that, don’t you?”
“The Fall of the Evil Mutant, huh? You’ll live. Can we start talking business or does everything have to be about you today?”
“I think you had better take Henry and Joseph out for some more driving,” Connor said. “Then we will get them suited up for Friday. Jeff and Jeremiah will stay here and alternate some shop time with monitoring the cars. How many appointments did they take for today while we were gone yesterday?”
“We have six for today,” Nate replied. “Luke and Sammy are doing amazingly well. We already logged a call complimenting them on that first ride. I listened to it after we got back yesterday. I think one more time out with Joe and Henry will give us two more drivers.”
“They know their way around the town,” Connor added. “With the GPS, and our monitoring, they have the confidence.”
“I heard Jeff had Attila monitoring the traffic too, and feeding the updates as they concerned Luke and Sammy.”
“I never even thought of that,” Connor acknowledged. “What the heck gave him the idea?”
“Just initiative I guess,” Nate allowed.
“I expect after yesterday you have Claire well prepared.”
“She takes care of home security, and I told her not to go unarmed anywhere,” Nate said.
“We can ask Karen to put a couple of agents on to watch out for her and Nate Jr.”
“It would just call attention to them,” Nate said, shaking his head. “We have tied up loose ends so fast, we should be on a business as usual basis soon.”
“I really think Greg may end up to be our last puzzle piece,” Connor said optimistically. “Karen says with the information we have given Quenton, we will have enough pull to keep the FBI and Justice Department on board in some crucial situations. With Greg at CIA, we will have the manpower to keep the heat up everywhere.”
“You think Derek will be getting the call for Greg today?”
“He should be calling me before noon,” Connor answered.
“I know you have a connection with our man Greg, but I want to caution you on not overestimating what we can achieve with him.”
Connor nodded. “Noted and filed Nate, but unless you want to run CIA, I have no one but Greg.”
“I want to stay with you and our crew Thomas. I have visions of actually passing something down for Nate Jr. Besides, we will run the important CIA operations through Greg anyway.”
“I am going to turn him loose on day to day operations. I want to see how well his ideas work,” Connor said, “and how quickly he can build up our overseas information. He could be invaluable in getting those kidnapped girls I can track down back to their families.”
“Any ideas on that yet?” Nate asked.
“Well,” Connor observed seriously. “Some people will die in that operation. I will make it so unpopular for these assholes to take our children, the business will dry up here.”
“You will be taking a personal hands on approach to that?”
“Yes Nate, I can shape shift, and extract the girls without getting them killed. With Red Chinese money paying the way, I will help Greg set up hits on them right after I get the girls out safe and sound. The ones I do not find alive I will handle myself.”
Nate whistled. “You will be one busy mutant. You will definitely need an operation in place here to coordinate all of that.”
“That’s where you come in my friend,” Connor smiled. “I will need you to make the extractions go off like clockwork.”
“Or there will be huge collateral losses until I get you out, right?”
“I will kill everything getting between me and the girl’s extraction,” Connor admitted, as he looked seriously into Nate’s eyes. “I will be as a plague upon their houses, and no one will know where it will be safe, or when it will end.”
“I believe you,” Nate agreed. “I will coordinate with Greg when we get him in. Between Attila, Greg, and our planning, there will be a lot of happy parents back here in the USA.”
“I hope so. It will be difficult work, but we can get it done Nate.”
The door opened up, and Luke led the rest of the crew inside. Connor looked up at the clock and smiled. “You boys are an hour early for work. Nate and I will just sit here and turn you all loose to get things set up. Anybody want some coffee?”
They all came up to sit at the bar as Connor set out coffee, sugar, and creamer. He took out some sticky buns he had in the refrigerator and heated them in the microwave. The crew dug into the plate he set out with ardor.
“You boys been skipping breakfast, or are the cupboards bare at home?” Nate asked chuckling, as they devoured the rolls.
They looked at one another and then Sammy spoke up. “Nothing bad Mr. Johnson, just more kids around at home who could use the meal more.”
“Why didn’t you ask for a little advance?”
“We don’t want anymore advances,” Sammy informed Nate. “Tomorrow we get our first paychecks. We can wait.”
“Yea, we aren’t destitute Mr. Johnson,” Jeff added. “We will take care of everything tomorrow after we get paid.”
Connor nodded. “Sounds right to me, but just remember, Nate and I can always lend a hand. Go on then, and get things started. Nate and I will throw down another cup while you guys get set up.”
After the crew left the room, Connor looked up at Nate. “They meant it too. It looks like they had a little meeting amongst themselves.”
“Yep,” Nate agreed. “I think they want to impress us.”
“They succeeded.”
“Indeed they did Thomas. You want me to have some more groceries sent in for around here?”
“No,” Connor replied. “I’ll call in an order to the same place I got all the stuff I have now. They have a website and they deliver quick.”
“You going to call Greg and let him know how we are doing?”
“I’ll wait for Derek to call me this morning first,” Connor answered. “No use in rattling Greg’s cage unless we have something for him. Now how in the heck did you get on the subject of naked Kathy in the front of your car with Karen?”
“Karen stopped me to ask if maybe you were evolving into the danger zone,” Nate told him, “and I just wanted to lighten things up a little. I figured she would think it humorous. How was I to know there must have been some history behind that joke?”
“She thinks I’m flipping out huh?”
“I think you may be progressing faster than she can handle,” Nate admitted.
“I will talk to her later. We better get going for now, and get things ready for the appointments today, at least oversee it until you take Joe and Henry out. Yesterday I was eager and anxious about starting the day Nate. Today, after seeing these guys in action, I am just eager.”
“I know what you mean,” Nate replied. “Let’s do it.”
The call from Quenton came at 1:30 in the afternoon. Jeff relayed the call to Connor out in the shop, using Attila to scramble the call as Connor had shown him.
“Connor here.”
“Our friends in the Senate were most cooperative Thomas,” Quenton said. “Greg will be the next Director of the CIA. The President had his reservations, but in the end, he went with the recommendations. Greg’s confirmation will go smoothly.”
“How are you and Kim doing?” Connor asked.
“Good Thomas,” Quenton answered. “She has taken it a lot better than I could have hoped. I hope I am dead before anything like that ever happens again.”
Connor paused, remembering his own daughter’s violated body. “I know Derek. I cannot make light of the danger for you. I can only say we are on the verge of being able to reunite some other parents’ daughters to them, they thought lost forever.”
“I know Thomas,” Quenton replied, “and I do not plan to back away from what we had hoped to ultimately accomplish. You have fulfilled all that you had promised me with your help. I will provide you with any help behind the scenes possible overseas to the very point of plunging the Country into war.”
“After I get overseas, I will get the names of the girls they have taken. I will then have Nate send me all the information involved with their disappearance, and the most recent photos. The danger will come after I have the girl. If you and Greg can get a handle on our resources overseas, we can extract the girl safely, and punish the guilty on the spot. If I feel it only concerns one man at point of contact, I will take care ofjustice on the spot. If I find a small army around the guy, I may need to protect her until I can get some help.”
“Once you find a victim,” Quenton agreed, “we will be poised to strike Thomas, and God help anyone in the way. We pull out all the stops on this quest my friend. We are agreed on that. Do you still feel the Chinese are behind this whole operation?”
“I believe they are financing it to achieve blackmail means against the ones taking the girls,” Connor answered. “We have the originators of the plan already. I will be going to see Pierre in the form of our Mr. Yee. Once I get into a meeting with him physically, I will find out the list of these names. I have already hacked through his computer records and I could not find it. He has to have it somewhere, along with who he gave a copy to with the Chinese.”
“Then you will not be taking prisoners?” Quenton asked.
“If I find someone of interest,” Connor replied, “I can send him along, but my first concern will be the safety of those girls. I will have to provide Pierre’s operation overseas with a final chapter. I do not want one word to go out about what I plan to do after I leave. No one will be alive there to send out a warning.”
“Agreed. Do you want help there?”
“No,” Connor said, “because I want no one else brought into this before I need their help with the girls.”
“I expect you will let me know when you are ready to coordinate this,” Quenton said. “I will contact Mr. Haynes and get him into transition today.”
“Good,” Connor replied. “Once he gets solidly in, I will go and get the list of names so he can begin figuring out our resources in the different areas. Take care Derek, and say hello to Kim for me.”
“I will Thomas, goodbye for now.”
Connor returned to work on the limousine he and Jeremiah were doing maintenance on. Jeremiah looked up from underneath the car at his boss, who seemed distracted.
“You okay Mr. Connor?”
“Yea, I just have a lot to do in the next couple of months, and I am doing a little daydreaming. You do not seem to need me on this anyway so I am content to watch,” Connor explained.
“This stuff is easy. I am looking forward to doing diagnostics,” Jeremiah said.
“Maintenance must be done religiously,” Connor pointed out. “We will not have to do much diagnosis work if we keep up on our scheduled maintenance.”
“I know, but we plan on fixing other peoples’ cars here in the future. I just want to be ready,” Jeremiah concluded.
“You will be,” Connor replied. “One step at a time my young friend.”
The young man got up off of the creeper he was on and wiped his hands on a rag. “I have an older brother named Jim Mr. Connor. Could I recruit him to work for us?”
“I do not see why not. We will certainly need more help. How old is he?” Connor asked.
“Nineteen.”
“Has he been in trouble?” Connor continued.
“Mostly the same kind as the rest of us. He.”
“Do not tell me anything illegal he has done,” Connor interrupted. “Are you sure he wants to go legit?”
“Yes Sir, he wants out of the stuff he does now. He got caught up with a loan shark and he.”
“How much?” Connor interrupted again.
“Five thousand and growing,” Jeremiah answered.
Connor nodded. “I can buy him out of that if you think he can become dedicated.”
“I know he can Mr. Connor. My Mom’s worried they will kill him, or he will go to prison doing the things he’s doing for them,” Jeremiah explained.
“Well, no time like the present to take this vehicle out for a test drive. Do you think we can find your brother and then go over and take care of the loan sharks?” Connor asked.
“Can I call him?”
“You have your own phone,” Connor acknowledged. “Go for it. I’ll go check on Jeff, and see if he will watch the shop while we go do some hiring.”
Connor went in where Jeff sat at the controls of Attila, monitoring Luke and Sammy on the video feed, while keeping track of traffic conditions. Barf sat next to Jeff watching the screen with him. Connor walked over and petted Barf on the head.
“Can you watch things while Jeremiah and I go and recruit his brother?” Connor asked.
“Sure Mr. Connor,” Jeff looked up briefly. “Sammy and Luke are having no problems at all. Jeremiah told me he was going to ask you about Jim. He sure took his time about it.”
“You know anything about the loan shark outfit?”
“Sure, only a fool would borrow money off of them,” Jeff replied.
Connor laughed. “Sometimes it seems like a better idea at the start of the loan. We do need more help.”
“Jim’s a good man Mr. Connor. He just makes bad choices sometimes.”
“We will have to try and cure that,” Connor said. “I will see you when I get back.”
Jeff looked up again. “Mr. Connor, those guys will be packin’. I know it won’t mean much to you, but I thought you should know.”
“Thanks Jeff. I will be careful. See you in a little while.”
Jeff nodded and went back to his screen, as Barf came over and put his head in Jeff s lap. Connor went out to find Jeremiah had already backed the limo out of the garage, and closed the doors. Connor stopped in his room and took out some money.
Nate would be happy if he got back and no one died, Connor smiled to himself. He stopped long enough to put his suit coat back on, and adjusted his tie. With the money in his suit coat pocket, Connor left the building, and slid into the back of the limousine. Jeremiah drove off towards his house.
Thirty minutes later, Jeremiah’s brother rode in the back of the limousine with Connor. Jim looked at Connor, who sat up straight, looking ahead, smiling. Jeremiah glanced at them in the rear view mirror. He could tell Jim was not impressed with the boss, and he sighed thinking of all the time he had spent trying to explain things to him.
“What are you smiling at,” Jim asked Connor, with just a little attitude creeping into his voice. “You think money can buy me out of this thing, but I got news for you. Jeremiah thinks you can do anything. These guys eat people like you.”
Connor looked over at Jim, and he was no longer smiling. Jim looked into the eyes the gang who had killed and tortured Connor’s wife and daughter looked into hours before they died. He looked into them, and he looked away quickly, and put his head down.
“I.I’m sorry Mr. Connor,” he began, “I just don’t see what good it will do to get you killed too.”
“Your brother says you are a good man Jim,” Connor said, “and so did one of my other employees. That means something to me, because I respect their judgment. I was smiling; because I could tell you were looking at me, wondering what this old white punk thought he was going to do. We will work this out Jim, and then you will owe me some money. I need more help at my business, but I do not need cheap thugs. I plan on helping you out of this with no strings attached. You can walk away free and clear, or you can come to work for me, and pay back the money you will owe me. What will it be?”
Jim stayed silent for a moment, and he looked up front at his brother. He remembered the look on his Mom’s face that night when she looked at Jeremiah, and met this man, who told her what a great job Jeremiah was doing. She had looked at his younger brother as she had never looked at him before. Jim wanted her to look at him like that.
“I want to work for you Mr. Connor, if you will have me.”
Connor smiled again, and held out his hand, which Jim took. “Good, I had hoped you would say that.”
Jeremiah pulled up in front of a clean looking building with darkened windows. The lighted sign on the front said
Capital Loans.
“Stay with the car Jer,” Connor said. “Jim and I will handle this part.”
“Should I call Mr. Johnson?”
“No, we won’t be long. Come on Jim.”
Connor led the way inside. Once past the entryway, Connor noticed the business office look the place had. One long counter with glass to the ceiling, like in a bank, separated the entrance area from the desks and rooms in the back of the place. The man at the counter looked up from the book he had been reading. He saw Connor and smiled. When he saw Jim, the smile disappeared.
“Boy, where have you been? We had business to take care of this morning.” He stood up to his full height of somewhere near six feet five inches tall, and around two hundred and fifty pounds. His head was shaved clean as well as his face. His face bore scars from what Connor figured to be from a boxing career some time in his past.
“I have come with Jim here to straighten out his debt with you,” Connor said. “If you’ll just tell me the amount, I will pay you, and you can write us up a paid in full receipt.”
The man’s face darkened. “Who the fuck are you? You think you can buy people like some kind of plantation owner?”