Authors: Bernard Lee DeLeo
Connor leaned down, and pulled Pierre’s face up by yanking his head back by the hair. “I do not have a lot of time. If you do not put everything you have on them in my hands in the next short moment, I will make your other hand and feet look like this one.” Connor poked at the man’s broken hand, evoking a blood-curdling scream.
Connor pulled him to his feet. Pierre stumbled over to his bookcase and pulled out a book. A section of the bookcase swung out, revealing a safe in the wall. Pierre shakily worked the combination, and Connor opened it for him. Pierre stood off to the side, eyeing the distance to the doorway. As he reached into the safe to pull out its contents, Connor kicked backwards with his right foot, snapping Pierre’s ankle. Pierre’s undulating scream as he collapsed to the floor echoed loudly in the large room.
Just as Connor had suspected, the files on the girls were in notebooks kept in alphabetical order. There were fourteen notebooks, each containing pictures and locations of each girl’s buyer. The profiles on the buyers were almost as complete as those on the girl’s. Connor turned back to the whimpering figure behind him.
“You only took fourteen girls?”
“Th.Those are the only ones.”
Connor killed him. He hurried back out to Karen. Rather than walk in on her, he called out to her first, after he had approached to within fifty yards of her. She stood up with the assault rifle at the ready. When she was sure it was him, she lowered the weapon and joined him.
“It’s over Thomas?”
“Yep, and I have the information we need too. Pierre was very helpful.”
“How many more in the house?” Karen asked.
“Three besides Pierre,” Connor replied.
“How are you holding up?”
“I’ve been better,” Connor admitted, “but I’ll live. Let’s go get cleaned up, and then we will pick out a car to drive back with. We will dine in Paris my dear.”
“I know, as a mutant, this jet lag has not affected you, but I feel like something out of
Night of the Living Dead.
”
Connor put an arm around her. “Come on, I’ll wash your back, and you can wash mine. Remember now, anything you touch, we have to wipe our prints off of. I don’t really care if they find them, but why leave traces if we don’t have to.”
Connor had dragged the bodies out of the house before going to get Karen. In the shower together, Karen went over Connor’s wounds, which were still closing up. She sponged him off carefully where they were still open.
“You had so many past scars, I will have a hard time knowing what’s new and what’s old,” she told him.
“I drank the quart of orange juice my buddy Pierre had in his refrigerator, and ate some fruit he had. I know I lost a lot of blood, but I feel pretty good now.” Connor turned and took Karen into his arms underneath the hot water spray. “In fact I am feeling much better.”
Connor found a suit in Pierre’s closet, which fit him comfortably. Karen found enough women’s clothing to make a decent ensemble. While waiting for Karen, Connor found a phone, and after getting through to the redline on Attila, he heard Nate answer.
“We clear?”
“Yea Mutie, go on,” Nate answered.
“Sprung trap, goal achieved, still breathing, on our way out, must hook up with on site help to transfer data, will advise in two hours,” Connor intoned quickly.
“Understood, take care Mutie.”
“Will do, Mutie out.”
Connor found Karen in the bathroom, putting on some lipstick she had found. “I called Nate, and told him we would be in touch in two hours.”
She turned to face him. “Did you tell him anything else?”
“I did not elaborate. We can fill him in later. We have to hook up with Johnny, so he can send these files on a secure line into Attila. Pierre called the Chinese to check up on Yee, and found out they had been out of contact with him, which I guess does not happen. I did not foresee that, and I should have. I would have been better off just showing up. This mistake almost cost us our lives, and now we will have to move even faster on these missions.”
“You mean every one of these people has been warned?”
“Maybe,” Connor replied, “but our ace in the hole is I will be going as Pierre from now on, and these folks do not know each other.”
“I guess we better get going. Did you find some keys?”
Connor held up a set of Mercedes keys with a tag attached. “I guess Pierre has more than one in his garage, so he has the license on each set. Come on, I have the contents of his safe already in a bag. He had a lot of francs, but he also had over thirty thousand US dollars in there. I guess we will have to go on a little shopping trip for you in Paris. Would you like that?”
Karen came close, and stroked his cheek with her hand. “I will like it much better than watching you rip the head off of someone’s neck.”
Connor’s eyes darkened momentarily. “You can always go home Karen. They know something, because they sent their own driver to his death just so as not to tip their hand. This may well get more complicated and bloody, and I certainly am not infallible.”
“I know Thomas, and I have no intention of leaving you, ever. Let’s get going. I do need some clothes.”
After wiping down the Mercedes, they left it in downtown Paris. Connor called the number he had for Johnny. He explained where he and Karen were. Johnny showed up twenty minutes later. Connor and Karen drank coffee at the café Connor had called him from. Connor left some money at the table, and then they went out to meet Loo. As soon as he saw them emerge from the café, Johnny ducked back into his car, and unlocked the doors. The couple entered the back gingerly, and Johnny drove away.
“I heard you had some trouble,” Johnny said over his shoulder, “and I notice you are no longer in disguise.”
“That character proved unhelpful to us. Leave us off at the most expensive looking clothing place you see Johnny,” Connor instructed. “I will leave the files here on the seat, and this black plastic bag has some clothes and things I need you to get rid of, preferably by fire.”
Johnny nodded, “I will get the files uploaded, and then give you a call.” He handed Connor a cell phone. “The notebook at your feet has all the bells and whistles. The cell phone has uplink capabilities, and cannot be traced. Are you all right?”
“Yea Johnny, we are just a little tired,” Connor answered. “Is everything ready to go, once we get the go ahead?”
“We’re all set. Just don’t push yourself too hard here.”
“Don’t worry about that. Karen and I will get rested up today, while they coordinate the information. We will be ready. Thanks for coming in person Johnny.” Connor changed himself into Pierre.
Johnny jumped, as he looked into the rear view mirror. “What the hell.”
“I will explain it all when this ends,” Connor said. “I will be in this disguise from now on. You saw this guy in your prep for the mission. His name’s Pierre.”
“What the heck smells, those clothes I’m supposed to get rid of?” Loo asked.
“Pierre’s head and hands are in the bag,” Connor replied. “We need a clean up crew out there at his estate, if things stay quiet over the next day. I only did this to give us some time, in case the police get tipped, and get out there before housekeeping.”
“Well, small chance of him ruining your disguise,” Johnny commented. “How about you guys get out of here, and stick the bag in the trunk. You can find some clothes I am sure around here. In fact, I know of one of those places, which sell both men and women’s clothes, called
Galeries Lafayette.
It’s only about five minutes away.”
“Can you recommend a good hotel Johnny?” Connor asked. “We will be staying in the area for another day. One of the girls was sold to a guy in Aubergenville, just outside of Paris. We will rest, coordinate, and hit him tomorrow. Can you be ready that quickly, once you let Greg know where the first hit will be?”
“You bet. I will tell Nate to put Aubergenville on the top of the list, and tell him you want to move on it tomorrow. How long should we wait before cleanup.”
“Late tonight might be the best,” Connor answered.
Johnny pulled over, and popped the trunk lid, while Connor took his grisly bag out of the car. Connor then tossed it into the trunk. Loo pulled up in front of a huge complex minutes later.
“Do you have enough for the hotel and shopping spree?” Johnny asked. “I imagine nothing you had survived the trap.”
“You have that right,” Connor confirmed. “Pierre made restitution for his wrong doing. We will be fine. Luckily, we had our personal ID’s and passports on us, one of which was for my Pierre disguise. What about a hotel?”
“Stay at the Le Grand. You guys earned it. Their Café de la Paix would be a great place for you to eat too. It has a terrace.”
Connor shook hands with Loo. “Nice working with you again Johnny. See you tomorrow.”
“Stay out of trouble Pierre,” Johnny laughed. “Watch his back boss.”
“Always,” Karen quipped.
Karen and Connor both picked out lavish wardrobes. The universal language of money, coupled with Connor’s fluent Pierre French, made them the store’s top priority. They had a limousine called to take them, their wardrobe, and new baggage to the Le Grand Hotel, where they paid for the Presidential Suite. Alone in the beautiful suite, Connor made love to Karen with a passion almost capable of sweeping away the nightmarish visions from the beginning of the day. They both slept, wrapped in each other’s arms. Connor woke her as night came.
“Let’s get a shower, and try on our new clothes. I need some food.”
“I love you Thomas.”
Connor sat down on the edge of the bed, and bent over to stroke the side of her face gently with his hand. “I love you too Karen. Will you marry
me?”
Karen shot up in the bed, and gripped Connor with all of her might. “Do you mean it Thomas?”
“You must know by now I would never joke about something like that. Two people who can stay sane together, after what I did today, have a good chance to make it. After this ends, we will come back here and stay for a few days while you pick out the most beautiful engagement ring in the world. We will have to use this as a base anyway, until they get on to me as Pierre.”
“I don’t care if we use a pop top.” Karen started laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
“We must be the oddest couple of all time,” Karen replied.
“You always knew being with me would take some getting used to. No use in wondering what others will think about our admittedly strange union. The only question I have is whether you can handle living in mutant land?” Connor asked.
“I can no longer think of life without you near me,” Karen whispered.
“I feel the same way,” Connor said softly, “I hope it’s enough. Let’s get ready, and go see if Johnny’s restaurant pick turns out to be a good one.”
They met up with Johnny Loo a block away from the hotel. They slipped quickly onto the backseat of his car, and he drove off. He did not
stop the car until they were on a busy thoroughfare, where he pulled over to the side of the road.
“We took care of business at Pierre’s after dark. No one had been alerted to the site. You can remain in your disguise. We have an agent on sight, handling phone calls at his chateau, and anyone who might show up without invitation.”
“Good,” Connor replied. “Do we have a go for tonight?”
“I already have a team in place, and we have the estate under observation,” Johnny replied.
“Any sign of armed people or the like,” Karen asked.
“No, just a couple of guys who look like bodyguards. Nate researched this guy, and he’s connected through the Paris drug trade with Pierre. Rene Goulet runs a distribution network in the city,” Johnny continued.
“How close are these two,” Connor asked.
“They have a relationship dating back over a couple of decades,” Johnny replied.
“I guess we will not be able to sustain this charade then for very long,” Connor remarked. “I just need to find the girl. After that, the show will be all yours.”
Johnny smiled. “We will try to cause a little less destruction than the mutant menace.”
“I see you have been letting Nate color your objectivity,” Connor commented.
“After a look at Pierre’s place last night,” Johnny remarked, “I think I can determine a few things without Nate, but he did add a little color. Anyway, we will move as soon as you give the word.”
Johnny handed him a small case. “Here’s your communications setup for tonight. At eight tonight everything will be in place, and Nate will be on line with you along with my team. We will be able to hear everything you do.”
“Sounds good my friend. Drop us at the café, and I will be on line with you at eight.”
“Will you be calling this Rene guy before you go over?”
“No,” Connor answered. “My experience with announced arrivals so far has convinced me that showing up without warning might be more intelligent.”
“Yea, I saw the car you came in,” Johnny remarked. “They hit it with a round from a rocket launcher. We found the launcher, and where they fired it from. This Tina Simmons you will be picking up is only fourteen. She was thirteen when they took her. I will pick you up in a limo in front of the Le Grand at 7:45 PM tonight. I guess I lied about not driving a limo.”
Connor laughed. “Okay then, I won’t change the plan unless you let me know Goulet leaves the scene before we get started.”
Connor and Karen exited Johnny’s car at the café. They walked back to the Le Grand and ate breakfast, before going back up to their room to wait for nightfall.
Johnny picked them up at 7:45 sharp. He jumped out, and opened the door for them in full uniform. He slipped back behind the wheel, and drove off for the Aubergenville estate of Rene Goulet.
“How you guys doing?” Johnny’s voice sounded in Connor’s ear.
“Great Johnny,” Connor confirmed. “This earpiece works perfectly. One more time buddy: I get in, I get Tina, I kill Rene, I hole up with Tina and Karen until you tell me to come out.”
“That’s the plan. Sit back, we will be there soon.”
With Karen by his side, Connor rang the bell at the entrance. He looked up into the surveillance camera above the door and smiled. Moments later the door opened. A butler greeted him by name, and asked them to follow him. He led them upstairs to a spacious living room, where a fireplace blazed comfortably. A short, middle-aged bald man sat on a couch in front of the fire with a wine glass in his hand. He glanced back at Connor/Pierre and smiled.
“Come in my friend,” Goulet gestured. “What brings you here tonight, and who is your lovely friend?”
Connor looked at the butler, who in turn looked at Goulet. Goulet waved him out of the room. “I need to know where the girl is I brought you Rene. There has been some trouble.”
The man put his drink down, and stood up hurriedly. “What kind of trouble Pierre?”
“Nothing monumental Rene. I just need to ask her a question. Her parents have been persistent in finding her, and I need to know how I can get to them. My associate here will be handling the matter for me.”
Goulet looked at him for a moment before nodding. “I have her in the room next door. She has not come to appreciate her situation as totally as I had hoped, but she learns everyday. Come, I will take you over to her.”
They followed Goulet to the next room, where he took out a key and unlocked the bedroom door. They found the girl handcuffed to the bed. Her eyes pleaded with Goulet as he approached her. She kept her silence however.
Connor felt Karen tense at his side, and he touched her reassuringly. “You have her handcuffed even after all these months Rene?”
Goulet laughed. “She had to be disciplined for her attitude this morning.”
Connor struck him so hard in the back of his neck, Karen heard it snap, and saw Goulet’s head whip back at an impossible angle, even as his body collapsed loosely to the floor. He quickly searched the body, and came up with a key to the girl’s handcuffs, as Karen sat next to her smiling, and gesturing for her to stay quiet. Connor removed the handcuffs as Karen helped her to her feet.
“Tina,” Connor said quietly. “We are here to help you. Karen will help you get dressed while some friends of mine come to get us. Can you get dressed okay?”
Tina nodded, as tears began to stream down her cheeks. She looked down at Goulet’s body, and then questioningly back at Connor. “Is.Is he dead?”
Connor nodded. “He sure is honey. Now you let Karen help you get dressed, and we will be on our way.”
She led Karen to a closet across the room. “Did you get all that Johnny?” Connor asked.
“Oh yeah buddy, and we are on the move right now. Sit tight.”
“Will do.” Connor went over and locked the bedroom door.
“Hey Mutie, how you doin’?”
Connor smiled at the sound of Nate’s voice. “So far so good pal.”
“From the sound,” Nate observed, “I take it future questioning of Goulet would have to be done by way of a supernatural medium.” Connor heard Johnny laugh.
“Just following the plan bud. Any movement around us?”
“Nope,” Nate advised. “We have a clean screen. Any trouble Johnny?”
“Just a bodyguard.”
Someone began pounding on the door, as the handle was tried.
“I hear it Mutie. Stay with the girl. We will be there in five seconds,” Johnny stated.
“We will be here,” Connor answered as he moved to the side of the door.
Connor heard the quiet sound of a silenced gun, and then a thud as the body dropped to the floor.
“I’m right outside,” Johnny confirmed. “Come on out, and I’ll take you right to the limo.”
Karen had heard. She brought Tina out to the door next to Connor. Connor put his arm around the girl, who shook with fear. His touch calmed her, and Karen saw the look of well being come over her face.
“You’re going home Tina,” Connor told her, “right now. Karen will be right next to you from now on. Are you ready?”
She nodded, and Connor unlocked the door. Johnny stood outside. He had dragged the butler’s body off to the side. He turned, leading the way
down to the limo. His team was there in force, and nothing moved within sight of where they walked. Johnny opened the limousine door for the three of them, and then jumped into the driver’s seat. They did not stop until they were at the airport. Johnny got out, and handed Connor the passport papers, and ticket reservations Karen would need for Tina to fly home.
“I will be waiting for you somewhere around here. Just tell me when you want picked up,” Johnny told him.
“Thanks Johnny, I will get them on the plane, and then call you.”
One of Johnny’s men met them at customs, and guided them all the way
through until it was time to board the plane. Tina hugged Connor. “Thank you…I…”
“No need to thank me Tina. It was a pleasure.” He looked at Karen, who smilingly gave him the communications gear she had.
“I know I have to go with her. I saw the list of places you still have to travel. I could not go with you even if I wanted to. I will come back when you finish, or any time you need me.”
Connor took her hand, and kissed her fingers. “Until then my love, until then,” he said in French.
She laughed, and waved as she led Tina through the gate.
Connor sighed in relief. “I’m on my way out Johnny.”
“I heard that sigh Mutie,” Nate said.
“I needed Karen yesterday, thanks to a screw-up on my part, and it was pretty straight forward today, but I am sure you saw where we have to go now.”
“I know,” Nate agreed. “I am signing off for now. Congratulations guys, I will be back on line tomorrow as soon as I figure some way to support you on this next one. Basrah will be a bitch.”
“Better to do the worst next. We practiced on the milk run today. Talk to you tomorrow, Mutie out.”
Connor had removed his communications gear, and changed from Pierre for the time being. He sat quietly next to Johnny, who drove them to meet up with the team, and go over a few of the details. Johnny looked over at his friend, a smile spreading across his face. Connor sensed it and looked over.
“What the hell are you grinning at?”
“I cannot believe how whipped you are,” Johnny commented. “You went through all this shit the last couple of days just so Dr. Blakely could realize how little use she would be.”
“I did not endanger our mission, and frankly, without her along yesterday, I would probably have died,” Connor reminded him.
“No, you would have done it differently,” Johnny corrected.
Connor stayed silent for a few moments. He turned to say something, but Johnny was shaking his head. “Whip boy, you are so pathetic. I like Dr.
Blakely too, but all this because you can’t say no to your girlfriend. Say it with me whip boy, paaaaaa.thet.ic.”
Connor laughed with him. “Forget what I said about coming in with me and Nate you little weasel. One disrespectful smart-ass in the company will be more than enough.”
“One smart-ass and a whip boy,” Johnny said. “Besides, you can’t keep me out. Nate already made me a partner, and we voted you off of the board of directors.”
“Figures,” Connor sighed. “You have to admit Johnny, we administered a little justice today. Where did you pick to meet up with the team?”
“We have a safe house in Nanterre. They should be there by now.”
All of the men were relaxing, taking care of weapons and equipment, when Johnny led Connor into the room. They all jumped to attention. Connor looked at Johnny Loo quizzically. Johnny just shrugged, motioning for the men to take their seats. He and Connor sat down with them in the large living room. They were all extremely capable looking young men.
“I want to congratulate you guys,” Connor said. “You pulled this off without a hitch. This one will be the easiest of the missions we have ahead of us. Did you have any questions or comments about what we did today?”