Monster (41 page)

“Is that you Cold?” Relief was evident in her voice.

“I need a team here as soon as possible, Red, including a medical staff. We have eleven guys here. Six of them are wounded. Kay, Pete, and I are fine. Somebody tipped off one of the men we captured that the warehouse gig went south. There’s another insider in this mess.”

“Shit!” Reskova exclaimed angrily. “I am going to have Dino peel that bitch’s…”

“Easy,” McDaniels broke in. “I don’t know if she knows who it is. The Russian boss here seems to know all the pieces to our puzzle. It’s important you don’t send any ACLU types over to pick these guys up.”

Reskova laughed in spite of the grim situation. “I’ll bring Aginson into this right away. He’ll have some recommendations for a cleanup team. I assume you would like these guys to vanish suddenly.”

“That’s a big ten-four. I think we’ve only scratched the surface. After our backup gets here the three of us will be going on a road trip with Boris.”

“Any other remarkable catches?”

“Yes indeed - we have some Middle Eastern dignitaries and reps from Chechnya. The gang’s all here. We’re on the third floor of the building Chet told us about. Have whoever you send come in quietly.”

“Thanks for getting them alive, Cold. I know it was a sacrifice.”

“Why you…” McDaniels began as Reskova ended the call. He shook his head and walked over to the group. Two of the men had either passed out from the pain or from loss of blood.

“Hey, it’s getting quieter over here,” McDaniels observed.

“Please…” the man McDaniels had shot and interrogated pleaded. “I’m bleeding to death.”

“Gee, that’s rough. I have some folks coming to take you all for some medical attention. When they begin questioning you, tell them everything you know because my friends and I are taking your boss here somewhere quiet for a question and answer session. When I get back the story he tells me better match the information you all give out. If not - we’ll be taking the ones whose stories don’t match with us for some clarification.”

“This is Major Rasheed,” McDaniels continued, pointing at a scowling Rasheed. “Having once been a membe of Saddam’s secret police, he knows how to convince unhelpful terrorists to be more forthcoming.”

The captives looked up at Rasheed fearfully, especially the other Middle Eastern men.

“How can you do this?” One of the unwounded Arabs asked. “We are prisoners. We…”

“Quiet!” Rasheed kicked him in the side. “Do not speak unless asked to or you will come along with us now. I will be most happy to question you personally, scum.”

Except for the groans from the wounded men, they all waited in silence. McDaniels bound up some of the more serious wounds with scraps of clothing he tore roughly from the men’s outfits. Rasheed and Donaldson kept watch at the door, taking turns backing up McDaniels with the bound men. Donaldson gestured as a team of black clad armed men rushed into the hallway from the stairwell. Donaldson recognized the leader of the group. He shook hands with him.

“Chris, this is Colonel McDaniels’ man, Kay. Do you have a medical team with you?”

Rasheed shook hands with Chris.

“The medical team is waiting at the elevator. We wanted to make sure everything was okay first.”

“Bring them up and let’s get started.”

Chris turned his head slightly and spoke into his transmitter, giving the order for the medical team to come up. He then followed Donaldson into the room with the rest of his men. McDaniels straightened from where he had been wiping the face of the Russian he had placed in a chair. The Russian was coming to, his head moving from side to side groggily. Donaldson introduced the backup team’s leader. McDaniels indicated the men on the floor he thought were the most seriously wounded.

“I’ll leave you to bring the med team up to speed and get the cleanup organized. We’re taking this man with us for the time being. Make sure these other men do not see or talk to anyone.”

“Yes, Sir. Are you certain you want to do it this way, Colonel? I’m sure our interrogation teams can…”

“We don’t have the time, Chris,” McDaniels interrupted. “We have another mole in the department. I plan on finding out who it is real quick.”

“You mean Dillon’s not the only one?”

“The Russian received a call telling him about the warehouse debacle. I can only vouch for a handful of people who could not be the mole. If the traitor had known about our coming here we would probably be dead. Tell no one of what I’ve told you until I find out who else is in on this with Dillon.”

“You might be able to turn whoever it is into a double, Colonel.”

“My plan is for no one being around for a double agent to communicate with,” McDaniels replied ominously.

Chris laughed, stepped back, and saluted formally. “I will leave you to it then, Colonel. These assholes will be incommunicado until you say otherwise.”

McDaniels returned his salute. “I’ll keep what you suggested in mind, Chris.

McDaniels, Rasheed, and Donaldson sat quietly in the SUV as Rasheed drove. The Russian, all three men now referred to as Boris, groaned almost constantly in the back where he lay bound. The medical team had reset the Russian’s nose and placed a metal guard over it, held in place with an elastic band around his head. An irritated Rasheed looked over at McDaniels after glancing back at the Russian.

“Could we not pull over anywhere for the interrogation? This man is very annoying.”

McDaniels and Donaldson laughed. McDaniels pointed a warning finger at Rasheed. “Enough of that kind of talk, my friend. They’ll be fitting me for a noose over what we are doing. At least let’s take this somewhere quiet.”

“But going back over to the warehouse area?” Rasheed questioned again. “What is that all about? Are there no other nearer quiet places in the state?”

“I have an idea.”

“I do not like it when you say you have an idea,” Rasheed stated, evoking Donaldson’s laughter again.

“I bet they don’t have the mine field all secured yet.”

“Uh oh,” Donaldson muttered as Rasheed began laughing and nodding his head.

“I take it back, Mr. Mountain. If you truly are to do this though, you will need to clear the area of witnesses. We will not be able to proceed with this devil’s work with the area infested with bleeding hearts.”

“Devil’s work?”

“You are an evil man but perhaps you do have your place in this part of the terrorist war,” Rasheed replied. “I am unaccustomed to people sacrificing themselves to make terrorist scum feel better. I will of course visit you in prison.”

“Thanks Kay, I appreciate that.” McDaniels gave Donaldson a light smack on the forehead as Pete rocked back and forth trying not to start howling in laughter. “Pete, I’m beginning to regret taking you with us.”

“I…I…I’m sorry… Colonel,” Donaldson stammered between bouts of laughter.

“Another lie,” Rasheed said simply, setting Donaldson off again. “We must forgive the young man. He is much relieved at not being killed carrying out your attack on the building.”

“How many of the guys do you know aside from your team, Pete?” McDaniels asked, grabbing Donaldson’s ear which did nothing to reduce the young man’s mirth.

“Oh…okay… I…I know almost… all of them, Colonel.”

“Will they leave the area temporarily if you ask them to?” McDaniels released Donaldson’s ear.

Donaldson considered it for a moment and then nodded affirmatively. “Yeah… they would but if…”

Donaldson leaned toward McDaniels in the front passenger seat and whispered the rest of what he had to say. “If Boris blows himself to pieces it will not be something we’ll be able to cover up.”

McDaniels shrugged. “I only need some breathing room without anyone asking too many questions.”

“There may still be people there who are over my pay grade, Colonel.”

“If need be I’ll have Reskova contact Aginson to clear the area. I’d rather not do that if at all possible.”

“Yes, because you believe he will say no,” Rasheed stated.

McDaniels gestured for the conversation to be continued in a hushed manner. “Maybe. As soon as this clown in the back gets a few minutes to think things over I’m betting he’ll start trying to be a tough guy again. He’ll want to start bargaining like his buddy Tomashevsky. If you have a better suggestion spit it out. Pete, can you get me one of those bean bag guns - you know, one that fires something non-lethal?”

“Sure, but he’ll still think you’re bluffing.”

“I am in a way. I don’t plan on the three of us getting our asses blown up with him. We’re going to blindfold Boris. We’ll put him in the section Reskova and Dino cleared earlier. I’ll cut him loose in a safe spot. When the three of us get to a safe distance I’ll tell Boris to remove his blindfold.”

“But there are flags denoting the safe way through the field,” Rasheed said.

“He doesn’t know which flags are which. You can bet he won’t want to test any theories out from where he’ll be.”

“And if he simply runs?” Donaldson asked.

“Then duck.”

* * *

“Can you hear me over there, Boris?” McDaniels called out from where he stood at a safe distance from the Russian.

The Russian stood up in the spot McDaniels had sat him down on. The men were alone in the area fronting the warehouse. They had waited until all the personnel working in the warehouse and guarding the perimeter could be sent away. Donaldson was a highly respected agent. When he asked the assorted commanders to withdraw their men down the road for a time they did as they were asked. It had only taken McDaniels ten minutes to get the Russian placed where he wanted him after arranging extra flags around the chosen area.

“I will tell you nothing,” the Russian’s muffled voice yelled back angrily.

“Take off your hood, Boris,” McDaniels instructed. Rasheed signaled they were picking up the Russian’s voice clearly on the recorder.

The Russian ripped the hood off his head in the graying light of morning. He did a double take when he realized where he stood. McDaniels, Rasheed, and Donaldson stood nearly thirty yards away. McDaniels waved at him comically.

“Wha…what have you done?” The Russian straightened, placing his feet more together.

“I see you recognize your little minefield. Do yourself a favor for now. Stay within the circle of flags.”

McDaniels held up the bulky rifle like weapon he held in his right hand. “This is one of those guns that fire a bean bag round. It will knock you down five feet beyond where you’re standing. Here’s how it works. You tell me the name of the person who called you in your office just before I rearranged your face and I won’t blast your ass onto a live mine.”

“You cannot do this!” The Russian balled his hands into fists at his side. “Take me out of here.”

McDaniels handed the weapon to Donaldson. Pete took aim at the Russian. McDaniels nodded at Donaldson who fired the soft projectile at the cringing Russian. The man tried to duck but Donaldson anticipated his action. The projectile hit him in the shoulder. The Russian screamed out in pain and fear as the force of the shot knocked him down nearly three feet beyond the safe circle flags.

McDaniels laughed. “Oh, you are so lucky. There can’t be many safe spots around you. Want to see how lucky you are this time. Hit him again, Pete.”

Donaldson took aim. The Russian struggled to his feet, clutching his injured arm.

“It is a woman named Nancy Tamara in your director’s office!” The Russian cried out, trying to keep his balance with his feet drawn together tightly. The man tried to make himself as small a target as his injured shoulder permitted.

“Christ!” Donaldson exclaimed. “She works in Aginson’s office. I…I almost asked her out the other day.”

McDaniels shook his head and Rasheed cursed under his breath.

“Okay, Boris, that’s a good start,” McDaniels called out. “Did this Nancy know about Dillon?”

“No, I do not believe so. They were recruited at about the same time though.”

“By whom?”

“I…I do not know…” the Russian began waving his arms wildly as Donaldson took aim. “I swear it. It was only after they were recruited that I was made their handler.”

“Who handles you then?”

“There are no names or meetings on a level over me. Money and instructions pass over the Internet. I am in direct touch with only underlings.”

“What is your full name?”

“Vladimir Kasyanov.”

“Sit down right where you are and keep talking. If we even think you’re not telling us the truth or you stop before we think you’ve told us everything, my friend is going to nudge you again. Do you understand?”

“I will te…tell you everything… just…just get me out of here,” the Russian pleaded.

“No can do, Vlad,” McDaniels replied. “The faster you talk, the sooner I come get you. Sit down on the ground carefully and get to it.”

“I…I will stand.”

“Very well.” McDaniels grinned over at Rasheed and Donaldson. “Let’s begin.”

* * *

Reskova led the way into Aginson’s office, with McDaniels, Rasheed, and Donaldson close behind. She stopped at the receptionist’s desk, smiling down at the auburn haired woman sitting there. The woman in her mid twenties looked up at Reskova from her computer screen and gestured toward Aginson’s inner office.