by C. G. Cooper
Travis smiled. “If I’d told you who it was and what they wanted, you would’ve figured out some way not to make it back. This way we both win.”
“How do I win?”
“You get your first action with the Council. It’s great that I’ve vouched for you, but until you prove yourself, they won’t know what to do with us.”
“But I thought we were in tight with these guys.”
Travis walked over to his desk as he explained. “We’ve had contact with the Council off and on for last few years. The problem is that we never had anyone dedicated to utilizing their intel. I was their contact, but I also had to run SSI. It pulled me thin. Now that we’ve got you, we can put some muscle behind it.”
“So what’s my guidance going forward?”
“I’m not gonna hold your hand or look over your shoulder, Cal. In this case, I want to push you. Take a look at the file we’ve started compiling. I think you’ll find some interesting tidbits about the Vegas underground. Plus, I completely agree with the Senator. Despite Congressman Zimmer’s past, the whole bloody murder scenario isn’t his M.O. He’s being set up for something.”
Cal realized he’d allowed his emotions to cloud his objectivity. Maybe Travis was right. Maybe there was something to the story.
“Okay. I’ll handle it.”
“Alright. Why don’t you head down to Intel and see if you can’t dig up anything else. In the meantime, come up with a team and a plan. Let me know if you need something special.”
Cal walked out of Travis’s office and headed to his personal cubicle. They’d offered him his father’s office but he’d declined. The old man’s office was more of a shrine now. Besides, Cal enjoyed the thought of working his way up the ladder and being with his troops.
The first thing he needed to do was pick his A-team. Then it was off to Sin City.
Chapter 8
Las Vegas, Nevada
2:48am, September 16th
The workmen loaded the large packages into the nearly full semis. They were all getting paid hefty overtime for working through the night. It was almost three in the morning but the boxes weren’t particularly heavy. There were just a lot of them. The only pain for the crew was dealing with the quiet little Japanese guy and his big Russian friend.
The smaller Asian man was obviously in charge. He gave clipped orders and maintained an intense vigil over the loading process. The large Russian looked bored as he gazed lazily around the small truck terminal. He hadn’t made a sound except for the occasionally spit of phlegm over the metal railing.
“Hey boss, how much longer we got?”
Max Unger looked back at his worker. “Until we get all these trailers loaded, shithead. Now shut up and go back to work.”
The worker grumbled and headed back to the smallest stack of packages. Max stole a look at the man who’d offered a tidy sum if the shipment could be processed in one night. Unger had almost refused, but the enticement of so much cash won him over. Even as he was anticipating his payday, Max Unger couldn’t shake the feeling of unease as he loaded yet another stamped cardboard box. What the hell is in these boxes?
Chapter 9
Camp Spartan, Arrington, Tennessee
7:37am, September 16th
It took Cal two days to piece together an initial plan of attack and gather his team. He’d recalled Neil Patel and MSgt Trent from Turks. The other members of the advance team included his good friend and former Navy Corpsman Brian Ramirez. Brian was currently heading-up the battle-med research team inside Patel’s R&D department. SSI focused heavily on new development not only to make money, but also to better support American troops serving around the globe.
Cal figured that the first thing to do was take a look around Vegas and see what cropped up. Dumb luck just might expose Zimmer’s enemies without much effort.
The small team chatted quietly as Cal gathered his notes. He finally looked up. “You guys have a good trip back?”
“First Class is always nice when I’m not the one paying for it,” Willy joked in his booming voice.
“Top told me all about your little competition at the tiki bar, Cal,” Brian interrupted grinning. “I knew you were a dumb grunt, but waking the sleeping giant…”
Cal raised his hands in defeat. “I know, I know. I’ll never live that one down. Let me run you through what we’ve got.”
Cal recounted the Congressman’s story. He also outlined Zimmer’s past and what he’d been able to dig up about Ishi Nakamura, which wasn’t much. Eyebrows were raised, but they waited for Cal to finish before asking questions.
“So the first thing we need to do is link Top up with Congressman Zimmer. You’ll be tapped as his new bodyguard. We’ve already floated the story of some weirdo sending Zimmer some threatening letters. Now, Top, this guy might end up being a royal pain in the ass, but I need you to stick close to him,” Cal instructed. “Neil, I’ll need you to be around for technical support. Bring anything you think you might need. Brian and I will be posing as tourists. We’ll take in the sights and do a little gambling. I want to see if we can weed out anyone following Zimmer. Any questions?”
Brian spoke up first. “Why only four of us? Don’t you think we might need some more manpower?”
Cal shook his head. “This is just our initial reconnaissance. I don’t want whoever’s framing Zimmer to know we’re there. The smaller the team, the less likely it’ll be that we get spotted.”
“You want me to do some more background on this Ishi guy?” Neil asked.
“Yeah. I couldn’t find much. Seemed pretty normal on paper. His parents came over from Japan when he was a kid. Grew up in San Francisco. Did well in school. Met Zimmer at Harvard. A few jobs and internships here and there. Typical post-college stuff. I really want to know more about this company he works for.”
“I’ll get on it,” Neil answered as he turned his attention to the mini-laptop perched on his knees.
Cal knew that if anybody could penetrate an organization with technology, it was Neil Patel. The certified genius wasn’t just a whiz with gadgets, he was also a world-class hacker.
“Top, we’ll fly you out to D.C. tomorrow. You can link up with the Congressman and then fly out to Vegas with him. Anything else?”
No one had anything to add. Everyone was already mentally coming up with their own game plan for the operation. Cal knew better than to get in their way. They were all proven operators. Even Neil was a warrior in his own way. All they needed was a quick snapshot. The rest would evolve once they got to Las Vegas.
Chapter 10
Las Vegas, Nevada
7:52am, September 16th
“What is the status of the shipment?”
“The packages are ready and each truck is awaiting my order to depart.”
“Do you expect the packages to be delivered by the time we requested?”
“Yes. We have allowed extra time in case of weather or some other unforeseen circumstance.”
“Good. Then you may proceed with the delivery.”
The older man’s assistant bowed respectfully and exited the palatial suite. The master took another drag from his cigarette and gazed out at the desert landscape. Soon America would feel the pain and humiliation he’d long planned.
Chapter 11
Falls Church, VA
1:46pm, September 16th
MSgt Willy Trent stepped out of the taxi and paid the driver. It’d been an easy ride over from Reagan National. It still amazed him how close the nation’s capital looked as you landed. You could see everything.
Unfortunately, this wouldn’t be a tourist stop. His orders were clear: keep eyes-on Congressman Brandon Zimmer, 24/7.
He strolled up to the modest home and quickly scanned the finely manicured lawn. Access to the property looked easy. No obvious security. Strange. He’d have to change that.
Trent knocked and waited patiently for the door to open. He was surprised when Congressman Zimmer opened the door. No interior s
ecurity either?
The good-looking congressman smiled and reached out his hand. “You must be Master Sergeant Trent.”
“Yes, sir. Although most people call me Willy or Top.”
“Top’s the nickname you Marines call Master Sergeants, right?” Zimmer asked still smiling congenially.
“Only the ones they like, sir,” Trent smiled back.
“Well, come on in. I’ll give you a quick tour of the place and then you can fill me in on your team’s plan.” Zimmer ushered Willy in through the door and led the way to the back of the house, highlighting the layout as they went. The hallway opened up to a large great room that overlooked Lake Barcroft. Trent could see a couple families enjoying the early fall weather on their pontoon boats. He wondered quietly whether there was any security on the sprawling back lawn either.
“Can I get you anything, Top?”
“No thank you, sir. Maybe we should go over your itinerary.”
Zimmer’s smile slipped for a split-second, but was replaced quickly. Trent noticed. Obviously this guy isn’t used to being on someone else’s schedule.
“Why not? Tell me what you guys have come up with.” Zimmer walked over to the closest armchair and took a seat.
Maybe this guy ain’t as bad as Cal thinks. We’ll see.
“First, sir, my orders are pretty clear. I’m supposed to be with you 24/7. No exceptions.”
To Zimmer’s credit, not even the faintest hint of anger crossed his face. “I understand, Top. I assume you already know the whole story?”
Trent nodded.
“Then you know I’m not really in a position to fight this. You guys are doing me a favor and I really do appreciate it. Democrat or not, I’m no idiot.”
“No disrespect intended, sir. I’ve just always found that it’s better to the clear the air and manage expectations in the beginning.”
Willy looked to Zimmer for questions but none came. “So to start I wanted to ask you some questions about your property here.”
Trent grilled Zimmer for close to an hour. He quickly found that the security in the rented residence was decent but still lacking, despite the Las Vegas episode. The only things in place were a monitoring system supplied by a local vendor and a panic number provided to all incoming members of the House of Representatives.
It was clearly evident that the freshman representative was somewhat naïve about personal protection and surveillance. It wasn’t unusual for unknown Congressmen to drive their own cars, but Willy got the distinct feeling that prior to the Vegas incident, Zimmer almost felt untouchable. Zimmer explained that he’d clearly been instructed by Ishi not to increase any security after the girl’s murder. Brandon wasn’t stupid. He knew the lack of security meant easy access for his blackmailers.
“Have you noticed anyone following you, anything strange?”
“Are you kidding? I see shadows everywhere now. I’d started to think I was really losing my grip on reality,” Zimmer answered in a tone colored with panic.
“That’s why I’m here, Congressman. I’ll need to do some upgrades to your system here, but we’ll do that through SSI, so whoever’s watching you won’t know. The next part of the plan is to take a little trip to Vegas. Cal wants to see if we can’t get these rats out of their nest.”
Brandon didn’t want to go anywhere near Las Vegas. “No way! The minute I step into that place they’ll be all over me. They’ve already had me back for a couple of mandatory meetings. Every time I feel like I’m the fish in the fishbowl. I’m surrounded and subtlety reminded of where I stand. I can’t handle it!”
Willy shouldn’t have been surprised by the outburst, but he was. He’d have to tread carefully on this one.
“Sir, as long as I’m with you, nothing will happen. Besides, we’ll keep the visit as public as we can.”
Zimmer wouldn’t be mollified. “They’ll see right through it. Why would I want to go out there anyway?”
“Cal’s cooked up a story that we’re floating out to the media. We’ve got contacts with prominent casino owners who are big political donors. One of them has a local job placement charity for disabled vets. He’d love for you to come out and help publicize it.”
“What!? Those guys are all Republicans! I’ll look like an idiot! I need to call my father on this before…”
“Sir, Senator Zimmer already knows.”
“There’s no way he’d approve this. I’ll be a pariah!”
“Maybe you should look at it in a different way, sir. This group is all about job creation, helping military veterans and the local economy. You’d be doing a good thing.”
“Cal’s just trying to piss me off, isn’t he?” Zimmer said dejectedly.
“I won’t say that, sir, but maybe it’ll be good for you. Besides, if you don’t mind me saying, your political career isn’t exactly shooting the moon right now.”
Zimmer stared at his huge new bodyguard. The last thing he expected was a mountain with brains to show up on his doorstep. He’d assumed that Cal would send some dumb muscle-head to babysit him. At least he’d have someone to talk to now.
“You’re right. When do we leave?”
Chapter 12
En-route to Las Vegas, Nevada
1:29pm, September 16th
Cal took the cranberry juice from the stewardess. “Thanks.”
The pretty blonde looked down at him. “Not a problem, sir. Please let me know if you need anything else.” Her gaze lingered for a second and then she moved on to serve other passengers.
“I think she likes you, brother,” Brian Ramirez teased from beside Cal.
“Not my type, Doc.”
“You haven’t had a type for a long time, Cal. What happened to that girl you met at the conference we went to?”
“Who?”
“You know. The one with the nice ass. Sabrina?”
“Oh, Salina. She was alright. The long distance thing wasn’t for me.”
Cal took a sip of his juice. Would he ever be ready? He wasn’t conceited; he knew he was good looking. Above average height, still boyish but with the build of a man. He just couldn’t get Jess out of his head. She’d been the one. The one that stopped his heart for the first time. Now she was at eternal rest overlooking Camp Spartan.
Brian looked at his friend and read his thoughts. “Not ready are you?”
Cal shook his head. “Not even close. Every time I talk to a girl I feel like I’m cheating.”
“That’s natural, man. Forget I even mentioned it. So like I was saying before, where do you want to hit first?” The look of excitement on Brian’s face almost made Cal spit out his cranberry juice. He looked like a kid going to Disney World for the first time.
“How is it that you’ve never been to Vegas before?”
“Never had the chance. Left home at eighteen for the Navy, saw the world, then ended up back in Nashville.”
Cal didn’t want to spoil it for his friend. Las Vegas had some great stuff to see and eat, but he could never shake the contrast of wealth and poverty every time he visited. Vegas was littered with lost souls seeking an instant fortune or last drink. It wasn’t all bad. The city was doing some great things for the arts and large corporations. Zappos had recently relocated to the area.
“You know, we do have to do some work while we’re there,” Cal replied almost seriously.
Brian shook his head. “You said this was a recon mission. That’ll leave plenty of time to get fat and happy. I’ve been reading all about the buffet at the Bellagio. Did you know that they have all you can eat lobster?! I’m gonna eat ‘til I fall over.”
Cal chuckled. “Alright, Doc. Haven’t they let you out of the Bat Cave? You sound like you’ve been sequestered for the past month.”
“We’ve just been really busy. I’m trying to get these new Robo-Tourniquets to MARSOC.”
“Robo-Tourniquets?” Cal asked.
“Yeah! It’s fucking brilliant. One of the problems we’ve had on the battlefield was pro
per ways of maintaining pressure on injured arms or legs. The tourniquets in med kits have gotten better, but you’ve still got guys pulling off bootlaces and shredding their utilities to tie-off wounds. A lot of times, by the time the evac gets to a field hospital, the limb can’t be saved. We always knew that there was a pressure threshold to decrease blood loss while maintaining good blood flow. The problem is you can’t always manually monitor that when you’re getting shot at. That’s why we built the Robo-Tourniquet.”
“I think you lost me, Doc.” Cal knew all about the project from Neil, but wanted to hear it from Brian. It was the first R&D invention the former corpsman had spearheaded himself.
“So you’ve seen those blood pressure cuffs you can buy at the store, right?”
Cal nodded.
“Basically, we started out with one of those. Neil helped me rig one so we could actually program in the optimum pressure for a given wound and body type, then the cuff does it automatically. We’ve tested it with my paramedic buddies at Vanderbilt and they love it. It takes away the guessing game and lets a total amateur save someone’s life and limb.”
Cal was truly happy for his friend. They’d met just over a year before. Cal the patient, Brian the nurse. Ramirez was there when Cal needed a friend most after the loss of his fiancé. Brian’s faith in Cal turned into a strong friendship. He thought it was always funny how former military guys tended to bond if the initial introductions went well. Somehow they were able to skip a few levels of trust, bypass the B.S. and become buds.
After the episode with the gangster, Dante West, Brian was offered a full-time position at SSI. It wasn’t a hard decision for him. Although he loved his job at Vandy, he still missed the camaraderie of the Navy and Marine Corps. SSI provided not only a challenge, but the brotherhood so many military vets long for after separating from the service.
