by Brian Cotton
Chapter .30
Paxton looked feverously around the situation room. There was still no sight of Kaspar or Krys. He looked down at his watch and cursed to himself. Li and Kilbourne looked at the American flag shining on the projector screen. Kilbourne had a wry smile on his face, Paxton unable to figure out what so happy about the situation.
The doors swung open and in walked the two missing parties. Everyone looked back at the sound. Krys ignored it; she walked to an open seat in front. Kaspar gave them a nod and took a seat in the very back. Paxton folded his arms across his chest.
“How nice of you two to join us.” he said.
“Sorry,” Krys replied, “we got held up.”
“Got held up? Just what were you two doing?”
“Took Ryan out for a ride, that’s all. The bike was having problems, but I managed to fix them.”
“We’ll talk about this later.” Paxton said, not buying the bullshit. “Right now, though, we’ve got a situation on our hands.”
Clarke clicked on his laptop which caused a mug shot of Forte to shine on the screen. Kaspar noticed that this prick was a mean looking Agent. The smug look on Forte’s picture made him want to punch a hole through the wall. Or, better yet, put a bullet through it.
“I had an emergency meeting with Greg this afternoon,” Paxton continued.
“Is he okay?” Krys asked.
“Not exactly, he’s been made. He thinks he’s been made, at least.”
“Does that shock you?” Kilbourne wondered.
“No, it doesn’t. But, from how he was talking, I do believe they may have nailed him. RU is confronting CA about our extraction from the underground church the other night. They now know they have an informant…it’s only a matter of time before they find out who. He’s out, leaving today.”
“Where does that leave us?” Li asked. “How will we get Intel from the inside now?”
“You let me worry about that.” Paxton replied. He pointed with his laser at the mug shot. “This is Travis Forte, a detective within RU.”
“How deep is he involved in that department?” Kaspar asked, wide eyed.
“He’s one of their best interrogators.”
“Then, he would know something…”
“Let’s not jump to conclusions.”
Kaspar sank back into his chair. He reached into his pocket and fished out a cigarette. This was not the time to discuss it. He would have to wait until they apprehended the son of a bitch. That would be the time...the time when he might get some real answers. Best to just shut up and listen right now.
“Moving forward,” Paxton said. He gave a nod to Clarke and a picture of The Red Horse appeared on the screen. “He eats lunch here, every day. He eats alone, so he’ll be vulnerable, that’s when we’ll take him.”
“This is risky,” Kilbourne blurted.
“I know it’s a risk, but there’s a high reward. Think of all the information we can get from him. We must apprehend him and see what he knows.”
“This guy is looking for the RU, am I right?”
“Yes, Ron.” Paxton replied.
“He’s looking for us, you follow. So, what you’re suggesting is going out there and apprehending him…revealing to him who he’s searching for?”
“What do you think is going to happen in there?” Paxton demanded. He stared deep into Kilbourne. “Turn him loose? Let him run back to his superiors?”
“I see.” Kilbourne replied, he leaned back in his seat.
“Kaspar?”
“Yes?”
“You know this place well, don’t you?”
“Sure do,” Kaspar replied. “Ran past that place every morning.”
“Good,” Paxton said. “You are going to follow him out.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you will follow him out. Then, when the time is right, you’ll grab him and bring him to us, which will be….” the slide changed to an abandoned convenience store. “Here.”
“You want me to tail him?” Kaspar asked again.
“That’s right. You know the area, you’re the perfect man for the job. Or, should I have Krys do it instead?”
Kaspar looked towards Krys who gave him a sly grin back.
“I can do it.” Kaspar said.
“Good. You bring him to us and then we’ll take care of the rest. He eats lunch at noon every day. You follow him out; our stop is on his way back. Just…make sure you don’t get made.”
“I won’t.”
Kaspar stood outside the entrance to the restaurant. He wore a baseball cap and a hooded sweatshirt. The hood sat affixed on top of the hat. He also had a wire running up his neck into an earpiece. He psyched himself up for this moment, this chance to make up for what happened at the church. Not only did he want to make the team proud, he didn’t want to let himself down, either. This Forte, he must know something about Mother.
He listened with intent, but nothing could be heard so far. His watch read twelve thirty-seven. Any minute—second—now and their target would exit the restaurant on the way back to the office. He took a moment to breath in the fresh afternoon air. The air was always clean and it seemed to get fresher by the day. Kaspar looked up to the gray sky, it reminded him of a story Mother once told him. She said that the sky once was blue…she talked about how beautiful it was. When the USR took over, they launched aerosols into the atmosphere to fight Global Warming (or, did she say Global Climate Disruption?) and the once blue sky faded to gray.
“Should be coming out any minute now,” Paxton said through the ear piece.
Kaspar regained his focus. He ignored the business men and women who walked passed. He looked towards the entrance, still no sign of Forte. His watch now read twelve forty-six. What was keeping him?
“He’s going to be running late,” Clarke’s voice said. “That’s going to work in our favor.”
Forte’s ugly mug walked out of the restaurant. About damn time, Kaspar thought. The dark red hair, red freckles, and the pits along his face gave him away. Clarke confirmed it was him through the ear piece, Paxton ordered there to be no screw ups on this one. Kaspar took a deep breath, then held his head down, his eyes up at the target. He remembered Paxton’s instructions: just follow him and don’t get made.
The mission officially had begun. Kaspar followed close behind Forte. When Forte’s paced quickened, so did his. He hated the inconvenience that his mark’s tardiness brought about. Forte would have to walk faster than he thought. But, Clarke was probably right, as usual. He’s running late, his attention to his surroundings would be lowered. Lowered enough, Kaspar hoped, to not notice he was being tailed.
Kaspar got to within inches of him and he slowed down, something inside told him he was too close. Kaspar bumped into a middle aged business man. The man gave him a dirty look which he ignored. At least the man didn’t get too upset and cause a scene which would have blown the entire operation.
Forte’s red hair was still in view, the Agent picked up the pace. Kaspar did his best to keep at a steady stride, but the flood of human traffic during this lunch hour increased the difficulty. The mark seemed to be a pro at this. He bobbed and weaved his way through pedestrians like they were nothing. Kaspar kept bumping into people on both sides. Someone bumped him on the left shoulder. He didn’t see it coming and nearly tumbled onto the pavement. As he kept himself up, his eyes remained fixated on that red hair. There was no way he was going to lose his mark.
“You’re almost at the checkpoint,” Clarke said. “Pick up the pace and grab him. Remember: quick and silent.”
With his pace quickened, Kaspar started to nudge the people in front of him away. As he got closer, the nudges turned to shoves. The men and women started to yell at Kaspar, but he ignored it and continued to move forward. He got to within a reach of Forte, but an elderly man blocked his path. His focus on Forte, he grabbed the collar of the old man’s shirt a
nd yanked back. The force of the pull caused the old man to fall backwards. He let out a yelp when he hit the ground.
The yelp caught Forte’s attention. He turned his body backwards and looked to the man on the ground. Kaspar looked away, but he knew he had been caught. Just have to buy some time and…
Before Forte could reach for his gun, Kaspar landed a sharp punch to the right eye. Forte took a wild swing which Kaspar ducked underneath, followed by a counter left hand to the chin. He grabbed the mark’s stunned body and forced him to turn around. A second later, Forte had the barrel of a Beretta 92 shoved into his right kidney.
“Keep moving,” Kaspar whispered into Forte’s ear.
Forte obeyed, he kept his legs moving forward and allowed his attacker to direct him. The sound of cries and footsteps from those running away filled the street. Kaspar looked around, gave everyone a fake smile, and told them to move along. He also scanned the ground for Agents that might be on watch. The streets were flooded right now. He doubted that he had caught any of their attention. He didn’t see any move his way, at least.
It seemed a bit odd, but that didn’t matter now. All that mattered was getting Forte to that little white door in the alleyway where the others were awaiting them. The only fear he really had was that one of the bystanders called the police with his or her phone. This gave Kaspar that extra incentive to move forward.
The alleyway came into view. Kaspar angled his mark’s body towards it and led him to the little white door. His free hand forced Forte’s head into the wall. He buried the gun deeper into the kidney. Kaspar looked over his shoulder to ensure that nobody followed him in there. When satisfied, he ordered Forte to bang hard on the door until someone answered.
After three hard knocks, the door remained closed. Kaspar started to grow impatient. He kept looking around, waiting for an Agent to blow him away. Forte, for his part, kept his damn mouth shut. That saved him from being hurt…prematurely. Another look over his shoulder revealed no one coming into the alley, yet the door remained closed.
Kaspar started to tell Forte to bang harder, but the heavy metal door finally creaked its way open. Krys stood inside the open door way, her eyes grew wide at the sight of the mark’s beaten face.
“Come on,” she said. She took a step to the side to allow the two clean entry.
Kaspar led the mark inside and the door closed behind them…
The back of Forte’s head collided with the front of Kaspar’s. Kaspar stammered backwards in shock. His gun dropped to the ground. Forte moved in to finish him off when he was met with a chop from Krys’s hand to his throat.
Forte gasped for air and kneeled to ground, unable to breath. Krys retrieved a P99 from inside her jacket. She pressed the barrel of the 9MM to the side of the mark’s head. Forte, still gasping for air, held up his hands. Krys moved the gun upwards. Forte followed up along with the motion of the gun. Once he stood upright, she reached down and pulled the gun from out of the holster on Forte’s hip.
“I would advise you not try something like that again.” Krys said.
“Who—who are you people?” Forte demanded in between gasps.
“Just shut up and move.”
His senses began to return. Kaspar shook his head a few times and rubbed at the sore spot right in the middle. Krys had saved him once more. He started to get the feeling that he would owe her something at some point. He continued to rub his forehead and followed the two down the narrow hallway. The door at the end of the hallway was left open, Kilbourne stood at the entrance.
“Get this piece of shit out of my sight.” Krys said as she shoved Forte’s body forward.
“With pleasure,” Kilbourne replied. He grabbed Forte’s shoulders and led him to an empty chair in the middle of the empty room.
“You okay?” Krys asked. She started to rub at Kaspar’s shoulders.
“I’m fine…” Kaspar said in between pants. “He just…just got the best of me, that’s all.”
Krys looked at the red mark on his forehead. “You’re going to need some aspirin when we get back.”
“Shit…” Kaspar felt like he was going to pass out.
“You sure you’re okay?”
“I said I was fine.”
Kaspar felt embarrassed by all this. How could he let that red haired punk get the best of him like that? It was stupid, he felt now like he’d gotten lazy. That tune up at the bar didn’t seem to be much of a tune up after all. He should have been more mindful…
“I’m just making sure he didn’t hurt you.”
“Screw you,” Kaspar replied, the throbs in his head increased in intensity.
“Calm down,” Krys said. “It happens.”
“It doesn’t happen to me.”
“I hate to break it to you, but it kinda just did.”
“Let’s just get in there and get this over with.”
The pain in his forehead moved down to behind his eyes. He followed at a slow pace behind Krys through the hallway and into the deserted room. It felt like someone had both hands inside of his eyes and pinched every nerve in sight. He leaned his back against the wall once inside and continued to rub his forehead.
Kaspar noticed that this room had been deserted years ago. All that remained were stained white and black tile floors, complete with little brown pellets of rat droppings. He noticed Forte on that old wooden chair. The legs were loose; they wobbled with each feigned attempt at escape. Kilbourne looked to have a firm grip on Forte’s shoulders as Li wrapped silver duct tape around the mark’s midsection. Next came the legs and finally the arms were taped to the arm rests. There would be no way for this man to break free and start swinging at people. Then again, he was outgunned five to one, so it wouldn’t make much of a difference, anyway.
Forte looked wide eyed at his abductors as Kaspar reached into his pocket for his pack of smokes. Kaspar shook one loose and lit up with his lighter. The nerves inside of Forte caused an involuntary shake of his body. His lips trembled, Kaspar fighting back a smile the whole time in between drags. Where was the smug, arrogant face now? This Agent had tortured innocent people, then led other Agents to arrest and murder more innocent people. So proud of his work he must have been…now he sat there like a coward seeking a way out.
“Who are you people?” Forte demanded with a shaky voice.
“That,” Paxton replied, he rubbed his hands together, “is none of your concern. What is of your concern is that you have information that we want.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Come on, Travis, don’t play dumb. It offends me.”
“How do you know my name?”
“I know lots about you,” Paxton replied. He knelt down to get to eye level. “I know that you torture, arrest, and kill innocents.”
“It’s you guys…” Forte said. His eyes grew wider.
“Yeah, oh darn, right?”
“When they find you…”
“They won’t, as your precious RU has already proven.”
“We know you have somebody on the inside, when we catch him, he’ll talk.”
“I’m sorry to tell you,” Paxton said. He reached into his pocket for his cigarettes. “But our person on the inside is way better than you, you’re not catching anyone.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Paxton took several drags on his cigarette. When finished, he threw the butt onto the ground and rubbed his military boot into it, smothering what was left. He moved in closer cracking his knuckles as he did. He knelt down once more and backhanded the right side of Forte’s face.
“Enough chit chat,” Paxton said. “Let’s get down to business.”
“I ain’t telling you shit.” Forte replied. He spit onto the floor.
“I don’t want you tell me ‘shit’. I want you to tell me who your next targets are.”
Kaspar waited patiently enough. He threw his cigarette to the ground and moved in on Forte. This pumpk
in haired bastard had to have known something, he was sure of it. He worked for the RU, which charged its Agents with rooting out the resistance. Mother…she was charged with aiding the resistance.
“Hold on a sec…” Kaspar said, he held his right arm in the air.
“What are you doing?” Paxton asked.
“I’ve just got something to ask him.”
Kaspar kneeled down on one knee and the two engaged in stares. He did not want this to get too ugly, but the truth would be known today. The red eyes of Forte caused something inside of Kaspar to burn.
“I’ve got nothing to say to you.” Forte said.
“I think you do,” Kaspar replied, eyes filled with rage. “Does the name Jenna Kaspar mean anything to you?”
“No…”
“Not this again,” Paxton said. He sighed and touched Kaspar on the shoulder. “Look, we’ll get the answers to that later. We don’t have a lot of time here.”
“This little son of a bitch knows something…”
“Jenna Kaspar?” Forte said with a laugh. “I don’t know that name.”
“What kind of work do you do?” Kaspar demanded.
“I…round up your comrades and bring them to justice. Same thing that’s going to happen to all of you, now that I know who you are.”
“Jenna was…my mother. She was killed by your people.” Kaspar said. He reached to his back for something.
Paxton noticed it and grabbed hold of Kaspar’s wrist. Kaspar tried to wiggle his way free, but the grip proved to be too strong. The old veteran kept his grip as the kid looked over at him. He felt sorry for him, but now was not the time.
“Go stand in the corner,” Paxton ordered. “Let us handle the interrogation.”
“He knows something…”
“I don’t know that bitch you’re talking about,” Forte said. “But, I’m sure if I saw her…”
The comment sent Kaspar’s rage ablaze and, with it, an adrenaline rush. He broke free of Paxton’s grip. He pulled out the Beretta from the waistline of his jeans. He pistol whipped Forte along his right cheek. The whip caused a nasty gash on his face, the blood poured out instantly. Kaspar went in for another blow, but the oxygen from his lungs failed to come up.
Paxton moved his hand back and waved it in the air. He didn’t feel good about sucker punching a comrade, but he couldn’t allow anyone to jeopardize this operation. He watched as the kid wheezed. Paxton motioned for Kilbourne to help him up.
“You wait outside,” Paxton said as he looked over him. “Ron, take him.”
Kaspar tried to breath and fight off Kilbourne’s monstrous grip at the same time. When it became apparent he wouldn’t escape, Kaspar concentrated fully on catching his breath. In between wheezes, he caught a glimpse of Forte as he was being dragged out. The Agent had a grin on his face, the grin made the urge to pull out a gun and shoot out those yellow teeth stronger.
He felt his body fly when Kilbourne gave him a shove. Without saying a word, Kilbourne turned and walked back into the makeshift interrogation room. Kaspar said nothing, either. Instead, he picked himself up off the ground then walked to the front door. He moved over to the corner on his left. Sitting down, he let out a laugh. There was an Agent in there who might have, in all likelihood did, know what happened to Mother. Hell, that Forte bastard was probably the one who pulled the trigger.
If only the others would give him the time to get the answers. They could continue their game later while Kaspar went out and brought about true justice. They refused to give it to him so all Kaspar could do was sit on the old floor and laugh. The laughter soon turned to sadness. He thought for a brief moment about barging into the room to take out Forte. The logical part of his brain kicked in. He was outnumbered and he wouldn’t stand a chance.
He used all of his strength to stand up and smoke another cigarette instead.
