The Devil's Syndicate

by Chris Draper

  “Simon.” Wagner said clasping Hawk's free hand between his own. “I'm so glad you're okay. I can never thank you enough for what you've done for me.”

  “I was just doing my job.” Hawk said and Wagner could hear hoarseness in his voice. “You don't have to thank me. I'm glad everything worked out.”

  “You must believe me, had I any idea what would have happened, I'd have never set you off on such a suicidal mission in the first place.” Wagner said through a shaky voice and Hawk thought he might burst into tears. “I never intended to put your life in such danger and for that I am deeply sorry and feel absolutely terrible.”

  “Don't feel bad. I was just doing a job like any other, how things turned out is irrelevant now. We can't go back and change those things, all we can do now is live with them.” Hawk said and grinned wide. “Besides, things aren't so bad. My ribs will heal in time and now I have one more scar to add to my collection.”

  Wagner laughed at that and started to feel a little better inside. “I'm glad you're not taking this so hard.” Wagner said. “I want you to know that you have nothing to worry about. I've already deposited a sum of $2 million into your account – 1.5 million more than we agreed on. I feel you've earned it. And in regards to your wife Helen, I've spoken with my colleague Doctor Leoung in charge of neurology at San Francisco general hospital and he's been working on some exciting new technologies that he believes will be able to help her get well again. I've arranged to have her moved to the special care unit there to be with him and his staff 24/7 - with your permission of course.”

  “Wow, I don't know what to say.” Hawk was stunned. “Thank you.”

  “No, thank you Hawk, you're a hero.” Wagner said. “I also don't want you to worry about the media. I have a team of very good people on my side who can handle that side of things. You'll be well taken care of in that regard.”

  “I think I can handle them.” Hawk flashed a smile again. “Comes with the territory, so to speak. If I was worried about the news people I would have gone into a different industry altogether.”

  “Yes, I see your point.” Wagner said and looked at the clock on the wall. “Well Hawk, I'm afraid I must be going now. I told Doctor Keyes that I would only visit with you for a minute. He tells me that you could be released as early as next week?”

  “Yeah, that's what they're saying. As long as I don't have any post surgery effects that is.”

  “Let's hope for a speedy recovery.” Wagner said warmly. “Dottie and I will be staying in Miami for the next two weeks; although we're both anxious to get back I thought we could make a little vacation out of it of sorts. A new beginning for us, if you could call it that.”

  “That sounds great.”

  “Yes, I have faith that it will be.” Wagner said and turned to leave. “I told Keyes to inform me daily on your condition, when you're ready to leave here I'll return and we can talk more about everything then.”

  “Okay, hope you enjoy your trip.”

  “Thanks Simon, and again I want to thank you for all you've done.”

  “Anytime.”

  ≈

  Hawk was released from Westchester hospital a week later on a sunny afternoon in late July. Besides his arm being bandaged he felt a lot better – the pain in his ribs was still there whenever he bent over but he thought it was something he could live with until it was finished healing. Doctor Keyes had removed the bandaging over his head and said the bruises would probably vanish within the next 3-4 weeks. He'd told Hawk that when he first arrived his body had resembled a human punching bag and that he thought there would have been more serious internal damage. Within a few days of his arrival however Hawk's condition had improved significantly until he was well enough to be released. As for the branding mark Byron had inflicted, it was something Hawk would have to get surgery on eventually if he wanted it covered up. Keyes had told him that skin grafts could be used to surgically fill in the space and eventually it would heal like it had never been there. Hawk told him that he would look into it when he got back home and figured he could live with it for a little longer. Several times the media had tried to interview Hawk while in the hospital but each time they were turned away by security. He had however allowed the police to come in and ask him more questions on what had occurred.

  Apparently more bodies had been found near the Syndicate compound and now a large investigation was being opened up into others who might have been murdered there. One officer had told him that they had forensics teams working around the clock looking in the forest around the compound as well combing further down river for more evidence. Hawk knew it was only a matter of time before they found the bodies of those Byron had executed and then discarded into the waters.

  Most of the country was now running the story on Hawk's heroism and there was a massive push by each television network to be the first to attain an interview with him. True to his word, Wagner had hired a team of publicists to represent Hawk that kindly (but firmly) had turned the stations down, telling them that Mr. Hawk was still recuperating from his wounds and would be unavailable for some time. Hawk was fine with the publicity he was getting – he'd been thrust into the news several times before with the Tony Risotto scandal back in California, so having his face plastered all over the news wasn't anything new to him. Dottie had been released a few days before him and he'd learned from Doctor Keyes that besides some possible lasting emotional trauma she had made a complete recovery. Keyes had told Wagner that it would probably be best if she sought out a psychiatrist, if even for a little while, as the ordeal she went through could have lasting effects on her emotional health. Wagner and Dottie had both agreed to look into it further upon their return to San Francisco.

  Wagner had been in touch with Keyes regarding Hawk's condition and had spent the week with Dottie exploring Miami. Twice he'd gone to visit Hawk briefly and Hawk had learned from Wagner that there had been a conference where the police had released a formal statement to the media of what had occurred and now every journalist in the country was eager to have a word with him and Dottie. Dottie had already agreed to do an exclusive interview with CNN about her ordeal and was due to appear on national television the next week. The story would be a 3-part special about her as well as the Devil's Syndicate and the underbelly of gang crime in Florida. Apparently they were even considering doing a segment on Byron as well and journalists were already trying to gather more information about him and the Syndicate.

  Hawk had learned that Miami-Dade police were also linking the Devil Syndicate's to other crimes around the county, including the murder of two security guards at an arms depot in Miami, and that they'd found hair fragments they were currently trying to link up with a member of the Syndicate. Apparently the Syndicate had other contacts around the state of Florida and a thorough investigation was being done to ensure that the outfit was completely dismantled and would stay that way now that Byron was gone.

  Hawk was now in a taxi on route to Miami International Airport to see Wagner and Dottie off before they caught their 11 am flight back to California. Wagner had said he was needed back there on business matters and Dottie was eager to return home as well. He'd asked Hawk if he wished to accompany them but he politely declined saying that he was still needed in Florida while the investigations wrapped up and said he would see them again upon his return to California. Hawk pulled up to the airport entrance and paid the cab driver, then went and took a seat near a kiosk by the security clearance.

  He had agreed to meet Wagner at 9 am and was a few minutes early so strode over to the kiosk and picked up a copy of the Miami-Herald to read while he waited. The front page headline read 'Police still investigating Everglades carnage' with a large cover photo of state police scouring the area of the Everglades compound. Hawk shifted his eyes to a large article below describing what police knew so far about the case with a note that the article continued on page B2. He flipped over to that page and smiled at the tiny photo the journalist had placed in t
he bottom right corner. It was an older photo of himself from his rookie days when his hair was longer and he still had a bit of baby fat around his cheeks, the photo would probably be at least 6 years old now he thought. He hadn't a clue where they had found it but assumed it had come from a database of images online. The article went into a little of Hawk's past as well as his motivations for taking on the Wagner case. He was just about to continue reading on when he looked up and saw Harvey and Dottie Wagner approaching him, both of their hands occupied by travel luggage.

  “Are you always this early Simon?” Wagner said with a chuckle and shuffled up to where Hawk was sitting. He stood up and they exchanged handshakes then he looked at Dottie and smiled. She looked a lot better now and the colour had seemed to return to her face.

  “The cabbies here are much better than back in California.” Hawk said. “You'd think the guy was in a Nascar racetrack or something the way he took those curves.”

  Wagner laughed. “Yes, I suppose so. Are you still certain you won't join us on our flight back? I'm sure I can still make an arrangement if you've changed your mind.”

  Hawk waved a hand and smiled. “I appreciate the offer but I think it's best if I stick around here for awhile. The local authorities will probably have more questions for me, statements to make, that sort of thing.” Hawk said. “Bounty hunters aren't as well received here as they are in California but so far they've been co-operating with me on the investigation so I don't foresee any problems on heading back soon.” Hawk had in fact spoken with the police already about this and didn't see any future legal troubles. He'd been hired to bring Dottie back and in doing so had protected them both from a maniac and his gang. He'd acted in complete self defence the entire time and had only retaliated when he'd felt his life was threatened.

  “Well don't forget my offer that I'm at your service if you need anything. Remember that I have --”

  “Friends in high places.” Hawk said with a grin. “Yes, I'll keep that in mind. I'm due back in court to testify against Tony Risotto next month so I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again soon.”

  “Please visit me as soon you get back so we can discuss more about your wife.”

  “Yes I'm looking forward to it.” Hawk turned to Dottie. “How are you feeling?”

  “I've been feeling much better.” She said and Hawk could hear the calmness in her voice. “I've been through a lot – we've all been through a lot – but these past few days I feel like I've been seeing a part of my life that I was always missing. I feel I have so much hope for the future now. Thanks to you.”

  “Word around the street is you're gonna be a TV star soon?”

  Dottie laughed. “Oh yeah, the CNN interview that's right. Well if I do end up hitting the big time you're always welcome at my house Simon.”

  They all shared a laugh and then Wagner checked his wrist watch, looked over at the flight board on the wall. “Well Hawk, it looks like we should be heading out soon.” He extended a hand and Hawk accepted it. “Again I can't thank you enough for what you've done. After all, it's not everyday your only daughter gets rescued from a group of kidnappers.” He pulled Dottie closer to him. “I feel that everything that's happened has brought us closer together somehow.”

  “I'm glad to hear that.”

  There was a brief moment of silence and then Wagner said, “Well I'll let you two say your goodbyes, I'm sure you don't need this old man keeping watch.” He said with a chuckle. “See you soon Hawk.”

  “Take care for now.” Hawk said. “See you in a few weeks.”

  Wagner then left them and got into a small line that led into the security checkpoint.

  Hawk looked back at Dottie. “Well, I guess this is good bye for now.”

  “Yeah, I guess so.” She said. “Sorry that I didn't come and visit you in the hospital after I got out. I figured you would have wanted your time to rest. Are you better?”

  “I've been worse, but yeah, think I'm going to pull through just fine.”

  “That's good.” She stepped in closer to him and in the morning light Hawk could see the resemblance she had to the photo he'd seen of her mother. She no longer had that worried, tense look she always wore while in the Everglades. Her face now radiated a new colour that hadn't been there before. She leaned in closer and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Thanks for everything you've done. Take care Simon.”

  “You too.” He said and she pulled away from him and started wheeling her luggage cart behind her towards the lineup. Then she stopped abruptly a few feet ahead of him, turned around again and her face seemed to lose that colour for a second, like she was remembering something or like she had something else she wanted to say but couldn't formulate the words and Hawk saw her look down and her lips gave a little twitch. But when she looked up a moment later he saw the colour had returned to her face once more and she smiled at him, turned back in the direction of security and joined her father in the line.

  Hawk stood there for a moment, watching them move toward the front of the line, and then they were gone. Homeward bound. Which is where he wanted to be, but knew it would have to wait just a bit longer. He left the airport then. Headed back towards the taxi zone near the front of the airport and hailed a cab. He'd planned on renting another vehicle to go and retrieve his things from the boarding house in Aldwell but then realized he still had a rental car parked there. He hoped it was still in driveable condition after the storm.

  “Where to boss?”

  “How much would you charge to go to Aldwell?”

  “Aldwell?!” Asked the cabbie with surprise and shook his head. “Well I could do it for...say about fifty?”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  “But sir.” The driver was half looking at the road and half looking at his passenger in the backseat with a bewildered expression. “Y'know that area, it's been hit off lee hard from that Hector. You sure you wanna go? Might take me close to an hour to haul you that way and then some.”

  “Take all the time you need.” Hawk said. “I got all day.”

  “Oh-kay you got it buddy. Aldwell it is.”

  The taxi turned into a steady stream of one-way airport traffic and Hawk relaxed against the back seat, took out a loaner cellphone he'd picked up earlier from a kiosk in the airport.

  He'd held off on calling the Oxley Convalescent Home where Helen was until he was out of the hospital himself. It would feel too strange, talking in her ear from his own hospital bed. Although Helen would still be in a coma when he called he didn't want anything negative to effect her – even subconsciously. When he spoke to her he always made sure that he projected confidence – he hoped that somehow it would seep into her and help with her recovery. Hawk had been mulling it over the past few weeks and had decided to look into starting a trust fund for the sole purpose of assisting Helen with her recovery. This would provide her with a special room and a nurse devoted solely to her well being. It would also look into progressing medical treatments for comatose patients and include such things as cognitive therapy, recuperative measures and medications. Hawk hoped that this coupled with Wagner's assistance would be enough to retrieve his wife from her perpetual state of darkness. It would be costly but he had hope that it would turn things around. Helen's worker Lucy O'Donnell and the Oxley Centre had been good to her but he felt like she needed more - like most medical establishments Oxley had too many patients with not enough nurses. With this trust fund he would never have to worry about Helen going without proper services again.

  He rang the cellphone for the head nurse Lucy O'Donnell – he knew it by memory – and heard the familiar tones of her voice come on the phone a minute later.

  “Hi Lucy. This is Simon Hawk here. How are things?”

  “Simon!” She said surprised. “Things are good here. I saw your face on TV this morning. My goodness, are you okay?”

  “Yeah I'm fine. Still in Florida at the moment. Was recuperating for a bit but I'm feeling much better now. How is Helen?” He ask
ed and wondered if she could hear the eagerness in his voice.

  “Helen is fine. We've been keeping a close watch on her these days. Still no word yet on when she will recover but we're always hopeful. Did you want to speak with her?”

  “Yes please.”

  Hawk heard the sound of Lucy’s footsteps echo on the vinyl hospital floors and heard a door open, then she was back on the line a minute later: “Okay Simon I'll be holding the phone to her ear now so you can talk whenever you’re ready.”

  Hawk had a system with her caretaker Lucy where if he couldn't make it in to see Helen in person, he would call and speak to her over the phone. Even though Helen couldn't say anything back he liked to think that somewhere, somehow she could hear his words. It made him feel better thinking that way.

  “Hey baby.” Hawk said into the phone. “I've been missing you a lot lately. I have a surprise for you as well when I get back, you're going to be moved to a new place soon with a lot of good doctors who are working on a lot of good things. Things that will be able to help us be together again. I'll be back soon and come and visit you. Love you babe.”