Hard Case IV: A Violent Life (John Harding Series Book 4)

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

  “We had ours catered,” Clint said. “Lynn had Danessa invite any family she was comfortable with. It turned out she had a Mom, three sisters, and a brother, who had given up on ever seeing her turn into someone to be counted on. Her Mom, Sybil, brought the whole crew, and their extended families. It was a hoot. Lynn and I are loners by nature, but yesterday was like visiting an alternate universe.”

  “Yeah,” Lynn agreed. “My girl Danessa cried, and said she was sorry for all the trouble she’d caused her family. It was a bit too touchy feely for me, but I really liked her family. I thought her Mom was going to faint when we told her Danessa was going to college, and she was working for me as a personal assistant. We had my BFF Maria and this slug she’s engaged to there too.”

  The slug nearly spewed his coffee through his nose. “Gee… thanks… Lynn.” Denny cleared his throat. “It was very nice. Surreal… but very nice. Laredo showed up, and told stories, jokes, and generally was the hit of the whole day.”

  Casey, Lucas, Jafar, and Samira arrived. Samira brought their dog, Naji. He and Tonto inspected each other as was their custom, Then Jafar opened up the back of our fenced in lot and threw out a handful of squeaky toys. In moments, two of the most dangerous dogs I’d ever run across were tearing into the toys with fervor. By then Laredo arrived, dressed in a three piece black suit. He looked like a bank executive.

  Lynn hurried over to stop him the moment he came into sight. “What the hell is this all about? Are you going to the prom or something?”

  “Let me go, Cruella. I’m working undercover tonight after our meeting here ends.”

  “What undercover assignment is that exactly, Laredo?” Denny walked over next to Lynn, with an equally questioning look of puzzlement on his face.

  “Screw off! I’m taking Sybil out to dinner tonight after she gets back from some Black Friday shopping. There! Happy now?”

  Lynn hugged him while laughing her ass off. “Laredo… you dog you… picking up on Danessa’s Mom on a Thanksgiving Day family dinner. Oh, the shame! You look terrific. Thinkin’ to get lucky on the first date, huh?”

  “Damn it, Lynn! Cut me some slack. Sybil’s wonderful. We were talkin’ yesterday like old friends. She was so happy about Danessa, she allowed me to get comfortable enough to ask her out tonight. Don’t ruin this for me. Hey… I didn’t tell her what you did to reform her daughter, did I? That should count for something.”

  “Yeah, it means you’re not a complete idiot,” Lynn retorted. “I see a landfill in your future if you ever clue Sybil in on my rehab technique.”

  “Understood,” Laredo regained control over his mouth before he said something that would preempt his date completely. “Thanks for inviting me yesterday. You may have turned my life around.”

  Lynn grabbed his hand in both hers. “It’s all good. I’m happy as hell for you. I hope this date means good things for you, brother. We monsters have to enjoy a bit of real life where we can, right?”

  Laredo sighed. “Yeah, Lynn, we really do. Thanks for understanding. I have nothing but the best intentions with Danessa’s Mom. You tell her that, okay?”

  “I’ll make you golden with Danessa,” Lynn answered. “Don’t you worry about that. I’m kind of weirded out I didn’t see the signs yesterday with you and Sybil though.”

  “Maybe it was that bottle of wine you inhaled during the festivities, my love,” Clint said.

  Clint received the death stare from hell, but Lynn couldn’t hold it. She started giggling, making screw you gestures at Clint. “O…Okay… maybe I did imbibe a bit during a very unfamiliar set of circumstances. You have to admit, other than a soup kitchen at the Salvation Army, that was a very strange gathering of people.”

  “Small doubt about that, babe,” Clint admitted. “It was the most fun I ever had with a group of people. Laredo knows how weird I am about groups.”

  “Hell yeah, and I’m nearly as bad,” Laredo backed up Clint’s statement. “I figured I’d be in a corner communing with Tonto, and there I was chatting up Sybil, who made me laugh, get serious, and ask her out on a date. I’ve sure had worse days.”

  Lynn went over to Quays. “I feel a disruption in the Force from you Quays. Gus is sucking all this down okay. What’s your problem?”

  “I am worried about Alexi Fiialkov,” Tannous admitted. “I am responsible for ordering the kidnapping of his granddaughter. I cannot see how he will simply allow that to be relegated to past history. He is coming today to attend this meeting… is he not?”

  “Yes, he is,” Denny answered. “He’ll be here shortly. Alexi knows all the details in this threat, along with knowing we need you to thwart this anthrax attack. He has a long memory, Quays. We will do all we can to keep you safe after this threat ends. Alexi knows who brought his granddaughter back alive. That, I hope, will deter him. I won’t lie to you. Alexi could fool me, or anyone else in my crew as to his intentions. He’s just that good.”

  Quays nodded. “I must make amends with a subject no profession of apology could possibly make right. I will strive to do so now, and in the future… as long as he allows me to live.

  “Good plan, Quays,” Lynn said. “We’ll help as much as possible. We monsters understand, but there is some territory even monsters shy away from. We don’t do kidnappings… period. You did, and I’m not questioning what a great idea it may have seemed at the time. I promised Alexi I’d visit his revenge on you. Although I did get some payback on you, it wasn’t anything like I thought would be dealt. He won’t be too happy with me either.”

  “We know what could happen if we don’t give Alexi his due,” Denny said. “I question whether he would back off from killing you even after this works out to our advantage.

  “I know,” Quays replied. “I will concentrate on what I must do to foil this anthrax plot. As you say, Fiialkov will be later. Should I go get Silvio?”

  “Go ahead,” Denny answered. “We’ll start getting set up to take the call.”

  “It seems we missed a few things,” Lucas said. “We’ve adopted a new puppy?”

  “And lost one.” Denny quickly brought our new arrivals up to date. “Laredo… you’re in main control. Jafar will work the station out here where our three converts will be. I want everyone else with ears on to hear this exchange. I have screens set up for each of you, including Samira. Any small indication they aren’t buying our ruse is vital. I believe Quays can sell this, especially with Gus and Silvio backing him up with the Vanga betrayal.”

  Casey immediately clapped Gus on the shoulder. “Welcome aboard, partner. It’s good to have someone spell the rest of us on jail duties. We saw the outtakes of the reality show. You did very well, Gus.”

  “You’re a good actor, Gus,” Lucas added. He and Casey bracketed the suddenly uneasy Denova. “Remember when and who you’re supposed to be acting with. The rest of us will have our tails hangin’ out in the breeze, but there will always be someone around if you forget your role.”

  “I understand, Sir,” Denova stated. “I will help stop this anthrax threat. You will see.”

  Alexi Fiialkov appeared on our closed circuit camera at the door. He didn’t knock. He waited while looking up at the camera. I let him in. We shook hands. This would be his first time at our command center. “Good to see you, Alexi. How was your holiday?”

  “Very good, John. Even my son-in-law did nothing to upset my day. That in itself was special. How was yours?”

  “Not bad. It was a nice Thanksgiving.” I explained how to his amusement.

  Quays returned with Silvio Ruelas. Fiialkov pointed at Tannous.

  “I know this all must proceed with your help. Stay away from me unless absolutely necessary. Do not speak to me except for the same reason.”

  Quays acknowledged the old man’s order without speaking. Alexi handed Jafar a flash-drive. Jafar loaded it without comment at the conference table. I stayed near Alexi, while the others took up their positions in front of the laptops already networked. Only the cam
era on Jafar’s would be sending a video, while he would move next to Samira. The flash-drive contained the City of Hope 3D rendering, and where Laredo would be landing the Huey. The old man surprised us all with info and 3D illustrations of the Muslim Brotherhood’s ship, The Queen Zanubiya, a Syrian registered ship. It was a smaller container ship, but had room for a helicopter landing as did the City of Hope.

  “I had a suspicion after the information this one gave us.” Fiialkov gestured at Quays. “When you mentioned Gus Denova, I had my port contacts in Bangkok checking for suspicious container ships from Middle Eastern origins. Only one docked there, steaming in from Mumbai. They neither loaded nor unloaded, but simply waited. There were forty-seven containers seen on board, and my man at the Bangkok docks told me it is scheduled to unload most of its cargo at the Port of Hong Kong. He marked it while doing the cursory port inspection. You will be able to follow it on its cruise to meet City of Hope, and check it for crew number from satellite.”

  “Thank you,” Denny said. “This is amazing.”

  Laredo popped on screen in a square corner. “Got it. Tracking as we speak. It’s still docked. I’ll get visuals on the crew as they come into sight. Punch in your command code, Denny, so I can redirect a few birds.”

  Denny worked his keyboard for a moment. “Done.”

  “Are you not glad you refrained from killing me?” Alexi was smiling.

  “Never again,” Denny stated. “I’ll take a bullet for you, or order the Cheeseburger to take one for you.”

  “Hell, I’ll shoot Denny for you,” Lucas of course added.

  “I know I have said this before,” Samira said, “but this is a very strange group of allies. I have already watched the wonderful video many times Lynn directed. You directed very professionally, Lynn, and now you have Mr. Denova on our side. You are indeed amazing.”

  “Oh thanks, Samira,” Clint said with exasperation, as he looked up at the ceiling. “You don’t have to live with The ‘Director’ since she filmed down in LA. She’s only partially manageable when she’s thrown down a couple like yesterday. The Lord only knows what’s in store for me and Danessa when The Director gets back home today after you swelled the hell out of her already out of proportion head.”

  Lynn had begun making gasps, gargles, and grunts of fury only a sentence into Clint’s diatribe. She had settled on a continuous growl while staring murderously at Clint. We witnesses to what seemed like a suicide speech hunched over our screens, or huddled together like Alexi and me – all in silence. Samira started laughing and clapping her hands, which set Lynn off. She couldn’t hold the death stare. Clint never budged from his outraged look at Samira. I could tell he was enjoying his figurative knifing of his mate though.

  “Fine! I may have been a little too vocal about my directorial debut,” Lynn finally conceded. “Thanks for the compliment though, kid. I’ve been asked to direct again when they start filming next season’s episodes.”

  “Perhaps you could get me in an episode, Lynn?”

  Jafar began doing facial contortions in the negative behind his wife. When she whipped around on him, he was studiously studying his computer screen. Samira gave him an NCIS Gibbs head slap, which he did not acknowledge.

  “Count on it, Sam,” Lynn promised. “This Hollywood business is rife with favors, family, and friends getting into filming through a rather incestuous doorway. I’m thinking our kids could be stars if they want to be. I’d like to give them the opportunity.”

  “That would indeed be wonderful, Lynn.” Samira was beaming. “Perhaps after my child is born and I get back into shape I could do a ‘Buffster’ type appearance?”

  “I’ll make it happen,” Lynn promised. “I guess we better get back to saving this ungrateful nation from its insane immigration policy.”

  “America’s not ungrateful… damn it!” Lucas never allowed this particular case of mistaken identity to be put into words without a serious response. “It’s the damn politicians crapping on our laws, buying votes with entitlements, and using the courts to bypass the will of the people, who defame this beautiful nation.”

  “Sorry, Pappy,” Lynn replied. “I know better. “Let’s get this show on the road, and kill every son-of-a-bitch we find in this damn anthrax plot.”

  “Now you’re singing my song, Director,” Lucas said. “Quays? You better be up for this. Anything less than your complete attention to every single detail will earn you an adjustment I guarantee you will not like.”

  “Noted, Sir,” Quays replied, glancing up at Alexi. “I will not fail. I discussed our new opportunities with both Gus, and Silvio. We wish to have real lives and families, although we are monsters. We will do anything to attain what we never considered possible before.”

  “I have everything ready,” Laredo’s image floated onto our screens. “Pay no attention to my image. They won’t see it. I, on the other hand will be recording everything their camera does, and I will have the signal zeroed so as to continue monitoring anything within their computer’s zone from now on. I’m ready to hijack it for our own use the moment these Troglodytes make contact.”

  “It’s time,” Jafar said. “Two minutes.”

  The figures coming into view on our screens were wearing masks as if getting ready to assassinate a victim for an Al Jazeera moment. Quays handled the initial interaction with solid, no nonsense explanations. He explained the unforeseen betrayal of Voltaire and Vanga, while building up their reaction to the crisis, including bringing Denova to the Bay Area until they got the situation in hand. I could tell the masks were stunned at the news, but the more information Quays gave them about contingency plans after the container transfer, the more relaxed they became. Quays ended his enlightenment with a gem.

  “If it be your will to wait, we will do so by your command.”

  They ate that one like a hot fudge sundae.

  “No! You have done well to protect our plan. We need to see this through. We are in position to strike a deadly blow against our enemy. Once the container transfer has been made, Denova will return to Los Angeles, and greet our comrades arriving there by ship. What of Fiialkov’s container ship? It is due to leave the Port of Tokyo soon.”

  Quays smiled, nodding his head in happy agreement. “We are ready. Look, my friends.”

  Alexi moved in next to Quays, as Denova and Ruelas moved back. “I am Alexi Fiialkov, owner of the shipping line the City of Hope belongs to. Tannous has paid me very well to make sure two of your containers are transferred at sea to my ship, City of Hope, after it leaves the Port of Tokyo. I will make that transfer happen. Perhaps we will be able to do other deals in the future.”

  Fiialkov’s appearance clearly made the two flakes on the screen nearly lose their grim postures. The one who had been speaking jutted forward toward the camera. “Yes! Very profitable endeavors like this one will be offered to you exclusively in the future. Can you give us the date your ship will leave the Port of Tokyo?”

  “Of course,” Alexi answered. “It will be at the coordinates given to me by Mr. Tannous on the fourth of December. Will that be adequate time for the transfer ship to get into position?”

  “Yes, it will. We will be there on the fourth. If we think or hear of anything else, we will contact you at the email drop zone used in the past.”

  The mutt disconnected. There were general congratulations all around, but not to a point much more than a few ‘nice job’ comments. The hard and dangerous work lay ahead, but thanks to Alexi, we had a target in sight, along with a plan. We could go full speed ahead now with the Brotherhood taking the bait. Lynn wanted specifics though, and I think the rest of us did too.

  “What’s the rules of engagement, Denny? Are you after prisoners, or do we whack ‘em all? How much value would taking prisoners have, considering this type of attack?”

  “We have only one rule of engagement here, Lynn: no casualties on our side. When Laredo drops you bunch into the hot zone, the rules of engagement are weapons free. Kill
anything that moves you feel threatened by. If people surrender, and you want a prisoner for questioning, then collect the prisoner. You bunch mean a lot to me. Unlike other outfits, I can’t think of one of you that would be replaceable. There is no resume site on line for monsters like this group. Even our new hires are irreplaceable. Name an organization with Cartel leaders in their cadre. None exist. We’re building something here beyond anything ever imagined. I will state it again: no casualties… period. My take is there will be very few seats for survivors aboard the helicopter leaving the Queen Zanubiya.”

  Lynn smiled. “I like your thinking, Denny. It is building… nearly by itself. I liked what you pulled off today, Quays. That was the right tenor and exactly the right touch for this deal. You are earning your way, hour by hour. I apologize, Alexi. I know I promised retribution for your granddaughter’s kidnapping. I seldom ever rethink anything of that nature. Quays is a wild card we can’t do without. His performance today proved it. I hope we can attain some tolerance in spite of the past.”

  Alexi turned to me. “And you, John?”

  In the blink of an eye I had Quays in a neck breaking hold before anyone could react. “I hate ambiguities, Alexi. Call it out… live or die right now. If your common sense says live, do not approach this man ever after for a kill. If you do, I will come for you in the same manner. It is in your hands right now. Choose.”

  Alexi smiled. He knew without a doubt I wasn’t bluffing. The fact Clint, Casey, and Lucas drew on Denny made it plain to him the offer was real. They understood Denny might take exception to my rather generous offer. “I accept Tannous as a part of this team I am forever joined with. Thank you for the choice, John. I will not forget it.”

  We all relaxed then as I patted the almost dead Quays on the shoulder after releasing him. “You’re in from now on, Mr. Tannous, on my word, and on my life.”

  “And mine,” Lucas said.

  In moments, my crew stated the same.