The Benefactor

by Don Easton

  “Certainly,” replied Jack. “I know that this young woman beside me is of particular value to your organization.” Jack saw Wong glance at Mr. Frank, who nodded. Something isn’t right … “I am in a position to make her charges disappear,” he added.

  “And why do you think that whatever she is charged with is of concern to me?” asked Wong.

  “If, as people in my office have said, you did contract out a certain venture to the Vietnamese to protect Mia from being charged … a venture that failed … I would think you would value my assistance in that matter, as well,” replied Jack.

  Wong clasped his hands together and rested his chin on his fingertips as he stared silently at Jack. “You are in a position to make her charges disappear?” he said, coldly.

  Jack nodded.

  Wong stared hard into Jack’s eyes and said, “Perhaps you could be of value … but I don’t see her being of use to anyone,” he said, with a flicker of his eyes toward Mia, “except the police.”

  Wong’s voice had taken on a deadly tone and Jack heard Mia inhale sharply.

  “So as far as that matter goes,” said Wong, looking toward the door, “Zhang!”

  Jack heard the bodyguards running down the hall and caught the evil grin on Wong’s face as he looked at him and said, “There is no need to put yourself in jeopardy when I can make her disappear immediately.”

  “Jack!” cried Mia, leaping to her feet as Zhang burst into the room with pistol in hand.

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Laura adjusted the defrost switch to clear the fog off the windows as she and Rose sat waiting. They were parked in an SUV on East Hastings, two blocks east of where Mia had parked her car. They did not want to risk getting any closer, even though they knew that Jack and Mia would have to walk to some other unknown location.

  “I hate the waiting part,” said Laura, momentarily drumming on the bottom of the steering wheel with her fingers.

  Rose nodded in agreement. “Sometimes I think providing cover is the worst part. Especially when you have no idea where they are.”

  Laura leaned back in her seat and stretched her arms behind her head. “The thing is, knowing Jack, he’s probably sitting in a lounge having a martini and telling jokes. Likely has the bad guys wrapped around his little finger.”

  “I hope so. It’s the not knowing that drives you nuts,” replied Rose. “Hang on, got a call … it’s from Connie.”

  “Is Jack doing the UC?” asked Connie immediately. “I’ve tried to reach him and can’t.”

  “Yes, we haven’t heard back from him yet,” replied Rose. “He’s been out of the car about forty-five minutes.”

  “I heard from Wilson at VPD Homicide. He discovered something interesting about the guy who was knifed in his flower shop.”

  “Lok Cheng?” replied Rose.

  “Yeah, him. He died twice.”

  “You mean he was resuscitated and —”

  “No. He died of SIDS when he was three months old. Whoever was murdered in the flower shop had assumed his identity. Whoever it is has been living under that false name for at least thirty years.”

  “Illegal immigrant?”

  “Maybe,” replied Connie. “But I thought I would pass it on. Let me know when Jack is done, will you?”

  “Worried about him?” mused Rose.

  “I always worry about that guy,” replied Connie seriously, before hanging up.

  Rose passed the information on to Laura and they sat silently mulling it over for a moment. Laura glanced at her watch and said, “Come on Jack, phone! Give me that ‘a few drinks, a few laughs, nobody got hurt’ call.”

  As if on cue, her phone buzzed and she smiled and grabbed it. Disappointment registered on her face when she saw that it was from Jim Purney.

  “I tried to call Jack, but he isn’t picking up,” said Jim. “It’s about the computer that was hacked that belonged to the member from AOCTF. Do you know where he is?”

  “Yes,” replied Laura. “Rose and I are covering him … well, in the vicinity. He’s doing a UC. What’s up?”

  “On Benny Wong?” asked Jim, tersely.

  Oh, man … “Yes on Benny Wong,” replied Laura, seeing the concern on Rose’s face that matched how she felt herself. “Hang on, I’m going to lean over so Rose can listen in.”

  Laura explained the circumstance to Rose and then told Jim to continue.

  “I received a call from a friend who works for the Communications Security Establishment. He got a call from Ottawa … and it’s midnight there, so you know it’s serious. I suspect it is something they’ll want to keep hushed up.”

  “We’re listening,” said Rose.

  “Someone has clued in that we are looking at the spyware we discovered and are making a pre-emptive strike.”

  “What kind of pre-emptive strike?” asked Laura.

  “Stealing information before we can counter the threat. CSE expected the hackers would know they were on to them, but hadn’t realized the full scope of the problem and are trying to stop the hemorrhaging, which is gushing out all over. A ton of information is being hacked out of government and military computer systems, both in Canada and in the U.S. as we speak. It is the biggest threat to national security that we have ever had next to an all-out war.”

  “Oh, shit,” said Rose. “The Chinese!”

  “Number-one suspect, but we don’t know for sure. Tell Jack he better be damned careful. These aren’t your run-of-the-mill street criminals.”

  After hanging up, Rose and Laura looked silently at each other. They both thought the same thing.

  We would tell him … if we knew where he was …

  “I’m calling Connie back,” said Rose, trying hard to keep the panic from her voice. “I’ll have her contact Wilson at VPD and give him my number. If there are any calls regarding situations in Chinatown tonight, I want to be notified immediately.”

  Probably should contact the coroner as well, thought Laura.

  Chapter Fifty

  Jack heard Wong say something in Chinese and saw Zhang take aim with his pistol at Mia as the other bodyguards appeared from behind. He instinctively leapt from his chair, grabbing Mia by the wrist, and yanking her to one side while putting himself between her and Zhang. “Kill her and you will have to kill me, too,” he yelled.

  Good, thought Mr. Frank. Kill them both …

  Wong barked out an order in Chinese and all the bodyguards put their weapons away. He looked at Jack and said, “Did you really think you could trap me that easily? Willing to throw your life away for this young woman? Tsk, tsk,” he sneered. “Obviously you are not the corrupt police officer you pretend to be.”

  “There is a reason she needs to be kept alive,” replied Jack, calmly. “Tell your goons to leave and I will explain it to you.”

  Wong ran his tongue around the insides of his chubby cheeks, puffing them out like a chipmunk playing with a walnut as he stared briefly at Jack. Then he gave another order and the bodyguards left, closing the door behind them. “Have a seat, Officer,” said Wong, “and tell me why she is so precious to you.” He then gave an impish smile and said, “Are you lovers?”

  “Yes,” blurted Mia.

  “No, we’re not,” said Jack, taking his seat again while nodding for Mia to do likewise. “She is only saying that because you scared her.” He turned to Mia and said, “Isn’t that right, Mia? Tell the truth. There is no need to lie.”

  Mia stared at Jack. Is he insane? Jumping up and putting himself in front of Zhang’s gun to protect me … does he have a death wish? Her eyes drifted over to Mr. Frank. You sat there and did nothing … strange, somehow I knew you wouldn’t. It was Jack’s name I cried out for help.

  Wong looked at Mia and asked, “Were you lying about being his lover? If you were his lover, it would help convince me that he is who he says he is.”

  Mia glanced at Jack. Hope to hell you know what you are doing … She then glared at Wong and said, “Yes, I lied. I thought you we
re going to kill me. I would have said anything.”

  “I see,” replied Wong. He looked at Jack. “So why is she so important to you?”

  “Because if something happens to her, I would be blamed for it,” replied Jack. “I told my people that I was meeting with you on the pretext of being a dirty cop and that Mia would help me. As a result of her introducing me to you, it has been left up to my discretion as to whether or not her charges will be dropped.”

  “Your people know you are meeting with me tonight,” repeated Wong. “I suspected as much.”

  “Yes, they think I am pretending to be a dirty cop,” he replied, before smiling. “I told them that to protect myself. This way if AOCTF or the task force in my office gets wind of my meeting with you from whoever their source is, it will not arouse suspicion.”

  Wong looked momentarily taken back as he studied Jack. His smile and easygoing conversation … it does not sound like a man who is lying or has something to fear… “So you’re saying you’re a double agent.”

  Wong glanced at Mr. Frank and spoke in Chinese, asking him if that was the correct term. Mr. Frank gave a barely perceptible nod. Jack didn’t speak Chinese, but he guessed correctly the question Wong had asked. Jack glanced at Mr. Frank. There is something very interesting about this guy …

  “As Mr. Wong noted earlier,” said Mr. Frank. “You have not offered anything of value. Tantalizing pieces perhaps … like bait on a hook … but nothing of actual benefit.”

  Jack leaned forward in his chair to see past Mia and said in a friendly tone, “Sorry, we haven’t been introduced yet.” He stuck out his hand and said, “You are?”

  “Who I am isn’t important,” replied Mr. Frank, ignoring the handshake. “Is there nothing else you have to say?”

  “Well, besides knowing that the task force in my office plans to arrest Wong in the near future for a couple of murders, there is something —”

  “They plan to arrest me for a couple of murders?” blurted Wong. He looked at Mr. Frank who shrugged in response, indicating he knew nothing about it.

  Again, Wong turns to Mr. Frank to see if he knew anything about it. These guys don’t act like they work together. “Yes, although I do not know which ones,” replied Jack. “I suspect it will involve putting someone on the Witness Protection Program and having them testify against you. Perhaps even wiretap.”

  Mia was also astute at studying body language, only she was watching Jack. He is clueing in that Mr. Frank is not some underling … there is no way the benefactor should have sent him … or does the benefactor know? Her brain started to put the pieces together.

  “Again,” said Mr. Frank. “All you are saying are words. Nothing concrete.” He stood up, looked at Wong, and said, “There is something I would like to caution you about that I need to tell you in private.” He glanced at Jack and Mia and said, “There is no need to go, I will simply whisper what I have to say in his ear.”

  Jack was concerned that his credibility would be further challenged before he was finished, so he stood up and said, “There is something concrete that I can give you.” He took a photo out of his inside jacket pocket and tossed it on the desk in front of Wong.

  “He looks Chinese, but I do not know him,” said Wong, looking up at Jack.

  “Remember when your men stopped me in the alley? I told you then that someone was contemplating having you killed. This picture is of the hit man who will be taking out that contract. I got a copy of it from the task force. Are you sure you wish to dismiss me like a wayward beggar?” he added, sarcastically.

  Mr. Frank moved in front of Jack and bent over the table to study the picture with Wong. Jack saw Mr. Frank’s elbow jerk forward and briefly thought he had slammed Wong in the head with the heal of his hand. What the hell?

  “What have you done!” shrieked Mr. Frank, stepping back.

  Jack saw Wong, slumped forward in his chair. The curled metal bottom of the receipt spike protruded from his eye socket. The spike itself had penetrated his brain, killing him instantly and the blood was turning the receipts jammed to the bottom into a sodden mass.

  Jack looked at Mr. Frank in shock, who was now shouting in Chinese.

  “He said we did it!” screamed Mia. “They’re going to kill us!” she cried, leaping to her feet in a desperate bid to flee the office.

  Chapter Fifty-One

  Mr. Frank stepped back and watched Mia rip open the door and rush into the hall, with Jack close behind her. As he expected, panic had taken over everyone in the restaurant. People were yelling and the pounding of feet approaching from both directions in the hall told him the bodyguards would make Jack and Mia’s escape impossible. Their attempt to escape added further credence to his assertion that they had murdered Wong.

  If there was even a remote chance that Jack and Mia would not be immediately killed, he had a backup plan and felt for the grip on his revolver. If he had to kill the four bodyguards plus Jack and Mia, it was still possible, despite only having five bullets. He was an expert marksman and coupled with a surprise attack, he would save Mia for last and simply snap her neck.

  The first bodyguard Jack saw was Zhang, who had come barrelling down the hall from the rear exit and was upon him. Zhang’s pistol was clearing its holster when Jack grabbed his wrist, forcing Zhang to point the gun at the ceiling.

  Behind Jack was the partially open door leading to the basement and he caught a glimpse of the other three bodyguards on the opposite side pulling their weapons as they raced toward him. He knew he couldn’t make it to the rear exit in time … but perhaps Mia could.

  “Run to the fire escape!” he screamed. “I’ll hold them off! Run!” He used his other hand to grab Zhang and spin him around while forcing him backward down the hall toward the basement door. He hoped to use Zhang as a shield to protect him and once Mia escaped out the back, perhaps shove Zhang down the basement stairs and try to wrestle his weapon away.

  Mr. Frank partially pulled his own gun out. He had not entered the hallway out of an expectation of a barrage of gunfire in the hall from the bodyguards as they killed the two hapless victims. That didn’t happen. There is no way I can let her escape ...

  “They’ll kill you!” cried Mia, unaware that her decision to reverse direction in the hall caused Mr. Frank to change his mind about putting a bullet through her brain.

  Before Jack could respond, Mia grabbed Jack by his shoulders and used her feet to kick off the side of the wall, sending the three of them crashing down the rickety basement stairs with Zhang taking the brunt of their weight as his head bounced and twisted off the steps.

  Mr. Frank stood in the office doorway and watched them disappear from sight into the basement. There was no escape for them down there. He had checked it out in an earlier meeting. It was a windowless room filled with rows of wooden racks containing mostly canned goods and food for the restaurant, illuminated by a few dirty light bulbs hanging on cords from the ceiling.

  He shook his head at the ineptitude of the three bodyguards who ran toward him. A fat and toothless Chinese woman had burst out of the washroom, first running one way and then another in her own panic before the bodyguards floundered to get past her. The delay was only temporary as they shoved her aside and scrambled toward the office to check on their boss.

  “One of you! Guard the basement door!” ordered, Mr. Frank in Chinese.

  Rong, with pistol drawn, stopped at the entrance to the basement and saw his targets on the landing below him and quickly took aim.

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  In the fall down the stairs, Jack landed on top of Zhang, who was momentarily dazed. They had fallen down half a dozen steps to a landing, where the stairs then continued at a right angle down another half dozen steps to the basement floor. Jack heard the thump of Zhang’s gun bounce down the remaining steps and the metallic sound as it hit the cement floor.

  Mia got to her feet first and he saw her hesitate as she stood behind him, illuminated by a hazy light bulb abo
ve her head. “Find his gun,” he yelled, before being distracted by Zhang who grabbed his shirt, wrenching him downward.

  Jack responded by delivering a solid punch to Zhang’s solar plexus, knocking the wind out of him and leaving him gasping for air. He looked up to see why Mia was still there and saw Rong appear at the top of the stairs and take aim, as Mia simultaneously smashed the overhead light with her fist.

  Jack scrambled to race down the remaining stairs behind Mia, but Zhang lunged, tackling him from behind and sending him crashing down the remaining steps with Zhang on top.

  Zhang was still winded, gasping for air, but he used his weight to his advantage to pin Jack to the floor as he wrapped his fingers around Jack’s throat.

  Jack used his hands to hit Zhang as hard as he could in the elbows. It loosened his grip, but he was still pinned to the floor and saw Zhang bring back his fist to deliver a blow intended to break Jack’s nose and leave him momentarily blinded.

  Oh, fuck … Jack squirmed, turning his head, while briefly wondering if a punch to his nose might be better than being nailed in the temple. The punch never came. Zhang loosened his grip and in darkened shadows he saw Mia pointing a pistol at the back of Zhang’s head.

  At the top of the stairs, Rong had hesitated to shoot in case he hit Zhang. He had heard the gun clatter on the cement floor and Jack’s yell for Mia to get it. When Zhang lunged after Jack, Rong took a couple of steps down, then paused. He decided that continuing down the stairs with the light from the hall illuminating his body from behind was not a good idea. He quickly retreated back into the hall and cautiously peeked from around the doorframe before calling out, “Zhang?”

  Jack got up while clutching Zhang by the shoulder. “Face down on the floor,” he whispered, before adding, “and be quiet.” When Zhang quietly obeyed, Jack looked at Mia and saw that she was pointing the gun at him.