by Finian Blake
“Ouch, those are teeth marks. Why in the hell did you bite me?”
“You said you were married.”
“My wife hit me with divorce papers when I returned to LA. It will not be official for another month, so I am still married.” She calmed down instantly.
“Let me kiss it and make it better.” It was not exactly a kiss. She nibbled and sucked on the red button and he responded in kind.
When Noah awoke, Terri’s head was resting on his shoulder with a small smile on her face soon he would be not married, and that was the way she preferred it.
Noah and Terri went over to Founder’s Cottage. Susan, Lynn and Suki were having tea while they were waiting for Terri and Noah. Suki whispered something to the others. Lynn started to laugh. Susan did a better job of keeping a straight face.
“Noah it seems that you have been claimed. I need to take Terri out of inventory.” Terri immediately blushed beet red as Noah patted her on the butt.
“I am a little dense when it comes to women. It seems as though they are not teasing although for my part I can say that the feelings are mutual. I couldn’t find the words.”
Terri pushed Noah back in his chair softly, “You did not need words. You showed me.”
“Let’s not get too sticky, this is a business meeting.” Susan tapped the table with the palm of her hand.
“Noah requested that someone take some luggage out to LA. Terri, would you take this?”
“I would do that in a heartbeat.”
“Do you want Suki to go with you?” Terri looked at Suki who was shaking her fist. “Of course I do it should be some fun.” Suki stuck out her tongue. “Lynn, buy them two first class tickets. I think British Airlines flies there direct from Heathrow.” Susan turned to Lynn. “I am going to need you here. The Inn is going to purchase the farm across the road. Lynn you take care of the negotiations. Try to keep it under four hundred thousand pounds. You can go to five if you have to.” Lynn was bouncing in her chair. “I want to be sure to have enough left over to buy the road.”
“Do you have any news from Pinewood?” Noah was dying to know.
“Yes, they worked something up. The F/X crew needs Noah and Fran at a back lot this afternoon. They seem to feel that 1,500 pounds should cover things. Frank and Francesca are picking up a helicopter as we speak. We will leave about noon and I’ll be going along with you. Terri and Suki need to pack.” This drew a big pout from Terri. “Susan is there anything else?”
“Yes Frank our driver has four friends coming this evening. They will provide security until this thing with Angie’s husband, Shit Head, is settled. They are still picketing the U.S Embassy, so we don’t think that they found him yet.” Susan slammed her palms on the table. “There are way too many Franks. This is driving me bonkers.”
“Before too long there will be one less Frank.” Noah said grimly.
“Business before the board is complete. The meeting is adjourned.” Terri moved to sit on Noah’s lap putting both arms around his neck.
Noah asked, “Can you deal with the things that I have done?” They looked at each other.
“I am what I am and that’s all that I am. You know the Popeye truce.” They laughed and kissed each other passionately.
“I have things to finish, so you two need to go back to your cottage.” Susan was putting on her stern voice.
Frank and Fran brought the helicopter at precisely eleven. Noah and Lynn ran out to it while it was idling, and within minutes they were flying off to Pinewood. They landed at the helicopter pad and were met by William. He drove in the opposite direction that they had taken the day before to an outdoor set. There was a wooden box painted with a red cross. Next to the box were two tables, piled high with props.
“We thought that we would rely on a wig as our main prop.” It can be placed on Francesca quickly. The hair matches hers. Just mess the wig hair in with hers.” The wig had bits of what looked like bone and brain to make it very convincing. Just pour this on her head when you are done.” They produced a bag of stage blood. “We need a reason for her to be by the box. What we came up with is a relief stop. She walks next to the box, drops her pants and squats down after all it is the jungle. You come up behind her, push her down and shoot. If Francesca is standing it will be harder to sell. If you leave one of the plane’s engines running the noise will mask the shot and the prop wash will make it hard to see.”
“These are people that have seen others that have been executed. You pick her up, put her in the box and install the wig. There is a supply of blood on the down side of the wig. As soon as she puts her head on the pump it starts. Put her face down so that they can see the exit wound. Here is a bag of fake excrement. It really stinks and that should keep them from getting too close. Fran and Noah practiced until they were happy with the timing. The F/X crew showed Noah the false bottom where everything would be hidden. Next they produced a bra.
“We set this up as an extra effect. Fran try it on, all you have to do is strip off the first layer and…” He pulled the layer off. Underneath was an ugly entrance wound. He squeezed Fran’s other cup and blood pumped out of the wound. Noah talked it over with Fran. They took a few photos examining them carefully under magnification finally approving the results. The picture was of a woman in a box in a display that would shock even the hardest of people.
“Now, what do you want for this arrangement?”
“We were hoping to get fifteen hundred pounds, since we worked all weekend on this. It is a first class job.”
“Lynn, do not give them a cent less than 6,000.” Lynn pulled six bundles of one thousand and handed it to them. They expressed their thanks at his generosity. If this works, I will double the fee when I get back.” Noah loaded up and headed for the Ark.
Noah was sitting in the recliner still brooding over the picture. He did not even care for faking something like this. It was a put up job, but he still did not like it. Noah heard the sound of a woman’s shoes on the metal stairs. He glanced up and saw Terri walking up the stairs. He turned the photo over like some school boy caught with pornography. This mood was new to Terri. She looked amazingly feminine, wearing a translucent green blouse with a lacy garment hiding the essential parts, a tight dark green silk skirt slit up the sides, dark hose and metallic green high heel sandals. Her raven hair was pulled back on one side and over her shoulder in a South Seas style and her nails matched her blouse. She wore minimal make up except for lipstick.
“You are a knock out.” The comment lacked real enthusiasm.
“I expected better than that.”
“Sorry, you are a knock out.” He meant it, but it just did not sound like it.
“What’s up?” She came out to the Ark planning to knock his eyes out.
“This is what they want me to do to Francesca,” he turned the photo over.
“My God, where did you get that?”
“It is what the F/X crew put together. It is what she will look like when we are finished.”
“Well it is a put up. You are not really going to do it, right?” She was almost happy that he was this upset, because Terri wanted to know that he was human.
“That is not the point. Some bastard is going to look at this and believe it. It has to sell even the toughest critic and they will think that I do things like this,” Noah brooded. “They are going to push me to do it again. There are more sickos like Angie’s husband coming up with this shit all the time. They are plentiful at this end of the business. I am having a hard time even doing the fake.” Terri was beginning to see what he meant.
“Maybe you should disappear. This is not your real name, and I want the person not the name, but I do know who you are.” He appreciated the vote of confidence. Noah did this by choice. He could choose to have Noah die. “Noah, this is my traveling outfit. What do you think?”
“Terri, I can hear hearts breaking all over the world.” He had a thought. “Here is a number for Bob. Tell him which hotel that you are
in. Try hanging out in Huntington Beach it will prove interesting.”
“Take me to dinner.” They found a small Indian restaurant, with their disparity in clothing drawing some attention. They told jokes, talked music, favorite colors, and discussed food. Noah refused to talk about business wanting to keep it a relaxing evening.
Terri drove them back to the Inn, but they found a police car was blocking their way when they went to turn on to the road. Terri explained that she was an employee returning a customer to the Inn and they allowed her through. Susan was leaning against the fender of a police car talking to a detective. Suki ran out to Terri’s car.
“Frank said to go to your cottage and he will be by shortly.” They went to the Quiet Cottage with Terri changing into pajamas and a robe since naked did not work in times of trouble. After talking it over they decided to stay inside. A detective eventually came by the cottage and asked when they were last at the Inn. Noah assured him that he left early in the morning. Noah found out that Angie’s husband came out to the Inn wanting to assault Susan and her driver Frank caught him in the act. Frank regretted not being there for Suki and Terri. In the ensuing brawl Angie’s husband suffered a blow to the throat causing him to choke to death before the police could arrive.
The police noted that it was the same man that nearly beat Angie to death. They were holding warrants on him allowing the Police to conclude their initial investigation by midnight. Susan was on the phone to MI to kill any investigation. She told them he was the man that the Iranians were picketing the U.S Embassy for and the messages flashed back and forth until one AM. Noah rounded up the crew.
“We are leaving now. We can’t take this kind of attention.” Frank drove them to the airport. He explained that he caught Angie’s husband trying to get a position behind Susan. Frank caught the bastard with a Karate chop full in the throat. While the ‘Shit Head’ was choking to death, he told Susan to bite her lip. As she started to bite Frank bumped her jaw, so that her lip would be bleeding. Next, he tore her blouse and bra. When the police arrived the coward was dead. Dianne warned the boss not to have anything to do with the Inn so that left Angie’s husband Frank on his own to do the job himself.
Noah decided it was time to leave before they detained the crew. Frank drove them to the airport. They grabbed their bags from the van and hustled on to the Ark. Noah removed the wheel chocks and signaled for an engine start. When all four engines were running they did not wait for a mechanic to come out and wave them off. The crew called for and received clearance. The Ark was airborne in five minutes. They had a full load of fuel, so they planned a non-stop to Washington. Noah was appreciating the time he spent earlier getting everything ready. It was at the edge of their maximum range if necessary they would make a fuel stop in the States. Nobody was prepared for the flight, but with five pilots, it would not be that much strain. The flight was a long one and they ended up stopping in Bangor Maine for fuel. When they arrived in DC at 5 AM a sleepy customs crew was available to clear them. The Ark was parked in the in-bond area and the crew decided to take cabs over to the hotel.
An urgent knocking at the adjoining door awakened Noah, at 6 AM. He answered the door in his underwear. Buck pushed in the room highly animated.
“What the fuck happened in Tehran?”
“I don’t know! We never left the airport. We fueled and went up to the drop. Frank from the Embassy met us with the frequencies and coordinates at the drop. He was all pissed off.” Noah knew that they were being filmed, so he could not deny seeing him.
“We experienced a problem with the load and the General was not happy. We needed to settle our differences, so Frank was upset about me taking so long. He was going to talk to someone. Get in touch with him and they will verify it.” Noah knew this would not happen. Buck decided to fill him in.
“Frank arrived back at the Embassy to find a few thousand Iranians surrounding it, demanding his head.”
“I watched the news. They wanted the Embassy to turn over an employee for violating some law.”
“They wanted Frank. They were displaying pictures of him naked beating naked young boys! That sort of thing draws a death sentence in Moslem countries. They wanted to behead his ass!’
“Was it his head or his ass? Or did he have his head up his ass?”
“No more jokes,” Buck shook his finger in Noah’s face. “They wanted to behead him. Somehow he ended up in Manchester at some Inn out there. It appeared that he was going to beat his wife again. He beat her half to death a few days before and the local police had a warrant out for his arrest. We sweat blood working that one with the British home office. Anyway, he ran into the owner assaulting and raping her. Her driver struggled with him and during the fight the driver hit him in the throat and Frank died.” Noah was relieved to find out that Bucks sources were off on their information.
“Thank god that the State Department talked MI-5 into putting a lid on the whole thing for us. They grabbed all the local police reports and knocked down any tabloid reports. We owe MI big time on this one and they were none too happy about it either since they believe that this was some sort of a CIA operation.” Buck was just about to wind down. “We are letting the Iranian Embassy in London view the body to certify that was indeed Frank. They are hoping that might cool things down a little.”
“Where do you get them from? Wife beaters and kiddy molesters. What a collection of degenerates?”
“We have you and you’re going to kill the woman.” Buck was getting testy.
“You are right Buck, but I need to back down on this one. I have to draw the line somewhere.” Noah knew that he was on the hook like it or not. He would just like to see Buck beg.
“You cannot back out now. This one kill could head off a whole revolution. It would save this country millions of dollars and thousands of lives. That bitch has to die and you are our best shot at it. Keep the next payment it will be cheaper than sending in a tactical team. Just get this done.”
“If it is for God and country, I will do it. I will even deliver your next bonus.” Noah was mocking him. “I tell you what. I will deliver the next bag, and I will keep the last one. When this is done I don’t want to see you again. That will give you eight times what I initially promised if they don’t kill me in Nicaragua.” Buck bit on that offer somehow he knew that Noah would deliver. He would head off a revolution and the operation would still turn a profit. His promotion was in the bag plus he would have another hundred thousand in his retirement account. If they caught Noah doing the deed, it would solve the problem of eliminating him later.
“Will you get this done?”
“Did you get those medic kits, for me?” Buck nodded. “I will need another set for the next run too. Have your contact tell them to work the first pallet that I drop quickly. I do need the first pallet off the Ark processed on their first run. The rest can be worked later. Be crystal clear on that issue. Tell your confirmation not to go to their base with the delivery of the first load. I will need two small C-4 charges and remote detonators with those medical kits I asked for and I want all the antibiotics you can lay your hands on. Penicillin is cheap and plentiful.” Buck started to ask a question. Noah cut him short. “I need this for the job. If you want it done, I need a damn important distraction to cover my play. We are not negotiating on this item.”
“Does this mean that you are going to do it on this run?”
“I will try it on this run. Remember I am not into kamikaze work. If you want this done you will deliver otherwise get fucked!”
“I will do everything that you requested. Delivery will be one hour before takeoff. When are you leaving?”
“We will leave tomorrow morning at zero seven hundred. If I do not have that stuff, it is a no go on the hit. Are we clear?”
“Crystal,” Buck closed the door and started in motion to make phone calls as Noah went back to his room.
At ten AM the phone in Noah’s room rang. The relief was on the phone.
“Frank, we need to be wheels up no later than zero seven thirty tomorrow morning.
“Noah rolled out of bed dressing for the trip. The Ark needed to be in top shape. When it was time to leave for Nicaragua, he did not want to be dead in the water at departure time. He took the shuttle over to the airport and checking in with customs he asked for permission to access the Ark. He requested a mechanic, fuel and all of the other services that he would need prior to departure. He started cleaning in the flight deck and worked his way to the loading ramp. He cleaned and checked the general condition of everything looking for the smallest flaw. This run could not go wrong. He cycled the ramp and had a mechanic out checking APU, tires and struts. When he was completely satisfied, Noah personally stuck the tanks to check the fuel levels. He was not going to leave anything to chance. It was fourteen hundred before he signed out and went back to the hotel checking on the others.
Fran was a bundle of nerves, so he took her down to the bar and they ordered a couple of stiff drinks.
“I know that you are nervous. It gives me confidence in you. Anybody that doesn’t get nervous is stupid. I have checked over the Ark and the cargo bay twice. I will be nervous three days after the job is done.” Noah smiled at her.
“Three days?” She laughed at his statement. It did not make any sense.
“I told you I was nervous. I tell you what let’s round everybody up, so we can take in a movie and have dinner away from the hotel. There is a newspaper at the desk. We can ask the concierge for a nearby theater.” Fran opened the newspaper reading the headline: ‘IRAN IN TURMOIL’. Noah saw the head line, but refused to read any further. They picked something light to view while Noah rented a stretch limo and after the movie they found a great seafood place and everybody ordered the Maryland crab lump. By nine PM the crew was in bed having enjoyed the quiet diversion.
Noah was up at five, leaving a message at the desk saying that he would be meeting them at the Ark. He notified customs that he would be adding cargo calling catering ordering food for the day. The government van showed up precisely at zero six hundred. The driver dropped off the medic kits, an extra-large cooler full of antibiotics and a small fiberglass case with the two C-4 charges. He familiarized Noah with detonators leaving him to stow the last little bit of cargo. Catering made its appearance with the food and Noah put on a pot of coffee. He went out to do his walk around while the pot was brewing. At quarter to seven, the crew was driven out to the Ark in the van. The pilot and copilot did their checks with the engineer doing his walk around.
