The Book of Joshua I - Trust (The Gems & Gents Series 2)

by Iris Bolling

  Damn if those gold flecks in her eyes weren’t shooting daggers at him. Inside he was smiling. “Why were you there?” He stood and towered over her, causing her to move back and look up. “He did not feed and clothe you to receive nothing in return.” He shook his head. “No. I don’t know the answer, yet. Make no mistake, I will get it out of you.”

  Joshua walked out of the room. He needed more Intel before he made another move. Using his secure cell phone, he dialed Ned.

  “I am at your service. What do you need, my brother?”

  “Ned, you’re Jewish, you cannot be my brother.”

  “I’m your brother in spirit, my man.”

  “You sound chipper,” Joshua put emphasis on the last word.

  “I am, my man. Life is good.”

  “I’m about to change that outlook.”

  “Oh hell, what have you done?” his tone dropped an octave or two.

  “It's not what I’ve done but what I'm going to do.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “Akande indicates she was taken a few weeks ago. Check the satellite feed over the Conteh compound. See if you can determine exactly when she was taken and visuals of her on the compound. You work on that, I’m going to take a short trip to get a few answers.”

  “Absolute, we were lucky last night. We have permission to be in Emure only.”

  “I need to know what’s at stake before we return Akande to Asmere.”

  “No,” he spoke emphatically. “We have sanctions in place. The leaders of Asmere will not allow you in their country.”

  “From Emure, it’s as simple as walking across the street at some points. Lay low Ned, my brother. You know how I work.”

  “Yes, I do. That’s why I’m concerned.”

  “Send any Intel to the chopper.” Joshua disconnected the call before Ned could continue his disapproval.

  Next, he went in search of LaVeré. As he descended the stairs, he stopped on the landing. Looking through the window, he noticed a number of black sedans and SUVs pulling into the circular driveway of the palace. When he reached the lower level of the guesthouse, Joshua took a seat at the dining room table, pulled out his handheld device and began to dig further into the life and times of Akande Aubree. A female servant, one he had seen the night before, asked if he needed anything. The suggestive way she asked, caused him to smile, however, he knew he had work to do and pleasure would have to wait. He declined the offer. Opening the file Ned sent the night before, he began to learn all he could about the woman. Akande Ariana Aubree, twenty-six, unmarried, no children. Mother and father, nothing was listed. That was odd, there was information in all fields. Where the parents names would be listed, or categorized as deceased or unknown, there was nothing. He made a mental note to ask Ned about it. He continued to read.

  He came to a file with a password security attached. He tried several, but could not open the file. There were only a few people who had a higher security level than Joshua, the President, the Secretary of National Security, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Senator of Foreign Affairs, to name a few. Hell, Joshua’s clearance was higher than most Senators, yet, he could not open the file. He made a mental note to ask Ned about that as well.

  “Mother, I will take care of it,” LaVeré said into the phone as he walked in the guesthouse. Joshua looked up when he took a seat at the table. LaVeré disconnected the call and looked at Joshua. “It seems two staff members had a slight altercation this afternoon. We have a family-like atmosphere amongst our staff. Imagine my mother’s surprise when the two women began calling each other names. As it turns out, they both spent a little time with you.” He looked at Joshua, who sat there with an unconcerned expression.

  “They weren’t complaining, were they?” he responded.

  “No, the argument was to determine who would have you first tonight.” Joshua sat up as if contemplating the question. “My mother is very upset about this. Keeping the peace with the staff is her responsibility. You are to have no further contact with them.”

  “Just the palace staff, the other women in the countryside are not off limits?” Joshua asked.

  All LaVeré could do was shake his head. He knew of Joshua’s reputation with women. However, this was his first time experiencing it firsthand. “No, they are not off limits,” LaVeré replied. “How in the hell do you find the energy or time?”

  “Women happen to be my favorite pastime. They help build my stamina.” He grinned at LaVeré.

  “Will you please take it easy on the house staff? While my mother is grateful to you for returning Zsa Zsa to us, she will not have her household in turmoil.”

  “Okay, I’m busy tonight anyway.” Joshua shrugged his shoulders. “I’m doing some recon later. Want to join me?”

  “Count me in,” LaVeré replied. “My father and Aswan are here. The family will be fine.”

  “Where is Raheem?” Joshua asked.

  “He left for California. Since Zsa Zsa was secure he wanted to return to handle some unfinished business.” LaVeré shrugged his shoulders. “He feels unneeded here.” The look on LaVeré’s face indicated he did not approve of whatever Raheem was doing. “He is doing what he feels he needs to do.”

  “Cool, you can hang. But, I don’t want to hear anything from you when I kill somebody,” Joshua said as he stood. “Or, if we run into any women. No lectures.”

  “Hey, this is a mission. No women allowed.”

  “No women?” Joshua smirked as he stood. “You have lost your mind. I’m going to secure Akande and will meet you at the chopper in ten.”

  Joshua set guards at the door of Akande’s room, changed clothes and was walking towards the chopper dressed in one of his signature Armani suits, this one gray with a crisp white shirt, gray and white striped tie, with his long trench coat swinging from the cool breeze of the night. The closer he came to the chopper the slower his steps were. He was used to running, jumping into his seat and taking off. He stopped ten feet from the chopper, lowered then shook his head. He sighed and looked up. “No one,” he paused, “No one pilots my chopper but me.”

  “I’m an excellent pilot, Joshua,” LaVeré explained.

  “You have planes?”

  “I do.”

  “You can pilot them. This one is off limits.”

  LaVeré threw his hands up as he moved to the passenger seat. “As you wish.”

  Joshua flipped his coat up and out as he took his place in the chopper, put his sunshades on, then took off to the West.

  LaVeré gave him a sideways glance. “It’s a style thing.”

  “Damn right,” Joshua responded.

  LaVeré laughed. “I’m getting the swing of things.”

  Joshua’s lips slowly curved into a smile. He wasn’t sure what to expect from Prince LaVeré. From what his brother Samuel told him, LaVeré could hold his own. They would soon find out if that was true.

  An hour later, Joshua landed the chopper in a remote area of Nigeria not far from where he was the night before. The stealth helicopter was loaded with any and every piece of technology imaginable and some not. The quietness of the chopper allowed him to land it just about anywhere undetected. It was equipped with night vision technology therefore, lights were not needed. Once the chopper was secured, a shield was placed around it, rendering it practically invisible. It wasn’t invisible, it simply took on the persona of its surroundings, allowing it to blend in, as if it was a part of the scenery.

  Inside there were weapons of all kinds, guns, knives, tasers, and darts filled with tranquilizers. There was a state of the art computer system with a direct connection to Ned. Further in the back were suits, shoes, shirts, and ties. All the things necessary for an operative like Joshua.

  Joshua looked at LaVeré. “Do you know how to shoot?”

  LaVeré understood Joshua did not know him or his capabilities. He simply reached in, took a glock from the collection, loaded it, and placed it in the back of his pants. “Are we ready?”


  “Let’s roll.” They climbed into the vehicle Ned had waiting for them.

  Less than an hour later, Joshua, and LaVeré stood on a hill one hundred miles away, surveying the mansion where Zsa Zsa had been held. The jeep they drove had made the journey up the ninety degree angle road with little effort. According to Ned, it was the safest viewing point, without being detected. The home in question had the most sophisticated surveillance equipment available.

  “One thing is for certain.” Joshua reached into his blazer to pull out a pencil type device. “They are well financed.” He stripped out of his coat, and placed it on the ground. Lying on his stomach, he used both hands to maneuver the slim device. A few seconds later he spoke. “This is the complex.”

  “How are we going to get in?” LaVeré asked.

  “We are going to drive up and knock on the door. First we need to determine how many people are on the grounds.”

  “What do we have Joshua?”

  “Looks like a small crew, less than twenty. However, I don’t see Conteh.”

  “You can actually see everyone on the grounds?”

  “Come down here,” Joshua motioned to LaVeré.

  LaVeré laid on the ground next to Joshua. His loose hair fell across his shoulder. “Close your eyes and move your hair out of your face.”

  Joshua gave the object to LaVeré. “Look through the top.”

  LaVeré brought the device to his eye. He flinched and dropped it on the ground. “My God man.”

  Joshua picked it up, twisted the end, then gave it back to him. “Try it now. Tell me what you see.”

  LaVeré slowly lifted the device to his eyes. The men on the roof did not appear to be right on top of him as they did before. This time they seemed to be sitting in front of him.

  “Four men on the roof. One in each corner, armed with semi-automatic weapons.”

  “Look through the front window to your right. What do you see?”

  LaVeré moved slightly to his right. “A woman sitting in a chair talking to a man.”

  “Now.” Joshua reached over and pushed the head of the device. “Just point at the building and tell me how many heat images you see.”

  LaVeré did as he was instructed. “Twelve.”

  “Judge the weight and size of each. Are any of them less dense than the lady sitting in the room?”

  LaVeré shook his head. “No.”

  Joshua hit LaVeré on the shoulder. “Unless there is a really big woman in there, we are dealing with eleven men and one woman.”

  “I pulled up blueprints of the mansion,” LaVeré stated. He pulled out his cell phone and held it out. “This is a blueprint of the mansion below.” He pointed to the screen. “This area was reconstructed a few years ago. There was a shaft leading to one of the diamond mines beneath the original building.”

  Joshua pointed to the screen, “This is the area I was in last night. This is where we are going to enter. Let’s take out the men on the roof. Then we will find Conteh to see what he has to tell us.”

  “How are you going to take the men on the roof out?” LaVeré asked.

  “Watch and learn,” Joshua smiled as he walked over to the jeep. From the back, he opened a case and pulled out two long tubes, giving one to LaVeré. The two walked back over to the ledge, and lay on their bellies.

  Joshua pointed. “I’ll take twelve, two and four. You take six and eight.” LaVeré watched then followed Joshua's movements. “Range,” Joshua pushed a button on the tube.

  LaVeré did the same.

  “Set.”

  LaVeré did the same.

  “Aim,” Joshua said as he put the tube to his lips. LaVeré did the same.

  “Fire.” Joshua blew through the tube. LaVeré did the same.

  They watched as two men on the roof grabbed their necks, then fell to the ground.

  “Reload.” Joshua and LaVeré, reset the range on the device.

  “Set,” LaVeré stated.

  “Aim,” Joshua said. “Fire.” They blew through the tube again.

  LaVeré laughed as two more men dropped. “I’ve got to get me one of these.”

  Joshua aimed again and took out the last man on the roof, then grinned. “You like this, don’t you?”

  He stood and placed the tube back in its case. Joshua picked up his coat, hit LaVeré on the shoulder. “Ready for some action?” he asked and jumped into the jeep.

  LaVeré climbed in the back, hitting the rooftop. “Let’s roll.”

  Joshua pulled the jeep up in front of the closed, double-gated driveway. Using his handheld device, he pushed a few buttons and the gate opened. He shoved the device in his coat pocket, then drove up to the door, and jumped out of the jeep. Coming out were two large men with weapons drawn. Joshua grabbed the weapon from one, releasing the bullet casing, which dropped to the ground. He swung the empty gun hitting the man twice with the butt rendering him unconscious. LaVeré, jumped and drop kicked the other man, knocking him backwards into the door.

  The sound of a gun being cocked came from the doorway. LaVeré ran and jumped, kicking the door inward, then landed on his feet. The man behind the door fell backwards, but did not stay down. He hopped right back up and met with the force of LaVeré’s booted foot in his kidney, knocking the wind out of him. Several fast punches with his fist and the man fell to the ground. LaVeré turned to find Joshua staring at him. He picked up the gun. “Let’s go.”

  Joshua grinned then followed him inside. “You got a little kick in you. Not bad for a Prince. You can hang with me anytime.”

  “Come any closer and the lady dies,” A voice commanded as they entered a room as richly decorated as the family room of the palace. LaVeré hung back. Joshua stepped into the doorway, the gun he had taken, leaning causally across his shoulder and his coat swinging out from behind him. A man stood behind a woman sitting in a chair, with his arm around her neck and a gun pointed to her head. Another man with a gun pointed at Joshua, stood next to a man who was seated with his legs crossed, smoking a cigar, as if he did not have a care in the world.

  Joshua recognized the man seated as Naftali Conteh. He stepped inside the room. “Mr. Conteh, I presume.”

  “And you are?” the man asked with a controlled voice.

  “My name isn’t important,” Joshua replied as he took a seat in the chair next to the door. It did not escape him that there were only four people in the room. There was another man somewhere in the house. “How you answer the next question is.”

  “Why is that?” Conteh asked.

  “It determines if you live or die.”

  The man released a low chuckle, took a puff of his cigar then released the smoke. “You apparently do not know who I am.”

  “Of course I do,” Joshua shrugged. “I don’t randomly break into places without a purpose. For example, last night, you had Princess Zsa Zsa. I wanted her, so I took her.”

  The man placed the cigar in the ashtray on the table. “You dare to enter my property, steal from me and return today.” He revealed a wicked smile. “You are either very stupid or you believe you are invincible.”

  “Neither. I returned today for information on the other woman I took.”

  “Hmm,” the man nodded. “Akande…she is beautiful, is she not?”

  “Why was she here?”

  Naftali smiled. “The information you seek will cost you a million.”

  Joshua noticed a movement in the back of the room. Apparently LaVeré had taken care of the other man they could not see and was now positioned behind the man holding the gun to the woman’s head. “I have a better deal.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “You give us the information we seek and I’ll let you live.”

  Naftali’s eyes narrowed. “Do not try my patience. You are still alive simply because I am a business man. I have something of value to you. There is a price attached. We only need to negotiate, then you will leave and I will kill my guards who allowed you to get in. There is
no need for you or I to die today.”

  “Have it your way,” Joshua flipped a button from his coat and jumped behind the chair. The man next to Naftali raised his gun and fired, but it was a fraction too late. The button, which landed in front of the woman, exploded taking out the woman and the man. LaVeré jumped, hitting the gunman from behind, causing his bullets to hit the ceiling. When the smoke cleared Joshua was on Naftali with a knife at his throat.

  LaVeré collected the guns from both men and the one the woman had hidden behind her back.

  “Mr. Conteh, no one has to die today. Tell us about the woman and we will be gone.”

  Naftali’s nose flared with anger. “The woman was placed in my care.”

  “Why and by whom?”

  “I don’t know why!” the man shouted in anger.

  Joshua tightened his hold around the man’s neck and pushed the blade in, breaking the skin. A drop of blood trickled down his neck. “I hate to have to explain an international incident when I don’t have to. “Who and why?”

  “King Tarik of Asmere,” Conteh caved. “He indicated his wife did not want the woman around because she feared he was attracted to her.”

  “Isn’t the woman his niece?”

  “By marriage only,” he snarled. “Here, if we want a woman, we take her.”

  “Did you?” Joshua pushed the point of the knife in a little deeper. The answer was important to him.

  “No! No!” the man yelled from the pain. “The agreement was she was not to be touched. None of my men touched her.”

  Joshua eased up from the man and pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket. “Wipe the blood off.” He whispered something to LaVeré. He nodded. Joshua pulled a chair up in front of Naftali, sat in it then leaned forward. “Tell me a story, Mr. Conteh and you will receive your million.”

  Naftali narrowed his eyes. “You have the upper hand here, for the moment. Yet you offer to pay me, why?”

  “As you stated, you are a business man. You were hired to take something that belongs to us, we took her back. It’s economics, you fulfilled a demand. We simply want to know who you were supplying?”

  The man looked skeptical. “And you will pay me my money for the information? How do you know I am telling you the truth?”