Sin (Sinclair O'Malley Book 1)

by J. M. LeDuc

  “O’Malley left the country.”

  “What, no hello or how are you. It’s been six weeks since we’ve spoken and all I get, is ‘O’Malley left the country’.”

  Westcott picked up the remote and shut down the computer feed. He sat in a soft black leather chair and loosened his tie. “Sorry, things have been pretty tense around here.”

  “I know how to reduce that tension,” the voice purred.

  He slouched in the chair, the tone of her voice helped soothe his stress. “Soon,” he moaned, “soon.”

  “Is there a way you can be sure she won’t return—permanently?”

  Westcott straightened his posture. “I have a meeting with four of my best men in twenty minutes. Men who don’t mind getting a little dirty.” He stood and walked toward the door. “That bitch likes to bend the rules, I’m gonna break them over her pretty little head.”

  “I am still planning on coming for the New Year’s Eve bash so that gives you three weeks. Don’t let me down.”

  “Mi Amore,” he moaned, “I would never let you down. I will see you at the New Year’s Eve White House Gala.”

  Westcott made his way through the maze of hallways and pods within the pentagon; leaving the complex, he walked the short distance to the Pentagon City Mall. Inside, he bought a cup of coffee and sat in the food court and watched all the holiday shoppers.

  At exactly three p.m., four men sat down around the table.

  Westcott pulled a thin envelope from his pocket and slid it under the table to one of the men. “Inside, you will find a stick drive with all the vital information for your mission.” He burned a looked into the men with a steely stare. “I’ve included an extra incentive for each of you,” he said. He lowered his voice so that it was barely audible. “This is a kill mission, but you’re to kill no one until I give the order—no excuses. Find your targets, follow them, and wait. It’s all explained on the drive.” With his final words, he stood up and strolled toward the crowd near the North Pole display.

  He took a seat on a bench and watched as the children took their turns sitting on Santa’s lap. A smile eclipsed his face—a lascivious, evil smile.

  CHAPTER 54

  Sin had joined up with the members of her unit at the appointed time. They gathered in a small cantina outside of Choluteca. A bottle of rum was passed around the table, each pouring a generous amount in his or her glass.

  Sin twirled her finger in the amber colored liquid. “I owe you all a huge thank you for what you did.” She pulled her finger from the glass and wiped it on her shirt. “Starting tonight, you all get paid back. First, we figure out what the hell is going on with Manuel and then tomorrow we die.

  “A toast,” she raised her glass, “to death and a new life.”

  They clinked their glasses and downed the rum.

  The members of the unit looked from Sin to the another members. Their expression wasn’t missed by Sin.

  “Say your peace,” she said.

  “We want to be sure that you can deliver what you promised us,” one of the female soldiers said.

  Sin refilled her glass and tossed back the shot. “I can’t guarantee anything,” she said. “I’ve never been able to guarantee any of you anything, but—” she pointed a manicured finger at each soldier, “I’ve never back-tracked on anything I’ve promised.” She stood and pulled black leather, fingerless gloves onto her hands. “If you have any doubts or reservations, stay here or get lost in the world. Every one of you has enough contacts to stay busy and rich for the rest of your lives, but if you’re willing to take the risk I offer, follow me. Either way, there are no hard feelings.”

  As she turned and walked toward the door, she could hear the scraping of the chairs against the wooden floor. Fletcher and the others followed her out the door.

  Twenty minutes later, they were in view of Manuel’s home. “I go in alone,” Sin said. “Unless you hear the sound of gun fire, no one enters until I open the front door and wave you inside.”

  “That’s an unnecessary risk,” Fletcher said.

  “We know these people,” Sin said. “We saved his daughter from Veloz. The intel on them doesn’t make sense. I need time to talk to Manuel and hear his side of the story. I’ll know if he’s lying.”

  “And if he tries to take you out?”

  Sin looked at the soldier who spoke. “If it’s a knife fight or hand-to-hand, he doesn’t stand a chance. If you hear shooting, come fast and hard.”

  Sin stepped out of their hiding spot and crept along the side of the shanty. She stayed low and out of sight from the windows, surprised to see lights on inside at this time of night. That alone made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

  She made her way to the front door, reached up, knocked, and squatted low again.

  Footsteps could be heard coming closer. Sin was balanced on the balls of her feet, ready to pounce on whoever answered the door.

  “Who is it?”

  Sin knew Manuel’s voice. He sounded skittish.

  “La Perla Angel de la Muerte,” Sin answered.

  Through the thin wooden door, Sin could hear the slide being pulled back on a semiautomatic weapon. “If you are who you say, what was my gift to you?” Manuel asked.

  “A pearl-handled Balisong, and I want it back.”

  Sin stayed crouched as she heard the chain on the inside of the door being released. As soon as the door opened, she sprung from her position, grabbed Manuel’s gun hand, twisted it back forcing him to drop the weapon, and then shoved him to the ground.

  Manuel fell backward on the wooden floor, clutching his wrist, and trying not to scream. Sin stepped into the house, picked up the pistol and aimed it at him.

  She kicked the door closed as she scanned the house for others. “Who is here?”

  Manuel was just starting to recover when Sin heard the sound of an inner door opening. She quickly lowered her gun as soon as she saw Serena run toward her father.

  Sin grabbed a chair and sat down, trying to calm her frayed nerves.

  Manuel hugged his frightened daughter, telling her that he was just surprised at seeing Sin and tripped over his own feet.

  Sin remained on full alert as she and Serena hugged and said hello.

  “She seemed pretty spooked,” Sin said, after Serena was once again sleeping. With a tentative reach, she accepted a cup of coffee from Manuel, “anything unusual going on around here lately?”

  Manuel diverted his eyes from Sin and sipped his espresso. “Eh, it is nothing,” he said. “You know girls, always afraid for no reason.”

  Sin placed her cup on the wooden table and then placed the pistol next to it. “I know Serena,” she said, “and she is not easily frightened.”

  Manuel began to fidget and looked everywhere but directly at Sin.

  “Manuel,” Sin placed a soft hand on top of his, “I am here to help, but I need to know what is going on.” She could feel his pulse quicken under her fingers. “I have been told that you are in trouble, doing things you know are wrong, but I don’t believe it.” His pulse quickened still. “I told my people that my friend, Manuel, would never be involved it the slave trade. Now, I want to hear it from you.”

  Hearing the words ‘slave trade’ startled Manuel and he jerked away from Sin. “Angel, after what my sweet Serena went through, how could you even think such a thing?” His voice was sincere, but his non-verbal cues were deceiving—his eyes, facial expression, and posture said he was lying.

  Sin pulled three pictures from the back pocket of her jeans. “Then explain why you’ve been seen coming and going from the Condominio Elegante in Puerto Cabezas and why you have been seen with associates of Veloz?”

  He glanced at the pictures and slid them back towards Sin. “It is not what you think, Angel.”

  “Then tell me what it is, Manuel. Because, if yo
u don’t tell me the truth, I will kill you and take Serena with me.”

  “Look around you, Angel.” Manuel’s voice cracked. Frustration could be heard in his tone. “I have nothing! Most days, I pray that I will be able to feed my child. Is this right? No, it is not.” He pointed to Serena’s room. “She deserves better. She deserves a home with a toilet that works, she deserves to go to school every day, and she deserves . . .” Tears streamed down his cheeks, “a papa who can give her those things.”

  Sin stayed silent. Manuel was unburdening his soul and would get to the reason behind the intel all by himself.

  “This home—this town, they are who I am, they are my life. I want Serena to know what a beautiful place this can be, but . . .” he pounded his chest, “I cannot find work, and I will not live off of charity.” He sat back down and wrapped both callused, trembling hands around his cup. “In a place this small, you hear things.” He kept his head down as he spoke. “Word spread fast that Veloz was killed by La Perla Angel de la Muerte. But then word also spread that you were killed by his second in command.” He finally looked Sin in the eye. “That was why I was so shocked when I received a package and was told that you would be coming to pick it up.”

  Sin still said nothing.

  “I also heard that Veloz had left money in the condominium. A friend of a friend knew someone who was there so we went to see if we could find anything.”

  “The condominium is abandoned, yes?” Sin asked.

  “Si, it is abandoned except for the scavengers.”

  “And?” Sin finally said.

  “There have been men there for weeks trying to find what they cannot find.”

  Sin saw a sparkle in his eyes. “But you know where the money is, don’t you?”

  “Si, Angel.” He tapped his skull with his finger. “Everyone from Puerto Cabezas thinks they are so smart, but Manuel knows something they don’t.”

  “Which is?”

  “The money is not at the condominium.” He paused and grinned. “It is in the condominium.”

  Sin didn’t break her cold stare. She didn’t want to let on that she believed him. “So what is all the talk about a slave ring?”

  Manuel shook his hand from side to side in rhythm with his head. “There is no slave ring, but it is what the men at the building are saying because they know it will keep others away.”

  Sin stood up and walked toward the front door. “How much money is there?”

  “No one knows, but I have heard that there are close to ten million Euros hidden at the building.”

  “What would you do with the money, Manuel?”

  Manuel’s eyes opened wide and his face lit up as he spoke. “I would build a home up on the mountain and send Serena to a private school so she could grow up with a future.”

  “That doesn’t take millions,” Sin said. “What else would you do?”

  “I would go to the villages where the parents sell their own children to the slave dealers and I would give them the money they need.”

  “It sounds like you have thought a lot about this.”

  “Si.”

  Sin moved away from the door and sat back down. “I will make a deal with you, Manuel. If I find the money, we will split it.”

  Manuel looked confused. “You are not the type to take anything from anyone. Why do you want the money?”

  “For some needy people back home, but first we need some people who can get my unit into the building. Do you know four such people? I will offer them three thousand dollars apiece for their trouble.”

  Manuel smiled. “That should not be a problem.”

  “One more thing,” Sin said, “you are to stay here with Serena. I don’t want you anywhere near Puerto Cabezas. Is that understood?”

  “Si, Angel, now why don’t you introduce me to your friends.”

  “How did you know I had people outside?”

  “The ‘woods’ have been quiet tonight. They are only quiet when there are predators around.”

  Sin laughed as she opened the front door. “I have a lot to learn from you, Manuel—a lot to learn.”

  Sin brought everyone up to speed and then addressed Manuel. “Where is the package that was sent here?”

  “Ah,” Manuel said, “the package is why Serena was so, how you say, skittish. She helped me bury it in the backyard. She thought it might be a body.”

  “Damn,” Garcia said, “how and what exactly was delivered?”

  “I don’t know what was delivered,” he shrugged, “Two men burst into my house two nights ago at gunpoint. They dropped off a box and said The Angel would be coming for it. They told me if I opened it, or tried anything foolish, they would come back for Serena.”

  “No one knew if you were part of a new ring,” Sin said. “They scared you as a precaution.”

  “Si,” Manuel replied.

  “Show us where you buried the package.”

  Three of the men went with Manuel. They returned ten minutes later, sweaty and carrying a large wooden box.

  Sin moved the table out of the way so the men could place it on the floor. “No wonder Serena thought it might be a body.”

  Opening it, there was a smaller box for each of them with their name on it. Their personal weapons were inside the smaller boxes. Under those was a steel box with a skull and crossbones engraved on the top and two longer, heavier boxes next to it.

  “What is in that one?” Manuel pointed to the skull and crossbones.

  Sin lifted the small box and placed it on the table. Using a key that was tied around her neck, she opened the box so all could see its contents.

  A whistle could be heard from one of her men. “That’s a shitload of C4, what the hell we blowin’ up?”

  Sin never broke eye contact from the box. “Us.”

  “Everyone check and double check your weapons. Garcia and Wilson, grab the last two boxes. Those are your sniper rifles, make sure they’re calibrated correctly. I want you to be able to shoot the wings off a fly.”

  Sin opened the box with her name on it and pulled out her 45s as well as her razor and Balisong. There was also a laptop with a satellite connection in her box. Turning it on, she saw eighteen messages marked urgent. Every one of them was from Charlie.

  Manuel saw her expression harden as she read the messages. “What is wrong, Angel?”

  She ignored his question and typed in a code Charlie had given her. As soon as she had a connection, Charlie’s face appeared on the screen.

  “We just opened the box,” she said. “What’s with all the urgent messages?”

  “I’m glad you made it there without incident,” Charlie answered. “I was getting worried—very worried.”

  “You’re not making sense. Start from the beginning.”

  “First things first, what’s the story with Manuel?”

  Sin glanced at her friend with a sense of pride. “There is no slave ring. Word was put on the streets that a new one was being run out of the hotel to keep people away. Manuel and others think Veloz hid money—a lot of money—in the hotel. The message was used as a form of traffic control.”

  “I’m glad your instinct was correct, Sinclair,” Charlie answered.

  “You know I can handle myself, so what else do you have?”

  “I met with Frank after I met with you and Troy. I told him that you and your team were planning on leaving the country. I explained to him that you were able to ascertain that Westcott was the mole, but you had no hard proof. Frank said he would help in any way he could and would meet with Westcott to try and stop his vendetta.

  “When Frank told me he was going to meet with Westcott, I asked him to plant a wire in the room. He agreed.”

  “I’m not thrilled you involved Frank, but I trust your judgment. There is still something you haven’t said, you wouldn’t s
end this many messages just for that.”

  “Frank put a tracer on Westcott. After their meeting, we were able to follow and watch him and four others in a rather intense conversation.”

  Tapping could be heard and then four pictures popped up on the monitor.

  Sin studied the pictures and turned the screen, so everyone could get a good look at them.

  “Son of a Bitch!”

  Everyone turned to Fletcher.

  “You know them?” Sin asked.

  “Yeah, they’re known as Satan’s Assassins.” He turned the laptop back toward Sin. “I hope your government hasn’t employed these bastards.”

  “I wasn’t able to find any of them in the system,” Charlie said.

  “That makes sense,” Fletcher said. “They are contract workers and they strictly work as eliminators—they pride themselves on the fact that they leave no trace or trail—they kill all contacts. All they care about is money. Nothing is off the board for these four.”

  “It was ascertained that Westcott hired the assas—the men—and they are headed your way,” Charlie said. “If they are everything Fletcher has said they are, you need to alter the previous plan. You will need to stay in the black the entire time.”

  Sin sat back in deep thought. “Charlie, can you get word through to Westcott that we are in Puerto Cabezas. I don’t want these animals anywhere near Manuel and Serena.”

  “I’ll put up fake intel, showing you and your unit going straight from the airport to Puerto Cabezas,” Charlie said. “I’ll also have some ‘friends’ watch Manuel and Serena until this mission is over.”

  “The same friends who delivered our hardware?”

  “Yeah,” Charlie replied. “I asked them to stay local for a few days in case they were needed.”

  Sin’s posture relaxed slightly as she heard Charlie’s words. “Thanks. If these assassins are even close to what Fletch just described, I want them headed straight to Puerto Cabezas, we will handle the rest.”