Brad immediately agreed with her and he said, “I think this will all be over by the end of March. Spring in China especially in the mountains of Chung du is a special time for healing the spirit. Maybe we should take the whole team with us for a little touch of Chinese culture?” Sujin smiled and told him it would be quite an experience for everyone including Nancy.
An hour later, back at the Round House, Brad made ready for his run on the beach that should bring forth a plan to take care of the PAE group and their military plans for the future. Billy was looking for anomalies in the troop movements in and around the East Coast. The Middle East war made the job harder, but Billy and his associates were working hard. Just before he left for his run, Mike called to tell him he was in place and a meeting was scheduled with the French connection. Brad told him good luck and left for his run on the beach.
Mike hung up the phone and from his hotel room he looked out the window on a fine spring night. He’d made contact and like before a meeting was scheduled for the same time and place as before at one pm. Mike didn’t want to bother his friend Pete and his wife this time around but would call him in the morning for back up again after his wife left for work. Mike sat down and watched TV nodding off and finally going to bed from a long flight and the days before when he went shopping for news that never surfaced around the naval base in Maryland.
Brad running south with the tide out had a wide open beach without a sole to distract his thinking. Rocky was so happy he was home and back with his master. When Brad and Billy came home, Brad never saw Rocky so happy. He was jumping around like a little puppy dog and Billy fell to the grass and wrestled with him until Brad told Rocky to give Billy a break. Brad then fell to his knees and gave him a big hug while Rocky licked his face. Now, Brad was pounding the sand driving hard against the thoughts that plagued him. He felt the world against him and even the president was staking his life and career on his shoulders. After stopping off in Palm Springs his father gave him a little support saying he was making some progress, but not to expect too much as no one in his circle of friends knew anything that was out of the ordinary. Well, he thought that was par for the course as he tried to chase some sea gulls walking around at low tide looking for a morsel of food. An hour later he turned for home and now he felt the juice flowing through his body and fresh blood pounding his head. He pushed harder and even Rockies tongue was hanging out. Coming up on the creek that separated him from his house and Devils Kitchen he took on the loose sand dune using his hands and legs to make the top almost crawling at the end it was so steep. Once at the top he raised his arms but no sound would come out of his mouth it was so dry. Rocky was lying on the cold sand and the sun had set with the dusk coming on with a beautiful red sky making his house look crimson with yellow beach grass flowing in the wind. A gorgeous site he thought as he slid down the sand dune crossed the creek and up the side trail to his house. Brad left Rocky outside to dry off and shake the sand out of his coat and later he would let him in to take a rest.
Freshly showered and sitting down to a much anticipated Korean dinner, Brad relaxed with is son. Eerie who is a Sujin’s twin sister spent most of her time at the Round House when they were on a case, marveled at Brad paying so much attention to his son? Koreans as a rule leave the first year to a grandmother and after that the child is returned to its mother. Fathers don’t pay much attention to a child until they are three or four years old. Eerie lived with her husband in town where he was the local chief of police. He rarely came out to the Round House and that was when she called him to pick her up. Her husband kept his distance and asked no questions, but realized the importance of the Pratt family and the team members of the security of the States.
Brad sat the little guy down on the floor while he ate some tasty fish soup and rice, with the normal kimchee side dishes. Billy was more traditional and he was always given some American food. Tonight he ate a hamburger with fried potatoes one of his favorites. After dinner Brad and Sujin let Brian be tended by the old Korean woman while they huddled with Billy downstairs around the glass table. Now Billy might not look like much in his funky clothes and smoking habit, but his intelligence sends the Richter scale close to an eleven on the stimpmeter. Brad asked a question to both Sujin and Billy saying, “What do think about this idea concerning the two rogue generals in the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I’m thinking of using stealth and entering their bedrooms on the same night to put the fear of god in them. I’d be dressed like a Ninja and with some plastic cheek added my voice would sound different.” Billy had a look of bewilderment on his face and gulped then he scratched his head. Meanwhile Sujin sat with her hands in her lap thinking about what he said. A silence hung in the air and the only sound was a slight hum from the a/c in the computer room. While they were thinking he went on to say, “Look, there would be no connection to us. It would appear that more assassination attempts were now targeting generals.” What he didn’t say was his plan was to duplicate the sleeping pills given to the under secretary hinting at suicide. “I’ll go out under darkness by helicopter to Medford and then by commercial jet to DC. Maybe by that time Mike will be back and the two of us can achieve a successful operation.”
Billy was still listening and reaching and putting back his cigarettes. Sujin was deep in thought and then she said, “I think you are going to kill them and would that not be murder?”
“They’re traitors and an enemy who under our laws in a state of war, which the president declared at one of our meetings, deserve the death penalty. But to keep this from being public maybe we can make it look like suicide,” he said with distaste and a little anger in his voice.
Billy said, “I need a smoke boss and then I have a question or two. I’ll be right back,” as he dashed up the stairs to mix the spring air with the blue smoke of death.
Sujin looked at her husband with love and apprehension. Then she said, “Husband I trust you in everything you do, so if you think this is the best way to address the situation, then of course I will back you up. Now I think you have the fundamentals correct, but the person for the job is me not you!” Brad remained quiet and thought about what she said. He realized she was referring to her recent training and she was right. She could do the job better than him. But could he risk her being caught? Or worse yet, maybe killed; and what was the security around the Joints presently? He didn’t need to ask her any questions, just a simple yes or no would suffice. What is the first thing we need to do outside of casing the residence and then making a plan. No one would expect a surprise encounter with a Ninja type person now that the previous assassin was dead. Certainly not the PAE group would expect a copy cat suicide.
Billy came down and smelling similar to a tavern minus the stale beer. He was conscience of the fact how he smelled but sat as far away as he could from them. Brad filled him in on the idea of Sujin doing the covert action and once again Billy’s mouth dropped open, but quickly recovered and told him he would do a job on the residence of both the generals and have it for them in record time. The discussion was left on the table for the moment as Sujin heard little Brian fussing for a feast of a liquid dinner.
* * *
At the Virginia farm George was once again smiling through the window at his beloved land. Green was appearing as spring was just over the horizon. He’d made contact with France and set in motion payment being transferred to Switzerland upon her request. The written note and gold would seal the deal on date and person for her to assassinate. We’re back on a roll, he said to himself through the blue smoke of his pipe tobacco. Soon he thought, the people will be clamoring for change and then we will step in and fulfill their wishes. Things were going his way as contact with South Africa finally came through. He had that on the back burner as more important things were hot on the front of the stove at the present time.
In France Mike had made contact with the French lady and sealed the bargain. She would play the role and when it was time for her to take her leave of absence, she would di
sappear for awhile. Meanwhile after she wandered off walking around the water pond on the top of the roof she made a call confirming the contact. Mike’s job was finished and now he made for the airport thanking Pete for his backup. Brad had phoned him and instructed him to be in DC when he finished his job.
The plan was set in motion. Sujin would fly to New York and stay in a hotel. No one would suspect her. Brad and Billy would take the Gulf Stream to DC. Mike was on his way and Steve would meet them in the safe house.
Agent Jones and Wendy were more than a team now. Alone in the safe house, the relationship took another dimension. They vowed to keep it professional otherwise they were sure Brad would let them go. Meanwhile when they had free time, stuck together like two peas in a pod, it didn’t matter that six years separated them with him being twenty eight and her thirty four. Nor did it concern them he was black and she was white. Race had no business in their relationship. Everyone touted the global community, but racism still existed in many minds. Especially The WASP [White Anglo Saxon Protestants] which surrounded most metropolitan areas hemming in the minorities like a wall keeping them in not letting them in their back yards.
Steve was waiting for them sitting in a rocking chair drinking stale coffee. Rocky went up to him for a scratch on the head; Billy flopped down on the worn out sofa with a baize carpet to match the sofa and walls devoid of pictures or even a mirror. Brad sat his bag on the floor and took a load off sitting on the sofa with Billy. Steve looked at Brad with tired worn out eyes and a stiff body from lack of exercise. His gray hair needs a combing, but he could care less as pressure and stress mounted each day knowing something was in the wind. Now he said, with a strong voice belaying his appearance, “I know you have a plan and I’m all ears.”
Brad took a deep breath and said, “I don’t think you are going to like this but here is what I came up with. We are going to fake a suicide with both the Army and Air Force generals of the Joint Chiefs and blame it on another assassin. We will use the same method of sleeping pills as before. A copy cat if you will,” as he left out who would perform this task. Brad anticipated the next question forthcoming and he was right.
“And who is going to be the assassin in this foolhardy plan?”
“Sujin is best qualified for the operation,” he said with more confidence than he believed.
Steve sat there taking small sips of cold coffee as Billy got up and made some fresh coffee for a long night coming. He thought correctly that by midnight the president who would not be informed of the plan and it was doubtful he would sanction such an operation thus finding so many holes in the plan it would leak like a rusted bucket trying to hold water. Steve’s eyes never left Brads as he contemplated the plan. Finally after five full minutes he said, “Brad do you really think this will work?”
Brad them told him his background of the plan and after twenty minutes made his case like a Philadelphia lawyer. Steve and Billy listened to every detail so both could fully understand the risk involved. When Brad had just about finished Mike, Agent Jones and Wendy came through the door. Mike had a smile and eyes that were bloodshot from lack of sleep. Wendy and agent Jones had smiles that looked like they were glued on they were so happy. Rocky made the rounds greeting all of them and then sat down next to his master between him and the door.
Mike gave his report and then left to take a short nap. He said wake him for dinner later that he needed a shower and a change of clothes. Steve and Brad with Wendy and Agent Jones listening went over some of the details. After a half hour Steve left to report to Mr. X and then home.
At dinner around eight after waking up Mike, they talked about the covert plan set for tomorrow night which was Friday the first of March.
From Billy’s report on the residences of the two generals and after Sujin flew down to Washington they cased the place. Both lived in similar houses in a relative middle class neighborhood Security was not much as one secret service guard was on duty at each place. Both houses were two story affairs with small windows upstairs and down. From what they could see, it would not be a problem for Sujin to enter the house silently and from the blueprints of both houses she memorized the layout. The time for action was one am at first the Army general and at three am at the Air Force general's house. Mike would take care of the security guys at both places making both wake up with a headache sometime in the early morning. It was a Sujin’s suggestion she uses the red feathered dart as an inducement to swallow the sleeping pills rather than die a horrible painful death from poison.
Steve had given his go ahead reluctantly and wished them well. Of course it was understood Brad and his team were alone and deniability would leave them isolated to face the consequences.
A strong March wind was blowing. It was a little on the cool side inside a dark rented van. Brad, Mike and Sujin parked between the streets lights a block away from General J.T. Owens house. Rocky sat quiet as they got out leaving him in the van. All were dressed in black and the neighborhood was quiet at one am. A few lights blinking from a window signified someone was watching TV, but more than likely dozing. No dogs were heard as Brad walked down the street slightly weaving as if drunk to capture the security guards attention. One of Billy’s cigarettes hung from his mouth as he stopped in front of the general’s house looking for a match quietly swearing but making his presence known. Still searching his pockets the guard finally walked slowly down the walkway to the sidewalk. Brad looked up and said, “Hey buddy you got a light?”
“Move on mister and go sleep it off,” he said gruffly just as Mike moved up behind him and gave him a chop to the neck. He fell like a shot duck and Mike quickly drug him off the walkway to hide him behind some hedge fronting the house. He injected a light dose of the sleeping agent so he would be out for a few hours. Sujin quickly made for the side of the house where a downstairs bathroom was located. The window wasn’t locked as she crawled through and quietly made her was upstairs to the general’s bedroom. The only sounds were a clock ticking loudly downstairs in the living room and as she moved silently towards the open bedroom door the soft sounds of snoring came from within. The snoring was coming from his wife and the general lay on his side facing the room. The light from the street gave off enough dull glows for her to see him quite clearly. He looked peaceful and content in his sleep. A window was slightly open letting in the spring breeze fluffing the curtains as she crawled on hands and knees up to him. In her hand she held a small Mag Lite and in the other the red feathered dart. She put the light in her pocket and placed a rubber gloved hand over his mouth and whispered in his ear. The old veteran of a war or two opened his eyes and never moved. Sujin told him, while showing the red dart, to make no sound or he was a dead man. She asked him if he understood and he nodded slightly yes. Then she said, as Brad instructed her, “General you are guilty of treason and now you shall receive your sentence. You can either die a painless death with these sleeping pills like was used on the undersecretary or die a horrible pain of death from this poison dart. It is your choice. No other option exists. From her pack she took a bottle of water and handed him the pills as he rose up to do the deed. He crossed himself and swallowed the small bottle of pills. The last words in his life he heard were, “May you rot in hell general and this is from the Batt Team.” And he rolled onto his back, closed his eyes, and a half hour later Sujin left as he was out forever. His wife snored on as she went out the front door as silently as she came.
Back in the van they drove to the next stop some half mile away. Not a word was spoken as once again they parked between street lights and played the same game with the security man. Sujin found the back kitchen window slightly opened and crawled through to be greeted by a little dog who sat there looking at the intruder wagging its tail. Sujin petted the little dog and whispered sounds of friendship to it. The little dog followed her up the stairs and to the general’s bedroom. A night light was on and she could hear someone moving through the partially closed door. The little dog pattered into the b
edroom as she heard the toilet flush. Next she heard the bed creak and groan as a heavy body gave off a grunt trying to get comfortable. The grunt came from a man and not a woman as she moved on her belly around the side of the bed next to the large fat general. She rose up just enough to see his hand rub his face. The same type of light from the closed window gave her enough to clearly see the room and its contents. However the room was stuffy and smelled like old people and moth balls. This time she rose up and placed her hand over his startled mouth with a long knife at his throat. The general, Ned Bates, also known as Neddy, saw a totally black person who’s only exposed skin was her eyes. All else was wrapped in black cotton representing the Ninja. With fearful eyes that were wide open he nodded his head in surrender. Sujin said in almost a whisper, but loud enough for him to hear, “General Bates, you are found guilty of treason to your country and now you can die a painless death or die a horrible one from a poison dart like the one you and your PAE group used on the undersecretary.” He acquiesced for the painless way out and like his colleague before he swallowed the pills and once again she sat there playing with the little dog until he was in a deep sleep never to wake up again. This time she went out the way she came not wanting the little dog to escape.
Back in the van they drove back to the safe house and one by one took a shower to clean off the night’s dirty work. By nine am it would hit the news and all knew shit would hit the fan. Brad called Steve on his secure phone and reported a successful mission. Steve replied, “I congratulate you, but what the fallout might be until we tie it together for the history books it remains incomplete. I have no doubt the president will want to see us today sometime. Keep yourself available and give Sujin a hug for me,” as he signed off.
Systematic Attrition Page 15
