by Fred Holmes
* * * * *
At 10 a.m., two bulky oriental men dressed in normal business attire appeared outside Tony Bustemonte’s office in Trenton. Another one of Tony’s goons, Mickey, a huge Irishman, stopped the first oriental. “You’ll have to wait.”
The oriental bowed deeply and when he straightened up, he pulled a pistol with a silencer from his jacket and aimed it at Mickey. With a soft “pfft” a hole appeared in Mickey’s forehead, and he pitched over like a tree. They stepped over his body and marched into the room.
Tony spun around in his chair. “What do you—?”
Both oriental men pulled pistols from concealed holsters. The first man unscrewed the silencer. “Mr. Bustemonte, we’re from North Korea. We work for the same company as the prior two men sent to purchase the time travel system.”
“Yes, I heard about that. Sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you. They also lost two million dollars, minus the deposit they gave you.”
“How did you know that?”
“We have our sources.”
Tony glanced at the other Korean who bowed and smiled. “I’m responsible for obtaining the money. So, if you could please give it to me, my company will be happy.”
Tony leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. “Well, boys, I don’t have the money; you should know that. You know everything else. I can’t help you.”
Before Tony could react, the second Korean vaulted the desk, landing in the middle of Tony’s chest. Tony and the chair toppled over with the Korean still in place. He pulled his pistol and put it against Tony’s mouth.
“‘Don’t’ and ‘can’t’ are two words we dislike,” the first Korean said dryly. “So we suggest that you take us to the location of the money and the system.”
“Please let me up, and I’ll do what I can to find the location of your assets!”
“You will take us to the location and make arrangements to obtain our money and software.”
“Look, I want to help, but I don’t know the location.”
“Then find someone who does, or you will join your friend.” He pointed to Mickey’s body, just visible through the door.
* * * * *
Rainey was resting in her room, mulling over the intelligence of her decision to run away with Vinnie. Suddenly, her door burst open and Bella entered. She was in obvious distress.
“There’s a problem. You need to come with us.”
“Give me a few minutes, and I’ll be right with you.” Rainey had no intention of going with her. She called Johnny, listened carefully to his instructions, and headed for the rear exit.
Johnny pulled up and said, “Get in, I talked to Vinnie. He wants you in Beernersville as soon as possible. Hang onto your hat.”
She hopped into the car, and they drove to the airport. Small and obscure, Trenton-Mercer Airport was perfect for Johnny’s line of work. He had built up a no-questions-asked business there, and when they pulled up, their plane was gassed, checked, and ready, with the engine idling.
Johnny was small in stature, but wiry-strong. He seemed to take on a powerful persona once behind the controls. He took his transportation business seriously and prided himself on fast, efficient, full-service transportation. He tossed Rainy’s bags into the back of the Apache. Once she was aboard, he revved up the engines and taxied down the runway.
Shortly, they were airborne. He radioed ahead and made arrangement”s for a car to meet them when they landed.
“Um, Mr. Vitare,” Rainey said, “when do you think we’ll get to meet up with Vinnie?”
“We may beat them to the hotel,” Johnny said. “Airport Inn, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Noon, maybe?”
“Pretty close.”
“Do you know what’s happening?”
“As far as I can tell, and you know Vinnie, he doesn’t talk about his business much, Tony wants Vinnie to pick up something that belongs to his friends. There’s quite a bit of money at stake. It seems that there are a couple of different factions involved, and Vinnie is in the middle.”
“Gosh.” Rainey said.
“Not fun, and dangerous,” Johnny said.
* * * * *
Lida was pacing the suite at The Woods. Rummy had just finished a huge breakfast and rested on the bed, satisfied in more ways than one.
“Relax, Lida,” he said. “You’ve done all you can. Vinnie will take care of the money and your system. Come up on the bed.”
“Rummy, I have many things on my mind,” Lida said, “and getting on the bed is not one of them. Last night will have to do you for a while. I need to go to Dyna-Tyme and make sure Vinnie does his job.”
“Okay, if you insist. Let me take a quick shower, and then I’ll go with you to Dyna-Tyme. We’ll check it out for ourselves.”
“Alright, but hurry.”
* * * * *
Outside of law enforcement, Lou’s passion was computers, and he was fascinated with ‘hacking.’ The closest jail was in Leesburg, only ten miles away, but enough for Lou’s curiosity to get the better of him. They stopped at Town Lake Park, and Erik was soon out of cuffs and busy showing Lou some of the basic steps involved in hacking.
Erik may have been a bundle of nerves, but he was not stupid, whereas Lou was just the opposite. It only took a few minutes before Lou was involved in the magic world of code, programming, firewalls, and hacking. This interest got him knocked out and handcuffed to a picnic bench. Erik headed toward Trenton and his garage studio. He was jonesing for a Cuban cigar.
Chapter 31
DOCTOR MARK and Carleton parked in the front lot, arriving at the Remote Temporal Synchronous Link reception area a little before 5 p.m. As soon as they arrived, they checked in with Mike on the two-way radio he furnished. Scotty normally manned (or womaned) the area and kept track of who was in the RTSL lab. Entrance to the lab was through a double entry door. A PIN was necessary to enter the first door, and the second door required a different PIN, followed by a DNA swab sample.
Attaining access to the RTSL program required codes to a sophisticated security system. Possession of the program still required vials of ancient DNA stored in a safe, behind another locked door. These codes were the bait Mike hoped would bring the prospective thief or thieves into his trap. Oh, and there was the two million in the suitcase to boot.
Faking duress, Scotty was sent home. She felt responsible for RTSL, left grudgingly, and used the stairs. Unnoticed to Carleton and Doctor Mark, she climbed to the third floor and waited for 5 p.m. and the rest of Ginger’s crew. Scotty was ready to kick some butt.
The rest of the second floor was empty. Once Scotty left, Carleton and Doctor Mark grew tense as the time approached. They were the last barrier to the prize of RTSL and the suitcase filled with two million dollars.
* * * * *
Gary took Sally aside and explained what was taking place. It was obvious to her that it could be dangerous, and she began to cry. Gary put his arms around her and assured her that he would be careful.
A car honked.
Sally jumped back. “Is that a gun that I felt in your belt? It is, isn’t it?” She started sobbing, and it took a few more minutes to calm her down. Finally, Gary had to pull himself away, run down the driveway, and jump in Ralph’s car.
Ralph gunned the Chevy and sped off. “Where you been? We’re late.”
“Sorry, Ralph. Sally had a fit. She’s scared.
“And I don’t blame her. I’m a little nervous myself.”
“You’re nervous? I’m scared to death.”
* * * * *
Lorna didn’t like to see Mike leave on a dangerous assignment, but she had long ago learned to steel herself and control her emotions. At least to outward appearances, she showed no fear.
She gave Mike a big hug. “Now remember honey, if it’s them or you. You know who comes first.”
“Yep, you and the boys.”
“You bet! Go get em.”
He pulled in just befor
e Ralph and Gary, got out of his car, and talked to Paul. Paul nodded, gave Mike the keys, and then headed toward home. Mike locked the gate open and drove his car to the second-floor parking area in front of the elevator.
Ralph stopped, let Gary out, and then followed Mike to the second-floor parking area. Mike parked his car across in front of the elevator. Ralph pulled up and parked behind Mike, forming a two-car barrier across the elevator.
They got out and looked over the garage. It was only a three-floor garage, with parking for less than sixty cars. The floorplan was straightforward.
For safety, four-foot-high barriers were installed on the side of the ramp, starting where the ramp rose off the ground. Pretty simple.
Only executives used the third-floor parking, and they were rarely in on weekends. Soon after completion, local love birds thought the third floor was convenient for their amorous pursuits. It was necessary to build a movable barrier and place it just before you drove up the up ramp, preventing access to the third-floor parking ramp. The love birds had had to find a new nest.
* * * * *
Mike and Ralph stayed behind the cars and had a great view of the up ramp to the left as well as the stairs on the right.
“If my instincts are right, you brought your own gun?” Ralph said.
Mike pulled out his SIG-Sauer from its shoulder holster. “Let’s see yours.”
Ralph produced his five-shot Colt .38 Special and handed it to Mike.
“Nice piece. Do you know how to handle it?”
“I’ve shot it a few times, so I guess I know how to shoot it.”
“We don’t want to use them, but if it’s necessary to fire, aim at the torso. Biggest target. Make yours count. You only have five rounds while my Sig holds 13 rounds of 9mm. I have three extra magazines.”
Mike’s radio crackled. “This is Gary at the entrance. Black Cadillac coming to the garage. Oh crap, here comes another Cadillac.”
“What color?”
“Black, of course.”
“One must be Tony. The other Vinnie.”
“Crap, crap, crap! Here comes another car. It’s a small Japanese car.”
“Could be Lida,” Mike said over the radio. Despite the seriousness of the situation, he couldn’t help but be amused. All of this, and he still can’t bring himself to use a single curse word. The little car passed Gary’s position and continued into the garage.
“Dang, here comes another one,” Gary said. “Chevy this time.”
* * * * *
The Chevy pulled up and stopped about ten feet short of the entrance. Johnny jumped out, circled around the car, opened the door, pulled Rainey out, and dropped her on the ground. Johnny ran back to the car, slipped in, and drove into the garage.
Rainey scrambled to her feet and ran toward the garage. Gary stepped out, grabbed her around the waist, pulled her to him, and whispered in her ear. “What are you doing, Rainey? What do you think you’re doing?”
She looked at him. “What’s going on? Where’s Vinnie? Is he in there? I need to go to him.”
“You can’t go in there, Rainey. There’s liable to be shooting.”
“Oh, my Lord, I need to stop him!” She twisted hard away from Gary, and before he could re-grab her, she ran into the garage. Gary followed her, and they ran up the ramp to the second-floor parking area. Both stopped behind a large cement roof post standing at the entrance.
* * * * *
Mike and Ralph stopped and tried to slow down their beating hearts. A tense quiet came over the garage. The cars lined up facing the elevators from left to right. The two North Koreans dressed in their business suits exited the first Caddy. Tony followed close behind. Bruno stayed in the car.
Vinnie and Roscoe stepped out of the second Caddy. Vinnie’s head snapped to the left when he spied Tony.
The little Toyota Yaris discharged Rummy and Lida.
The older Korean raised his arm in the air, palm facing out. “May I speak?”
No one said anything, so he continued. “We’re from North Korea. We originally made arrangements with Miss Lida to buy the time travel system and brought two million dollars to pay her. Our representatives, unfortunately, met with disastrous results, failed to get the system, lost the briefcase filled with two million dollars and, subsequently, lost their lives. We’re here to obtain the software we contracted to buy from Miss Lida. If that’s not possible, we want our money back.”
Mike was the next to speak. “I can certainly appreciate your position, but Miss Lida does not have the authorization to sell the software. I understand that the board of directors is the only one with the right to make such a decision. We have your briefcase with one million eight hundred thousand dollars. That was the amount we found when we inventoried the briefcase. We’ll be happy to return this money to you when you board an airplane back to North Korea.”
“Now, that’s not going to fly,” Tony said. “I have the two hundred thousand, or at least most of it … and I’m not keen on giving it back. I want somebody who can make the deal to make it. So somebody make a DEAL, already!”
The North Korean pulled a pistol from under his coat, raised it, and shot Tony in the temple.
He collapsed, and everyone else made for cover.
Mike and Ralph pulled their pistols while they crouched behind their cars. Vinnie and Roscoe turned and used the open car doors as a shield. Bruno just scrunched down in the car, racked a shell into the chamber of his pistol, and prepared for the worst.
Lida got behind her car and looked around for a way out.
The only ones standing were the Koreans and Rummy.
“I can make a deal. I own this place, and I will be willing to sell it. But not for a measly two mil. What did we do last year, Ralph?”
“Uh … well, we did over fifty million. Uh, more or less.”
Rummy spread his arms, wide. “See, it’s worth far more than two mil.”
* * * * *
Katie in the lead, followed by Ginger, Lorna, and Scotty, crept down the ramp from the third floor. They were all dressed in black. Lorna and Scotty had pistols; Katie had a twenty gauge pump shotgun with five shells. Ginger had an AK-47 with a thirty round magazine. She jumped up on the barrier and stood there in all her glory. Her black leathers sparkled in the car lights, and her long blonde hair glowed, giving her an otherworldly aura.
“Oh no,” Ginger yelled. “You don’t own the company. You were declared dead eight years ago. Nobody does any dealing without me. It’s my company, and I’m not selling it.” She hoisted the AK-47 and pulled the charging handle to move 7.62mm catridge into the chamber. “Woo-hee!” she screamed, hoisting the automatic rifle up to her shoulder.
The Korean turned and fired his pistol, and the 9mm slug hit Ginger in the middle of her chest, propelling her backward onto the cement of the up ramp.
Lorna picked up the AK-47 and one of its features, “rugged design,” held true. She checked to make sure the magazine was seated tightly, leaped on the barrier, placed the AK-47 sights on the chest of the first Korean, and pulled the trigger. She held it for a few seconds and four slugs stitched across his chest. The force of the slugs traveling at 2300 feet per second slammed him against the Caddy, where he slipped to the ground. He looked quite dead.
She than panned the rifle across the group. No one moved. “Anybody else have any ownership claims to Dyna-Tyme? I thought not. “Okay, everybody lay their pistols on the floor. Gently, gently. Lining up against the wall in the search position, I want Rummy, Lida, and the rest of the occupants of the two Caddies. That would include you two big Italians, the Korean, the guy in the second Caddy, and the little guy in the Chevy. And you, too, Rainey. If you’re here, you’re guilty of something.”
Rainey ran over and stood next to Vinnie
Lorna said, “Ralph, see what’s holding up the guy in the first Caddy.”
Ralph opened the door and blood poured out and onto the floor.
“I think he’s dead.”
> Lorna turned to Johnny, who stood beside Vinnie. “What’s your role, pal?”
“I’m just the taxi driver.”
“Well, drive your butt outta here!”
Without a question, he fired up the Chevy, spun it around, and tore out of the garage.
“Okay, folks! I want Rummy, Lida, the Korean, Vinnie, and Rainey, to all line up on that wall, spread your legs, and lean forward.”
Mike went along and pulled their legs out.
“They’re ready.”
Doctor Mark and Carleton joined the group behind the prisoners.
“Doc,” Lorna said, “you handle Rummy and Lida. Carleton, you take care of the Korean. Gary, you’re in charge of Vinnie. Scotty, you take care of Rainey, and I will handle the big boy here. Mike, hand these out.”
Each person stood behind their assignment and Mike passed out several syringes from a briefcase that Lorna gave him. It was obvious what she wanted to do.
“Okay; give it to them on the count of three. One, Two, Three.” On “three,” each of the captors took a syringe and injected their assignment.
“Oh, no … not again!” Rummy cried out.
The rest just stood there. The parking garage shimmered and glowed. Within a few seconds, they all disappeared.
The ones left behind stood still and remained quiet.
From behind the barrier, the group heard a groan.
Doc Jamison ran behind the barrier just in time to hear Ginger’s plea. “Give me a hand, Ralph.”
“She’s coming around. How did—? ”
“Kev-Kev-lar,” Ginger mumbled. “Haven’t you ever heard of Kevlar?
They heard sirens in the distance.
But when the police arrived, the parking garage was empty.
Epilogue
CARLETON was the first to speak at their monthly meeting. It was the first chance they’d all been together since the incident.
“That reminded me of the OK Corral. Your wife can really handle an AK-47, Mike.”
