Election Day: A Harry Cassidy Novel

by Henry Hack

  “I’ll explain when I get home. We’re at the hospital now.”

  “Give Lizzy my love and good wishes for a fast recovery.”

  “I will. I love you.”

  * * *

  As Harry Cassidy and Mark Negron walked down the hall of the hospital toward Lizzy’s room, the five members of the Minutemen’s Committee switched around the TV news channels wondering what the hell had just happened. As soon as the firefight broke out in the auditorium, Chris Steadman reached for his phone and punched in Herman Muntz’s cell number. Muntz and Jeremy were at a gate in JFK airport awaiting the boarding call for their flight to Denver. When Herman answered Chris said, “Where are you?”

  “At JFK waiting for our flight.”

  “What went wrong?”

  “Huh? What do you mean?”

  “The attack took place. I thought you told us you called it off.”

  “We did, Chris. Jesus, don’t tell me those maniacs went ahead with it?”

  “Looks like it. Find a TV set and check it out. We’ll meet as soon as you get back. We have some decisions to make – soon.”

  Chris turned to the other members of the Committee and said, “Looks like Herman’s friends acted on their own. Should we re-locate to our other place now?”

  “I don’t think so,” O’Grady said. “Let’s de-brief Herman and Jeremy first. And maybe this will turn out in our favor anyway.”

  “How can that possibly be, Colonel?” asked Dennis Nolan. “Look at that destruction and body count. Even though we weren’t responsible, everyone will lay it directly on us.”

  “True,” Nick Santucci said, “but let’s not panic. Let’s see how it plays out over the next few days.”

  When Herman and Jeremy arrived early the next morning, they all got together to assess what possible knowledge the authorities could obtain from the captured Brothers. “Suppose they got your friend, Stutzer?” Chris asked.

  “He knows my name and that we were friends a long time ago, and that’s about it.”

  “And all he knows of me is my first name,” Jeremy said.

  “There is absolutely no way the cops can trace us back to here,” Herman said. “No way at all. We both used the phony names on our license for all our movements.”

  The Committee relaxed after their report and Chris said, “Okay, we’ll sit tight awhile and monitor the fallout. Does anyone see any advantage in sending a fax to Red Baker either denying the attack, or claiming credit for it?”

  “Like I said before,” Nolan said. “It really doesn’t matter, does it?’

  “Agreed,” O’Grady said. “Let’s just sit tight.”

  PART THREE

  TRACK DOWN

  Chapter Twenty

  A uniformed police officer stood guard at the door to Lizzy Cassidy’s room. He had been called and told who was on the way up, but requested identification from both men anyway. Harry was relieved to find his daughter awake with no visible wounds when he and Mark Negron walked into the room. She was lying on her right side facing the door, and when she noticed her visitors she broke out in a big smile and said, “Dad! Director Negron!”

  Harry bent over and kissed her on the cheek. “How are you doing? Where does it hurt?”

  “They took seven pieces of grenade shrapnel from my butt and the back of my legs. Doesn’t hurt too bad now – got some drugs flowing through me.”

  “I’m glad that’s the extent of your injuries, Agent Cassidy,” Mark said. “Unfortunately many others weren’t as lucky.”

  Lizzy’s smile turned into a frown. “Tell me what happened. I just got back from surgery.”

  Harry looked at Mark and said, “Tell us what you remember.”

  “I thought a bomb went off, but realized a few seconds later it was the noise of that big Hummer that crashed through the walls. Then those guys jumped out of the Hummer and started spraying bullets around. We returned fire and then…and then there was a real loud explosion behind me and I felt hot pains in my ass and…that’s about it.”

  “Probably the hand grenade went off right behind you,” Mark said.

  “What about the others? How’s Joe and Pete…” She stopped speaking noticing the troubled looks on the faces of her father and her boss. “Tell me what happened to my former team,” she said in a pleading whisper.

  Mark grabbed her hand and said, “A lot of bad news. John McKee is at Queens Hospital with bullet wounds to his legs. Pete W is at Long Island Jewish with multiple bullet wounds…”

  “How bad is Pete?” she asked grasping her boss’s hand tightly.

  “I don’t know. There’s still a lot of chaos and triage at all the hospitals. Your dad and I will go there next, and he can call you here and let you know.”

  “Thank you, sir,” she said. “And the others?”

  “It seems that Danny Boyland, George Washington and Joe Ramos came out uninjured. They are accompanying the wounded – Pete W, Spider Webb and…you. Uh Lizzy, Agent Washington was supposed to be with you.”

  “He was. When they told him my wounds were minor and that I would be in surgery awhile, he said he was going to see Pete. Can we call him and see how Pete is doing?”

  “Sure,” Mark Negron said reaching into his pocket for his cell phone.

  “Wait,” Lizzy said. “You didn’t mention Alicia and Mike.

  Harry grasped Lizzy’s other hand and said, “I’m sorry, Lizzy. They didn’t make it. Alicia Johnson and Mike Morra died in the line of duty.”

  Tears streamed from Lizzy’s eyes and then they flashed with anger. “Those bastards!” she shouted. “Listen Dad, and you too, Mr. Negron. When I get of here, I want to be assigned to the Task Force, and I won’t take no for an answer. And by that I mean I will quit the FBI and you can shove my shield…..”

  “Stop!” Mark said raising his hand. “Harry?”

  “Okay with me,” he said as his immediate concern for Lizzy began to ebb and anger began to flood his body.

  “Can’t wait to have you back,” Mark said. “And I might say that was spoken like a true Cassidy.”

  “You mean spoken like a true Cassidy used to be,” she said glaring at her father. “When are you going to get off the sidelines and join the battle against these assholes?”

  Glancing at Mark he said, “As soon as possible – if they still want me.”

  Just then Negron’s cell phone vibrated in his hand, startling him. He listened a moment then answered with a, “Yes, sir” then a, “What?” then a few more, “Yes, sirs.”

  “What was that all about?” Harry asked.

  “Beats me. That was the boss, Director Kobak. He ordered me to have all the captured attackers, and any that we capture in the future, immediately flown to Washington by private jet and under heavy guard.”

  “Did he say why?”

  “No, he said he’s coming to New York tomorrow to visit the scene first hand and do some planning. Might be a good time to offer your services.”

  “Let me know when, and I’ll be there,” Harry said.

  Remembering Lizzy, Mark dialed LIJ and reached Joe Ramos who passed on the news that Pete W was in surgery, but was expected to pull through with no incapacitation afterwards. “That’s great news, Joe. I’m giving the phone to Lizzy Cassidy. Give her all the details. By the way, Lizzy is now assigned to your team. We’ll talk about other replacements tomorrow.”

  When Lizzy finished speaking with Ramos, the smile was back on her face and she said, “You two can get on with your visits. I’m fine now and I want to get a hold of the doctor and find out when I can get out of here.”

  They said their good nights and once they were out of ear shot, Mark said, “Tough gal, that daughter of yours.”

  Harry rolled his eyes and said, “Tell me about it.”

  * * *

  When the hospital rounds were finished, Harry headed home. It was almost two in the morning, but Susan rose from bed, switching on the light as Harry came into the room. He had telephoned her after
he had left Lizzy and was en-route to the next hospital, so he related what happened to the others. She listened in shocked silence as he told her of the toll of deaths and injured and wanton destruction. When he finished she said, “Have you now changed your mind about the Minutemen?”

  “Yes, what they did tonight was incomprehensible. They kept me on the sidelines and clobbered me behind my back. I’m so damned stupid letting them suck me in like that. I’ll talk to Walt tomorrow and beg forgiveness. I’m going to check my e-mail, and then I’ll join you in bed.”

  “You look very tired.”

  “I am, but that doesn’t mean I’ll be able to sleep.”

  Only one message of the dozens in Harry’s inbox was of any importance and it was a shocker. It was from Chris Steadman and addressed to Harry and Phil MacDonald. It read:

  Harry and Phil,

  I wanted to let you know that the attack at Cardinal Cooke High School was not authorized by the Minutemen. True, we planned to make a surgical strike targeting only the four politicians who were speaking, and who are on our target list. The Brothers in White were to assist in the entry, and that was all they were supposed to do.

  A couple of hours before the attack, my two field operatives reconnoitered the area, discovered the enormous law enforcement presence and realized the attack could not succeed. They called the leader of the Brothers and informed him the operation was a no-go. They then left the area and were unaware that the Brothers would take action on their own.

  I personally, and the Committee, and all the Minutemen are truly sorry for the unwanted and unnecessary loss of life and injuries that occurred to law enforcement personnel, clergy and civilians. We will not go public with this message for obvious reasons and we will take a breather to decide our next steps based on what happens in the next few days.

  Sincerely, Chris

  Harry printed the message out and went into the bedroom and read it to Susan. Sleepily, Susan said, “Yes, Phil called and said something about checking your e-mail. Guess I forgot to mention it.”

  “That’s okay, now I don’t have to call him. It will wait until morning. Go to sleep.”

  Harry managed a few hours of sleep and when Susan stumbled into the kitchen at seven she said, “The smell of the coffee brewing woke me up. Could have used another hour or so.”

  “Me, too. It’s going to be a long, busy day and I just heard that the President will be on TV tonight with an important announcement.”

  “Any idea what that might be?” Susan asked as she filled both mugs with coffee.

  “No, maybe Walt does.”

  “Oh, something else I didn’t mention last night. Your ex-wife was not very happy when she found out Lizzy had been injured.”

  “I can imagine. Can I assume some blame fell on my old shoulders because I didn’t prevent her from going into law enforcement in the first place?”

  “Oh yeah, Peggy gave me quite an earful. She’s coming here today to visit Lizzy in the hospital.”

  “Hope she’s still there. She was hell bent on getting out. I’m glad I won’t be around when Lizzy tells her she is now assigned to the Task Force.”

  “You can’t hide from Peggy forever, you know.”

  “No, but I can today. See if you can take her to lunch. Calm her down. She’ll get over it.”

  “I’ll try. You know, Peggy is a good person despite your divorce.”

  “I know she is, but she did not want to be married to a cop and hates that our daughter is one, too. She claims she’s over it, but she never will put it in the out basket.”

  “I’ll smooth it over. Call me once in a while to let me know what’s happening.”

  * * *

  Harry did not have to call Susan to let her know what was happening. All she had to do was tune in to any of the news channels on the television. At 9:30 a.m., the networks and cable channels focused their cameras and microphones on a podium set up on the steps of city hall where Manhattan congressman Henry Bellamy had just announced his resignation echoing the reasons used by others before him – “I wish to remove my family, friends and constituents from the serious danger posed by the Minutemen. Although I personally do not fear them one iota, I cannot in all good conscience, allow possible harm to come to those near and dear to me….”

  “Bellamy was a six-term member of the House and a ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee,” Red Baker said in his commentary. Red clutched his earpiece a moment and said, “I’m getting word that more resignations are occurring around the country. I’ll be back on the air when I can confirm the details. It looks like our politicians are running like scared rabbits. And after last night’s vicious bloody attack, who can really blame them?”

  A group of very interested people watching Red Baker were arrayed around the table in the conference room at FBI Headquarters in Manhattan awaiting the arrival of FBI Director Walter Kobak and ADIC Mark Negron. Elizabeth Cassidy was standing, aided by a wooden cane clutched in her right hand. Spider Webb’s left arm was in a sling. John McKee’s both legs were bandaged and he sat at the table with legs extended and crutches at his side. The un-injured – Joe Ramos, Danny Boyland and George Washington – sat with Harry Cassidy in silence. All those in the room keenly felt the absence of their missing members – Alicia Johnson and Mike Morra – dead at the hands of the Brothers, and Pete W, convalescing in the hospital.

  Red Baker had come back on the air and confirmed that seven more congressmen and four more senators – all on the Minutemen’s target list – had just resigned. Rumors were that more would follow by day’s end. The door at the back of the room opened and Walt and Mark came in. Harry noted that his longtime friend and fellow terrorist fighter looked haggard and at least ten years older than his actual forty-five years. Walt looked over the group. He was not smiling nor was anyone else, and no one was going to make the normal wisecrack or two to get things going. He said, “This is one of the saddest days of my career. Two of my old group dead. One still in the hospital. Three walking wounded here. I thought the death of Jerry Campora at the hands of OBL-911, and the death of Pop Hunter at the hands of the Romens, were all the burdens a small unit like this should have to bear. But now we have the Minutemen who have taken away two more – Michael Morra and Alicia Johnson. Let us have a moment of prayerful silence for our two departed members.”

  When the group raised their eyes, Kobak continued, “I cannot give a rah-rah, go get ‘em speech because I don’t have one clue as to who, or where, our enemy is. I don’t believe anyone else does either. The President is going to speak tonight. No one knows what he is going to say, but I would not be surprised if he publicly fires me for incompetence. As I once told him, ‘if you have a better man who you believe can stop the Minutemen, then fire me and hire him.’ He did not do so then. Perhaps he will do so now.”

  “Shame on him if he does that,” Harry said. “You are the best to be found, my friend.”

  Walter Kobak managed a small smile and said, “Thanks Harry, and I’m happy you are here. Can I assume you wish to join the fight?”

  “Most certainly, Mr. Director.”

  “Great, because I want this team to be the point group in our investigation of the Minutemen. We’ve done it before, and I know we can do it again.”

  Joe Ramos said, “I appreciate your vote of confidence sir, but I have a problem already.”

  “What is it?”

  “I figured the first place to begin would be with our captured Brothers in White. We got twelve uninjured and five with mostly minor injuries including their fucking leader. So when I went to the holding cells, what did I find? Nobody there! Now I know Deputy Director Millman had them put there last night, and when I ran into Mark’s office he said, ‘I know why you are here. You’ll have to wait for Mr. Kobak to explain it.’ So you are now here, sir. What happened to my prisoners?”

  “They were flown to Washington, D.C. for interrogation.”

  “With all due respect sir, didn’t you jus
t say you wanted us to be the point on this case?”

  “I did, Joe.”

  “Then who better than us to interrogate the local yokels?”

  “Obviously the President believes the CIA can do a much better job. That was his order, and that information stays in this room. He also had Paul Revere transferred to Langley.”

  Everyone was shocked into silence as they absorbed the impact and ramifications of the news of CIA involvement. “Isn’t that a violation of law to use the CIA on domestic issues?” Lizzy Cassidy finally asked.

  “Yes,” Kobak said.

  “The civil liberations will go nuts with this,” John McKee said. “They’re Nelson’s biggest supporters.”

  “The civil liberations will not find out about this. It’s hush-hush all the way.”

  “And I assume Nelson will authorize any and all enhanced interrogation techniques?” Danny Boyland asked.

  “Yes, I believe he’s prepared to water board the shit out of them and to do it on American soil – two more violations of U.S. and international law.”

  “And how will he justify these actions?” Ramos asked.

  “By simply stating that this is an executive order of the President. But he won’t have to, since no one will know. If the CIA Director objects, he will be fired and replaced by someone who won’t object.”

  “What happens to the information obtained by the CIA?”

  “If I’m still around, I’m going to lobby to turn it over to this group for follow-up. But maybe Nelson has something else in mind. Maybe he wants the CIA to do the whole thing.”

  “Think he’ll tell us tonight?” George Washington asked.

  “He can’t mention the CIA’s involvement, but he may spring something else. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

  “Can I get some reinforcements for this unit?” Joe Ramos asked.

  “I discussed that with Mark,” Walt said. “We want to keep the unit small with seasoned people – just three teams of two under you.”