by Geri Foster
Time for a change.
He tossed the vodka on the kitchen table and took out his phone. He called a local pimp and ordered a girl. He didn’t have enough for a whore to stay the night, but he didn’t like that anyway. Once he got his rocks off, he was finished and wanted the bitch’s ass gone.
“Hey, Jo-Jo, you got an extra girl tonight?”
“Yo, Jim, you want her right now? It’s getting late.”
“Bullshit, I’ve seen your girls walking the streets till dawn.”
“It’s busy out here. There’s a convention in town.”
“Okay, I’ll call Dodie. He’s got some hot girls. Cheaper too.”
“Now, now, don’t be so hasty. Damn, man. Give me a chance to see who I got free.”
“I want her now. I got business tomorrow.”
“I’ll bring Britney. She’s cool and she likes to have a good time.”
Jim hung up. Jo-Jo never brought him his best girls. The most he got were the hags that couldn’t pick up a guy on the street, but he didn’t care. A pussy was a pussy.
Jim figured if the Albanian planned to kill him he might as well have a good time before he died, and nothing made him happier than fucking. He had a wife at one time. Judy had been a decent person and they enjoyed getting drunk together, but she sucked in bed. Never wanted anything to do with him. He practically had to beg to get screwed.
Then he started hiring prostitutes to take care of his needs. There went all their money and Judy soon moved out. They never divorced, but the last he heard she was living with a black guy over on Vickers Street.
He took down a highball glass and filled it to the rim. He didn’t want to waste his money by getting too drunk. Last time that happened he woke up with no clothes, a limp dick, and no money in his pocket.
When he complained to Jo-Jo, the pimp gave him fifty bucks of his money back and promised to fire the whore. Gave him a dumb story about not wanting to cheat his customers. He even gave him a new girl, but Jim had been leery ever since.
He stayed mostly sober and had his good time before he paid. And he didn’t keep his money in his pocket anymore. He now hid it in the kitchen cabinet, under his late mother’s Thanksgiving platter.
The knock on the door surprised him. He’d only called a few minutes ago. He flung open the door expecting to find the prostitute. Then froze when he saw a short Middle Eastern man standing in the hallway, staring at him.
Frank recognized Greg’s number and accepted the call. “Hey, Frank. Sorry I couldn’t take your call earlier. I was in a meeting and couldn’t break away.”
“Not a problem. I just wanted to let you know that Garrett got Haley. She’s safe.”
“That’s great news.”
“In his opinion, El Hashem is responsible for the airport bombing and he got himself wounded. Garrett thinks Nagi is our man now.”
“Is El Hashem dead?”
“We’re not sure, but it’s looking like that may be the end result. Especially since they no longer have Haley.”
“I’m glad he got her out of there. We know they’d have killed her without a second thought when they were through with her.”
“Agreed. And now we have to wonder what’s on their agenda. They didn’t come here to just try to blow up the airport. Garrett expects more.”
“That wouldn’t surprise me. There’s a lot of chatter out there about something big coming down the pike. We’ve gotten word from Pakistan that several men have recently come into the country through Mexico to attack us.”
“We have anything other than chatter?”
“Not much, but I’m on top of it. I’m meeting with Homeland tomorrow. Hopefully they’ll have some news.”
“Keep me posted. I don’t want my man in the dark. You catch wind of anything, and I do mean anything, then I want Garrett to know about it.”
“You’ll be the first to know. You keep your ears open, too. There isn’t anyone who doesn’t believe there is more to come.”
“Another attack in Maryland?”
“In all honesty, I’m more worried they’re coming here. They can do a lot more damage in Washington. Think what a blow that would be to the American people.”
“I always do. Is President Davis okay?”
“He’s in the loop. You and I both know he’s not a man who takes chances. He’s staying close to his security team.”
“Good, I’m meeting with him tomorrow. I’ll see if he needs extra manpower.”
“Call me when you get to town. I owe you a drink.”
“Yes, you do.”
Haley wanted to crawl inside Garrett’s skin and stay there forever. She never wanted him to let her go. Until this very moment, she hadn’t realized she’d never forgotten how wonderful he felt.
All it took was his strong arms, his muscular back, and his powerful legs pressed against hers to set her afire. His body had always fascinated her, but tonight it ignited everything inside her. Passion leapt through her veins and she shifted, trying to get closer.
She wanted him.
She slid off her tee shirt and tossed it on the floor, quickly pressing her mouth to his. She’d never felt more passionate in her life. Never wanted a man like this. Never been so hungry.
His rough hands brushed down her back to cup her rear, pulling her tightly against his hardness. He wanted her, too. The kiss intensified. His mouth slanted to hers, only to trace across her cheek and down her neck, leaving a trail of heat in its wake.
She arched when his lips surrounded one nipple while his fingers rolled the nipple on the other with his thumb and forefinger. She moaned as he brought her higher and higher. Then he was between her legs, pinning her to the bed.
He nudged her leg aside, reached down into the wallet in his jeans, and removed a condom. Then he was inside her and Haley felt she’d returned to heaven. She wrapped her legs around his hips and clasped him hard, unwilling to let him move. He braced himself on his elbows and looked down at her.
“Sex doesn’t solve everything, Haley. This was never our problem.”
“I know,” she whispered, licking her lips. “I just want you. Is that so bad? Can’t we forget our differences for a few precious moments?”
He began to move, and she closed her eyes.”
“What do you want?” Jim snapped. He didn’t like that damn shithead showing up at his home. Besides, how did he know where he lived. “You don’t need to come snooping around here unless you have the money El Hashem promised.”
The man said nothing. He just stared.
“I’m serious,” Jim snapped. “That damn Albanian will kill me tomorrow if I don’t bring him a million dollars. In case you’re interested, that’s how much El Hashem owes me.”
“I don’t have the money yet, but I can get it for you very soon. However, I must insist you give me the guns tonight.”
“Are you nuts? I ain’t about to do that.”
“You will, or I will kill you.” He pulled out a gun and pointed it at Jim.
Damn it all to hell. He hated these stupid ragheads. “You listen to me, you fucking asshole. I have the guns. They’re locked away. Only I know the location and the codes to get into my repository. Now, get out of here before I kick your ass. And don’t come back until you have the money.”
Jim slammed the door.
A bullet slammed through the wood, nearly hitting him in the shoulder. Jim dove for the Sig he had hidden in a holster taped beneath the kitchen table. He fired two shots before getting back on his feet.
Carefully, he placed his ear against the door and heard nothing. Slowly he cracked open the door and found a young girl lying in a pool of blood.
The prostitute.
He glanced both ways down the hall and saw nothing. Confident they were alone, he knelt down and checked for a pulse. There was none. The girl had taken two to the chest. It looked like one had been a direct hit to the heart.
Jo-Jo wasn’t going to like that. He’d make him pay for the girl, not
to mention however much he’d have to pay for the police to look the other way. Jim stood and ran his shaking fingers through his thinning hair. Now what?
He had the guns but not the money to pay for them. He’d accidentally killed one of Jo-Jo’s whores and the pimp would expect him to reimburse him for the income he’ll lose.
What the hell could happen next?
Desperate, he closed the door and locked it, then picked up his phone and called Clyde Stupas. His fees cost a fortune, but he was the only way Jim could see out of the mess he’d gotten himself into
Clyde never answered the phone, you had to leave a message and hope he returned your call. “Hey, Clyde, it’s Jim. Listen I need your help bad.” He wiped the sweat from his forehead. “I don’t want to be a prick and remind you that you owe me one, but I’m pretty desperate. I’ll make it worth your while. Call me back.”
After that, Jim grabbed a change of clothes and tossed them in a bag. Easing down the hall, he got to the outside door and darted to his car. He managed to start the engine just as two men ran toward him, both armed.
Jim didn’t hesitate to duck, then drove right toward them. He had to get away to someplace safe, where no one could find him until he heard back from Clyde. Tires screaming, he burst out of the parking lot and turned left. He knew a place on the edge of the city where he could get a room for the night and they’d hide his car in a garage. That’s exactly where he went.
Chapter Twelve
Garrett and Haley climaxed with such force they nearly came up off the bed. He held her tightly as wave after wave of lightning fast pleasure rushed through his body.
He gasped, waiting for his breathing to return to normal. He leaned down, captured her lips, and tasted her sweetness. He wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. Like him, she didn’t want the moment to end. Hope whispered that maybe if she never stopped caressing him this contentment would last forever.
Thirty minutes later he had her nestled up beside him, her breathing slow and peaceful. How many nights had he drifted off to sleep in the same position?
Hundreds.
With everything in him, he wished something as special as making love could mend their relationship. He didn’t think that was possible. Tomorrow would come all too soon and they’d be running for their lives.
Making love released all the tension that had built up over the last couple of weeks. Now he felt like he’d just had a full body massage and his eyelids wanted to close.
Careful not to disturb her, he slipped out of the bed and padded barefoot to the other bedroom. He double checked the locks on the door and windows, then went into his room to retrieve his weapon. With the situation so dangerous, he wouldn’t sleep without it. Not while up against Nagi. The man proved, over and over, he was far too dangerous a man to ever let down his guard. Garrett vowed he’d be ready for anything.
Grasping the heavy drape, Garrett carefully pulled it aside and saw Grey and Harrington in the parking lot, keeping watch. Parked in the back of the lot, another car had either an undercover cop in it or Harrington had called in another Falcon agent.
He felt safer knowing they were there. Tomorrow they’d be gone, replaced by other agents. Or not, they may very well be on their own. He’d call Frank first thing to find out where he wanted them to go from there.
Satisfied they were as safe as could be expected under the circumstances, he returned to Haley’s bed. When he crawled between the sheets, she immediately sought his warmth. Content for the moment, he wrapped her in his arms and immediately fell back asleep.
After El Hashem died and the men moved away to morn, Nagi searched his things, looking for hints regarding what he was to do next. He found a note with the phone number and address of a man named Jim Douglas written on it. Beside the name, El Hashem had scribbled the word, ‘guns’.
Nagi had immediately left to pay this Jim Douglas a visit. If they were to attack the United States, the most important item had to be the weapons El Hashem had ordered. Nagi had no idea how El Hashem planned to pay for the arsenal, he only knew he had to take possession of them as soon as possible.
This assault on America meant everything to him and would solidify his reputation as one of the most dangerous men in the world. Right now, he was no one in the eyes of the jihad. He had to do this. He must become a martyr for Allah. Finally, ISIS would recognize him, and his memory would never die.
Things had not gone as Nagi imagined. After confronting Jim Douglas, he’d panicked and run, fearing someone would call the police. They waited in the parking lot for gun dealer, but he got away. Nagi and Abdulla had driven around all night, checking cheap hotels and other places someone might go to hide. Now the morning sun rose to announce a new day.
And still they had nothing.
Both the arms dealer and doctor had slipped through his hands. He felt like a complete failure. He didn’t know where to turn. El Hashem had died before divulging his contacts in the United States. Nagi was at a loss and didn’t know what to do.
Just then, El Hashem’s phone rang. It had been silent until now. “Hello?”
“Who is this?” the man sounded suspicious.
Nagi knew the importance of the call. This had to be El Hashem’s contact, so he felt safe being honest. “I am Mehaza Nagi. I worked with Zareeb El Hashem. Sadly, he is now dead, but I’m prepared to face his destiny.”
The long silence that followed made Nagi nervous and he questioned his decision to be so forthright.
“You know about our plans?” The voice was now wary.
“No, unfortunately our beloved friend died unexpectedly, before having a chance to share his plans.”
“You’re sure he’s dead?”
“I was at his side when he breathed his last,” Nagi remained calm. “Perhaps you and I should meet and discuss how to proceed. I know the airport was not the true target.”
“Not on the phone,” the stranger whispered. “Are you here in Baltimore?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know where the Convention Center is downtown?”
“I can find it.”
“Meet me at nine o’ clock.”
“In the open?”
The husky chuckle came as a bit of a surprise. “We have nothing to hide...yet.”
They hung up, but Nagi felt uncomfortable with this person’s belief they could be so nonchalant. Of course he worried. They did not wear masks at the airport and there were pictures of him all over the city. For all he knew, his picture might be all over the internet as well.
He knew he had no choice. He’d been lucky El Hashem told them about the phone number on the bottom of his show. His old friend never had the chance to explain his plan or who to contact. He must go to discover Allah’s mission. Did he dare tell him about kidnapping and losing Dr. Kingston? And what about his confrontation with Jim? He decided to wait and see if the man on the phone could be trusted.
He glanced at Abdulla. “Head downtown. I have to meet the man El Hashem has been dealing with. He knows Allah’s target.”
“Why should he tell you?”
“Perhaps he won’t, but we must try. We cannot simply drive around hoping to find those who will only bring us trouble.”
“The man with the guns most likely has them at his place of business. We should just break in and take what we want”
“What if there’s surveillance? What if there are cameras surrounding the building? What then?”
Abdullah pursed his lips and nodded. None of these men had answers. They only wanted to complain and act like misbehaving children and point out his incompetence. If not for his desire to impress ISIS’s leader, Abdelkarim Rasham Mohammed, he’d return to Syria and fight with his people. Zareeb would see what the American had to say. If he didn’t like it, he’d leave. Then El Hashem’s men could do as they pleased.
Haley woke with a smile on her face to the glorious scent of freshly brewed coffee. Completely dressed, Garrett sat on the edge of the bed
, holding out a steaming mug. She scooted up, propping the pillow behind her against the headboard.
Accepting his offer, she took the mug and cradled it in her hands before taking the first sip. “This is delicious.”
“It’s hotel room coffee. Nothing special.”
“It’s perfect because you fixed it and brought it to me.” She tilted her head. “Remember, you always did that for me?”
“That’s because you worked crazy shifts and never knew whether it was morning or night.”
“When you were home I worked my schedule around to make sure we spent time together.”
He smiled at the memory. “Yes, you did, and I always appreciated that. I know it wasn’t easy.”
“No, it wasn’t, but I wanted to spend as much time with you as I could.”
He lowered his gaze and she knew making love last night had not changed anything. Garrett didn’t work that way. He faced everything head on. No guessing and no fudging.
The world was black and white to him, with no room or place for gray areas.
“Finish that up and let’s get going. We need to go down to D.C. this morning. Frank is there and thinks the target, whatever or whoever it is, will be there.”
“Does he fear for the president?”
“I don’t know, and I didn’t ask.” He stood. “Get a move on, it’s already well past sunrise.”
“This from the man who wakes up every day at six, like clockwork.”
“Habit. I’ve done it all my life, since I was a kid.”
“Why? God, all I want to do is sleep.”
“I had to be up at dawn. My grandfather insisted on it. He’d bang on my door, or worse, saying, ‘Only a lazy bum sleeps past sunrise’.”
She wrinkled her brows, confused. “You were raised by your grandparents?”
He shrugged. “Sort of.”
“What does sort of mean?”
“It means I spent time with a lot of relatives.”
“Not your parents?”
He shook his head. “Not so much.”
She suddenly realized she’d never once heard him mention his family. Not his parents, siblings, or grandparents before. She wanted to hear more—much more—but she knew better than to ask. He didn’t like to be quizzed about his past, his work, or his feelings, and it was one of the main reasons she called things off.
