Cold Blooded III: Sins and Sanctions (Nick McCarty Assassin Series Book 3)

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

  “We are mission completed, Payaso. John has Abazzo in lockdown with a knee to his back. All other Isis badass members are in the process of finding out what lies beyond the great divide. Did you ever get Paul networked?”

  “He’s on. Great work, Muerto. Where are you going to film the final Isis cell accounting, and do you want me there?”

  “Of course I want you there, Payaso. New John will film us with the entire dead cell around the live Abazzo. We will have to do initial inventory on what they have on site before a team arrives. I’ll give you a look as I go through the place in real time, Paul.”

  “Perfect,” Paul replied immediately. “Good Lord, that was outstanding shooting. Jesus, Muerto, you are a very bad man indeed.”

  “Don’t suck up to him,” Gus ordered. “There’s no telling what he will do if Muerto gets any more positive feedback.”

  “Acknowledged, Payaso,” Paul replied with much amusement.

  * * *

  The cleanup operation took very little time with Nick, Gus, and John transporting the bodies back inside the house. They positioned the already dead with the newly dead in the main living room. Nick used the attentive Deke to take care of Abazzo. Nick had trained Deke in holding a prisoner without Rachel or Jean knowing, figuring at some point he would be able to use Deke’s incredible patience and intelligence. Deke crouched now in front of a terrified Abazzo, every few seconds making a snarling jab within inches of Abazzo’s throat. Abazzo would squeal behind the duct tape over his mouth each time Deke juked towards him. Nick suspected Deke would be a natural for this type of holding procedure, and he lived up to Nick’s appraisal perfectly, actually enjoying the task.

  With Paul networked into the cam feeds, he journeyed through the house with Nick, Gus, and John, noting and recording everything they found for the team he had on alert. The terrorist occupants left in panic, leaving everything in place without thought to a completely unexpected attack. Technical utensils were left exactly as found until Nick could find out passwords from Abazzo.

  Nick approached Abazzo with a smiling countenance, waving Deke away. “Hi honey… miss me? Here’s the deal. When I ask you a question, you’ll answer it or I will fulfill your wildest dreams about torture. I kind of hope you won’t go along with my plan of acceptance. Then I get to extract the info, and oh honey… you and I will make a connection then. What’ll it be, Ahmed?”

  After Nick tore off the duct tape from his mouth, Abazzo stared into the black masked El Muerto’s smiling face, searching for any sign his captor was bluffing. In the training camp overseas, they taught no American could kill or torture them. They were cowards and children afraid of the dark. Until this night, everything taught to Ahmed had proven true. The American media labeled it a hate crime to speak out against the very enemy seeking their annihilation. He ran the terrorist dispersal house across from the Canadian border without incident since coming into the United States from Mexico. They lived in luxury on this estate without fear… until this night. Abazzo and his men had thought the trip wires in the barn and around the house would be adequate. Never did they think to be picked off by a sniper herding them into a deadly trap.

  “Tick… tock… tick…”

  Abazzo hung his head. “What do you wish to know?”

  Nick accompanied Abazzo in an information gathering tour of the house, checking passcodes for the computers they found inside during the first exploration. Abazzo opened the two safes, one built into the wall behind a bookcase, and one built into the floor under the corner of a carpet in the living room. Nick left Gus and John to empty the contents with gloved hands while he and Deke took Abazzo into the kitchen. After seating Abazzo, Nick put Deke on relaxed watch while stepping outside the kitchen.

  “Anything special you have for my Abazzo talk, Paul?”

  Paul listed a number of items, all having to do with the specifics of how Abazzo infiltrated the Mexican border, and what stops along the way existed between there and the present location. He ended with a plea. “I need this guy, Nick. Let the team take him.”

  “He can finger my recruit, new John. I can’t take the chance he won’t get amongst his brethren to tell tales.”

  “I know what you’re capable of,” Paul replied. “I give you my word he will never see a single soul he can tell. You’ve uncovered the greatest breakthrough into Isis or any other Muslim group we’ve ever had, Nick. Please, let me put this guy somewhere he can keep helping us. Hell, all I’ll have to do is show him your picture if he gets uncooperative.”

  Nick considered the downside of letting Abazzo live with a writer’s imagination for all intricacies and tendrils which could eventually backfire. He weighed the negatives with how much information Paul could extract from Abazzo concerning Isis.

  “Nick?”

  “I’m thinking. Okay. We’ll do our El Muerto thing with all the dead bodies around. I don’t have to slit a throat every time. Give us a half hour, and we’ll be out of here. The trip wires around the house are disabled, but the setup around the barn is still hot. Everything from the safes has been emptied where they can be seen.”

  “Thanks, Nick. I’ll send them in forty-five minutes from now. We’ll pick it clean, and leave some damaging items for the police to back El Muerto’s claims.”

  “I’ll call you before we leave for Charleston. I’m naturally skipping the interrogation with Abazzo, but he’ll be tied down, and ready for plucking. If you find someone else you don’t want to give over to HS or the FBI, let me know.”

  “Acknowledged. Talk at you later. Thanks, Nick!”

  “Stay straight with me, Paul, and I’m with you at every step.”

  “I know that, and I’d betray my own Mother before I dropped a dime on you.”

  Nick chuckled. “That’s the spirit. We’ll be in touch.”

  Nick walked into the kitchen once again. “Good news, my little terrorist buddy. The higher ups want you alive for now. I’ll cinch you in place for them. They’ll arrive shortly. My contact told me I can have you back if you don’t cooperate. We wouldn’t want that, now would we?”

  Abazzo shook his head with fervor. Nick duct taped him solidly to the chair at each ankle, arm, waist, and chest. Lastly, he sealed his mouth again. “Stay here Deke, while Payasso and I get a few pictures.”

  John stood uneasily outside the kitchen. “Can we not kill that one too? He knows me.”

  Nick put his arm around John. “Now listen. You let me worry about identities, danger, and details. What was our haul from this excellent venture?”

  “The safes held nearly $150,000.” John seemed confused. “Do they let you keep the money?”

  “No, but we do anyway, right Payaso?”

  “Hell yeah,” Gus answered. “You risked life and limb going undercover on this John. He deserves an even split.”

  “I think so too,” Nick agreed. “Get the cam out, John. Payaso and I will get into character, and act out this video clip. Then we’ll do a few stills, okay?”

  “Sure.”

  Once they were ready for filming with voice altering added along with Nick’s full face black mask, Nick gave John the nod. “Hello, my fellow Americans. It is I, El Muerto, here with my deadly sidekick, Payaso. We’re near the Canadian border because we finished shutting down a major infiltration center for the Isis Cult. These dead Isis Cult members were on their way to cells throughout the United States. El Muerto will not allow such things. Payaso and I are on the job, America. We will not succumb to this death cult. No mercy.”

  John ended the scene. He then took still pictures of Nick and Gus posing over the bodies in various stances of distain for the victims. They finished the photo and video shoot, collected what they wanted in money, and left the scene together. Nick passed fifty thousand dollars over to John in a bag retrieved from the Isis house, along with a set of keys, and a folder.

  “Take the money, rent another vehicle, and drive to my other property in the Carmel Valley. Keep a low profile for the time
being, John. I don’t want you picked up for anything by police or anyone else. Relax, and enjoy. You’ve earned it after this bust. Call me with the burner phone if you have any problems. Our book tour ends in Charleston. We may be involved for a time there depending on some personal issues.”

  “I could help in Charleston,” John said. “I could keep a low profile until you’re sure I will not be needed.”

  “I appreciate that, but it would be better at this time to drive across country. Take your time, don’t speed, and stay wherever you like on the trip. Do not attract any attention whatsoever. Gus and I will make contact with you when we get home to Pacific Grove.”

  “If you need my help, please call, and I will be there,” John replied, trying to contain the shock at Nick’s orders, and generosity.

  “I’ll call if I need you, but I think Gus and I can handle Charleston. It’s a couple of book tour stops, and a bit of family business.”

  Chapter Six

  Expect the Unexpected

  “Don’t go out there, Jean!”

  “There’s something going on, Mom!” Jean posed ready to bolt through the screen door. “Grandma’s house is in the middle of a drug/gang war!”

  Rachel hugged her violent leaning daughter. She watched her former husband’s Mom at the end of her driveway, arguing with three young gangsters. They passed packets to drivers stopping in front of the house for money. Although Echo Avenue was listed as one of the more dangerous areas in Charleston, it also had a variety of denizens. The houses, spaced apart unevenly like a rural area in various stages of upkeep also each had a bit of land. They were not housing tract, cracker box dwellings. Her former Mother-in-law’s house, a light blue painted split level place with a broad porch, presented a picturesque neighborhood family living space. On the right side of her house stood a ramshackle place appearing more like a warehouse shed than a house.

  Mona, returning from the grocery store, spotted the drug transaction going on in front of her house, and stopped to argue with the pushers. Rachel could see they were more amused than angry. They made apologetic motions while retreating to the front of their structure. Mona, apparently annoyed by the number of confrontations Rachel and Jean did not know of, followed them shouting warnings to stay away. They only laughed. Mona gave up her pointless pursuit, returning to her groceries.

  “Your Dad will be here in days. He already agreed to look over the situation with Gus. C’mon, let’s help Grandma Mona with the bags. Do not say anything while we’re out there. Do you understand me, Dagger?”

  “Yes, Mom.” Jean led the way, skipping off the porch to Mona’s ten year old Buick. After giving her Grandma a hug, she grabbed two of the bags from the trunk.

  “Do they sell in broad daylight like this often, Mona?” Rachel picked up the last bag, noting Mona was still staring at the pushers. “It seems this would be an easy bust for the police. They could do a sting operation, and catch these guys the first day.”

  Mona nodded, closing the trunk. At sixty-five, her lean figure, and long tied back gray hair, enhanced the no nonsense look on her features she displayed at most times. She lived in the roughest area of North Charleston. Mona did not back away from a task or confrontation, but having been warned by her upon arriving, Rachel knew she was no dummy. After outlining the neighborhood problems, Mona made sure Rachel and Jean knew there were times unsafe to leave the house.

  “The police do what they can, but body bags are about all they can offer when a neighbor tries to testify against these hoodlums. The head asshole in the house next door bullies everyone. The bearded fuck is about six and a half feet tall, nearly three hundred pounds I’d wager, and has spent nearly half his adult life in and out of prison. His hoodlum friends call him Blackbeard. His real name is Gustoff Banning. He’s killed at least three neighbors who tried to rally the law against him.”

  Mona bit her lip, eyes filling with tears. “Two were a mom and daughter living on the other side of Blackbeard. He raped the teenage daughter. Carrie had him arrested, swearing to the police she would have her daughter Lacy at the inquest to testify. They didn’t have any DNA because the prick used a condom. I came to the inquest ready to testify about the goings on Blackbeard was responsible for, but Carrie and Lacy never arrived. They were hit and killed by a stolen sixteen wheeler. The driver was never found. After that episode, no one considers speaking out or calling the police, including me… damn it! The only thing stopping the bastard from terrorizing us even more is the fact most of us are armed. It didn’t do Carrie any good on the way to testify.”

  “C’mon inside, Mona,” Rachel urged. “There’s no need to stand here hashing out stuff you can’t change. Jean and I are happy as hell to be with you on this visit. Jean has been anticipating seeing you ever since my husband agreed to the Charleston stop on his book tour.”

  Mona grabbed Rachel’s arm as she turned toward the house. “Did anyone ever make those bastards pay for killing my boy?”

  A fast moving slide show of Nick’s adopting her and Jean into his lifestyle flashed for a moment in her mind. A slow smile spread across her features. She remembered vividly Nick putting her into a position to kill the one who had actually killed Mona’s son, Rachel’s husband Rick. “Yep. The ones responsible are all dead, including the one who ordered it.”

  “How…how do you know that?”

  “I can’t say, Mona. I can only state without a doubt they’re dead.” Rachel hugged her, putting the bag down. “Believe me. I know it to be true.”

  “That’s so sweet,” a gruff voice stated from only a few feet away. “You’ve been messing with my crew again, Mona. I warned you about that, bitch.”

  Rachel swiveled to face the voice that approached from her rear, as Mona’s eyes widened in recognition and fear. Rachel smiled at the huge bearded man with wild beady blue eyes. Head shaved, wearing a Carolina Panther jersey, the man clenched and unclenched his fists in overdone anger. Rachel handed the grocery bag over to Mona.

  “Blackbeard? I’ve heard a lot about you.” Rachel fronted him, not allowing the man to approach Mona any closer, while reaching under her blouse at the back. “What the heck’s your real name? I heard it was Gustoff or something.”

  Seeing Rachel calmly facing off with him nearly made Blackbeard’s head explode. He looked ready to sucker punch Rachel in the face. Poking his right index finger at her, his mouth tightened into instant torque causing his words to sound like they were being strained through a filter.

  “I am someone you do not want to fuck with!”

  “I don’t even want to breathe the same air as you do, Gustoff, so why don’t you waddle on back to your crew, and tell them how great you are at threatening a pregnant woman, and an old lady.”

  Blackbeard made a choking sound before reaching for Rachel’s throat. Instead of reaching his target, Gustoff ran into Rachel’s nineteen million volt Vipertek stun gun electrodes. He dropped to his back with a squeal. Rachel followed him down, zapping the big man until he stopped moving as Nick had taught her, all the while watching for his crew. A second later, Jean was at her side with a butcher knife clutched in hand. Rachel released the trigger, searching Blackbeard for weapons. She found a .45 caliber Colt tucked into the back of his waistband. She drew it out, aiming it at Blackbeard’s house.

  “Wow, Mom… you aced him,” Jean said delightedly, as Mona knelt next to her.

  “Quick, girl,” Rachel said. “Check his pockets for extra clips.”

  “On it.” Jean handed the butcher knife to Mona, and did a first class search for an extra clip. She plucked one from his right rear pants pocket. “Got one, Mom.”

  “Let’s get in the house.”

  When they were safely inside with the doors locked. Mona rushed into her bedroom, and returned with a Remington twelve gauge semi-automatic shotgun with a box of shells. As Rachel kept watch at the window, two of the men she’d seen arguing with Mona earlier approached Blackbeard’s unmoving body carefully. They tried to reviv
e him without success. They hesitantly dragged him around to Blackbeard’s house, which was no easy task, glancing with confusion at Mona’s house.

  “We’re in the wood chipper now,” Mona stated, loading the five shell maximum into the Remington. “You shocked the hell out of me, Rachel. Damn… that was so good. We may all end up dead, but watching you electrocute that black-hearted son-of-a-bitch was worth it.”

  Jean put her arm around Mona’s shoulders where she sat with the shotgun in her lap. “Don’t worry, Grandma. Dad’s coming with Gus. These guys don’t know what bad is, but…”

  “That’s enough, Jean,” Rachel cautioned. “What she means is Nick has been around. He’ll know what to do.”

  “I…I thought he was a novelist.”

  “He was in Delta Force during the war, and has worked with the CIA before. One thing Nick would insist on is no mention of him at all when he gets here. He has book signings in Charleston, because we want you to stay with us until we get this solved. I’ll keep watch while you pack some things. Leave me your shotgun. Make sure all the doors are bolted. Can you pack our suitcases, Jean?”

  “Sure, Mom. You’ll need to call Dad though.”

  “I will right now, but we have to pack and get the hell out of here.”

  “On it. Let’s go, Grandma.” Jean picked up the shotgun carefully, and leaned it next to Rachel. “We’ll check all the doors first.”

  Mona embraced Jean tightly. “Thank you.”

  * * *

  Nick smiled at Gus, listening to Rachel’s recital, describing her confrontation with Blackbeard. Gus and Tina joined him in his suite for coffee while he finished walking Deke. Already packed to leave, Nick had been watching the El Muerto/Payaso show in the news with his friends when Rachel called.

  “You are one terrific badass woman, and I like your plan to get Mona and Jean into a beautiful suite at a very high profile hotel in Charleston. I’ll text you the address of the place we already have suites being held for us in. Get Mona one too. We’re leaving for the plane in a few minutes, so we’ll be joining you shortly. Take nothing for granted. You can shoot as well as anyone I’ve ever taught. Don’t drop your guard for a second on the way to the car. Have Mona drive. You keep everyone covered until you’re on the way to the hotel. I don’t have to remind you not to hesitate do I?”