The Complete Donavan Adventure Series

by Tom Haase

  “I know we aren’t as far along as you’d hoped to be by this time, but what are your options?” Liz asked.

  “You know my opinion. There is only one.” He paused. “We have to put Karim in play and hope he can provide us a way, even a contact, to get to Dmitri.”

  “God, I hate that option. So far we haven’t risked much, but now we’ll both be putting our necks on the line.”

  “You can look the other way. I won’t tell you a thing about it from this moment on. You’ll maintain plausible deniability.”

  “We’ve been together up till now. So don’t pull that BS on me at this point. I’m already in too deep.”

  Matt still sat in contemplation, trying to map out the only option he saw.

  “Higgins, move your butt out of my office. Do what you do best. Make it happen.”

  * * *

  Karim sat in his new office. He relished his new freedom from the confining environment at the FBI safe house. This building provided the business space for the import-export business front on the first floor and a small apartment on the second. He knew that Matt Higgins wasn’t dumb enough not to have the place bugged and under video surveillance. As part of his release, he had agreed to remain on the premises and not leave unless accompanied by Matt. He figured it an acceptable trade-off in comparison to the confinement he had endured at his previous location.

  The desktop phone provided a link to the outside world, but he realized it too would be monitored. He did use the instrument to contact some of the people he’d met months ago. He remembered a few numbers and hoped they still worked. These guys had previously purchased weapons from various arms dealers, and he assumed some had used Mike Alexandro, the nephew of Dmitri Alexandrovitch. Therefore he believed they would be worth contacting. He needed to get the word out that he could supply arms if Matt’s new plan was to succeed. At the same time, a different strategy from what Matt intended resided in Karim’s mind.

  Two days after his first phone calls, a rap on the door caused him to stir from his plan to escape. A man he recognized, named Husain, stood outside the office. When Karim opened the door, his guest towered over him at six foot six and weighed over three hundred pounds, his ruddy face covered by a thick black beard. The man didn’t smile nor offer to shake his hand, but worst of all, he didn’t give the Islamic greeting. Karim’s guard went up.

  “How can I help you?” Karim asked.

  “You betrayed us.”

  Karim put his hand on the door.

  “What are you talking about? I never did any such thing.” Karim attempted to close the door. The big man used his foot to prevent its closing. “Go away, you’re not welcome here.”

  “We can’t trust you. You disappeared. Did you go to the FBI? We think you turned traitor, and now you show up trying to sell arms.”

  “You’re out of your mind. I’ve been in hiding for over a month after that shoot-out in Savannah. I haven’t picked up on any pursuit of me by the FBI, and I don’t think they even know who I am. I got away clean, but I decided to lay low for a while. You should know that. So if you don’t trust me, leave.”

  “I was testing you,” the big man said. He took his foot away and Karim opened the door. The man gave the Islamic greeting and kissed Karim on both cheeks.

  “That’s better,” Karim said with an audible sigh of relief.

  “Do you really have access to arms? We’re in need of someone with a connection to the Russians. We thought you might still maintain a way of getting new weapons.”

  “I do. What do you want?”

  His visitor handed over a list. “We will pay top dollar for those items.”

  You will indeed, and the FBI agents watching this will have a field day tracking down your organization. “I’ll call you when I receive confirmation that I can get your items and tell you the delivery schedule. Give me a number to use.”

  The man left after providing a cell number.

  Karim took a seat in the office chair and waited. He felt confident Matt would check in on him in a few minutes. He had now made contact with some potential buyers. In the meantime, he visualized his eventual escape plan. The sole stumbling block remained money. He needed cash to make it work. He would ostensibly take in a large commission from the sale of the weapons to Husain, but that would never happen. The feds wouldn’t allow it. So he needed to devise a way to obtain cash. The ringing phone interrupted his thoughts.

  “Yes, Matt?”

  “Good job. Keep up the good work.” The line went dead.

  His next visitor arrived an hour later, a man completely unknown to him.

  “Karim, we learned you’re back in business. Word travels fast, you know. We would like for you to procure some items for us.”

  Karim couldn’t believe the speed with which the news of his new business had spread. That was what he desired. The more the merrier, as the FBI would be concentrating more on these guys and less on him. At least, that was his hope. The man in front of him took out a cigarette. Karim shook his head to indicate he didn’t want any smoking in his office.

  “Come outside with me, so I can have a smoke,” his guest requested.

  “By the way, what’s your name?”

  The man, in his early forties, wore jeans and a T-shirt, a black leather motorcycle jacket slung over his shoulder. “Zohair,” the man replied.

  Karim nodded his thanks and hoped the FBI hadn’t bugged the outside of the place. After they lit up, Karim looked at his guest and asked, “Have you heard anything from any other Russian suppliers? I had to disappear for a month and wasn’t able to keep up with any new developments. You understand?”

  The man nodded. “Not much, but I did hear one tidbit.”

  “What would that be?” Karim asked.

  “I hear that the uncle of Mike Alexandro has been spreading the word through people I know that he will pay a fortune to find the person who killed his nephew. The FBI never released any details. But no one knows anything about it as far as I can tell.”

  “Interesting. How is one supposed to get in touch, if I were to hear any information about that?”

  “I got the number written down at my place. I’ll drop it by in the morning with my list and you can tell me if you can obtain the items I need.”

  “I will give you a special price on your order if you can get me this by noon.” The man nodded. After the deceived purchaser left, he reentered the office and let a wide smile appear on his face.

  “Yes,” he said aloud. In his mind, the plan to escape had solidified, especially since he knew who had killed Mike Alexandro. Now that information might bring him money and freedom. He had to get what he knew to Dmitri.

  36

  Karim’s Deception

  The next day, shortly before noon, Matt sat with Liz, looking out from a window across the street, and they discussed the current operation. Looking over to Karim’s office, he carefully watched the man who called himself Zohair appear and enter through the front door of the small import-export business. Karim sat behind a gray metal desk, which held a phone with multiple line capability. The instrument had a speakerphone, and Matt used it to monitor Karim in the office. He had that number forwarded to his cell. They now monitored it while sitting across the street in a mom-and-pop restaurant drinking coffee.

  “Do you have the list of items you want to order?” he heard Karim ask. Matt could see the man advance to Karim’s desk.

  “Yes and the thing you asked for,” the visitor said.

  “I am pleased. Wait, wait. What is the gun for?”

  “You will tell me the name of the FBI agent who killed Dmitri Alexandrovitch’s nephew. I want it, and I want it now or I’ll kill you where you sit.”

  “I don’t know who did it. I told you that I have been in hiding for a month. I got away before the shooting. Please put down the gun and let’s talk this over.”

  “I want the name. I’ll tell Dmitri. Tell me or you are dead.”

  Matt ran across th
e street. He flung open the door and pointed his weapon at the man. The man swiveled to face Matt, and at that moment Liz entered as the man fired. The sudden distraction by Liz coming through the door caused him to miss Matt on his first shot. He shot again at Matt, who dove for cover. Then he aimed his gun at Liz, who had drawn her weapon. Matt quickly rose and put two rounds into the man’s chest, dropping him where he stood.

  Karim crawled to where the body lay and recovered a piece of paper from his hand. Matt kicked the gun away from the man and moved to look after Liz. Karim started to hide the paper in his pocket with Matt’s back to him.

  “What are you doing?” Matt shouted at Karim, turning in time to witness the move by Karim.

  “Nothing. Just making sure he is dead,” came the response from Karim as he continued to search the man.

  “Matt, we have to shut this op down. It isn’t working like you planned,” Liz said. “As soon as the local police arrive because of the gunshots, the whole thing is blown.”

  “Nobody in this part of town is going to call the cops because of a couple of muted gunshots. Let’s wait a few minutes to see. In the meantime, I think Karim owes us an explanation.” Matt went over to where Karim lay still on the floor and picked him up by the back of his shirt.

  “Talk. The note he passed you, what’s it for? You tried to pull a fast one. I want to know what it is, or you go back to solitary and probably Gitmo.” Matt released him.

  “I still think we need to close this operation down,” Liz said in a determined voice.

  “We have to keep going. Karim is the only person who can pull this off. He has to be in play.” Matt walked over to where Karim now stood.

  “I think I must tell you something. I don’t want to go back into custody or to Gitmo.”

  “You conniving little bastard. What are you trying to pull?” Matt demanded.

  “When I went outside yesterday with him, he told me that he learned that Dmitri is willing to pay a lot of money to get the name of the person who killed his nephew. I asked him to give me the number. That’s what’s on this sheet of paper,” Karim said as he passed the note to Matt.

  “Text and inform whoever gets it that you know the name and address of the person who killed Dmitri’s nephew in Savannah. You will only give that information to Dmitri himself in person.”

  “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Liz asked.

  “I think this might be the fastest way we can get at Dmitri, and it’s bait to lure him here,” he said.

  “You mean you’re the bait, as I assume you’ll have Karim tell him it’s you.”

  “Precisely,” Matt said with a smile.

  “Remember that in Savannah, I wasn’t the one who shot his nephew, but he has no way of knowing anything different. Now Karim here is going to tell him I did it.”

  In less than a minute after Karim sent the message, a text arrived on Karim’s cell. “Accept offer, money will be transferred on delivery of name.”

  Matt took the phone and texted back, “Not acceptable, come to my location and get the name after you hand me the money.”

  “Accepted,” came the reply.

  37

  Dmitri’s Daughter

  Scott called Schultz and told him that his daughter was continuing to recover and was almost completely mended.

  “Anything else, Scott? I appreciate your keeping me updated.”

  “Nothing really. We’ve been working with Dmitri’s daughter. Mark has her in something like protective custody.”

  “That’s interesting,” Schultz said. “This is the first I’ve heard of it.”

  “I guess with all that’s going on, we didn’t mention it, since she’s in a secure place.”

  “Where is she?”

  “At a farm in northern Virginia.”

  “Come on, Scott, exactly where are you keeping her?”

  “Since you’ve supported us from the start and already spent a lot of money to get us this far, I guess it’ll be no problem.” He gave him the address that Matt had given him in case he needed to go there.

  “You take care. Thanks for the update.” Schultz hung up.

  Scott sat and considered the conversation. He had only wanted to be in touch with his father-in-law in order to build a good relationship with him. He thought that by his doing so, he and Gerti would establish a closer connection with her father.

  Something bothered him now; Schultz had shown an unusual interest in Tasha’s location. What difference did it make to him where she was staying? Maybe he’d made a mistake in telling him about the daughter. He decided to ask Matt for his take on the conversation. He drove to the house where Gerti currently stayed before he called Matt.

  * * *

  On hearing Scott’s report of the conversation with Schultz, Matt shouted over the speakerphone, “Are you kidding me? Why did you do such a dumb thing?”

  Gerti heard the commotion and came into the room.

  “What’s going on?” she asked.

  Matt took a minute to bring her up to date.

  “Oh no. Not good,” Gerti said. “I’m afraid with that information, Father will go after her. You see, he now holds Dmitri responsible for the attacks on me.”

  “The message he read says you aren’t on the hit list,” Scott said.

  “Believe me, he thinks I was a target, and as close as some of the events we experienced came to ending my life, I think he may have a point, from his perspective. I know him. He wants revenge.”

  “I’m always trying to build a better relationship with your father. I thought keeping him in the loop would help us,” Scott said.

  “I know, but you don’t know how he thinks,” Gerti said.

  Matt again focused the conversation. “Scott, you’re probably closer to Tasha than I am. Go get her.”

  He then said to Gerti, “Could you get away from your house to be with Tasha? It would mean leaving there and going without your father’s protection, but I’ll have Liz get a safe house ready for you.”

  “I can do that. Scott will come with me,” Gerti finished.

  “Sure,” Scott said.

  “Scott, go get Tasha at our safe house. Gerti, when Liz texts you the location for the new place, enter it into the GPS. It may be nothing, but I’d rather have her safe than in Schultz’s hands, where he would probably try to force Dmitri to come to a place where he would kill him, if Gerti’s correct about his thought process. If that happened, he’d likely kill the girl too. We can’t let that happen. He has the means to do it and to make it disappear.”

  “Heading there now.”

  “I’ll head to the new safe house and wait for Scott,” Gerti said. “My car’s here and I can slip past Father’s men.”

  “Scott, you have that second phone I gave you for us to use. Give it to Tasha, and tell her we’re the only ones who will contact her on it.”

  Before Matt ended the call, Gerti said, “I think we are right about Father’s intentions. He is fully capable of doing that. Especially if he thinks I’m in any danger.”

  * * *

  Gerti snuck out and drove away in her car. She received the text from Liz and put the location into her GPS. As she headed for Tasha’s proposed new location, she spent a few minutes thinking about her current predicament. While driving, she realized that she and Scott had a great plan for the rest of their lives. After she had become pregnant, they had discussed how they would raise the child and what they wanted to do in the future.

  Now, with the events going down with Dmitri, his daughter, and the actions her father might take, it all appeared to be in jeopardy. She’d always feared becoming like her father, but now she realized that in so many things, she thought the same way he did. She would probably do the exact same thing he would in regard to Dmitri’s daughter. Fear of what she might become, might already have become, now plagued her thoughts. She didn’t want to become her father, no matter how much she imitated him in many respects. How would she find her true course, her path wit
h Scott, her relationship with her father?

  So many questions, with no clear answer in sight. She knew the right thing to do would be to save the Russian girl and make sure she remained unharmed. She decided to concentrate on one thing at a time.

  She figured it would be twenty minutes before she reached new safe house—plenty of time to try to unhinge herself from her father’s thought process.

  38

  Decisions

  After receiving the text message from Karim, Dmitri again tried to contact his daughter. He had had no success for weeks attempting to get in touch with her, but had chalked it up to a young woman enjoying her vacation from school. She generally called back within a few days, or maybe a week, but not this time. Something might have happened to her, or worse. He would certainly have received a notice by the State Department if anything really bad had occurred.

  This Karim wanted to meet him personally to give him the information on who had killed his nephew. He didn’t want to talk with the snitch, but this might be the opportunity he needed to go and visit his daughter.

  At that moment, he received a call from the Robocop.

  “What do you want?” Dmitri demanded, attempting to control the conversation.

  “You know what I want. You haven’t completed your contract. I know who you are, but you don’t know me. Perhaps it is time to employ someone else to handle it.” The modulated voice couldn’t sound threatening, but it conveyed exactly what the speaker intended. “You get no more money unless the contract is completed in two days.”