Encountering Evil: Dark Horse Guardians Book Two (17 page)

Their first stop was a salvage place filled with second hand furniture and beautiful antiques. Bettencourt trailed along behind Monique observing her petite figure in the black pants that hugged her curves just enough to intrigue him. He pretended to be interested in the items she was pointing out. But it was difficult for him to concentrate on anything but Monique. He hadn't been with a woman like this for a long time,
too
long
. It felt almost as if they were a couple, but he knew that was wishful thinking. But for a moment he allowed himself to wonder what it might be like to really be with Monique. Take out dinners in his apartment while he was recuperating was the closest he had gotten to her so far. He had a difficult time falling asleep since the kidnapping and beating. He wondered if having Monique around more could help that situation.

"What do you think of this piece?" Monique quizzed him. Bettencourt smiled, "I love it. It's beautiful…" Monique laughed when he said the word "love"…maybe because that wasn't his usual manner of speaking. "How about this?" she asked touching a perfectly good bench, slightly worn with age. "Beautiful…" he said. He was standing close to her now and they were alone. "Monique, if I asked you to come over tonight, would you think I was being too forward?" He noticed she became still for a moment before she responded. "No, you're not too forward and yes, I would come over." He felt so close to her now he wanted to tell her everything. "I'm having problems sleeping. I'm wondering if you'd consider staying the night. I'll be a gentleman. I promise I won't do anything that you don't want me to do." As soon as he said it, regret swept over him. He saw her face flush red. But he couldn't help himself, "I'm sorry if I offended you." Monique lowered her eyes to the floor for a moment. When her blue eyes met his, he felt his heart pounding and his palms were sweaty. "It
’s okay, Bett. You didn't offend me. I enjoy being with you and I'll spend the night at your place. I trust you."

They quickly moved along to other items and Bettencourt watched as Monique tagged each one with a sticky note to be delivered to Lara's bungalow office. She found the perfect vintage kitchen table and chairs. Everything Monique chose for the bungalow was approved via an iPhone picture to Lara. If she got the thumbs up, she'd tag it for delivery. "One more stop." Monique chimed as she climbed into the truck cab. He was so pleased that she had said yes to sleeping over tonight he could hardly think straight. "Where to?" he asked obediently. "I need a new sofa and a couple of chairs." And, I am taking you to lunch for helping me today. She gave him the address and he drove there. As Bettencourt listened to her he realized she was intelligent, friendly, warm and full of life. He sensed that Monique was shy and surmised he would need to proceed slowly to get to know her. She cared for him. He knew it. And Randall Bettencourt suddenly felt grateful that Lara had played match-maker.

~ Ben ~

Ben knew it was only a matter of time before Ali Farouz sent more of his goons to work over Bettencourt and he was laying low waiting for them to arrive. He had Bettencourt's tiny apartment filled with the latest high-tech listening devices and hidden cameras. He also worked with Bettencourt to install an elaborate security system. Weaponry was hidden all over the apartment, from high grade pepper spray to loaded HK's with grenade launchers. Plenty of precautions were taken as to the routes Bettencourt took to and from his apartment. Thus far, the last few days were without incident. But Ben realized the sooner they moved Nadia out of the area, the better chance she would have to remain alive. He made arrangements to have her sent to a family in Rhode Island and she was given a new identity. Ben had a long conversation with the young daughter of Ali Farouz. Nadia realized this was her only chance to stay alive and she embraced the plan that would secure her freedom. Paperwork was moving quickly through the court system to legalize her emancipation.

Every night for the past two weeks Ben had monitored Bettencourt's apartment via a wireless connection on his phone. Thus, he could view everything taking place in the apartment, in the hallway, and even had an aerial view of the building. After dinner with Lara, Ben settled on the sofa with her. As she leaned against his chest he popped up the video on his phone and was a bit shocked to see Monique in Bettencourt’s apartment. It wasn't just dinner and a kiss goodbye. He started laughing uncontrollably as he watched his good friend peel every piece of clothing off Monique's sweet young body and slowly begin to make mad passionate love to her! Ben looked away from the images on his screen feeling as if he was intruding. He really didn't
want
to view this and decided it would be wise to switch the video off and leave the alarm activated.

~ Lara ~

As Lara nestled against Ben’s chest on the sofa to watch television, she felt Ben laughing uncontrollably a few times and figured he had received a funny e-mail or something. She noticed he suppressed laughter the last time he looked at his phone. She couldn’t take the curiosity any longer and asked, "What is making you laugh so much? You are trying
not
to laugh, I can tell. Is it something I said or did? No, it's something on your phone…" She was smiling at Ben as he grinned back at her, almost unable to form words. Finally, he said something barely comprehensible to her, "Bettencourt just kissed Monique, I’m watching him on the security camera, and I don't
want
to watch him, if you know what I mean.  I had to shut the video off." Lara was shocked. "
What?
Monique
? Let me see that." Ben held the phone away from her. "No, I don't think you
want
to see this, nor do I. Let’s just say I hope Bettencourt has a different kind of protection on him tonight!" Lara giggled, “I’m so glad it is Monique." Ben smiled with dimples and a devilish look in his eyes, "Congratulations. You succeeded once again as a match-maker with Bettencourt and Monique!” A feeling of contentment flooded Lara as she realized her gentle prodding put the two reluctant lovers together. 

Ben leaned in and kissed her while turning off the television. His phone was stashed away and his pale blue eyes searched her face for a moment. Playfully Ben asked, "Why aren't
we
having fun like that? Bettencourt and Monique shouldn’t be the ones having all the fun, right?" Lara felt him reach behind the sofa as he tapped his iPod. "Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right" by Billy Currington came up on the playlist. Once the song started, Ben was kissing Lara, softly at first while he removed her clothing. More than once Ben had whispered the words to this song in her ear while dancing. Mood music…Lara smiled. Ben enjoyed making love to her with music… especially this song. It was as if the lyrics and the music were a means of expression for him. His diversion worked well to distract her from Bettencourt's business. His attention was completely on Lara as he gingerly moved his broad hands over her body removing one piece of clothing at a time. His eyes gazed into hers with an intensity that stirred her. She felt his warm mouth on her neck. He had become an expert at slipping out of his own clothing while he kissed her. He stripped with such efficiency, she wondered if he was a magician.

Lara knew Ben would drive her wild with passion just touching his lips to hers. He wasn't forceful. In fact, he was light and playful. He always started with tender kisses that coaxed her gently. It seemed he could read her mind and little by little he allowed the passion to build. With Ben she learned how to relax with lovemaking. The awkwardness and fear melted away. Lately, his hands explored her body in ways she had never known and it felt wonderful. She leaned back on the sofa as Ben kissed her neck and her breasts ever so softly with skilled lips. His blue eyes watching her face, he paused, "Do you like?" Lara smiled holding his face in her hands, "Oh, I
love
…" she said in a breathy whisper as she closed her eyes. Slowly and deliberately Lara enjoyed the long time Ben spent teasing her to a level of pleasure that made her feel a little bit reckless. The beard he was growing for his mission tickled her. As he built the excitement within her, she noticed he seemed to enjoy watching her experience pleasure.

As he lovingly caressed her body, Lara wondered how much medical training Ben had in his background. She noticed he was intimately familiar with not only the anatomy but the physiology of a woman's body. He definitely had skills. Then a novel thought occurred to her; she realized it might be
her
that was teaching
him
. When she first met Ben he was like a sex-starved lunatic. Although he was always gentle and kind, there were times when it seemed he had been in a desert without any water for years and she was his first drink. His passion was akin to a thirst that could not be quenched. It was Lara who slowed him down, thus love-making had become more enjoyable for both of them. As she lost control she came to the conclusion: they were teaching one other.

~ Ben ~

In preparation for living in the Islam
-berg community, Ben hadn't shaved for weeks and his beard was thick and black. Sometimes he thought Lara enjoyed the beard more than she let on. When he kissed her neck, she wiggled away saying it tickled her but she always came back for more. He studied his reflection in the mirror. He was carefully and methodically laying the groundwork to assume his new identity as Doctor Hadad. The majority of his time was spent studying all of the intel he could garner, plus doing some recon work of his own. Meeting with Jake on the outskirts of Islam-berg, he flew a tiny drone over the compound on several occasions. The drone was the size of a dragonfly and could hover and take high resolution photographs. He was getting the lay of the land from an aerial view. He referred back to the information he obtained in December when he visited with King Sahim in Dubai. The Monarch voiced concerns to Ben about the United States losing the counter-terrorism battle on their own turf. The monarch shared valuable intel with Ben that further helped him on this mission.

He now knew the Islam
-berg in Massachusetts was one of the operations King Sahim told him about setting up inside of the United States to do great harm. The men and women living in this compound were traveling to Pakistan, Syria, Libya, Lebanon and Yemen for guerilla training and orders, then returning to live an American life, blending into society in the United States. Living in the compounds these terrorists were sealing out all aspects of American law and order. Yet they took food stamps and any free aid they could get from the generosity of the American government. More money supported the compound’s jihad efforts from the Muslims of Peace fund, or directly from Ali Farouz.  And, there was money earned by the terrorists through black-market deals, gun running, theft, fraud, it ran the gamut. Ben was stunned at how much money was put into the hands of people who pretended to be peaceful but, in reality, hell bent on doing great harm.

Sahim's information came from major players on the ground in the war-torn countries.
Informants
. Ben was always cultivating them. Their main motivation was almost always revenge and the desire to annihilate their competition in the sick world in which they lived. King Sahim provided names, address, coordinates, and photographs of those living in the United States who had been to the training camps. Many of the people in Sahim's photographs matched those in the compound. Now Ben had something to go on. Dossiers were compiled.

Sahim's greatest fears had all come true. Savage violence was spreading through the Middle East from Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria, and now pouring into Iraq and Jordan. Iraq was falling to the Radical Islamic State once again. There were thirty-five splinter groups of Al Qaeda; Ben called them "fill-in-the-blank" terrorist groups. Afghanistan was crumbling, too. Mass beheadings and crucifixions were taking place in the two countries he had spent a decade trying to
democratize. Christians were being targeted for annihilation; the photographs were abhorrent. Innocent people were being murdered by the hundreds and dumped into mass graves. The footage was placed on YouTube and the terrorists laughed and bragged about their savage acts.

Meanwhile Ben's Dark Horse Guardians were doing massive amounts of recon on the members living in the compound and feeding
real-time data to him via the gaming website. Everything was coded and Ben was shocked by what he learned. Women and children had been murdered inside the compound. Local police dared not enter. The FBI was trying to infiltrate but to no avail. It was too risky and
politically unpalatable
. This made Ben sick to his stomach. What was happening to the United States? Political correctness, sensitivity training, these things prevented officers of the law from doing their jobs. But he knew it was a top-down order and sensed the frustration every time he spoke to an officer of the law or the men and women trying to secure the borders. The border patrol agents were frustrated.  They’d apprehend those entering illegally but when they turned them over to ICE, they were released with an order to appear in court.  And, of course, the court appearance never occurred.  The illegal people disappeared into the fabric of American life.  Many were criminals and terrorists.  When Ben spoke with the border agents or law men, their conversations always centered on the fact that the United States was being put into grave danger. Ben knew the orders were coming from those at the very top of the food chain. The attorney general and the president of the United States and those in his cabinet were undermining the very safety of the country they had sworn to defend. The knowledge of this served to increase his devotion to protect the United States of America from great harm.