Hard Case VII - Red Waves (John Harding Series Book 7) (11 page)

“Yes! I have seen all the episodes. You are of course Lynn Montoya Dostiene who gets the Director credits. It all makes sense now. I love your series.”

Gus was driving into John’s Carmel Valley residence by the time Cala acknowledged Director Dostiene. Clint and I sometimes were called on to act as FBI agents taking charge of fugitives we set up for the ‘Hollywood Bounty Hunters’ to capture for an episode. We weren’t allowed by Director Dostiene to speak. I’m thinking of calling my agent.

* * *

Bibi screamed uncontrollably. She minutes ago watched Lynn instruct the ‘Unholy Trio’ in how to insert the acupuncture needles into Bibi’s heel. Once Lynn hooked the electrical current and heating attachments, Bibi cried out in horror. Then the horror started in earnest after a brief introduction of ‘Crusader Crue’ with the ‘Unholy Trio’, done I thought with excellent drama by El Kabong. Clint filmed while I enjoyed the eerie music light show in their special interrogation facility. Did I have any compassion for the female terrorist drone we stopped from executing an untold number of innocent people? Ah… no. I looked forward to possibly learning a name we could check further into regarding the Starlight assault.

Lynn shut down her information extractor after a minute in hell for Bibi. She lost consciousness. Lynn looked amazing as ‘Crusader Crue’. I could tell Clint enjoyed his wife’s performance and appearance more than in the past movie interludes by the concentration on his face. A couple of minutes after beginning a video, Clint would usually begin smiling while glancing around whatever scene we were in. Not today. I think the fact Clint and Lynn uncovered the plot in somewhat lucky circumstances bothered the couple. They proceeded now with thoroughness in hopes of depending on as little luck as possible. ‘Crusader Crue’ then began a slight teaching moment with the ‘Unholy Trio’ mugging for the camera with serious intent, hanging on Lynn’s every word. Lynn worked in all aspects of extremely violent humor and insult entwined with the Unholy Trio’s past movies.

Nick rigged Lynn’s voice altering device to give her a pleasant female authority sound much like Apple uses as the voice of Siri. Lynn played it for all it was worth, enjoying the weird ‘Siri’ sounding voice as she did her teaching and interrogating. Muerto, Payaso, and El Kabong stifled amusement each time Lynn would pause to use the ‘Siri’ lilt in asking a question or relaying a point of interest. Bibi began groaning into consciousness, her eyes blinking and mouth moving.

“Hello. How may I help you remember today,” Lynn asked in comical ‘Siri’ voice causing unintentional humor amongst her ‘Unholy Trio’ students.

Bibi began to wail again with typical Lynn reaction when faced with a resistant information source. Lynn smacked Bibi across the face, shutting off her sound in abrupt manner. She then leaned down in helpful ‘Siri’ voice. “What? I’m sorry. I didn’t understand the question. Repeat everything you know about the Starlight of the Seas, even if it’s rumor, or I will be forced to plug you into our memory enhancer.”

I saw recognition flash in Bibi’s eyes. I know Lynn did too. Luckily for Bibi, she launched into her verbal task with terrified enthusiasm. “Please… you must believe me. We were told to strike the Fisherman’s Wharf walkway and kill as many people as possible to reach the boat at the end of the Wharf. We were to draw all attention to the country’s defenses with all intelligence agencies pressured to turn their resources inward to face unknown threats. I…I heard rumors our actions were to shield a huge operation on the ocean in the Gulf of Oman.”

When Bibi stopped speaking, Lynn leaned in close once again. “I’m sorry. Did you not understand the question?”

“No! Wait! I know the attack will come from the new port of Chabahar! I do not know… what their target is or who is involved! Gilani knows. He betrayed us! I would tell you more if I knew. Please stop… I have nothing more I can tell you. Emir and I were given asylum as refugees with the Salinas mosque’s assurances. Once here, we trained in Washington State, but…but narrowly escaped with our lives when it was destroyed. We were sent to gather supplies. When we returned, the training compound had been wiped out. We then fled down here to the Salinas mosque where our contact Gilani told us we would be safe.”

“Somewhat informative,” Crusader Crue stated, turning to Nick. “Shall we unhook our little birdie for now, Muerto? We can return to her if the next contestant in our terrorist ‘Truth or Consequences’ game adds more insights for us to question Bibi about.”

“I believe that to be the way to proceed,” Nick answered. “Thank you, Crusader Crue, for staying with us a bit longer.”

“It is always a pleasure to assist fellow patriots such as the ‘Unholy Trio’. Payaso… please escort our next terrorist in while El Muerto and El Kabong roll our lovely Bibi away for the time being.”

I rolled the gagged and petrified Gordon Gilani into position off camera to be handled by Gus. Gordon was already in intense pain from my rather barbaric questioning before. I should have stuck to my strengths and left the questioning to Lynn. Lesson learned. Gordy appeared ready to explain anything we wanted to know. I took charge of the sobbing Bibi when she was rolled into my care from Muerto and Kabong. Payaso assumed control of Gilani, positioning him where Bibi had been with help from his other cartoon cohorts. They were definitely not as cartoonish in their horror lab.

Lynn tore away Gilani’s gag. I could tell she saw that Gilani was ready to pop. Foregoing the hookup for the time being, Crusader Crue bent close to her next informational toy. “Hello. How may I assist you in remembering all of your insidious maneuverings and plots? Please remember the screams you have heard from your cohort and the fact she has explained a goodly number of details for us. One in particular involves you knowing more about the planned assault on the Starlight of the Seas. We want to know more about everything, but in particular, we’re interested in this plot to take over the Starlight in the Gulf of Oman.”

“I received word from overseas I needed to cause so much chaos on the West Coast, my actions would draw law enforcement agencies’ full attention here. My contacts told me our losses in the North Bay, Washington, Ohio, and Boston had lost backing we gained over the last year. These… Unholy Trio movies and Isis compound assault videos by what was thought to be rogue vigilantes hurt our prestige overseas.”

Gilani hesitated for a moment only to get control of his hand pain which I’m sure was excruciating. His pain filled features concentrated on Crusader Crue finally as she gave him time, sensing he would reveal much more. “We… never suspected a concerted effort. You are all working together in this. We are lost if your forces allow these actions outside the law.”

Lynn patted his face. “So sweet. Let it go Gordy or I get nasty real quick.”

“Two names I know only because of men they sent to me who were killed in Washington. One is Joram Mannan and his cohort is Ali Khan. I do not know if these are made up names or not. They work in the port city of Chabahar. Iran allows anything they do there as long as tribute is paid and nothing can be traced to authorities in Iran. I am lost. Please kill me! I know this will all be shown on the accursed YouTube. Everyone I recruited or worked with here is now dead.”

“We have one more contestant, honey,” Lynn said. “You did so well, I’ll give you a shot for your hand until we can confirm a few details with Emir. Once you get feeling a bit better, I want everything you can tell us about the Port of Chabahar. You have been there I’ll bet.”

Gilani’s eyes brightened at the thought of ending the pain. “Yes! There is a part of the port facility used significantly by Mannan and Khan. I was only through there once but I remember much. I had to make my way there from Bandar Abbas. I can point out everything I learned. There were two safe houses in Bandar Abbas for Isil and Muslim Brotherhood recruits. This assault on the cruise ship involves the Boko Haram gangsters too. They want better access to backing for their pirating enterprises. They are a combination of Somali and Nigerian warlords entering into an agreement with Isis and the Muslim Brotherhood. The Iranians brought a contingent of Boko Haram recruits to join with their imported Somali pirates. They believe these groups will give them cover. There are secret alliances involving Isil with strong threads in Syria and Iran.”

“You impressed Crusader Crue, Gordy, but one more mention of Isil and I get my friend ‘The Dark Lord’ to join us for a hand massage. You don’t want that.”

Gilani began sobbing. “No…no… please… I will call them anything you like. I am a dead man. I only want an end to the pain. I… I can help you much more with what I remember on a map.”

Lynn sighed with her arms folded across her chest. “Okay, Gordy. You’ve convinced me we only had a slight misunderstanding. Please take our good little helper Gordy over to the waiting area, Payaso. My assistant, the Nowhere Man, has a shot of bliss for Gordy so he can continue to help without the pain from his Dark Lord mangled hand.”

We did the exchange much as before, except I rolled Gilani over to our ‘waiting area’ myself. I didn’t want him getting any illusions about what his cooperation was buying. Clint gave me a syringe of Novacaine for localized pain. Payaso took the strapped down Emir Bitar into movie scene position, already openly crying in anticipation after being with the chastised Bibi in our ‘waiting area’. I grinned at Gilani.

“Not many fool Crusader Crue. If you make one mistake we find out about, I will rip off every appendage on your frame one by one. I hope you’ll keep that in mind while you’re lying here pain free for a short time, Gordy.”

Gilani couldn’t maintain even terrified eye contact. He looked away, eyes tightly closed. “I understand completely. I will help with everything. I will hold nothing back. All I want is to be pain free and then die. I am done.”

I gave him the full syringe in his damaged hand. The absence of pain was so intense he passed out in relief. I left him, turning only to find Denny waiting to whisper sweet nothings in my ear. He was wasting his time. One look at my face and all goofball, larger picture pleas so he could keep Gilani fled his countenance. He gave it a try anyway.

“He could join my underground rendition group in Egypt, John. I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think he could be incredibly valuable.”

“Gordy planned to unleash hell on an untold number of civilians. The only thing he earns by cooperation right now is a quick death. I’m not even convinced he shouldn’t go through a complete ‘Crusader Crue’ no matter what. Listen closely, Denny. The only way Gordy exits this horror lab is in one of Cleaner Cala’s body bags.”

Denny understood no fly zones when faced with them. “Understood, John. This collaboration has been a God send though. The hotspot at the Port of Chabahar raises a lot of red flags. India helped with financing the port. They understand their position with Iran will always be tenuous at best. Even our liberal idiots in the state department warned India about entering into anything with Iran, but they wouldn’t listen.”

I grabbed his shoulder in a death grip. “This is just between Marines. What would you say about an assault on a sovereign nation’s port, wiping out all aspects of this Ali Baba and his forty thieves?”

I’d never seen Denny show white-faced shock. He did so now. “Holy God in heaven, John! Don’t even joke like that.”

“I’m not joking. I’ve had enough Isil, Isis, Muslim this and that bullshit to last me through eternity. I say we attack the port part Gordy reveals as an Isis launch dock for pirates and infiltrators. I bet we could wipe the bastards out before they could even react. What we would need is protection once we get out of port so we can disappear in the chaos of war.”

“You’ve seen how our government protected our military in the past. Everyone in the country knows Iran captured those two Navy boats a while back in international waters. We had assets in the area to wipe out any move Iran made on the boats. We didn’t. You guys wouldn’t look good kneeling with your hands clasped behind your heads.”

“Naturally I’ll speak with my crew about this. We both know there would not be a surrender ceremony. There would however be a lot of dead Iranians. All I’m saying is we’ll have the CIA Director with the fleet while we stop the assault on Starlight. In addition, we’ve mounted the MK 46 turret with 40mm cased telescoped ammunition on board the Valkyrie. I’ll tell Nick about that surprise after they finish the movie. We have enough firepower to take on Iran by ourselves. If we hit these assholes hard and disappear, they can point fingers, but what the hell can they do? I believe Mr. Gilbrech would launch support craft if we asked him.”

I could tell for the first time in a long while I rocked Denny’s world. He stared at me for a disconcerting length of time as if he expected me to take it all back. Instead, I smiled as if waiting patiently for his answer.

“Fine, Dark Lord,” Denny replied finally. “Present it after the movie. If everyone else wants a piece of your action, I’ll take it to the Director. No matter what he says, this will end up being a rogue operation. It’s an act of war.”

“So was capturing our Navy vessels and supporting terrorism all over the globe.”

“Let’s see how well our friends like this Dark Lord caper. Maybe they have some common sense left.”

“You mean like assaulting an armada of pirate ships in the Gulf of Oman in a black op?”

“Thanks for that, Dark Lord.”

“You’re welcome, Spawn.”

Chapter Five

Volunteers

Emir added nothing to knowledge already gained from Bibi and Gilani. Gordy recited everything for us we asked. We decided to take Gilani with us for the time being for confirmation of everything he explained on and off the map we provided. Emir did get proper foot treatment before the two terrorist shooters were knelt down while El Kabong and guest torturer/executioner Crusader Crue slit their throats. The ending, agreed upon before the ‘Truth or Consequences’ show began, finalized the video with another footnote illustrating the existence of Americans fully capable of murderous actions against our enemies. El Muerto added this final note for the video which would not be aired until our operation in support of the Starlight of the Seas ended.