Hard Case VII - Red Waves (John Harding Series Book 7) (19 page)

“I’ll see you at nine-thirty.”

“Until then.” Crue disconnected.

“I can tell by your face this morning is all business,” Lora said. “We thought after the China Basin near disaster life as we know it would calm down.”

Me too, babe. “We missed a thread going back East we shouldn’t have. Another problem even Al understands is we’re at war and our government doesn’t seem to know it. If we would fight this enemy in all-out war and take the fight to them full bore, we’d probably be back doing skip traces and vacationing half the week. Our leaders think importing potential terrorists will help soothe the Middle East rabid dog. It won’t happen. They have not assimilated to a host country’s culture ever in their migrant history. They simply do not assimilate. They bring their cave dwelling Sharia Law crap with them and try to force it down our throats. I’m hoping at some point in the near future our government will allow us to win.”

“Amara’s Dad was going to kill her for leaving Islam and an arranged marriage,” Al said. “They kill their own family. Samira’s Father has to live on a military base in exile because he fights to change things. Samira gets death threats because she speaks out in defense of women under Islam. They attack innocent people all over the world. They’re nuts!”

“This has gone on so long because we don’t want to hurt innocents,” Lora replied. “Unfortunately, our enemies exploit our compassion and laugh at us while they do it. I don’t know what the answer can be besides win at all costs. The Islamist hordes like Isis will eventually destroy us from within.”

I stood. “Finish your breakfasts. I’m meeting Lynn before the others get to Pain Central and brief her on our guests we’re holding there. Because of what I do we can’t pretend here at home as much as we used to. I wish there were another way, but it will take a complete change in governmental mindset of appeasement. Even China Basin’s near apocalyptic ending only opened a few inroads into prevention.”

I kissed and hugged both my innocent travelers on the terrorist warpath with me. They couldn’t pretend like our other citizens. Lora and Al knew and loved the monsters fighting with the world’s enemy. We monsters were about to take a few steps today on offense.

* * *

Lynn gestured for me to unhook Stumpy. He didn’t do so well on his reeducation process. His buddy Tic-Tac survived our fact finding mission but Stumpy’s mind and then heart gave out. “What do you think, Cheese?”

“They both gave us the same name as to who really led them. I’m certain he’s waiting impatiently for you to ask him some questions. Piping your interrogation into the holding area was a fabulous idea we should have been doing in the past.”

“That’s my bad,” Lynn replied while unstrapping the soon to be room temperature Stumpy. “I overlooked a tool in the drawer my minions and I could have exploited even more effectively than our iPad videos. I’ll bet Mr. Valon Dusku down in holding can barely contain his excitement at being outed finally to get his just due here at Pain Central.”

Clint and I exchanged amused glances as Lynn spoke louder for I’m sure Dusku’s horrified benefit. Clint brought over the body bag he had retrieved from storage. He and I shuffled the retired Stumpy into it for storage until we sailed on the Sea Wolf. By the end of today there would probably be some folks joining him on his final voyage. We slid him off the gurney and onto the floor where our next contestant, Mr. Dusku could see him while being strapped in for his game show appearance on ‘Terrorist Truth or Consequences’.

When we arrived in holding, our cell occupants began protestations of everything under the sun. I must admit it was fun. They knew what would happen to any of us if captured spying and plotting to destroy them in their own lands. Yet here they were demanding rights under world law, American law, the Geneva convention, the Boy Scout oath, and the Protocols of the Little Sisters of the Poor. We nodded our heads, laughing and smiling in commiseration with our unfortunate guests. We had bunked Tic-Tac in with Blondie. They groaned together but neither was in good enough shape to worry about rights. Blondie eyed his bunkmate, the slobbering incoherent Tic-Tac with horror, wondering I’m sure what the hell made him scream like he did.

When Lynn signaled an end to the entertainment, we went into Mr. Dusku’s cell. He and his cellmate knew what was in store for them so they launched on us after docilely awaiting our attention. Lynn zapped the crap out of them with her stun-gun nightstick which she didn't show until it was time to use it. I then plucked the chastised Valon off the cell floor while Clint kicked his cellmate out of the way.

“Oh Val, I’m so disappointed in you,” Lynn told him as we escorted him out of the holding area. “After everything you heard over our great speaker system there you were waiting with your buddy to attack us. You should have been rehearsing all the wonderful facts you needed to share with us about your new Albanian/Isis plots. We might have sat you down at our conference table for a polite conversation complete with coffee and donuts. You could have explained everything regarding this dastardly collaboration that keeps popping up on our radar.”

“Yes! I…I can do that!” Valon almost seemed fervently ready to help… almost.

Crusader Crue knew better. “Ahhhh… so sweet. Unfortunately the coffee and donut time will have to wait for a different lifetime. We’re going to give you a taste of hell you will never forget, at least while you live. We have a lot of work to do after I get you in the helping mood, complete with fact checkers, databases, satellites, and moonbeams. It will be so exciting!”

Dusku showed survival mode intelligence. He made a run for it with his hands restrained behind him. I imagine Val hoped to run off a roof or maybe dive into a bottomless tide pool. None of that happened though. I simply grabbed him by the scruff of the neck. When he felt the pressure increasing on his neck, Val ceased his doomed bid. We didn’t really punish him or anything. Each of us knew we would have done the same thing. Clint already had done something similar but with better luck. When he killed free of his captors, he went native until able to contact Laredo, who landed his old Huey in a hot LZ where me, Lucas, and Casey killed things until we pulled Clint on board. If only we’d had ‘The Ride of the Valkyries’ that day. Between Lucas with the M107 sniper rifle, Casey working the .50 caliber machine gun, and me firing rocket propelled grenades, we would have had our own ‘Apocalypse Now’ for posterity. To say we pacified the area to the point it would have been an international incident if we’d been caught would be an understatement.

Clint patted my shoulder. “You’re thinking about when I broke out of the Yucatan.”

Damn mind-reader. “Perez and his bunch were careless. Once you gave us an LZ you could get to, it was murder and mayhem. I liked your chances then. I don’t like Val’s but neither does he.”

“I was shocked when Perez didn’t eat it that day you guys picked me up. I don’t know how many dead we left behind at that LZ, but it would have taken a miracle to get clear.” Clint paused and then laughed. “You were thinking about ‘The Ride of the Valkyries’, dreaming what it would have been like in the Yucatan, steaming down on those banditos in Laredo’s old Huey.”

“Guilty.”

“We’ll make new memories, boys,” Lynn chimed in while listening to us. “We have a pirate lovefest ahead. Once we draw all these pieces of the puzzle together we’ll be maintaining our one step ahead policy. Wiping out the Sopa family is on the horizon before the lovefest. I think we’ll bring a big helper of ours in to see you before we get started, Val.”

Val didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t run. He couldn’t hide. He blew his chance to be extremely cooperative pain free. All he could hope for was to endure until he could buy a quick death or incarceration with what he knew. We strapped him on the gurney in Cruella Deville’s Podiatry Clinic where pain was indeed the name of the game. He stared at the body bag as planned.

“That’s your buddy we called Stumpy,” I informed him. “He was very helpful in corroborating some facts for us. Stumpy’s heart gave out though. We have enough from him and his pal Tic-Tac to keep you focused.”

Clint guided Gordon Gilani into the room. We didn’t want Val to have any false hopes. The moment Val saw Gilani he was done. His last hope and dream shattered into a million shards of nothingness. Gilani raised his head, staring at Val without comment. He knew better than to speak before being asked something.

“Do you know our new helper, Gordy?” Lynn put an arm around the cringing Gilani.

“Yes, Mistress. His name is Valon Dusku. He is part of an Albanian gang in New York. He and whomever he is with will have only fake identification. If he is here on the West Coast, it means Victor Sopa is involved. Victor’s brother was killed in a mission here on the West Coast which ended near the time the Isis underground complex in Washington State was destroyed. I know I will be punished but… they have only moved into the area here in the North recently. My chaotic mission in the Salinas area was the only thing on my mind along with recruitment. Sopa’s people I imagine were doing the same thing here, causing all of your agencies to concentrate on a homeland type major assault. I was to be contacted by them, but that had not happened yet.”

“I am a bit disappointed you left out knowing a Sopa squad of Albanians were making a play here in our area,” Crue said. “You’ve cinched a few threads for us though so maybe I’ll let you off with a stern warning. Keep thinking about details you may have forgotten, Gordy. I’d like you to say a few words of encouragement to Val.”

Gilani’s countenance brightened like a puppy given a piece of steak at the mention he might not be punished for his omissions. “Of course, Mistress! I will be glad to speak to him.”

“That’s what I like to hear, Gordy.” Lynn guided him over next to the shaking Val.

“Tell Crusader Crue everything, Valon! No matter what you think you can endure, she will make you tell all. If you can feel pain, nothing can keep you from answering everything truthfully. If you are caught in a lie, it will mean pain beyond belief over and over until you convince her of the truth. Tell all! We have been lied to by our masters. We were told no law enforcement agency could torture us! Do not call for lawyers and rights. They will laugh and tear pieces of you off.”

Gilani showed Dusku his hand. “Tell all!”

Lynn patted Gilani reassuringly. “That was very touching, Gordy. Clint will take you back to your cell. I’ll be calling on you once I finish my questioning.”

Gordy bowed his head. “Of course, Mistress. I will think hard on this. I am at your service for as long as you want me to be.”

I didn’t blame him. I’m not getting taken by anyone. Crue is not the only interrogator out there, but she is the best. We all like to think we wouldn’t betray our country, our friends, or our allies under torture, but the truth of the matter is it’s best not to find out. I have a high tolerance for pain and I’d probably still put a bullet in my own head rather than be taken by Crue.

“I could see in your eyes hope has left the building,” Crue told Dusku. “He gave you good advice. I’ll show you door number two right now for a short ten minute demo. It will seem like eternity to you. I’m certain after Gordy’s stirring words and your introduction to my podiatry clinic, you will be my good little helper forever.”

Val was already convinced. His pleas did not sway Crue. She knows how forgetful her helpers get. The demonstration installs a memory of pain so intense all thought other than what it takes to stop the pain remains: the truth. Such was the case here. Val confirmed everything garnered for information from his buddies. He added only his knowledge that Sopa’s Mafia was still dealing with Isis, The Muslim Brotherhood, and the nation of Iran’s fomenting of piracy from the port of Chabahar. The murderous alliance would also include the Boko Haram boys Iran was importing. Once Crue finished with Val, he belonged to her. We decided not to risk any more injuries to our guests since we were handing them over to the FBI and Homeland Security. I was against that plan now.

* * *

The meeting with everyone going on the Starlight mission started with my objections to our two new arrivals, FBI Agents Sam Reeves and Janie Labrie. They knew the score with us. We helped each other when we could. I trusted them but only as far as matters in their direct control. I made the weakness in our collaboration plain to them without rancor.

“Transporting this Albanian infestation back where they came from with the label terrorist scum tattooed on their foreheads would be nice. It still wouldn’t address the weakness I see in this. We’re working toward a pirate assault intervention we briefed you two on. What guarantee would we have these guys won’t be allowed to leak what we’re doing to someone before we get out to sea? They don’t know what we’re going to do but they sure as hell know we’ve discovered the Starlight plot. We’d love to hand them over. I thought they were simply gangsters. We’ll have our asses in a sling overseas if the enemy is tipped off.”

“Cheese is right,” Lynn agreed. “We can’t hold them here. We’ll be over in the pirate zone. Maybe we shouldn’t have bothered you two with this. The only safe thing to do would be a short cruise on the Wolf.”

Sam took a deep breath. “I think I’ve been around you bunch too long. After everything your crew has stopped recently I find it hard to care what the hell you do with these bastards. Lynn always finds out you have the guilty parties. They’re terrorist saboteurs. It used to be the punishment was death without trial.”

“Welcome to the dark side,” Clint said. “Our milk of human kindness soured already. I don’t want us over facing an enemy without the element of surprise we have now, especially if we hit their nest.”