Hard Case VII - Red Waves (John Harding Series Book 7) (28 page)

El Kabong followed, pouring bleach over the spilled intestines. The executions were indeed as horrific as the killings. The killers did not die either slowly or without pain. They writhed with Payaso keeping them upright while they were dosed with the bleach until each succumbed to stroke or heart failure. Clint and I observed their passing without feeling other than satisfaction we were able to save countless other innocent deaths. Lynn learned the killers had been ready to move their operations to another hunting zone in Los Angeles, starting the process over again. Lynn took over the ending comments.

“We will find you serial killers. When we do, we will make you pay for your crimes in spectacular fashion. To the families of the victims our heartfelt sympathy. We hope, in some small way, to have provided you all with the relief of knowing your loved ones’ killers were captured and dealt with as befitting their monstrous acts.”

That was a wrap. We bagged our victims for the freezer until going out on the Lora since the rest of our fleet, The Sea Wolf and Valkyrie, were at present with the minions overseas. Luckily Alexi had contacts where money could exchange hands for passage of two ships incorporating advanced weapons systems and a stealth helicopter gunship. Alexi put one million dollars of ours to work with the port authorities. In return we enjoyed a small army guarding the docking port from casual observers. Alexi’s tanker, The Roma, would stay in port with our ships until we came to collect them. We said our goodbyes to the Unholy Trio, promising more such actions in the future after our pirate mission.

“Call us if you need us before the Starlight too,” Nick said. “We’ll be glad to help in any way we can. I hope we’ll have some time before the voyage to listen to our dependents whine about one thing or another.”

Now that was funny and exactly what our people with family going along would be enduring until cruise time. No matter the luxuries or exotic locales, I knew Lora and Al would be tearing their hair out puzzling together lists of inanimate objects to take along on a ship that virtually had every entertainment any person could desire. There would be clothing, electronic devices, and every personal accouterment known to man.

“I hear you, brother. I can only commiserate because I’ll have my own obsessive companions torturing me for details no one could possibly know. It’s going to be an adventure like no other.”

“Amen to that.”

Jess and Dev drove them to the hangar for transport and dropped off Case and Lucas. Clint and I tidied up the place. Lynn observed and then went down to holding with me. We had already transferred Tito and Francois into the cell with Gordon. We moved a bunch of surviving Albanians into cells at the max capacity of five to make room for our others. We kept the recorders on to eavesdrop for anything of interest. Francois vouched for his remaining working crew but we couldn’t take anything for granted at this stage. Clint was working all the names and pictures into our database. I had my MP5 as did Lynn. We took the prisoners down ourselves for rearrangement. The Albanians moved without comment, knowing what was in store for them if we heard any complaints.

“We’ll be listening, kids,” Lynn warned them. “No talking. I’ll have the audio streaming through my iPad. If I hear anything, Crusader Crue will call the Cheese. Then we’ll be over in no time for a nice retraining session with every one of you. Am I clear?”

The Albanians shouted their understanding without hesitation. Francois’s crew hearing the fervent obedience from the other prisoners added their affirmatives. One of the women called out to Crue.

“We should be given a room separate from the men!”

Crue chuckled. “You two are in your own cell. What more do you want, a different building?”

“Yes,” the woman agreed. “That would be much more appropriate.”

“Let me put it to you this way so there won’t be any misunderstanding. Shut your pie-hole right now. If you don’t keep your mouth shut, I’ll put three Albanian volunteers in your cell with you. Any questions?”

The woman who had asked for separation from the men took one look at Crue and shook her head violently in the negative.

“Good. Nighty-night, kids. Remember. No carrying on or mama will punish.”

“That was a hell of a day, Crue. Do you think I should call Chardin and see if he can come over to the Warehouse tomorrow or not? We could keep it a Monster Squad meeting only.”

“Call him,” Lynn said. “I didn’t get a chance to meet Claude yet. You sliced his Achilles tendons, Cheese. Why the hell would he help us?”

“Assassins of that caliber are a strange breed. Denny told me a while back when he suggested recruiting Nick to help us again, that on the Boston gig he did stopping the Isis attack on Boston Harbor Nick took out a big name. He ran into Felix Moreau on an excursion into Salem. Nick got near him in disguise and planted a throwing knife to the hilt in his throat. The CIA Director told Nick it was a bad idea to go after Felix. The next thing Denny said Paul Gilbrech had on his desk was an after action report of how Moreau died along with a picture of Felix choking his last breath in blood.”

Lynn had stopped with mouth open surprise at the mention of Moreau’s name. “Damn. Does Clint know? Moreau killed a buddy of his.”

“Small world.” We resumed our trek to rejoin Clint.

“Clint said Felix Moreau was the most dangerous assassin alive. Clint couldn’t find the bastard or he would have been in dead second place.”

“I have no doubt. Clint will be happy to hear how Nick did him too.”

“I’ll be thrilled with that story myself. I’m glad we talked and jogged your memory. We’re all first class killers, but like Clint explained, assassins are conniving, sneaky bastards of a different breed just as you said.”

“They are indeed.”

Clint smiled as Lynn wrapped her arms around his neck from behind. “Hey baby, guess who died recently.”

Clint pushed aside the satellite laptop, taking Lynn into his lap. “By the look on your face I’m betting it’s someone special. You didn’t have to kill one of the prisoners, did you?”

“Nope. Felix Moreau went hunting Nick in Salem. He came up short.”

I watched Clint’s countenance slowly fade from amused interest to a grim questioning mask of deadly intent. “Are you certain, baby?”

I answered for Lynn. “It’s true, Clint. I got the word directly from Denny who heard it from Gilbrech. Nick sent the after action report complete with picture and DNA swab for confirmation.”

Clint’s right fist balled into white knuckled acceptance as he tapped it lightly on the table. “I owe Dead Boy big time. Moreau knew I was hunting him for killing Jake Tomey, a friend and mentor in the Company. He kept me alive with mission parameter logic I’ve never forgotten. I’m a combination of Lucas Blake and Jake Tomey. Fuckin’ Moreau killed Jake in Paris just because he recognized him as an operative. He didn’t even have a contract on him. I sliced a piece off Felix in Budapest two weeks later but he got away, heard he was being hunted, and went to ground. I moved into the mountains to lure him after he didn’t take the bait when I worked the FBI serial killing cases. Sam and Janie showed before Felix decided to come after me. They had word the Cartel was holding Lynn. I warned Lynn about Moreau. All you can do with an assassin is watch for likely sniper nests and places he can pop out firing on you.”

I grinned at Clint, sitting down across from the deadliest couple ever united. “Moreau noticed Nick watching him on a ferry to Salem. Moreau was on a contract. He shadowed Nick for a kill shot. Nick dressed as a drunken pirate walked past him with a wave and then planted a throwing knife to the hilt in Moreau’s throat.”

I received the appreciative sounds from two killers without peer, glad there would be one less world class assassin possibly appearing out of nowhere. “Apparently, CIA Director Gilbrech is quite taken with Nick. Word is they’re like brothers. Nick’s a writer so he gives Paul the dialogue when he does his after action report to get a laugh. His last words to Moreau after plugging him in the throat were something like this: ‘Hi there, Felix. Sorry about the method. It was a matter of professional courtesy. I see your putrid life is passing in front of those beady little eyes of yours, so I’ll be on my way. You’ll be grateful to know I’m going to collect a very respectable bounty on your ass. I’ll see you on the other side, partner. No hard feelings, buddy… just business. Nighty-night, buckaroo’.”

Oh man, Clint and Lynn enjoyed the hell out of my delivery of the story. I could tell Clint in particular was relieved. With a wife and son, it’s always bad when an assassin like Felix Moreau might insert himself from long range in your life. Moreau couldn’t have lasted two seconds in a face to face with either Clint or Lynn, but that’s not what a world class assassin does. Moreau might have shot Clint Jr. from a half mile away to throw Clint and Lynn into a maddened charge where he could have killed them both easily.

Clint looked me in the eye. “We have to keep Dead Boy on the pad, John. Killing Felix Moreau will elevate Dead Boy into the number one slot in the world. Assassins are a cranky bunch. They don’t like the people rated ahead of them. You can bet the story of Moreau’s passing is out there on the fringes because the body was found. It will be enhanced by speculation, most of which will be accurate. The fact Nick did Moreau close with a knife throw will be legend in coming months. Anyone coming for Dead Boy has to deal with me.”

“And me,” Lynn stated.

“And me,” I finished. “Let’s get the dependents and go have a drink to celebrate poor old Felix Moreau’s ending. I’ll bet Claude Chardin knows who Felix is.”

“Count on it,” Clint said. “Were you thinking of asking Claude to stop by the Warehouse?”

“Yep. I might as well feel him out on neutral ground with a drink in hand.”

“Agreed,” Clint said. “We need to toast Dead Boy. I’d wager Claude will be happy to hear of Moreau arriving at room temperature too. It might be good to save that as a nice surprise for him later in case he’s still a little testy about you slicing his Achilles tendons.”

“That’s not a worry. Lucas and Casey told him if anything happens to me, they’ll take Claude to the desert for his parting of the ways.”

Clint chuckled. “Neat, but what does that do for you.”

Damn it!

“I see in your eyes you haven’t been thinking clearly about our boy Claude,” Clint said. “If he looks raw in any way and you get him to meet with us we should kill him on the spot.”

“Clint’s right, Cheese.”

I shrugged. “I know. Claude and I had a good parting of the ways after the Dubai mission. He did his part. Maybe he can help with this. Like I told you: I gave him my word.”

Clint nodded his understanding. “Call him then. I’d like to meet him if he’s agreeable. Does three tomorrow afternoon sound okay to you?”

“That works for me. I’ll text Achmed and have him make sure the rest of the crew can make it. I’ll meet with Claude if he’s willing no matter what. I’m going home and see Lora and Al before it gets any later.”

“We’ll head out with you,” Lynn said. “I’m glad we’re taking Clint Jr. on the Starlight. I confess to getting separation anxiety when I’m away from him for very long. Are Lora and Al excited about going?”

“All but the pirate attack.”

“Hell… that’s just some real time entertainment.”

“I don’t think I can sell it like that, Crue. Al wants to go for sure. Lora may be getting a bit miffed during our hot times like now with all the Isis threats. She wants me to retire and go work the office with her every day.”

“The office connection did net us a serial killing ring,” Clint said.

“I admit I love the occasional bond skip,” Lynn added. “Monsters can’t limit themselves to a few common crooks though, Cheese.”

“I know. Good night. I’ll come over tomorrow and feed our guests. I’m even thinking of inviting Chardin over then to look over our holding cells.”

“Damn good idea, Cheese,” Lynn replied. “He hasn’t been out of the game that long.”

“I’ll give it a try.”

“Clint and I will make the morning meeting, Cheese. Count on it.”

“I will see you then. We need to confirm a few details anyway.”

“Bet on it,” Lynn stated.

* * *

“John?”

Claude’s voice sounded a plethora of memories shooting through my head. “Hi, Claude. I have something interesting, dangerous, and an item of national security all rolled into one. Your name came up during an interrogation as someone whose services were used by one of the players we have on the radar. Would you feel like getting together at our building?”

Claude chuckled. “It is good to hear from you, John. I thought perhaps we would never get together for another bit of business. Do you mean Pain Central?”

“That’s the one. I don’t want to speak of it over the phone. I have some guests I’d like to have you look over too. I was thinking maybe tomorrow morning at ten.”

“I will be there.”

“Thank you. How’s the family doing?”

“Very well, and you?”

“Can’t complain. I look forward to seeing you again, Claude. I think you might find this new enterprise both interesting and profitable.”

“It comes at a very good time. I am sure you are aware of college costs on a retirement nest egg. Would the pay for this be substantial?”