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

I could tell Nick thought about his own family while contemplating my words. I knew he’d taken on Rachel and Jean with cold intentions. They broke through the cold blooded killer veneer as Lora and Al had done with me. There was no turning back. We now followed instinct as Clint did in the present with Lynn. We heard the muted sounds of Clint’s silenced Colt .45 either finishing off or murdering new targets.

“I’m glad we have our main reference in your El Kabong’s grip,” Denny muttered to Nick. “The chances Clint and Lynn leave anyone to question for even a moment are slim and none.”

“Forget it,” Nick replied. “I didn’t know if we could walk out with Gilani. I know your background, Denny. This is a kill mission. If you hadn’t contacted Paul I would have burned this damn place to the ground with the congregation inside or not. Paul and I are at war. Maybe now is the time for you to tell me whether we’ll be at war on the high seas or seeking amicable solutions with murderous psychotics. If you needed a team to help you hold hands with the pirates from the sand you came to the wrong place. Clint and Lynn are golden with me. I’m not leaving this place unless everyone is dead except for Gilani.”

Nick moved over face mask to face mask with Denny. “You wouldn’t be hinting Gilani lives after he tells us everything he knows, are you?”

To his credit, Denny didn’t wilt like a two week old rose without water. He shook his head. “I don’t scare, Nick. Yeah… I may have had a few other plans for Gilani. I think we should discuss it at least.”

“No… we won’t, Den,” I told him. Nick’s outlook was mine too. “Gilani dies the moment he explains every single detail of his actions. If he leaves something out after Lynn gets through with him it will be dealt with later. The Director’s parameters give us exactly the outcome we’d hoped for. Don’t adlib. This lesson must be taught posthumously… period.”

Denny chuckled while thumbing toward the Clint/Lynn massacre. “Like I could prevent that from happening. We can use all this as incentive for Gilani. He may get the idea we’re dealing for information and he can buy his life in place of a quick death.”

“Let’s go with that,” Nick said. “I love this outcome so far. Let’s bleed Gilani and get the hell out of here. Anyone want a nightcap at Nick’s place? We can discuss Gilani’s forthcoming revelation containing hoped for Starlight Info. I’m sure if he has any, he’ll be more than happy to tell us all about it.”

“Small doubt about that,” Denny replied. “C’mon. Let’s see what we have here. This armory is impressive. We’ll need to strip it of a few deadly items that may come in handy. I bet we find a box full of your favorite grenades, Nick.”

“Heh…heh… oh… you so funny,” Nick replied. “They’re very stable too. I’m betting I could tie your hands, adjust the function monitors, and blow you to kingdom come one area at a time.”

“We should get back to the business of why we’re here,” Denny replied, trying to look inscrutable and failing.

“Okay, we still should go back to my place and make plans according to whatever new info we can garner from Gilani. We’ll strip the place of any electronic devices owned by dead people. Clint and Lynn can garner new prospects with the comedy and drama we put out worldwide on YouTube. We will of course have to stop the attack on Starlight at all costs. Kabong can show Lynn our underground freezer and interrogation facility while we garner our information assets. She will have an uninterrupted venue to pursue any course she feels necessary with Gilani.”

I enjoyed Nick’s breakdown formula. I wanted to see this interrogation place myself. We were done here. Like Denny said, it was time to pick out some choice items and head for the Carmel Valley with Gilani. No need to make more of this than necessary. Nick had other ideas he felt were deal breakers.

Nick waited until the bloody Lynn joined us with deadeye Clint. “The Unholy Trio will handle this wrap-up. I know you’ve been doing films professionally lately, Lynn. Would you direct an ‘Unholy Trio’ episode with dead bodies piled high in this armory, and piles of weapons on display upon the grounds of the religion of peace’s blasphemy mosque as background? I’m going to bring my partner Payaso and El Kabong down here in full uniform once we clear the air of tear gas. We’ll make a movie that will shed no light on knowing about the Starlight. It will seem as if my cartoons went on a vengeance killing spree inside a mosque enabling and arming terrorists. If anything it will light a fire under the sand ants to hit their Starlight target for certain.”

“Damn, Nick,” Denny exclaimed, “that’s hell-a-good. A movie like that would provide a rallying point, scare the crap out of most local enablers throughout the US, and give us possible future leads when the Isis network goes nuts over the video. What do you think, Cheese?”

“I think from seeing Lynn’s face she loves the idea already. Let’s pile the bodies down here along with all the weapons. It will be some work, but worth it. We’ll get out of the cellar, turn on the ventilation fans full bore. We can throw bodies down here in an assembly line.”

“Good Lord, this will be so good, the Isis pussies will cut their own throats when they see my movie,” Lynn stated with passion. “Get off my set and get to work. I’ll keep Nowhere Man to pile weapons. Are you still here, Cheese? Get moving.”

What was there to say? “Yes, Director Dostiene.”

* * *

I watched Lynn do professional takes with Denny working our HD camera, placing the Unholy Trio in different poses with accompanying dialogue. I could tell two things: the movie would be remarkable, and it would make Isis heads explode. No reference to Starlight or Gilani was mentioned. Lynn added a segment where El Kabong explained the blasphemy of using the mosque as a halfway house for terrorists and a storage facility created to arm the invaders. By the time we reached Carmel Valley with Gilani, Lynn had already edited a first draft of the video for YouTube. After seeing it, I wanted to get costumes and names for my crew to do video cartoons. Then I decided my crew would get me a yellow banana or cheeseburger costume instead of something cool like the Dark Lord. I kept quiet about copying Nick’s invention but I could tell it was plugged into Lynn’s head.

“This is wonderful, Director Dostiene!” Yeah, El Kabong loved his starring role in the video. “Muerto has never directed such a masterpiece! This will wreak havoc amidst the Isis and other Islamist groups. Any plot in planning they have as high profile as the Starlight of the Seas attack will surely be considered seriously now.”

“Gee, thanks for throwing me under the bus, Kabong,” Nick said.

“Kabong’s right, Muerto,” Gus added, piling on immediately. “This is what a competent director can do instead of those herky-jerky amateurish clips you’ve created.”

“You stay out of this, Payaso,” Nick ordered. “One more word out of you and I reduce you in rank below Cleaner Cala.”

We did appreciate the banter amongst our ‘Unholy Trio’ cohorts. I could tell Lynn was pleased with Kabong’s compliments. Cleaner Cala elbowed her husband though, delivering an ace to Gus’s Payaso character.

“I did not know we have rankings. How is it I am ranked lower than Payaso. His superpower is whining and debasing himself to avoid being punished by his wife: T-Rex Tina. I at least have a legitimate and important duty.”

To his credit after the stunned acceptance of Cala’s critique, Payaso laughed the hardest. Lynn made a few final touches and readied the movie for uploading to YouTube once Denny’s cleaning crew finished. Nick had torn the masjid sign down so it would be front and center during the movie scenes. All in all, it was an incredible statement, sure to raise eyebrows throughout the world, and possibly convincing others to take a lot closer look at the mosques. Anyone who ever served in the sand knows the bastards used the mosques as enemy sanctuaries and armories. That we would simply ignore the threat on our own soil was stupid beyond words. I learned a great deal about Nick’s way of doing things. His partners would do anything for him, but ragged him unconsciously and unmercifully with no regard for his origins.

“May I speak?” Gilani decided now was the time to speak during his short term time without a gag. “I can help you stop the next attack on the Wharf! We can come to an arrangement. I will help you stop the next couple due to kill people tonight. Let me go. I see you are serious. You have broken many American laws treating me like this.”

Lynn scowled at Gordon with her Gorgon face. “What the hell makes you think we care? I plan to torture the shit out of you for about thirty seconds. After that, when I slap your face until you quit sobbing like a girl scout, you’ll tell us everything you know. For now, you have my interest. Tell us about the Wharf plot. Maybe I’ll let you slide on the thirty seconds of torture.”

“What? Am I not under arrest? I wish to speak with legal counsel.”

Lynn slapped my shoulder. “Did you hear that, Cheese? Where the hell’s this guy’s lawyer? Oh wait… here’s the guy you need to talk to.”

Lynn gripped Nick’s ear, tugging him toward Gilani. Nick was already snorting laughter while trying to suppress it. Lynn’s ear grip only made it tougher for him to remain solemn. “Easy, Lynn. Sorry… I didn’t hear the question at first.”

Nick straightened his clothing, brushed off specks of lint, and knelt in front of Gilani. “Nick McCarty at your service, Sir. I’m your legal counsel. Please tell these people about this insidious plot to kill people again at Fisherman’s Wharf.”

Gilani stared at him with a look between confusion and disbelief. “You are no lawyer! Get away from me. I will say nothing without a written pardon.”

Nick shook his head with woeful sincerity. “I’m afraid I’ll have to insist that you tell us right now about this Wharf action. Cheese… please break this asshole’s fingers one at a time until he tells us. We’ll have to go old school for this initial interrogation.”

“Certainly.” I reached behind Gilani, broke, and ripped his right hand’s pinky finger off. I showed it to him while he screamed bloody murder. He passed out.

“Oh my, Cheese… that was lovely.” Lynn splashed some bottled water in Gilani’s face, slapping him in between splashes. He drifted into consciousness screaming in hesitant spurts.

I waved his little finger in front of his face. “If you don’t want me to rip the next one off you’d best start talking, Gordon.”

“I…I’ll talk! Take me to the police station! There is time before it will happen. I will cooperate. You cannot-”

I reached behind him, broke, and ripped off the next finger on his right hand. It was a little tougher because his hand was a slippery, bloody mess. I managed. He passed out again before I could show it to him. Lynn sighed and brought him around again.

“You badass terrorists are not all you’re cracked up to be. Show him his finger Cheese. If you pass out on me again, Betty, I’m going to stun-gun your balls until you wake up.”

I showed him his ring finger. “We’re going to stop your playmates from going on a killing spree. You’re going to tell us when and who or I’ll keep ripping fingers off. The next one I’m going to make you eat, so think carefully about what you say next.”

Gilani began crying. Lynn bitch slapped him. “Best get to talkin’ Betty or you’ll be getting a meal you won’t like.”

“No! I will tell you! Emir… Emir Bitar and Bibi Touma – they are at the Stage Coach Lodge on Tenth Street!”

“I know the place,” Gus called back over his shoulder as he drove our van. Denny sat next to him. The rest of us were in the spacious back of our action van. “Do you want to head there now?”

“Will those two be at the Lodge,” Nick asked Gilani.

Gilani rattled off the names the two were staying under along with the room number immediately. “Yes! They are to stay there until 3 pm when they are to proceed to Fisherman’s Wharf to try and complete their mission. Please… give me something… for the pain… please.”

I put a sleeper hold on him. He passed out a moment later. I took our medical kit down and did a patch job over his bleeding hand. “These bastards here are getting as desperate as they are up in our neck of the woods. Two shooting sprees in as many days.”

“We thought Muerto’s killing of those two yesterday would chill the rest until we could get a handle on the mosque. Such is not the case,” John said.

“I’m thinking these are decoy missions to draw attention along with terrorize the citizenry,” Denny said. “Did the couple hitting the Wharf yesterday appear to be on a suicide mission, Nick?”

“No, they didn’t. I believe they thought to kill all down the main walkway, strip off their outer clothing, and join the crowds in hiding. There are numerous places along the back of the shops where they could have pulled off a stunt like that. Hell, I popped their heads like watermelons and got away without a… shit! The driver Gus spotted was only for dropping the shooters off. They probably had the same escape as I set up with John. He drove our boat alongside the pier supporting the building I nested at to kill the shooters. I threw my gear down and we were gone before anyone knew what was happening. I blew it!”

“Payaso and I did not think of it either, Muerto,” John replied.

I knew where Nick was going with his self-flagellation. “You think they had a boatman ready to whisk your terrorist couple away.”

John nodded. “Yes, Cheese. The couple could have had a boat waiting behind the restaurant at the end of the walkway, hopped aboard, and been gone before any police or SWAT team could have arrived to stop them.”