“Sure thing,” Jagan replied. He picked up the case and made his way back to the hotel. Mindful of what Sass had told him, he checked the large item into the front desk for safe keeping. He was so curious to see what was inside.
Chapter 29
Scarlet held her cell phone in her hand as she paced. “I need to call you an ambulance or take you to the hospital, but if I do something bad may happen,” she said. “I’m in a wicked catch-22. I want to call your boss, but I know that’s not what I’m supposed to do, but what other choice do I have?”
“No, you can’t do that,” Indigo tried to sit up but he was too weak. “Once my squad leader finds out I’m sick, my career is over. There has to be another way.”
“I could call around and see if any of my friends know a doctor. Wait, what about a vet?”
“You mean like an animal doctor? What the hell good is that going to do? Isn’t it bad enough you already doped me with doggie pills? Why don’t you just put me on a leash and ask me to go tinkies and poo-poos. I’m not a dog for fuck’s sake.” Indigo hated swearing at her but the pain in his side was turning him into someone else. He felt like the Tweety Bird when he drank that potion on Hyde and Go Tweet.
“The dogs,” Scarlet whispered turning her direction towards the door. “Did they get out?”
“I can’t believe you’re worried about them at a time like this,” Indigo stated.
“Haven’t you noticed how quiet it’s been? If you didn’t let them out and I didn’t let them out, then who did? I better go check,” she said as she left the room.
Indigo wanted to go with her, but he knew he was too frail to move. Now he knew how his friends felt that came back injured from overseas. It really sucked to be rendered useless. He had never struggled physically and now he was dependent on a scrawny chick nearly half his age, no matter how cute she was. The universe hated him.
Scarlet searched the entire cabin. No signs of Jekyll and Hyde. As she exited the front door, a barrel pressed against her temple. Somehow, whoever was after Indigo found the cabin and had her at gunpoint. All hope was lost.
Chapter 30
The walk to Tudor Place was a couple of miles, so Jagan decided to leave early and take the opportunity for a morning jog. He was going to miss the tour of Georgetown University. He could hear Luca now just cursing at him in Italian. His gym buddy was a huge Hoya fan.
As he made the turn onto Q Street, out of his periphery he noticed someone close behind. The man was dressed in a suit which was rather odd attire for a Saturday, not to mention the neighborhood. Jagan quickened his pace into a sprint. With a turn of his head, he noticed the subject increased his momentum in kind.
Not wanting to lead the suspicious person directly to his destination, Jagan continued past it and ran until the street ended at a park–Dumbarton Oaks was written on the sign out front. He followed the grassy expanse until he came upon an old conservatory that was covered on the inside by a ficus similar to the one in Lolli’s greenhouse. His heart slowed drastically which confused him as he had just sprinted the last mile. An echoing sensation reverberated in his head. He felt like this was a sign, but he wasn’t sure of what to make of it. More importantly, he had to keep going and lose the person on his tail. Lolli warned him there’d be someone onto him by now, but he had no idea how she knew.
With depleted oxygen, Jagan struggled through some of the clumps of snow that had formed on the ground. He made his way to a large colonial estate which had been transformed into a visitor center for the gardens. Finding an open bay window, he went inside the solarium to hide from the unknown assailant.
“May I help you?” A young woman holding a feather duster asked.
“I’m sorry. My blood sugar is low and I forgot my medication.” Jagan fibbed, although not entirely as he still wasn’t feeling right. His eyes darted back and forth looking out the window for his adversary. “I sometimes get confused during these episodes.”
“I’ll go get you some orange juice.” The woman said with a concerned look on her face. Jagan watched her hobble away. She had a prosthetic leg. As he turned back towards the window, the man in the suit zipped past. Jagan held his breath and moved his head behind the drywall. That was close. The suspect made his way towards the rose garden. The woman returned and handed Jagan a plastic cup full of juice. He took a sip and thanked her for the kind gesture.
“By the way, the front door is that way,” she said pointing towards the main hall. Jagan knew she thought he was an idiot or an invalid, but thankfully she didn’t call security. He had to get to his destination before the recruiter picked up his trail again.
Jagan jogged back onto the main street to Tudor Place. There was a man standing just inside the iron fence. “We’re ready to begin,” he said as the gates flung open. There was a group of about twenty–mostly women and a few men, along for the tour. The echoing sensation in Jagan’s head worsened. The chatter in his head increased. This was no obsessive thought. He was surrounded by spirits, but he wasn’t sure how he came to the realization.
“Sex, scandal, and death,” the guide announced dramatically. Such is the story of this magnificent mansion. Jagan was eager to split from the group, but he had to find the right moment. Two of the middle-aged women were checking him out. Great. Just what he didn’t need right now…attention. Thirty minutes dragged on as one of the older patrons kept asking absurd questions. Jagan wished the geezer would just shut it and move on.
When they entered the front room, he noticed a freemason sign high above the front desk on the wall. Once inside, they finally made their way to the room where the antiques were kept on display. Jagan dropped back from the group and carefully inspected each glass case for the locket with Washington’s picture.
There was a collection of old silver frames holding images from the Victorian era carefully placed on a solid cherry Queen Anne style desk. Brooches, necklaces, and cufflinks were tucked safely away in their display cases. There were so many items; Jagan was beginning to doubt he’d ever find what he was looking for.
“Isn’t that George Washington?” Jagan heard the Chatty Cathy ask. Maybe she wasn’t so annoying after all. He wanted to pat her on the rear end he was so thrilled to finally have some direction. The guide turned towards her and described the miniature portrait of the first president. Thankfully another woman in the group made a fuss over a silver tea service, drawing the guide and the crowd to another room.
Jagan made his move. He opened the locket and sure enough there was a microchip behind the Father of His Country. He slipped the tiny device into his pocket. That was easier than he thought.
The guide peered his head into the room. “We’re moving on to the furniture. You’d better join the group.”
“I will, but can you tell me where the bathroom is? I had too much coffee this morning.” The guide looked irritated but directed him back towards the front reception area. Jagan found a door in the back which he thought would be a less conspicuous exit.
The second Jagan opened the door he felt something hard strike his kneecap. The recruiter grabbed his hair and knocked his head into the concrete slab. He was knocked out cold. The recruiter rifled through Jagan’s pockets. He located the microchip and moseyed off as if nothing ever happened. It was too risky to abduct Jagan in such a public place. He would have to wait until the right moment presented itself.
Chapter 31
Just stay calm and don’t make a move, Scarlet thought to herself. Gazing in front of her she observed two muscular men dressed in military fatigues. She assumed the man holding the gun to her head was in similar garb. How had this happened? No one knew the location of her grandmother’s cabin. She had been so careful too. She hadn’t used her cell phone or contacted anyone in months for that matter. She had followed her grandmother’s instructions to the tee.
“I’m not here to hurt you,” Mozart said lowering the Sig. “How about we all go inside.” He felt bad for startling her, but he didn’t know who
was on the other side of the door.
“Who am I to argue,” Scarlet responded with a quake in her voice.
Mozart and Wolf escorted the young girl back inside. Abe stayed behind to guard the perimeter.
“Where are Jekyll and Hyde?” Scarlet asked. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her blouse trying to compose herself.
“If you’re talking about the dogs on steroids, not to worry. Abe already has them eating out of his hands…literally. We brought prime rib.”
“Those sell outs,” Scarlet remarked with an obvious sarcastic tone. She could tell the men weren’t there to hurt her. This must have something to do with Indigo, but she wasn’t sure how.
“Wolf, go find the target. I’ll stay here with the girl,” Mozart ordered. “By the way, do you have anything to eat around here?” he asked directing his gaze towards Scarlet. “I’m starving.”
“How ‘bout some hemlock?” Scarlet responded. Ordinarily she’d have jumped at the chance to show off her culinary chops, but who did he think she was…his maid? “This isn’t a diner,” she quipped. Some nerve.
Mozart took to her right away. There was something about this girl that was special. She reminded him of his little sister. He closed his eyes briefly to try and block the pain. Even after all these years, the memory of her brought him nothing but anger and sadness. At least his beloved Kimi helped him avenge her murder. He owed her big time.
After several moments, Wolf came back into the kitchen. “We have a problem,” he announced.
“What do you mean?” Mozart asked.
“Problem?” Scarlet chimed in.
“That man in the bedroom is not the guy we’re looking for. That’s the wrong target.”
Chapter 32
The recruiter adjusted his rearview mirror and surveyed the parking lot to make sure his adversary hadn’t come to and followed him. He slipped the microchip into the reader and attached it to his vehicle’s onboard computer. Abruptly, he smashed his fist into the steering wheel. Damn, it’s encrypted, he thought. This wasn’t modern code though. He would have to send the files to his contact at MI6 for analysis. He didn’t have time for this type of delay.
A vibration emanated from his coat. He took out his phone and looked at the display–Deak Roland. That’s just great. The ogre was the last person he wanted to talk to.
“Have you secured the package?”
“Not yet,” the recruiter replied.
“Your time is running out.”
“I’ve located him but have yet to find a secure setting to make the grab.”
“What about the chip?”
“It’s encrypted. It’s being analyzed now.”
“The Chancellor is running out of patience. The plan will not succeed without the boy.”
“I need more bodies. The boy is smarter than I thought and fit.”
“I’ll place a call to the Russians. Now you’ll have no excuse to fail.”
The recruiter threw the phone at the dash. The last thing he needed was help from the mob.
Chapter 33
The hotel phone rang, interrupting Jagan’s slumber. His torso sprung up, lifting him to a sit. He rubbed his eyes and picked up the receiver. “Your morning wakeup call, sir,” the front desk operator said in a thick Gaelic accent.
“Wake up call?” he asked. Jagan had no idea how he made it back from Tudor Place. He turned towards the window and could tell it was still dark out.
“You asked me late last night when you returned to the hotel sir.”
“Thank you,” Jagan said. “Oh and one more thing…can you have someone bring up my case? The one I checked in at the lobby.”
“Right away, sir.”
Jagan thanked him again and hung up the phone. He walked over to the mirror above the desk to inspect his face. There was a large contusion over his right eye. He would have to find a way to cover it up. Staring at his reflection he pondered again how he got back to the room. He had never had this long of a black out before.
Jagan went into the bathroom and splashed some water on his face. The chip? He wasn’t wearing his sweatshirt, the one he wore last night. Jagan scanned the room and saw it hanging over a chair. He searched the pockets. Damn. They were empty. The man must have knocked him out and taken it, but that still didn’t explain how he got back to the room.
The knock at the door distracted him from his swirling thoughts. “Your case, sir.”
“Thanks. You can put it on the bed.” Jagan slipped the attendant a five-dollar bill and glanced at his watch. He still had two hours before the bus left. Just enough time to inspect the case and grab a quick bite.
Jagan had to put his worries aside and concentrate on the tasks ahead. He wasn’t sure how big of a loss the microchip was, and his failure to procure it was eating away at him like a necrosis. He would have to be more cautious.
The music case reminded him of home. His grandmother used to play an eclectic selection of music when she would bake him his favorite pie–gooseberry. He wondered how his grandparents and mother were doing. Thoughts of Bocephus and the horses made his heart yearn even more. He even missed Bethany a little. There truly was no place like home, but he couldn’t fit his big ass feet into a pair of ruby slippers.
Here goes nothing he thought to himself. He lifted up the fasteners and opened up the lid. Jagan’s eyes locked onto it like magnets to metal. The case was filled with weapons and gadgets. He removed the handgun and ammo clip, loaded it, and attached the holster to his ankle. There was a watch with various functions including GPS and a pocketknife. He didn’t have time to go through all of the items, so he closed it and headed downstairs.
Going through the breakfast buffet, he selected some ham and cheese omelets and slipped a piece of bacon into his mouth. After boarding the bus he propped the music case on the floor of the empty seat near the window. As had become his ritual, he lifted the hoodie over his head and opened up the journal.
Dear Jagan,
I hope you haven’t beaten yourself up too much over the microchip. I kind of figured whoever was following you was well trained so I couldn’t risk it getting in the wrong hands. The real chip is located behind the plate of your watch. If someone did manage to get the George Washington chip, they’re in for a real treat, ha-ha. I loaded it with some old German fractional code which will keep their experts busy decrypting some of my old recipes.
Did you enjoy meeting Sassy? I bet you did. He’s quite the character and his music is top notch. I’m jealous I wasn’t there with you. Forgive my babbling. The next stop on your tour is Salem. When you arrive, go to the House of the Seven Gables. There you will meet with a historian named Bertie. She will have something to give you. Just tell her Nathaniel Hawthorne sent you.
Remember, you’re always in my heart.
Chapter 34
Mozart’s eyes darkened and radiated a fierce anger. “What do you mean it’s the wrong target?” Wolf knew his friend was on the verge of a nervy so he tried to choose his words delicately. That’s all he needed was trying to explain to their captain why one of the members of his team had a meltdown.
“I’m telling you that whoever is in there is not the person we were supposed to protect.”
“Wait…what?” Scarlet interjected. “What are you talking about, protect? That’s my job.” Mozart’s and Wolf’s eyes locked in a shared understanding. She noticed their gaze. Men…how typical. “Will you please explain what the hell is going on,” she demanded.
“We really shouldn’t discuss this in front of her,” Wolf said waving his hand towards Scarlet as if she were a prize on a game show.
“Look. This is a favor for Kimi not some tactical advance on a terror cell. What harm is it going to do?” Mozart argued.
“Wait a second. Did you say Kimi?” Scarlet interjected.
“Yes. Why? Do you know her?” Mozart asked.
“Well, I know a Kimi.”
“This is a great chit-chat and all but what’s going on with tha
t guy in the bedroom?” Wolf inquired. “I’m not trying to butt in here but he looks pretty sick.”
“I need to go check on him.” Scarlet asked permission with her eyes. Mozart nodded and the men followed her into the room. Indigo’s appearance had worsened in just the short time she had last laid eyes on him. She noticed his lids were closed and the yellow hue had spread to his skin. She placed the back of her hand on his forehead. It felt clammy. With two fingers against his jugular, she glanced at her watch and counted. “His pulse is weak and slow,” she announced. Shaking his shoulders she said his name out loud several times but he didn’t respond.
“We need to do something.” Scarlet implored.
“Why don’t you just call an ambulance,” Wolf suggested.
“I can’t. I made a promise.” Scarlet said, knowing how absurd it sounded. How was she going to fulfill her obligation and keep him alive? She was certain he would be in danger if she took him to a public hospital.
“I’m afraid I don’t understand.” Wolf pried.
“I made a promise that I would keep him safe. His life is in danger.”
“Well, that’s pretty obvious, ya’ think?” Mozart pointed out sarcastically.
“No…that’s not what I mean. He’s a…” She hesitated. Scarlet crinkled her brow and dropped her head.
“He’s a what?” Mozart asked.
“He’s a Marine.” She said as if she were a soap opera actress revealing the father of her baby.
“Even more of a reason to call an ambulance,” Wolf said with authority. “What the hell are we waiting for?”
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