The Shadow Patriots Box Set 2

by Warren Ray

  Green shifted his mind to the meeting he had last night with Gibbs. He had gone at Gibbs’ request not knowing his son’s friend, Stormy, had spied for them. She took it upon herself to get a job at the Four Seasons, which was Perozzi and Reed’s favorite watering hole. Last night, her first night there, she had waited on them and learned some valuable information. At first, the news of her escapades had angered him until he met her. Besides being beautiful, she seemed to be quite observant. So much so, she had even noticed Reed’s tics when he lied. She was proficient in martial arts, so she was capable of handling herself and was downright gutsy to volunteer to do spy work. Since she was from Brainerd, Minnesota, and Perozzi was responsible for the damage there, she was also motivated. What Green didn't know, was how far she would be willing to go to get close to Perozzi.

  He reached over to his desk for his water bottle and took a sip. He then thought about Reed and the way he had lost control of his temper with Perozzi. Sending them each different recordings had certainly induced the effect he wanted. Now it was time to step it up a notch and start planning a fake assassination attempt on Reed. He would have to figure out a way to do this and make it look like it was Perozzi’s handiwork. This would be just what was needed to drive Reed over the edge. He would instinctively respond and start working against Perozzi. They would then have to use all their resources to fight each other, which would expose their weaknesses. This would be better than just killing them outright because all the other players would still be out there jostling for power. Their elimination would be as if nothing happened. Green had to be patient and play the long game to get them all out in the open.

  He took another gulp of water, which finished off the bottle. He got up and decided to get in touch with Kyle Gibbs. He needed more information on Perozzi and since Kyle had been monitoring him, he was just the person he would call. He left the office and headed to the Duxbury Coffee shop to get a latte and use the pay phone. The place never used to have a payphone, but with the collapse of the country, they were back in vogue. Most people didn’t have cell phones anymore because the government was the only provider and the service was lousy, overpriced and monitored.

  He entered the shop and ordered a latte before heading to the back to use the phone. He pulled out a slip of paper with a number written on it and dropped four quarters into the slot.

  The phone rang a few times before Kyle answered.

  “Hello.”

  “Kyle, it’s John.”

  “Hey.”

  “You think we could get together anytime soon?”

  “Yeah, sure. Why don’t you meet me on the south side of the Reflecting Pool? I can be there in an hour.”

  Green grabbed his drink and headed out the door to the Reflecting Pool, on which the Lincoln Memorial stood at the south end. It was just a couple of miles away and he could use the walk. Besides, it was a great way to make sure he wasn’t still being tailed. Even though Reed no longer suspected him of being a spy, he still wanted to be sure. He had learned a valuable lesson when Pruitt had been following him. It was unexpected and the results were devastating. Never again would he allow that to happen.

  He took his time and enjoyed the cloudy summer day while sipping on his latte. He was glad he had thought to bring his nylon jacket as there was a slight breeze coming from the Potomac River, which made it cooler than normal for this time of year. He made several stops and diverted his direction several times until he was convinced he wasn’t being followed.

  Walking on Seventeenth Street he passed by the Washington Monument, the tallest structure in the district. He made a right onto the walkway and spied Kyle Gibbs up ahead standing with someone who was as tall as he was. It was Stormy, the former runway model. Her raven black hair stood out against the bright yellow running shirt she wore over black spandex jogging shorts. Green’s heart skipped a beat as he realized she was joining them. He had become infatuated with her the moment they met and wanted to get to know her better.

  “Major Green,” said Kyle, extending his hand.

  “Kyle,” said Green, giving a firm shake. He then turned toward Stormy and shook her hand. “Stormy.”

  “Major.”

  “Please, call me John, both of you.”

  “Alright,” said Stormy as she let go of his hand.

  “Let’s grab this park bench,” said Green.

  They walked over and sat down with Stormy in the middle.

  “Thanks for meeting me on short notice.”

  “No problem. What’s up?”

  “I was wondering if you could help me with some information on Perozzi. Your dad told me you’ve been tailing him for the past couple of weeks.”

  Kyle nodded. “What do ya need?”

  Green told them what he had in mind about pinning Reed’s fake assassination attempt on Perozzi. “So, anything that might help convince Reed it was him would be valuable.”

  “I’ve kept notes. Let me go over them, I might even have a suggestion or two already.”

  “That would be great,” said Green. He then confronted Stormy. “What about you? What are your plans?”

  “Well, I have a feeling he’s going to ask me out the next time he comes in,” said Stormy.

  “Will you accept?” asked Green.

  “I don’t know yet. Maybe. We’ll see how it goes. Regardless, he’ll need to ask several times before I accept anyway. Don’t want him to think I’m easy.”

  Green cracked a smile hearing this. She knew how to handle men and had a lot of experience doing it. “We have a meeting out in Manassas late tonight. Can both of you make it?”

  “I’ve got a short shift, so yeah,” said Stormy.

  “I’ll be there. I’ll bring my notes and go over them with you.”

  “Perfect.”

  They stood up, and Stormy took Green’s hand. “Thanks for everything you’ve been doing.”

  Blood flushed his cheeks and he could only give her a nod. She let go of his hand, and then she and Kyle jogged away. Green watched them head toward the Lincoln Memorial for a few moments before heading back to his office.

  Chapter 4

  Jackson Michigan

  Scar left Bassett in the cafeteria and headed outside for some air and to focus on what he needed to do today. He would have to give the men an update on Winters and let them know it would be business as usual. Scar decided to approach the situation as he did when he ran his business—he would hold a meeting. He’d need to get with his key players first, which included Burns, Meeks, Bassett, Taylor, and Nate if he was up for it.

  He stepped outside and took in a breath of fresh air. The sun was out on a cloudless day and it was already hot. The pickup truck Winters had been driving for the last week stood in the middle of the parking lot. The old white Chevy hadn’t been washed in over a year. The driver’s door had a dozen dents in it from where Winters had destroyed Reese’s crutch and the windows were down as if someone had just parked it. Scar wished the man was still here, but knew wishes were for children. He set the thought aside and took another deep breath before heading back inside. Walking down the hall he bumped into Burns.

  “Is he back?”

  “No, he’s not,” said Scar, “and I don’t expect him anytime soon.”

  “So, what are we going do?”

  “Business as usual. But we need to get everyone together to discuss it.”

  “Probably a good idea. I’m already hearing the rumor mill cranking up.”

  “Doesn’t surprise me. The sooner we set things straight the better. We should all get together and hammer out our strategy first. You think you could go get Taylor. I’ll round up Meeks and see if Nate’s up for it.”

  After getting a nod from Burns, Scar headed to Nate’s room. He peeked in as he pushed open the door not knowing if he was asleep.

  “I’m awake,” Nate said in a gruff tone.

  “Hey, how ya feeling, buddy?” asked Scar.

  “Pissed off,” said Nate, as he put down
an old magazine.

  Scar raised an eyebrow.

  “My best friend was almost killed last night. Captain Winters’ kid was murdered. Now he’s gone and I’m just sitting here and can’t do anything about it. I feel friggin useless.”

  “Believe me. You’re not useless. I’m going to need that gung-ho attitude of yours.”

  “Oh?”

  “The rumor mill is already kicking in. I’m going to need your help to keep the men in line.”

  “What the hell? Nothing’s changed.”

  “Think about it. Lots of the guys here think Winters is bullet proof and now he’s gone.”

  Nate shook his head. Yeah, I suppose. It does suck that he’s gone. But we still got a job to do.”

  “I know that and I’m sure most of the men know that. We just need to show them a united front is all.”

  “What did you have in mind?”

  “Gonna hold a meeting with everyone. Wanted to get us all together first so we could get on the same page. Didn’t know if you were up for it, but I can see that you are.”

  “Hell, ya.”

  “Good. Let’s say in about an hour.”

  “Cool.”

  Scar left to go find Meeks but he was nowhere to be found. He then decided to go check in on Elliott. The door was open and inside Amber helped Elliott drink some water. Both looked over when Scar walked in.

  “Hey guys,” said Scar.

  Amber gave him a nod while holding a straw to Elliott’s mouth.

  Elliott finished drinking before acknowledging Scar.

  “You’re looking good,” said Scar.

  “Well, I actually feel pretty good, of course, Doc's got me on something to dull the pain. And I got this pretty angel fussing over me.”

  “You trying to make me blush again?” asked Amber.

  “Always.”

  Scar let out a laugh. “Have you guys seen Meeks?”

  “He was here about an hour ago,” said Amber.

  “Did he say where he was headed?”

  “No. Why? What’s up?” asked Amber.

  Scar told them what he had in mind.

  “Would you mind letting me in on this?” asked Elliott.

  Scar gave him a surprised look. “Yeah, sure, we could do it right here.”

  “Thanks. I just want to be included.”

  Scar looked at Amber. “What about Reese?”

  Amber gave him a grimaced look. “I don’t know. She’s pretty upset. She’s sleeping right now.”

  “Okay, well, I don’t want to exclude her.”

  “I’ll check on her,” said Amber.

  An hour later, everyone started filtering into Elliott’s room. When Nate showed up he noticed Reese wasn’t there and wondered why.

  “She’s not up for it,” said Amber.

  “She needs to be here,” said Nate.

  “I told her, but she brushed me off,” said Amber.

  “All the more reason for her to be here. I’ll go get her.”

  Amber gave Elliott a puzzled look.

  “He owes her,” said Elliott.

  Nate headed towards her room well aware of Reese’s love interest in Winters and figured she was depressed about him leaving. Nate didn’t want to be a jackass to her, but would risk it to get her head out of the clouds.

  Nate’s mother suffered from a bout of depression after his father had walked out on them. It took a couple of years for her to recover and Nate had to be the man around the house and take care of the fields as a teenager. It wasn’t until he had an accident with the tractor that she snapped out of it. Nate had over-compensated a turn and rolled the tractor over in a ditch. He broke his leg and some ribs, which laid him up for a couple of months. The accident gave his mother renewed purpose, which forced her to break out of the fog of depression.

  Nate would force her to do the same thing. Ever since the attack on the hospital, they shared a special bond. She saved his life twice that day. He owed her, and knew she’d fight him on it, but he didn’t care.

  Nate reached her door and gave it a knock before entering. She opened her eyes as he walked in.

  “Hey, kiddo.”

  She didn’t answer him.

  “Are you giving me the silent treatment? Nobody gives me the silent treatment,” said Nate in a firm tone.

  “I’m not in the mood,” she grumbled.

  “I know you’re not in the mood. Why else do you think I’m here?”

  Reese didn’t respond.

  Nate stared at her in silence and waited for a response.

  Reese sat brooding for a half minute and then rolled her eyes. “Fine, what do you want?”

  “Well, first off, I don’t like it when pretty girls roll their eyes, it’s very unattractive.”

  Reese jerked her head back startled by his scolding. “I’m sorry.”

  “That’s better. Now…let’s start over. How are you?”

  It took a few moments before she answered. “Not good.”

  “Look kiddo, I’m not one to pussyfoot around, alright? I can see that you’re hurting and upset, I get that. But, I also know how that feeling can take hold of a person and not let go. I’ve seen it happen to my mother when my dad walked out on us.”

  Reese’s eyes lit up. “My dad walked out on us.”

  “Then you know what I’m talking about?”

  Reese nodded.

  “I’m not going to let you mope around here, alright. Now, I need for you to get up and come join us.”

  “Why do you care?”

  “Reese, you saved my life…twice. Not only do I owe you, but I care what happens to ya,” said Nate in a sincere tone.

  Reese tried to deflect by saying, “But, I just don’t want…”

  “No,” interrupted Nate.

  Reese glared at him.

  “No excuses. You need to come join us right now,” said Nate, changing his tone to a harsher one.

  Reese didn’t know how to respond and flung off the sheet. Nate moved out of the way as she swung her legs onto the floor. He grabbed her red crutch and handed it to her.

  “I don’t think I like you anymore,” said Reese, swiping the crutch from him.

  “Good, cuz I can barely tolerate you,” said Nate, giving her a sly grin.

  Reese feigned insult. “Ah, now I see it, you’re a jackass.”

  Nate let out a laugh. “Kiddo, that’s common knowledge. Now c’mon, let’s go, they’re waiting for us.”

  Reese slammed the crutch onto the floor as she huffed out of the room. Nate chuckled to himself. As much as she’d gone through she was still a young girl and like every young girl he had ever known, could be obstinate at times.

  They reached Elliott’s room just as Burns and Taylor showed up.

  Taylor gave Reese a hug. “Still feeling like a honey badger?”

  “I thought you said there can only be one,” said Reese.

  “Well, I’d like to think I’m irreplaceable, but if it had to be anyone you’d be my choice.”

  “You’re just the sweetest,” said Reese. She turned to Nate and said in a taunting voice, “unlike some people.”

  Nate shot her a smirk.

  After Elliott gave everyone an update on his condition Scar began the meeting. He talked about how the mission stays the same, and if they all stay on message, they can all help squash the rumor mill. Everyone needs to remain positive and to convince the others that nothing has changed. The end goal is still to bring down Mordulfah and save the citizens.

  Because their forces were spread out all over town they couldn’t hold a giant meeting, so Scar split his cadre into two groups to go visit with everyone and deliver the same message. Everyone was nodding their heads in agreement when Meeks entered the room.

  “You guys are not going to believe what Nordell is doing,” said Meeks in an excited tone.

  Chapter 5

  Sabine Iowa

  The clanging of the shovel echoed inside the van as it hit the floor and dirt flew off
in different directions. Winters slammed the back door shut and turned around to take one last look at the headstone of his deceased wife, Ellie. He breathed a sigh of relief knowing Cara was now with her. The fresh dirt sitting on top of their final resting place would eventually level off and no one other than him would know he buried Cara in the same grave. He reached down and grabbed the bottle of water sitting by his feet. He finished it off before getting back in the van.

  He sat there with mixed emotions not sure what to think. He was no longer angry with Cara but couldn’t shake his overwhelming sense of guilt. He grabbed a fresh bottle of water and took a swig trying to get the lump out of his throat but to no avail. He leaned his head back trying to come to terms with his part in her death. When did his responsibility begin? Did it begin years ago and could he have done something differently? He sat up straighter in the seat to try to fight off these thoughts. What’s done is done. He couldn’t change what happened, but he still wanted to crawl out of his own skin. Of all the mistakes he’d been making over the past few months, this one cut him the deepest. How could he continue to lead his men if he couldn’t even keep his own daughter safe?

  He cringed, remembering how she died in his arms knowing he’d never be able to forget that helpless moment. How insignificant you are to the reality of life and death’s march toward inevitability. Thankfully, he had been able to forgive her. This was his only saving grace at this moment, a moment where he was teetering on the edge. Had he just gotten her forgiveness, he didn’t think the loss would be so devastating.

  Winters leaned his head back, slouched down in the seat, and dozed off in exhaustion. He hadn’t had any sleep for more than twenty-four hours and had fought in a battle with devastating results. The drive back to Iowa and digging a grave was all his tired body could take.

  Several hours later, the sun shined through the window and woke him up. He jerked up realizing he had fallen asleep. His body ached from the uncomfortable position of the seat. Reaching for the water bottle, he drank its contents. He looked around and realized he wasn’t sure what to do next. He did what he came here to do and had little desire to drive back to Jackson. It took long enough to get here, and he didn’t look forward to the reverse trip. The police van had guzzled fuel faster than he expected, and it took a couple of hours to find good gas because a lot of it had gone bad. Besides, he wasn’t sure he could go back after the way he failed Cara. Her death was the culmination of all the mistakes he’d been making over the past few months. Every one of them had cost the lives of some of his men and the gravity of that responsibility bore down on him. Up until last week he’d gotten used to the weight, but then there was the attack at the hospital and now the death of Cara added to it in spades.