“We’re coming out Cala. Lucky I thought to fire this .32 in Hajar’s hand, huh Kabong?” Nick wiped clean the .32 caliber ACP and placed it in Hajar’s hand.
“Hurry, my love,” Johnny added. “Muerto set the timer for five minutes. He is acting out for Gus and Jian. Please save me.”
“Parking in front now, husband.”
Nick and Johnny rolled the wheelchair out to the van where Jian and Gus stashed it inside. Cala drove away an instant later. She drove toward Pain Central as did the Monster Squad’s action van, waiting for the outcome of the plan. The huge explosion rocked the street beneath them as they rode along. By prior agreement, the two teams conferenced only for a short time before Jafar drove Nick’s crew to the Monster Squad hangar.
“That was a very short mission, Muerto,” Jafar said. “The Monsters did not even get an opportunity to participate. We will be subjected to the ire of Cruella Deville because she was unable to kill something.”
“She made sure Amir Mohammed Kostler performed perfectly. Is it true Denny placed a monitor with Lynn watching Amir while he made the phone call to Ruban?”
“Oh yes. He needed to throw down three shots of Beam before his voice stopped shaking. Lynn kept staring at him through the entire call. Kostler took Ruban through every facet of your planned help in killing the Salvatores, Muerto himself, and getting the blackmail material. Add in the supposedly vital information Hajar obtained and Ruban was so happy, he wanted to send a car to retrieve all of you. Kostler convinced him not to with nearly flawless patience.”
“I bet old Diane Cameron nearly fainted dead away at the thought of having me killed.”
“I noticed you didn’t have much fun with Diane before blowing her to pieces,” Jafar replied. “What do you bunch have planned next.”
“I’ll let you know. I plan to have Jared call you about a new MRI machine for his hospital. Since we made a fortune from Ruban, I’d like whatever one he wants shipped right away. From the City of Hope’s Facebook page, Jared has made major improvements in medical care until the hospital complex can be built. He’s attracting paying patients from countries all around them. They return to their countries with stories highlighting the improving lifestyle in the City of Hope. With Kahn’s vetting of refugees getting more precise daily, the population welcomes vetted refugees abandoning Islam with less suspicion.”
“You sound as if you will be visiting soon, Muerto.”
“Not until we knock out all the people providing fortunes to end it. I’ll be interested in what you learn from the data we pulled off the phones and computers.”
“I will get it to you right away,” Jafar said. “Maybe we’ll have a down time for a while.”
“My wife would like that, but she knows I don’t do well in down times. Singing and playing the piano, coupled with my writing, has been taming me somewhat.”
Jafar stopped the van near the hangar. He shook hands with his passengers. “We have girls’ softball to help Monster attitudes, Lynn especially.”
“We’ll fly down for a visit around a scheduled softball game. I’ll entertain at my house afterward. Send me a schedule.”
“I will, Muerto.” Jafar drove away.
“Did this mission calm you down, Muerto?”
“It went so smooth, I may need something else, maybe a fishing trip or book signing.”
“The only one around us that will take you is the one you did the short writing class in,” Gus said. “Maybe we should stick to small celebrations at the ‘Point’.”
“I agree with Payaso,” Johnny said. “We used up enough Karma on the mission today, we’ll be lucky to get home in one piece. Five minutes? Really?”
“It was perfect timing, Kabong. Haven’t you ever seen those Mission Impossible movies? Our gig today was like one of those.”
“All I know is you nearly made us all into suicide bombers.”
After they boarded, Nick did the ‘Mission Impossible’ theme song with such fist-pumping flair, his companions joined in as Cala lifted off.
* * *
Jean and Sonny met Nick at the door with Deke leaping as if on a pogo-stick. Rachel held Quinn, who laughed and waved.
“Wow… great welcome. Uh oh… I don’t see smiles on you youngsters’ faces. What cataclysmic event happened while I’ve been away.” Nick knelt to commune with his beer buddy.
“We figured you would want a full report on the news reports since your elimination of those treasonous imbeciles,” Jean replied.
Rachel blocked Nick’s hug attempt. “I don’t think so! You let Deke slime you and then want a hug and kiss from me? Wash up, Muerto. We’ll see you up on the deck with veggie plate and iced Beam. The kids will not be swayed from their report, so hurry.”
“Well… okay… but Deke slimes you and Quinn, and I never refuse hugs and kisses.”
“That’s different.” Rachel spun and headed upstairs with a giggling Jean following. Sonny smiled at Nick before climbing after them.
“Deke… my old friend… this is the double standard of life,” Nick instructed, while hugging the dog. “You can slime everyone, but apparently the aftermath has limitations. C’mon, I’ll go wash first and we’ll join them on the deck.”
Seated comfortably at their conference table, everyone picked at the veggie tray, including Quinn, who loved carrots and ranch dip on his still teething gums. Nick, with Deke draining his beer bowl near him, sipped from his iced Beam with the satisfaction a nearly psychopathic killer can feel within contrasting scenes. His planned disposal of enemies, without anything in the deed tracing to his actions, provoked a general feeling of wellbeing.
“Okay… I’m focused on the report, Viper. Go ahead.”
“A suicide bomber murdered six Syrian mercenary guards in the employ of Tark Ruban, billionaire financier,” Jean recited in category form. “After incapacitating Ruban’s guests, the man, a security employee of Ruban’s, detonated a bomb vest in the midst of Ruban, Diane Cameron, Fuma Sabedin, and Abu El-Tayed. The media is trying to pin it on right-wing extremists, but the suicide bomber’s background is eating them alive. There were no survivors.”
“Horrible… simply horrible… what is this country coming to, when a few patriots visit justice where none expected it. The headlines should read ‘communists and Islamic terrorist sympathizers’ die at the hands of American patriots.” Nick finished his never to be repeated soliloquy with fist pumping fervor. “Yes! America’s defenders triumph once again without being caught by upside down justice. So… what’s the frowns for?”
“Although informed of the details, the Momster rebelled in exponential form at your ordering violent action from children after you left on mission,” Jean answered in monologue form.
Nick traded glaring stares from Rachel, with the Terminator dead gaze of death. Rachel had never been able to not shudder inwardly when being subjected to it. She believed beyond anything in the world, Nick would not harm her in any way. Yet the violent element in his stares of dark promise, both frightened and enticed her, as they had done since his first revelation of what he did in reality.
“These kids exist in our reality, Rach. This isn’t a sitcom on CBS, where the characters perform in politically correct form. It’s not a new ‘Addam’s Family’ movie either, where people die or are eliminated according to comic form. We were in the midst of a deadly assault. The kids reacted as they had trained - without hesitation, and without mercy – on my order. Their accuracy ended a surely killing outcome.”
“I’m here on the other side of the trench, Muerto. Neil may not be able to prevent them from being thrown into the juvy system for that kind of exploit.”
Nick sipped his Beam. “Did you just insult me, Rachel?”
“How many would die, Muerto. I realize no force on earth could take and keep these kids from you. I thought we were in the avoidance category of situations like that.”
“I figured we were in the trust Muerto category of training during real life events
. Cala protected them at all moments. She’s a killer I have no qualms about. Cala would have drilled every one of the bad guys in the head. She shoots expert. There’s no denying it was fortunate I recruited her before she was honor-killed or drawn into Islamic darkness. Jean and Sonny are blooded now in combat with weapons. Many police officers retire without a single incident, although that statistic has probably changed in this new day of chaos.”
Rachel took a deep breath rather than spew nonsense. “I get it. I don’t like it.”
“At times, you will be forced to accept it though, babe. You wanted complete honesty in knowing details of this life I live in darkness. I don’t want you outside the loop either. I need you with me in all things. Sometimes, I feel guilty about starting again in this – not so anymore. The leaders of the world’s nations sell out their citizens for ‘One World Order’ on a daily basis. The dependence on us shadowy killers to battle in the darkness increases moment to moment. We welcome the opportunity because some of us, me included, were born to kill. That I regained the ability to feel all other things in life I owe to you, Jean, Quinn, Deke, Sonny, and my entire crew.”
“The kids choose their path as they age,” Nick went on. “I’ve lost them to a darker path. We tried steering them into meaningful other careers. We can only guide them now. Their own common sense has pushed them into not being victims. For whatever reason, the two of them became protectors. They train daily with passion. How many video game, text messaging, lost souls their age, spend their entire lives staring at a small screen, making fantasy moves while the world passes them by?”
“Jean and Sonny do their homework, defend the weak at school, and train constantly. I’ve never dreamed of commitment like that,” Rachel admitted. “I relish it, yet I keep wondering if they’ll miss being just kids.”
“We are kids, but kids with superpowers,” Jean replied. “Anyone seeing me and Cracker on the playground, or anywhere else with schoolkids, knows we won’t walk away. We’ve earned respect as dad taught us, through helping and protecting those kids who can’t or won’t do it for themselves. He explained we will deal with the same thing as Marines. We will protect America and her citizens. Sonny and I have teachers who hate America. We know we’ll be protecting them too, even when they hate us.”
Rachel reached over to grip her daughter’s hand. “That is a career with passion and dedication. I’ve already seen you and Sonny have it. Don’t hold it against me when I find it impossible to understand.”
“We rule the school, Mom. No girl, or many boys, even think of harassing me. The roughest other boys in the school turn away when Cracker passes them. The boys who have trouble on the playground or anywhere else come to us. I want to do this always! It’s exciting and right… all at the same time. Like dad said… we’re blooded in combat reality now.” Jean smiled, a faraway look in her eyes. “You should have seen when that one guy reached for his gun. My blade pinned his wrist to his stomach. Cracker’s throw split his bicep.”
“Oh… my… God… this is too much. I liked the general, fact filled explanation from before.” Rachel shifted Quinn to his swing. Quinn yelped in appreciation, trying before the swing could be started to force motion. Rachel turned it on and Quinn was in heaven. “Mama needs a drink. I didn’t know you had more confrontations, Sonny.”
“I get tested, Ma,” Sonny replied, repeating the tag for Rachel he was permitted to use. “I’m always on guard. Like Nick taught us, situations become crap piles when the victim gives up. When forced, I beat down the leader of the pack, who wanted me to join their group, the trouble disappeared.”
Everything settled down after Sonny’s explanation.
Jean waited with impatience for Sonny to explain the rest of his confrontation. When he didn’t, Jean did. “The mutant is nearly six feet tall, from one of those Somali refugee bunches we infected ourselves with. Sonny leg whipped him perfectly. The big dork started crying when he hit his head on the hall floor. Sonny faced off with the kid’s gang then. I kicked the next one moving toward Sonny in the nuts. Sonny smashed the one behind him in the throat. Done deal. We owned the school.”
Nick grinned. “You two never said a word to your adult overseers. Any idea why such a thing was bad?”
“Unintended consequences, Sir,” Sonny answered. “Their families could have come after us and our homes. I… I did something on my own to prevent that, Sir.”
Nick perked up. “And that would be?”
“I snuck into the kid’s family house, rearranged all their furniture, and drew magic marker devil’s horns on Jamaal. He never moved.” Sonny grinned. “I nearly gave him a Muerto haircut.”
Nick noticed the look of adoration on Jean’s face, momentarily in plain sight. She hid it quickly, but stared at Sonny in an entirely different way. “You and Jean have skills. Your solution to the bullying incident was dangerous, but I’m sure well thought out. You did understand they could have killed you without threat of prosecution, right?”
Sonny nodded. “If caught, I would have given them your phone number, and told them to call you, and they would receive a hundred thousand dollars.”
Nick could not breathe or talk for many moments, leaving all but he and Sonny knowing why. After long moments waiting for Nick to speak, he finally nodded. “You knew I would arrive with death.”
Sonny nodded with solemn acceptance of his decision to employ Nick as his Archangel of death. “I knew you would come. I knew you wouldn’t pay for my freedom. I knew you would come with your crew and kill everyone. It was selfish and self-absorbing crap on my part, but I knew I needed to make a statement they would understand. I should have brought it to you instead, Sir. That, I regret.”
Sonny paused with hand gesturing for more time while he thought through his next offering. “I nearly killed him… but I didn’t. I wanted to so much… it scared the crap out of me. I pass him in the school and he looks away.” Sonny again paused to Nick’s understanding. “If he didn’t look away… I’d race over to plant him in the hallway!”
“Keep the anger inside. Plot every move, anticipating every option he has, and every option you have,” Nick advised. “Always be wary of known enemies. The list grows with age, Sonny. I’m glad you’re in touch with reality. We can’t act out what common sense and logic dictate. I know what you fear. You are not them.”
Sonny straightened, startled at Nick’s observation.
“You have a moral code inside, just like Jean. You two can’t be me, but you certainly can’t be anything like your parents, Sonny. You need to put that fear to rest.”
“It’s hard to do when they keep committing felonies. Do you think paying them that money will lure them into doing the right things?”
“Hard to say,” Nick admitted. “Reporting to me anything they find makes more sense than getting tortured and killed by billionaire traitors and political gangsters. Anything else earth-shaking to discuss?”
“Have you heard the rumor school teachers help organize Antifa riots?”
“It’s not a rumor, Jean,” Nick answered. “The Monster Squad has one of the militant leaders, a middle school Berkeley teacher named Corvette Telarca, under surveillance.”
“A couple of our public school teachers are planning a protest outside Fisherman’s Wharf. Sonny and I overheard them talking about it in the sixth grade classroom when no one was around.”
“Why were you two around?”
“We have them under surveillance for what they’ve done and said in school,” Jean answered. “They tried to get the principal to ban raising the flag. We need to be extra careful when watching them. They know about you and leave any area they see me and Sonny in.”
“What’s this proposed riot/protest about?”
“Antifa wants the statue of Santa Rosalia, patron saint of Italian fishermen removed because the cross she holds offends Muslims.”
“What?! Okay… that’s it. I’m getting my gun and set things right.”
Nick chuckled at
how animated Rachel became at the news. “They can’t do it, Rach.”
“I bet that’s what the people said when the idiot sheep removed all the confederate generals’ statues. Now, they’re working on having our national memorials torn apart. Get your sniper rifle loaded. You have work to do tomorrow.”
Amusement prevailed for a few moments.
“Good one, Rach. Tomorrow’s Wednesday. How do the school teachers get to riot on a school day?”
“Tomorrow is a teacher’s day,” Sonny answered. “It’s listed as professional improvement day. We want to be part of the counter protest.”
“Gee… how many bad things could come of that? The crew and I wanted a nice Irish morning at the ‘Point’.”
“You can skip a day getting blitzed at the ‘Point’, Dad. This is important. We need to stop these gangsters. They’re the new Fascists they shout so much about being against. They want chaos to control everything.”
“Someone has to stand against them,” Rachel said. “Otherwise… sure as hell… we’ll be watching them yank Santa Rosalia onto the ground. I’m going with Deke and Quinn.”
“You do know this may end in a riot, right?”
“I don’t care,” Rachel retorted. “Call the cartoons. We’re countering the Antifa gangsters’ protest.”
“Yeah, Mom! We’ll show them they can’t tear our country apart.”
“They carry urine, baseball bats, and pepper spray,” Nick pointed out. “If this protest breaks into a riot, there will be danger.”
“Text for a sober meeting at the ‘Point’, Jean. Tell all the cartoons to be there, along with Tina. We need to organize. We’ll use the cover of being on a nice family day at Fisherman’s Wharf. Did you learn what time the protest takes place?”
Cold Blooded Assassin Book 8: Rule of Nightmare (Nick McCarty Assassin) Page 25