by J. T. Patten
Eyeing Lars’ workstation, Havens pulled out his phone and took a number of photos to ensure everything would be put back in order when he was ready to leave. If anyone would sense something out of place, it would be Lars. What else did he have to do in here aside from watching the games and admiring his shrine of Chicago sports memorabilia? Above Havens was a framed 20x24 photo of a tattooed and pierced Dennis Rodman of the Chicago Bulls Dream Team. Rodman had his tongue sticking out. It read, “To Lars from Dennis.”
To the right was a signed photo of Michael Jordan walking with Charles Barkley. “Friends. Brothers.” Lars had given Sean the same framed photo for Christmas about six years ago. Lars had said at the time that it reminded him of Sean being like a brother. Lars joked that of the two of them, Sean was shaped more like Sir Charles. The whole family had a good laugh over it that morning.
Good times.
OK, user name up. Password. What else, Lars…C-U-B-S-W-I-N.
In. OK, let’s just mirror image your hard drive so I can review this all at home and…Hello?
Havens lifted his fingers from the keyboard. He hesitated before resting them back in place. Inside of Lars’ C drive was a My Documents folder named “SHhh.” No doubt the capitalization was intentional—SH for Sean Havens.
Havens opened the folder to find files attributed to link analysis software applications and geospatial overlays. On a map overlay, Lars had placed a pin with a date where—or where Christina may have said—Sean was traveling to. Nearby there was a correlating pin for an incident in another location with a date. There were trails all over the world where Sean supposedly was and where newsworthy events occurred during that time.
You knew all along, you motherfucker!
Shit. Why did I open that? Now I have to scrub most recent files opened. I don’t have time for this. Damn. I could have had X just do this remotely. Why didn’t I think of that? God I need sleep.
Havens opened more files.
Fine, you want to play it that way, I’ll fucking trash your place and stage a break in. Then I don’t need to fix your computer.
Havens found a number of the consulting responses Lars had written for crime scene hypotheticals. There were dozens. They ranged from discrete assassinations to full out massacres. Havens recognized a number of incidents that had hit headlines across the U.S. in recent months. He noticed that in the murders of families the father was almost never home. In the other scenarios the targets generally resembled someone Havens could be targeting, but this would provide more of a road map as to the staging from the crime scene perspective forensically. Havens even read through an assessment that mirrored this evening’s targeting of the shop owner.
Havens opened a subfolder to these scenarios that was simply entitled “Questions.”
Similar to the layout on Havens, Lars had pinpointed spots around the country on a map where these acts had been carried out. There were other pins that did not seem to be associated with a crime. He double clicked some of the pins to read the notes. They were color coded. Black pins appeared to be for ethnic individuals. Detroit. DC. Tampa. Virginia Beach. San Diego. Minneapolis. Springfield. Lake of the Ozarks. Arlington. He clicked on blue. They were for families, labeled by last name. As he clicked through the notes, he found that a file link attributed to the surviving husband showed they were a military or government worker in all cases. He clicked on the one he was avoiding. Chicago. Havens.
Chapter 56
Sean Havens leaned back in the leather office chair and rubbed his eyes. He had to get moving but still had not checked the red pins. Unlike the other colors, when a red pin was selected a radial appeared with connections to larger cities or landmark locations. A number of cities were linked to Reagan and Dulles with question marks. Others linked to O’Hare and Midway International Airports. There were other red pins along Chicago’s Burlington Northern railroad and Metra rail lines as well as the Acela on the east coast. Again with question marks.
What are you trying to figure out, Lars?
It came to him suddenly.
“Shit, you’re targeting.”
Havens heard the apartment door open slowly with an initial creak.
“Lars?” a male voice called out.
Havens remained silent.
The creak grew louder as the door swung open.
“Hey, who are you?”
A dark silhouette filled the entryway. Sean’s phone began to ring—it was Detective Neil.
Now scrambling, Havens decided to carry on and work the story. “Hello?” He answered the phone and beckoned the individual in the doorway to come in.
“Mr. Havens. Detective Neil here. You have a second?”
“Yes. Can you hold one second? I have someone here with me. It will just take a moment.”
“Sure, but have to chat with you quick.”
“OK, one sec.”
As the man approached him, Havens saw he was in his mid to late twenties, early thirties tops. He was wearing a t-shirt and jeans with an unzipped hoodie and flip flops.
“Bit cold out for flip flops, huh?”
“Dude, who are you? Why are you in Lars’ apartment and on his computer?”
“I’d ask the same of you, kid. I know I am supposed to be here. Not sure why you are just marching in.”
“Dude, I always stop by when Lars leaves the top bolt undone. Then I know he is home since the door won’t close. Now, who are you?”
“Sorry, man. I’m Sean. I am his brother-in-law.”
“Oh, dude. Shit. Oh, I am sorry. Was that your sister? I mean your wife and daughter, his niece?”
“It was. Thanks. How do you know?”
“Dude, I know all about you. Lars and I watch games together and shoot the shit sometimes. I just moved here a few months back and don’t know many people. He talks about you the entire time saying you fly all over the world for accounting stuff. Sounds cool even though I’m not in finance, but I am in computers. Work for IBM consulting too. He was really a mess when your wife was killed. Sometimes he just sits and looks at that picture of her and your daughter.”
The kid motioned to the wall with the flat screen TV mounted. It looked odd right next to the television. It was indeed a picture of Sean’s wife and daughter, but Havens didn’t recognize it. Perhaps shot while he was traveling.
“He says you guys are all real close and you are like a brother to him.”
Alibi. Nice Lars. Way to sell the sob story.
“So, like no disrespect, but why are you on his computer if he isn’t here?”
“It’s kind of a secret. And I can’t be long because I have to take this call. I suppose I can tell you. You must know how lonely he has been without his sister, so for the holidays I am going to make one of those photo albums that you can order online that look just like a book. I know he has some pictures I don’t have, so I snuck in to copy them.”
“With an imager? That’s for copying a whole hard drive. The one you have you can’t even write to. That’s a forensics tool.”
“Yeah, I had to get a lot of high res graphics and my external storage is about full. I don’t have much time and just wanted to copy it then I can look through.”
“But you will take his personal files too doing that.”
Havens was getting pissed. This kid was asking to turn up missing, but killing him wasn’t a good option despite it being an appealing notion.
Seems like a good kid. I am feeling a bit nasty though.
“Hey, you know, you are right, so I will go through and deselect them, but I have to take this call. I’ll be leaving shortly, but please, I don’t want to wreck this surprise. Don’t let him know I am doing this for him or that I was looking at his pictures. OK?”
“Sure, man. I know he will really appreciate it. That’s cool of you to do for him. My mom made one for our grandparents and they loooved it.”
“Cool. Thanks.” Convinced he was in the clear he unmuted the phone as the kid left. “Sorry, you still th
ere?”
“Yeah, but barely. I need you to authorize something. I can bring it by your house.”
“What’s that?”
“Well that doctor story kind of scared me, so I think it may be best to move your daughter somewhere safer. Another hospital. We can use a different name if I can get an approval from my guy up top.”
“Good idea, thanks. What do I need to do?”
“I already got it in play. Just need you to sign off that it was OK. They are bringing her bed down now and will transfer her to an ambulance and take her to a…well I don’t want to talk more on an open line. If you are close you can come by here. And don’t worry about insurance shifts. I already cleared it.”
“Cleared it how?”
“I pulled a little clout. I saw Silver Star was handling it, so I called them. They made a couple calls and got me a bed.”
Havens heart dropped.
Oh no.
“Stop the transport, Neil. Go stop it now. Get her!”
“Why?”
“That’s who is behind this!”
“Fuck!” Detective Neil sprinted towards the elevator bank. “Don’t let that door close!”
Chapter 57
Detective Daniels was waiting in the car at the hospital’s ambulance bay having just returned with some food for himself and Neil. As much as he would have liked to have had the monstrous Al’s beef sandwiches dipped, years on the job made him think better of it. Their beefs would still be moist with sweet peppers and cheese but would not have the full immersion in the broth. A sacrifice of public service. Neil arrived shortly after, having run down the stairs and sprinted to the exit.
“Where is she?”
“I have been out here the whole time. She never came down.”
“Impossible.”
For the first time since the shooting, Maggie Havens’ eyes opened. The nurse looked down at her and held her hand.
“Well hello, Sleeping Beauty. We’ve been wondering if you would wake up. Unfortunately, I am probably the last person you would like to have standing by your bedside.”
The nurse pushed the trigger on the IV and Maggie closed her eyes again. Her breathing and heart rate started to slow. The nurse continued wheeling the gurney down the hall making a few more turns down the corridor. She pulled the IVs and settled her now limp patient into a wheelchair near a side exit. As instructed, the nurse wheeled the patient out to the side lot in back of the maintenance area. It was an area unknown to her and was not covered by security cameras. The white Family Plumbing van sat running with the back doors open. Harrison Mann was there to receive the patient.
“Are you the man I am supposed to meet?”
“Why yes, I am.”
“OK, here she is. I did everything you told me to do. Now when can you get David out of jail?”
“Oh, sweetie, I’m sorry, but I don’t have that type of clout. I’m afraid I had to spin a bit of a tale.”
The nurse’s eyes widened in astonishment.
“But he has never been to prison. He’s got to be scared. You said he was being beaten every day, but if I helped you could move him until Silver Star got him out!”
If she could be even more shocked, it would have been about the time that Harrison raised his Ruger Mark III Hunter .22 with integrated silencer and fired two soft Aguila SSS rounds into her forehead. The rounds entered narrow and exited wide ensuring the target was fixed. The nurse immediately folded to the ground.
He loaded Maggie into the back and sped off the hospital premises.
Nice van, Havens. Your kid fit in it just fine.
Chapter 58
Havens pounded on the steering wheel. As he stomped on the floorboards willing the lights to change and the traffic to part he gave the wheel another good pounding. Rage boiled inside. Cougar gave a whimper and lifted her head but decided it was best to lie back down in the backseat.
Daniels called Sean to explain what happened while Detective Neil continued directing CPD to scour the hospital and a perimeter of five miles. More men would be put on alert once they knew what to look for.
Daniels told Havens about the dead nurse they had found. Sean immediately knew what had happened. Someone at the hospital was working for Silver Star and alerted the higher ups. They came and got Maggie and closed the link. This was too small of a city to have a bunch of assassin killer types with military training. Harrison’s reaction about Maggie and the drug toxins gave Havens the impression that he was less shocked about what was happening and more shocked that it was discovered. Havens figured if Draeger was involved then this whole nightmare was most likely for leverage against him. Maggie would only be useful if she could be held as bait and control.
But leverage against what? This is unforgivable. Draeger is a friend. If he needed me as an asset and the mission was legit and the authorities were complied with, I would have been more than fine with working a domestic project and staying closer to home. What would Draeger need me for? First things first. Maggie. If they don’t need her or me then we have a really big problem. Think PACE: Primary, Alternate, Contingency, and Emergency. What are they thinking now?
A man like Harrison would think about the attack. A man like Draeger would think like an attacker and consider the defender. A hybrid intel strategist and operator like Havens would act like a red teamer and think about the attacker, the defender, and how they were each thinking of each other. He would model the system and as many permutations as he could in the time allotted. Which wasn’t a lot.
Where would Harrison take Maggie. though? His crew has to be heading to the hit so he wouldn’t have them with him. If he has one of the cover vehicles and knows I am on to them then I am a link to be cleaned up. He’s got to be heading to the warehouse in the hood. Last stand. Shit. I’m no action hero. Man to man, Harrison will kill me. You only fight the way you practice, and I am out of practice. Out of shape and not moving too fast mentally or physically. OK, work the problem. Maybe Harrison isn’t as honed either. Hospital is northwest, traffic is heavy, and if he thinks cops are on lookout he will take side streets. He has proven to be fairly regimented so he will probably go to the one he knows best. I can get there first. Just have to confuse him a bit first.
Havens sent a text to Harrison.
“Problem here at hospital. Will be out of pocket. SH.”
Need to get to Red. He could help with back up. No. That could put him in a bad spot. Have to see this through solo. My shit. My cleanup.
“Cougar, wish you could hold a gun. I’m sending you to training if we live through this so you can back me up.”
Chapter 59
Harrison passed under the Dan Ryan Expressway and was nearing his turn to the warehouse when he received the text.
WTF?
“At the hospital?” Havens must not know I have Maggie. That gives me some time.
Instinctively, Harrison wanted to consult with Draeger, but when a man asks for autonomy, it’s best not to then need the boss’s help. Harrison questioned whether he made a mistake. He never liked the idea of stringing Havens along with the kid and thought it best to sever all loose ends. With the op going down, he had already changed up the plan by not being present to ensure things went according to the vision and directives he had set. He crossed his fingers that the men could handle it.
He was also tying up the second vehicle that they planned to use. It was going to be a backup and primary storage for site exploitation material, removing evidence that could tie the target to any DOSA communications.
“Shit!” Harrison realized that he had the van with all the storage cases and equipment.
Too close to the warehouse now. Fuck this. Smoke the girl. No. Smoke Havens, keep the girl ‘til he is smoked in case I need a backup plan. Then kill the girl. Smoke this team and screw it all. Screw Draeger. OK. Drop the girl at the warehouse and secure her. Then drop off the van with the team.
Harrison looked at his watch. Still time.
Harrison pu
lled into the lot and wound around the back entrance way. The streets were calm for the most part. Hooded apparitions stood in dark entryways and about twenty feet from any street corners. They would stay in place. Question was who they could send out if they wanted to. The van bumped up and down over the worn gravel and weather-induced potholes. He exited the car and scanned the night. It was cool and quiet. No movement. No sounds.
So far so good. Need to move the van in so Havens or anyone else has to come inside to know I am here. Havens you could have at least bought a place with a garage door opener.
Harrison walked to the metal door. He unlocked the deadbolt and door handle and walked in to hit the lights.
As he reached toward the light switches, Harrison was struck by a powerful bear paw punch to the ribs. A balled fist next cannoned his abdomen. Havens shoved Harrison’s shoulders to the metal door slamming his head against the hard surface. On the rebound Havens’ open palms simultaneously slapped against Harrison’s ears. Havens quickly turned his wrists in for a quick eye gouge with both thumbs and slammed Harrison’s head into the door again. The combination effect was as disorienting and disabling as a flash bang device. Havens’ left elbow swung up with full force, catching Harrison’s jaw and cracking it. With his right hand and now a rejoining left he grabbed Harrison’s head and brought it down forcefully to his bent knee.
Havens left nothing to chance and quickly bound Harrison’s hands. Confident that Harrison was out cold on the concrete, Havens raced to the van and flung open the side door. Maggie was still unconscious. Havens quickly assessed her vitals. He had to get her back to the hospital, but first needed some answers. Second, he would release some more energy and tension on Harrison. Havens’ adrenaline was piqued now and the audacity that these men would go after his daughter again would mean death to anyone responsible. Harrison would be atoning for anyone Havens couldn’t immediately reach.