“Wow Dad, black belt level, really?”
“Traykie! Is that all you heard me say?”
“No, Dad, I heard everything. Yes I’ll protect our family, and yes I’ll remain mature from this point forth and I’ll never let you down Dad. I promise!”
Leo swallowed hard to maintain his speech as he felt his voice quiver a bit. “Thank you Traykie! If for any reason you are in a situation that you have to protect Mom or Chris, do not hold back! These guys with the B.B.U.S.A. are trained adults. They probably know martial arts as well. You are probably as big as they are but I bet you are faster. Your greatest skill is your instinct. I have watched you develop over the last year or so and you no longer contemplate what move to make next, you simply respond instantaneously. That is what determines a black belt, a true master of martial arts. I need you to remain alert and vigilant of your surroundings. I’ll call you when you get to Swakopmund. I love you, Son.”
“I love you too, Dad. Don’t worry about us. Take care. Here’s Mom again.”
“Leo, what did you tell him? He turned so pale at first.”
“Sorry, Honey, I leveled with him. He needed to know, and I needed to know he would grow up and protect you and Chris. His skills are good enough to physically protect you from a physical assault or attempted kidnapping if weapons aren’t involved.”
“If you say so, but he is still only fifteen years old.”
“Yes I know Sarah, but don’t underestimate what he has learned. I’ll call you in Swakopmund. Give my regards to your dad please.
“I will.” Sarah felt her lip trembling. “I love you, Hun! Please call soon.”
“Okay. Please give the boys a big hug. Love ya!”
“I will. Bye, dear.”
He ended the call and quickly turned off his cell phone, placed it back in his pocket, and picked up his opened Vitamin Water and finished it. He walked over to the sidewalk and threw the empty bottle in the trash can. Leo looked around him, making sure that his surroundings remained safe. He got back in his car and drove about a hundred yards to the end of the parking lot, away from the lights surrounding the iron mesh-encaged vending machines and bathrooms. He backed the car in so that he could pull straight out in case of an emergency. It was a habit he’d learned during his years on fire crews.
Leo hoped he had not been too hard on his eldest son, but felt much better after talking to his family. He knew he could finally relax his guard enough now to get some rest. He let back his seat as far as it could go, opened the sunroof about an inch for ventilation, turned off the ignition, bundled up his coat as a pillow and leaned back to enjoy a few hours of much needed sleep.
Chapter 15
“Bloody bastard!” exclaimed Bob at the news related to him by Ervin from O’Hare. “What do you mean he wasn’t even on the plane?”
“As far as I can tell he never boarded any plane! You might get John on a computer to verify it, but I’ll bet you he never used that ticket.”
“Damn it!” Bob was really annoyed. He thought Leo would have been in custody by now.
“If you don’t mind, I’ll stay here tonight and catch a plane back to Boise tomorrow?” Ervin questioned.
Bob’s agitated voice suddenly boomed. “The hell you will! You get on the first flight back to Denver. You can sleep on the plane.”
“Why do you want me in Denver?”
“The intelligence I have on Leo says that his best friend from high school lives there. I had a crazy report from the national office a couple of hours ago but I blew it off thinking you were sitting right behind him all this time. The national office sent me a memo that they triangulated his cell phone just north of Reno, Nevada. I didn’t even pay any attention to the memo. I figured it was wrong or just another one of Leo’s plans to throw us off again. Perhaps he left his cell phone laying out somewhere and it was picked up and whoever took it was using it. Now, in light of what you just told me, it could have been Leo himself. I really don’t have any idea where he is or where he is going. I thought we had best cover all bases in the event that he shows up at his best friend’s house in Denver. Can you please go set up surveillance and let us know in the off chance he actually shows up there?”
“Sure thing. I’ll catch the next flight back to Denver, set up surveillance and let you know if he makes an appearance.” Bob relayed the address to Ervin and apologized for running him ragged, and hung up the phone.
Ervin liked working alone and still felt proud that Bob trusted him to set up the surveillance on his own. He was tired, but realized how important it was to locate Leo. He still had a chance to catch up with him on his own and take him out.
While sipping his coffee, Bob paced the floor impatiently in the conference room, then walked back to the phone and dialed John’s room. He relayed the information Ervin had provided and ordered John to get on the computer and check on Leo’s credit card purchases, cell phone records, ticket information, and so forth while Florin went out to try and find Leo’s trail. “I don’t care if Florin has to sniff every truck stop, restaurant, café, gas station, or convenience store; just have him find a scent!”
With John and Florin working on their respective assignments, he decided to call Carl and Marcus in Boise on the safe line. Perhaps Leo was heading back to Boise. He hated spreading his forces so thin, but had to contain the situation before higher powers found out what was going on in his district.
“Enterprise Investments.”
“Carl, it’s me, Bob.”
“Well, Bob, it’s about time you return my messages.”
“What messages?”
“I called about three times. I didn’t want to call you on the cell, so I tried the safe line you set up, and since no one ever answered I finally gave in and called Ervin’s cell phone, but it just went straight to voice mail. I even left a message for Ervin at the motel desk.”
“That figures!” He was exasperated.
“What figures?” Carl inquired.
“That’s just how this whole damn trip has been. Ervin’s not even here with us, he’s currently near Chicago. Anyway, we have been out all night and most of the morning, all for nothing, just chasing phantoms. Never mind, what is it?”
“I thought you would like to know that Sarah and her children left this morning on a vacation.”
“What?”
“They have a house sitter now, and from looking at the suitcases they took, I figure they are planning to stay a while. I didn’t know if you wanted us to detain them or not. That’s why we were trying so hard to get a hold of you.”
“Damn it all to hell! What in blazes is Leo up to?”
“What do you mean? What happened to him?”
“He tied into Ervin and John. He nearly broke Ervin’s leg and probably fractured John’s jaw, then gave us the slip. I had Ervin supposedly following him all the way to Chicago, all on false leads apparently. I received a memo from the national office that his cell phone was used in Nevada. For all I know he may be heading back your way right now. Carl, did the home taps give you any clues as to what they were planning?”
“No not really. Sarah canceled her newspaper, hired a house sitter and a security company to keep an eye on the house, and finally called her office manager and arranged for her to take over the business while she went on vacation. She packed up some suitcases and she and her two boys were dropped off at the Boise airport this morning.”
“That’s just great! Carl, I guess you and Marcus best go pay a visit to the house sitter. Don’t get caught! Find out what their plans are, and get a tap on their business lines as well okay? Find out where she went!”
“Affirmative. We’re on it Boss!”
“Carl. Don’t kill the house sitter, got it?”
“Don’t worry; we’re not like Ervin, he may find pleasure in killing but that’s really not our thing.”
“Don’t let me down. I want some reliable information, and I need it yesterday! Call me back when you have something, and at
this point I don’t care if you call my cell, okay?”
“Okay, hope to call you back soon with the information you requested.” Carl hung up the phone and looked over at Marcus while shaking his head from side to side slowly. “Wow, Bob is pissed off and ill-tempered! I’m glad we are here and not with him. It sounds like he hasn’t slept in days, and everything they planned went south. Leo has given them the slip and might even be heading back to Boise.”
“So what is it he needs from us?” Marcus inquired.
“We have to pay the house sitter a visit and gain some Intel on Sarah’s plans and where she went, and then tap the business lines as well.”
“Let’s get our things in order and start after dark, right after the first security patrol goes by Leo’s house. We’ll be out of there before the next patrol and can then hit the business afterwards.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Chapter 16
Sarah walked back into the house through the sliding-glass patio door, disconnected the phone with her husband, and turned to face her dad.
“So what’s up, honey? Was that Leo?” Alex asked.
“Traykie, can you go check on Chris, please? I need to talk to Dad. Please don’t relay anything to him yet, okay?” Sarah asked.
He let out a big breath, nodded and headed into the family room where Chris was still watching the Disney Channel.
Sarah watched her son leave the room, then turned and faced her father. “Yes, and he is mostly okay, but we still need to get packing. We have to be off by six in the morning. Can you drive us to the airport in the morning, Dad, or would it be easier if we just called a cab?”
Alex appeared offended by the mere suggestion of calling a cab. “Of course I can drive you to the airport! You won’t need a cab, but is there no other way? Won’t you just stay here with me till this whole thing blows over? I can get more time off work and we could all go to Mexico for a couple of weeks.”
“Dad, thank you for your concern, and all of that sounds nice, but I’m afraid we are past being able to change plans now. Our tickets are purchased, and I can’t alter them now. I am just disappointed. I really somehow hoped or expected this trip would not be necessary.”
“Well I know how stubborn you are, and once your mind is made up, it’s over, so what can I do to help? What is Leo going to do?” Alex inquired.
“Dad I’m not sure how much you should know, in case they come here to talk to you. Leo and his best friend Major Corrigan intend to work this out while we are safely out of the country. You can help by throwing a pizza in the oven while I go pack and get us all showered and ready for our long flight tomorrow.”
“Sure thing, but that’s not hard, anything else?”
“Yes Dad, there is one more thing.” Sarah glanced in the direction of the family room making sure her boys were out of hearing range. “Tell me Dad, what is physically wrong with you? Have you seen a Doctor yet?” Sarah could tell by her father’s expression on his face that she was on target. “Please don’t lie to me, remember I can sense things. I sensed it since you met us at the airport, but I’ve been too caught up with my own problems and worrying about Leo. I sense something serious if not taken care of soon.”
Alex nodded. “Want another Pepsi?”
“Yes please, but only if it comes with answers to my questions.”
Alex opened the fridge and retrieved a Pepsi for his daughter and a Corona for himself. He opened his bottle and chugged the first half, then sat down at the small table in the kitchen, handing Sarah her Pepsi. His right hand, still clasping his cold Corona, was shaking. She noticed it and made eye contact with her father. He let go of the beer and placed his somewhat trembling hands in his lap out of sight. “Honey, I really don’t want to burden you with my problems, especially not right now with all that is going on in your life.”
“Dad!” she said firmly. “Tell me. I need to know the truth. We don’t have much time; we leave first thing in the morning. Please tell me what’s going on.”
Alex sighed. “I have a golf ball-sized cyst behind my right ear that is affecting my balance, my hearing, and seems to be growing. I have headaches all the time and can’t seem to focus clearly. They did a biopsy and it appears to be benign but has doubled in size over the last six months. If it gets much bigger they say it will start affecting my brain and will eventually become inoperable.”
She stared intently at her father. “When is the surgery scheduled?”
Alex broke eye contact and then looked back at his daughter. “I have not yet agreed to surgery.”
“Why not?”
“I’m afraid, I guess. I hoped it would quit growing. They called it a cholesteatoma. That in itself sounds scary enough! It has already damaged my eardrum and hearing of my right ear. They told me it will eventually erode the bones around it and is currently only a few millimeters away from my brain.”
“Dad! This isn’t something to mess around with!” Sarah pleaded. “Dad, please promise me you will call the doctor tomorrow after dropping us off at the airport and get the surgery scheduled? From what you have described it sounds serious now, but not yet life threatening! This is still controllable and curable….please?”
“Honey, I know I should. I have been putting it off. I have never had a surgery in my life, not even tonsil or appendix surgery. I’ve always been healthy and lucky. The doctor really scared me, saying that there is a good likelihood that my right side of my face will become paralyzed, and at the very least my right ear will be numb.”
“Dad, even if your ear is numb and or worst case scenario, your face has a crooked smile on one side, you’ll be alive! You are young enough to have another thirty years. This is a ‘no brainer,’ forgive the bad pun. I knew I had sensed something serious, but I also sense much worse if not taken care of soon!”
An eerie silence hung over the two of them. Sarah could hear the Disney Channel TV series ‘Good Luck Charlie’ in the back ground coming from the family room. Alex reached for his Corona and finished it. He let go of the bottle and placed his hand on his daughter’s arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Okay, I promise! I guess a part of me just wanted some sort of confirmation that after your mother left me that someone still cared about me, gave a damn whether or not I was still kicking. Thank you, Honey. I’ll schedule the surgery.”
“Thank you Dad, and of course I care whether or not you are around.” Sarah wiped at her face, preventing a tear from running down her cheek. She laughed. “What about that pizza now? I’ll start on my shower and line up the boys to do the same.”
Sarah left her dad to start on the pizza and went to the family room to check on the boys. She told them that she was going to shower in the master bedroom and wanted each of them to take turns showering in the guest bathroom. Chris said that Traykie could shower first as he had fifteen minutes left till his program was over. Traykie got up and followed his mother down the hallway. When she noticed her tail, she turned to face him. “What’s up?”
Her son looked very focused and serious. “Are we going to die?”
“What?” Sarah was puzzled. “Why?”
“Dad was really weird on the phone. He said I have to be alert and vigilant, and ready for anything, and that he is depending on me to protect us all.”
Sarah let out a sigh, reached out and hugged her son. She stepped back a bit and angled her head, looking up at him. “No! We are not going to die! Traykie, your dad must have a lot of confidence in you to say such a thing though. We are all in this together. That’s why we are leaving to go to Africa in the morning. Your dad and Doug are going to take care of things here. We’ll be all right. Please don’t alarm your brother. He’s still a bit too young to understand, okay?”
“I’m fine with not telling Chris, but I’m not sure you convinced me that our lives are not in danger too,” he lamented.
“Son, there is an element of danger, but thinking of it realistically, what would the B.B.U.S.A. want with a lady and her two sons?
Dad just doesn’t want us to get caught up in the middle of all this. He and Doug will work it out, while we have a mini vacation and visit your grandma.”
“Well Mom, for what it is worth,” he said with conviction while straightening his posture, “you can count on me! From now on I’ll be mature and helpful. I’ll never let Dad down! I’ll protect us all if I need to. What can I do to help?”
Sarah was taken back and not sure whether she should laugh or hug her son. He said his words with such firm resolve. She smiled at him. “I don’t think it will be necessary, but in a way, it is comforting to know that you have grown up. Your father would be very proud of you, and he is relying on you to help keep us all safe on this adventure. Now, start by showering, packing and then get Chris through the shower too, okay?”
“Mom, that’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
“I know, Honey, but it is truly what I need right now.” Sarah smiled affectionately at Traykie, kissed him on the cheek and headed for the master bedroom. Sarah removed a fresh towel from the linen closet in the master bathroom and closed the door behind her. It felt good to smile. There had been little to smile about in the last week. Sarah had always been a friendly person and seldom thought about smiling. Funny, she thought, that a smile could feel foreign on your face so quickly. She resolved to make sure she smiled at the boys more often so they wouldn’t feel as nervous as she did.
Sarah reached in and turned on the shower. She quickly slipped out of her clothes and looked at her naked reflection in the mirror. She examined her brown glowing tan from her afternoon by the pool in the Texas sun. She seemed satisfied noticing the distinct contrast of her bikini lines to the rest of her body that had been repeatedly exposed to the sun. Growing up in Texas, she loved being outside and especially enjoyed tanning. To her it was her relaxation time. It was the perfect time to meditate; besides, she liked the positive attention she got when so often complimented on her tan and gleaming white smile.
B.B.U.S.A. (Buying Back the United States of America) Page 11