9 Ways to Fall in Love

by Caroline Clemmons

  “Now, I feel human.”

  A knock sounded at the door. The women exchanged guarded glances. Goldberg said, “That should be the other agent.” Not taking any chances, she pulled her gun and eased toward the door. “That you, Ortega?”

  “Yeah, I got coffee.”

  Goldberg holstered her gun and opened the door. Two burly men crashed into the room. Before the agent could fire her weapon, two bullets, one to the head and one to the chest, dropped her to the floor. Kate looked up to see two men the size of linebackers. “You come with us. Chavez is waiting.”

  Kate had no weapon, and Brody couldn’t help her in this situation. Eying the agent’s body, Kate exited the room. Outside the door, an elderly woman, wearing a maid’s uniform lay sprawled on the carpeted floor. One man reached down, grabbed her by the collar, dragged her into the room, and shut the door.

  With their guns pressed in the middle of her back, they herded her toward the elevator. “Don’t screw up. Chavez said to kill you at the first wrong move.”

  “I’m sure he did,” Kate said.

  They rode to the lobby non-stop. With a guy at each arm, Kate didn’t do anything that would cause innocent people to get killed.

  Outside they shoved her into a waiting car and took off, tires squealing on the hot pavement.

  ***

  As Mac hit the fifth floor, Tony and Frank staggered out of the room next to Frank’s. Doug ran toward them and helped Frank and Tony into his suite.

  “What the hell is going on?” Doug asked, leaning against the door.

  Frank holstered his gun. “Did your master key work?”

  “No, something must have been jammed in the slot.”

  Tony went behind the TV and started pulling out wires. Within seconds he had his computer booted and ready to go. All appeared normal in the president’s room. It showed Davis relaxing while reading the newspaper.

  “What do you have there, Tony?” Doug asked, walking closer.

  Frank put his hand on Doug’s shoulder. “You better take a seat. We have a situation here and it’s really bad.”

  Doug sat and looked at Frank.

  “Oh, hell,” Tony shouted and then grabbed his cellphone. Frank spun around to see the screen capture Kate Stone being escorted through the lobby of the Radisson Hotel by two strange men.

  “Brody,” Tony said. “Hold everything. They have Kate.”

  Tony looked at Frank. “Bring Doug up to speed quick. We have to make our move now.”

  ***

  Monique was tossing clothes in one of her suitcases when the doorbell chimed. Since she wasn’t expecting anyone, she nervously checked her security screen. She blew out an annoying sigh when the system captured her brother standing outside her door.

  She groaned, wishing he’d go away and leave her alone. Today wasn’t a day she felt like putting up with him criticizing her because Ron hadn’t proposed to her yet. Didn’t he know she felt bad enough already? For crying out loud, she’d done everything he asked.

  Frowning to show her displeasure at seeing him, she yanked open the door and stepped aside. “I know, you’ve came here to bitch at me, but I’m not in the mood.”

  “Sibel this is serious. Youssef is not happy.”

  “Fuck Youssef.” She thumped her chest. “Can’t you understand I did the best I could?”

  “It is not enough.”

  Her brother stepped over the threshold and into her foyer. He shook the rain off his light jacket as she shut the door.

  “Come, I’ll fix some tea,” she offered. In the kitchen she put the kettle on the stove to boil water.

  “I did not come for tea, Sibel.”

  She turned back to him and he held a gun pointed at her. The radical bastard. “You’ve come to kill your own sister?”

  “A very unruly and disobedient sister.” He narrowed his dark eyes and pointed a condemning finger at her. “You have not done as you were instructed.”

  “I have been a most devoted sister. Do you think I enjoy those men pawing me like animals?” She stepped closer and shoved his shoulder. “Do you, Asad?”

  “I think you have your own agenda.”

  Monique allowed tears to course down her cheeks. “Then what are you waiting for? Kill me, why don’t you? Shoot me down like a dog in the street.”

  “Youssef has ordered it.”

  “What will our father think of this, huh? Do you think he will honor you?”

  “Father should not be concerned. He hasn’t seen you in years. We are not Pakistanis, you and I.”

  The tea kettle suddenly whistled, and they both turned. Monique grabbed the kettle and flung it at Asad’s head. He placed his hands over his face, and the gun clattered to the floor. Without pausing, she charged forward and scooped it off the tile.

  While he staggered from the blow to his head and the scalding water, Monique pointed the gun at Asad’s chest and pulled the trigger.

  She looked into her dying brother’s eyes. She didn’t see the hurt or the love one would expect from a brother. Only regret that he’d failed Yousef. She pulled the trigger again...and again.

  So much for family. Now she had to run and hide. Nothing had gone as she planned, but when had it ever? She had no one to count on but herself.

  ***

  Before Frank could finish, Mac’s phone went off. Finding a quiet corner, he answered the call he’d been waiting for. His contact had come through.

  Mac stuck the phone in his back pocket. Soberly, Mac took out his Glock and checked his ammo. “I got a tip on Burr. I’m going to check it out. It’s been confirmed he has been hired to take out the president.”

  Frank looked away. “No chance Burr could have another target?”

  “No.”

  Frank sat on the edge of the bed. “Take him out, Mac. It’s the only way we can make sure the president is safe.”

  “On it.” Mac headed for the door.

  “Don’t take any chances. He’s one of the best,” Tony said.

  Mac looked back and grinned. “Only one of best, not the best.” Mac exited.

  Frank massaged his temples as he walked to the far side of the room. Doug sat in an over-stuffed chair facing the TV. “What’s happening, Frank? Tony told me something was going down and gave me this feed.” He touched his ear. “But, I’m still pretty much in the dark.”

  “I’m not sure how to say this except Ben Reed, Scott Wheeler, and Ron Rafferty plan to have the president assassinated.”

  Doug jumped out of the chair. “You’re shitting me.”

  Frank stepped closer. “I wish I was, but a call from a Monique Sutherland pretty much sealed Ron and Ben’s fate. I only have a hunch Scott is in on it, but my hunches usually turn out to be pretty good.”

  “My God, why?” Doug barely whispered. His eyes widened and he appeared lost for words.

  Tony pulled up the camera from outside in the hall. They all watched as Scott stuck something in the key slot to Frank’s room.

  “Well,” Tony said. “That put Scott in a pretty embarrassing position.”

  “Tony, I think you need to get Colanglo in here. I want him to hear this from you guys,” Doug said. “And he’ll need to take care of Reed.”

  “I’ve already sent him a text asking him to join us in the president’s room. Should be there any minute.” Tony turned the screen back to the president. “I need to get the recorder out of my room. From the optics, it appears Scott waited for me to go to Frank’s room and then broke the lock and gassed us.”

  Doug stepped back. “Your room was gassed? Are you okay?”

  “We’re fine,” Frank said. “But Tony has a back-up system in his room.”

  Tony eased out of the room to hunt for his recorder.

  “Frank, this is serious stuff. Is the president okay?”

  A light tap sounded at the door. Doug checked it out and allowed Tony back into the room. He carried a tissue size box. “It’s all here, everything that was said in Scott Wheeler’s roo
m.”

  “Is it enough?”

  Tony pushed the power button and Scott’s and Ron’s voices echoed through the room.

  ***

  Brody looked at Jake, and both men jumped into the car and quickly moved out of the area. From two blocks away they watched every car that drove into the neighborhood. Brody wanted the car stopped and Kate freed before those goons delivered her to Chavez.

  “You think they’ll bring her here?”

  Brody held the field glasses to his eyes. “This is where A.J. led us, so it stands to reason that they’d bring Kate here.”

  “You’re guessing Chavez is wherever they’re keeping A.J.”

  “It makes sense,” Brody said. “I don’t think they’d scatter their assets all over El Paso. Chavez is a control freak.”

  Jake lowered his glasses, and said, “I see a dark car approaching with tinted windows. You think that’s the one with Kate in it?”

  “Affirmative.”

  Jake and Brody jumped into their vehicle, circled around, and followed the kidnapper’s car at a safe distance. “I don’t want them to get too far ahead of us.” Brody slapped the dash. “How does that man keep managing to get his hands on Kate?”

  “Let’s cut them off at the next intersection.”

  Cocking his assault rifle, Brody said, “I’m ready.”

  ***

  Mac walked into the fast food restaurant and gauged sight lines, made note of every customer and worker in the establishment. In the corner, with his back to the door, Albin Burr sat hunched over his lunch, devouring a greasy hamburger.

  Mac got in line behind a young mother with two toddlers. There were too many people for Mac to approach Burr. He’d wait for him to leave. In the meantime, Mac couldn’t afford to let the assassin out of his sight.

  At the counter Mac ordered a drink and a small hamburger. He paid, took his order, and found a small table on the opposite side of the eating area. Sucking his drink through a straw, Mac took out his phone and pretended to be engaged in a text conversation.

  When Burr rose, and took his red tray to the trash container and dumped it, Mac left his untouched burger and fell in behind him. As the hit man approached his car, Mac jabbed a Glock into the center of Burr’s back.

  Burr froze.

  Mac stepped back. “Turn around.” With the gun at his waist, Mac backed Burr up to the dumpster, where the customers couldn’t see them.

  “I know you speak English, so I’ll keep this short. We know you’re here to take out the President of the United States. We’re not about to let that happen. Right now you’re in the sights of a dozen snipers.”

  Burr looked unconvinced. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said in a deep Scandinavian accent that reminded Mac of Arnold Schwartzenegger.

  “I think you do,” he replied. “You’re Albin Burr. Your wife’s name is Olga, and your two girls are Anna and Erika. A new addition is expected in September. You live in Svedbergsplan in a third floor flat. I know the park where your kids play.”

  Burr’s eyes widened and darted around the perimeter. Mac knew nothing scared a man like a threat to his family.”

  “What do you want?”

  “Who hired you?”

  “You should know I don’t have that information. I have nothing that associates me to my target. It’s all done by my handler. I’m simply sent a text, and I go from there.”

  “Who’s your handler?”

  “We’ve never met.”

  “Where were you to take out the target?”

  “I haven’t received those instructions yet.” Burr held out a piece of paper with nine numbers on it. “I’m to contact this number within two hours.”

  Mac believed Burr. Most assassins didn’t dirty their hands with details. But if Burr didn’t do the job, the manager would probably turn on Burr and his family.

  “I advise you to find out who your handler is and take care of him. Find another line of business. Go home and raise your family.”

  Burr looked off into the distance. Mac knew there were two kinds of assassins, the ones who worked strictly as a job and those who enjoyed the kill. He guessed Burr wasn’t a cold blooded killer.

  Mac handed him an envelope. “Here is your passport and a ticket back to Stockholm. Take it and go.”

  Burr hesitated a moment and then reached out and took the offer. After tucking it securely in his pocket, he handed Mac the prepaid phone and nodded. Burr got in his car and turned in the direction of the airport.

  Mac had security set up to see that Burr actually got on the plane and left. His instructions were if Burr didn’t follow directions, they’d take him out.

  Mac called Frank. “I have a number. Burr hadn’t picked out a location yet, so A.J. may still be alive.”

  “Burr?” Frank asked.

  “On his way back home if he’s smart.”

  “Good job, Mac.”

  ***

  Tony, Frank, and Doug headed for the president’s room. Colanglo would be waiting inside. Ron being there came as a surprise to Frank. If Rafferty was worried, he didn’t show it. His shit-eating smile nearly blinded Frank.

  “The president and I were just telling Vince our strategy for tonight’s dinner,” Rafferty said. “I think Gomez will be open to our suggestions.”

  Doug remained near the door, his hand on his service revolver. “Frank has something to tell you, Mr. President.”

  Davis looked at Frank expectantly. Tony had his hands behind his back in a relaxed stance, but Frank knew he fisted his gun and could draw and fire it accurately in a split second.

  “It appears there’s a conspiracy, Colin,” Frank said.

  “What are you talking about?” Rafferty asked. His wholesome smile gone, replaced by a nervous frown. “What’s going on?”

  “May I use your computer,” Frank asked.

  Davis waved his hand toward his laptop. “Please, help yourself.”

  Frank put in a thumb drive, and pictures of Ron Rafferty and Scott Wheeler flashed on the screen. Frank waited for the audio.

  “That’s nothing unusual,” Ron barked. “You gentlemen are wasting the president’s time. We have a very important meeting in a couple of hours.”

  “Be patient,” Colanglo said. “If this wasn’t important, Frank wouldn’t be here.”

  Ron and Scott’s voices traveled through the speakers as they discussed the assassination of the president. They also talked about the assassin, about framing A.J., and about gassing Frank’s room.

  “Lies,” Ron said. “I don’t know how you came up with this, but its false information and I’m personally going to see that Falcon Securities pays for this.”

  Davis raised his hand. “One moment please.” He turned to Frank. “Do you have anything other than this? In today’s world, it isn’t hard to produce a flaming video.”

  Frank took his phone out of his pocket and pushed play. Monique Sutherland’s voice echoed around the room. She gave a play by play of how Ron, Scott Wheeler, and Ben Reed were all conspiring to kill the president.

  “Lies, those are all lies.”

  A knock sounded at the door. Doug opened it and Mac stepped inside. He held up a prepaid phone, punched in a number and Ron’s phone rang.

  In sequence, Tony and Doug pulled their weapons and pointed them at Rafferty.

  “Do you realize who I am?” he shouted. “I am the Vice president of the United States. I demand you holster those guns before you both end up in federal prison.”

  “Shut up, Ron.” Davis looked at Colanglo. “Contain Reed.”

  “My pleasure,” Vince said and immediately took out his cell phone.

  “What about this Sutherland woman?” Colin asked Frank.

  “I have her in a holding cell at the airport. One of my agents caught up with her just before she tried to board a plane for Mexico.”

  “Good, we’ll need a witness.”

  A knock sounded at the door. Doug checked out the computer scr
een through the camera Tony had installed. “It’s Scott.”

  Frank shut off the TV and sat in the chair next to the bed. “Let him in.”

  Doug opened the door, and Scott’s eyes grew wide. His hand automatically went for his gun. Doug stopped the agent with the barrel of his weapon against the man’s temple. Scott put his hands up. “What’s going on?”

  Ron rushed to talk. “Hamilton is trying to convince the president we want to murder him.”

  “That’s nonsense. Pure and simple. I’ve protected your life for three years, sir.”

  “Look at the monitor, Scott,” Colin said. “Is that you stuffing a metal prong in the lock of Frank’s hotel room? And is this conversation between you and Ron a lie as well? It seems you men have been very busy planning my demise.”

  “I have nothing to say, Mr. President, except I’ve been a loyal employee of the Secret Service for fifteen years. But if you want to take the word of some security guy, well, that’s your problem.”

  “No, it’s your problem, Scott. And I want all of it. Right down to the very last detail.”

  Scott looked away, his jaws tight.

  “You have one of my men and Kate Stone.” Frank said. “Where are they?”

  Scott’s eyes narrowed, and he glared at Frank. “Go to hell.”

  Tony slapped Scott against the face with the barrel of his gun. Scott landed on his back, and Tony straddled him. With his Glock against Scott’s forehead, Tony said, “Talk now or they’ll take you out in a body bag.”

  “I don’t know.”

  Tony clipped the bullet into the chamber.

  “I don’t know. I swear.” Scott said, his hands shaking.

  “Who has A.J.?” Tony shouted.

  “That fucking Mexican.”

  “Chavez?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Where is he?” Tony demanded.

  “I don’t know. He’s on his own. He took the fucking Falcon agent to pin the murder on. I don’t even know if your man is still alive.”

  Tony straightened and kicked Scott in the right side. “You better hope and pray he’s still breathing or you won’t be.”

  ***

  Ben Reed didn’t bother to go into work. He’d decided to wait it all out in the comfort of his home. His older daughter had flown in from Houston for his birthday and he enjoyed her company.