by Michael Todd
“Well, isn’t that nice,” she replied. “I’ll text you the address. Let me know when you get there.”
Chapter Nine
Savage hated the suburbs. Too many rich, entitled people lived there, all safe and smug in their socially acceptable homes. He’d only had to deal with the likes of it a couple of times, and even then, only for a few months at a time. Dealing with homeowner’s associations had been something of a nightmare. It was amazing how so little power could still go to people’s heads, and he’d narrowly avoided fights with the assholes who virtually measured the grass for any tiny infraction they could find as an excuse to assert themselves.
But if there was anything he could give to these people, it was that they were vigilant about the security of their homes. This was something he couldn’t fault them for, even if it was inconvenient for him at the moment. He arrived in his car and drove around the neighborhood a couple of times to familiarize himself with the area. Even this early in the afternoon, there were still people out and about in the neighborhood—the kind of people who would definitely notice if an old Subaru parked outside their homes for extended periods of time.
He wasn’t someone who usually aroused suspicions in these kinds of communities as he didn’t really need to take pictures of the target location. Still, there was no point in taking an unnecessary risk. One call to the cops and he was done for. A search would reveal the weapons—for which he did not have a permit—and he would find himself in prison faster than he could snap his fingers.
“Okay,” Savage said softly as he completed his third circuit. He still hadn’t identified a suitable place where he could stop without being called on it. “I think we need to change tactics. I won’t be able to stop for any actual surveillance of the house without someone calling the cops on me. I need a place where I can park without arousing suspicions. Even simply driving around here has already generated a little interest. My third drive-through probably didn’t help, so I definitely can’t risk another.”
“Give me a second,” Anja replied and sounded like she was already working on that problem. She was good at that—anticipating the kinds of issues he would face and already working on a solution before he even asked. It made her much quicker with her response times when it turned out that he did ask for her help. “I pick up three different houses that have calls in for assistance—two plumbing issues and one with the satellite dish. Do you think you could pass yourself off as a plumber?”
“That won’t work.” He grunted and turned the car. While he had no intention to make another sweep, he couldn’t simply park anywhere. “These people all know the plumbers and technicians they’ve worked with for years. They’ll always expect a familiar face to first introduce a new guy. Besides, that would include getting a paneled van and disguises, which I really don’t feel comfortable with considering the timetable we’re on. We need to find another way.”
“Damn,” she muttered. “Who knew that casing a house in the suburbs would be more difficult than breaking into Fort Knox?”
“Well, that’s not really true,” he corrected her as he steered his Subaru into the parking lot of a nearby supermarket. “Breaking into Fort Knox is virtually impossible, but it doesn’t have many variables. Breaking into a house around here is difficult because it has too many variables.”
“So, what do you suggest?” she asked.
“Uh…” Savage paused. He needed a moment to think. Bringing the art of spycraft into the sleepy world of suburbia was something he never thought he would do, and it was surprisingly challenging. He would have appreciated it under any other circumstances, but in this case, where time was something of an issue, he wished it was a situation where he could simply charge in without too much thought involved.
“Okay, I have an idea,” he said finally. “Can you look into houses in the area that have been for sale for an extended period of time? In the area of the congressman’s house, obviously, and been on the market for more than six months.”
“Okay.” After a few seconds, his phone buzzed in his pocket. She had sent him four addresses. “Those are the ones closest to the house in question. Will you tell me why I’m looking for the objects of sadness for divorced couples?”
“Well, houses that have been vacant for more than six months still need maintenance. This is usually covered by the insurance of the real estate companies, which are rarely as expensive as those the people living in these houses can afford,” he explained, drove the car out of the parking lot, and headed to the first and closest address, which had been vacant for eight months. “You’d be surprised what you learn when you look through homeowner’s association manuals in search of loopholes.”
“I have a standing order for everyone around me that if they ever find me reading through a homeowner’s association manual, they are to find the largest gun within a five-mile radius and shoot me with it,” she replied. “I’m extending that standing order to you too.”
“That sounds about right.” Savage pulled into the driveway and looked around the area for a few minutes before he decided that the nearby adjacent wall was where he would find the key lockbox. “Although I’ll settle for the nearest knife or blunt object. Those manuals are boring pieces of literature.” He found it where he thought he would, hidden from view but near enough to the door to make it accessible. It required a key of its own to open, of course, but it was fragile enough that he was able to force it open with the butt of his pistol. After a few attempts, he finally managed to pry the key free.
“But you’ve apparently learned a lot from them.” Anja chuckled as he stepped into the abandoned house. “Like knowing how to magically locate keys to empty houses.”
“That is actually a trick I learned from my ex-wife,” he said. “I was in a college dorm she didn’t like and she was still living with her parents. She worked as a real estate agent and knew the agents always left the keys somewhere near the house in case they needed to show without having time to head back to the office to get the keys. Of course, in her case, she and I only did it—”
“I don’t need a play-by-play,” she protested. “I think I have the gist.”
“What you have is a dirty mind.” He laughed and circled to the part of the house that gave him a view of the congressman’s home. “So did she.”
“Ew. I don’t need to think about that. You need to stop it. Also, let me know when you have a good view of the place.”
“I have a good view of the place,” Savage said immediately as he drew a small scope from his pocket and peered intently through it. “Congressmen don’t have the protection of the secret service when they’re not on government property, but I see a fair level of security hanging around his house—one van and two armed guards. It would seem the man thinks someone’s gunning for him.”
“You would be right about that,” the hacker replied. “I’m looking through the congressman’s finances, and I see considerable spending on security. He upgraded the alarm system across the whole building—which wasn’t cheap given that the place was built about a hundred years ago. And then he brought a security company in to have people physically guard the house. And the real kicker? All the payments were made about three hours after I detected the leak of your file.”
“That recipe does not spell an innocent man, I’ll tell you that,” he grumbled and continued his scrutiny. “With that confirmed, the security team on his house will complicate matters. Are they only there for the time he’s away? Do they take any time off?”
“Nope. I’ve accessed the company’s records, and it appears they have three teams working a twenty-four-hour shift on the place.”
“Shit.” He shook his head in irritation. “Simply charging in there won’t work. And I had really hoped I could charge into something. All this thinking is exhausting.”
“Still hungover, huh?”
“Yep. Any attempt to storm the place will mean we—and by we, I mean I—will get to meet literally every cop in the city.
We need to play this smart.”
“Do you have any ideas?” Anja asked.
“Yeah, I have a couple.” He lowered the scope and fiddled with the dials. “There are too many variables involved in getting into the house, but there is a way to circumvent the whole security system.”
“And how is that?” Anja asked.
“The security system,” Savage replied with a chuckle. “Ironic, I know, but hear me out. The team out there is acknowledged and known by the people of this delightfully regulated slice of heaven. That actually seems like the best way in.”
“Do you think you can pull it off?” She sounded dubious.
“No, but I think you can help me with it,” he said with a grin. “It actually reminds me of the first time we worked together.”
“I’ll work on it.” She sounded less than excited. “You might want to consider not drinking yourself into a stuporous coma the night before your first day on the job. And get a damn aspirin. You can’t show up hungover either.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” He locked the door of the house behind him, headed to the car, and started it. She had a point, but he doubted he would need to drink anyway. He had taken some solid steps in the direction of reaching the people responsible for putting his family in danger. He wouldn’t be surprised if he slept like a baby tonight.
After a couple of aspirins, he reminded himself. Anja was right. The state he was in would probably continue until tomorrow if he didn’t do something about it.
He had made a habit of staying late at the office. It wasn’t something he particularly enjoyed, but it wasn’t like he had much going on at home to get back to. The apartment he called his own was rented and furnished by the firm until he found better accommodation. Given that it was a penthouse overlooking Central Park, he doubted he would find anywhere as good.
Well, he could, but Banks had never put too much importance on a big house. It would be empty most of the time anyway.
Maybe he could find a way to get involved in the nearby bars and work himself into the local scene. The only drinking he did was social anyway. He might as well get good at it on his own time. But it would be a while before he was on his own time these days. Very little time was his own since he became a partner, and that was the way he liked it.
His phone rang and he realized that the sun had set and there weren’t any lights on in his office. He turned the desk light on and lifted the phone to his ear rather than connect it to his computer this time. It honestly wasn’t worth the effort, not after the day he’d had. Involvement in the dirty business of kidnapping for money wasn’t what he was accustomed to. He was anxious to the point where he considered breaking open the bottle of Blue Label that had been gifted to him when he’d been promoted.
“How has your day been, Banks?” The smooth, dulcet tones were almost a trademark of the woman to whom he owed most of his successes.
“I’ve worked to make sure that our Savage problem is taken care of,” he said and leaned back in his seat. The ergonomically padded leather supported his weight easily and comfortably. “I’ve contacted one of the communities that were suggested to me by your contacts and opened the account for payment for the kidnapping of the child and her mother. I wasn’t sure what you wanted me to do with the fiancé, so I left that up to the discretion of the professionals who were available.”
“The fiancé probably won’t matter to Savage, so that was a good call,” she replied. “We need the leverage in this situation. Having a hold over him is the point of all this, so I suggest they stay alive. They’re no good to us dead.”
“I’ve made it abundantly clear in the contract that any harm done to either of the targets will be returned in kind to the guilty parties,” he said and kept his voice firm. “I can assure you, the professionals involved will deliver their targets on time and without any undue fuss.”
“I knew I could trust you Banks.” She chuckled. “You’ve fulfilled your role rather well, considering the position you’re in. I’ve begun to wonder what you could do for me when in a more advantageous role.”
“I’m glad you approve, ma’am,” Banks said and tried not to preen too much from the compliments. “I would like to ask, what do you have in mind for Carlson? Once Savage is dealt with, do you think he’ll be the right person for the job he had before?”
She sighed. “I doubt it. Savage broke him in ways I actually envy. But we need to be delicate with Carlson. He’s smart and he’s been in the game long enough to know that he needs insurance to ensure that people don’t try to mess with him. Rather like the game he’s playing with the FBI.”
“Is there anything you want me to do in the meantime, ma’am?” he asked and surveyed the files and folders laid neatly out on his desk with a critical eye.
“Keep working his case and update me on his interaction with the FBI,” she said. “When the time comes to deal with Carlson, one way or another, I’ll let you know. Keep up the good work, Banks.”
The line went dead, but he held the phone to his ear for a few more seconds. The woman was still rather terrifying, even over the phone and even when she was pleased with his work. He wasn’t sure he liked working for someone who intimidated him so completely. Unfortunately, he also knew he was in too deep and he would have to continue to play this ridiculous little game of hers to completion, one way or the other.
Coming to terms with one’s fate was a liberating process, but he needed something to calm his nerves. He had turned to smoking back in law school—nicotine, not marijuana—but he’d shaken that habit a long time ago. It had left a hole in his life he’d ignored until this moment. He stood, retrieved the bottle with silver and blue markings forged into the glass itself, and walked to the wet bar neatly and unobtrusively set up in his office.
Crystal glasses had come with the office too, and he dropped a couple of ice cubes in one before he poured the dark amber liquid over them until it was well above the four-finger mark. As meticulous as ever, he replaced the cap on the bottle and only then took a long sip. Damned if it wasn’t worth the elevated price tag. That was some smooth whiskey.
“You’re doing this for your career,” Banks told his reflection in the nearby mirror. “You wouldn’t have made it this far without taking risks. This is merely paying your dues, and it’s fucking worth it.”
He took another slow sip of the whiskey and scowled to see the two gulps had emptied the glass. Without hesitation, he poured another drink, a little more generously this time. He knew that if he reminded himself constantly of how he would benefit, he would actually start to believe that it truly was worth it.
Chapter Ten
As security gigs went, things could have been much worse. Leaving the military had landed Jordan Fraser in hot water. He’d had some good times in uniform but when he returned to the States with that much experience under his belt, most of the people who had interviewed him stamped the “overqualified” mark on each of his applications. In this economy, people didn’t want to pay more for qualified personnel. They wanted to hire someone who was underqualified, train him or her up to the level where they were useful, and still pay them the same amount throughout.
Landing a job with a security company had been something of a godsend. His wife wanted to send their kids to a private school, and with the kind of cash Tower Security paid him by the hour, he could now afford any school Tammy wanted. He didn’t even need to read the brochures and could leave all the work of scouting and selection to her. Considering that she would be the one to drive their two little ones to and from the place, he knew she would choose someplace nearby.
In the meantime, he could spend most of his time with like-minded individuals since Tower mostly hired men and women recently out of the military and in need of work. His wife knew he needed to bring the bucks in and would complain less. It would also leave her with more time to use his credit card, but she was working now too, so much of the money she spent was hers anyway.
She was a st
and-up gal, Tammy.
He spent most of his days in a van with one of the men he’d toured Afghanistan with. The company had nothing resembling the kind of authority they’d had while in the Corps, so it wasn’t a bad way to pass the time. Their food and drink were a part of the budget, and all they had to do was check all the security features of the house every three hours or so, fewer when the congressman was at home.
It was honest work, and they had fun while conducting it. It wasn’t even too difficult to access the house’s unblocked Wi-Fi so they weren’t restricted only to the sites Tower thought weren’t timewasters.
A man could get used to this kind of work, he mused as he chewed some of the pizza left over from their lunch.
And it was almost time to go home too. They had given most of the Thanksgiving weekend off for the team members who had been around for longer than six months, which meant they would use the time to let the desk-jockeys have fun training the new guys. Jordan had made plans to take Tammy and the kids to a Redskins game on Sunday.
All in all, it sounded like the kind of week he didn’t mind having from time to time.
It was his turn to be up front, and he had the entertainment system tuned to a sci-fi show Tammy wanted him to catch up on so they could watch it together. He was two seasons in and damned if it wasn’t intriguing. It wasn’t like her to suggest anything with this much full-frontal female nudity, but the solid script and good acting were enough to allow her to look past it and now, they had something to watch together. Not with the kids around, of course. They were addicted to their Disney shows anyway.
He looked up from the screen when the commercials came on. The replacement car pulled up behind them, and he grinned at the perfect timing.
The man in the driver’s seat was easily recognizable, of course. Buck Castle, a former Navy man who was heavy around the waist, and his baldness was halfway through treatment with the new Zoo shit that made everything better. Jordan had heard it had the kinds of benefits men and women had only dreamed about before, but it was still too far out of his pay bracket for him to acquire any. Give it a couple of years, though, at the current rate in which he rose through the ranks, and he might try it too.