"Your one sick bastard. You and your kind make me sick. Here is what happens next. I'm going to send a doctor down to take a look at you and fix you up a little. Then I want your ass out of here and this country. If I ever find you in the States again I will shoot you on sight."
"Sure. You’re going to let me just walk out of here and get on the plane. You're going to have me killed as soon as I walk out of this building."
"Don't be stupid. If I wanted you dead I would just kill you myself, right here and now. You make me want to puke. I just want you gone. Go back to your Island in the sun. Don't drag your sorry ass back to this country again."
"Or you will kill me? The end justifies the means? We're the same. You are just ashamed to admit it," Zane said.
PJ didn't even respond. He just slammed the cell door on his way out.
Sean was standing there, "I didn't hear a shot. You must have gotten what you want."
"I need to get a doctor down here. I want him to patch this scum bag up and then he takes a walk."
"You’re just letting him go?"
"What the hell Sean? How in the hell could I hold him? Look at him. We have nothing on him that will hold up in court."
"Fell down ya' think?" Sean joked, and PJ couldn't help but laugh. It broke the pent up anger in him.
"Some fall. Get a doctor would you?"
"Got one upstairs. Thought you might need it for one reason or the other. I have a coroner ready too, just in case."
"Very thoughtful. I want to talk to the doctor before he goes down there."
Sean went and got the doctor and PJ gave him some instruction and then sent him to stitch Zane back together. The doctor thought that he had been hit by a large car or a small truck, you make the call. When he was done he told Zane he was free to leave.
Zane sat there a few more minutes before he figured 'what the hell', if they are going to shoot me I can't do much about it. He left the building and headed back to the airport.
CHAPTER THIRTY -TWO
Giovanni had driven from New Mexico to Washington D.C. He did not want to leave the SILVER-2 behind at the ranch. After meeting with Wells he headed straight to Indiana. He took the Pennsylvania Turn Pike and then crossed Ohio. He got as far as St. Clairsville before calling it a night. The next morning he was on the road. He arrived late in the afternoon and followed the directions to the Speedway Motor Inn. He checked in and changed into comfortable clothes.
Like Zane, he walked the short distance to the track and took the tour of the facility. Even though he had read the notes over several times, he was still shocked at the number of people just walking around the area and the lack of noticeable security. The few guards he did meet were extremely helpful and friendly. 'Nice place to visit', he thought to himself.
After going through the museum he purchased several books at the counter and took them back to the motel. He read about the track and the events leading up to the race, while following along with the recon data. By the time he was done he was getting hungry. He drove to a nearby restaurant called 'The Union Jack' and had a great meal and a cold beer. He took his time and just watched the world pass by.
At 10:30 P.M. he decided it was time to go. He drove back and changed into dark clothes. It was time to visit the track without anyone around. He slipped around to the back of the motel and followed the edge of the golf course that is adjacent to the east side of the track.
He came to the Turn Two Suites and followed them to the north end. A huge, high fence surrounds the race track, but it was built to keep crashing cars inside and not really designed to keep people out. It posed little threat to Giovanni.
He was up and over in seconds. He dashed across the track pavement and into the infield. He walked along turn two and headed for the area they referred to as the short chute, on the tour. At the end of the chute is turn one. He was walking the track backwards from the way the cars travel. He sat down on the wall on the inside of the track and looked at the sketch that was with his notes. He needed to get back across the track to the outside.
He was just about to start across the pavement when he caught a faint sound. It was laughter. He quickly ducked down behind the infield wall. He peered over and saw a golf cart coming down the path with two men inside. It was headed right for him. He was weighing his options. He would take out the passenger first; the driver would be busy for a few seconds.
He got read to leap but the cart turned down another path a few feet in front of where he was. They had no idea he was there. They were just making rounds and telling stories. He sat down with his back to the wall for several minutes. At last he could near nothing except the night.
He knew that the fence on the other side of the track had cut out area so that the emergency crews could get to a driver in a hurry if an accident happened. The driver could exit as well, if the need arose. He dashed across the track and scrabbled through one of the openings. It took only seconds.
He walked up the bleachers to where the box seat stairs are located. Even further up were the new penthouse suite were being used for the first time. They had just been added during the summer months. He found a chain across the stairs but easily climbed over it. He went up to the box seat first then decided to check out the penthouse level.
He couldn't find a way in but saw a ladder leading to the roof. He climbed it and slid on his belly onto the top of the suites. He didn't want to stand in case someone happened to see his outline against the night sky. He crawled out to the edge and was soon overlooking the track. From here he could see around the whole two and a half mile monster. It looked even bigger from that height.
He could see a golf cart traveling along. He figured it was the same one had encountered earlier. He pulled out his night vision binoculars and scanned the area. He located the cart and the two men that appeared to still be having a good time. It was easy to locate the start/finish line in seconds.
It was at the base of the tall monolith they use to keep tabs on the cars as they race around the track. He could hit it with a sling shot from here. The problem was cover. He crawled along the roof top but found no way to conceal himself and the SILVER-2. He made it over to one of the six large air conditioner units that were located on the roof and sat with his back against one. He knew he couldn’t be spotted setting there.
He continued to check out the place. He could see the tall grandstand bleachers to the north. The northwest vista, his notes said. Maybe he could find a place there. His notes listed several possible places. Concealment was the real challenge, not distance. As he started to leave he noticed access covers on each air conditioner. They were large enough that was for sure, but was there room inside? He would need to get a tool kit and get inside to find out the answer.
Nothing more could be done for now. He climbed back down and was just heading down the stairs to the bleacher section when he heard another cart coming. He froze. The cart passed underneath him but the driver never looked up. They had more than one cart running around, that was obvious.
After the sound died away, he climbed the rest of the way down and headed north. It was a long walk to the northwest vista. He climbed to the top. They were at least fifty feet high.
He found a set of stairs that led to catwalk that was even higher. He made his way to the top. He could see the start/finish line but the bleachers along the front straight jutted out. The angle was not as good and he could find no place to hide.
Further along he found a small room that was for electrical panels. If he could get inside, he would be hidden from view. It was locked. He would have to force entry. Picking locks was only for the movies.
He would need other tools he decided. He continued to walk around the track looking for other vantage points. He found a couple, but neither were as good as the two possibilities he had already found. He had been there almost five hours. It was time to go before it started getting light. He headed east and found the fence, with the golf course on the other side.
&nb
sp; He was at the northeast turn. Turn three. He climbed back over and found that there were several small buildings just on the other side of the fence. A sign on one of the doors identified it as part of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Maintenance Facility. Several trucks had the Indy 500 logo on the side and said Official Truck of the Indy 500.
He made his way along the outside of the fence and followed it back to the motel. He was tired but excited. He let himself back in the room. After taking a shower he placed the 'do not disturb sign' on the door and climbed into bed. He was asleep within minutes.
He had learned how to turn off his mind when in Vietnam. It had served him well ever since. He slept until 1:00 P.M. He woke and went straight to his notes.
The air conditioner units were mentioned but he could tell that they had not been examined first hand. After reviewing his notes once more and making additional comments, he decided it was time to get some tools.
He had passed the Speedway Shopping Center on the way to dinner the night before so he headed there. He found a Sears store and went to the tool department. He bought a set of Craftsman's sockets, screwdrivers and an opened end wrench set. He purchased a set of dowel punches and a light weight hammer. A roll of masking tape, Gorilla Glue, wire and some string finished off his purchases.
He stopped on the return to the motel and had lunch. It was almost 4:00 P.M. by the time he got back to the motel. He took a short nap. It was going to be a long night.
His alarm on his watch went off at 7:30 P.M. He took a shower and sat down to review the notes about Louisville. He watched the TV for a while and when it was dark enough, he changed into his night clothes again. He placed the tools in his back pack along with the flashlight he had brought with him. He made sure the binoculars were secure.
He was ready and quickly slipped out into the night. He retraced his path of the previous night. It was uneventful and went much faster this time.
Within a short time he was checking out each air conditioner unit to find the one that gave the best line of fire. He decided that the first one, even though it was furthers from the start/finish line, was the best. He removed his back pack and took out the tools. A 5/8" socket made short work of removing the nine bolts holding the access panel in place. He only loosened the last bolt so the panel could just swing out of the away. He did not want to take the chance that he might drop it. He climbed into the unit and found that the filters were inside along with the compressor, evaporator coil and other necessary equipment. There was more than enough room. He decided he could even build a small bench rest if he constructed it just right.
He had a perfect view of the start/finish line. He used the red filtered flashlight to find the brand and size of the filters for future reference. He made a quick sketch and some notes. He climbed out and reattached the access panel, placed the tools in the back pack and policed the area. He climbed down off the roof and went to the northwest vista. He quickly made his way to the electrical room on the catwalk. He removed the punch set, hammer, and wire and duct tape. He placed several layers of tape over the end of the hammer. Placing the punch on the end of the hinge pin, he hit it with the hammer. It was almost soundless. The pin moved up a small amount. He tied a piece of wire around the head of the pin and taped the other end to the door frame. He then proceeded to drive the pin out. It shot out on the last hit but the wire kept it from falling on the mesh walkway. If it had fallen, he would have never found it. He repeated the process with the second hinge. He pried the door open from the back side and slipped inside.
Several electrical panels were against the wall. A small vent was on each side of the room. The room was big enough to stand in but it would be tight with the SILVER-2. The distance was greater, but that was of little concern with the enhancement capabilities of the scope. In all, it would do if the air conditioner didn't work out.
He again made a sketch. When he was done he closed the door and replaced the pins in the hinge. He checked his work over with the flashlight, repacked the bag, and headed over the fence as before. He was ready to move on to Louisville the next day.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
WASHINGTON D.C. - PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AT LAST!
The White House announced that the talks between First Lady Harriett Richards and Khated Meshaal had exceeded expectations. In an unprecedented announcement, the First Lady and Meshaal made a joint appearance.
While all the details have not been worked out, they told reporters that Iraq will cease all hostilities outside of its borders and will allow the UN to send inspectors into the country. Meshaal vowed that he would join forces with the US to insure no further violence would take place in the Middle East.
The most surprising announcement was that they would no longer give asylum to international terrorist. In an astonishing turn around, Meshaal said that any terrorist within the borders of Iraq will have 72 hours to leave the country. After that time, they will be extradited to the appropriate country.
Richards said that an economic package was being put together to help rebuild the war torn industrial complex and to stabilize the economy.
With the death of Abdul Assadi and the leadership of the PLO in question, Meshaal becomes an even more dominant figure in the Middle East peace plan.
The President praised the fortitude of Khated Meshaal and the spectacular achievement of the First Lady.
This is seen as a major accomplishment for the Administration. President Richards said, “We finally have a real chance for peace in the Middle-east. The American people can breathe a little easier today.”
Analyses agree that this could not have come at a better time for the current struggling administration.
CHAPTER THIRTY -FOUR
PJ and Sean had called a joint meeting of both agencies for the next day after returning from Miami. Sean picked up PJ and had learned by now that talk was out of the question. Instead, he just handed him a Diet Coke and drove in silence. They cleared security and arrived on time for the start of the meeting.
"I see you seem to have had a positive influence on PJ," Ron Neilson said to Sean, "This is the first meeting I can ever recall that he has been to on time. I'm impressed."
"He even grunts from time to time in the mornings now," Sean said.
PJ did not see the humor.
"Alright ladies and gentlemen, let’s get started. As you know we have made some progress but we have a long way to go. To date the SILVER-2 has not been located. We still have three missing ex-Marine Snipers unaccounted for and no location on Harmon Wells. On the positive side, we have made some progress in verifying what we already suspected. Sean and PJ were able to catch up to Zane Tolbert. For those who don't remember or joined us late, he is the right hand man to Wells. PJ, if you would, please bring us up to date on what you now know."
PJ stood. "I extracted the following information. First of all, as we suspected it is Wells that is masterminding the show. He is not the money behind the operation. We never figured he was. Secondly, they are operating right under our noses. They have been based in DC all along. We have a phone number and are tracking down the location as we speak. Third. He has the SILVER-2. Zane confirmed that he had obtained some sort of laser beam gun. Close enough. Fourth. The cities that we need to concentrate on, at least as far as we know at this time, are Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Louisville and Phoenix. According to Zane those are the cities he did recon work on. He turned over the reports to an intermediate who gave them to Wells. He intern, passed them over to the shooter. Fifth, is only a half-truth probably. Zane said the best city was Phoenix. Some sort of golf tournament that the President was taking part in. We are working on determining if that is true. As for it being the best city. Who knows? He could be trying to lead us away from the actual kill site. Did I mention he confirmed it was the President? I guess that should have been first. Anyway I don't put much stock in the city selection. He said he ruled out Indianapolis because the race track was too confined. Your guess is as good as mine
as to the truth in that," PJ said.
"Thanks," Ron said. "Good job PJ, Sean."
"Director?"
"I have one bit of new information. We are down to only two missing snipers. We located James McElroy. He is working with the IRA. I guess we should have figured that out sooner. Anyway, it was confirmed this morning. He is one mean son of a bitch. I'm glad he is over there," the Director said.
"We have turned up a mysterious Mr. Red in the underworld. His name is being linked with several of the assassination these past few years. I assume it is his code name. It's a starting place for sure. We intend to find out who this guy is, that goes without saying, I guess. Well, I said it anyway. Ron?"
"While it is not news, it is official. The SILVER-2 was used on Judge Brooks. I got the final lab reports yesterday. PJ said that Zane sort of confirmed it during questioning. Anything else that anyone wants to bring up, now is the time to do it," Ron said.
"When do we start checking out the cities and how is that going to be done?"
"We will start immediately. We have a meeting with the White House....."
PJ groaned loudly.
"..at 11:00 A.M. today. We need to confirm the Presidents plans. Once we have that, we will assign teams to each city. Sean and PJ will still be the ramrods. Yes, Meredith?"
"Is Tolbert still being questioned?"
"Not at this time. He was released after the interrogation."
"Why? Isn't he the guy connected with the JFK assassination and others?"
"We think so. Actually, we know so. But we can't prove it. He knows it and we know it," Ron said.
"Yes but...."
"There are other reasons as well that I would rather not go into at this time," Ron said, ending the conversation.
"Anyone else?" he said. "Alright then, the clock is ticking...."
"Sorry to interrupt Ron," PJ said suddenly. "That reminds me. Zane gave June 1st as the timeline for the contract to take place. Not the actual date, mind you. But it must be done before that date"
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