by Bob Blink
Jim nodded and settled in to driving.
"You seem to be pretty confident that Rineri and his friends are going to make a move on you soon. Why do you think they are in such a hurry?"
"For one thing, they will probably want to act before I bring in even more help. They will be, or perhaps are already aware I'm bringing you to New York. They'll have to worry if I might request even more manpower. Therefore it behooves them to make their move before that happens."
"Maybe they'll make a move against Susan?" Jim wondered worriedly.
"Norm will watch Susan, but I believe they won't make any more attempts against her until they are certain our Back-Tracker can't undo their efforts. But back to why they might act quickly. I can't be positive, but I'm of the opinion their Back-Tracker doesn't have the ability or knowledge to make long jumps backward. I could only do a week comfortably for many years, and only later learned to extend the range. If I assume their person is the same, or perhaps even more limited, that would drive their planning. When you and Susan showed up at the Pharmaceutical Company that put them on the spot. It's likely they want to deal with our group before that happens, in order to keep the information about Natalie from spreading too widely."
"You are saying they want to kill you, then go back and clean up earlier? That would mean you'd be alive?"
"They need to know who our Back-Tracker is before they can hope to have any success. Possibly they are willing to accept that Natalie's secret is now exposed and she has to flee, and killing me off is sufficient, but I think their intent is to be certain who their problem is, then loop back, nail me when I don't expect it back then, and then take out you and Susan before you discover the link to the company where Natalie works."
"Why do you think they are so focused on you?"
"They kidnapped you, and we believe their Back-Tracker has memories of that event. That suggests you aren't the one with the ability, or you wouldn't have allowed things to go on as long as they did, if only because Clarissa was exposed. That eliminates you in their mind. They planned attempts on Susan, but they all seemed to be discovered in advance. Given they know about a Back-Tracker on our side, they have almost certainly decided they were successful, but the events were unraveled. Since one attempt was to shoot Susan, they have probably concluded she isn't the one with the ability to Back-Track either. Norm was far away for much of the early activity, making him an unlikely candidate. Then there is the consultant Trask, who Susan uses for special cases and who just happened to be around when their plans were being interrupted. The odds are good that I might be their man."
"So, when do you expect this to go down?"
"I'd guess tomorrow. They will know tonight I'm back in New York, and that I have help. I wouldn't be surprised if they already had a plan in place, and they've had an extra day to work out details. They'll assume we will pick up Jeff Rineri in the morning, and he'll probably lead us to wherever they want to make their move."
"Wonderful," Jim replied uncomfortably.
"He's still with you," Tony said, interrupting their conversation. "There is only the one vehicle. I believe they are a little overconfident to tail with a single car, but that appears to be the case. They have to be convinced you are completely unaware of their plans."
"When do you want to get rid of him?" Jake asked.
"I'm going to speed up and get ahead of you. I'll find a location, and let you know what I want you to do. By being ahead, this guy won't be suspicious of my car."
"Copy," Jake replied.
A few minutes later Jake spotted the dark SUV that Tony was driving move past them in the fast lane, moving easily with the flow of traffic. Tony continued on without a glance their way, and in a few minutes was well ahead. In ten minutes he was out of sight. It was forty-five minutes later when he called back again.
"There's a large gas station five minutes or so ahead of you. Stop and fill up. Your tail will have to do the same, or at least pull off the highway and watch what you do. That will give me a chance to plant my device. The station is far enough off the highway he'll have to park nearby."
Jake relayed to Jim what Tony had directed, and soon they were making their exit. Four other cars turned off as well, and they couldn't be certain which, if any might be their shadow. Jim drove into the station and up to the pumps, jumping out to fill up the vehicle, while Jake stayed in the car so he could listen for any radio traffic from Tony. He had spotted Tony's truck in the cluster of pumps on the other side of the station, but hadn't spotted Tony.
Tony was actually well behind them, waiting in the dark where he thought he would have the best chance at the car that was following the two FBI agents. He spotted them as they drove up, along with the tailing car which pulled into a dark area a hundred yards short of the station. Sitting with the lights off in a darkened shadow, the dark blue vehicle was all but invisible.
Tony moved stealthily forward, watching the driver who was intent on the two men getting gas. The driver was watching Jim through a pair of binoculars as Jim filled the car, and never heard as Tony slipped up close to the right rear and installed the special device on his rear tire. It would have been simple enough to simply blow the tire, but that would have alerted their tail, and therefore those in New York that Jake was aware he was being followed. The device Tony was installing was something his agency had developed for just this kind of situation. It would stay in place until triggered, at which time a large nail would be shot into the tire and the rest of the mechanism jettisoned. The tire would go flat, and when the tire was examined, there would be no way to tell it hadn't simply picked up the nail along the way. Tony was certain the driver would believe the side stop off the highway was where he'd picked up the nail. Having made certain the tires weren't a variant of the run-flat types that were becoming more common, he made a final check of his installation, and then faded into the darkness.
Jake noticed Tony stepping out of the station and climbing into his vehicle and driving away. A minute later Tony's voice came through the earbud.
"Finish up and continue down the highway. I'll take him out a few miles down the road."
The two FBI agents never witnessed the triggering of the device and the resultant unplanned stop of the car that had been following, but after a bit Tony came back on the net.
"We are clear. I watched your shadow pull over after I triggered the flat, and have seen no sign of another watcher. I'll remain behind you, and check for anything that might change. Unless I warn you otherwise, head straight for the apartment."
Chapter 32
Wednesday Morning, May 18
The sun had been up for some time when the three men gathered around Tony's secure cellular to listen in on the call from Susan.
"I'm still uncomfortable with all this, but I agree we need to do something to flush these people out," she said after the usual morning greetings and Tony's summary of the events that had transpired the evening before. Just keep Jake well clear of all the action. That way if anything goes wrong, we have a way out of this mess."
Jake had already warned the others not to say anything to Susan, but he had no intention of remaining behind at the rental. He understood the risks, but he felt he, more than anyone else, had the chance of identifying the other side's Back-Tracker, but to do so he'd need to be in place to observe events. He planned to stay well back, but close enough to make timely adjustments to their action plan if needed. A short Back-Track to alert the others to something that had been sprung on them could completely alter the outcome of their efforts.
"They will be cautious," Jake said. "Like us, they have assumptions about who our Back-Tracker is, but they have to be certain. Until the Back-Tracker, in this case me, can be positively confirmed, any actions they take will simply be for naught, as in the past. We have the same problem. Our goal is to confirm who their Back-Tracker is. Until we can do that, we have no hope of bringing this situation to a conclusion."
"I understand that," Susan replied,
"but I don't like the risks you three are taking."
"We'll be careful," Jim promised, hating the fact he was not being completely open with her.
"One more thing," she added. "I know you have some tricky equipment, Taser guns and the like. Forget about them. You can't be certain they will disable fast enough, nor do they have the range and accuracy of your service weapons. Simply kill these bastards. Afterwards, if we are certain who is who, we can discuss whether Jake Back-Tracks and we change our approach."
"This is the FBI talking?" Tony teased her.
"These are killers, with an edge no criminals have had before. They attempted to kill me, and they'll try to do the same to you. They will be unstoppable if they somehow win this battle of wits we are engaged in."
"Agreed," Jake said. Frankly, he was happy to see Susan had come to this conclusion. As much as he'd like to capture the other Back-Tracker alive and be able to interrogate him about how he came to have the ability, that would leave the problem of what to do about him afterwards. From personal experience Jake had learned that prisons weren't reliable when it came to containing someone with his abilities, and alive, there was always a risk the person they caught might get away.
After discussing a few more general items, they completed the call so the threesome could get ready.
"Do you think Solly and Lester will find anything in Boston?" Jake asked. Susan had indicated they had arrived there the night before and would be investigating Natalie Rineri's background.
"If there's anything to be found, they'll dig it out," Jim replied confidently. "They were both superb investigators before they retired."
Jake dressed in dark clothing, applying a moustache from Tony's kit, and donned a ball cap which greatly changed his appearance. Tony was now dressed in clothes that matched what Jake had been wearing a couple of days earlier when Jake would have been spotted trailing Rineri. He had changed the way he combed his hair, and from a distance, the slight differences in height and appearance would be lost. Jim of course, was free to dress as usual.
"Where do we hang the bullseyes?" he asked half seriously.
Jim and Tony both carried Taser pistols, despite what Susan had warned during the conversation, but both also carried their familiar .40 S&W sidearms, Jim the service Glock and Tony his preferred Springfield armory EMP 1911. Jake, who would hopefully be under no scrutiny today, carried his Sig .45 and the small Kimber 9mm, and would have access to the sniper rifle and the AR-15 in Tony's SUV. They would remain in communication using the secure cell phones, with Tony using an ear bud so as to mask his use of any communications gear.
Jim drove, as he and Tony departed first and headed across the East River following the route Tony pointed out as they returned to the area where Jeff Rineri lived. It had been a day and a half since anyone had monitored the man, but given the interest shown by their tail the night before, neither had any doubts that he would still be acting as bait, and they would find him home as usual. Jake followed five minutes later, but as they approached the Astoria area, he turned onto a parallel street and parked when he was more than a mile from the house. That was close enough for now. Any attempts on Jim and Tony were unlikely to be made in the busy neighborhood. If something did happen, Jake would be aware via the open link to Tony, and would take appropriate Back-Track action.
They were breaking new ground today. Unlike the previous monitoring of Rineri which was a repeat of the initial watch that Jake and Tony had performed, they had no idea what was in store for the day. Jake believed that once his friends were spotted, Rineri would alert his co-conspirators and they would attempt to act today, for all the reasons he had explained to the others.
"He's leaving now," Tony said, his voice muffled but clear through the earbud. "We'll follow, and see if he spots us."
Jake wished he could see what the others were seeing, but at this point there was no need. He sat in the car, idle for now. Once Tony relayed a destination, he'd head in the same general direction, staying off the same streets and keeping his distance.
"Rineri's following the same familiar route," Tony informed him. "It looks like he's meeting some of the same people we saw him talking to last Sunday."
Jake knew where Tony meant, and started the SUV and slowly headed in that direction. He was familiar with the area after their earlier surveillance, and had spent time studying the map of the area so he knew the major roads allowing him to move confidently toward his destination. It was too early to decide if this was going to be just another day of tag, or whether Rineri had something else in mind.
"I think he's just leading us around so whoever is watching can verify we are back on duty, and that it's just the two of us," Tony confirmed after another ten minutes of driving. "They probably want to know that it's Trask and Laney as expected."
Jake nodded to himself, agreeing. Tony had conclusively verified that Rineri had concealed support, so it made sense they were taking a little time to establish the new situation before acting.
It's was approaching lunchtime after several familiar stops that seemed unnecessary when Rineri suddenly turned and headed off in a direction they had been to before. He was now leading them toward Brooklyn.
"This might be it," Tony said over the link, identifying the street they were on.
Jake turned in response to Tony's guidance, checking the flashing marker on the cell-phone app that identified Jim's car. A mile ahead, Jeff Rineri drove as if he was completely unaware he had followers. He clearly knew exactly where he was heading, making a number of turns on back streets, finally coming to a stop opposite a large apartment building that was in the final stages of construction. Surprisingly, the place looked nearly deserted, the hoards of workmen one would expect completely missing. Only one other car was present when Rineri pulled up, stopped his car, and stepped out and then heading into the open structure without a glance backward.
Tony relayed what was happening, and Jake increased his speed, knowing he wanted to arrive before his friends got too far into the building. He approached along a street perpendicular to the one Jim had taken as he followed their quarry, spotting both Rineri's car next to the building, and Jim's car across the street parked in front of a run down liquor store. He also spotted two other vehicles, one more than Tony had mentioned seeing when he and Jim had arrived. Jake had little doubt the occupant of that car was also inside the building, following after his friends. There were almost certainly others inside who had been here in advance of their arrival. Jake kept driving, circling the building in order to become familiar with the area and the layout of the place. The structure covered half of the block, with another entrance on the next street, which looked completely deserted.
Then he Back-Tracked.
Tony and Jim were still following the aimless wanderings of Rineri, but Jake now knew that he would shortly change his pattern and set off for the apartment in Brooklyn. Jake started the SUV and headed off that way, intending to arrive in advance of his two friends, and enter through the open entrance on the street opposite of where they would follow Rineri into the building. When Tony called with the alert that Rineri was taking them toward the Brooklyn area, Jake was approaching the destination. Unfortunately he became tangled up in the backstreets near the end of the route, and lost a little more time than he planned. Still, he pulled into a small darkened side street five minutes ahead of when Rineri would arrive. He grabbed the rifle case that held Tony's sniper rifle, locked the vehicle, and after scanning the building for any sign of activity and finding none, quietly slipped through the door-less entryway to the structure.
As he entered the construction site, Jake drew his Sig, keeping the rifle over his shoulder. He'd Back-Track at the first sign of discovery, but the handgun, now configured with a large suppressor, might allow him to deal with any surprises without needing to do so. It took only a moment to understand the layout of the place. Basically it was a simple rectangle. The square ring of apartments, four stories high, enclosed a large squ
are courtyard in the center. The courtyard area was rough, covered with scattered debris from the construction. No attempt had been started as yet to clean it up for final landscaping.
There were shafts where elevators would be installed, but those were hollow and empty at the moment, not that Jake would have trusted himself in an elevator had it been present. He found one of the two staircases, and as quietly as possible, made his way up to the large flat roof. There was a crude door, with a lock, probably to meet some city code to protect any kids from getting out there, which he quickly picked. Then, carefully, he made his way out into the open, not expecting anyone because of the locked door, but there could be other ways up there, and someone might have a key. A careful scan showed the place was deserted.
Keeping low so he couldn't be spotted from anyone who might be hiding in one of the unfinished rooms on the upper levels, yet hurrying because Tony had reported they were about to follow Rineri into the structure, Jake made his way over to the inner edge of the roof where he could get a look at the ragged courtyard below, and scan as many of the windows as possible for possible snipers. These people had shown they thought that way based on the attack against Susan before, so he wouldn't be surprised if they had something similar in mind here. In fact, Paul, one of those who Jake suspected of being their Back-Tracker, had been one of the snipers who had gone after Susan.
He wished he had more time so he could work his way around the rooftop and check all of the windows for possible danger, but knew that he didn't have the luxury. As dark as some of the windowless rooms looked, he wasn't certain he would have spotted someone sitting well back into the rooms even if he had the time to look at all of the possibilities.
Tony was just alerting Jake to the fact they were inside and wouldn't be talking anymore, although he'd leave the link open. Tony and Jim didn't know that Jake had Back-Tracked so he could be here ahead of them, although Jim might have guessed at the possibility. Jake chose a position where he could watch the courtyard opposite from the way Rineri would enter the courtyard. Jake was certain he would come through the courtyard, and if there were a sniper, he'd want to be facing the direction Rineri would be coming from. That would give him the best shot at anyone following Rineri. Jake's location would hopefully place him in the optimum position to spot someone thinking along those lines.