by Dan Kelly
He managed to get through the news conference without any mishap and was about to end it when a reporter from CNN asked, “Mr. President, I’ve just been notified that our newsroom here in Washington just received an anonymous call from someone in Beijing saying that Congressman Silverman was murdered, killed with some kind of poison. Do you know anything about this?”
The President couldn’t believe his ears. “How in blue blazes did that leak out?”
Weinstein hasn’t lasted this long in politics without learning the first rule of survival. When backed into a corner by unanticipated events, lie through your teeth or say nothing at all. “This is news to me. Sam, look into this for me. This anonymous caller is probably some emotionally unstable person who is looking for his 15 minutes of fame even though no one will know who he is.” He then quickly left the press room and made a bee line for his office and his bottle of Aberfeldy. “If ever there was a time for a good stiff drink, this is it.”
When he gets back to the oval office his private line is ringing. It’s Hank Aldridge. “Mr. President, what the hell is going on? Did Silverman die of natural causes or is there something to what that CNN reporter hit you with?”
Weinstein brings Aldridge up to date and informs him that he’s going to ask all of the international intelligence agencies to assist in the search for Silverman’s killer or killers. “I’m glad you said that because I want you to also ask them to help us in our search for the people behind the attacks on our infrastructure. In fact, I think there’s a good chance that what happened to Silverman and the attacks on us are related. Don’t ask me why I feel this way. I just do deep down in my gut and can’t give you or myself for that matter any explanation that wouldn’t sound like I was ready for a rubber room.”
“Well, your gut has a damn good track record, so I’ll make our request for assistance a two parter and try to give them a reason for why we think the two situations are connected that won’t sound like I’m ready for a padded cell.”
While this conversation is going on, Sam Ferguson is back in his office with the door shut and gloating like he just figured out how to cheat and win the lottery. When he emailed Halkias and told him he wanted to leak the information that Silverman’s death was not from natural causes and why, Feldman emailed him back with instructions to make the call to his throw away cell phone in Italy and he would reroute the call via Beijing to the CNN newsroom in Washington. It would appear that the call had come straight from Beijing. “The call went through just like he said it would. I’ll bet our illustrious leader is pacing the oval office, gulping down his favorite scotch and overheating his neurons trying to figure out how the word got out. I hope he blows a fuse. Man, wouldn’t that be something if the President had a stroke over all of this. It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.” Ferguson definitely isn’t a Weinstein fan. At home, he throws darts at his picture.
Chapter 32
-Chicago-
After his call to the President, Hank called Joel into his office and told him what was going on. “Hank, John’s murder must have something to do with his track record in the House. He was a tough nut to crack on unfair trade practices not only where the Chinese are concerned, but also domestically. Plus, he took unpopular stands on a lot of other issues as well. That’s the only plausible reason for someone to want him out of the way. His social life was above reproach.”
“I agree, Joel, but he’s not the only congressman that’s ticked people off. Why was he targeted?”
“Let’s face it, Hank, John was for the working man and had little sympathy for the troubles of the big corporations. He thought they were all liars and didn’t hesitate to say so whenever he had the opportunity. This made him stand out from the crowd.”
“What you’re saying makes sense. Damn! I’ve never felt so useless in my life. I’ve never had to deal with an enemy like this. When I was in the Army, I was always absolutely sure who the enemy was, where he was and how I was going to deal with him.” After pausing for a moment he resumed with, “Assuming I’m right about John’s death being an assassination by the same bastards who are behind everything else that’s been happening lately, I think it’s time for Vincent Torizzio to play a more active role in our search for these people.
“I agree with the assertion he made the last time we saw him. He thought that if any dirty work was to be done, the brains behind all of the mayhem would outsource it. It doesn’t get any dirtier than assassination. With his connections in the world of terrorism and other unseemly arenas, he’s just the guy we need to generate some useful leads. Until he or one of the intelligence agencies comes up with something, we’re stymied.”
“Not completely, Hank. These guys need money to survive, hide out and carry on with their plans. Where are they getting it? Let’s turn Allison loose on this. She can find a dollar bill in a mile long bed of seaweed. If anyone can find out how these people are funding themselves, she can.”
“I knew I kept you around here for a reason. That’s a great idea. Get her in here.”
A few minutes later Joel returned with Allison in tow who was pointing at Joel and saying, “I didn’t do it, he did.”
As always her antics brought a smile to their faces and Hank said, “He usually does, but not this time. Seriously, Allison, we need your special talents.” He explained what he wanted her to do and then waited for her response. When he didn’t get one he asked, “Can you do it?” Still no response. “Earth to Allison. Respond please.”
“I’m thinking. I’m thinking.” A minute later Allison said, “It can be done, but I’m going to need some political and legal muscle to get it done in an acceptable time frame which I’m sure you’re going to tell me is yesterday.”
“I’ll get you whatever you need.”
“How about that cute little blonde guy that works in the deli downstairs?”
“ALLISON!”
“Okay, okay. You can’t blame a girl for trying. I’ll make a list of the doors I’ll need to open and the kinds of pressure that will open them. The main obstacle to overcome in this quasi-legal search is going to be the layers of subterfuge these moguls are going to have in place to hide behind. Dummy corporations and multi-national banking relationships galore, to say nothing of the bodies that are going to be in the way. Some will have some clue as to where they stand in the scheme of things, others will not even be aware that their names and positions have been used to camouflage under the table financial transactions. I’d better get on it. Yesterday is fast leaving us in the dust.”
Leaving them shaking their heads but with smiles on their faces, Allison practically ran out of the office, glad to finally be doing something to help the team flush this refuse down the sewer with the rest of the human manure. “How come I can never be this eloquent when I’m with people?” With a soft giggle that brought a curious glance from the copier repairman, she slipped into her office, locked herself in and got serious. “I sure hope I wasn’t being overconfident when I said I could do this. It’s definitely not going to be a slam dunk.”
Chapter 33
-Breuil Cervinia, Italy-
Basil Halkias and Bob Feldman are sitting in one of the many drawing rooms in the chateau discussing the success of the Phase Three launch. Halkias has just asked Feldman if the assassin he hired can be trusted to keep his mouth shut and if he knows how to keep a low profile. He is waiting for an answer.
Choosing his words carefully so as not to give Halkias any reason to question his selection process, Feldman answered with, “He is a professional of the highest order whose services are very much in demand because he has decades of success behind him without one error in judgment spoiling his record. Governments and other organizations all over the world contract with him and no one has ever had a complaint. No one who has employed him has ever met him and no one knows his real name. He uses the name Malcolm.
“Besides, I took the precaution of using a fictitious name and had a reference well known to him but who kno
ws me only by the fictitious name and a fabricated reputation. I also gave him a very attractive advance on his fee to show him that I was a very serious client. We have nothing to be concerned about regarding this individual.”
“I’m glad to hear that. The next thorn in our sides is not going to be so easy so this Malcolm is really going to have to earn his fee.”
“Who’s next on the list?”
“The head of the Senate’s Appropriations Committee, the Senator from Illinois, Maurice Chamberlain. Since that nut from Milwaukee tried to do him in earlier this year, he’s had tight security 24/7. This one’s going to be more of a challenge and much more dangerous for your Malcolm to eliminate.”
“If Ferguson can somehow get his hands on Chamberlain’s daily agenda, that would make it a little easier for Malcolm to carry out his assignment. I’ll send him an email and tell him what we need. He’s a very resourceful guy. If there’s a way for him to get his hands on this information, he’ll figure it out.”
“I agree, but he sometimes he takes chances he shouldn’t. I hope he’s careful.”
Chapter 34
-Washington D. C.-
Lorraine Caldwell has been scurrying all over the White House putting together a memorial service for Senator John Silverman. As she passes Sam Ferguson’s office she notices he’s not at his desk. His admin says he had to go over to the Dirksen Senate Office Building for something. “Hmm. Just the other day when I was looking for him he was over at the Hart Senate Office Building. He appears to be spending a lot of time at Senators’ offices lately. I wonder why.” This observation is also stored in that vast memory of hers and she goes about her business.
Later in the day she needs to check with him on some research he’s doing for the President and instead of calling him on the phone decides to walk over to his office. Once again his office door is closed. She raps once lightly on the door and without waiting for a response walks in.
He obviously didn’t hear her knock because the look of shock and was it fear on his face was almost comical. Almost. Something wasn’t right. Before she had taken two steps into his office his hand flew to his computer keyboard. She assumed he had hit the delete key to wipe out something he was working on that he didn’t want her to see. “I’m sorry I startled you. I just stopped by to see how you were doing on that research project the President asked you to do for him. He asked me about it this morning. Instead of calling, I thought I’d stretch my legs and walk over.”
Reaching back for a folder on his credenza he said, “I just finished it and was about to drop it off.” Handing the folder to her he added, “I also wanted to ask him how he wanted me to handle the inquiry into the bombshell the CNN reporter dropped at the last press conference. Does he want me to pursue it or was his comment that I should look into it just for public consumption?”
“Why would you want to ask him that?”
“Well, during our last conversation in his office he mentioned that if there was foul play involved in Senator Silverman’s death he wanted to keep that fact under wraps for a while.”
“I see. I’ll ask him and let you know.”
On her way back to her office the dots start to connect and she doesn’t like the image she’s getting. “This guy’s behavior has definitely been odd the past couple of months. Attending to personal business on government time, personal FEDEX pickups and deliveries, office door closed all the time when he’s always left it open because of the heat, his overreaction to her unexpected visit to his office and what’s with the big secret on his computer? Something’s afoot with that guy and I’m going to find out what it is. I won’t say anything to the President until I have a better idea of what’s going on. I don’t want to ruin the man’s reputation if it’s just my imagination running wild.”
Chapter 35
-Chicago-
A few days later Joel is sitting in his office going over some reports the various intelligence agencies around the world have submitted regarding their search for the assassin when there’s a knock on his door. Standing in the doorway is this scruffy looking guy with a thick black beard and mustache, well- muscled and a steely look in his eyes. “Come on in. What can I do for you?”
“It’s not what you can do for me, but what I can do for you.”
“You’ve got my attention. Say what you’ve come to say.”
The man sat down in one of the chairs in front of Joel’s desk without it being offered which kind of irked Joel and said, “I hear you’re looking for someone with missing persons experience.”
“Oh and who told you that?”
The man then smiled and said, “The President.”
Joel stared at the man somewhat taken back. “The President?”
“The man stared back still with the smile on his face and said, “You really don’t know who I am do you?”
“Should I?”
“We’ve met before in your conference room not too long ago.”
Joel now really stared hard at the man and then realized who he was. “Vincent?”
Torizzio broke into quiet laughter. “Everything about this guy is subdued. I guess it’s a requirement in his line of work if you want to go unnoticed and stay on this side of the sod as Barb would say.”
“I had no idea it was you.”
“That’s good. Since I’m going to be working more directly with Sentry, I thought it would be a good idea to use different disguises to confuse any surveillance that’s parked on your doorstep. If they don’t connect me with your involvement in the attacks on the U. S. and the senator, I’ll have a lot more elbow room to sniff around unnoticed and without interference.”
“Well, we really need someone with your experience, Vincent. What started out as a domestic situation has now escalated into an international one, with assassins no less. We’re hoping that your contacts will lead us to the killer and with some earnest persuasion he will lead us to the people who hired him. We’ve got to shake something loose real soon. Hank’s convinced we’re running out of time before something even more disastrous occurs than has happened already. I’m quickly becoming a believer.”
“Well, whoever is behind the senator’s death is no amateur and he or she has access to some unusual instruments of death. That could help us in the long run. There’s not a plethora of hired killers walking the planet that would use this means to take someone out, let alone know how to get this kind of poison.”
“How will you go about trying to find this person?”
“Well, these people don’t hang out on street corners. I’ll put out the word through my contacts that I’m in touch with someone that wants to take out a contract on a high profile individual and he can afford the best. I won’t have to weave much of a story because the people in my inner circle are firm believers in the need to know principle. They’re well aware that being too nosy can be dangerous.”
“Won’t your contacts be suspicious about you looking for someone like that so soon after Silverman’s assassination?”
“I’ve spent years establishing my bona fides. I’m trusted. They’ll do as I ask.”
“Do you think the assassin might be from one of the terrorist groups?”
“It’s a possibility, but it doesn’t smell right to me. The assassination took place in China and terrorist activity just doesn’t happen there. Also, the congressman’s death wouldn’t have the impact that something like a bombing or the World Trade Center would have with all the related carnage. No, I think the congressman’s demise was the work of a loner, a very proficient loner.”
The intercom on Joel’s desk came alive. It was Hank. Without any preamble, his exasperation clearly showing in his voice, he said, “Another legislator has bought the farm. This time it’s Senator Maurice Chamberlain, the head of the Senate’s Appropriations Committee. We won’t have to worry about keeping this one out of the press. He was killed in front of 500 witnesses.