Convoluted Journey (The Mercury Black Authority Book 1)

by Finian Blake

  The quartet looked at Noah, “Well are you going to open it?” They pressed hard, “We have orders not to leave you alone until you open it.”

  He slowly unzipped the side pocket and nothing popped out. He reached inside pulling out a fistful of ten or twelve panties. There was a blizzard of nasty comments. When they were an hour past the Irish coast Noah told the crew to go on oxygen. I have to cycle the cargo ramp. Depressurize the cabin.” It was a strange request, but after the last 48 hours they were not going to question anything that he asked. Noah took the portable oxygen when he slipped back into the bay opening both C containers to see that the live scumbag was shivering. Noah held up the boots. Terri had given him one last instruction before he left. He bent over and did as Terri had instructed. Noah could hear the scream over the screech of the turbo props. Hooking up his safety strap he rolled the open containers out to the end of the ramp. Noah started the ramp down a little farther and the containers were sucked out of the bay. Their contents separated from the containers seconds after they left the plane. He raised the ramp making sure that it was once again secure and went back to the flight deck.

  “We are ok to repressurize.”

  “What was all that?” Frank had a puzzled look on his face.

  “I took out the trash.”

  5

  NICARAGUA

  The Ark touched down in Washington Dulles Airport and was given a spot on the in-bond pad instead of the normal one by Everywhere Air. Noah ordered the fuel, wanting to be ready for an immediate departure should the need arise. After checking the time, he determined that an immediate departure would put them in Nicaragua after sundown, so tomorrow would have to do. They had to be sure of the light when they were landing on the undeveloped runways. Joe pulled up to the plane with the customs and agriculture officers to greet the Ark. He walked to the Ark slapping the door cuing Noah to open the door and lower the steps.

  Customs inspected the paperwork for all of the cargo. None of the cargo was leaving the Ark everything was in transit to Panama so there was no need for a full-blown customs inspection. Fuel and rest were the only things required. The crew would clear customs since they were entering the country so their bags would be inspected their passports and paperwork would be cleared. The aircraft had to be held in the in-bond parking area. Nothing except for service items were allowed on or off the aircraft, which was standard procedure. Noah watched Frank the relief pilot clear customs. Frank showed no indication of being nervous. Noah had removed the cocaine from Frank’s bag and threw it overboard with the rest of the trash.

  Everybody cleared customs with no problem and went to the hotel. Noah went to his room, threw his bag on the bed moving immediately to the shower. He let the water rundown his back with his eyes closed. After five minutes, he finished washing up. Noah opened his bag for the first time. Everything in it had been laundered. The new clothes that he purchased in Manchester were not in the bag. He pulled the panties from the bag shaking his head. He flopped on the bed allowing the strange events of the last few days replay in his head. Noah ran through the checklist of things that he would never do. He could not think of one thing that he missed, out of all the things that he had promised Pat he would not do. Noah figured that he did not just fall off the wagon he broke the axels and set it on fire. He even did some things which should have been on the list and were not there. A knock came lightly on the adjoining door and he rolled off the bed.

  “Who’s there?”

  “It’s Buck.” Buck was grinning ear to ear. “You guys hit it out of the park. Except for a mechanical you were perfect.”

  “Buck, we could not have done it without you. We pulled a small delay because the L 100’s do not have huge civilian parts availability and we had to send to Lockheed for civilian rims.” Noah’s mood had improved by a large measure.

  Buck continued, “We will be briefing the flight crew on the landing strip in Nicaragua. You will leave here tomorrow at 0900, and you land on a reinforced roadway in Atlántico Del Norte 1400. With luck you should take off in the early evening and be back in Ontario about 23:00. Customs should co-operate. The rest is up to you. Is there a price on the merchandise yet?”

  Noah needed to collect more information before making a commitment, “You need to find out what kind of product and how much we are talking about?”

  “Do you still think our net will be around three hundred thousand?”

  “That should be right, however I think that we might do better. I plan on not converting some of the payment to meet the agricultural part of our commitment with the Russians. I must cover all the elements of our commitment. What I need to know is the price on the drill bits. Can you get that for me?”

  “Are you telling me you’re going to cover the initial merchandise?”

  “That is part of the expenses. I was talking net profits. All expense items will be covered. The rest is what the people in the business world call a profit. It is normally not in the government play book but you need to remember we are doing business, not playing politics.”

  “In that case you can depend on more help.”

  “How would you like the profits delivered? Prior to the next run? Cash to which location?”

  “Bring the cash here to me, and I will make the final delivery.” Buck was floating on air. He was running an op that would actually turn a profit. This was promotion time. “Let’s call it a day. I’ll see you in ten days.” Noah’s attitude improved greatly. He could see a winner coming down the road. Noah called the quartet and everybody met for lunch. While they were eating Noah put a hand on the relief’s shoulder.

  “I had the plane swept for drugs and that German shepherd found two kilos of cocaine in your map case.”

  “No way, you don’t think that I use that shit.” Frank was truly shocked.

  “I had to consider it. There was almost two thousand grams in the bag. That is 46,000 dollars street value which is a lot for a plant. It took a little while to figure out that it was in fact a plant. I threw it overboard in the middle of the Atlantic. You don’t mind do you?”

  “No, I didn’t know I had it. It’s a damn good thing you didn’t let me walk through customs with that shit!”

  “I told you. My job is to look out for the crew.”

  “You were not watching at the Inn. We didn’t see you until you came back to the Ark with your harem.”

  “I hear that you were busy too. Angie came to play.”

  “Now that lady is amazing. She took the four of us on and she knocked all of us out! That lady is insatiable. Terri came over and put on a show with Angie. I will say nobody gets it on like that woman. Terri couldn’t keep up and just left.” Frank was on a roll, “We played real hard we didn’t leave the room for two days. With the room service we didn’t have to get anything ourselves. They brought everything to us. What were you up to?”

  “You know, I washed my socks, pressed my pants and went to the library. Things like that. I got a lot of that stuff done.” Noah wanted to stay low key.

  “The next time you wash your socks, wash your souvenirs. Your bag smells like fish.” The quartet of Franks broke out in laughter. “If those women were the librarians I’m going to renew my library card the second that I get home. Was that little girl Susan’s daughter?”

  “Yeah, that was her daughter. She invited me to family breakfast.” Noah wanted to keep them guessing. He was not trying to be modest.

  Noah started to walk away. He turned and then sat back down again.

  “Do you really want to know what I think? Well I do not want to cheat you, so here it is. You and Angie did a four on one. Angie was playing out a fantasy. You were playing out a fantasy too and all of you were acting out your wet dreams. Everybody knew that it was play. Nobody was damaged.” Like Terri and Suki, he thought. He waved his hand in the air, “Now let’s say four guys grab Angie off the street. They take her to a room and do the same thing against her will. Beat her up and throw her out naked some
where. She would be shattered for life!” He was talking about Angie, but thinking about the attack on Suki and Terri. “Carrying out a fantasy can be a fun thing, but everybody has to know that it is a fantasy.” Events had caught up with Noah. “I’m going to take a snooze. If you do not see me before then, I will see you in the morning. We are due out at nine.”

  He walked out of the restaurant. Noah did not stop until he closed the door of his room. He washed his face, and clenched both fists on the vanity. He stood there with water dripping off his face when he heard a knock at the door. Noah dried his face answering the door finding the engineer with a concerned look on his face.

  “Come in,” Noah walked over to a chair and sat down heavily. Frank remained standing. “A couple of guys got a hold of Terri and raped her.” Noah did not want to reveal too much.

  “Did the police get them?” There was honest concern in Frank’s voice. He remembered Terri from her visit at the cottage.

  “No!” there was a hard edge in Noah’s voice. “I did.”

  “What did you do?” Frank had a feeling that it was going to be ugly.

  “I sent them on an Atlantic cruise in a cardboard box.” The emotion faded from Noah’s voice.

  “You killed them!” Frank was shaken.

  “They were going to kill her!”

  “But you killed them!”

  “No, they were still alive when I saw them off,” Noah sounded somewhat happy.

  Frank’s knees buckled and he leaned against the dresser. The idea of falling 24,000 feet alive and being alive for the splat shattered him. He fumbled for words, “Oh, oh my God!”

  “They tortured and raped her! There was no doubt that they were going to kill Terri!” Noah was crying and only his voice had emotion in it. His body was limp.

  Frank tried to say something, but nothing could come to mind so he reached over and patted Noah on the knee closing the door quietly behind him leaving him with his thoughts. Noah watched Frank close the door. Frank was right, it was a horrible death. A picture of Suki’s and Terri’s tortured bodies buried in a cold mud hole came to mind. They would have killed Milo too. There was no way that Noah could let them live. Those scumbags would have dumped the three of them in a cold muddy grave. Noah’s anger was up again. “Screw those scumbags. They deserved what they got, for what they would have done to the girls.” He forced his mind to other things. Noah leaned back in the chair and tried to collect his thoughts.

  It was dark, when Noah awoke in the chair. He looked at the clock it was seven thirty and his body felt like it was beaten with a stick. Noah stood up slowly. He stumbled to the bathroom turning the water on as hot as he could stand it. Noah, let the water run over him. After ten minutes, he climbed out somewhat refreshed. Tonight he would have to use the bed. He dressed and opened the door to leave. A motion caught his eye. It was a note. ‘KNOCK ON MY DOOR ON YOUR WAY DOWN TO DINNER. I’M IN ROOM 312’. He walked down the hall and knocked on the door of room 312. Frank opened the door.

  “I fell asleep. I’m on my way down for a late dinner care to join me?”

  “Let me get my room key.” Frank disappeared for a few seconds. The two men walked down to the restaurant.

  “Frank, are you ok? I laid a lot on you.” Noah was glad that he had not told him everything. That would have been too much.

  “Yeah, it took a while to digest, but I’m Ok. You got attached to those ladies big time.”

  “How can you not get attached? They treated us pretty good. Do you have any complaints? She…”

  They were interrupted by the hostess continuing after being seated, “They may have been whores, but they sure were hospitable to us. I’ve heard the arguments. Can you rape a whore?” Noah slapped the table a few times, for emphasis. “Yes you can! If she turns you down and you force her it is rape.”

  “You’re right, I thought of that after I left.” Frank was reflecting his excitement.

  Noah continued, “It was not just rape. It was assault and attempted murder. Nobody ever says anything about that. Rough sex is one thing as long as both people are playing, but rape is out of bounds. Rapists are just a hair above child molesters, and child molesters are the bottom of the barrel!”

  Noah’s voice was louder than he intended. He looked over to the table that was across the aisle. An attractive well-dressed woman who was obviously dining alone made no pretense about listening to their conversation returning their smile.

  “Excuse me for intruding, but I could not help hearing your conversation. Do you mind if I join in?” Both men nodded and she moved over sliding into the booth next to Frank giving him a solid bump with her hip even though she had plenty of room. She offered her hand squeezing Frank’s hand with a solid grip that surprised him with her strength.

  “We seem to share a number of views. My name is Sheila and you are?”

  “I am Noah. I am a courier for Everywhere Air, and this is the pilot Frank.” She smiled moving closer to Frank. “I’m here for a DA’s conference. There are five of us here from Chicago. I get to dine alone because the men are checking out the whore situation in DC, professionally of course.” She moved closer to Frank effectively pinning him against the wall of the booth. “So you’re a pilot. Do you see much of the country?” The waitress came over moving her setup over to their table taking their orders. “Bring us another round of drinks that will be all,” Sheila said, making it clear that the waitress was dismissed.

  “I fly international mostly. I see more of the world than I do our country.”

  “That sounds fascinating. Which countries do you fly to?” The conversation turned to small talk unfortunately with a casual service, dinner was much too short. The restaurant was closing even though Sheila and Frank were still deep in conversation. “Let’s go to the bar. We can finish in there.”

  “I have to fly tomorrow, so I can’t drink.” Frank was sounding dejected.

  “Then we can finish up in my room.” Frank kicked Noah, nodding toward Sheila.

  “You two go on. I can drink, and I think that I will have a few at the bar. I’m just the delivery boy, so I will catch you in the morning. Don’t worry about the check I’ll put it on our expenses.”

  She slid out of the booth. Frank started to get up. She slipped a hand around his bicep and gave him a firm hand up.

  “Frank, would you tell me what the line between rough sex and rape is? We are having a seminar, and I would like your personal views. Would you share them with me?”

  Noah watched as they left the restaurant. He paid the tab leaving a hefty tip going back to his room hoping to get a full night’s sleep. No sooner did the door close behind him than there was a knock on the adjoining door.

  “Be right there Buck,” Noah answered.

  “Noah you would really turn 300,000 dollars cash over to Buck?” It was Creed at the door.

  “Yes, I would.” Noah was annoyed by the question. “You said that Buck is running the show. That means I take his calls and deliver the money to whomever he says it goes to.”

  “I think we need to change the terms. I am taking over, so we will restructure the deal.”

  “I tell you what. You pay us for the flying that we have done to date, and you can take the plane down to Nicaragua. Go work the best deal you can. My wife is really pissed at me anyway. I am not the only one that you can get to do this.” Noah could see Creed's face contort in anger. “Now, get the hell out of my room.”

  “I can get someone else!” Creed did not budge. “You can be replaced. Buck is out!”

  “Do it! We are not moving the aircraft. Pay us off, and we are finished.” Noah spun Creed around and pushed him toward the door.

  Creed spun back around, “Don’t ever put your hands on me.”

  Noah folded his arms across his chest, looking Creed straight in the eye. He pointed to the adjoining door raising his voice.

  “Clear the door now or you will need more time to find a new crew.”

  “Ok! Finish this
run, and you are done.” Creed knew that he over played his hand. There was a lot of cash floating around, and he wanted to be the one controlling it.

  “We are finished,” Noah shouted intentionally. “Pay us off and we will be on our way. Do not pay us and you can ship all the shit on a military aircraft. It is legal I am sure. Try American or Pan Am they fly down that way. After you do that get someone to make the cash conversion. Now out of my room. I need some sleep.” There was a knock at the door. Noah answered.

  “This is hotel security. Gentlemen, you need to keep it down. The other guests are complaining.” Noah opened the door wider so that the security man had a full view of Creed.

  “This gentleman barged into my room looking for his wife Jack. Fucking homo doesn’t believe that he isn’t here.”

  “I am not a homo!” Creed was absolutely homo-phobic and was so pissed he was purple.

  “Well Jack is not here, either.”

  “Fuck Jack!” Creed raged.

  “You see what I mean,” Noah said to the security guard. “I just can’t do anything with him. Come in and look for yourself I am not playing with his lover.”

  “That’s it, I am calling the police.” The security man was not taking any bullshit. Creed produced a government ID. “I’m with the Pentagon,” Creed insisted.

  “Careful they fire fags over there. Of course, you could put in for the FBI. J. Edgar is dead, but I hear that they still are accepting ‘Butt Boys’.” Creed went after Noah and Security tried to restrain him, but Noah had to help security to restrain Creed. The police were called, and here was a prolonged conflict with the security guard finally using his Taser on him.

  Things calmed down after the police hand cuffed Creed. The officer was using Creeds government ID to fill in the report. Creed was sitting on the bed purple with rage. Buck slipped out of the other room and tried to look like one of the spectators in the hall.