by Pinki Parks
He was sporting a bandage on his head and was suffering the effects of a concussion.
“I want to know what kind of mess you have gotten my daughter into. I never thought you were good enough for her and this proves it. I have to jump through hoops every time that I want to go in and see her. I’m not foolish. Somebody is trying to use her as leverage against you. I can’t sit back and do nothing.” He was using me as a scapegoat and I had to defuse his anger before he decided to take a swing at me.
“We don’t know anything for certain. We still don’t know the reason why or who’s responsible. We’re both in high positions in the military. It’s not uncommon to make enemies. The attack had to take some lengthy planning.” I put my hands on his shoulders with my fingers digging into the green smock that embarrassingly exposed his behind. I wasn’t about to tell him that his daughter was the main target. It’s better that he believes I am in danger “Bentley will be driven to a safehouse as soon as possible.”
“Don’t try to calm me down. That’s my daughter in there! I want you to keep me informed and I’m not taking no for an answer. Don’t even think about putting me on a plane like you did with your mother. I heard all about how you got your family out of here.” Her father was fuming and felt it was necessary to direct his anger at me.
I had a lot on my plate and I didn’t need him second-guessing me. Feldman was mute and wasn’t about to step in between the father of the bride and groom. It wasn’t his place and he knew better than to choose sides.
“I’m putting you into military protective custody. No amount of screaming is going to change my mind. Justice will take care of my mother and give my brother’s the heads up to keep their heads down low. I have to protect my family. You’re part of that family. Like it or not, you need the protection if you are going to stay here. It isn’t safe for you to be here.” Two military police were shadowing him and they each took an elbow to keep him immobilized.
“Bentley will hear about this. I don’t want to leave her without knowing she’s going to be fine.” As if on cue, the Physician assigned to her case made her way down the hallway looking at my wife’s chart.
“It’s good the two of you are here together. I can’t find any medical reason for her to be still unconscious. I have run every test necessary and they’ve all come back negative. We are just going to have to wait until she feels strong enough to open up her eyes.” Dr. Stevens looked me in the eyes, knowing she was telling me something I didn’t want to hear. I was impressed with her bedside manner.
“When will she wake up?” Pops jumped in. I wasn’t the only one thinking the same thing.
“Like I said, I can’t give you a set time frame for when she will wake up. It could be any minute or a couple of days from now. We could induce her by medical means, but I would rather wait for her to do it naturally. Your daughter is in top physical shape.” Dr. Stevens turned on her heels slapping her flat-soled shoes against the floor in her wake. She flipped a brown curl out of her eyes.
“We can at least be thankful there’s nothing medically wrong with her. You can stay until she wakes up, but you will always be surrounded by these two military police officers. I can personally vouch for each one of them to be above suspicion.” I was telling him what he needed to hear without relaying all the information. The less he knew the better off he was going to be.
“That’s magnanimous of you considering you might be the cause for why she’s here. I’m going in. It would probably make her feel better to have you there when she opens her eyes.” I knew his frustration took the better of him. We weren’t too chummy to begin with.
I heard the crash coming from inside and I rushed in to find her bedpan lying on the floor. She had her arms crossed and was showing the strength of her stubbornness in the way that she was looking at me. She wasn’t the only one with questions.
Chapter 5
Bentley
“I’m not an invalid. I don’t need anybody holding my hand.” Pride put up his hands in self-preservation and knew better to fight me.
I had a frank discussion with Pops before turning my attention to the people responsible for making my wedding turn into a nightmare. I agreed with Pride. Pops would remain in military custody with those two military police. He wasn’t very happy, but his anger would fade in time. It was better to have him upset than to grieve for him.
“If you insist on coming with me then we have to take precautions. I’m bringing you with me under protest. A couple of days in bed aren’t going to kill you.” Pride was erring on the side of precaution.
“I’m not going to let you have all the fun. We have to keep moving and not stay in one place for too long. I’m not happy that your brother got involved in this.” I wasn’t going to let him live it down, but I was impressed by how quickly he acted.
“I don’t know how many times I have to apologize. I was protecting my family. I should have seen the bigger picture. There’s no reason to cry over spilled milk. What’s done is done and I can’t take it back. Victor’s captured one of the attackers.” He helped me into the black suburban with tinted windows to prevent anybody from seeing its passengers.
“Chalk up my reaction to being a bad patient. I can’t stand anybody trying to take care of me. You know that better than anybody. I’ve always been independent. Being laid up in the hospital for any length of time is only going to drive me crazy.” My legs were a little unsteady, but I managed to balance my weight by holding onto his shoulder.
“We don’t have to go far. There is a safe house that hasn’t been used in quite some time. We had no use for it, but we did keep it for emergencies. It’s a good thing we did considering the circumstances. I hope you don’t take offense, but I will be doing all the talking. I have been trained to get information out of people. I’m not sure you want to see what I do.” His past was still a mystery and his missions being classified had made it easier for him to keep things quiet.
“I know my way around intelligence. They were obviously the muscle of the group. I doubt the chain of command told them anything significant. We are only going to be wasting our time. Talking will not come easily for Russian soldiers.” I was batting my head against a brick wall trying to figure out the connection to them and my heritage.
I didn’t even know if there was one. Those codes given to me by Commander Riker would cause an international incident around the globe if in the wrong hands. I couldn’t relay any of that information to someone that wasn’t on the need to know basis.
“We might be able to get a name. Flying blind is not one of my strong suits. I’m always the guy with the boots on the ground doing the dirty work for those too terrified to get their hands bloody. Nobody knows what it’s like to be living in my shoes. I wouldn’t wish for anybody to see the things I have seen.” There was this look of despair and regret in his eyes.
“I still think it’s a waste of time, but we don’t have any other avenues to explore at the moment.” He drove through traffic picking up speed and navigating the side streets knowing exactly what he was doing.
“We’re going to have to be more vigilant. We picked up a tail behind us trying to be subtle by using two cars to shield them from us. I recognize the vehicle from when we left the hospital. They are good, but I’m better. We can’t lose them in this behemoth. The armor shell and bulletproof glass are good for a frontal attack. We have to lose them, but the only way to do that is to ditch this vehicle.” He was looking in the mirror and I felt at ease knowing full well, he was a tactful man. He could act fast, on the fly and get to his target without a scratch. I knew that from his badges and from his training but I never saw it first-hand.
“There’s an open market on the next street over. We can lose them in the crowd. The one thing the military taught us is to use our environment to confuse the enemy. There will be many opportunities for us to disguise ourselves. Try to avoid sunglasses. Neutral colors are our friend.” I was spouting the same r
hetoric we had both heard during our counterintelligence training. I was a bit anxious about our next move. The crowd could also be our way of losing each other.
“It’s good to have somebody that I can trust with my life. My preference would be to have somebody else, but it’s not like you are going to stand down. I don’t like seeing you in danger. The only thing I can do is keep you close and make sure that I’m there when you need me the most.” He came to a stop in front of a hydrant. Not that being towed was our main concern.
I got a little dizzy when I exited the suburban. I was still trying to shake the cobwebs out after being unconscious for 24-hours. I was a sitting duck and my body had betrayed me. Come on, wake up! I told myself.
The place was packed with those peddling their wares. We had to split up to avoid being detected as a couple. I did try to keep him in sight, but it wasn’t easy. It wasn’t long before he got lost in the shuffle leaving me to fend for myself until we could meet up at our final destination.
I had to remain inconspicuous and off their radar. It was a little unnerving for them to be following us. The windows were tinted. It meant somebody within the hospital had already seen us leaving together and knew exactly what we were wearing. Standing out from the crowd was going to put a target on my back. I had to find a way to limit my exposure to those trying to get their hands on me. I knew my beloved better than anybody and he would use this chance to lure them away.
The chains of matrimony bonded us together, but it was our love that was going to conquer all. He kept me at a distance early on in the relationship, but I was determined to persevere against all odds.
I could smell different foods carried on the wind. Somebody was selling homemade jewelry and perfumes in tiny bottles. The proprietor was busy serving another customer. I surrounded myself with the halo of a cinnamon and jasmine scent. It was a lovely blend. This was only the first part of my plan to become somebody else.
I moved through the sea of people with everybody having their own stories to tell. Nobody really knew what anybody was going through unless they walked a mile in their shoes. They had no idea I had the hounds of hell on my tail, ready to take a bite. They were completely oblivious to us and those tracking us. Too many civilian lives at stake. This was a bad idea. It’s not like it would stop them from shooting or killing innocent people. After the attack at the wedding, I would say these are ruthless bastards.
I discretely pulled a purple scarf and dress off one of the racks. I was turning myself into a tourist notorious for buying those little things to remind them of their trip to Guam.
“Don’t make a scene.” I was too busy reinventing my persona to notice that my efforts were in vain. “Did you really think that I wouldn’t recognize you? I would know you anywhere. We worked together in Europe taking down a known terrorist. You weren’t like everybody else going through the motions. I’m sorry that we had to meet again under these circumstances.” I knew the voice, but I couldn’t place the name for the life of me.
“I’m guessing that I shouldn’t mistake the hard bulge poking against me for being happy to see me. Is there any way that I can convince you to walk away? Do you even know why you have been contracted to come after me?” I had to keep him talking long enough to find a way to turn the tables.
“I’m not opposed to taking a bribe. They are offering me $25,000 for you, alive. Match the offer and I will turn the other way. I don’t take checks. Cold hard cash is the only currency that speaks my language.” I could at least distract him with promises of a hefty payday.
“I don’t have that kind of money on me. What kind of person would carry that kind of cash with them? We’re going to have to go to the nearby bank. I’ll give you $30,000 and not a penny more. Why should I believe you can be taken at your word? You could take the extra cash I give you and pad your fee by still taking me in. I am curious to know how you got the job.” He wasn’t Russian which meant that someone else was after the code.
“I’m not cold-hearted. This isn’t a personal grudge. I have nothing invested in seeing this contract fulfilled one way or the other. You can believe me or not. It’s entirely up to you. I will warn you that I’m not the only one looking to cash in. I don’t know who made the contract open-ended. You have a price on your head. They want you alive. That’s more than I can say for other contracts in the past.” There was a pair of cheap sunglasses in front of me and I used the reflective surface to identify the man poking me with the gun.
“Paxton, I have to say you surprise me. You’ve always been a bleeding heart. What made you change the way you do business? Let me guess, money or a girl.” I took a stab in the dark. There was a hot cup of tea steaming with a little milk right in front of me.
“I was wondering how long it was going to take you. I’m a little insulted it took this long. We got pretty close, but you let the mission get in the way of a little bit of fun. To answer your question, it’s about money and a girl. I suggest we do this quietly. I would hate to hurt innocent people. Your contribution to my retirement fund will be appreciated.” He gave me a nudge, but I didn’t move.
“I can’t take those kinds of funds out of the bank without raising suspicion. We could take the precaution of going to three different banks. It might be time-consuming, but it would attract less attention. It’s up to you, but I thought you were a man that didn’t like to take chances.” I was hoping he would fall for it and buy myself some time. Being a part of the intelligence community made it necessary from time to time to go outside of my comfort zone.
Becoming the little voice in the ear, talking to the team was common in my line of work. They depended on me to make sure the coast was clear. I was very good at my job, but some information could slip through the cracks and all that red tape.
“I need to get my money and get out of dodge. I already confirmed that I was taking the contract. They don’t sound like the type of people to let things go. They have gone to all the trouble to make you number one target. Some might want to collect the bounty dead or alive. It really does take one to ruin it for the rest of us.” The heat from the cup was almost within reach. It was worth the discomfort to have a hidden weapon in my arsenal.
He reached around and relieved me of my weapon. I kept the cup to my side out of sight and out of mind. I had to time it right. I didn’t want him to fire indiscriminately into the crowd. Blinding him temporarily would leave him flailing trying to see through the scalding contents.
“Tell me about it. You would think there would be honor amongst thieves. Those in the mercenary game can’t be trusted. They will have a kind smile in front of you and a knife behind their back. Money is the root of all evil. Everybody has a price. I thought you were different, but I was wrong.” Paxton had a moral code, but something had changed him and not for the better.
I threw the cup in his face and dashed through the crowd. I should have known he didn’t come alone.
Three soldiers stood out from the crowd. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. I couldn’t move forward without them spotting me and I couldn’t turn back without running into Paxton. I had to pick the most opportune route. Shit!
Chapter 6
Pride
“It has been almost an hour and there’s no sign of her. I know she can take care of herself, but it doesn’t make me feel any better. I’m kicking myself for leaving her. If anything happens to her, I will never forgive myself.” I was looking out onto the street every 5 minutes.
“She will find a way to get in touch with you. In the meantime, the prisoner has been properly sedated and has no idea how much time has gone by. He’s a little confused and you can use that to your advantage. It’s been quite some time since I’ve done anything like this. But you know what? You never forget.” Victor had gotten out and I was pulling him right back in.
“You’ve done more than enough. I will understand and there will be no hard feelings if you want to bail. This isn’t your fight. I married in
to it. What is your excuse? We both know the excitement is like a drug for you. It’s the reason why you took a step back and went into the analytical side of things.” He had gone undercover within a militia and almost lost himself.
It wasn’t easy to bring him back. Victor had gotten too close to his mark and made it personal. It wasn’t long before the order came in to take out the subject with extreme prejudice. He did his duty, but he was never quite the same again. He had a problem making the distinction between good and bad. It took an intervention to make him see the real Victor looking at him in the mirror.
“I’m going to stick around for a little while longer. I’ve already cleared it with my commanding officer. He surprisingly understands when it comes to family matters. I suspect he has a black sheep in his family. You need me and don’t even pretend that you don’t. Without me, you wouldn’t have somebody to question.” He was never going to let me hear the end of that.
“This place reminds me of suburban hell. It has those conventional touches that the next generation is looking for these days. The old architecture has good bones with some of those island touches to make it feel like home. I look at these people outside the window and they look like they are happy. They have no idea what we do. It makes me sick.” I was going off on a tangent with my own personal pet peeves.
“I get it. You’re never going to be waving to your neighbor and taking out the trash on Thursday nights. Are you saying there isn’t room for the pitter patter of little feet? You know mom is going to harass you about grandkids.” I saw the world burning and to bring a child into it was only adding to the problem.
This was a contention between me and Bentley.